Strawberry moon: What makes it so special and rare?

Don’t be fooled by its sweet name—tonight’s Strawberry Moon may not be pink, but it’s carrying a rare surprise. From June 10 through the morning of June 12, the full Moon will hang unusually low in the sky—the lowest full Moon we’ll witness for nearly two decades, a spectacle that won't return until 2043.

What’s so special about this year’s Strawberry Moon?

This full Moon will dip lower in the sky than any other this calendar year. And not just this year—it will be the lowest full Moon since 2006, thanks to a rare celestial alignment. According to NASA, the Moon will appear full for about three days, and its low placement near the horizon will create a dramatic visual illusion: the "Moon Illusion", where it seems much larger than usual.And while its name might conjure images of pinkish tones or juicy summer berries, the Strawberry Moon won’t actually look red or pink.

Any reddish hue you might see is due to the Moon’s proximity to the horizon—light scattering through Earth’s atmosphere, not strawberries.

What is causing the Moon to be so low this time?

This unusually low Moon is tied to a fascinating astronomical event called the major lunar standstill, or lunistice—a rare lunar cycle that unfolds every 18.6 years. As Dr. Jennifer Wexler, UK-based archaeologist and historian, explained to the BBC, the Moon’s position on the horizon changes much more quickly than the Sun’s.

Over a single month, moonrise and moonset travel between their northernmost and southernmost points.

But over many years, even those extreme points shift.“At the peak of a major lunar standstill,” Wexler said, “the northernmost and southernmost moonrises and moonsets are at their widest spread on the horizon.” This results in extreme highs and lows in the Moon’s path through the sky.In 2025, we’re at the height of this rare standstill period.

That’s why this Strawberry Moon is dipping so low—and it won’t happen again until 2043.

Why is it called the ‘Strawberry Moon’?

The name "Strawberry Moon" originates from the Algonquin tribes of North America, who used it to mark the short harvesting season of strawberries. In Europe, it’s sometimes known as the Rose Moon, again referencing seasonal changes rather than color.These traditional full Moon names—like February’s Snow Moon or July’s Buck Moon—are rooted in centuries of observation and culture. They reflect nature’s rhythms rather than the Moon’s actual appearance.