Supermoon 2017: Twitter reacts to the celestial event with spectacular photos and hilarious memes
Since it is the last full moon of autumn, it is also known as the Frost Moon or the Moon before Yule.
As a supermoon illuminated the sky on Sunday (3 December) night for the first and last time in 2017, Twitter lit up with some stunning pictures of the lunar event along with a slew of hilarious memes and jokes. A supermoon occurs when the moon is full and its elliptical orbit brings it closer to Earth than usual.
According to Gordon Johnston, a program executive with Nasa's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft system, the moon will appear up to 14% larger and 30% brighter than usual to observers.
Since it is the last full moon of autumn, it is also known as the Frost Moon or the Moon before Yule. The next full moon will be on 1 January, 2018 as the second of three supermoons, dubbed the supermoon trilogy by Nasa. The third supermoon will occur on 31 January.
Naturally, people soon flooded social media with plenty of stunning photos capturing the spectacular lunar event using the viral hashtag #supermoon.
Have you stepped outside to see tonight’s supermoon? Here, the Moon is seen as it rose this evening in Washington, DC. Today’s full Moon is the first of three consecutive supermoons. Details: https://t.co/GccSiA5Jbb pic.twitter.com/tUPcat13T1
— NASA (@NASA) December 4, 2017
The #supermoon rising over Mongolia. Good night from @Space_Station. pic.twitter.com/9OuWQaA4dL
— Randy Bresnik (@AstroKomrade) December 3, 2017
Spectacular timelapse video captures the moon setting this morning over the chapel at St. George's School in Middletown, Rhode Island; tonight's supermoon the first of three consecutive supermoons; the next two will occur on Jan. 1, 2018, and Jan. 31 https://t.co/YRjXvf3CAg pic.twitter.com/PxGzvvNQ2J
— ABC News (@ABC) December 4, 2017
Supermoon from my house tonight. (Fuji XT2 mounted to a small 80 mm refractor telescope.) pic.twitter.com/CB91upwAGF
— Jon Foley (@GlobalEcoGuy) December 4, 2017
Turns out sticking my phone camera on a telescope is a thing that works 🌚ðŸ”📱 #supermoon pic.twitter.com/5AOnCRhGx1
— Torrey (@TorreyLeeC) December 4, 2017
The #supermoon rises over Polish Hill in #Pittsburgh tonight, glowing an eerie red as it ascends into the night sky just after sunset. Absolutely incredible to see. pic.twitter.com/1AtsKO4MKb
— Dave DiCello (@DaveDiCello) December 4, 2017
The #ColdMoon appears over the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, DC pic.twitter.com/JBZZk5ZxqT
— Chris Duncan (@CTDPIX) December 3, 2017
Tonight's super moon rising over the cliffs at Bridlington North Bay @500pxrtg @StormHour #ThePhotoHour #supermoon pic.twitter.com/oB0qf5eFqS
— Julie🌅 (@juliepilling7) December 3, 2017
"From behind a cloud". The Supermoon appears through the clouds over Roker Pier, Sunderland, UK. @StormHour @EarthandClouds #supermoon pic.twitter.com/zQK2jJkQ47
— simon c woodley (@simoncwoodley) December 3, 2017
Some chose to commemorate the lunar event with hilarious memes, Star Wars-themed jokes and comments.
"I love when the moon gets all super," actress Juliette Lewis tweeted.
American illustrator and cartoonist Brandon Bird wrote: "That's no #supermoon. It's Hans Solo in a tiny pod."
"By morning he'll have taken credit for the super moon," one Twitter user joked.
in the last 4 months i’ve seen a solar eclipse and a super moon. wow. incredible. so when are one of these finally gonna kill us
— ryan (@yeetztweetz) December 4, 2017
That's no #supermoon... pic.twitter.com/6LWb0aDrDP
— Star Wars UK (@StarWarsUK) December 3, 2017
This supermoon is crazy pic.twitter.com/ScKKs9LRkx
— Doug The Pug (@itsdougthepug) December 4, 2017
If last month’s Full Moon were a 16.0 inch pizza, then this month’s “Super†Moon would be 16.1 inches. I’m just saying.
— Neil deGrasse Tyson (@neiltyson) December 3, 2017
Want another?
— Neil deGrasse Tyson (@neiltyson) December 3, 2017
This month's “Super Moon†is 1% brighter than last month’s non-Super Moon.
Tonight’s #supermoon, shot from Silicon Valley. pic.twitter.com/AO7XDYjp1C
— scott budman (@scottbudman) December 4, 2017
Getting the perfect #supermoon is all about positioning the Death Star in just the right spot pic.twitter.com/zi0h894ZVN
— Darth Vader No1™🌠(@Darth_VaderNo1) December 4, 2017
*looks up at the supermoon with my date*
— Dorky Romano (@paperphotoyo) December 4, 2017
HIM: I guess I expected a little more.
ME: Right? Like, where’s its cape?
FYI: The very concept of a Super Moon is an embarrassment to everything else we call super: Supernova, Supercollider, Superman, Super Mario Bros.
— Neil deGrasse Tyson (@neiltyson) December 3, 2017
if you love the super moon so much name 5 of its albums
— ryan (@yeetztweetz) December 4, 2017
That's no #supermoon! It's Han Solo in a tiny pod: https://t.co/XvsyiWvqCe pic.twitter.com/5wcDuhVr9Z
— Brandon Bird (@Brandon_Bird) December 4, 2017
Super full moon and going to see Tori Amos, if I don’t get my period tonight I’m not a woman.
— kelly oxford (@kellyoxford) December 4, 2017
I like to be photographed with a Supermoon because it makes me look thinner.
— Tim Siedell (@badbanana) December 4, 2017
The supermoon is a moon that makes campaign contributions.
— Ian Bogost (@ibogost) December 4, 2017
By morning he'll have taken credit for the super moon.
— Bess Kalb (@bessbell) December 4, 2017
