‘Strawberry Moon’ will appear just after summer solstice

(NewsNation) — Skywatchers can look forward to seeing June’s full moon just one day after the summer solstice marks the longest day of the year.

This month’s full moon will occur on June 21 at 9:08 p.m. ET. Full moons happen when the moon is directly across from the sun, allowing it to appear fully illuminated from Earth.

Why is it called the ‘Strawberry Moon’?

Names for full moons come from Native American or early European traditions, though the practice and names have also been adopted by modern neopagans. The name “Strawberry Moon” comes from the Algonquian people and refers to the fact that it occurs during the time of year wild strawberries ripen.

The Cherokee people call the June moon “Green Corn Moon,” while the Tlingit call it the “Birthing Moon” and in Cree, it’s known as the “Egg-Laying Moon” or “Hatching Moon.” The Choctaw call it the “Windy Moon,” and the Arapho refer to it as the “Moon When the Buffalo Bellows.”

Early European names for June’s full moon include the “Rose Moon,” “Honey Moon” and “Mead Moon.” If you’re wondering, yes, that’s where the term “honeymoon” comes from, as June was a traditional month for marriages in many places. China also uses full moon names, calling June the “Lotus Moon.”

Full moon in Capricorn

For those into astrology, this month’s full moon falls in the sign of Capricorn, a sign of ambition, hard work and discipline. That makes it a good time to reflect on how far you’ve come in your career — or where you want to be.

But the first of two Capricorn full moons also happens as ruling planet Saturn goes retrograde, which might make achieving those goals more challenging. It’s also happening during emotional, intuitive Cancer season, blending pragmatic ambition with less quantifiable feelings.

That makes it a good time to reflect on what has been accomplished so far and release any emotional baggage that’s slowing down your forward progress.

Viewing the Strawberry Moon

This summer, the full moon in June will come just one day after the summer solstice, when those in the Northern Hemisphere will experience the most daylight of the entire year, something that happens only once every 18-20 years.

The moon will appear near the Teapot constellation and may take on a slight reddish hue because of its proximity to the horizon.

A few days later, on June 29, the moon will align with Mars, Jupiter and Saturn just before sunrise, with all four celestial bodies visible without a telescope.