Stargazers flocked to the ruins of Corinth city's ancient Apollo Temple to snap photos of the full moon rising over Greece's Peloponnese peninsula on Sunday.

A number of cultural events took place that day at Greek archaeological sites and museums, 120 of which remained open till late at night for the country's annual celebration of the August full moon.

Greece's Culture and Sports Ministry organised about 50 free events as part of the festivities, including concerts, theatre and dance performances, poetry readings, documentary screenings, art exhibitions, stargazing events and guided tours.

Photos of the moon in the rest of the world also appeared on social media as netizens in other countries posted their own lunar snapshots.

The full moon, which many call a seasonal blue moon, is blue only in name. It appears to be a normal full moon in a silver or golden hue.

Full moons occur when the moon is on the opposite side of the planet from the sun.

Generally, a full moon occurs 12 times a year, or three times for each of the four seasons.

The term "blue moon" is typically reserved for the second full moon of a calendar month.

However, this month's moon is considered a blue moon based on an older definition of the term - the third full moon in a single season of four such moons, according to a guide from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) in the United States.

The August full moon is traditionally also called the Sturgeon Moon, after the giant sturgeon fish of the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain in the US, which were most readily caught during this time of the summer, according to the American periodical Farmers' Almanac.

Nasa blogger Lance Davis says the next blue moon is not due for another two years.