Strawberry Moon: When will it peak and how to watch?
The Strawberry Moon, which is this year's second supermoon, will appear bright and full in the night sky on Tuesday (June 14). Supermoons are 14% bigger and 30% brighter than the micromoon. Moreover, June is a special month for sky gazers. This whole month, you can see five planets in a line—including Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn—before sunrise in a clear sky.
Why Strawberry Moon?
Strawberry Moon doesn't mean that the Moon looks like a strawberry or turns red. According to NASA, the name "Strawberry Moon" comes from the Algonquin tribes of the US and Canada. The appearance of this Moon was a sign that strawberries were ready for harvest, which led to the name Strawberry Moon. In Europe, it is called the Honey Moon or the Mead Moon.
When will it reach its peak?
The supermoon technically has been in the sky since Sunday. But it will reach its peak around 5:22 pm IST on Tuesday. It will be visible until the Moon sets late Wednesday night or Thursday morning.
Take a look at what NASA tweeted
How to watch?
Just before sunrise and immediately after sunset are the best times to watch the celestial event as the Moon will appear the biggest at these times. The Virtual Telescope Project in Ceccano, Italy, is hosting a livestream on Tuesday which you can watch for free.
Other names of Strawberry Moon
This Strawberry Moon—a supermoon—will appear larger since it is at the closest point in its orbit around the Earth called perigee. The name Mead Moon is used in Europe because honey is harvested during this time of the year. The term Honey Moon is simply due to the high number of marriages in June—which are mostly followed by a honeymoon in the same month.
Relevance in India
In India, the June full moon is called Vat Purnima. The festival is largely celebrated by married women in northern and western India. According to the story of the legendary couple Savitri and Satyavan, Savitri tricked Yamraj into giving her dead husband a new life. Married women worship Savitri on Vat Purnima by fasting and praying for the long life of their husbands.
When is the next full moon?
There are usually 12 full moons as per the Gregorian Calendar in the lunar year. However, sometimes, the timing of the 365-day year causes an extra full moon. This year, we have just the 12 full moons. The next full moon will happen on July 13, 2022. It is known as the Buck Moon and will reach its peak at 2:37 pm.
