Life

How To See The Strawberry Moon Tonight

by Jessica Learish
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The last time a full moon peeked over the horizon during the astronomical start of summer, flower children had descended upon San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury during the Summer of Love in 1967. This once in a generation cosmic coincidence will take place again tonight, on June 20. But if you don't live on the East Coast, don't worry — I've got you covered on how to see the Strawberry Moon during the summer solstice. And even if you have to catch a re-run, like moonrise on the West Coast, the Strawberry Moon should still be pretty impressive.

Technically speaking, the evening solstice will take place at 6:34 p.m. Eastern time, which is a couple of hours before moonrise on the East Coast, which will occur at 8:41 p.m. When the moon is low on the horizon, its light travels to the surface of the Earth through thicker, more humid air. That's what gives it the appearance of a glowing amber color in the sky. You can watch a livestream of the moon rising beginning at around 8 p.m. Eastern time over at Slooh.

But if you want to see the lunar show with your own two eyes, head outside during moonrise and watch as its big, round golden face emerges on the horizon. The name "Strawberry Moon" doesn't describe a blood red color, but rather the night during the early summer when Algonquin tribes would begin picking strawberries on their farms in Michigan and Southern Canada. It's pretty much exactly like the Harvest Moon, but a few months earlier.

Even if you have to catch the West Coast re-air of the Strawberry moonrise, which will begin at around 8:21 p.m. PST, it should be rather impressive as the longest day of the year turns to a pretty spectacular night. So when the sun starts to disappear, go outside and look up, because this Strawberry Solstice Moon won't happen again until 2062.

Image: NurPhoto/NurPhoto/Getty Images