June 29: Catch the strawberry moon after sunset

strawberry moon – Look toward the southeastern sky Monday evening as June’s full moon rises just after sunset. The Moon hits full phase at 7:56 p.m. on June 29, and it can look yellow, orange, or even faintly pinkish near the horizon as sunlight filters through thicker layers o

When you step outside Monday evening, don’t scan the whole sky first—turn your attention to the southeastern horizon. June’s full moon is scheduled to rise just after sunset, and if you catch it right as it clears the horizon, it may look warmer than you expect.

Astronomically, the Moon reaches its full phase at 7:56 p.m. on June 29. Even so, it will appear full throughout the night, so you won’t need to time your viewing down to the minute—just get eyes on the sky.

The June full moon is also called the strawberry moon. Despite the name, don’t expect a pink or red Moon. What you might see instead is a yellow, orange, or even a subtle pinkish tint at the moment it rises. That shift happens because light has to travel through a much thicker layer of Earth’s atmosphere near the horizon. Tiny particulates and water molecules scatter shorter blue wavelengths of light. a process known as Rayleigh scattering. letting more longer red and orange wavelengths reach your eyes.

The “strawberry moon” name itself comes from Native American traditions and was later popularized by the Old Farmers Almanac. Long before printed calendars became common. many Indigenous peoples across North America named each full moon after plants. animals. weather. or seasonal activities that shaped life in their region. There was no single Native American lunar calendar—different communities developed names that reflected the natural rhythms of their own homelands.

For Algonquian-speaking peoples of the northeastern United States and eastern Canada, the name Strawberry Moon pointed to late June’s brief season when wild strawberries ripened. The full moon, in that telling, served as a useful reminder that it was time for the annual harvest.

Over time, European settlers adopted many of these seasonal names, and “Strawberry Moon” eventually made its way into almanacs—becoming the name most Americans recognize today.

Other Indigenous nations used different names for June’s full moon, grounded in what was happening locally. The Dakota and Lakota used similar names tied to ripening berries. Farther south. the Cherokee called it the Green Corn Moon. recognizing the stage of the growing season when corn fields were becoming established. The Western Abenaki referred to it as the Hoer Moon. reflecting the work of tending crops. while the Haida called it the Berries Ripen Moon. The Cree recognized it as the Egg Laying Moon or Hatching Moon, marking the nesting season for birds.

One detail you might notice—if you’ve been watching the sky lately—is that this full moon doesn’t sit as high as it did a few months ago. Because the Sun follows its highest path across the sky at this time of year. the full moon. which always appears opposite the Sun. traces one of its lowest paths across the nighttime sky near last week’s June solstice.

Then there’s what comes next. The next full Buck moon arrives on July 29, named for when male white-tailed deer begin rapidly growing a new set of antlers—another example of how generations before us used the Moon to keep track of seasonal change.

strawberry moon June full moon June 29 7:56 p.m. full phase Rayleigh scattering moonrise Old Farmers Almanac Algonquian Indigenous moon names Buck moon July 29