The last Full moon of Spring, the first of Summer is the Strawberry Moon. The Moon will be full at 04.42hrs on Sunday morning so will appear its fullest on the Saturday evening.
Red-coloured moons get their hue from their proximity to the horizon. (The closer the moon is to the horizon, the more atmosphere its light rays must travel through, and the redder the moon appears).
June was traditionally the month for marriages – it is even named after the Roman goddess of marriage, Juno. Following marriage comes the “honeymoon,” which give may give credence to one of this Full Moon’s names:
- Blooming Moon is indicative of the flowering season.
- Green Corn Moon and Hoer Moon suggest that it’s time to tend to young crops.
- Birth Moon, referring to the time when certain animals are born in their region.
- Egg Laying Moon and Hatching Moon are Cree terms that also hint at a time of many animal babies.
- Honey Moon
- Mead Moon
This year the Strawberry Moon will not be a supermoon as it is expected to be too far from earth. To be a supermoon it should be 360,000km or less away from Earth. Supermoons are often known to appear slightly larger than a normal Full Moon, up to 30% brighter and 17% larger, but in reality it seem to appear much the same, observed as a bright orb casting a slight golden tint.
