Strawberry moon meaning: what is the meaning behind june full moon?

The Strawberry Moon, the sixth Full Moon of the year, will peak in brightness today (Monday, June 17) just two hours. Here in the UK, the lunar orb will reach its Full Moon phase around

9.30am BST (8.30am UTC). When this happens, the Moon will be below the horizon, meaning you will have to wait until the evening to see the Strawberry Moon. The Full Moon will then slowly

creep over the horizon in its full glory after 9.30pm BST (8.30pm UTC). WHAT IS THE MEANING BEHIND THE STRAWBERRY MOON’S NAME? Each of the 12 Full Moon phases during the year has a unique

name tied to the seasonal changes in the landscape. For example, the May Flower Moon is named after the blooming flowers around this time of year. And the December Cold Moon is dubbed after

the harsh and bitter cold of winter. Most of these names originate in Native American traditions and have been adopted over the years by colonial Europeans. READ MORE: WHEN CAN YOU SEE THE

STRAWBERRY MOON THIS YEAR? The Strawberry Moon owes its name to the Algonquin tribes in northeastern America and wild strawberries ripening around this time of summer. The Royal Observatory

Greenwich explained: "In North America, the harvesting of strawberries in June gives that month's full moon its name. "Europeans have dubbed it the rose moon, while other

cultures named it the hot moon for the beginning of the summer heat." And NASA’s Gordon Johnston said: “Europeans also called this the Rose Moon. “Some believe this name comes from the

colour of the Full Moon at this time of year. READ MORE: NASA SATELLITE DISCOVERS 'MOVING WATER' ON MOON'S SURFACE “The orbit of the Moon around the Earth is almost in the

same plane as the orbit of the Earth around the Sun – only about five degrees off. “When the Sun appears highest in the sky near the summer solstice, the Full Moon opposite the Sun generally

appears lowest in the sky.” For Europe in particular, the NASA astronomer said the Moon might take on a reddish or pink hue. The Strawberry Moon is also sometimes known as the Honey Moon or

the Mead Moon. This tasty-sounding name might be linked to the honey harvest, which typically took place after the Summer Solstice in June. READ MORE: WHEN IS THE NEXT TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE

SUN? Mr Johnston also joked there is another tribe in America – NASA – which has named the upcoming Full Moon the LRO Moon or Lunar Reconnaissance Moon in honour of the NASA space probe’s

10th anniversary. The astronomer said: “This tribe is geographically scattered but mostly living in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. “This tribe's language is primarily

English, but with a liberal smattering of acronyms, arcane scientific and engineering terms, and Hawaiian phrases – cheerfully contributed by the Deputy Project Manager at the time.

“Comprised of people from all backgrounds, this tribe is devoted to the study of the Moon.” WHEN IS THE NEXT FULL MOON? WHAT IS IT CALLED? After the Strawberry Moon graces the night skies,

the next Full Moon to rise is the Buck Moon in July. The Full Buck Moon will peak in brightness on July 16. The Moon is also sometimes known as the Ripe Corn Moon or the Middle of Summer

Moon. The Old Farmer’s Almanac explained: “July is the month of the Full Buck Moon. At this time, a buck’s antlers are in full growth mode. “This Full Moon was also known as the Thunder Moon

because thunderstorms are so frequent during this month.” The Moon will peak just four days before the 50th anniversary of NASA’s Apollo 11 crew landing on the Moon.