Stargazers who stay awake into the early hours of Tuesday will be rewarded with a Strawberry Moon that is set to trace the lowest path across the night sky since 2003.
June’s full moon, known as the strawberry moon, will reach its peak at 12.57am overnight, according to the Royal Museums Greenwich. But this year it comes with a twist: it is also a micromoon, meaning it will appear slightly smaller and dimmer than usual in the sky – a result of the moon being farther from Earth.
“June's Strawberry Moon peaks at 12.57am, appearing at its lowest point in 20 years due to an 18.6-year cycle.”
Despite its name, the strawberry moon is not named for its colour. The term originates from Native American culture, when strawberries were harvested throughout June across North America. In Europe it is sometimes called the rose moon, while the hot moon also features in some cultures, named for the beginning of summer heat.
What makes this full moon particularly unusual is its trajectory. Alan Jones, astronomy expert at 365 Astronomy, explained that June’s strawberry moon is always the lowest of the year, but this one coincides with the low point of an 18.6-year cycle of extreme rising and setting points. As a result, it will remain unusually close to the horizon as it passes across the sky.
“The best time to view the Strawberry Full Moon is at sunset on the 30 June,” Jones told The Independent. “This is usually when the Moon looks most dramatic because it's lower in the sky and any atmospheric effects are at their strongest. Open countryside, beaches, hills and parks can all provide excellent viewing opportunities.”
A phenomenon known as the moon illusion will make the moon appear larger when it is near the horizon, because its relative size compared to trees and buildings tricks the eye. The latest forecasts from the UK Met Office suggest the best chance to see it will be on Tuesday evening, due to cloud cover across most of the country on Monday night.
This year’s strawberry moon is the seventh full moon of the calendar year, after May featured a rare second full moon – a blue moon – at the end of the month. Last month, stargazers took to social media to share pictures of the blue moon rising above rooftops and trees across the UK. That moon was also a micromoon, appearing slightly smaller and dimmer than usual.
For those who miss tonight’s celestial show, there will be plenty more full moons coming, including the buck moon, the harvest moon, and the beaver moon – all of which will reach their peaks at more sociable hours.