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2021 has given us spectacular views of the skies. There has already been a lunar eclipse, a partial solar eclipse, and supermoons to view. The last supermoon of 2021 will be visible on Thursday, June 24th when the Strawberry Full Moon appears.

The moon will look “full” three nights in a row. Expect to see it in the night sky early Wednesday morning through Saturday till the sun rises.

Strawberry Moon Viewing

The Virtual Telescope Project provides live streams of all major celestial events. And for the skywatchers out there, this is a free online service. And you will get the greatest view of the Strawberry Moon over the beautiful city of Rome, Italy. Watch it live on June 24th, starting at 3 pm EST.

You can get exact moonrise and moonset times for your location at timeanddate.com.

Strawberry Moon History

The Farmer’s Almanac marks the Strawberry Moon as the first full moon of the summer. This supermoon comes just a few days after the June 20th “summer solstice.” This is also the first day of summer 2021. 

Early Native American tribes named the moon for the strawberry harvest in parts of North America. But the color of the moon is not typically the color of strawberries.

This moon is also known as a blooming moon, birth moon, green corn moon, mead moon, and hatching moon. And “honeymoon” was also an early name that has become popular in recent years.

The idea that many colonials married in June lead to the phrase "honeymoon.” The Strawberry Moon is naturally the "sweetest" moon of the year.

Supermoon Dispute

When the moon is closest to the Earth, in perigee, a Supermoon occurs. According to NASA, there is some dispute in the astronomical community if June’s Strawberry Moon is a true Supermoon.

"For 2021, some publications consider the four full Moons from March to June, some the three full Moons from April to June, and some only the two full Moons in April and May as supermoons," claims NASA's Gordon Johnston.

As the USA Herald previously reported the Virtual Telescope operates from the Bellatrix Astronomical Observatory and is managed by Dr. Gianluca Masi, Ph.D. National Coordinator for Astronomers Without Borders in Italy.