After weeks of chilly mornings, surprise cold snaps and many Americans wondering when spring would finally give way to summer, a familiar sign of the changing season is about to appear in the night sky.
On June 29, the full Strawberry Moon will rise across the United States, offering skywatchers a chance to enjoy one of the year’s most beloved full moons. While it will not actually appear strawberry-colored, the moon has long been associated with the arrival of summer and the ripening of wild strawberries, making it a seasonal milestone for generations.
Americans from coast to coast will have a chance to watch the Strawberry Moon rise on the evening of June 29.
In New York City, the sun will set at 8:31 p.m. EDT, with the moon expected to rise at 8:48 p.m. EDT. On the West Coast, Los Angeles will see sunset at 8:08 p.m. PDT, followed by moonrise at 8:26 p.m. PDT. In many parts of the country, the moon will appear during the fading light of dusk, creating a beautiful window for an evening look at the sky.
For the best view, skywatchers should look toward the southeastern horizon from an open field, hilltop, beach or another place free from tall buildings and trees. Because the moon will rise while the sky still holds traces of color, it may glow in shades of gold, amber or soft orange as daylight gives way to night.
That timing is part of what makes the Strawberry Moon so memorable. Although the moon reaches its full phase on June 29, many people find the moments around moonrise to be the most beautiful. Hanging low in the sky and framed by familiar landmarks, it can appear surprisingly large, creating a sight that feels more like a seasonal tradition than an astronomical event.
The Strawberry Moon gets its name not from its appearance but from Native American traditions. Among the Algonquin people, June’s full moon signaled the brief season when wild strawberries were ready for harvest. The name endured through the centuries and remains one of the most widely recognized full moon names today.
This year’s Strawberry Moon arrives just days after the summer solstice, the official beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. As a result, it will travel unusually low across the sky. When the moon remains close to the horizon, its light passes through more of Earth’s atmosphere, often giving it a warm golden or honey-colored glow that many people associate with summer evenings.
It is also known as a micromoon, a name used for a full or new moon that occurs when the moon is near the farthest point from Earth in its monthly orbit. The moon does not travel around Earth in a perfect circle. Each month, it reaches a closest point, called perigee, and a farthest point, called apogee. When a full moon happens near apogee, it is called a micromoon.
That means June’s full moon will be a little smaller in the sky than an average full moon. A micromoon can appear about 7% smaller than an average full moon and about 12% to 14% smaller than a supermoon, which happens when the full moon is unusually close to Earth.
Still, most people looking up from a backyard or neighborhood street may not notice that difference. Near the horizon, the moon can seem much larger because it is seen beside trees, rooftops, buildings and distant hills. This familiar visual trick is known as the moon illusion, and it can make a micromoon look surprisingly grand as it rises.
For communities that have endured a stubbornly cool spring, the sight may feel especially welcome.
Across parts of the country, farmers and gardeners have faced unpredictable weather, with late cold spells affecting crops and delaying the seasonal rhythms many people look forward to each year. The arrival of June’s full moon has long served as a reminder that warmer days are settling in and that summer’s abundance is drawing near.
People around the world have attached their own meanings to this moon. Some Indigenous communities referred to it as the Green Corn Moon or Hatching Moon, reflecting important moments in the growing season and the natural world. In Europe, it was sometimes known as the Honey Moon or Mead Moon because it coincided with the summer honey harvest. Those traditions are believed to have helped inspire the modern term “honeymoon,” which remains closely linked to June weddings.
Whether viewed from a rooftop in New York, a beach in California, a ranch in Texas or a small town in the Midwest, the Strawberry Moon offers something that goes beyond astronomy.
For a few moments on a summer evening, it invites people to look up and take notice of a season that has finally arrived. As its warm glow climbs above the horizon on June 29, it will serve as a gentle reminder that longer days, family gatherings, ripe berries and the simple pleasures of summer are once again within reach.
Subscribe to The Bright Story and step into a world of hope, wonder, and humanity at its best. With unlimited access, discover powerful personal journeys, heartwarming family and animal stories, incredible discoveries, and the everyday kindness that makes life brighter.