June’s full moon, dubbed “strawberry” because of the start of strawberry harvesting season, isn’t predicted to sync up with the solstice again until 2062, so you don’t want to miss a second of its beauty. This year, it’s a special occurrence because the strawberry moon coincides with the solstices.
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It’s known as the longest day of the year not because it’s any longer than any other day, but because in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s the day that receives the most hours of daylight.
The summer solstice happens each year between June 20-22.
From today on, we will start to lose a couple of seconds per day, gradually increasing to a minute or so per day as we get closer to the fall equinox. The moon is hanging incredibly low, and its light is being forced through thicker, more humid air.
The French call this moon la lune rose, which translates into English as “the rose moon”. While the June solstice marks the beginning of summer for us in the Northern Hemisphere, it also marks the beginning of winter for places like Australia in the Southern Hemisphere.
One common misconception is that the sun is directly overhead at noon on the solstice.
So, make sure you head out tonight to check out this fantastic event.
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You can catch this moon either on Sunday or Monday night and it’ll be awe-inspiring viewed with the naked eye, but obviously more inspirational to look at through a telescope.
