Lunar eclipse June 2020 – what time and how to see the penumbral eclipse in the UK tonight
A STUNNING Strawberry Moon will light up the sky later today.
The full Moon is set to dazzle us this Friday and there will even be a slight eclipse visible in certain areas across the globe.
How to see the penumbral eclipse
People across the globe should be able to see the Moon looking vast and potentially pinkish.
However, stargazers in parts of Asia, Africa, Europe and Australia may also spot a penumbral lunar eclipse.
This is a subtle eclipse caused by the Moon passing through part of Earth's shadow.
The natural eclipse spectacle will begin around 6.45pm but, as it takes place below the horizon, the UK will only catch the tail end of it at around 9:06pm.
This is the time astronomers think the subtle eclipse will be most visible in the UK.
It's not guaranteed that this will be visible for everyone though or that stargazers will even notice it.
This is because it's the third and most subtle type of eclipse after total and partial so you'll need to look closely.
The Strawberry Moon itself will appear after sunset and will have risen above the horizon by around 20:12 BST.
If you do get a chance to witness the penumbral eclipse it should just look like subtle shading on the Moon's face.
For those who won't be able to see it properly in their country the the event.
Zoltan Toth-Czifra, founder of told us: "There is a penumbral lunar eclipse happening tonight.
"People in the UK may be able to see it, but as it's the third and most subtle type of eclipse (after total and partial), if Brits are looking for it they should be watching closely as it will only cause a slight shading over the moon so not massively noticeable in the UK."
Why is it called a Strawberry Moon?
June's full Moon is always particularly low in the sky, this can make it shine through more of the atmosphere than at other times in the year.
It won't technically be pink or red but, according to Nasa, its low position can sometimes give the full Moon a reddish or rose colour.
Similar to when a rising or setting Sun appears pinkish or red.
The June full Moon gets its name from early Native American tribes as it coincided with the time of year for gathering ripe strawberries.
Nasa explained: "The Maine Farmer's Almanac first published Indian names for the full Moons in the 1930's.
"According to this almanac, the full Moon in June or the last full Moon of Spring is known as the Strawberry Moon, a name universal to just about every Algonquin tribe.
"The name comes from the relatively short season for harvesting strawberries in northeastern North America."
The Moon appears full when it is located on the opposite side of Earth to the Sun, meaning its face can be fully illuminated.
Another name given to the phenomenon is Mead Moon or the Honey Moon - a time when honey is ripe and ready to be harvested, potentially to be turned into mead.
The 1500s term "honeymoon" may be linked to this full Moon, referring to the first month after marriage.
The different types of moons
Here are some of the most interesting moon phases and when to see them...
A Blue Moon refers to the occasion when a full Moon appears for the second time in the same month, this is very rare and the next Blue Moon should occur on Halloween in 2020.
The Harvest Moon appears around the time of the autumnal equinox when farmers tend to do their main crop harvesting.
A Supermoon appears when it is at its closest point to Earth and therefore at its brightest, the next one will appear in September.
A Blood Moon occurs during a total lunar eclipse, the next one should happen in May 2020.
Each month of the year actually has its own special full moon phenomenon, they are as follows:
- January: Wolf Moon
- February: Snow Moon
- March: Worm Moon
- April: Pink Moon
- May: Flower Moon
- June: Strawberry Moon
- July: Buck Moon
- August: Sturgeon Moon
- September: Full Corn Moon
- October: Hunter's Moon
- November: Beaver Moon
- December: Cold Moon.
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