Why the Strawberry Moon didn't turn pink during 18-year tryst with major lunar standstill

Strawberry Moon? What Strawberry Moon? “There was no colour at all,” scoffed a friend. Well, what exactly were you expecting? A glowing, berry-pink orb floating above the skyline? It seems that was the general expectation. Naturally, plenty of people were disappointed.

Let’s clear things up: the name Strawberry Moon has absolutely nothing to do with colour. The term originates from Native American tribes, who used it to mark the beginning of wild strawberry season in northeastern North America. So, each full moon in June earns the name, regardless of how it looks.

So what does it look like? Typically, the moon appears its usual silvery-grey self. Sometimes, if you're lucky, it takes on a soft yellow or orange hue. That’s not moon magic, it’s basic science: atmospheric scattering causes light to bend as it passes through the thicker layers of the Earth's atmosphere near the horizon.

This year’s Strawberry Moon actually did show a warm yellow tint. And yes, it looked larger. No, it wasn’t suddenly closer to Earth. That visual trick is called the Moon illusion — a result of its low position near the horizon that makes it appear oversized.

Then, why the hype this year? Well, this wasn’t just any full moon in June. The 2025 Strawberry Moon occurred during a major lunar standstill, an event that happens only once every 18.6 years. During this period, moonrises and moonsets reach their most extreme points, thanks to the tilt of the Moon’s orbit.

The June 11 moon was rare. When will we see a Strawberry Moon coincide with a major lunar standstill again? Not until 2043.

And about that colour... The Strawberry Moon isn’t actually strawberry-coloured. That’s just your imagination running away with the name. Want a truly red moon? Wait for a Blood Moon — that’s when atmospheric conditions during a lunar eclipse turn it a haunting, coppery red.

So next June, when someone brings up the Strawberry Moon, smile and say: “It’s not pink — but it is pretty special.”