A beautiful strawberry full moon will appear in the sky tonight.
It’s the sixth full moon of the year, but could be hard to see because cloud is forecast for much of the UK this evening.
Sadly, the moon won’t be pink because it got its name because this is strawberry picking season in the US.
The June moon also has several other names around the world.
‘In North America, the harvesting of strawberries in June gives that month’s full moon its name,’ the Royal Observatory wrote.
‘Europeans have dubbed it the rose moon, while other cultures named it the hot moon for the beginning of the summer heat.’
There are 12 full moons throughout 2019.
From January’s Wolf moon to December’s Cold moon, we are treated to the celestial show every month of the year.
Here is when you should be looking to the skies over the next few months to see the moon in all its glory.
2019 Full Moon dates
- 16 July
- 15 August
- 14 September
- 13 October
- 12 November
- 12 December
Moon names
Jan – Wolf moon
Feb – Snow moon
Mar – Worm moon
Apr – Pink moon
May – Flower moon
Jun – Strawberry moon
Jul – Buck moon
Aug – Sturgeon moon
Sep – Harvest moon
Oct – Hunter’s moon
Nov – Beaver moon
Dec – Cold moon
What is a Blue moon?
A blue moon usually refers to the second full moon in a single month.
This definition was actually a mistake made by amateur astronomer James Hugh Pruett, who called it the second in a month in an article written for Sky and Telescope Magazine in 1946. It was an error, but it is now considered the second definition of blue moon.
The first is a bit more complicated, referring to the third full moon in an astronomical season with four full moons (compared to the usual three).
The next Blue moon won’t be until 31 October 2020.
What is a Super moon?
A super moon is a phenomena whereby the moon looks around 14% bigger and 30% brighter than your average full moon.
This occurs because the moon actually orbits the earth in an an oval shape. Every 29.5 days it reaches something called a perigee, which is when it is closest to the earth.
A super moon is when this perigee is at the same time as a full moon.
The best times to see super moons are at sunset and sunrise, when the moon is closer on the horizon. This makes it look even bigger, and is called the ‘moon illusion’.
The next times to see a super moon from the UK are:
- Monday 21 January 2019
- Tuesday 19 February 2019
- Monday 9 March 2020
- Wednesday 8 April 2020
What is a Blood moon?
A blood moon refers to a lunar eclipse.
This is when the moon passes directly behind the earth into its umbra (shadow). This occurs only when the sun, earth, and moon are aligned.
Because of this, it gives the effect of a reddish-orange colour on the moon, which is why they call it a blood moon.
A total lunar eclipse happens up to twice a year usually, but can’t always be seen if the eclipse occurs during the day in your part of the world.
What is a Super blood moon?
Combining the larger size and brightness of a super moon and the colour of a blood moon will create a super blood moon.
These are quite outstanding to see – in particular as this one is also a blue moon and all three of these haven’t been witnessed for 150
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