Stargazers are getting treated with a sweet strawberry moon on Friday, June 21. And although the moon won't be glowing in shades of red, astronomers say catching a glimpse of it is a once-in-a-generation occurrence.
NASA says this will be the lowest full moon of the year, which means the "moon illusion" will be in full effect. That's an optical illusion where the moon looks larger than normal, because the brain tends to see things that are close to the horizon as larger than they are.
It won't be red, but it will be colorful. The strawberry moon will follow a low, shallow path across the sky, meaning moonlight will travel through more of the Earth's atmosphere -- and that should give it an orange, yellow or golden hue.
The moon will appear full for about three days, from Thursday evening through Sunday morning, and will reach peak illumination on Friday at 9:08 p.m. ET, according to NASA.
According to the Maine Farmer's Almanac, the June strawberry moon gets its name from the relatively short season for harvesting strawberries in the north-eastern United States. Native American tribes used it as a signal to start gathering ripening strawberries. Other seasonal names are the hot moon, hoe moon and planting moon.
While the strawberry moon happens each June, astronomers say this year's is especially remarkable because it falls on the day after the Summer Solstice, which is the longest day of the year. Strawberry moons only fall within a day of the solstice every 19 to 20 years, making this a rare solar event, according to Space.com.
This is the sixth full moon of 2024. There will be six more before the end of the year. The next one is the buck moon on Sunday, July 21.