The moon looked a little different as it rose over the night sky on June 10, and it is the result of a rare phenomenon known as the “strawberry moon.”
Those able to see the moon through the cloud cover saw the celestial body change colors from amber hues to bright pink.
The full moon reached its peak this morning at 3:44 a.m., however, due to the cloud cover, visibility was spotty in some areas.
According to NASA, even though the moon was full, it appeared to be 14% smaller and 30% dimmer, an occurrence known as a micromoon, an event when the celestial body is at its farthest point from Earth.
During the phenomenon, the moonlight reflects off of the earth’s atmosphere, giving it a yellow or orange tint. The strawberry moon is considered the first full moon of the summer and this year’s full moon will be different because of the low position of the moon.
According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the term “Strawberry Moon” name derives from the Native American Algonquian, Ojibwe, Dakota and Lakota tribes who marked moon’s appearance with the ripening of wild strawberries in June. The first full moon in June is also called the “Honey Moon” as it also marks the beginning of honey harvesting season.
The last time the moon was observed this low was in 2006 and the phenomenon is not expected in the night sky again until 2043.
Scott Hudson is the Senior Investigative Reporter, Editorial Page Editor and weekly columnist for The Augusta Press. Reach him at scott@theaugustapress.com
