Weakley Residents Enjoy Strawberry Moon

The first full moon of the summer, a “strawberry moon” was a beautiful site for Weakley County residents Friday, June 21, who took to Facebook to share their photos. Viewers were able to see a full 97% of its luminosity and because the moon appeared at the start of summer solstice, the moon was closer than usual making it appear larger in the sky according to NASA.

The pink color viewers saw was due to the moon being low on the horizon which subjects the light created by the moon to thicker air which causes a change of colors according to NASA, and also makes this moon one of the biggest and most vibrant seen in many years, but what is a strawberry moon exactly and where did the moon get its name from?

History:

According to NASA, sometime in the 1930s the Maine Farmer's Almanac started publishing "Indian" names for full Moons and presently these names are now widely known and used. Other names for the strawberry moon include Rose Moon or Honey Moon. The strawberry moon gets its name from the Algonquin tribe of the northwestern United States, according to Space.com's list of full moon designations, 

According to the Farmer’s Almanac, the first full Moon in June is the Strawberry Moon, a name derived from the season for harvesting strawberries in the north-eastern United States. The strawberry moon marks the end of spring and start of summer.

The lunar cycle was used to keep track of the year and there are 13 full moons in each lunar cycle with each moon aptly named to reflect seasonal events.

In European Folklore, this moon is associated with romance and love and Europeans believed that eating strawberries during this moon would help one find true love or even mend a broken heart.

In Chinese Folklore, this moon represents reunion and family gatherings.

While names and traditions might differ, everyone agrees that the strawberry moon is a magnificent site to behold.