Tag Archives: Thursday

The Full Strawberry Moon – Thursday, June 24, 2021, at 2:40 PM ET

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Full Strawberry Moon
Full Strawberry Moon

The next full Moon will occur on Thursday, June 24, 2021, at 2:40 PM ET, and is known as the Strawberry Moon.

Old Farmer’s Almanac

Used by the Algonquin, Ojibwe, Dakota, and Lakota peoples, among others, this name came about because ripe strawberries were ready to be gathered at this time.

Similarly, Berries Ripen Moon is a Haida term. Blooming Moon (Anishinaabe) is indicative of the flowering season. The time for tending crops is indicated by Green Corn Moon (Cherokee) and Hoer Moon (Western Abenaki).

Eighteenth-century Captain Jonathan Carver wrote that Native Americans whom he had visited used the term Hot Moon.

The Tlingit used the term Birth Moon, referring to the time when certain animals are born in their region. Egg Laying Moon and Hatching Moon are Cree terms for this period.

Here’s a video on June’s Strawberry Moon, featuring Amy Nieskens

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Full Wolf Moon rises on Thursday, January 28, 2021, at 2:18 P.M. EST

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THE FULL WOLF MOON
THE FULL WOLF MOON

WHY IS IT CALLED THE FULL WOLF MOON?

The full Moon names used by The Old Farmer’s Almanac come from a number of places, including Native American, Colonial American, and European sources. Traditionally, each full Moon name was applied to the entire lunar month in which it occurred, not just to the full Moon itself.

It’s thought that January’s full Moon came to be known as the Wolf Moon because wolves were more often heard howling at this time. It was traditionally believed that wolves howled due to hunger during winter, but we know today that wolves howl for other reasons. Howling and other wolf vocalizations are generally used to define territory, locate pack members, reinforce social bonds, and coordinate hunting.

Alternative January Moon Names

Another fitting name for this full Moon is the Center Moon. Used by the Assiniboine people, it refers to the idea that this Moon roughly marks the middle of the winter season.

Other traditional names for the January Moon emphasize the harsh coldness of the season: Cold Moon (Cree), Frost Exploding Moon (Cree), Freeze Up Moon (Algonquin), Severe Moon (Dakota), and Hard Moon (Dakota). See all 12 months of Full Moon names and their meanings.

Here’s a video for January’s Full Wolf Moon narrated by Amy Nieskens

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