Yes, the moon looks bigger than usual. What to know about the ‘Strawberry Supermoon’
You’re not imagining it.
June’s full moon might look bigger and brighter than usual, NASA said
The “Strawberry Supermoon” will happen Tuesday, June 14, according to NASA. It will be at its fullest at about 7:52 a.m. on the east coast, but will look full to people overnight on Monday, June 13.
“The Moon will appear full for about three days centered on this time, from Sunday evening through Wednesday morning,” NASA said on its website.
The full moon will also be a “supermoon,” so it will look especially big to skywatchers.
June’s supermoon is the second of 2022, according to Space.com.
What’s a supermoon?
A supermoon happens when a full moon reaches the closest point to Earth during its orbit, according to NASA.
During that time, the moon looks bigger and brighter to people on Earth but will still be about 226,000 miles from the planet.
Will the “Strawberry Supermoon” be pink? While the name might make it sound like the moon could be red or pink, that’s not the case.
The Strawberry Moon got its name because it happens at about the same time as strawberry season, NASA said. The Algonquin tribes coined the term because it was the time they harvested the fruit.
A moon usually only appears reddish if it’s close to the horizon, Almanac reported. When that happens, rays of light have to pass through dense layers in the atmosphere, creating the color change, according to Almanac.
When and how can you see the supermoon?
June’s supermoon won’t be the last this year. It’s the second of four consecutive supermoons, according to Space.com. The next ones will happen July 13 and Aug. 11.
The best way to view the supermoon is to look up when it is high in the sky, NASA said. With no other lights around, people should see a difference in how bright the moon makes the ground.
Is the ‘Strawberry Supermoon’ its only name?
Full moons typically have a handful of names. June’s full moon has also been called the Mead Moon, Honey Moon, Rose Moon or the “sweetest” Moon, according to NASA.
The moon could also be where people got the phrase “honeymoon,” according to NASA.
“The tradition of calling the first month of marriage the ‘honeymoon’ may be tied to this full moon because of the custom of marrying in June or because the ‘Honey Moon’ is the ‘sweetest’ Moon of the year,” NASA reported.
This story was originally published June 13, 2022 at 9:28 AM.