What is a strawberry moon and can it be seen in the UK today?

It’s that time again, another full moon has arrived! (Credits: Gerard Bottino/SOPA Images/Shutterstock)

Tonight marks the arrival of June’s full moon, known as the strawberry moon, but can it be seen from the UK?

The strawberry full moon is usually the sixth of the year, but because May had a second full moon at the end of the month – known as the rare blue moon – tonight’s is our seventh.

Last month, stargazers took to social media to share pictures of the blue moon rising above rooftops and trees across the UK. What made it special was that it was a micromoon, meaning it appeared slightly smaller and dimmer than usual in the sky.

Tonight’s full moon is equally as special because it’s also a micromoon. You can learn more about what the strawberry moon name means and how you might be able to see it tonight right here.

If you want to see this full moon, set an alarm. (Credits: Shutterstock)

What does strawberry moon mean?

A strawberry moon is the name given to the sixth full moon within a calendar year.

Deceptively, strawberry moons are not named for appearing red in colour, they actually appear as any ordinary full moon. So where did the name come from?

The name of the strawberry moon is inspired by Native American culture, when strawberries were harvested throughout June across North America.

According to the Royal Museums Greenwich, however, June’s full moon goes by other names in different cultures, like the rose moon used throughout Europe or the hot moon, named for the beginning of the summer heat.

The strawberry moon is not actually red in appearance despite its name. (Photo: Getty Images)

What’s the best time to see the strawberry moon?

The strawberry moon will began rising in the late evening in the UK and it will reach its peak around 12.57am overnight.

With today’s strawberry moon also being a micromoon, you may struggle to see it, particularly if you’re in an area experiencing poor weather.

However, we still think it’s worth a check if you can stay awake until late and don’t mind feeling too tired for work tomorrow.

Will you stay up to view the strawberry moon? (Credits: REUTERS)

When is the next full moon in the UK?

If you do miss today’s strawberry moon, there will fortunately be plenty more full moons coming your way, including:

The buck moon on July 29 (3.36pm) The sturgeon moon on August 28 (5.18am) The harvest moon on September 26 (5.49pm) The hunter’s moon on October 26 (4.12am) The beaver moon on November 24 (2.53pm) The cold moon on December 24 (1.28am)

Many of them, including the buck moon, the harvest moon, and the beaver moon, will all reach their peaks at human hours, so don’t fret if you miss tonight’s moon as you can always catch another!

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