Is the ‘Strawberry Moon’ actually red? Here’s how this week’s supermoon got its name
“Wait,” you’re thinking, “I thought the moon was made of cheese, and now you’re telling me there’s a ‘Strawberry Moon,’ and on top of that it’s going to be ‘super?’”
Yes. The moon has many names, often food-related. Disappointingly, the interstellar orb is as inedible as the earth itself, experts say, which makes sense, given that it’s likely made up of debris chipped off of our planet after colliding with another astral body roughly the size of Mars.
But this Thursday is a special day for our barren, whitish-gray moon — and for us.
Bigger, brighter ... redder?
Thursday’s full moon will be a supermoon, meaning it will turn full just as it arrives at its nearest point to earth in its orbit, appearing larger and 15% brighter than normal, Forbes reported.
The “Strawberry Moon” will be the first full moon of the summer, and the last supermoon of 2021, according to Forbes.
While the moon will appear bigger and brighter, it’s probably not going to turn red, according to NASA, at least not in the United States.
The term “Strawberry Moon” comes from Native American usage, because the full moon arrives as the season for strawberry harvesting does in the Northeastern United States, NASA says.
This full moon has other names in different parts of the world, too. Europeans have referred to it as the “Mead Moon” or “Honey Moon,” because it was prime time to collect honey, according to NASA.
Where and when to look?
As the “Strawberry Moon” first peeks above the horizon, it should be an intense orange, Forbes reports, turning yellow as it rises and then to its more traditional silver hue. So for some, moonrise may be the best time to catch the special event.
Moonrise on Thursday, June 24 is 8:53 p.m. EDT in New York,according to the Farmer’s Almanac.
In Dallas it’s at 9:02 p.m. CDT.
In Los Angeles the moonrise is at 8:35 p.m. PDT.
To find out when the moon rises where you live, use the Farmer’s Almanac moon calculator.
This story was originally published June 22, 2021 at 12:46 PM with the headline "Is the ‘Strawberry Moon’ actually red? Here’s how this week’s supermoon got its name."