Last supermoon of 2025 captured in photos from around the world
On Thursday night, the last supermoon of 2025 blazed brilliantly in the night sky. The third supermoon of the year was also observed by some in the United Kingdom with an atmospheric phenomenon called a halo. This halo has even developed its own folklore - 'Ring around the Moon, rain real soon. It was a fantastic opportunity for sky gazers around the world, as well as the BBC's Weather Watchers, to capture some stunning images.
The Moon's orbit around the Earth is not perfectly circular, but it is just marginally elliptical, indicating that it is sometimes closer to us than at other times. We'll call the Moon a supermoon when it is in perigee
- or near to its nearest point to Earth - and that it occurs at a full Moon and is fully illuminated by the sun's light. In the night sky, the Moon appears larger and brighter. Clear skies will also provide a great view of the Moon, but you might also see a ring around the Moon. This occurs when there is a layer of very thin, ice cloud in the sky, and it is referred to as a 22 degree halo. The Moon's light filters through the ice crystals, where it bends and reflects, creating the ring effect. The presence of an ice cloud in the sky can indicate a weather system, and hence why the folklore predicts that 'rain real soon'. Early on Friday morning, a strong ice cloud gathered in over southern parts of England, where the halo had been spotted. So, rain real soon? Yes, rain will be affecting most areas of the UK on Friday, with a strengthening wind.
