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The final supermoon of 2021 lit up the sky last night, appearing up to 30 per cent brighter and 14 per cent larger than a normal moon, according to astronomers.
The supermoon, named for the fact it comes when the natural satellite is in its closest point in its orbit with Earth, reached its peak brightness just before sunset.
The peak was due about 19:40 BST (14:40 ET) but the Met Office forecast had suggested that rain and cloud cover across the UK throughout the night might obscure it for some observers.
Each month’s full moon has a name, and for June it is known as the Strawberry Moon, named for the fact it is strawberry season, when the berries are ripe for picking.
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The final supermoon of 2021 lit up the sky last night, appearing up to 30 per cent brighter and 14 per cent larger than a normal moon, according to astronomers
The supermoon, named for the fact it comes when the natural satellite is in its closest point in its orbit with Earth, reached its peak brightness just before sunset
Brits who were blessed with incredibly clear sights of the moon took to Twitter to share their snaps.
‘Last night was quite a spectacular sight,’ posted @Kathy__Anderson from Surrey.
@CheeseAndPickl4, based in Warwickshire, tweeted: ‘It was amazing watching the strawberry supermoon appear last night… just watching it appear then disappear was like nothing else!’
However, according to the Met Office, cloud obscured the view for thousands of Brits throughout the night.
‘There were some reasonable breaks in the cloud across parts of central and southeast England before midnight, but generally speaking it was a largely cloudy night across much of the UK, with only limited breaks and a chance to see the moon,’ a Met Office spokesperson told MailOnline.
The peak was due about 19:40 BST (14:40 ET) but the Met Office forecast had suggested that rain and cloud cover across the UK throughout the night might obscure it for some observers
Each month’s full moon has a name, and for June it is known as the Strawberry Moon, named for the fact it is strawberry season, when the berries are ripe for picking
The name ‘Strawberry Moon’ comes from the time of year rather than the moon itself. The Farmer’s Almanac also notes that this specific supermoon has had a number of names in the past, all linked to the natural world, including blooming moon.
Other names, often given by Native American tribes, include green corn moon, hoer moon, birth moon, egg laying moon, honey moon and mead moon.
The phrase ‘honeymoon’ may be tied to this full moon, possibly due to the tradition of marrying in June or because the ‘honey moon’ is the ‘sweetest’ moon of the year.
A supermoon occurs when the moon is at its closest point to Earth in its orbit, known as perigee, and appears larger and brighter than a typical full moon. The next supermoon is due to take place on June 14, 2022.
Strawberry moon, the last super moon of 2021 is seen over Washington, DC, on June 24. It was at its strongest and clearest on Thursday evening
An almost full supermoon was pictured over Glastonbury in Somerset on Wednesday night, ahead of its peak last night
The moon is captured at the tip of the One World Trade Center in New York City on June 24, 2021, as seen from Jersey City, New Jersey
The supermoon, named for the fact it comes when the natural satellite is in its closest point in its orbit with Earth, was due to reach its peak brightness before sunset yesterday but was already visible over London on Wednesday – as seen in this image
TV presenter, author and world-class astronomer Mark Thompson said a supermoon is a great opportunity to look for features on the lunar surface.
‘The ease with which the full moon can be spotted makes it a great object for kids and newcomers to stargazing,’ he said.
‘See how many craters you can spot or if you can locate the Sea of Tranquillity where Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin landed in 1969.’
He added that the best time to view a supermoon was just after sunset as the gas and dust in the atmosphere will turn it an ‘eerie orange colour’.
People walk beneath the rising Strawberry super moon towards the Venetian-built Famagusta gate in the old walled city of Cyprus’ capital Nicosia on June 24, 2021
The peak was due at about 19:40 BST (14:40 ET) last night. Skygazers had already shared photos of the larger than usual moon from Wednesday night when it was ‘nearly full’. Pictured, over Stonehenge in Wiltshire
The full moon, known as the strawberry moon, is seen rising behind the Statue of Liberty in New York City on June 24, 2021
Full strawberry moon is seen in Zaragoza, northeastern Spain, early 25 June 2021. The Strawberry Moon is the last supermoon of 2021 and the first full moon of the summer
Taking photographs of the moon can be a challenge, explained Thompson, who said people are often inspired to capture their own picture but just see a tiny white blob.
