Kittens, I hope you’re making time to go out and gaze upon this weekend’s so-called supermoon. Not only will this be 2013’s best example of a perigee full moon, but its appearance so close to the summer solstice increases the odds that this biggest, brightest moon of the year will also take on an orange or amber cast, giving us a lovely harvest moon smack dab in the middle of summer. Ideal viewing will be just around moonrise Sunday, when the ascending moon will look largest and most colorful against the horizon, though Monday and Tuesday should still yield lovely lunar views.

In honor of the moon being this weekend’s talk of the town, I thought I’d share this little gallery of vintage paper moon photographs from the early 20th century. This celestial backdrop, designed so the sitter appeared to be perched directly on a crescent moon, was quite popular from the beginning of the 1900’s through the 1940’s, making appearances everywhere from photography studios and boardwalk photo booths to carnival tents and fairs. And since another supermoon is expected on July 22, perhaps you’d like to schedule a 1920’s-themed moon viewing party for next month’s event?  You can find instructions for creating your own DIY paper moon photo backdrop here.  Happy gazing!

Related Posts:

– Silent Sundays: Sofia Ajram (2010)

– Thinking Costume: Great Gatsby’s Flamboyant Flapper

– Silent Sundays: Mary Pickford (1917)

Categories: History (Haunted and Otherwise)

Tags: Astronomy, DIY, Full moon, how-to, moon, photograph, stars, super moon, supermoon, vintage, vintage photos