The annual ‘strawberry supermoon’ is back and will illuminate the night sky through the week. The lunar phenomenon is set to become the viewing event for thousands of astronomy nerds across the globe.

The best view of the strawberry moon will be at 7:52 AM ET on Tuesday for those watching from the United States. The supermoon will be at a distance of 222,238 miles from Earth (roughly 16,000 miles closer than the average distance). Our moon will also appear 15% brighter and 7% bigger than usual. But no, it would not look like a strawberry.

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How to get the best view of the strawberry supermoon?

Even though the moon will appear to be bigger than its usual size, it is always recommended to catch a glimpse from an area where the sky is clear. Rough weather can be a hindrance.

Viewing guidelines also recommend binoculars, cameras and telescopes for people who wish to get a closer look at the surface of our moon.

It is also advised to steer clear of beaches and coasts during this period as the moon’s position can create high tides. Supermoons have been shown to heighten erosion risk on sandy beaches, media reports suggest.

Where did strawberry supermoon get its name?

Contrary to popular belief, the strawberry supermoon is not red and does not look like a fruit. The origin story of the name is not what you would expect. 

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‘Strawberry supermoon’ was originally coined by the Algonquin Native American tribe, which resides in northeastern regions of the United States. A part of the tribe also lives in Canada. 

Strawberry supermoon gets its name from the short harvesting season during the summers, according to reports from Washington Post. A similar trend has been observed in many European countries, where the phenomenon is called ‘rose moon’ or ‘honey moon’.