2021 has been a pretty big year for lunar events, but it all ends with this week’s full “strawberry moon,” the final full supermoon of the year, illuminating the night sky over Beaufort SC later this week.
A supermoon occurs when the moon is at its closest point to Earth in its orbit, known as perigee. It appears slightly larger and brighter than a typical full moon. Although this month, scientists can’t agree on how to classify the moon, so there is some disagreement as to whether June’s moon even counts as a supermoon.
The full moon every June is often called the strawberry moon, named by Native American tribes for the strawberries harvested in parts of North America during this time of year, according to the Farmer’s Almanac.
Unfortunately, the moon’s color doesn’t match its name.
The strawberry moon typically marks the last full moon of spring or the first of summer. It has also been called the blooming moon, green corn moon, hoer moon, birth moon, egg laying moon and hatching moon, honey moon and mead moon, The Farmer’s Almanac said.
The phrase “honeymoon” may be tied to June’s full moon, maybe due to the tradition of marrying in June or because the “honey moon” would be considered to be the “sweetest” moon of the year.
The full moon will reach its peak on Thursday, June 24th, at 240 p.m. EST, but won’t be visible until it rises above the horizon later that evening. It will appear full from Wednesday morning through Saturday morning.
Read more local Beaufort SC news here.
