TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — To many, June means the official return of summer but it’s not the only season to kick off this month. June also marks the start of the supermoon season.
According to AccuWeather, supermoons are annual occurrences that take place in sets of three or four, causing the moon to look slightly bigger and brighter than other full moons throughout the year.
This year, astronomers will get their first glimpse of a supermoon starting late Monday, June 13. The supermoon will remain in the sky until Tuesday morning when it will reach its full illumination at 7:52 a.m. This first occurrence is called the strawberry moon because it will happen during the strawberry harvest season.
Why does the moon appear bigger?
As the moon orbits around the Earth, it follows a misshapen oval path called an ellipse. Because of this, the moon is closer to the Earth at times and farther away at others.
A supermoon takes place when a full moon happens around the same time as when the moon is closest to Earth, causing it to look slightly bigger and brighter than other full moons. NASA says supermoons can appear up to 30% brighter and 17% larger than other full moons.
The strawberry moon will be the brightest moon of the year, making it fairly easy to spot in the night sky.
Where should I look?
Residents in the Tampa Bay area looking to maximize the moon rise should look in the southeasterly direction. The supermoon will rise Monday around 8 p.m. and set around 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday.
News Channel 8 Meteorologist Eric Stone said most Bay area neighborhoods can expect mostly clear skies by early evening. The weather will eventually return to a typical summer pattern with drier mornings and afternoon storms next week.