Harvest supermoon in pictures

Pictures of rare celestial event across the world

The harvest supermoon rose behind a horse statue at the Triumphal Arc during a partial lunar eclipse in Moscow. Photograph: AP
The harvest supermoon rose behind a horse statue at the Triumphal Arc during a partial lunar eclipse in Moscow. Photograph: AP

Clear skies in the early hours of Wednesday morning afforded star gazers a rare sighting of a partial eclipse of a supermoon which is also a harvest moon.

The eclipse lasted for more than an hour on Wednesday morning from 3.13am to 4.16am as three lunar events coincided.

The eclipse was an especially rare event as there was a full moon at its closest to Earth, which made it a supermoon.

The term “harvest moon” refers to the full, bright moon that occurs closest to the start of autumn. The name dates from the time before electricity, when farmers depended on the moon’s light to harvest their crops late into the night.

Ireland: A partial lunar eclipse during the harvest supermoon
Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill
Ireland: A partial lunar eclipse during the harvest supermoon Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill
Germany: A man crosses a bridge past the full moon in Frankfurt. Photograph: Kirill Kudryatsev/AFP/Getty Images
Germany: A man crosses a bridge past the full moon in Frankfurt. Photograph: Kirill Kudryatsev/AFP/Getty Images
Germany: Harvest moon behind the weathercock atop the Church of the Three Kings in Frankfurt. Photograph: Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP/Getty Images
Germany: Harvest moon behind the weathercock atop the Church of the Three Kings in Frankfurt. Photograph: Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP/Getty Images
Germany: A spider is pictured in front of the full moon in Frankfurt. Photograph: Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP/Getty Images
Germany: A spider is pictured in front of the full moon in Frankfurt. Photograph: Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP/Getty Images
Germany: The harvest supermoon rises behind the church in Wehrheim near Frankfurt. Photograph: Michael Probst/AP
Germany: The harvest supermoon rises behind the church in Wehrheim near Frankfurt. Photograph: Michael Probst/AP
Germany: A couple looks at the harvest supermoon in Frankfurt. Photograph: Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP/Getty Images
Germany: A couple looks at the harvest supermoon in Frankfurt. Photograph: Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP/Getty Images
South Africa: Harvest supermoon rises over Kalk Bay Harbour near Cape Town. Photograph: Rodger Bosch/AFPGetty Images
South Africa: Harvest supermoon rises over Kalk Bay Harbour near Cape Town. Photograph: Rodger Bosch/AFPGetty Images
UK: Harvest moon rises over The Couple sculpture at Newbiggin-by-the-Sea in Northumberland. Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PA
UK: Harvest moon rises over The Couple sculpture at Newbiggin-by-the-Sea in Northumberland. Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PA
Latvia: Supermoon rises over Kabile. Photograph: Toms Kalnins/EPA-EFE
Latvia: Supermoon rises over Kabile. Photograph: Toms Kalnins/EPA-EFE
China: The supermoon could be seen during China’s Mid-Autumn Festival in Huzhou City. Photograph: Xinhua via AP
China: The supermoon could be seen during China’s Mid-Autumn Festival in Huzhou City. Photograph: Xinhua via AP
US: Harvest supermoon rises through clouds over the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Camden, Maine. Photograph: AP
US: Harvest supermoon rises through clouds over the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Camden, Maine. Photograph: AP
Israel: A supermoon with a partial lunar eclipse sets over the old city of Jerusalem. Photograph: Abir Sultan/EPA-EFE
Israel: A supermoon with a partial lunar eclipse sets over the old city of Jerusalem. Photograph: Abir Sultan/EPA-EFE
Turkey: Partial lunar eclipse rising over Istanbul. Photograph: Ozan Kose/AFP/Getty Images
Turkey: Partial lunar eclipse rising over Istanbul. Photograph: Ozan Kose/AFP/Getty Images