Summer solstice to bring big strawberry moon to night sky. When to see it from Illinois
Metro-east residents can kick off the summer season with a popular full moon, and weather conditions might just be perfect to stargaze.
The “strawberry moon” will appear full from Thursday evening to Sunday morning, NASA reports. This moon is also known by several other names. The summer solstice will occur the first night the moon appears full, June 20.
The name “strawberry moon” is attributed to the Algonquian, Ojibwe, Dakota and Lakota peoples, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac. It marks the peak of strawberry harvest season.
More names for June’s full moon include blooming moon (attributed to the Anishinaabe), green corn moon (Cherokee), hoer moon (Western Abenaki), birth moon (Tlingit), egg laying moon (Cree), hatching moon (Cree), honey moon (European) and mead moon (European).
Though the first day of summer isn’t until June 20, the metro-east is already seeing warmer temperatures. The National Weather Service reported expecting a 40 to 50% chance of warmer-than-normal temperatures in the area this summer.
Here’s when to see this year’s strawberry moon over Illinois, plus when to catch more full moons in 2024.
When will the strawberry moon peak over Belleville?
The strawberry moon will become full at 8:08 p.m. Central Daylight Time Friday, according to NASA.
Metro-east residents should be able to enjoy ideal viewing conditions Friday night. As of June 14, AccuWeather forecasts the night of June 21 will be “clear and warm” in Belleville, with a 0% chance of precipitation and no cloud cover.
The moon will rise at 8:46 p.m. in Belleville Friday, according to online global clock Time and Date.
The St. Louis Astronomical Society will hold a meeting open to the public at 7:30 p.m. June 21 at room 214 in Wilson Hall at Washington University. The SLAS will also host a public stargazing event with the Saint Louis Science Center from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 23 outside McDonnell Planetarium.
When to see more full moons this year
Here’s when to see the rest of 2024’s full moons, with information from astronomy publication Space.com:
July 21: Buck moon
Aug. 19: Sturgeon moon (supermoon and blue moon)
Sept. 17: Harvest moon (supermoon and partial lunar eclipse)
Oct. 17: Hunter’s moon (supermoon)
Nov. 15: Beaver moon (supermoon)
Dec. 15: Cold moon
Full moons have multiple names, and many come from Indigenous cultures. The Farmers’ Almanac uses Indigenous moon names, along with monikers from colonial America and other North American sources.
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