Best Time to See the Strawberry Supermoon That Will Illuminate the Sky Tonight
There’s a lot going on in the sky this month. Before we enjoy the “parade of planets” on June 24, find a space with an open sky to catch a glimpse of the special supermoon tonight, June 14, known as the Strawberry supermoon.
This specific moon has had its fair share of names. According to Farmers Almanac, the Maine Farmer’s Almanac began publishing Native American names for full moons in the 1930s, and the term “strawberry moon” was used by Native American Algonquin tribes in the Northeast to mark the ripening of strawberries, a short season that falls in June.
However, the strawberry moon has also been called the mead or honey moon, rose moon, flower moon, hot moon, hoe moon and planting moon.
Whatever you choose to call it, this dazzling lunar occurrence marks the second supermoon of the year. Coined by astrologer Richard Nolle “supermoon” refers to either a new or full moon that occurs when the moon’s orbit is closest to Earth, which presents a larger, brighter moon.
The strawberry supermoon offers its own special characteristic compared to other full moons.
And no, it’s not the reddish-pink color of strawberries. It will simply appear larger and brighter than the typical full moon, especially for tonight’s sunset.
Tonight’s full moon will be the lowest full moon of the year, reaching only 23.3 degrees above the horizon on Wednesday morning.
The best time to start moongazing is when the moon starts to rise at 7:52 pm.