Australia may have missed out on the Solar Eclipse earlier this year but there is a lot more to look forward to in the coming months. On the cards in June is a Strawberry Moon which is set to coincide with the winter solstice or the shortest day of the year. Here’s everything you need to know about the celestial event.
What is a strawberry moon?
Much like the rare “Blue Moon” last year, the sweet-sounding name has nothing to do with the moon’s appearance. According to NASA, in the 1930s the Maine Farmer’s Almanac began publishing “Indian” names to describe full Moons. The June full moon is a strawberry moon because it coincides with the season for harvesting strawberries. It is also known as “Honey Moon” or “Rose Moon” in some places.
Although the moon won’t have a pink or red hue, it may look bigger and brighter depending on the weather conditions.
When can you see the strawberry moon in Australia?
The strawberry moon will rise in the skies over Australia on June 22 following the winter solstice which occurs on June 21 this year. The full moon and solstice coinciding is a rare occurence that only happens once in 20 years which means that it can impact the way we see the moon’s placement in the sky. However, during a full moon, the size of the moon does not change but it appears to be bigger than normal.
Head to Time and Date to work out the exact time of moonrise in your specific location in Australia.