Govind Tekale
The full moon of June, known as the Strawberry Moon, will illuminate our night skies on June 11, 2025. This celestial event carries special significance this year as it will be the lowest full moon of 2025 for viewers in the Northern Hemisphere.
The lunar display will hit its full brightness at 3:45 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, June 11. For the best views, sky watchers should look eastward on Tuesday evening, June 10, when the moon emerges during twilight hours.
“This evening and into the morning of 11 June, the full moon is very low when due south,” explains Pete Lawrence of BBC Sky at Night Magazine. For viewers in the United Kingdom, the moon will reach its peak at 8:44 a.m. on June 11.
The Strawberry Moon gets its name from Native American tribes, particularly the Algonquin, who used it to mark wild strawberry harvesting season in northeastern parts of North America. Although called the Strawberry Moon, it doesn’t actually display a reddish or pink color.
What makes this year’s Strawberry Moon special is its unusually low position in the sky. This happens because when Earth experiences a full moon, our natural satellite sits directly across from the sun in our sky.
The low-hanging position of the moon creates a remarkable visual impression. When viewed near the horizon, the moon often seems larger due to an optical illusion known as the “moon illusion.” This effect makes the moon appear bigger when compared to objects on the horizon like trees or buildings.
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“This is a perfect chance to experience the moon illusion, which makes the low full Moon appear much larger than it really is,” Lawrence notes. The phenomenon has been observed since ancient times but remains not fully understood by scientists.
This particular full moon stands out because it sits at one of the greatest distances from the sun during the year. Because Earth orbits in a slightly oval pattern rather than a perfect circle, the June full moon will hang about 94.6 million miles (152.2 million kilometers) away from our star.
For the best viewing experience, find a location with an unobstructed view of the eastern horizon, away from city lights. As you watch the moon rise, look to its upper right to spot Antares, a bright red star in the constellation Scorpius, located about 550 light-years from Earth.
Different cultures have given various names to the June full moon. Indigenous American tribes referred to it as the Berries Ripen Moon, Green Corn Moon, Hot Moon, or Blooming Moon. British tradition labeled it the Flower Moon, Planting Moon, or Mead Moon, while in Celtic regions it was dubbed the Horse Moon, Dyan Moon, or Rose Moon.
This full moon’s proximity to last December’s major lunar standstill, an event that occurs every 18.6 years, contributes to its low appearance. During a lunar standstill, the moon reaches its most extreme positions on the horizon when the tilt of the moon and Earth coincide.
Whether you’re in a busy city or quiet countryside, the Strawberry Moon offers a moment to connect with nature and the celestial rhythms that humans have observed for thousands of years.
