Knowledge Nugget: What makes Strawberry Moon different from Blue Moon and Micromoon?
What is the Strawberry Moon? Why does it appear unusually low? From the Moon illusion to blue moons, micromoons, and lunar eclipses, here’s all you need to know.
The main attraction of June's Strawberry Moon is how low it appears in the sky when viewed from the Northern Hemisphere. (Image: AI-generated)
Take a look at the essential events, concepts, terms, quotes, or phenomena every day and brush up your knowledge. Here’s your UPSC Current Affairs knowledge nugget for today on Strawberry Moon.
Knowledge Nugget: Strawberry Moon
Subject: Geography
Why in the news?
June’s full moon, popularly known as the Strawberry Moon, is set to light up the night sky. Despite its name, the moon does not appear pink or red. Instead, the name comes from the strawberry harvesting season observed by Native American tribes. In this context, let’s know about it and other astronomical events such as blue moon and Micro moon.
Key Takeaways:
1. The main attraction of June’s Strawberry Moon is how low it appears in the sky when viewed from the Northern Hemisphere. It rises in the southeastern sky and is close to the horizon. Unlike a winter full moon that rises high overhead, the Strawberry Moon follows a low path across the southern sky, lingering close to the horizon throughout the night.
2. The name ‘Strawberry Moon’ comes from Native American Algonquian tribes, who associated June’s full moon with the brief season when wild strawberries ripen and are ready to be harvested, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.
3. While the Strawberry Moon does not actually appear larger than usual, it can seem bigger when it is close to the horizon because of the Moon illusion. This is essentially an optical illusion that makes the Moon look larger against buildings, trees, and other objects.
4. At the same time, its light passes through more of Earth’s atmosphere, scattering shorter blue wavelengths and giving the Moon a warm golden or orange glow.
5. This year’s Strawberry Moon is also the first full moon of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, adding to its seasonal significance.
6. The June Strawberry Moon will reach peak illumination at 7:57 pm. EDT (11:57 pm GMT) on June 29. At that moment, the Moon will be directly opposite the Sun in Earth’s sky, making its Earth-facing side appear fully illuminated.
7. This year’s June full moon will also follow the lowest path across the sky of any full moon, as it occurs close to the Northern Hemisphere’s summer solstice. As a result, it will appear unusually low above the horizon, creating a striking sight for skywatchers.
Blue moon
1. Though the expression “once in a blue moon” implies a rare or unusual occurrence, a blue moon is not that rare an astronomical event.
2. There are a few definitions of a blue moon. One that is most commonly understood — and endorsed by NASA — describes a situation when a full moon is seen twice in a single month. Because the new moon to new moon cycle lasts 29.5 days, a time comes when the full moon occurs at the beginning of a month, and there are days left still for another full cycle to be completed.
Full Moon Explainer: Strawberry Moon, Blue Moon & More
3. Such a month, in which the full moon is seen on the 1st or 2nd, will have a second full moon on the 30th or 31st. According to NASA, this happens every two or three years.
4. Sometimes, smoke or dust in the air can scatter red wavelengths of light, as a result of which the moon may, in certain places, appear more blue than usual. But this has nothing to do with the name “blue” moon, and the association of the colour with the term is unclear.
Micro moon
1. The size of the moon, as perceived from earth, is dependent on its location within its orbit around the earth. The moon’s orbit is an elongated or stretched-out circle and it takes 27.3 days to orbit the earth.
2. According to NASA, the moon is about 363,711 km away at its closest to earth, known as perigee. At apogee, or the furthest point, the moon is about 403,945 km away.
3. A smaller-than-usual moon is observable when the Moon’s fully illuminated phase occurs within a short time of apogee. On the other hand, a supermoon occurs when the moon is passing through or is close to its perigee.
4. Notably, when seen in terms of both (Blue and micomoon) phenomena happening simultaneously, then it is a rare event. “Although the next micromoon occurs next month, and the next blue moon at the end of 2028, the next blue micromoon will not occur until 2053,” NASA stated.
BEYOND THE NUGGET: Lunar eclipse
1. There are two types of eclipses: lunar and solar. During a lunar eclipse, Earth’s shadow obscures the Moon. During a solar eclipse, the Moon blocks the Sun from view.
2. Lunar eclipses occur at the full moon phase. When Earth is positioned precisely between the Moon and the Sun. Solar eclipses occur only at the new moon phase, when the Moon is positioned between Earth and the Sun.
3. Types of Lunar Eclipses
(i) Total lunar eclipses: The Moon moves into the inner part of Earth’s shadow, or the umbra. Some of the sunlight passing through Earth’s atmosphere reaches the Moon’s surface, lighting it dimly. Colors with shorter wavelengths ― the blues and violets ― scatter more easily than colors with longer wavelengths, like red and orange.
(ii) Partial lunar eclipse: An imperfect alignment of Sun, Earth and Moon results in the Moon passing through only part of Earth’s umbra. The shadow grows and then recedes without ever entirely covering the Moon.
(iii) Penumbral eclipse: The Moon travels through Earth’s penumbra, or the faint outer part of its shadow. The Moon dims so slightly that it can be difficult to notice.
Post Read Question
With reference to the lunar eclipse, consider the following statements:
1. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves between the Sun and the Earth.
2. Lunar eclipses take place once a year around the world.
3. All the lunar eclipses are visible from India.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
ANSWER KEY
(d)
(Sources: June Strawberry Moon 2026: What is it, when to watch it in India, UPSC Weekly Concepts Snapshot: A Moon, the New IIP Series and a Storm)
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Roshni Yadav is a Deputy Copy Editor with The Indian Express. She is an alumna of the University of ... Read More
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