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Something sweet is happening later this month — the Strawberry Moon. Here are quick facts about it skywatchers can snack on as June’s full moon soars across the heavens.
When is the full moon in June 2024?
The Strawberry Moon will shine at peak illumination on Friday, June 21, 2024. The moon’s phases in June are:
- 🌑 New Moon: June 6.
- 🌓 First Quarter: June 14.
- 🌕 Full Moon: June 21.
- 🌗 Last Quarter: June 28.
Why is it called the Strawberry Moon?
Similar to the Pink Moon, June’s Strawberry Moon takes its name from seasonal plant growth, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. Many ripening berries were ready to be harvested around this time in the northeastern United States.
Other names for June’s full moon from Native American tribes include the Birth Moon, Hot Moon, Blooming Moon, and the Green Corn Moon.
Strawberry Festival:One of Indy’s most smile-inducing traditions hits Monument Circle next month
When is the best time to see the full moon in June 2024?
According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, moonrise for the Louisville area will happen by roughly 8:24 p.m. Friday, June 21, crossing the meridian at 11:58 a.m. before setting at 5:29 a.m. Saturday.
Why does the moon sometimes appear red?
You may have noticed the moon will occasionally take on a dramatic shade of orange or red in the night sky. That’s because of how sunlight strikes the moon’s surface after passing through our atmosphere.
When the moon moves into the inner part of Earth’s shadow, or umbra, according to NASA, some of the sunlight entering Earth’s skies scatters before reaching the moon’s surface.
Colors with shorter wavelengths, such as blues and violets, scatter more easily than colors with longer wavelengths, which include red and orange. The more dust or clouds in Earth’s atmosphere during a lunar eclipse, the redder the moon appears.
When is the next full moon of 2024?
The Buck Moon is set to charge into the sky on Sunday, July 21, 2024.
Look up:Here’s when every full moon shines in 2024
Astronomical events happening in June 2024
Skywatchers, according to NASA, should keep the following dates in mind for June 2024.
◾ June 3: The crescent Moon sits beneath Mars in morning twilight. Look for them low in the eastern sky.
◾ June 6: New moon.
◾ June 21: Full moon.
◾ June 24: Jupiter is now visible low in the east before sunrise. Look for the bright planet around 10 degrees above the horizon this final week of June, forming a line with Mars and Saturn that stretches toward the south.
◾ June 27: Look for the Moon rising in the east with Saturn around midnight. By dawn this morning, you’ll find them high in the southern sky. They appear super close together – close enough to appear in the same field of view through binoculars.
John Tufts covers trending news for the Indianapolis Star. Send him a news tip at JTufts@Gannett.com.