‘To successfully capture lunar close-ups, a long lens is a must. Aspiring photographers should check out these expert tips from Canon for more advice.’
Skygazers will have a chance to witness the stunning display of the golden hued moon through until Saturday morning, so if it is overcast there are other chances.
Venus will also be visible with the supermoon and Mars will also be glowing 10 degrees above the horizon.
Strawberry moon rises over the Pacific Ocean at Narrawallee Beach, located near Mollymook on the South Coast of New South Wales in Australia, June 6, 2020
A Strawberry Moon lit up the sky on Thursday, June 24 and is the last supermoon for the year. Pictured is the Strawberry Moon when it appeared in the UK last year – June 5, 2020
HOW TO TAKE A PICTURES OF THE MOON ON ANDROID HANDSETS
Android users have similar options available to them as those on iOS, with a choice between the built in camera app and third party software.
Here’s a step by step-guide for the two methods:
Taking a picture of the moon on Android’s in-built camera:
Each version of Android may be slightly different, as the operating system can be customised by individual handset manufacturers, so instructions may vary.
1 – Turn off the flash in the camera app. The flash will only light up nearby objects and bounce light back into the lens, which could ruin your shot.
Tap the flash icon on the side or top of the screen and make sure to select the lightning bolt in a circle with a line going through it – depicting the flash as ‘off’
2 – You’ll need to zoom in for the best results. If you need to make the moon more prominent in your image, touch the screen using two fingers and use the spread gesture to zoom in or the pinch gesture to zoom out. However, this will reduce the quality of your image, so it is not advisable to overdo it.
3 – Many Android phones have a manual mode to drill-down and customise the camera settings. Open the camera app and then tap the three vertical lines icon in the top left corner, then tap manual.
4 – On the left hand-side of the camera interface, you will see a JPG icon.
Tap on it and it will switch to RAW JPG. This will allow corrections to be made to the image while keeping a high-quality image after it has been taken.
5 – Change the Exposure Value by tapping the EV option on screen and selecting a low exposure.
6 – Select the ISO option and choose a value of between 80 and 100.
7 – Increase the shutter speed, using the S option on screen, and choose the longest option. This will keep the shutter open for longer, so ensuring the camera is still while the photo is being taken is crucial .
8 – Once you’re happy with the way your image appears on the screen, click the circular capture button at the bottom of the app.
Using a third-party app to enhance your image:
1 – Go to the Google Play and download a relevant app. Adobe’s Lightroom app, which is available for iPhone, lets you enhance photos once they have been taken and get the most out of your Android’s camera.
2 – Open the Lightroom App and click on the camera icon in the bottom right hand corner, if you want to use its inbuilt camera. Alternatively, jump to step 7 to alter images taken with the inbuilt Android app.
3 – Make sure sure the File Format is set to DNG rather than JPG. This is an uncompressed raw format, similar to those used by professional photographers, which captures far greater detail.
Adobe’s Lightroom app, which is also available for iPhone, lets you enhance photos once they have been taken and get the most out of your Android’s camera
4 – Reduce the exposure by swiping left with your finger on the image, until the moon looks grey instead of white. If you take this too far, you can increase the exposure by swiping right.
5 – Make sure your flash is turned off by clicking on the lightning icon in the top right hand corner and selecting off.
6 – Once you are happy with the way your image appears on the screen, click the circular capture button at the bottom of the app.
7 – Edit your image within the Lightroom app, which uses technology from Adobe Photoshop to enhance your pictures. This includes increasing clarity and zooming in on an image once it has been taken.
To edit your image, click the X button on the camera window, then select the image you wish to edit. A range of tools are then available at the bottom of the screen.
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