Night the moon was the star of the show

HANGING in the heavens, an orb of gold illuminates the dusk.

This majestic harvest moon made an arresting sight over the Solent last night, seeming to glow as it is viewed close to the horizon through the thickness of the Earth’s atmosphere.

The harvest moon – photographed from Wootton on the Isle of Wight – is the one closest to the autumn equinox.

Usually it occurs before the equinox in September, but it rose later this year. It is so named because for centuries, farmers waited for it so they could gather in crops to prepare for winter, using its bright light to extend the working day.