The UK is in for an impressive astronomical phenomenon next week, as a Strawberry Moon will rise. This is the name given to the full Moon in June, the sixth of the year.
There is a chance that heavenly body will exhibit a slightly different hue because, when it is low in the sky, the Moon’s light has to travel through a thicker portion of the atmosphere to reach our view, and certain wavelengths of light are scattered. BBC experts add that, when it is close to the horizon, the Moon can appear “orange or even rusty red”. This will not just be any Strawberry Moon, however, as experts say that it has not been this low since 2006, and will not be again until 2043. This due to a “major lunar standstill”, an event that occurs once every 18.6 years. The unusually coloured moon will be joined by the supergiant red star Antares in the in the Scorpius constellation.
Known as the “rival of Mars”, it is nearing the end of its life, with the red light being eminated suggesting a relatively low temperature.
It is much larger than the sun, with a diameter estimated to be 600 to 800 times greater.
When will the Starwberry Moon be visible?
According to the Sky at Night Magazine, this year’s Strawberry Moon will rise on Wednesday at 10.46pm BST.
However, specialists add that people should not expect the Moon to look any redder or more strawberry-like than usual, as this nickname has “no bearing on what that full Moon will actually look like”.
The term Strawberry Moon is rooted in Native American cultures, particularly tribes like the Algonquin.
It reflects the timing of the wild strawberry harvest in the northeastern parts of North America in June, because of the abundance of the ripening fruit at this time.
The time of year is marked as one of food abundance and celebration.
Some tribes use a slightly different name, including “Blackberry Moon” or “Raspberry Moon”, depending on their local berries.
In Europe, meanwhile, the full Moon is sometimes referred to as the “Rose Moon”. In other cultures, it can be known as the “Hot Moon,” reflecting the onset of the summer heat.