June’s “Strawberry Moon” is set to light up the night sky on June 29, perfectly kicking off the countdown to the Fourth of July.
If you tracked the moon last summer, you might remember it looking unusually massive and low on the horizon because of a rare lunar standstill. While this week’s view will be a standard full moon rather than an astronomical anomaly, local stargazers will still get an excellent show.
Here is everything you need to know to spot it over South Florida.
When is the 2026 Strawberry Moon in Florida?
The Stawberry Moon will be on Monday, June 29. The moon will officially reach its peak fullness at 7:56 p.m. ET.
How to see the Strawberry Moon in Palm Beach County
To catch the moon at its most dramatic, you’ll want to look toward the eastern horizon just as the sun goes down on Monday evening. Because it rises right at twilight, finding a spot with an unobstructed view of the eastern sky is your best bet.
The local weather forecast looks ideal for stargazing. Monday night is calling for mostly clear skies and only a 15% chance of rain, meaning the weather shouldn’t spoil the view. But we all know Florida does what it wants.
If you’re trying to figure out where to set up your lawn chair or blanket, try heading right down to the coastline or the Intracoastal waterfront.
Places like Lake Worth Beach Park and Palm Beach are perfect options because heading right down to the shoreline gives you a front-row seat to the Atlantic Ocean with zero buildings in your way.
If you want to stay closer to downtown West Palm Beach without crossing the bridges, the Intracoastal waterfront offers open views across the Lake Worth Lagoon. Grab a spot anywhere along the grassy areas of the Flagler Drive Greenway south of downtown or WPB Waterfront Landing, where setting up a spot along the downtown West Palm Beach docks or the Clematis Street cityscape gives you a wide-open look at the eastern sky.
Why is it called the Strawberry Moon?
Don’t expect to see a giant pink or red fruit floating in the sky on Monday night. The nickname has everything to do with the season and nothing to do with the color.
Instead, the name is a traditional seasonal marker passed down by Indigenous peoples across the continent, including the Algonquian, Ojibwe, Dakota and Lakota tribes. According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, the June full moon earned its sweet name because it consistently lined up with the brief window when wild, native strawberries reached peak ripeness and were ready to be gathered in northeastern North America.
Across Europe, the June moon historically went by a few other names tied to early-summer harvests, including the Honey Moon, the Mead Moon and the Rose Moon.
When are the other full moons in 2026?
If you miss Monday night’s view, here is when to expect the remaining full moons this year:
Emmy Bailey is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: When to the see the Strawberry Full Moon tonight in Palm Beach County?
Reporting by Emmy Bailey, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
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By Emmy Bailey, Palm Beach Post | USA TODAY Network
