A strawberry full moon will light up the sky tonight – but will it be pink?

17 June 2019, 17:33

The best moment to catch a glimpse of June's full moon above the UK sky will be at 21:30

The United Kingdom will see the return of the 'Strawberry Moon' as June's full Moon takes on a red hue.

The annual event sees the Moon take on the red colour because it is shining through more atmosphere than other times of the year, due to its orbit being in a similar position to Earth's orbit around the sun.

If you want to catch a glimpse at the red-tinted Moon, the ideal time will be when it rises above the horizon at 21:30.

It's suggested that you find an outside area with little light pollution, as the darker your surroundings are then the brighter the Moon will appear.

While you might think that the Strawberry Moon got its name for the fruit's similar colour to the red Moon, it's apparently come from early Native American tribes.

They dubbed the annual appearance the "Full Strawberry Moon", as it signalled the perfect time of the year to gather ripe fruit.

Other names for the Strawberry Moon include the Mead Moon or the Honey Moon - avid skywatcher's are divided on if the Honey Moon name comes from the time when nectar is at its sweetest or if it follows the old tradition of marrying in May and June.