Strawberry Moon of June 2023 sweetens the night sky in these amazing photos

the full moon can be seen behind the statue of liberty
The full Strawberry Moon sets behind the Statue of Liberty before sunrise on June 4, 2023, in New York City. (Image credit: Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)

The Strawberry Moon was a sweet treat for skywatchers around the world this month.

June's full moon, also known as the Strawberry Moon, rose on Saturday (June 3), and moonwatchers across the globe were on hand to capture some juicy images of the fully-illuminated lunar face before it set on Sunday morning.

Following the Strawberry Moon, the moon will begin rising in the night sky later and later while also waning, meaning the lit portion of its visible disk will begin growing smaller. Our planet's natural satellite will then reach new moon on June 18, at which point it will be totally lost in the sun's glare.

Related: Full moon calendar 2023: When to see the next full moon

TOP TELESCOPE PICK:

A Celestron telescope on a white background

(Image credit: Celestron)

Want to see the moon up close? We recommend the Celestron Astro Fi 102 as the top pick in our best beginner's telescope guide

If these images of the Strawberry Moon have inspired you to capture your own images or just observe the next full moon close-up, our guides to the best telescopes and best binoculars are a great place to start.

And if you're looking to take your own stunning photos of the next full moon or the night sky in general, check out our guide on how to photograph the moon, as well as our best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography.

From Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S, Gary Gershon caught a stunning image of the Strawberry moon shrouded by clouds as it hovered over the brightly-lit skyline of lower Manhattan and One World Trade Center in New York City.

Rapidly moving clouds float past the full Strawberry Moon as it rises behind the skyline of lower Manhattan and One World Trade Center in New York City on June 3, 2023, as seen from Jersey City, New Jersey. (Image credit: Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)

The dusky red full moon of June may not have been as large as seen rising over Alcatraz of San Francisco in California, United States, but it still looks ominous when framed against the famous now abandoned federal island prison.

Full Strawberry Moon rises over Alcatraz Island in San Francisco, California on June 3, 2023.  (Image credit: Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

From the United Kingdom, an image of the full moon captured in Twickenham by Tejas Sandhu shows a close-up of the lunar surface with many of its features clearly visible. 

June's Strawberry Moon rises over Twickenham, London on June 3, 2023. (Image credit: Tejas Sandhu/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

The Strawberry Moon illuminated the skies over the Gaza Strip, despite a somewhat cloudy night.

The full Strawberry Moon rises over Gaza Strip, on June 4, 2023. (Image credit: Sameh Rahmi/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

And moonwatchers in Ungaran, Central Java Province, Indonesia caught the Strawberry Moon peeking out from behind local flora.

The Strawberry moon rises over the sky in Ungaran, Central Java Province, Indonesia on June 3, 2023.  (Image credit: WF Sihardian/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

On Twitter, amateur astronomers shared their images of the Strawberry Moon from regions further afield than California. Amateur astrophotographer Jamal Nasir, who goes by the Twitter handle TheMoonGuy, imaged the June full moon from his home nation of Pakistan. 

The images show the moon with a powerful white glow replete with an incredible level of detail. Twitter user Anas also captured the moon from Pakistan, but this time with taking on a vivid yellow glow. 

Many cultures throughout the ages have assigned spiritual significance to the phases of the moon — especially the full moon. Even in more enlightened times, it is not hard to see why when viewing this image of the Strawberry Moon taken by Stonehenge Dronescapes shared by the Stonehenge U.K. Twitter account.

No less beautiful is the video of the full Strawberry Moon as it rises over Liverpool's historic River Mersey, Albert Dock and Liver building as livestreamed on YouTube by award-winning weather photographer Stephen Cheatley who goes by the handle Starman1969.

Cheatly also shared some incredible stills of the Strawberry Moon on his Twitter feed.

The next full moon, July's Buck Moon, will rise on Monday, July 3. 

Editor's Note: If you snap an image of the full moon, and would like to share it with Space.com's readers, send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com. 

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Robert Lea
Senior Writer

Robert Lea is a science journalist in the U.K. whose articles have been published in Physics World, New Scientist, Astronomy Magazine, All About Space, Newsweek and ZME Science. He also writes about science communication for Elsevier and the European Journal of Physics. Rob holds a bachelor of science degree in physics and astronomy from the U.K.’s Open University. Follow him on Twitter @sciencef1rst.