Strawberry moon to light up skies Monday night: Here’s everything to know
Strawberry moon, the first full moon of astronomical summer, rises in the southeast.
The full moon is set to peak at 7:57 p.m. EDT Monday, June 29, with moonrise occurring around sunset.
Skywatchers in Washington can expect to see it at 8:53 p.m. local time, while those in Miami should look up at 8:24 p.m., Chicago at 8:49 p.m., and Los Angeles at 8:26 p.m.
Although it is called the Strawberry Moon, it doesn’t actually appear pink or red. The name comes from Native American and Colonial American traditions, marking the brief strawberry harvesting season in northeastern North America.
But the moon might also look orange or gold when it rises just near the horizon due to the scattering effect of our planet’s atmosphere on the shorter wavelength of light.
What makes the full moon in June unique is its very low position in the sky. Unlike the other full moons seen during the winter months that reach their highest point in the sky, the full moon in June takes a shallow path, moving from the southeastern to southwestern parts of the sky near the horizon.
The next full moon, named the Buck Moon, will appear on July 29.
