The year's longest day, a celestial embrace of summer solstice and full moon, painted the night sky with a spectacle rarely seen. June's Strawberry Moon, a name evocative of the season's ripening berries, hung heavy and luminous, a perfect orb of pale, rosy light. Its arrival coincided precisely with the solstice, a potent astronomical alignment that imbued the night with an almost magical quality. The air, still warm from the day's long sun-drenched hours, thrummed with a vibrant energy. Fireflies blinked their ephemeral lights in the twilight's embrace, as if celebrating the celestial dance above. The moon's gentle glow cast long, ethereal shadows, transforming familiar landscapes into something mystical. The usual sounds of the night – the chirping of crickets, the hooting of owls – seemed amplified, woven into a harmonious soundtrack for the celestial event. This unique confluence of solstice and full moon held significant meaning for many cultures throughout history. For some, it marked a time of renewal, a celebration of life's abundance. Others saw it as a potent time for reflection, a moment to connect with the earth's energy and the rhythms of nature. Regardless of individual beliefs, the sheer beauty of the Strawberry Moon bathing the world in its ethereal glow was undeniable. It was a night that whispered of magic, a night where the boundaries between the earthly and the celestial blurred, leaving observers awestruck by the power and wonder of the cosmos. The memory of the Strawberry Moon's summer solstice arrival would linger long after the first rays of dawn broke through the horizon, a reminder of the universe's breathtaking majesty.
The start of summer is bringing a full moon along with it. Astronomy fans can look up and see the Strawberry Moon from Thursday night through Sunday morning as June's full moon rises.
June's full moon will reach peak illumination on Friday at 9:08 p.m. EDT, but it will appear full beginning on Thursday, which is the , said. The Old Farmer's Almanac details specific for different ZIP codes across the U.S.
On the summer solstice, the sun appears at its highest elevation. Because full moons are opposite the sun, a full moon that happens near a summer solstice is low in the sky.
The notes June's full moon is actually the lowest full moon in many years. In areas where the moon is visible, it will appear very large because it will be so low over the horizon.
"From places like Fairbanks and Rekyavik, this Full Moon won't even clear their horizon. It won't rise at all. For them, June will simply have no full Moon," the says.
Full moon names often come from seasons, historical crops and the behavior of certain animals. The "Strawberry Moon" nickname has nothing to do with the moon's color or shape this month; instead, it was historically used to mark the ripening of strawberries ready to be gathered in June, according to The Old Farmer's Almanac.
June's full Moon — typically either the last full moon of spring or the first of summer — also goes by several other names, too, including Berries Ripen Moon, Blooming Moon, Green Corn Moon and Hoer Moon. Other nicknames for this month's full moon include Birth Moon, Egg Laying Moon, Hatching Moon, Honey Moon and Mead Moon.
July's full moon reaches peak illumination on July 21. The full moon in July is known as the Buck Moon.
Those hoping to see another meteor shower or eclipse will have to wait till later this year. The meteor shower won't peak until August. Come Oct. 2, an will be visible in parts of South America with a partial eclipse visible in parts of South America, Antarctica, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean and North America.
