Here’s how to see the rare Strawberry Moon – the first to coincide with the summer solstice since 1985

The first full moon of the summer will grace the evening sky on Friday as it appears “bigger than ever.”

This Strawberry Moon coincides with the summer solstice for the first time since 1985, putting our natural satellite on its lowest path around Earth, making it appear larger in the sky.

And although it will now glow pink or red, skygazers will see it dazzle with a golden hue.

The moon will be at its brightest and fullest at 9:08 PM ET and will continue to shine all weekend.

‘Since the June 2024 full moon occurs on the solstice, the very day the sun is at its absolute highest point of the year, this month’s full moon on the 21st is the very lowest full moon, indeed, the lowest ever we have seen in years,’ The Farmer’s Almanac astronomy editor Bob Berman wrote.

‘Because the moon is so low, it seems bigger than ever. This is called the ‘Moon Illusion’.

Skygazers should look to the southeast to see the full moon rise over the horizon – and there it will appear large and golden.

While the main event takes place on Friday, the moon will appear nearly full on Thursday, according to NASA.

The golden hue is because the moon follows a low, shallow path across the sky, but the name ‘Strawberry’ comes from the Native American Algonquin tribes.

The tribes lived in the northeastern region for about 8,000 years before English settlers arrived and used the June full moon to know when strawberries were ripe for harvest.

And according to legend, if you eat a strawberry during the full moon in June, any wish you wish will come true.

The ancient Europeans also coined the moon as the moon Mead or honey moon.

Mead is a drink made by fermenting honey mixed with water and sometimes fruit, herbs, grains or hops. In some countries Mead is also called Honey Wine.

Skygazers should look to the southeast to see the full moon rise over the horizon – and there it will appear large and golden. Pictured is the 2023 Strawberry Moon in New York City

Some writings have suggested that the time around the end of June was when honey was ready to harvest, making this the ‘sweetest’ moon.

And the word “honeymoon” dates back at least to the 16th century in Europe.

“The tradition of calling the first month of marriage the ‘honeymoon’ may be related to this full moon because of the custom of getting married in June or because the ‘Honey Moon’ is the ‘sweetest’ moon of the year,” said NASA’s Gordon Johnston .

“There doesn’t seem to be enough evidence to support a 19th-century theory that the word entered English through the custom of gifting newlyweds with mead for the first month of their marriage.”

The rare full moon comes just as the summer solstice has begun, which is the longest day of the year.

This is due to the position of the Earth in its orbit around the sun and the way the North Pole is tilted closest to the sun during the summer solstice.