How to see today's super strawberry moon, the last supermoon of 2021
Look up to catch the super strawberry moon gracing the sky on Thursday, June 24.
The flower supermoon of May 6, 2020.
It's been quite a year for moon viewing already. After May's "super flower blood moon" eclipse, we're returning to a straight-up full moon today. It will be the last supermoon of 2021.
The June full moon is sometimes called the "strawberry moon," according to the Farmer's Almanac, which says the nickname is connected to strawberries ripening in certain parts of North America. It's not a reference to the color of the moon.
However, you may still get lucky with the moon's hue. "Towards the end of June, the moon usually sits in a lower position in the sky and shines through more of our atmosphere," NASA said in a statement on Wednesday. "Because of this, our moon can sometimes give off a pinkish hue."
"Supermoon" is a loose term. It's used to describe when the full moon is at or near its closest point to Earth in its elliptical orbit around our planet. A supermoon can look slightly larger and brighter than a regular full moon.
"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," NASA program executive Gordon Johnston said in April.
The best part is that the full moon is lovely whether you call it a supermoon or not. Your best bet is just step outside and take a look since the Virtual Telescope Project's livestream of the supermoon over Rome was cancelled due to cloud cover.
You can also check out the photos space fans are sharing with NASA in a supermoon thread on Twitter.
🍓 🌱 🌕 Strawberry Moon, Planting Moon, Supermoon — there are many names for the full Moon visible for the next three days, starting now: https://t.co/IqJqRqo6EA
— NASA (@NASA) June 24, 2021
Did you go outside and observe the Moon? Share your photos with us! pic.twitter.com/h4Nsb5Xd6D
Technically, the moon was full at 11:40 a.m. PT on Thursday, June 24, but NASA says it'll appear full through early Saturday morning, so you can enjoy the view multiple times. Find the moonrise and moonset times for your location through timeanddate.com.
For an extra treat, grab a telescope or binoculars and get a little more up close and personal with the full moon's scenic craters.
Follow CNET's 2021 Space Calendar to stay up to date with all the latest space news this year. You can even add it to your own Google Calendar.