On Wednesday June 11, 2025 at 7:44 am (Paris time), the sky will be illuminated by a full moon, poetically knownas the "strawberry moon". This celestial spectacle recurs at the same time every year, adding a note of mystery to the beauty of our natural satellite. This full moon, designated by the American space agency NASA, is not so named for its color or shape, but for a Native American cultural tradition dating back to the 1930s.
It was in the northeastern United States that the June full moon was dubbed the Strawberry Moon. The name refers to the region's relatively short strawberry harvest season. But this year, it's a special one in our hemisphere, as it will be the lowest Full Moon until 2043! In other words, it will be particularly close to the horizon.
This makes it the closest Full Moon to the summer solstice and the lowest in over 18 years, with the Moon reaching its most extreme points in the sky. Thanks to this, it will appear to our eyes a little golden or orange, and slightly larger than usual due to the lunar illusion effect.
In Europe, it's also known as the "rose moon", in connection with the flowering of roses at this time of year. - The term "honeymoon" may also have the same origin, corresponding to the honey harvest season and a time of year when weddings are frequent.
