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An astronaut uploaded photos taken outside Earth’s orbit of a ‘supermoon‘ to Twitter Sunday.
Oleg Artemyev, a Russian astronaut currently stationed inside the International Space Station, shared the photos of a ‘moonset’ – which capture the moon passing the Earth, Sky reported.
The ‘supermoon’ is set to accompany this year’s Perseid meteor shower, one of the most anticipated events on the skywatcher’s calendar.
Given a dark, clear sky in a normal year, it is common to see more than 100 of the meteors an hour during the second week in August.
But this year the Perseids have a bright shining rival.
On Sunday, two days before the meteor shower reaches its peak, the moon will become full. It has already been seen overhead in China, Australia and New Zealand.
Beautiful: The ‘supermoon’ was seen right outside the Earth’s atmosphere
Out of this world: Russian astronaut Oleg Artemyev captured the photos of the ‘supermoon’
Far out: Artemyev is currently stationed at the International Space Station
Hiding! Just a hint of the ‘supermoon’ is seen behind Earth
The ‘supermoon’ appeared on top of a Bleinheim, New Zealand church on Sunday
By the moonlight: The ‘supermoon’ sits over buildings in Hong Kong on August 10, 2014
Magic in the moonlight: The supermoon is seen over Wanda, Australia on August 10, 2014
Coincidentally, it will also have reached the point in its orbit that is closest to the Earth, known as ‘perigee.’
The supermoon will be up to 14% bigger and 30% brighter than other full moons during the year.
On one level, this is bad news, according to Dr Bill Cooke from Nasa’s Meteoroid Environment Office.
‘Lunar glare wipes out the black-velvety backdrop required to see faint meteors, and sharply reduces counts,’ he said.
Brightening up: The weathercock of the church of Saints Peter and Paul is pictured in front of the moon in the village of Klein-Auheim near Hanau in Germany
The debris stream left by comet Swift-Tuttle produces the Perseids
Lunar lady: The moon is seen as it rises over a statue by Harriet A. Ketcham titled ‘Victory’ in the statehouse complex in Des Moines, Iowa
Between two horns: The moon appears behind a Spanish fighting bull in Puerto de Santa Maria, Spain. The phenomenon, which scientists call a perigee moon, occurs when the moon is near the horizon and appears larger and brighter than other full moons
But all is not lost. The debris stream left by comet Swift-Tuttle, which produces the Perseids, is wide, so the shooting stars could make an appearance well before the moon becomes full.
Dr Cooke added that the Perseids were also ‘rich in fireballs as bright as Jupiter or Venus’ that would remain visible despite the moon’s glare.
A study conducted by his team since 2008 has shown the Perseids to be the undisputed ‘fireball champion’ of meteor showers.
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