Summer solstice to bring strawberry moon to night sky. When to see it from Kentucky
Central Kentucky residents can kick off the summer season with a popular full moon, and weather conditions might just be perfect to stargaze.
The “strawberry moon” will appear full from Thursday evening to Sunday morning, NASA reports. This moon is also known by several other names. The summer solstice will occur the first night the moon appears full, June 20.
The name “strawberry moon” is attributed to the Algonquian, Ojibwe, Dakota and Lakota peoples, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac. It marks the peak of strawberry harvest season.
More names for June’s full moon include blooming moon (attributed to the Anishinaabe), green corn moon (Cherokee), hoer moon (Western Abenaki), birth moon (Tlingit), egg laying moon (Cree), hatching moon (Cree), honey moon (European) and mead moon (European).
Though the first day of summer isn’t until June 20, the Lexington area is already seeing warmer temperatures. According to early seasonal outlooks, Central Kentucky stands a fair chance of seeing a muggy, hot summer this year.
Here’s when to see this year’s strawberry moon over Kentucky, plus when to catch more full moons in 2024.
When will the strawberry moon peak over Lexington?
The strawberry moon will become full at 9:08 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time Friday, according to NASA.
Fayette County residents should be able to enjoy ideal viewing conditions Friday night. As of June 14, AccuWeather forecasts the night of June 21 will be “clear and warm” in Lexington, with a 0% chance of precipitation and 1% cloud cover.
The moon will rise at 9:21 p.m. in Lexington Friday, according to online global clock Time and Date.
The Bluegrass Amateur Astronomy Club will host a public stargazing event at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill June 29, and another at Raven Run Nature Sanctuary July 6.
When to see more full moons this year
Here’s when to see the rest of 2024’s full moons, with information from astronomy publication Space.com:
July 21: Buck moon
Aug. 19: Sturgeon moon (supermoon and blue moon)
Sept. 17: Harvest moon (supermoon and partial lunar eclipse)
Oct. 17: Hunter’s moon (supermoon)
Nov. 15: Beaver moon (supermoon)
Dec. 15: Cold moon
Full moons have multiple names, and many come from Indigenous cultures. The Farmers’ Almanac uses Indigenous moon names, along with monikers from colonial America and other North American sources.
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This story was originally published June 15, 2024 at 7:59 AM.
