Sky-watchers across the globe will witness a full strawberry moon coming week...wondering when? Then, scroll down to read more about this upcoming amazing phenomenon.
The strawberry moon, which will be the final full moon of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, is all set to turn full on Wednesday, June 11. However, it will be most visible at moonrise on Tuesday, June 10, as it appears in the east at nightfall. It derives its name from the ripening of summer berries in North America during June.
And here comes the twist! This year's strawberry moon is also the lowest-hanging full moon, not only of the year, but since 2006 because of a once-in-18.6-years occurrence called the "major lunar standstill."
The strawberry moon will get full at 3:45 am EDT on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, ten days before the solstice on Saturday, June 21, 2025. It will appear full the night before and the night after it is officially 100% illuminated by the sun, but the best time to see it rise is at dusk on Tuesday, June 10.
According to EarthSky, June's full moon is the strawberry, flower, and rose moon. Cultural and seasonal names for the full moon vary greatly around the world.
A full moon is always best seen when it first comes above the eastern horizon around sunset, rather than when it is high in the sky at night. The view is at its best when the moon rises just after dusk. The moon rises a few minutes after sunset this month, making for ideal timing in North America.
June's strawberry moon is not only the last full moon to rise in the Northern Hemisphere, but it is also the lowest-hanging full moon of the year. This occurs because, by definition, the full moon is opposite the sun and hence mimics its position.
For example, the full moon is at its lowest point while the sun is at its highest. In practice, this means it never reaches very high altitudes.
In order to see the full strawberry moon at its best, choose a high site, an open field, or an east-facing beach with an excellent view of the eastern horizon.
Another reason why June's full moon is the lowest this year is the moon's current significant lunar standstill. This once-every-18.6-year period, which lasts around a year, is produced by the moon's and Earth's tilts being at their maximum, implying that the moon rises and sets at the farthest locations on its horizon range.
In practice, the moon will rise more to the southeast than at any point since 2006, remain low in the southern sky all night (approximately five degrees lower than the sun on the winter solstice), and set as far to the southwest as it can ever go.
