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