Overview
- The Strawberry Moon will reach full phase at 1:15 p.m. IST on June 11, with its most striking appearance occurring this evening just after sunset.
- Rising low over the southeastern horizon, the moon’s light passes through more atmosphere, enhancing red and orange hues and creating an enlarged appearance.
- The sighting coincides with a major lunar standstill, an 18.6-year cycle that brings the moon to its lowest rise and set points and won’t repeat until 2043.
- Ideal viewing locations are open areas facing southeast, away from city lights, with cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata offering clear skies around 7 p.m. IST.
- The name derives from Native American full-moon traditions marking the wild strawberry harvest in early summer rather than any change in the moon’s color.