June Full Moon 2021: Strawberry Moon to peak on Thursday

STARGAZERS and night sky watchers should be in for a lunar treat on Thursday, June 24, when June's Strawberry Full Moon reaches its peak.

Astronomers predict the Moon will reach peak illumination by about 7.39pm BST.

Technically, the Full Moon only lasts for a brief moment, but to the naked eye it will appear full for about three days around the peak time.

A full moon occurs when the moon is located on the opposite side of the Earth as the Sun, so that its face is fully illuminated. It won't be strawberry-coloured, but will still be a brightly shining orb in the sky.

As with other full moon names, 'Strawberry' was given to June's Moon by Native Americans.

According to NASA: “The Maine Farmer's Almanac first published Indian names for the full Moons in the 1930s. According to this almanac, the full Moon in June or the last full Moon of Spring is known as the Strawberry Moon, a name universal to just about every Algonquin tribe. The name comes from the relatively short season for harvesting strawberries in northeastern North America.”

Don't forget to send in your photographs of June's Strawberry full Moon to picturedesk@newburynews.co.uk to add to our cosmic gallery.