Though a full moon is a regular appearance every month in nighttime skies, last week, a special visitor lit up the darkness on Thursday, June 24.

It was a super moon, one which occurs while the moon is in its closest position in relation to the earth. The moon’s orbit around us is elliptical in its path, so sometimes it’s near, sometimes farther when it’s full.

When it’s nearer, it appears larger in the sky, hence the ‘super’ nomenclature.

This month was one of those where it was close, as it has been several months this year, but it was also the last until June 2022, scientists say.

So full moons in the coming 12 months will appear as they normally do.

The strawberry name for this recent super moon comes from indigenous natives who noted that the bigger moon helped them into the evening with their strawberry harvests.