First supermoon of the year rises over Singapore

SINGAPORE: The first supermoon of the year – also dubbed the Sturgeon moon – shone through on Monday (Aug 19) despite cloudy weather over some parts of the island. 
It began rising from about 7pm and will reach its highest point in the early hours of Tuesday at 1am, said the Science Centre Observatory (SCOB).
Photos shared with CNA showed clear views from Upper Bukit Timah, Toa Payoh, Bedok and Ang Mo Kio.
The phenomenon should be easily visible anywhere in Singapore as long as the skies are clear, said SCOB.
Viewers are advised to head to open public areas like the Marina Barrage, East Coast Park, and the Southern Ridges to see the supermoon.
August’s full moon is named after the sturgeon in tandem with the belief that this fish is more easily caught during this period.
It is also a seasonal Blue Moon.
This term is used to describe the third full moon in an astronomical season when there are four full moons instead of the usual three, said the observatory. 
The last seasonal Blue Moon was in August 2021, and the next one won’t occur until May 2027. 
The public also took to social media and Facebook groups such as CloudSpotting & SkySpotting Singapore to share their night views. 
Patient skywatchers in Australia were rewarded with a view of the supermoon hanging over the Sydney Opera House once it broke through the clouds. 
It also loomed large in Seoul, with photographs capturing it next to the city’s iconic 123-storey Lotte World Tower. 
And over in London on Sunday night – a day ahead of the full supermoon proper – Earth’s satellite made its appearance in glowing red. 
The next supermoon that can be seen over Singapore will be on Sep 18, according to SCOB.
Planning to catch the next supermoon or meteor shower? Send us your photos via CNA Eyewitness or on WhatsApp.