Skywatchers across the country are being urged to look toward the southeastern horizon Monday evening as June's full moon, popularly known as the Strawberry Moon, rises into the night sky, marking the first full moon of summer and one of the lowest-arcing full moons of the year.

The moon will reach its precise full phase at 7:56 p.m. Eastern time Monday, June 29, though it will continue to appear full to the naked eye throughout the night and on the evenings immediately before and after that peak moment.

A name with no connection to color

Despite its evocative name, the Strawberry Moon won't actually appear pink or red when it rises. The name has nothing to do with the moon's hue or appearance; instead, it refers to the time of year when wild strawberries traditionally ripen and become ready for harvest across much of North America.

That said, observers who catch the moon right as it climbs above the horizon may notice it taking on a warm, golden glow. As moonlight passes through a much thicker layer of Earth's atmosphere near the horizon, tiny particulates and water molecules in the air scatter shorter blue wavelengths of light in a phenomenon known as Rayleigh scattering, allowing more of the longer red and orange wavelengths to reach the eye. The effect can give the rising moon a yellow, orange or even subtle pinkish tint, even though the name itself predates any connection to that visual effect.

Roots in Indigenous tradition

The name Strawberry Moon traces back to the seasonal naming traditions of Algonquian-speaking peoples across the northeastern United........

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