Stargazers around the world admire blood-red 'supermoon' eclipse

Sept. 27, 2015: A so-called 'supermoon eclipse' occurs New York City (Brian Tully) (BRIAN M TULLY)

Millions of professional and amateur stargazers were awed and delighted late Sunday by a double astronomical phenomenon, as a lunar eclipse coincided with a so-called "supermoon."

It was the first time the events have made a twin appearance since 1982, and it won't happen again until 2033.

According to NASA, the moon appeared 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than usual by being as near as possible to Earth – a mere 226,000 miles away. Sunlight scattered by the Earth’s atmosphere as the planet moves directly between the sun and the moon turned the moon an eerie blood-red color.

The eclipse lasted 1 hour and 11 minutes, and was visible to North and South America, Europe, Africa, and parts of West Asia and the eastern Pacific, though variations in cloud cover meant the show was clearer in some parts of the world than others.

The total eclipse started at 10:11 p.m. ET, and peaked at 10:47 p.m. ET.

In Los Angeles, a large crowd filled the lawn of Griffith Observatory to watch the celestial show while listening to Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" played by 14-year-old pianist Ray Ushikubo.

The eclipse marked the end of a tetrad, a series of four total lunar eclipses set six months apart.

The 21st century will see eight tetrads - an uncommonly high number. From 1600 to 1900 there were none at all.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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