The Strawberry Moon is the seventh full Moon of 2026 and will rise in the southeast on 29/30 June around sunet.
Normally the Strawberry Moon is the sixth full Moon in a year, but because May 2026 had a second full Moon, that makes the 2026 Strawberry Moon the seventh full Moon of the year.
More on the full Moon
Why it's called a Strawberry Moon
Each of the monthly full Moons has a nickname that relates to what's going on in nature during the month in question.
The full Moon in February is known as the Snow Moon, for example, or the July full Moon is known as the Buck Moon because July is the month during which male deer – bucks – grow their antlers.
The name Strawberry Moon is fitting for the June full Moon, given the beginning of summer marks the beginning of strawberry season.
'Strawberry Moon' is said to have originated from Native American tribes, in particular the Algonquin tribe, to mark the beginning of wild strawberry season in northeastern parts of North America.
But don't expect the Strawberry Moon to look any redder or more strawberry-like than usual!
Full Moon nicknames are merely nicknames, and have no bearing on what that full Moon will actually look like.
Having said that, this is a very low-down Moon, and when the full Moon is close to the horizon it can sometimes appear orange or even rusty red.
But this redness is not related to the 'Strawberry' moniker, and is instead due to how light is scattered as it passes through the thicker part of our atmosphere.
Strawberry Moon and Antares
The 2026 Strawberry Moon is located in Sagittarius, a constellation that doesn't ever fully rise above the horizon for us in the Northern Hemisphere.
But a few nights before the Moon is full, you'll see the it close to Antares, the brightest star in Scorpius.
'Antares' means 'rival of Mars' in Greek because the star retains a slightly reddish hue, and can often be mistaken for Mars by beginner stargazers.
Observe the nearly-full Moon on 27 June in the south close to midnight, and you'll see it's located to the left of Antares.
You'll need a clear southern horizon, because both Moon and star will be low down in the evening sky.
Have a look again on 10 June and you'll find the Moon is now to the left of Antares.
By 11 June, the Moon is now in the constellation Sagittarius, even further left of Antares.
While the stars and constellations don't move to any noticeable degree night after night, the Moon does.
It tracks eastward and is in a noticeably different location from one night to the next.
Strawberry Moon 2026 is a micromoon
The Moon's orbit around Earth isn't a perfect circle; it's slightly squashed, like an oval or egg shape.
That means sometimes the Moon is further from Earth than at other times.
When the Moon is at its closest point to Earth, it's known as perigee. When it's at its farthest point from Earth, is apogee.
In 2026, apogee occurs on 29 June which means the Strawberry Moon is full right at the point the Moon is at its furthest point from Earth.
That makes the 2026 Strawberry Moon a micromoon.
Moon illusion
Because the Strawberry Moon won't rise far above the horizon, you may notice two odd things about it.
The first is that it will likely look enormous; much bigger than you expected (especially since it's a micromoon).
This is down to a well-known phenomenon called the 'Moon illusion', whereby a full Moon close to the horizon appears bigger than normal.
However, it is just an illusion.
No definitive explanation exists, but it's likely the Moon illusion is a matter of perspective.
Set against foreground objects like trees or buildings, or even just against a wide, flat horizon, the Moon appears as though it's much bigger than usual.
Orange Moon
The second effect you may notice is that the Moon appears rusty red or orange.
This is down to the effect of Earth's atmosphere, and how it scatters light reaching the Moon.
Sunlight hitting a low-down Moon has had to travel through a thicker part of our atmosphere, scattering the light and making it appear redder.
Does the Strawberry Moon seem huge and orange-coloured? If so, you've witnessed two well-known full Moon phenomena in action.
If you observe or photograph the Strawberry Moon, get in touch by emailing contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com
