Sky at Night: Full "Strawberry" Moon Shines Brightly

It's time to take in the sky at night! The full moon is upon us and view above should be brilliant. That is, if you can see it through some clouds! Each full moon has an appropriate, corresponding name. It is dependent on seasons and thus, hemispheres. Here in the Northern Hemisphere, this month's full moon is called the Rose, Flower, Strawberry, and even Lotus Moon. However in the Southern Hemisphere the name of this full moon is Cold Moon or Long Night Moon. See the bottom of this article for a full list of names. This month's Full Strawberry Moon will not appear red, or pink. Unlike the Full Blood Moons or even Blue Moons, this one is just titled Strawberry for the time of the year. The 'blood moon' corresponds to a lunar eclipse and a 'blue moon' is the fourth full moon in a season or second full moon in one calendar month. So how are our chances of seeing this one? A low pressure system will be crossing the eastern Great Lakes and bringing clouds to much of the East. Meanwhile, most of the Central and West U.S. will be clearer with a few, intermittent clouds. The moon is fullest at 4:53 UTC, which translates to 12:53 a.m. Eastern Time Thursday, 11:53 p.m. Central Wednesday, 10:53 p.m. Mountain Wednesday, and 9:53 p.m. Pacific Wednesday. The full moon won't be the only exciting site in the night sky. Saturn is the other very bright spot nearby the moon this week. Also look for the redness of Mars! We'd love to see your picture of the moon! Be sure to tag us on Twitter or post to us on Facebook. Northern Hemisphere Full Moon Names January: Old Moon, Moon After Yule February: Snow Moon, Hunger Moon, Wolf Moon March: Sap Moon, Crow Moon, Lenten Moon April: Grass Moon, Egg Moon, Pink Moon May: Flower Moon, Planting Moon, Milk Moon June: Rose Moon, Flower Moon, Strawberry Moon July: Thunder Moon, Hay Moon August: Green Corn Moon, Grain Moon September: Fruit Moon, Harvest Moon October: Harvest Moon, Hunter’s Moon November: Hunter’s Moon, Frosty Moon, or Beaver Moon December: Cold Moon, Moon Before Yule, or Long Night Moon Southern Hemisphere Full Moon Names January: Hay Moon, Buck Moon, Thunder Moon, Mead Moon February (mid-summer): Grain Moon, Sturgeon Moon, Red Moon, Wyrt Moon, Corn Moon, Dog Moon, Barley Moon March: Harvest Moon, Corn Moon April: Harvest Moon, Hunter’s Moon, Blood Moon May: Hunter’s Moon, Beaver Moon, Frost Moon June: Oak Moon, Cold Moon, Long Night Moon July: Wolf Moon, Old Moon, Ice Moon August: Snow Moon, Storm Moon, Hunger Moon, Wolf Moon September: Worm Moon, Lenten Moon, Crow Moon, Sugar Moon, Chaste Moon, Sap Moon October: Egg Moon, Fish Moon, Seed Moon, Pink Moon, Waking Moon November: Corn Moon, Milk Moon, Flower Moon, Hare Moon December: Strawberry Moon, Honey Moon, Rose Moon Full moon names courtesy www.earthsky.org For WeatherNation, Meteorologist Steve Glazier