Strawberry Moon Incoming: 2022's First Supermoon On the Way

Prepare for the first supermoon of 2022, which will rise next week.

(Photo : Wikimedia Commons)

Strawberry Moon

The strawberry moon will show brightly in the night sky and will be the first of several supermoons to appear this summer.

Supermoon Season

This month marks the start of more than just summer. For astronomy buffs, June also marks the start of the supermoon season.

Supermoons are yearly occurrences that occur in groups of three or four and give fantastic chances for skywatchers and photographers to witness Earth's celestial companion.

There are three supermoons this year, the first of which rises during the night of Monday, June 13 into Tuesday, June 14.

An astrologer invented the viral term in 1979, although it has some astrological merit.

Instead of orbiting the Earth in a complete circle, the moon circles in the shape of a distorted oval called an ellipse. As a result, the moon is closer to the Earth at periods (perigee) and further away at other times (apogee).

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What is a Supermoon?

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(Photo : Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

A supermoon happens when a full moon comes simultaneously as the moon approaches perigee, making it appear significantly larger and brighter than previous full moons throughout the year. A full moon at apogee, on the other hand, appears considerably smaller and is referred to as a micro moon.

The difference between these two full moons is very subtle, and only a side-by-side photo comparison can reveal it.

Although it has some astrological value, the viral word was coined by an astrologer in 1979.

The moon orbits the Earth in the shape of a distorted oval termed an ellipse rather than in a perfect circle. As a result, the moon is closer to Earth at certain times (perigee) and further away at others (apogee).

When a full moon occurs simultaneously that the moon approaches perigee, it seems much bigger and brighter than prior full moons. A full moon at apogee, on the other hand, seems much smaller and is known as a micro moon.

Whether it's a supermoon or not, the full moon in June has earned a slew of titles throughout the years, the most popular of which, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac, is the Strawberry Moon.

The forthcoming full moon is dubbed the Super Strawberry Moon because of its unusual moniker.

After June, the next supermoon will appear on July 13, and the last supermoon of 2022 will be on August 11.

The names for the full and new Moons were formerly used to track the seasons. Moon names are now regarded as "nicknames" for the Moon.

Naming the Moon

The Moon names in The Old Farmer's Almanac are derived from Native American, Colonial American, and other traditional North American sources passed down the years. The name of January's Wolf Moon, for example, is not a standard Native American term; it is supposed to have originated in England and was carried to North America by European immigrants.

Note that each Moon name for Native Americans was usually assigned to the lunar month in which it occurred, commencing with the new Moon or full Moon. Furthermore, the name of the lunar month may differ from year to year or different bands or other organizations within the same country.