Skygazers get lucky as break in clouds lets them catch supermoon on Mid-Autumn festival

SINGAPORE - After waiting for an hour, Benjamin Ong gave up his spot at the Bedok Reservoir after realising that the cloudy conditions made his chances of capturing this year’s supermoon low.

The 18-year-old Singapore Polytechnic student packed his camera and tripod, but stayed at the nearby HomeTeamNS Bedok, still hoping to catch a glimpse. At around 8.10pm, a fleeting break in the clouds gave him the chance.

“I am glad that I persevered and waited for the window of time when the clouds cleared up, allowing me to capture a good shot,” said Benjamin, who started shooting the moon from the top floor of his Housing Board block in 2020.

Friday’s supermoon, which coincides with the Mid-Autumn festival, will be the last of 2023. A supermoon is a full moon that orbits closest to earth, making it appear larger and brighter than usual.

Called the harvest moon, it was to start rising at 7pm and be most visible at 9pm, the Science Centre Observatory had said. 

Mr Bryan Chihan, a 37-year-old in the finance industry, also managed to capture several shots of the moon as it briefly peeked out from behind the clouds in the Tuas sky after a wait of around 40 minutes.

“I would say the location is worth it as it is unique, and the location allows for classic photography composition elements as the moon would rise where the road vanishes around a curve,” he said, referring to a “secret spot” on the Ayer Rajah Expressway.

“For me, capturing photos of the moon against a foreground of various landmarks in Singapore, which include HDB flats, industrial areas, expressways and other non-tourist landmarks, shows that Singapore is not a boring place and can be beautiful from every area.” 

They were among the lucky ones as the weather conditions spoilt the plans of several Singapore skygazers.

The National University of Singapore Astronomical Society had organised a Mid-Autumn event at U-Town to view the supermoon, and 25 students deployed two telescopes for sharp and up-close views, said the society’s vice-president Chen Wei Zhong. 

“The moon was present when we started our session, but it was very fuzzy and blurry due to the significant clouds,” added the 24-year-old.

“However, the viewing was still a meaningful one since it coincided with the Mid-Autumn festival, and helped our members better appreciate the astronomical and cultural significance of the occasion.” 

IT manager Daryl Yeo, 56, also quit his spot at Marina Barrage after realising that he may not be able to get a nice shot after waiting for an hour. “In Singapore, I feel it’s impossible to see the moon low, due to cloudy skies. Often, by the time we see the moon, it would be already high up.”  

Mr Mervyn Soon’s quest to shoot the moon from an industrial building in Tuas was also abandoned after a futile 90-minute wait. But when the moon finally appeared, the 47-year-old managed to take a few pictures from the balcony of his flat in Pasir Ris.

He said: “Capturing today’s moon would mean that I have shot all four supermoons for this year.”

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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.