Moonrise at St. Michaels Mount, Cornwall, UK by Ashley Hampson

The Strawberry Moon

I had planned to shoot the moon rising behind the Castle and I was in position a good hour before it was due to rise. I spent some time watching the clouds, hoping for a clear spell, but it wasn’t looking good. The clouds were dominant.

I was about to pack up and call it a night but I noticed a small clearing close to the horizon. I ran across the beach to recompose my shot and I managed to get several photographs. About 2 minutes after this shot was taken, the moon was completely covered by cloud.

This was the last supermoon of 2021. Traditionally in North America and Europe, Full Moons have been given names linked to local cultures and customs. According to The Old Farmer's Almanac, "This name (Strawberry Moon) has been used by Algonquin, Ojibwe, Dakota, and Lakota peoples, among others, to mark the ripening of 'June-bearing' strawberries that are ready to be gathered."