Amazing pics of the 'supermoon' across the globe

Christ the Redeemer, Brazil: PA

The sky was last night lit up by a 'supermoon' - the coincidence of a full moon (or a new moon) with the closest approach the moon makes to the Earth.

The Mare shanty town in Rio de Janeiro: PA

Also known as a perigee full moon, the phenomenon means the moon appears 14% larger and 30% brighter than usual.

St Isaak's Cathedral, St Petersburg, Russia: PA

The moon follows an elliptical orbit around the Earth, rather than a circular one and, last night, it was around 220,000 miles away instead of its usual 240,000 miles.

An egret nesting area in Wichita, Kansas, US: PA

It lit up the night sky across the world, creating wonderful images for stargazers from Rio de Janeiro's famous Christ the Redeemer statue to its shanty towns; from St. Isaak's Cathedral in St. Petersburg, Russia to an egret nesting area in Wichita, Kansas, US.

The supermoon causes higher tides, but scientists have dismissed the theory that it causes natural disasters and strange behaviour.

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