Photo gallery: The best supermoon images from Yorkshire and across the globe

A so-called ‘supermoon’ brightened up the night sky across the UK later as it moved closer to Earth.

The full moon looked 14 per cent bigger and 30 per cent brighter than usual.

Traditionally known as the Cold Moon, the full moon was visible at 3.47pm last night, 45 minutes ahead of moonrise.

The sight happens when a full moon is at the point in its orbit that brings it closest to Earth.

Tom Kerss, an astronomer at Royal Observatory Greenwich, said the supermoon appeared at its brightest at around midnight.

“This year’s Cold Moon is closer to us than the average full moon this year; close enough to qualify as a supermoon, according to the widely accepted definition,” he said.

“The moon will reach its highest point above the horizon at midnight local time. This is when, weather permitting, it will appear at its clearest and brightest.”

The full moon was 222,761 miles from Earth, closer than its average 238,900 miles.

Mr Kerss said: “During moonrise and moonset, you might think the moon looks unusually large, but this is an illusion created in the mind when it appears close to the horizon.

“In fact, the change in the moon’s apparent size throughout its orbit is imperceptible to the unaided eye.

“It’s perfectly safe to look directly at the full moon, even with a telescope or binoculars.

The first supermoon of the year was visible on January 12 and the second was on November 3.