What's Strawberry Moon? Why this year's rare lunar event is special

There’s only one Moon for Earth, but it appears in different forms during its full phase. Terms like Blood Moon, Blue Moon, Supermoon, and Harvest Moon describe these variations. Now comes the Strawberry Moon, rising on June 11, 2025, in the Middle East and North Africa.

The full Moon on June 11 — the sixth full Moon of 2025 — is known as the Strawberry Moon. Despite its name, it won't look pink or red. It’s usually yellow or orange. The name comes from Native American tribes, particularly the Algonquin, who used it to mark the beginning of wild strawberry season in northeastern North America, according to BBC Sky at Night Magazine. Other cultures have called this Moon the Blooming Moon, Green Corn Moon, Birth Moon, or Hatching Moon, a report on Space.com said.

The 2025 Strawberry Moon coincides with a major lunar standstill, a phenomenon that happens only once every 18.6 years. During this time, the Moon will rise very low in the southern sky — the lowest point in its cycle. The last time this happened was in 2006, and it won’t occur again until 2043.

The moonrise and moonset points shift north and south over its monthly orbit. But every 18.6 years, these extremes reach their furthest points due to the tilt of the Moon’s orbit — a period called a major lunar standstill.

According to the English Heritage website, during this two-year “standstill season,” the Moon rises at its northernmost and southernmost extremes every 27 days. Archaeologist Fabio Silva told Smithsonian Magazine that this phenomenon continues for about two years, peaking in January 2025 and lasting until mid-2026.

From June 9 to 12, the Strawberry Moon will move through three constellations, BBC Sky at Night Magazine reports. It begins in Scorpius, passes through the lower edge of Ophiuchus, and ends in Sagittarius, home to the well-known Teapot star pattern. Since these constellations lie low on the horizon in the Northern Hemisphere, this highlights how low the Moon will appear in the sky.

Each full Moon has traditional names linked to seasonal changes and natural events. Here are some examples.

February: Snow Moon, Storm Moon, or Hunger Moon — named for harsh winter conditions which also impacts hunting.

July: Buck Moon — when male deer begin growing antlers.

June: Strawberry Moon, also called Blooming Moon, Green Corn Moon, Birth Moon, or Hatching Moon, depending on cultural and environmental references.

When the Moon is near the horizon, it often appears orange or red. This is due to atmospheric scattering — light travels through a thicker layer of Earth’s atmosphere, scattering shorter wavelengths and letting the redder ones through.

When the full Moon is low in the sky, it appears unusually large — it’s called the Moon illusion. It’s not actually bigger, but its position near the horizon makes it seem that way.

If the Strawberry Moon appears both large and orange, you’re witnessing two effects at once: Moon illusion: makes it look bigger and atmospheric scattering of light gives it a reddish hue

Here are a few other well-known full Moon types, as explained by NASA Spaceplace:

Blood Moon: Happens during a total lunar eclipse, when Earth's atmosphere bends red light onto the Moon.

Supermoon: Occurs when the Moon is closest to Earth (perigee), appearing slightly larger and brighter.

Blue Moon: A rare event where two full Moons occur in a single calendar month.

Harvest Moon: The full Moon nearest the autumn equinox, typically in September or October.