This year's final supermoon is dubbed the full "strawberry" moon, and it will be up in the night sky really soon.
The term "supermoon" was coined by the astrologer Richard Nolle in 1978, NASA said. By definition, a supermoon occurs when the moon is at its closest point to Earth in its orbit, also called the perigee. In the sky, it appears slightly larger and brighter than a typical full moon, CBS News explained.
Scientists still have to agree on how exactly to officially classify this phenomenon, and so some experts are unsure whether or not to consider June's moon as a supermoon.
Native American tribes named the June full moon the strawberry moon because of the strawberries harvested in parts of North America during this time of year, not because the color actually turn red.
Usually it is the last full moon of spring or the first of summer.
The first half of the year has been full of exciting celestial events, from a lunar eclipse, a partial solar eclipse, to considerably four supermoons from March to June. Find out how you can witness this year's Straberry moon.
How to watch the full "strawberry" moon — the last supermoon of 2021 https://t.co/na2TEcM65P pic.twitter.com/DL6RsC1K0k
— CBS Sunday Morning 🌞 (@CBSSunday) June 18, 2021
When to View the Strawberry Supermoon
On the evening of Thursday, June 24, the first evening of the supermoon will begin. CBS News said the full moon will reach peak illumination at 2:40 p.m. Easter Time/11:40 a.m. Pacific Time but no one on the western hemisphere will be able to witness it the exact moment, only the full appearance of the moon when it later comes up in the sky.
You can also check Time and Date to know the exact moonrise and moonset times for wherever you are. This is especially handy if you want to be able to witness the first sight of the Strawberry Supermoon.
The moon will appear full for about three days, from about Wednesday morning through Saturday morning, so you have until then to see the Strawberry moon for yourself.
How to View the Strawberry Moon Through a Virtual Telescope!
If you unfortunately do not have a clear view of the Strawberry Moon from your location, a live stream of the strawberry moon will be available.
The Virtual Telescope will be hosting the online event, sharing a live stream of the moon as it rises in Rome's sky. The free online session is scheduled for June 24 and will start at 19:00 UT or 3 p.m. Easter Time, 12:00 noon Pacific Time.
Interested viewers can head over to the Virtual Telescope's Web TV and tune in at the scheduled broadcast.
The strawberry moon has also ben referred to as the blooming moon, birth moon, egg laying moon, hatching moon and mead moon, CBS News shared.
The phrase "honeymoon" may be associated to this full moon as well. This could be due to the tradition of scheduling wedding ceremonies in June, or because the "honey moon" is the "sweetest" moon of the year.
