Did you miss the strawberry moon’s peak? Here’s when you can still see it in Lexington
If you fell asleep early last night after a long Monday, you may be disappointed to learn you missed the peak of this summer’s “strawberry moon.” Fear not, for you can still see it through Wednesday.
The strawberry moon may not be 100% full past its peak hours late Monday night into Tuesday morning , but if you’re viewing it with just your eyes, it’s likely to still appear full or close to it Tuesday night.
You don’t need a telescope or binoculars to appreciate this unique lunar event, but it might help if you’re hoping to get a clear, focused glimpse of the moon’s landscape.
What is a strawberry moon?
The strawberry moon got its name from the Indigenous Algonquin peoples, who picked the term to signify the fruit’s harvest season in June, according to NASA. Other names for this lunar event include mead, honey and rose moons.
May’s flower blood moon was interpreted as a super moon by some astronomers, but the strawberry moon is more universally recognized with the designation.
“All agree that in 2022 the full moons in June and July both qualify,” NASA’s website says.
The definition of a supermoon is disputed, but it’s when the moon is within 90% perigee of the earth, or as close as it gets to home terrain, NASA says. Some scientists disagree about the definition of perigee, since it varies depending on the orbit.
The strawberry moon will appear full late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning eastern time, according to NASA. Lexington’s moonrise will occur at 9:48 p.m. after the 9:01 p.m. sunset. Moonrise is when the strawberry moon will be fully visible.
The next supermoon will be the “buck moon” July 13.
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