What is a Strawberry Moon? How and where to watch June's supermoon

The full moon in June comes near to the moon's perigee—the point in space where it is closest to the Earth during its monthly orbit—which will make the moon look approximately 7% bigger than usual but its increased brightness will be more evident until it has climbed high into the sky. It's the closest full moon of the year, at 222,238 miles/357,658 kilometers, making it the largest and brightest of the year—a true "supermoon!" It will result in an exceptionally high perigean spring tide, sometimes known as a "king tide," posing a hazard of flooding to coastal communities.

Here are details on how to spot a perfect Strawberry Moon:

How and where to watch Super Moon

The full moon always rises in the east at nightfall (opposite a sunset) and sets in the west the next morning (opposite a sunrise). Strawberry Moon - the northern hemisphere's final full moon of the spring season, will rise in the east just after sunset, shine brightly all night, and then set in the west shortly before sunrise. A full moonrise may not be clearly visible through naked eyes. For a spectacular close-up view, have a pair of binoculars ready.

For those who wish to watch it online, the 'Strawberry Moon' will be webcast by The Virtual Telescope Projecton on their youtube channel. The free live feed will begin at 8 pm BST (7 pm UTC). The moon will be tracked as it travels over the magnificent skyline of Rome.

Best Time to watch Strawberry Moon

Here are the ideal times to watch June's Strawberry Moon from a few significant cities, but make sure to double-check the actual moonrise and moonset hours for your area. The best time to observe the full 'Strawberry Moon' ascend into the twilight sky is Tuesday evening. Sunset in New York is at 8:28 pm EDT, and moonrise is at 9:16 pm EDT (the moment of full moon is at 6:53 am EDT). Sunset in Los Angeles is at 8:05 pm PDT, and moonrise is at 8:57 pm PDT (the moment of full moon is at 3:53 am PDT). Sunset in London is at 9:18 pm BST, and moonrise is at 10:02 pm BST (the moment of full moon is at 11:53 am BST). 

Algonquin, Ojibwe, Dakota, and Lakota peoples, among others, have used the word 'Strawberry Moon' to indicate the maturing of "June-bearing" strawberries that are ready to be picked. This is also reflected in the Haida word Berries Ripen Moon. June is a period where flowers blossom and early fruit ripens.