Stargazers in the UAE caught a glimpse of the blue supermoon thanks to a clear night in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday – a night before the main event.
In these images, the supermoon seen over Abu Dhabi’s Al Qana area throws stunning light on the capital.
The UAE expects more celestial delights on Thursday night, when the blue supermoon will be visible in the UAE from 7pm. It will be more prominent in areas away from light pollution.
The Dubai Astronomy Group is hosting a viewing event at Al Thuraya Astronomy Centre in Dubai's Al Mushrif Park, with tickets priced at Dh60.
Blue moons usually occur every two or three years.
Supermoons occur when the Moon passes through its perigee, or the point that takes it closest to Earth during its elliptical orbit.
That makes it look about 14 per cent bigger compared to when it is at its furthest point, and a touch brighter.
The term “blue moon” refers to when a full moon is seen twice in a month.
A Saturn opposition was visible on Sunday – when Saturn and the Sun are directly opposite in the night sky, and Saturn appears exceptionally bright, allowing its ring system and moons to be more visible.
Next week, Comet Nishimura could also be visible in the UAE sky.
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ARABIAN GULF LEAGUE FIXTURES
Thursday, September 21
Al Dahfra v Sharjah (kick-off 5.35pm)
Al Wasl v Emirates (8.30pm)
Friday, September 22
Dibba v Al Jazira (5.25pm)
Al Nasr v Al Wahda (8.30pm)
Saturday, September 23
Hatta v Al Ain (5.25pm)
Ajman v Shabab Al Ahli (8.30pm)
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
Jersey 147 (20 overs)
UAE 112 (19.2 overs)
Jersey win by 35 runs
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
The years Ramadan fell in May
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
