Full Moon in June 2024: Strawberry Moon
The Full Strawberry Moon will happen on Saturday, June 22, 2024. To track the Moon and easily navigate the night sky, get the free app Sky Tonight. What does the Strawberry Moon mean and how is it different from other Full Moons? Find out from this article!
Contents
- When is the Full Moon in June 2024?
- Strawberry Moon meaning
- How is the June Full Moon different from other Full Moons?
- When is the next Full Moon?
- Bottom line
When is the Full Moon in June 2024?
The Moon will be full on June 22 at 01:08 GMT (June 21, 9:08 p.m. EDT). It occurs just two days after the June solstice on June 20, at 20:51 GMT (4:51 p.m. EDT), which marks the start of astronomical summer in the Northern Hemisphere and astronomical winter in the Southern Hemisphere.
The fully-illuminated lunar disk will be shining in the constellation Sagittarius, near the bright star Nunki (mag 2.0). To easily identify Nunki and other bright dots near the Moon, use the Sky Tonight app. Simply point your device at our natural satellite, and the app will show you the names of any objects close to it. Watch our tutorial to learn how to identify stars and planets next to the Moon, as well as observe Moon-planet conjunctions and occultations.
Moon phases in June 2024
- New Moon: June 6, 12:38 GMT (8:38 a.m. EDT);
- First Quarter: June 14, 05:18 GMT (01:18 a.m. EDT);
- Full Moon: June 22, 01:08 GMT (June 21, 9:08 p.m. EDT);
- Last Quarter: June 28, 21:53 GMT (5:53 p.m. EDT).
When does the Full Moon rise in my location?
The Full Moon will rise at sunset and stay in the sky all night until the morning. To find out the exact moonrise and moonset times for your location, visit the Moon Phases section on our website, or use the Moon tab in the calendar feature of the Sky Tonight app.
Strawberry Moon meaning
"Strawberry Moon" is one of the traditional names for the June Full Moon used by Native Americans — for them, June was the strawberry harvesting season. So the name is not based on the characteristics of the lunar appearance, but on the characteristics of the month. If you look at the names of other Full Moons, you'll see that they're also related to the natural characteristics of a particular month.
Astrologers believe that the Strawberry Moon is a symbol of love, purity, and prosperity. They also believe that the June Full Moon represents a desire for change, flexibility, and exploration since it's in the constellation Sagittarius. The constellation can vary from year to year — the June Full Moon can be in Scorpius, Ophiuchus, or Sagittarius. You can check the Moon's location yourself using Sky Tonight or Star Walk 2.
June Full Moon alternative names
Although the Native American name “Strawberry Moon” became the most popular, in Europe, the June Full Moon was called the Rose Moon – maybe because roses bloom this month or because the June Full Moon sometimes looks pink (we’ve described this phenomenon below).
Another European name was the Mead Moon or the Honey Moon, as June was also the season of harvesting honey. Perhaps the tradition of calling the first month of marriage “honeymoon” originated from this name since June was believed to be the best month for a wedding.
In Sri Lanka, the national festival called Poson Poya aligns with the June Full Moon. On this day, the people of Sri Lanka commemorate the introduction of Buddhism to the island. It is the second important Buddhist holiday after Vesak (Buddha Day).
A Hindu festival Vat Purnima is also celebrated during the Full Moon in June. On this day, married women keep a fast, tie threads around a banyan tree, and pray for the well-being of their husbands.
There are also various names made up by other cultures:
- Chinese: Lotus Moon;
- Celtic: Moon of Horses;
- Wiccan: Dyad Moon;
- Cherokee: Green Corn Moon;
- Southern Hemisphere: Oak Moon, Cold Moon, Long Night’s Moon.
Some NASA employees have their own name for the June Full Moon. They call it the “LRO Moon” in honor of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter launched in June 2009.
Is the Strawberry Moon pink?
Though the name evokes associations with pink and red strawberries, it has nothing to do with the June Full Moon’s color. It will most likely be golden-orange or white – the same color as any other Full Moon. However, it may appear reddish – for the same reason the Sun looks red while rising and setting.
The June Full Moon occurs shortly before the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, which is on June 21. If observed from the northern latitudes, the Moon hangs low above the horizon. It appears pink or red in this position because its light gets scattered through the atmosphere. Find out what other colors the Moon can be with our fun quiz!
How is the June Full Moon different from other Full Moons?
In 2024, in the Northern Hemisphere, the June Full Moon will rise very low above the horizon, appearing yellowish or orange due to the thick layer of air near the horizon. Moreover, because it doesn't rise very high, the Full Moon will also set much earlier, leaving much of the night dark. See it for yourself by looking at the sky about an hour past midnight!
Why does this happen?
If the Sun rises higher above the horizon during the daytime, it sets less below the horizon at nighttime. The Full Moon is opposite the Sun on the celestial sphere. Therefore, when the Sun is close to the horizon below, the Full Moon is close to the horizon above.
It turns out that the Full Moon's path across the night sky mimics the Sun's daytime path six months ago (or six months in the future). So, the June Full Moon follows a path similar to that of the December sun. Remember how low the Sun rises in the Northern Hemisphere in December? The June Full Moon follows roughly the same low orbit throughout the night!
During a summer solstice, the Sun takes a higher path in the sky, and since the Full Moon's path is opposite the Sun's path, the Full Moon closest to the summer solstice has the lowest arc across our sky. In 2024, the June Full Moon almost coincides with the solstice, which means it will be very low in the sky in the Northern Hemisphere.
Conversely, in the Southern Hemisphere, the June Full Moon will be very high above the horizon, mimicking the high path of the summer solstice Sun.
In addition, north of the Arctic Circle, the winter Sun never climbs above the horizon, so the June Full Moon will not either.
South of the Antarctic Circle, the Moon will be visible for 24 hours, simulating the midnight summer Sun.
When is the next Full Moon?
The next Full Moon, called the Buck Moon, will grace the sky on July 21, 2024. Delve into the details about its name and unique features in our dedicated article. Also, explore our colorful infographic showcasing the dates and names of the next Full Moons in 2024. And don't miss out on other celestial wonders — keep an eye on notifications from the Sky Tonight app for exciting astronomical events!
When is the next Strawberry Moon 2024?
The Strawberry Moon is the Full Moon that occurs in June. This year’s Strawberry Moon is on June 22, 01:08 GMT (June 21, 9:08 p.m. EDT). The next Strawberry Moon will take place next year, on June 11, 2025. It will be the closest Full Moon to the June solstice, which will occur on June 21, 2025.
Bottom line
In 2024, the Full Strawberry Moon will take place on June 22, at 01:08 GMT (June 21, 9:08 p.m. EDT). It got its name from the Native American tribes who associated it with the strawberry harvesting season. The June Full Moon will be lower than usual in the Northern Hemisphere sky and higher than usual in the Southern Hemisphere. To find out the dates and names of all the Full Moons occurring this year, you can refer to our Full Moon calendar for 2024. We wish you clear skies and successful observations!
