Rare strawberry moon to shine over Germany on June 11

A rare natural phenomenon will appear in the skies over Germany this week: a strawberry moon, which won’t be visible again until 2044. Here’s how to get the best view.

Strawberry moon expected in Germany on Wednesday night

In Germany, on Wednesday evening, a full, reddish-pink strawberry moon will appear very low on the horizon, creating a spectacular summertime feast for the eyes. 

The strawberry moon will appear in the sky at different times across Germany. In Munich it will appear at 10.03pm, in Berlin at 10.32pm and in Frankfurt at 10.33pm. As with all natural phenomena, the further you are from light-polluted areas, the better view of the moon you will get.

What exactly is a strawberry moon?

The moon will be both a strawberry moon and a full moon. Full moons are often “the fullest” in June, and this year, a “major lunar standstill” is set to accentuate the June full moon even more than usual. A major lunar standstill occurs approximately every 18 years, when the moon reaches the extremes of its orbit around Earth.

Apart from the fact that such a full moon won’t be visible again until 2044, the June full moon is so special because it will be a strawberry moon at the same time! The moon will appear a reddish-pink colour, but this characteristic is not where it gets its name from. The name was given by the indigenous Americans, referring to the fact that wild strawberries are often harvested in June.

So why is the strawberry moon pink? The moon actually only appears pink. This is because when a moon is so low on the horizon, its light shines to Earth through a thicker layer of the atmosphere. Like with an impressive sunset, it is longer wavelengths of red light that reach our eyes, which means the moon appears a pinkish colour.