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June Full Moon 'Erdbeermond' Will Rise Low and Gleam Yellow‑Orange

Atmospheric filtering gives the low June moon a warm yellow‑orange color while the brain’s moon illusion makes it look unusually large to viewers.

Overview

  • The June full moon will reach exact fullness on 30 June 2026, and observers in Europe and North America can see a near‑horizon, warm‑toned moon on the nights around that date.
  • Because the moon comes days after the summer solstice it follows the lowest yearly path across the sky, which increases the amount of atmosphere its light must cross and produces a yellow‑orange tint.
  • The popular name 'Erdbeermond' comes from Indigenous North American harvest traditions and does not describe the moon’s color; in Europe the same moon is often called the 'Honigmond' or 'Metmond'.
  • The apparent large size at moonrise is a psychological effect called the moon illusion explained by Planetarium Hamburg director Dr. Björn Voss, and cameras will not reproduce that perceived enlargement.
  • For best photos and viewing, experts advise shooting the moon at rise with a tripod and foreground objects for scale and using apps to time the rise and find a clear horizon.