The First Full Moon of Summer

 

 

Astronomical summer begins with the June solstice on June 20.   Thanks to our tilted planet,  the sun appears to reach the Tropic of Cancer, its most northern latitude on Earth.  

These are the longest days--over 15 hours of daylight. In Chicago, sunrises at 5:15 am, sunsets at 8:29 pm.

And tonight is a full moon--the first full moon of summer. It's called the strawberry moon,  from native American tribes that named it for  the ripe strawberries in June.

It is also called the honey moon--from honey people use to make mead, which was often served at  June weddings.

Whatever you call it,  the moon tonight  will be beautiful.  Moonrise is at 8:51 pm in Chicago. Look for it in the southeast. 

As the poet Issa wrote--

"It's like nothing they compare it to--the summer moon"