June's Full Moon: A Strawberry Moon Lights Up the Night Sky

The night of Friday, June 21, marks the Strawberry Moon, a celestial event with a fruity name. Here's a breakdown of this sweet occurrence:

What? Strawberry Moon, a full moon in June.

When? Friday, June 21, 2024, at 8:10 p.m. in Texas.

Why "Strawberry"? The name originates from Native American Algonquian tribes, specifically the Ojibwe, Dakota, and Lakota, who associated it with the harvest of wild strawberries during this time of year.

Where to Look? The moon will be visible in the east, rising just before dusk. It will appear significantly lower in the sky compared to the sun's position during the day, with an orange or yellow hue due to the Earth's atmospheric reflection.

Any Special Features? This full moon is unique as it's the closest to the summer solstice, which falls on Thursday, June 21, at 3:51 p.m. CDT. The Old Farmers' Almanac mentions the "Moon Illusion," where the full moon appears larger and lower in the sky due to the solstice coinciding with the sun's yearly maximum position.

For more skywatching in June 2024:

• June 24: Spot Jupiter low in the east before sunrise, about 10 degrees above the horizon. It forms a line with Mars and Saturn stretching southward.
• June 27: Moonrise in the east with Saturn around midnight; by dawn, they'll be high in the southern sky, appearing close together and viewable through binoculars.

Sources:

• The Old Farmer's Almanac: https://www.almanac.com/astronomy/moon/calendar/TX/Austin/2024-06
• NASA: https://moon.nasa.gov/moon-in-motion/phases-eclipses-supermoons/eclipses/
• EarthSky.org: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/what-is-a-supermoon/