In pics: Supermoon brightens up skies, two more to be witnessed in Jan 2018

The Sunday’s supermoon is one in a three-part series, according to NASA. Another supermoon sighting is expected on January 1 and January 31, 2018.

Stargazers were in for a treat on Sunday as they caught a glimpse of the so-called “supermoon” when the Moon appeared bigger and brighter in the sky as it moved closer to Earth.

The supermoon rises over a highway near Yangon, Myanmar , on Sunday. (AFP)

The moon appeared 30% brighter and 14% bigger, differences that might be lost on the human eye when it’s hanging high in the sky.

The supermoon rises over a building in the Israeli city of Netanya. (AFP)

A supermoon is visible on earth when it’s not just full moon but when the lunar orbit passes closest or near to the earth. This is because the moon’s orbit around the earth is elliptical rather than being a perfect circle.

Moon rises behind the Uppatasanti Pagoda - seen from Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (AP)

Since it’s bang in the middle of winter it’s sometimes also called a cold moon or frosty moon.

“The supermoons are a great opportunity for people to start looking at the moon, not just that once but every chance they have!” Noah Petro, a research scientist from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, said in a release.

A supermoon is seen through a balcony of a residential block in Hong Kong. (AFP)

The Sunday’s supermoon is one in a three-part series, according to NASA. Another supermoon sighting is expected on January 1 and January 31, 2018.