13 Glorious Images of the Solstice Strawberry Moon

Last night, sky gazers were treated to a rare sight: a Strawberry Moon falling on the summer solstice. This full moon, which always falls in June, is so-named because, according to Farmer's Almanac, "the Algonquin tribes knew it as a signal to gather ripening fruit." The Strawberry Moon fell on the summer solstice in 1948, and won't fall on the solstice again until 2062. It inspired many people to go outside and snap photos—a selection of which we've gathered below.

1. AUSTIN, TEXAS

Rob Pettengill via Flickr // CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Astronomy photographer Rob Pettengill selected this image as the best of 50 he took last night in Austin, Texas. He explains his setup at his photography site.

2. ROCKAWAY BEACH, NEW YORK CITY

Nancy Herman took this lovely image of the orange moon over Rockaway Beach in New York City.

3. MANHATTAN'S 42ND STREET

Max Guliani

caught this awesome image of the full solstice moon rising over 42nd Street in Manhattan; it looks magnificent sliding up between skyscrapers.

4. ASPEN, COLORADO

Lorie Shaull via Flickr // CC BY-SA 2.0

Tree branches frame the rising moon in this image by Lorie Shaull. (You can see a pic sans branches here.)

5. TUCSON, ARIZONA

Photographer Sean Parker captured the full moon over Tucson, Arizona. 

6. RALEIGH, WEST VIRGINIA

Gene via Flickr // CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

The Strawberry Moon glows through a band of clouds in this photo taken in the eastern U.S.

7. BEIRUT, LEBANON

Here’s what the full moon looked like last night, rising over the city of Beirut, captured by NatGeo science reporter Nadia Drake.

8. BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

The full solstice moon looked awesome over the city of Boston. 

9. ALBERTA, CANADA

Jeff Wallace viaFlickr // CC BY-NC 2.0

The moon looks stunning as a part of the rural landscape in Villeneuve, Alberta, in the above picture taken last night by photographer Jeff Wallace.

10. CAPE SOUNION, GREECE

Petros Giannakouris took this picture for the Associated Press of the full moon rising behind the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion, Greece.

11. JACOBSDORF, GERMANY

The strawberry moon appears almost strawberry-colored in this photograph taken from Jacobsdorf, Germany by Patrick Pleul.

12. CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

You could say the moon looked like it always does, but it’s always beautiful. David Boraks took this closeup last night in Charlotte, North Carolina.

13. GLASTONBURY TOR

Getty Images

Revelers celebrated the summer solstice at Glastonbury Tor in Somerset, England. They had quite the amazing backdrop to their celebrations.