The first full summer day of 2024 ended with the ultimate icing on the cake, or in this case a strawberry. The Strawberry Moon of 2024, the full moon for the month of June, rose across the globe just after sunset last night, delighting stargazers around the world.
The Strawberry full moon takes its name from the Algonquin tribe of the northwestern United States, according to Space.com’s list of full moon designations, but is also recognized in Europe by other names, such as the Rose moon. This year, the Strawberry Moon occurred one day after the June summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, marking the first day of summer, leading some to call it the Strawberry Solstice Moon.
The moon officially reached full illumination last night at 9:08 PM EDT (0108 GMT on June 22), making its face shine for skywatchers in the eastern US and beyond as it climbed westward above the horizon. Taking advantage of the warm weather and the exceptional display of our nearest celestial neighbor, photographers around the world grabbed their cameras and looked to the skies to see some amazing results.
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In Athens, Greece, photographer Costas Baltas took advantage of the iconic ruins of the Temple of Poseidon to capture the Strawberry Moon rising behind the ancient monument at Cape Sounion for the news services Anadolu and Getty Image.
Skywatcher Kevin McCarthy of Charlotte, North Carolina captured a stunning image of an orange-pink full moon during the Strawberry Full Moon and seemed surprised by the moon’s color.
“The summer solstice Strawberry Moon rises through the trees as seen from Charlotte, North Carolina,” McCarthy told Space.com in an email. “The color was not enhanced – this was the natural color as you can see it with the naked eye.”
In Fort Worth, Texas, skywatcher Matt Lantz went the video route, capturing a stunning time-lapse of the Strawberry Full Moon as it rose over the city. He shared the video on X (formerly Twitter) for everyone to enjoy.
“June’s Strawberry Moon rises beautifully over the skyline of downtown Fort Worth, Texas,” Lantz wrote in his post.
Related: Full Moon Calendar 2024: When to See the Next Full Moon
Dan Martland, a New York City-based digital producer, managed to capture a series of captivating images of a giant red-colored Strawberry Moon as it rose behind the Empire State Building and other skyscrapers.
“Tonight’s Strawberry Moon risks over Midtown Manhattan,” he wrote on X, where he shared the images.
Getty Images photojournalist Gary Hershorn didn’t wait until the official full moon date for the Strawberry Moon to start capturing amazing views. On June 20, the night before the event, he found the perfect spot to watch the full moon rise behind the torch of the Statue of Liberty in New York City, as seen from nearby Jersey City, New Jersey.
But Hershorn didn’t stop there. On the actual night of the Strawberry Moon, he ventured to Weehawken, New Jersey to find a clear view of the Empire State Building, with the full moon appearing to crown the New York icon.
While the Strawberry Moon marked the first full moon of the summer for sky watchers in Earth’s northern hemisphere, for those south of the equator it was the opposite. The June solstice marks the start of winter in the Southern Hemisphere and photographer Robbie Pesiwarissa of Robbiesydney Photography was ready.
“Full moon over Sydney Tower Eye,” Pesiwarissa wrote in an email to Space.com as she shared a stunning image of the full moon. “Strawberry Moon coincided with the winter solstice last night on Friday June 21st, it was the ‘shortest day of the year’ in Sydney, Australia.”
In Italy, photojournalist Manuel Romano watched the full moon rise over the ancient tower of Roca Vecchia in Lecce to stunning effect. According to the Archaeological Institute of America, the tower is part of a Bronze Age settlement in southern Italy that settled between the 17th and late 11th centuries BC.
Remember Getty photography Gary Hershorn? He didn’t just take pictures of the moon and the view of New York. He also saw some moongazers. Here, Hershorn captures the moment a group of skywatchers took a photo of the Empire State Building, Strawberry Moon and the New York skyline from Weehawken, New Jersey.
Skywatcher Lisa Shislowski almost missed the Strawberry Moon during her observation on Fort Lauderdale Beach in Florida on Friday evening because of the bane of all stargazers: clouds. But luckily the moon came through.
“It was a beautiful evening in Fort Lauderdale Beach last night and the Strawberry Full Moon did not disappoint,” Shislowski told Space.com in an email while sharing her photo. “Even through the clouds, the full moon was simply breathtaking.”
Related stories:
— Night sky, June 2024: what you can see tonight [maps]
— The brightest planets in June’s night sky: how to see them (and when)
— Strawberry Solstice Moon of June 2024 shines tonight for summer stargazers (video)
The next full moon is July’s Full Buck Moon on July 21.
If you want to see the next full moon, these telescopes and binoculars are a great place to start, and our guides on photographing meteor showers and the best cameras and lenses for astrophotography are great for photographing the night sky in general.
Editor’s Note: If you take a photo of the Strawberry Moon and would like to share it with Space.com readers, send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com.