The Iconic Strawberry Moon Will Be Visible in the Sky This Weekend

The phenomenon is widely recognized to signal the start of summer.

Brace yourselves for yet another gorgeous celestial event. This weekend, the famous Strawberry Moon is going to be blessing the skies for three days, and you don't need any equipment to marvel at it.

Contrary to what one may think, its name has nothing to do with the color it assumes. According to the Maine Farmers' Almanac, the name Strawberry Moon comes from the short season for harvesting strawberries in the northeastern US, which is the time frame in which this moon appears every year.

Why is it so special then, you ask? Well, because the Strawberry Moon officially marks the beginning of summer—or it does so celestially, at the very least! It is the final full moon of spring in the northern hemisphere, and it always pays us a visit around this time of year. Sometimes, it even coincides with the summer solstice on June 21, which is known as the longest day of the year.

For this reason, it is also the lowest-hanging full moon of the year. Think about it: the closest we are in time to the summer solstice, the longest are the daylight hours, which is due to the fact that the sun is at its highest point (or better, is approaching its highest point) in the sky. The moon, on the contrary, follows the sun's trajectory, but it does so with a six-month delay. That means that when the sun is at its highest, the moon is instead at its lowest point—as if it was "stuck" in the winter solstice. For this reason, it will be the exact opposite in the southern hemisphere. Since the sun will be at its lowest point there, the Strawberry Moon will be high up in the sky.

According to NASA, our beloved Strawberry Moon will appear on Saturday night, June 3, at 11:42 pm EDT. However, space enthusiasts and stargazers will be able to see it starting from Friday night as it comes up, and it will be visible in the skies through Monday morning. The best time to see it if you're located in the northern hemisphere, though, is allegedly right before its peak on Saturday night, Live Science reports.

While that is the general rule of thumb, your best viewing chances really depend on where you are located. To make it easier for you to plan around the phenomenon, make sure to check the times of moonrise and moonset for your location—you can do so right here on this website. Also, it is best to remember that while those times are reliable, they might be a little off, so just be patient if you don't see the moon right away—she might be running a fashionable few minutes late.

You won't need special telescopes or binoculars to see the Strawberry Moon, though it is advisable to find an area with low light pollution. Alternatively, you can even opt for a dark site, though it might not even be that necessary—according to Live Science, the moon will be illuminated 99.9%.

Ready to go stargazing?

Here are all the best stargazing events that you can get out and see this month or you could stay in and stream the northern lights from home. If you're just getting started, check out our guide to astronomy for beginners or easy stargazing road trips from big US cities.

Want more Thrillist? Follow us on InstagramTikTokTwitterFacebookPinterest, and YouTube.

Serena Tara is a Staff Writer on the News team at Thrillist. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.