So, is the Strawberry Moon visible tonight and how exactly can you see it?

So, Earth is kind of showing off right now. This time last year, we were all glued to the sky watching the Northern Lights dance across the UK like we lived in some arctic wonderland. Now, instead of solar storms, we’ve got something a little softer: The Strawberry Moon.

Unlike the aurora, this one doesn’t come with dramatic greens and purples. But it does have that same surreal, why-does-this-even-exist kind of vibe. It’s glowing low, it might look pinkish or orange if the clouds behave, and it’s definitely the kind of thing that makes you pause for a sec and just look up.

So, what actually is a Strawberry Moon?

Strawberry is neither pink nor does it look like a strawberry. According to BBC Sky at Night Magazine, the name comes from Native American tribes, like the Algonquin, who used it to mark the strawberry harvest in June. Other cultures had their own takes too; the Rose Moon in Europe, the Hot Moon, even the Budding Moon of Plants and Shrubs, which is very much doing the most.

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“The full Strawberry Moon, named by the Algonquin tribes for the time of year that berries ripen, will take to the night skies on June 10-11,” NASA’s Instagram post read.

Will it be visible tonight?

Yes. Tonight, June 11, the Moon hits peak fullness at 10:46 pm. And this year’s version isn’t just any old full Moon. According to BBC Sky at Night Magazine, it’ll be the lowest full Moon in the sky for nearly 20 years, and we won’t get another like it until 2043. It’s part of a thing called a major lunar standstill, which sounds fake but is apparently very real and extremely cool.

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Because the Moon is sitting so low on the horizon, it might even look bigger than usual, classic optical illusion stuff. It was already visible last night, but according to Metro, tonight’s the main event. As long as the clouds stay out of the way, you should be able to catch it rising in the southeast.

How and where to see it

You don’t need a telescope or any special kit. Just find somewhere with a clear view of the horizon, preferably away from streetlights and buildings. It might also be useful to look up the exact time of moonrise. The Met Office says skies over London should be mostly clear from 8 pm, so your odds are decent. And even if you’re stuck in the city, you might still catch a glimpse. The Moon is low enough that it’ll sit right above rooftops, looking vaguely cinematic if you squint hard enough.

As NASA posted, “All month long, Mars and Venus will be visible in the night skies. Catch Mars in the west for a couple of hours after sunset, while Venus rises about two hours before the Sun, shining low in the eastern sky in the morning.”