The Strawberry Moon is the popular name given to the full moon that appears in late spring or early summer, typically in June. This name is one of many traditional labels assigned to the twelve full moons throughout the year, which were historically used to track the changing seasons. The annual appearance of this moon marks a specific time of natural change and abundance in the Northern Hemisphere.
The Astronomical Definition and Timing
The Strawberry Moon is not a distinct astronomical event; it is simply the full moon that occurs in June. A full moon happens every 29.5 days when the Earth is positioned between the Sun and the Moon, causing the Moon’s entire face to be illuminated from our perspective. The June full moon is often the last full moon of spring or the first of summer, depending on its exact timing relative to the summer solstice.
During the Northern Hemisphere summer, the full moon’s path across the sky is much lower than at other times of the year. This low trajectory is a predictable seasonal effect, which can make the moon appear larger and brighter to observers near the horizon. This lower arc is a consequence of the sun being at its highest point in the sky during summer, and the full moon always being opposite the sun.
Origin of the Name
The name “Strawberry Moon” originates from the traditions of various Native American tribes in North America, particularly the Algonquin, Ojibwe, Dakota, and Lakota peoples. For these groups, the appearance of the full moon in June signaled the peak of the short strawberry harvesting season. The name served as a functional marker, indicating when the June-bearing wild strawberries were ripe and ready to be gathered.
Other cultures and tribes also named this moon based on seasonal changes. European names for the June full moon include the “Honey Moon” or “Mead Moon,” which may be linked to the tradition of June being a popular month for marriages, followed by a “honeymoon.”
Alternate names used by different Native American groups reflect other signs of early summer abundance, such as the “Blooming Moon,” which refers to the flowering season, or the “Green Corn Moon,” which signals the time to tend to young crops. The Haida, for example, referred to it as the “Berries Ripen Moon.”
Common Misconceptions and Appearance
A common misconception is that the Strawberry Moon appears literally pink or red, matching the color of the fruit. The name is purely cultural and has no direct connection to the moon’s hue, which remains its usual gray-white color. Any color change is due to atmospheric conditions, not the moon itself.
The moon may sometimes take on a golden, yellow, or reddish tint when it is close to the horizon, a visual effect caused by atmospheric scattering. When moonlight travels through the densest layers of the Earth’s atmosphere near the horizon, shorter wavelengths of light, like blue, are scattered away. This process allows the longer, warmer wavelengths, such as red and yellow, to dominate what we see, similar to the colors of a sunrise or sunset. This color effect is intensified by the moon’s low position in the summer sky and can be further pronounced by environmental factors like dust or haze in the air.
The moon also often looks much larger when viewed near the horizon, an optical phenomenon known as the “moon illusion.” This illusion is a trick of the human brain, which perceives objects close to foreground elements like trees or buildings as being physically larger than when they are high overhead.