A Strawberry Supermoon Will Light Up The Sky On 14th June

On Tuesday night, the moon will appear uncommonly full and lit up, and you won’t need to have any advanced telescope or pricey binoculars to appreciate it.

What Is The Strawberry Moon?

The strawberry moon is a term given to the full moon in June by the Algonquin Native American tribe in the northeastern United States and eastern Canada, and it relates to the region’s strawberry picking season (not the moon’s actual color).

This June, it will be at its closest point in its orbit to Earth, rendering it a supermoon by conventional criteria.

“Any full Moon that occurs at a distance of at least 90% of perigee (which is the point at which the Moon is closest to Earth) is considered a supermoon,” according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. 

“The full Moon in June is 222,238.4 miles (357,658 kilometers) distant, well within that cut-off point.”

When a supermoon is at its furthest point in its orbit from Earth, NASA estimates it appears 17 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than the weakest moon of the year. 

Supermoons are uncommon, occurring just 3 to 4 times per year and always in a row.

From Sunday evening until Wednesday morning, this one looks to be filled. Before you watch, here’s the timing you should know.

Optimal Watching Time & Location

The June supermoon will technically occur — that is, it will be totally lit by the sun at 7:51 a.m. ET on 14th June, though it will seem full the day before & after.

So, why bother with an alarm clock? According to Forbes, the finest views are between moonrise and moonset, which are near to the moon’s “full” phase.

“On the night of the full Moon, the Moon may be seen on the horizon at sunset,” it states.

Tuesday’s sunset in New York is at 8:28 p.m. ET, and the rise of the moon is at 9:16 p.m. ET. These are the times in Los Angeles: 8:05 p.m. PT & 8:57 p.m. PT. Here you can find out when the moon rises and sets in your area.

After sunset, the moon will rise in the east, shine all night, then set in the west shortly before daybreak.