Super Moon over the Sonoran Desert

A super moon rose Saturday evening. With the landscape still well lighted by the setting sun, the moon climbed over the mountains north of Ajo.

Published reports, which quoted NASA, said the moon seemed especially big and bright since it was at its closest spot to Earth at the same time it is in its full phase. It was as much as 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than other full moons of 2012.

Near Ajo, the moon rose over the hilltops just before 7:30 p.m., just minutes after a fiery sun set on the opposite horizon.