JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — This year's summer solstice and June's full moon coincide only a day apart, something that only occurs about every two decades! At 4:51 p.m. on Thursday afternoon, astronomical summer officially began, with the month's full moon occurring the very next evening.
Friday evening at 9:08 p.m. ET, the full "strawberry moon" will reach its peak illumination at the lowest point in the sky it'll be all year. According to NASA, the moon will only reach 21.9° above the southern horizon line. For those who live near the North Pole or in the Arctic Circle who will see nearly a full day of sunlight, the moon won't even crest the horizon.
With the sun being at its highest point in the northern hemisphere all year, the "strawberry moon" will not only appear lower in the sky, but will also look larger as it takes on a slight reddish-orange tint.
Despite the moon's appearance, it's "Strawberry" name actually comes from the growing season for strawberries. The Old Farmer's Almanac says that Native American Algonquian tribes used the terminology to mark when strawberries were ready to be gathered.
Despite Invest-92L coming ashore throughout the day on Friday, skies should be clear enough to see at least glimpses of the "strawberry moon" Friday night. Remember to look toward the southern horizon for the full moon Friday night at 9:08 p.m. ET!
