91Èȱ¬

Photographers across the East Midlands have been capturing March's full Moon - known as the Worm Moon.

The name relates to earthworms beginning to emerge as the soil starts to warm up in spring.

It is also known as the "Crust Moon", the "Crow Comes Back Moon" and the "Sore Eyes Moon".

The Worm Moon was beautifully illuminated in clear skies on Thursday evening and into the early hours of Friday.

John England, captured it over Beeston, Nottinghamshire, once the mist settled on a "very cold evening".

"The Moon was so bright," he said. "It was just absolutely stunning to see.

"You could see the details of the craters, especially near the crust.

"But I was gutted not to see the ring around the Moon earlier in the evening."

The 52-year-old, who used a mobile phone but also has a telescope, said he had been fascinated by the sky after being inspired as a child by astronomer Sir Patrick Moore.

Mr England said he had been taking pictures of the Moon since his early 20s, adding it was his "favourite celestial".

According to the National Space Centre in Leicester, full Moons happen roughly every 29.5 days, when the Moon is located on the opposite side of the Earth to the Sun and so appears fully illuminated.

The next full Moon will be the "Pink Moon" on 16 April.

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