National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Rare Supermoon Shines Bright, Light Up Night Sky in Bay Area

The moon doesn't get much bigger and brighter than this.

On Sunday and Monday nights, Earthlings were treated to a so-called supermoon -- the closest full moon of the year.

Monday's supermoon was extra super -- it was the closest the moon has come to us in almost 69 years. And it won't happen again for another 18 years.

NASA says closest approach occurred at at 3:21 a.m. PST Monday when the moon came within 221,523 miles (356,508 kilometers). That's from the center of the Earth to the center of the moon.

Full moon occurred at 5:52 a.m. PST.

Along the Embarcadero in San Francisco on Monday night, Rishi Chakraborty took about 50 photos of the extra supermoon, saying he wouldn't miss it for the world.

"This is sort of my hobby to be out there and catch extraordinary events like this that are so rare," he said.

Afsa Yusuf also is an extra supermoon fan.

"Quite excited," she said. "It's glowing quite bright; I've never seen a glow like that."

Yusuf said she plans to share what she saw MOnday evening on and above the bay. "I'm going to Instagram it," she said.

Supermoon Shines Bright Across Bay Area

Hugo Rodrigues also loved what he saw.

"I see a really, really yellow moon, a big moon compared to the other days," he said. "You can see the reflection on the water, so it's really interesting."

Astronomer Seth Shostak with the Seti Institute said every four years the moon travels about an inch or so further from the Earth, meaning the moon will never be bigger than it was on Monday.

"When you look at the night sky, even if you have no idea what's going on out there, you're a small thing on a big canvass," Shostak said.

Supermoons can appear 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter in the night sky. But it takes a real expert to notice the difference.

The last time the moon was so close -- actually, 29 miles closer -- was in January 1948. That's the same year the Cleveland Indians last won the World Series, Petro noted, "a big year," at least there.

In 2034, the moon will come even closer, within 221,485 miles. That, too, will be a supermoon.

NBC Bay Area's Michelle Roberts and Terry McSweeney contributed to this report.

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