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Anyone who looks up at the night sky this weekend will be able to see the strawberry moon. Unlike solar eclipses or new explosions, the charmingly named Strawberry Moon happens every year. It is the last full moon of spring or the first full moon of summer and always occurs in June.
This year’s Strawberry Moon is a little more special than most. It officially takes place over the weekend of June 21 and 22, although you’ll be able to see about 97% of its brightness on June 20 and June 23. Coincidentally, this means that the full moon takes place at the same time as the summer solstice.
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This means two things will happen. First, the moon will be closer than usual, meaning it will appear much larger in the sky than usual. This is mentioned in the Old Farmer’s Almanac as the moon illusion. The illusion stems from the moon being close to the horizon. The human eye naturally compares its size to that of objects around it, such as the tops of houses and trees. This makes it appear much larger than it would if it were high in the sky.
Being low on the horizon will also make the moon colorful. In short, being so close to the horizon subjects the moonlight to denser air, thus causing it to change colors. So this year’s strawberry moon will be yellow, orange or even red depending on which part of the world it’s observed from. It will be among the lowest, largest and most colorful we’ve seen in years.
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What is Strawberry Moon?
Despite the name conjuring visions of juicy red or pink moonshine, strawberry moonshine is simpler than that. The The Old Farmer’s Almanac defines a strawberry moon just like the full moon that happens in june. If there are two full moons in June, this refers to the second. It is officially the last full moon of spring or the first full moon of summer.
The name has Indian roots. Tribes in the northeastern United States, including the Algonquin, Ojibwe, Dakota, and Lakota tribes, call it the Strawberry Moon because it appears around the same time strawberries are ripe and ready for picking.
Other names include Blooming Moon, Green Corn Moon, and Hoer Moon, while tribes in the Pacific Northwest call it the Birth Moon, Laying Moon, or Hatching Moon because many small animals are born at this time each year.
When can I see this year’s Strawberry Moon?
The full moon is officially set for the evening of June 22. However, June 21st will feature a waxing moon at 100% brightness that will look just like a full moon. On June 20, there will be a waxing moon with 97% brightness compared to the full moon, while on June 23 there will be a waning moon with 97% brightness compared to the full moon.
All of this means that the moon will either be full or appear full for the next four days. However, June 21 and June 22 will offer the best experiences as the moon will be 100% full on these two evenings.
Mark your calendars for other lunar events
The Strawberry Moon will be interesting this year, but there are several other big lunar events happening in the coming months. According to Astropixels, we’re set to get not one, but four supermoons in 2024. They’ll occur on August 19, September 18, October 17, and November 15. A supermoon refers to a moon that is physically closer to Earth than average. The supermoon on September 18 is also the harvest moon, making it a super harvest moon.
Especially save the date for the Super Harvest Moon on September 18th. On the day before the full moon there will also be a partial lunar eclipse. This will be the last lunar eclipse until March 2025.
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