Education

Summer Solstice and Strawberry Full Moon

Skywatchers will start their summer off with a treat – a full  sixth strawberry solstice moon. It will occur today on Thursday at 4:50 pm EDT, indicates the longest day of the year.

The Strawberry Moon will be at its peak on Friday at 9:08 pm EDT. According to NASA, the moon will be fully visible for three days around this period, starting Thursday night and ending Sunday morning.

The full moon will also appear significantly larger and lower in the sky because the summer solstice falls during the sun’s annual maximum. This is what the old farmer’s almanac calls the “moon illusion.”

Why is it called the Strawberry Moon?

According to the Almanac, the name “Strawberry Moon” was given to it by the Native American Algonquian tribes who lived in the American Northwest. The Ojibwe, Dakota, and Lakota tribes also used this name for the full moon in June for harvesting wild strawberries.

The Cherokee call the June moon the “Green Corn Moon” while the Tingut call it the “Birthing Moon” and the Cree call it the “Egg Moon” or “Hutching Moon”. The Choctaw call it the “Wind Moon” and the Arapho call it the “Moon When the Buffalo Bellows.”

Where to see the Strawberry Moon?

The moon will travel on a low arc across the sky this month, allowing Earth’s atmosphere to reflect moonlight, giving it an orange or yellow hue.

A Full Cold Moon Will Occur In December 

The full moon is best viewed from North America on Friday when it rises in the east just before dusk. Choose a spot where you can get a low view of the eastern horizon after checking the sunrise and sunset times for your location.

The moon may briefly appear red or pink, like a strawberry, shortly after it rises above the horizon, before gradually changing to its characteristic white appearance. This color is not related to the moon’s nickname, but to the effects of the atmosphere, which is why some sunrises and sunsets show vivid colors.