Tonight's supermoon is a global phenomenon

Tonight's supermoon will be the closest full moon of the century.

We won’t see a full supermoon come this close to the Earth again until 2034 so this astronomical occurrence is incredibly rare.

The moon actually rises as seen from Ireland around sunset, with any breaks you may be able to catch glimpses by 7-9 pm.

 

And while the forecast is mostly cloudy and very mild, you might just be in luck of a good photo if you have a little patience.

Westmeath Examiner photographer Thomas Gibbons says a tripod is extremely important for getting a clear shot of tonight's supermoon.

"It will appear about 7% larger than normal and about 15% brighter - although the human eye is barely able to discern that difference.

"Set your camera to F8 and zoom in as close as you possibly can," he advises.

1. Try to include a landmark or landscape feature in your scene. This usually means photographing when the moon is low to the horizon, so make sure there’s nothing in the background that can obstruct your view of the moon - tall buildings, for instance, or in more rural settings, a copse of trees or distant hilltops.

2. Do all you can to minimise vibrations
Anything that causes a camera to vibrate can lead to a loss of sharp detail in your final image. A solid tripod helps to minimise the chance of movement.

3. Take control of your camera
For consistent results you need to instruct the camera what settings to apply. The moon moves swiftly across the sky so, in either case, it’s important to select a shutter speed above 1/100sec (or higher for longer focal lengths), then adjust brightness using ISO (Manual mode) or the Exposure Compensation dial (Shutter priority).

4. Use autofocus
Photographing a large landmark from a distance gives you the best chance of retaining sharp focus across the whole scene.

5. Keep shooting and watch the scene evolve
Even the best-framed photo can be interrupted for better- or worse. From an inopportune passer-by in the foreground to a well-timed bird or plane in front of the moon. Take a few photos in quick succession for each composition and watch ahead for anything entering or leaving the frame, as some “lucky” shots are really the product of the photographer’s vision and anticipation.

6. Stay out late and get creative
As the moon rises higher and the sky darkens, so arrives the chance to capture a different kind of image. By choosing a subject much closer to your position - a contorted tree, architectural feature or even friends for a moonlit portrait - you’ll help to throw the background out of focus and enjoy city lights or stars which render as soft, overlapping circles (commonly known as ‘bokeh’) instead of pinpricks of light.