Spectacular strawberry moon enchants Frankfurt: A nightly highlight!

Spectacular strawberry moon enchants Frankfurt: A nightly highlight!

On Wednesday evening, June 12, 2025, the famous strawberry moon shone over Frankfurt and ensured a spectacular sky. In ideal visibility, thanks to the mostly clear weather, the moon presented itself in an impressive size and reddish color, which was amazed by many Frankfurt. The moon opened around 10:30 p.m. and attracted everyone.

The strawberry moon, explains the astronomer Michael Passarge, can appear larger if it is just above the horizon. A phenomenon that is known as a moon cushion ensures that it looks huge compared to the surrounding objects such as trees or buildings. This perspective is particularly striking in the impressive skyline of Frankfurt. The term “strawberry moon” has its origin in the culture of the Algonquin, an indigenous people in North America, and refers to the traditional strawberry harvest in June, which has by no means to do with the color of the moon. Alternatively, the Juni full moon is also referred to as "Rosenmond" or "Brachmond", depending on the regional custom and flora.

a special evening

The focus was not only on the color and size of the moon. This year, the orbit of the moon in the cycle of the knot turn is particularly deep, which is why this strawberry moon is particularly remarkable. Such constellations are extremely rare and are only expected again in 2043. The moon track runs flat in summer, which offers the possibility of enjoying the strawberry moon in its full splendor when the moon is deep in the sky, as on the night of June 12th.

Of course, the weather also plays a crucial role. When the sky is cloudy, the sight of the moon often remains hidden. However, if the view is clear, there is a truly magical experience in the night sky. This night fell exactly into a month, which is generally known for its astronomical highlights, with other exciting events such as the summer solstice on June 21, which brings the longest day of the year.

astronomical highlights in June

In addition to the strawberry moon, June 2025 offers a variety of astronomical highlights:

• 1. June: Venus reaches her greatest western elongation.
• 11. June: full moon ("strawberry moon").
• 17. June: Mars approaches the star Regulus.
• 19. June: Encounter of the moon with Saturn.
• 21. June: summer solstice.
• 27. June: Highlight of the Juni-Bootiden Meteor Show.

For hobby astronomers, June is the perfect opportunity to watch the night sky. Tips such as the choice of dark places without light pollution, use of a telescope or binoculars as well as weather observations are essential to fully enjoy the beauty of the different heavenly events. Luck was on the side of the Frankfurters that evening, who were able to observe the acting of the strawberry moon and were allowed to experience a piece of nature that will be remembered for a long time.

For detailed information about the strawberry moon and other astronomical events this month, it is worth taking a look at the articles from t-online href = "https://www.tagesschau.de/wissen/erdbeermond-102.html"> Tagesschau and Fullmond-info