Everybody howl! A Supermoon lights the sky as it reached the point in its orbit closest to the Earth AT THE SAME TIME as meteors fall from the sky like 'fireballs' during the Perseid shower
- The moon appeared 14% bigger and 30% brighter than normal as it reached the point in its orbit closest to the Earth, known as 'perigee'
- The Perseid meteor shower also occurred tonight
- 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
- A study conducted by his team since 2008 has shown the Perseids to be the undisputed 'fireball champion' of meteor showers
- The meteors will be visible until Wednesday, with activity peaking on Tuesday
A 'supermoon' lit up the sky tonight as stargazers enjoyed the Perseid meteor shower - one of the year's most dramatic lunar events.
The moon appeared 14% bigger and 30% brighter than normal as it reached the point in its orbit closest to the Earth, known as 'perigee'.
Many enthusiasts grabbed their mobile phones to take a snapshot of the spectacle - which comes two days before the meteor shower reaches its peak.
A 'supermoon' appears behind the Angel of Peace sculpture in London (AP)
It's Moonumental: The supermoon is seen as it rises through the clouds behind the bronze Statue of Freedom by Thomas Crawford atop the U.S. Capitol
Lunar celebration: Fireworks streak past in front of the supermoon outside the town of Mosta, celebrating the feast of its patron saint, in central Malta
Super bright: A supermoon rises above the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington Virginia
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.
Dr Bill Cooke from the American space agency Nasa's Meteoroid Environment Office, said the luminous 'supermoon' risked drowning out the meteor shower.
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He said: 'Lunar glare wipes out the black-velvety backdrop required to see faint meteors, and sharply reduces counts.'
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.
Shine like the top of the Chrysler building!: A perigee full moon, also called 'supermoon', is seen behind the Chrysler Building in New York City
Bird's eye veiw: A bird flies as a perigee full moon, also known as 'supermoon', rises over Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Lunar time: A supermoon rises over the Peace Tower on Ottawa's Parliament Hill as seen from Gatineau, Quebec
A study conducted by his team since 2008 has shown the Perseids to be the undisputed "fireball champion" of meteor showers.
'We see more fireballs from Swift-Tuttle than any other parent comet,' said Dr Cooke.
Every 133 years, comet Swift-Tuttle swings through the inner Solar System leaving behind a trail of dust.
When the Earth passes through, the dust cloud particles hit the atmosphere at 140,000 mph and burn up in streaking flashes of light, creating the spectacle known as the Perseids.
The meteors will be visible until Wednesday, with activity peaking on Tuesday.
An unusually bright full 'supermoon' was also seen on July 12, and another is due to appear on September 9.
Supermoons occur relatively often, every 13 months and 18 days, but are not always noticed because of clouds or poor weather.
Skyscraper A full moon known as 'supermoon' rises over the skyline of New York and the Empire State Building
Hitting the beach: People watch as the moon rises on the night of the supermoon in Miami Beach, Florida
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