‘Strawberry Moon’ will appear shortly after the summer solstice

(NewsNation) – Skywatchers can expect to see June full moon just one day after the summer solstice marks the longest day of the year.

This month’s full moon will take place on June 21 at 9:08 pm ET. Full moons happen when the Moon is directly in front of the Sun, allowing it to appear fully illuminated by the Earth.

Why is it called the ‘Strawberry Moon’?

Names for full moons come from ancient Native American or European traditions, although the practice and names have also been adopted by modern Neopagans. The name “Strawberry Moon” comes from the Algonquian people and refers to the fact that it occurs at the time of year when wild strawberries ripen.

The Cherokee people call the June moon the “Green Corn Moon”, while the Tlingit call it the “Birth Moon” and in Cree, it is known as the “Egg Laying Moon” or “Hatching Moon”. The Choctaw call it the “Moon of the Winds” and the Arapho refer to it as the “Moon When the Buffalo Bellows.”

Early European names for the June full moon include “Rose Moon”, “Honey Moon” and “Mead Moon”. If you’re wondering, yes, that’s where the term “honeymoon” comes from, as June was a traditional month for weddings in many places. China also uses full moon names, calling June the “Lotus Moon.”

Full moon in Capricorn

For those who like astrology, this month’s full moon falls in the sign of Capricorn, a sign of ambition, hard work and discipline. This is a good time to reflect on how far you’ve come in your career – or where you want to be.

But the first of Capricorn’s two full moons also happens when ruling planet Saturn turns retrograde, which can make achieving these goals more challenging. This is also happening during emotional and intuitive Cancer season, mixing pragmatic ambition with less quantifiable feelings.

What makes it a good time reflect on what has been accomplished so far and release any emotional baggage that is slowing your progress.

Seeing the Strawberry Moon

This summer, the full moon in June will only come one day after the summer solsticewhen people in the Northern Hemisphere will experience the most daylight year-round, something that only happens once every 18-20 years.

The moon it will show up close to the Bule constellation and may acquire a slight reddish hue due to its proximity to the horizon.

A a few days lateron June 29, the moon will align with Mars, Jupiter and Saturn just before sunrise, with all four celestial bodies visible without a telescope.

This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story