The Strawberry Moon, the sixth Full Moon of the year, will peak in brightness on the morning of Monday, June 17, UK time. Here in the UK, the lunar orb will reach its Full Moon phase around 9.30am BST (8.30am UTC). When this happens, the Moon will still be below the horizon, meaning you will have to wait until the evening to see the Strawberry Moon. The Full Moon will then slowly creep over the horizon in its full glory after 9.30pm BST (8.30pm UTC).
What is the meaning behind the Strawberry Moon’s name?
Each of the 12 Full Moon phases during the year has a unique name tied to the seasonal changes in the landscape.
For example, the May Flower Moon is named after the blooming flowers around this time of year.
And the December Cold Moon is dubbed after the harsh and bitter cold of winter.
Most of these names originate in Native American traditions and have been adopted over the years by colonial Europeans.
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The Strawberry Moon owes its name to the Algonquin tribes in northeastern America and wild strawberries ripening around this time of summer.
NASA’s Gordon Johnston said: “Europeans also called this the Rose Moon.
“Some believe this name comes from the colour of the Full Moon at this time of year.
“The orbit of the Moon around the Earth is almost in the same plane as the orbit of the Earth around the Sun – only about five degrees off.
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“When the Sun appears highest in the sky near the summer solstice, the Full Moon opposite the Sun generally appears lowest in the sky.”
For Europe in particular, the NASA astronomer said the Moon might take on a reddish or pink hue.
The Strawberry Moon is also sometimes known as the Honey Moon or the Mead Moon.
This tasty-sounding name might be linked to the honey harvest, which typically took place after the Summer Solstice in June.
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Mr Johnston also joked there is another tribe in America – NASA – which has named the upcoming Full Moon the LRO Moon or Lunar Reconnaissance Moon in honour of the NASA space probe’s 10th anniversary.
The astronomer said: “This tribe is geographically scattered but mostly living in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States.
“This tribe’s language is primarily English, but with a liberal smattering of acronyms, arcane scientific and engineering terms, and Hawaiian phrases – cheerfully contributed by the Deputy Project Manager at the time.
“Comprised of people from all backgrounds, this tribe is devoted to the study of the Moon.”