Rare supermoon and lunar eclipse lit up UK skies overnight

A double spectacle of moon phenomena - a supermoon and a partial lunar eclipse - lit up skies across the UK on Tuesday night.

Clear skies across much of the country meant stargazers and space enthusiasts were treated to an extra bright moon, darkened partially by the shadow of an eclipse.

A supermoon occurs when a full lunar phase lines up with a particularly close orbit around Earth. It happens when the moon appears 30% brighter and 14% bigger in the sky.

Due to the moon being full, and closer to our planet than usual, it appeared bigger and brighter in the sky - earning it the title of "supermoon".

Tuesday's supermoon was also met with a partial lunar eclipse - with 4% of the moon covered by the Earth's shadow.

A partial lunar eclipse happens when the Earth passes between the sun and moon, casting a shadow that darkens a sliver of the moon.

As the partial eclipse involves blocking some of the sun's light, the moon was slightly dimmer than a regular supermoon.

The Earth, moon and sun line up to produce a solar or lunar eclipse anywhere from four to seven times a year, according to NASA.

This lunar eclipse was the second and final of the year after a slight darkening in March.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To know...