All about this month's Strawberry Supermoon on the 14th of June!
Supermoon over Connecticut - Photo Credit: Bryan Donoghue
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If you find yourself in the Northern Hemisphere this summer, you’re in for an astronomical treat. The celestial calendar of 2022 is stacked with supermoons, with the summer months of June, July, and August boasting one such phenomenon apiece.
Supermoons occur when the moon is at the closest point of its 27 day orbit to Earth, and is in the full phase of the 29.5 day lunar cycle. This occasional combination makes the moon appear bigger and brighter to observers on the ground. The last time we saw three consecutive supermoons was 2016, over the Fall months.
The farther you are from civilization, the easier it’ll be to experience the supermoon without light pollution getting in the way. So pack up your camping gear and escape the artificial lightscape, because the first supermoon of summer is right around the corner on the night of June 14th!
The moon and stars over a campsite - Photo Credit: Scott Carnahan
The Strawberry Supermoon we will be able to observe in June has long marked the weeks following Spring and heading into Summer, symbolizing prosperity and abundance for all. The name “Strawberry Moon” draws upon (you won’t guess this one) the ripening of strawberries.
According to The Old Farmer's Almanac, first printed in the 1700’s, the name was coined by the Lakota, Ojibwe, Dakota and Algonquin Native American peoples. This title is the most commonly used in North America today, but the Strawberry Moon has been called many different names by many different cultures over the years, including:
Honey Moon
Rose Moon
Hatching Moon
Green Corn Moon
Flower Moon
Starry Starry Night - Photo Credit: Andrew Zhu
Naming conventions for monthly full moons were historically used to track and celebrate the coming of seasons and natural phenomena, and these names have stood the test of time.
If you are spiritual, the Strawberry Moon has extensive symbolism rooted in folklore and astrology around which this full moon might have meaning for you:
Best time to marry (yes, really)
Best time for adventure based romantic getaways
Best time to go offseason shrimping and crabbing
Intensifies love, luck, optimism and opulence
Signifies new life and opportunity
The celestial calendar in Sagittarius (see what that means for you here)
According to NASA, a supermoon is defined by being approximately 226,000 miles from Earth, meaning it is in its 90% perigee. For those who do not work at NASA - like me - the perigee is the closest the moon comes to Earth within its orbit, with the apogee being the furthest point.
During a supermoon event, the proximity to Earth means the moon can appear up to 30% brighter and 14% larger than during regular full moon phases. Not to get confused with eclipses or planetary conjunctions where the moon can appear colorful or completely dark, the magic of a supermoon is in the bright light that it paints the landscape in.
Moon over Superstition Mountains: Apache Junction, AZ - Photo Credit: Ganapathy Kumar
So where in North America are the best places to observe this lunar event?
Depending on the specific landscape, such light can have a remarkable impact on the surroundings. Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve will have growing and shifting shadows on June 14th. Nighttime visibility will be at its peak during supermoons and the stark, rocky terrain of Arches National Park will appear striking and ethereal.
Death Valley National Park also has some of the best conditions for moon, shooting star, and meteor shower observation in the country. We would recommend checking out the salt flats at Badwater Basin once the sun has gone down. The mountains that rise 360º around the entire valley block out any trace of nearby artificial illumination, creating a stunning visual experience as the moon rises over the horizon.
If shadows and otherworldly scenes sound too creepy (shoutout to my fellow solo campers) not to worry. There are a myriad of certified International Dark Sky Parks around the USA that will let you clearly observe the supermoon and other nighttime phenomena with minimal artificial light interference. (Check out where you can find a Dark Sky Park near you!)
Moonrise over Joshua Tree National Park - Photo Credit: Scott Carnahan
These parks are ideal for the astronomy enthusiast because artificial lights from cities and urban centers lessen your ability to see distant, fainter light sources. While the remote deserts of the Southwest obviously present optimal light pollution circumstances, there are plenty of great places to view astrological phenomena throughout the country. Plan an overnight stay in one of these parks, such as Cherry Springs State Park in Pennsylvania, to experience some of the best star and moon observation conditions on the planet. (Bonus points if you cowboy camp!)
For all my telescope and astrophotography enthusiasts, or if you simply want to verify if the moon is, in fact, made of cheese, a supermoon is the ideal time to look at the craters and mountains of the moon. This is both because it is closer than usual, and the ultra bright reflected sunlight washes out other faint sources of light which usually interfere.
So if you enjoy...
Breathtaking nocturnal scenes,
Romantic and adventurous lunar tidings
Getting together with friends to celebrate the coming of summer,
… and are based in North America, the moon will peak at 7:52am - but the best viewing will be just after sunset. So make sure you are looking Southeast on Tuesday, June 14th, 2022 to experience the Strawberry Supermoon!
Stay tuned for our upcoming blog updates to enjoy this three part Summer 2022 Supermoon series.
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