The strawberry moon of June 2023 sets just before sunrise behind the Statue of Liberty in New York City. This year's strawberry moon -- the first full moon of the summer -- will rise Monday. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
June 29 (UPI) -- The strawberry moon, which is June's full moon and the first full moon of summer, rises Monday evening, showcasing one of the most eye-catching lunar phenomena of the year.
The moon officially will reach its full phase and peak brightness at 7:57 p.m. EDT Monday, but it will appear full for several days after, Space.com reported.
It will be the lowest hanging full moon of the year -- at least in the Northern Hemisphere. (In the Southern Hemisphere, it will be the highest.) This occurs because it's the closest to the summer solstice, when the sun appears highest in the sky, with the moon following the opposite path and appearing lowest.
The strawberry moon is also the day after apogee, which is the point the moon is farthest from Earth, CNN reported. Full moons near apogee are often called micromoons. But while the full moon will be one of the smallest of the year, the difference will likely not be noticeable, Pamela Gay of the Planetary Science Institute told CNN.
