When the Strawberry Moon will be best for viewing
The sweetest moon of the year is finally ripe for viewing.
Father’s Day Sunday will end with a glorious full Strawberry Moon — as well as the perfect time to see Jupiter which will shine bright beside it.
Eager skywatchers wanting to catch the exact moment the moon is 100% astronomically full will have to set an early alarm – with it lasting just an instant at 4:31 a.m. Monday, according to NASA.
But for most, the June moon will have been a three-day treat, with the space agency expecting it to look full when seen until at least Tuesday morning.
The Strawberry Moon may take on a red hue, especially for those looking from northern Europe, although its name has nothing to do with color.
Instead, the native Algonquin tribe came up with the moniker to mark the short season for harvesting strawberries each June, according to the Farmers’ Almanac, which started listing Indian moon names in the 1930s.
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The Strawberry Moon has other more-historical names in Europe — and an even more romantic history.
There it is called the Rose Moon, Mead Moon or Honey Moon — believed to be the origins of newlyweds going on “honeymoon,” either because June is a popular month for weddings or because it is “the ‘sweetest’ moon of the year,” according to NASA.
It is also an exciting time for skywatchers to see planets, with Jupiter and Saturn both being the closest to the earth that they will be this year.
“This summer should be a great time for Jupiter and Saturn watching, especially with a backyard telescope,” NASA said.
Saturn will be particularly visible, with EarthSky saying you should see “the moon and king planet Jupiter to light up the nighttime from dusk until dawn.”
The Strawberry Moon followed May’s Flower Moon, named for the abundant blooming that month, before July’s Full Buck Moon, marking the month buck deers’ antlers usually emerge, according to the Almanac.
That will also be a partial lunar eclipse as the northern part of the full moon will clip the southern part of the Earth’s dark shadow on July 16, 2019.
Next week also sees the longest day of sunlight — 14 hours, 53 minutes, and 41.2 seconds — with Friday’s Summer Solstice, NASA says.