Strawberry Moon: When Will June’s Full Moon Be Visible in Spain?

Strawberry moon, rose moon, or honey moon. Spring announces its end with its last full moon, a phase of the natural satellite that represents the moment when its orbit tilts the most in relation to the plane of the Earth. Although its name may evoke many things, it is actually not related to its color. It is not an astronomical phenomenon nor about the appearance of the natural satellite, but rather a term that comes from Native American tribes that associated it with the strawberry harvest in the United States. This year, the moon has reached its furthest northern position, being at 28.6 degrees. This phenomenon will not occur again until 2043.

This full moon will reach its peak at 09:44 in Spanish peninsula time on June 11. From Madrid, the best time to view it will be a few hours later, around 21:30 in the evening, as recommended by the Madrid Planetarium. The phenomenon is due to the position of the line of nodes, that is, the point where the lunar orbit crosses the ecliptic, which is the orbit of the Earth, and which is not fixed. “It slowly rotates backwards in retrograde motion, completing a turn every 18 and a half years,” explains Javier Licandro, a researcher at the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands.

This movement is called the precession of the lunar nodes. When they align with the terrestrial solstices, “the effects add up,” adds the expert.

Almost imperceptible to the human eye

César González, a communicator at the Madrid Planetarium, explains that it will be practically invisible to the naked eye. “It will be a completely normal full moon. It will appear very low on the horizon, as always happens in summer,” he says.

The difference is that this full moon, he explains, will be about five degrees “lower than normal,” which hasn’t happened since 2006. Although it won’t be noticeable in detail, what is certain is that the celestial body can be observed from anywhere with a clear view. “It practically doesn’t matter whether you see it at sunset the day before or at sunset the same day; the human eye will not see any difference,” adds Javier Licandro.

“You can use a telescope or binoculars, which will give a pretty nice view, as it’s like seeing it in relief,” González suggests.