Photographers awestruck by supermoon and full moon

Every month for slightly more than a year now, Mr Kuick Chik Hong has been placing his telescope on a chair in the corridor of his 12th-floor Yishun Housing Board flat to take a picture of the full moon.

It was a habit inspired by the youngest of his three sons, who is seven years old, is interested in the solar system, and for whom he had bought the telescope.

Mr Kuick would place his mobile phone near the lens of the telescope to take the shots.

The 45-year-old medical laboratory scientist was awestruck when he tried to take a photograph of the moon last evening - he said it was the biggest and brightest that he had ever seen.

"I've never taken such a clear picture of the moon and its surface. I was quite surprised to see it so bright and clear," said Mr Kuick, who lives in a five-room flat with his family of five on the top floor of Block 661 Yishun Avenue 4. He has two other sons, aged 12 and 14.

Mr Kuick was one of many readers who sent in their pictures of Thursday's supermoon and yesterday's full moon to The Straits Times.

A supermoon occurs when the moon's orbit is closest to the earth. This makes the moon look brighter and larger than the usual full moon.

Thursday's supermoon, called the sturgeon moon, was the final one of the year.

The full moon last night was nearly as bright as Thursday's supermoon, said Science Centre Singapore.

For Mr Kuick, yesterday's moon shot was a treat as the supermoon on Thursday was shrouded by the clouds.

He said: "My youngest one was very excited and shouting 'first time I can see the moon surface clearly'."