The moon is nearly full again, and will reach its culmination just hours before the true beginning of summertime, also known as the summer solstice. 

We've been exploring some of the names given to each moon of the year. The last two full moon names were related to flowers, but now as spring warms to summer we have progressed from flowering to fruiting.

Our last full moon of spring is the Full Strawberry Moon on June 20th

The precise time is early that morning, so Sunday night's moon will actually be closer to full than Monday night, but it will be beautiful both nights. Look for bright Saturn and the brilliant, red star Antares (the heart of Scorpius) near the moon Sunday night. 

This full moon just barely squeaks into being a spring moon, giving us a rarity of 4 full moons this spring. This caused what is known as a seasonal blue moon last month. Our monthly (or moonthly) clock ticks on.

The Full Moon seen from Grayson Highlands State Park

The summer solstice start date ranges from June 20-22, but why?

It has to do with the fact our calendar year is 365 days while the time it takes the Earth to do one orbit around the Sun, a tropical year, is a tad bit longer. We typically hear a year is 365 and a ¼ days, which is why we have a leap year every 4 years. A year is technically 365.242199 days, but who’s counting? Scientists, that’s who.

If this full moon happened to be one day later, it would be our first summer moon. Flowers are giving way to fruit, gardens are growing, the weather is heating up, more people are swimming and paddling the waters, hiking, and being mesmerized by lightning bugs as summertime adventures ramp up into full swing.

Summertime kicks off plenty of fun recreational activities at Virginia State Parks

The days are noticeably longer, and the summer solstice is particularly long. The word solstice equates to the sun standing still or seeming to stop - relating to the fact that the sun is visible for so long on this day. 

Cultures across the globe have made careful observations of the sun, moon, and stars for thousands of years. Different cultures also built stone structures aligned with the rising of the sun on this special day and have long practiced ceremonies and celebrations on summer and winter solstice.

Strawberry season

Some folks celebrate the first official day of summer by eating fresh strawberries. 

Around Virginia wild strawberries ripen during late spring. These small little sweet treats have been relished by people and wildlife for many moons. Anyone who has ever had them can tell you wild strawberries are tiny, but what they lack in size they more than make up for in deliciousness and sweetness.

Wild edibles should always be properly identified by a knowledgeable person before consumption. This has always been a time for good, vitamin-rich and oh-so-sweet fruit of the earth to be harvested for food and medicine. 

The clockwork of the seasons and tides have guided our activity and life cycles for many, many moons. A reminder this world provides everything needed for our well-being and survival. A reminder we are not apart from nature, but a part of nature.

Learn more about all the fun outside activities at Virginia State Parks here.