The June Full Moon Rises Tonight With a Color You Won't See Again Until Next Summer
Juneâs full moon reaches its peak tonight, Monday, June 29, at 7:57 p.m. Eastern time. Named the Strawberry Moon by Algonquin and other Native American tribes, it is the first full moon of summer and one of the most visually rewarding of the year, particularly in the hour after sunset when it climbs above the horizon and takes on a warm amber glow.
Why Itâs Called the Strawberry Moon
The name has nothing to do with the Moonâs color or appearance. It comes from the agricultural calendars of Algonquin and other North American tribes, who timed the ripening of wild strawberries to June. The Virginia strawberry, Fragaria virginiana, ripens naturally across the contiguous United States, Canada, and Alaska in early summer, making the full moon of June a natural harvest marker. The name entered mainstream almanacs through colonial-era adoption of Indigenous seasonal knowledge.
Juneâs full moon goes by several other names depending on tradition. In Europe, it was often called the Rose Moon, for the roses in bloom. Anglo-Saxon calendars called it the Mead Moon, marking the time when meadows were mowed. It is also known as the Hot Moon and the Honey Moon â a likely source of the word honeymoon, reflecting the old tradition of marriages in early summer. NASA staff have their own informal name: the LRO Moon, honoring the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter launched in June 2009.
How and Where to Watch Tonight
The best time to see the Strawberry Moon is right around moonrise, which falls near local sunset tonight. Look toward the southeastern horizon as the sky begins to darken. When the Moon sits close to the horizon, it appears dramatically larger than when it climbs overhead, a well-documented perceptual effect known as the Moon illusion. Combined with the way the atmosphere scatters shorter wavelengths of light at low angles, moonrise often produces a golden or orange tint that makes for striking photographs with foreground objects like trees, buildings, or water.
No equipment is needed. The full moon is bright enough that binoculars or a telescope offer little advantage and can actually reduce your comfort for extended viewing. Find a spot with a clear, open view to the southeast, free from trees or rooflines blocking the horizon. Tonight the Moon will be positioned among the stars of the constellation Sagittarius, which arcs across the southern sky through the summer months.
According to NASAâs skywatching resources, the full moon looks full to the naked eye for about a day on either side of the technical peak. Last nightâs Moon was nearly as impressive, and tomorrow nightâs will be too. But tonight, at or just after 7:57 p.m. Eastern, is when it reaches true fullness.
The First Full Moon of Summer
The June 29 Strawberry Moon arrives just eight days after the summer solstice, which fell on June 21 and marked the yearâs longest day and the astronomical start of summer. The June full moon is always the first of the season, giving the warmest, longest nights of the year their fullest natural light source at the same time.
For anyone who has been watching the sky this week, the Strawberry Moon follows closely on the June Bootid meteor shower, which peaked just two nights ago on June 27. The Bootids featured some of the slowest-moving meteors of any annual shower. A bright full moon washes out fainter meteors, so the shift in focus tonight is naturally toward the Moon itself.
Checking your local weather forecast before heading out is always worthwhile â even a thin layer of clouds can obscure the Moon or strip away its color and texture. A dry, calm summer evening with low humidity will produce the crispest view. The Strawberry Moon is one of the yearâs more photogenic full moons precisely because it rises while the sky is still in twilight, giving you a brief window where both the Moon and the warm colors of sunset are visible at once.
Clear skies make for great nights. Stay ahead of tonightâs weather and beyond with Weather Forecast Now.