Blue supermoon in pictures: Rare lunar event lights up West Country skies

The rare blue supermoon glowed orange above Chalford Hill in Stroud, Gloucestershire. Credit: Martin Vincent

Sky gazers in the West Country have been treated to a rare blue supermoon, which made a spectacular appearance for the first time since 2009.

The peak of the full moon – when the near side of it is completely lit up by the sun, happened at 2.35am(BST) on the morning of Thursday 31 August. 

A blue supermoon occurs when there are two full moons in a calendar month.

As it takes 29.5 days for the moon to complete one orbit of the Earth, you rarely get two full moons in a month.

This month's blue moon is particularly special as it is also a supermoon, which means it is around 14% bigger and 30% brighter than the average full moon.

Despite its name, the lunar phenomenon has nothing to do with colour.

It falls outside the usual pattern of named Moons, hence the phrase 'once in a blue moon'.

There will not be another blue supermoon until 2037.

  • People across the West Country have been sending in their supermoon pictures

Details of the Moon's surface are clearly visible in this photo taken in Westfield, Somerset. Credit: Helen Newman
From Stannpit Marsh in Christchurch, Dorset, the Moon glowed red as it rose above the beach huts. Credit: Avon Images
Rea Arklie-Davies captured this striking image of the blue supermoon in Callington, Cornwall. Credit: Rea Arklie-Davies
The blue supermoon could be seen rising up the side of Cley Hill near Corsley in Wiltshire. Credit: Mike Read
The view of the Moon was impressive at Wells in Somerset. Credit: Simon Burfield