Once in a lifetime?

My knowledge of astronomy is somewhere between 'very little' and 'absolutely nothing' and as a consequence I can't account for the reason I was treated to an amazing display on my home from work this evening.

I left work at about four fifteen and as I walked out of the building I smiled a little to myself that it was the first time for months that daylight was still in evidence, spring is next on the agenda and whilst I love winter, I like the changes too.

I turned my engine on and set off on my journey home. As I hit the A1, at this point a long, straight, uphill drag with the sea just below the horizon, I was struck by a strange light, it was barely dusk but the light was odd, almost a creamy yellow. Something caught my eye on the horizon, I looked straight ahead of me and there, seemingly sat on the roadway and filling the horizon, was the biggest, roundest moon I have ever seen. Absolutely untainted by cloud, haze or darkness, just a massive creamy yellow, perfectly glowing ball.

It's impossible for me to do it justice , it was as low as I have ever seen the moon and so clear it's darker shadows were starkly visible. It appeared enormous, it really, truly seemed to fill most of the horizon and perch just on the tarmac, it was hard to believe that one wouldn't just drive straight into it....and still it was almost daylight.

Of course, as ever on these rare occasions, the only camera I had with me was my phone. I stopped as soon as I was able and took one or two pictures but needless to say they were dire!

For the remainder of my journey this beautiful moon, the like of which I have never before seen was 'following' me in my rear view mirror, apparently suspended, in all it's glory just above the ground, filling my rear view.

By the time I got home it was lost, nightfall had proceeded and my beautiful moon was higher in the sky, still perfect, still clear but not the amazing sight it had been just half an hour earlier.

Not to be defeated I rushed in and grabbed my camera but as is apparent from this image, whilst still it was a nice moon, I missed capturing what was probably a once in a lifetime vision.


Truly, I just can't describe the sight adequately, of the moon so yellow, so big and so low, just 'sitting' happily and brightly on the tarmac filling all of the view!