The strawberry moon will gradually come to its full illumination this week and peak on Monday, June 29 — but, what will it look like? Will the moon appear red?
Similar to the full pink moon in April or full flower moon in May, June’s full moon is nicknamed after a strawberry — because it aligns with the start of the strawberry harvest season.
“This ‘strawberry moon’ name has been used by Native American Algonquian tribes that live in the northeastern United States as well as the Ojibwe, Dakota, and Lakota peoples to mark the ripening of ‘June-bearing’ strawberries that are ready to be gathered,” The Old Farmer’s Almanac said in a June 17 article.
Unlike the red shade of a strawberry, the moon’s hue will not change significantly, the Almanac said, however, the moon may have a honey-colored or golden appearance because it will trend low to the horizon line, the astronomy website EarthSky explained.
This week, the moon will be in its waxing gibbous phase as the sun illuminates more of its Earth-facing side.
On Monday night, June 29, the moon will be at its fullest illumination.
Here’s when to see the strawberry moon in Michigan:
When can I see the strawberry moon in Michigan?
Michigan will see the strawberry moon on Monday night, June 29, though the peak times vary slightly.
“Full moons are always opposite the sun. They must be, in order to look full. So every full moon rises in the east just after the sun has set in the west. And full moons reach their highest points in the sky in the middle of the night, when the sun is below your feet,” EarthSky said.
For those planning to venture outside for a photo of summer’s first official full moon, here are the peak times on Monday, June 29, per city according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac:
What is so special about the strawberry moon?
In addition to the strawberry moon’s brightness, its path will also be eye-catching because it will trend low to the horizon.
“The June 2026 full moon is noteworthy for its path across our sky,” EarthSky said. “It’s one of the lowest moon paths in decades for the Northern Hemisphere, one of the highest in decades for the Southern Hemisphere.”
Will the strawberry moon be particularly large?
No, in fact, the strawberry moon will be a micromoon — meaning, the full moon will be small as it is in a far part of its orbit from Earth, though it won’t be noticeable to the human eye. This will be the final micromoon for 2026, according to EarthSky.
Contact Sarah Moore @ smoore@lsj.com
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: When can I see the strawberry moon peak? Moon-gazing in Michigan
Reporting by Sarah Moore, USA TODAY NETWORK / Lansing State Journal
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By Sarah Moore, USA TODAY NETWORK | USA TODAY Network
