'Strawberry Moon' Lunar eclipse night - what is it and how did it actually get its name?

People are bracing for the next Lunar eclipse of 2020, as a full 'Strawberry Moon' is set to be visible on June 5 with an understated partial eclipse for certain other parts of the world. A penumbral eclipse is far more subtle than a total eclipse. In a penumbral eclipse, the Earth and the Sun are imperfectly aligned where the Moon slips through the Earth's faint outer (penumbral) shadow, which creates a dark shading on the Face of the moon. 

The Moon is shaded by the Earth's shadow very subtly, which actually makes it a bit difficult to notice. However, one will still be able to bask in the light of a lovely 'Strawberry Moon' when it finally comes out. At the time of the Strawberry Moon eclipse, it is expected that 57 percent of the Moon will pass into the Earth’s penumbra.

Also Read | NASA Astronauts Explain Difference Between SpaceX Dragon Crew's Ride And Space Shuttle

What is Strawberry Moon eclipse?

A Strawberry Moon eclipse is a name given to the penumbral lunar eclipse that occurs in the month of June. The full moon gets a different nickname every month, which is based on Algonquin naming traditions. The nickname ”Strawberry" for the full moon of June has nothing to do with its colour. It is an old reference to the fruit’s harvest season which coincides with the eclipse.

According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, the name Strawberry Moon comes from the Algonquin Native American tribes who were part of eastern North America. The tribe used the Moon’s appearance as a signal to harvest the ripening wild strawberries, and hence the name Strawberry Moon Eclipse.

Also Read | Where Is The ISS Right Now? Track The Space Station In Real-time On Your Smartphone

Strawberry Moon Eclipse – Alternative names

The full moon is also known as a Honey Moon, the Mead Moon or a Rose Moon in Europe. It’s an old European name that was given to the moon. Mead is an alcoholic beverage that is created by fermenting honey with water, sometimes with a variety of different fruits, grains, spices, or hops. In a few countries, Mead is also known as a Honey Wine, whereas in other countries, the fermentation process of Honey Wine is different than Mead.

The Strawberry Moon eclipse will be visible from most parts of the Pacific, Asia, Australia, Africa, South America, Europe, and Antarctica.

Also Read | SpaceX Fake Landing: How Conspiracy Theorists Reacted To Falcon 9 Losing Camera Signal

Also Read | Elon Musk Signing 'off Twitter For A While' After Successful SpaceX Launch

Image credits: NASA