Time: 2024-06-17
June's full moon will bring several special treats for skywatchers this year. The strawberry full moon, which is set to appear on June 21, the day after the summer solstice, will be quite a sight to behold. It will be unusually low in the sky, making it appear larger and possibly even colorful.
On the evening of June 21, just after sunset, the full moon will rise gently above the horizon, appearing large and golden-hued. The strawberry moon, named for being the first full moon of summer, will become full at 9:08 p.m. on June 21. It will remain full for about three days, from Thursday evening through Sunday morning.
The strawberry moon is known to be the most colorful full moon of the year. Due to its low, shallow path across the sky, the moonlight must travel through more of the Earth's atmosphere, often giving it an orange or yellow tint. This year's full moon will be particularly low, reaching only 21.9 degrees above the southern horizon on Saturday morning at 1:20 a.m.
The European name for this full moon is the Rose Moon, with some sources attributing the name to the roses that bloom at this time of year. Others suggest that the name comes from the color of the full moon itself.
The orbit of the moon around the Earth is almost parallel to the Earth's orbit around the Sun, with only about a 5-degree difference. During the summer solstice, the sun is at its highest point in the sky for the year. Full moons, being opposite the sun, appear low in the sky during this time.
In Europe's higher latitudes, when the full moon is low in the sky, it shines through more atmosphere, often resulting in a reddish color similar to sunrises and sunsets. For those in the Washington, DC area, the full moon on the night of June 21 to the morning of June 22 will have the lowest full moon of the year, reaching a mere 21.9 degrees above the southern horizon at 1:20 a.m. EDT.
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