A strawberry moon will dazzle skywatchers June 11.
This year's strawberry moon will be a micromoon – which means it will appear dimmer and smaller than usual – and will be at its fullest at 3:44 a.m. ET, according to NASA. But because it's so early in the day, the best time to view the moon will be June 10, when it rises at sunset, according to LiveScience.
The moon is expected to be a shade of gold rather than a vibrant shade of red like a strawberry, if weather conditions allow.
The spectacle marks the last full moon before the summer solstice, when we officially say goodbye to spring. The moon also will appear about 14% smaller and 30% dimmer because it will be near its farthest point from Earth.
According to the Almanac, the name "strawberry moon" comes from the Native American Algonquian tribes, who lived in the northwestern United States. The Ojibwe, Dakota and Lakota tribes also used the name, which marked the wild strawberries in June.
