See The Northwest’s Strawberry Moon This Week

A strawberry moon seen in 2016
A strawberry moon seen in 2016 / Beau Considine, Flickr

Sky watchers in the Northwest can anticipate a large, pink moon Wednesday night, June 27. A “strawberry moon” will rise over the region at 8:24, reaching its fullest by 9:53. It’s the same phenomenon known in autumn as a harvest moon. The strawberry moon is named not for its color, but for its season — it’s strawberry time in June.

The optical illusion is caused by a coincidence. A few times a year, the moon rises at just the right time during sunset to catch the fading light. This makes the moon seem enormous and colored in hues of red, orange and pink.

If you miss the Wednesday show, the strawberry moon will rise again Thursday night. Astronomy enthusiasts will also be able to spot the planet Saturn nearby.

Copyright 2018 Northwest Public Broadcasting

Related Stories:

Farmworkers in the Skagit Valley tulip fields. (Credit: Brad Smith / Flickr)

New funding to build farmworker housing in the Pacific Northwest, nationwide

The United States Department of Agriculture is soliciting applications for funding to build farmworker housing nationwide.
In the Pacific Northwest, leaders hope the money can address gaps in farmworker housing. The Pacific Northwest is in a housing crisis and that impacts rural small businesses and agricultural producers, as well as farmworkers, said Helen Price Johnson, who is the Washington State Rural Development director for the USDA.
Continue Reading New funding to build farmworker housing in the Pacific Northwest, nationwide

Read More »