On the evening of the 29th into the morning of the 30th (weather permitting) we will hopefully be treated to views of June's beautiful full moon which is known to some as the "Strawberry" Moon.
The full moon of June 2026 will also be what is known to some as a "Micro" Moon, appearing slightly smaller than usual too!
Although the full Moon may not always be the astrophotographer's best of friends, the full Moon always makes for a beautiful sight in the night sky and is an important marker of the seasons for many people.
If you would like to know more about this month's full moon, plus when and where to see the Strawberry Moon, please read on…
What Is a Full Moon?
A full Moon occurs when the Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun – an alignment also known as a Syzygy (a straight line arrangement of three or more celestial bodies). When this happens, the side of the Moon that can be seen from Earth is completely illuminated, giving it the appearance of being full.
On rare occasions the Earth can stand directly in between the Sun and Moon resulting in a lunar eclipse.
What Is a Micro Moon?
The term Micro Moon is the more popular way of referring to a lunar astronomical event known to astronomers and scientists as an Apogee-Syzygy.
The term Apogee-Syzygy denotes the confluence of two events:
Apogee – when an object is at its furthest distance from the Earth (90% apogee constitutes a Micro Moon).
Syzygy – an astronomical alignment where three or more celestial bodies line up in a straight line.
When the Moon is at Apogee, this gives the visual effect of the Moon appearing 30% less bright and 14% smaller than at Perigee (when the Moon is at its closest to Earth). Although the difference in distance does affect the Moon's size and brightness, it is not that apparent to the naked eye.
The perceived size of the Moon from Earth is more related to the "Moon Illusion" and how close the Moon appears to the horizon. When the Moon is closer to the horizon it will seem to appear larger than when it is higher in the sky.
Full Moon Names
The full moon of each month has been given names by many cultures and peoples throughout history. The most commonly known full moon names are derived from Native American tribes. The Native American tribes gave distinctions to moons based on the time of year and the weather's relationships to crop harvests and appearance of certain animals or animal behaviours.
The "Strawberry" Moon
The full Moon in June is typically the last full moon of Spring, sometimes the first of Summer, and is often referred to as 'The Strawberry Moon'. It has been found that this name was attributed to the Algonquin, Ojibwe, Dakota and Lakota peoples among others.
The reason for this name was that this time of year was often known to correspond with the ripening of the abundant late springtime fruit and was named so to celebrate the impending harvest. Another name that took inspiration from the harvest of the well-known and sought after fruit was the Haida name 'Berries Ripen Moon'.
Other Alternative June Full Moon Names
Whilst most commonly known as The Strawberry Moon, there are plenty of alternative full Moon names, mostly referencing to the flowering season. Some of these names are as follows; The Green Corn Moon (Cherokee) and The Hoer Moon (Western Abenaki) suggesting it's time to tend to young crops.
Other names highlight and celebrate that June is often a time of new life. For example, The Birth Moon (Tlingit). As well as the Egg Laying Moon and Hatching Moon (Cree).
Other European names for this full moon are related to the fact that the late spring season is often the time to harvest honey, these names include The Honey Moon and The Mead Moon. Some suggest that honey and mead moons are named in reference to the idea that June is often the month of weddings and as such is named after the Roman Goddess of marriage, Juno. Following marriage comes the 'honey moon'. Mead is a beverage created by fermenting honey with water and sometimes adding fruits, spices, grains or hops, therefore it is often brewed around this time when the honey and various fruits are harvested.
When and Where Will the Full Moon Occur?
This month, the Moon reaches syzygy with the Earth and Sun at around 01:00 BST in the early morning of the 30th of June.
This means that the night the Moon will appear most full will be the night of the 29th into the morning of the 30th of June.
The Moon will rise in the evening of the 29th at around 22:06 BST towards the South-East. As the night progresses the Moon will climb in the sky travelling towards the South where the Moon will reach its highest point in the sky at an altitude of 7 degrees at roughly 01:07 BST on the morning of the 30th. Following this, the Moon will begin to descend travelling towards the South-West where it will set in the morning skies at around 04:11 BST.
Remember that you don't really need to know the exact time of peak illumination to enjoy viewing the full Moon, as the Moon will appear full throughout the night and on the nights surrounding the peak.
Where Among the Stars Can the Moon Be Found?
On the night of the 29th our natural satellite will be hitching a ride in the zodiacal constellation of Sagittarius.
More specifically, the Moon can be found located in the lid of the asterism known as the "Teapot", around 2 degrees below the star Kaus Borealis of Sagittarius.
The zodiacal constellation of Sagittarius can be found in between the constellations of Scorpius and Capricornus and also below the constellations of Ophiuchus and Serpens.
Lunar Observation
The great thing about observing the Moon is that you don't have to go and find a particularly dark location to view it. As the Moon is such a bright object in the sky, you can view it from brighter locations, even from the centre of a heavily light polluted city. Weather permitting of course.
Moon Rise/Set — Moon Illusion
It's always lovely to watch the moon rise/set, so if you can head out to witness the Moon rise or set, please do. Every time the Moon rises and sets it takes on a beautiful golden, amber colour and appears larger at this time too, due to an optical illusion known as the 'Moon illusion'. It's truly special to witness. As it rises and glides higher, its colour will transition into a bright white.
Sometimes the Moon can appear even more orangey red than usual too! The hue of the moon typically depends on atmospheric conditions wherever you're viewing it from. Things like clouds, dust, haze, smoke or pollution can cause the moon to appear different colours by scattering much of the blue light shining onto our natural satellite, leaving it with a more reddish tone.
What Else Is in the Night Sky Throughout June?
If you would like to know more about the rest of the celestial treats that can be seen in the skies throughout June, please head to our YouTube channel to watch our Night Sky Guide video for June 2026.
Share Your Experiences and Photographs!
We always love hearing about your celestial adventures and seeing your photographs! If you head out to witness or capture photos of this special celestial event or any other sights in the night sky, please feel free to share your stories and photos in the comments below. 😊
Good Luck and Clear Skies
This month's full Moon will be a beautiful sight, and if you can, we recommend heading out to witness this June's Strawberry Moon!
Good luck if you head out folks. Wrap up warm if you do. Any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
Clear skies 💖