Pics: Don't miss these dazzling 'rare' supermoon photos

By IANS English

Updated: Wednesday, March 15, 2017, 9:17 [IST]

Washington, Sept 28: As the world witnessed the rare "supermoon" in combination with a total lunar eclipse on Sunday, two NASA photographers managed to capture some breathtaking shots of a phenomenon that occurred after more than 30 years.

While NASA's Joel Kowsky clicked a perigee full moon (or "supermoon") next to the Empire State Building at the beginning of a total lunar eclipse, Bill Ingalls caught a stunning "supermoon" behind the Colorado State Capitol Building in Denver. [Blood Moon: Click dazzling 'supermoon' eclipse from smartphone]

Port-au-Prince : A full moon silhouettes television and radio antennas on Boutilier Mountain, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Sunday Sept. 27, 2015. The full moon was seen prior to a phenomenon called a Super Moon eclipse that will occur on Monday, Sept. 28.

It was 5.41 a.m. in India on Monday morning when the "supermoon" phenomenon began.

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The combination of a "supermoon" and total lunar eclipse last occurred in 1982 and will not happen again until 2033.

The total eclipse lasted one hour and 12 minutes and was visible in North and South America, Europe, Africa, and parts of west Asia and the eastern Pacific.

When the Moon is farthest away, it is known as apogee and when it is closest, it is known as perigee.

At perigee, the moon is about 31,000 miles closer to Earth than at apogee.

That distance equates to more than once around the circumference of Earth.

Kansas City : This five picture combo taken over a one hour period shows the so-called supermoon in various stages as it changes from almost full to almost totally eclipsed Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015, in Kansas City, Mo. It was the first time Sunday that the events have made a twin appearance since 1982, and they won't again until 2033.

Its looming proximity makes the moon appear 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter in the sky than an apogee full moon, which sparked the term "supermoon".

"There's no physical difference in the moon. It just appears slightly bigger in the sky. It's not dramatic, but it does look larger," NASA said in a statement.