This Wednesday, June 11, step outside at the right time and you’ll catch the last full moon rise of the spring –– the Strawberry Micro Moon. According to NASA, this is when the moon will be at its farthest point from Earth, meaning it will appear slightly smaller and dimmer.
The strawberry name is not due to color. Rather, it comes from the Algonquin tribes in North America, as this moon signaled that wild strawberries were ready for harvest. According to Space.com, other cultures have dubbed the event the Blooming Moon, Green Corn Moon, Birth Moon and Hatching Moon, to name a few.
The moon will be at its fullest at 3:44 a.m. ET. However, if you can’t stay up late, LiveScience says to catch a glimpse when it rises on June 10.
The moon takes approximately 29.5 days to orbit Earth, a period known as a lunar cycle. As the moon moves through its various stages, it experiences several phases of partial light. These range from a banana-shaped crescent moon, a D-shaped quarter moon and a nearly full gibbous moon.
Miss your chance? The next full moon takes place July 10. This moon is called the Buck Moon because the antlers of male deer, or bucks, are in full-growth mode at this time.