The much-awaited full moon of the year graced the skies Saturday night, emerging bigger and brighter than usual, as it came closer to the earth.

The supermoon phenomenon is known as a perigree full moon which means that the moon appears as much as 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than it would if the moon were at its farthest distance.

The last supermoon occurred March 19, 2011, when it was about 221,567 miles from the earth.

Royal Astronomical Society's Dr Robert Massey told BBC News that: When the moon is closest to the earth and full or new, you get an increase in the tidal pull in the ocean because the gravity of the moon and the sun line up.

The moon is always beautiful and a full moon is always dramatic, he added.

However, scientists have rejected the idea that the supermoon could cause strange behavior - like lycanthropy - or natural disasters.

Here are some spectacular images of the Supermoon from various parts of the world.

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Supermoon
The moon rises near an apartment block in Bucharest May 5, 2012. A live stream of the supermoon will start on Sunday. The full Moon will be at its closest point to Earth for the entire year. Reuters
Spectacular views of Supermoon from around the World
The moon rises near an apartment block in Bucharest May 5, 2012. A "super Moon" will light up Saturday's night sky in a once-a-year cosmic show, overshadowing a meteor shower from remnants of Halley's Comet, the U.S. space agency NASA said. The Moon will seem especially big and bright since it will reach its closest spot to Earth at the same time it is in its full phase, NASA said. Reuters
Spectacular views of Supermoon from around the World
People sit near a statue of King Carol I, the founder of Romania's royal dynasty, as the moon rises in Bucharest May 5, 2012. A "super Moon" will light up Saturday's night sky in a once-a-year cosmic show, overshadowing a meteor shower from remnants of Halley's Comet, the U.S. space agency NASA said. The Moon will seem especially big and bright since it will reach its closest spot to Earth at the same time it is in its full phase, NASA said. Reuters
Supermoon
The 2012 supermoon near an apartment block in Bucharest May 5, 2012 Reuters
Spectacular views of Supermoon from around the World
The "super Moon" rises over the skyline in Toronto, May 5, 2012. A "super Moon" will light up Saturday's night sky in a once-a-year cosmic show, overshadowing a meteor shower from remnants of Halley's Comet, the U.S. space agency NASA said. The Moon will seem especially big and bright since it will reach its closest spot to Earth at the same time it is in its full phase, NASA said. Reuters
Spectacular views of Supermoon from around the World
The full "Super Moon", scientifically known as a "perigee moon", rises under palm trees as an airplane lands at Los Angeles International Airport in Inglewood, California May 5, 2012. A "super Moon" will light up Saturday's night sky in a once-a-year cosmic show, overshadowing a meteor shower from remnants of Halley's Comet, the U.S. space agency NASA said. Reuters
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