Strawberry moon: When and how to spot the final supermoon of 2021 in Lancashire

Mere days after the summer solstice - the longest day of the year, in which almost all parts of the UK experienced over 16 and a half hours of sunlight - the Strawberry Moon is set to grace the night skies on June 24.

The full moon in June is also known as the "strawberry moon" as it coincides with the harvesting season of the fruit in North America.

The celestial event is expected to be visible at dusk on June 24, when the moon is at its closest point to Earth

Jake Foster, astronomer at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, said the best time to see the supermoon in the UK will be in the evening after sunset.

He told the PA news agency: "The strawberry moon will be the final supermoon of 2021, and it will reach its peak on June 24 at 19:39 BST, though in the UK the moon won't rise until about an hour after this time."

During this time, the Earth’s natural satellite will appear around 14% bigger and 30% brighter.

Despite its name, the Strawberry Moon won’t appear with a reddish hue all night.

However, like any full Moon, it's possible Earth's neighbour could appear slightly crimson-coloured as it passes close to the horizon.

"A supermoon is the result of a full moon occurring when the moon is near its closest point to the Earth in its orbit," Mr Foster added.

"This can occur because the moon orbits the Earth on an elliptical path, rather than a circular one.

"Since this means that the moon is slightly closer to us, it appears slightly bigger in the sky.”

Those wishing to view the phenomenon don't need any special equipment, and there is not particular location you need to be to see it,

As long as the skies are clear of clouds, it should be easy to spot whether you are in a light-polluted city or a dark area of countryside.

The weather in Lancashire is set to be cloudy with a chance of rain this evening, but there could be some cloud breaks through the night.

If you don't get a chance to see it this evening, the Moon will still appear larger and brighter for a few days afterwards.

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