'Harvest' supermoon lights up Australian night skies
The Harvest Supermoon is lighting up Australian skies until Friday night. Photo: Darren England/AAP PHOTOS
Stargazers are being treated to some Wednesday night delight with a rare supermoon glowing in Australian skies.
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The biggest full moon of the year, the Harvest Supermoon, delivered in spades with the night orb shining brightly at its closest point to earth.
A supermoon occurs when the moon appears 30 per cent brighter and 14 per cent bigger in the sky.
Gazers in Central Australia, the Northern Territory and Western Australia will get the best view. (Dean Lewins/AAP PHOTOS)
The Harvest Moon is called as such due to the time of year it occurs, being when farmers could use the added light to harvest crops before winter hits in the northern hemisphere.
It is around 27,000km closer than the moon usually sits.
The Bureau of Meteorology said Central Australia, the Northern Territory and Western Australia would have great visibility, while a cloud band could deal a cruel blow to NSW's lunar fanatics.
Stargrazers will enjoy two more supermoons this year, in October and November. (Darren England/AAP PHOTOS)
The supermoon will be visible for the next few nights but was at it fullest on Wednesday.
Two more supermoons are set to occur this year, on October 17 and November 15.
A full lunar eclipse is not due in Australia until September 7, 2025.
Australian Associated Press
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