Rare 'Strawberry Moon' to light up our skies TONIGHT - and phenomenon won't be seen again until 2043
Aussie stargazers are in for a treat as a rare lunar phenomenon lights up the skies.
The June full moon, also known as the Strawberry Moon, will reach its full strength at 5.43pm (AEST) just as the sun sets on Wednesday night.
This year, the Strawberry Moon will mark the final full moon before the winter solstice - shortest day and longest night of the year - on June 21.
The Strawberry Moon's height means it should be visible to the naked eye from plenty of vantage points, so long as the sky remains clear on Wednesday night.
It will start appearing at 5.43pm on the east coast of Australia, with viewing expected to be the best once the sun sets.
Contrary to its name, the moon will not have hues of pink or red and will instead take on a warm and golden hue.
The name originates from Native American traditions, where the June full moon marked the start of the wild strawberry harvest season in parts of North America.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the moon will appear unusually close to the horizon but in the Southern Hemisphere it's the opposite.
While the June full moon happens every year, this particular occurrence lines up with a rare astronomical event called a major lunar standstill.
The lunar standstill means the moon will reach the highest point possible in the southern sky - a phenomenon that only happens every 18.6 years.
For stargazers in the southern hemisphere, the moon will appear at the furthest point from the horizon and closest to the zenith - the 'highest' point in the sky overhead.
Astrophysicist and cosmologist at the Australian National University Doctor Brad Tucker explained the last time a lunar standstill was in 2006.
'In a lunar standstill, you get the furthest point north or the furthest point south in the moon's positioning,' Dr Tucker told the Sydney Morning Herald.
'This is the combination where you get the full moon that happens to be at the time when the moon is at its furthest point south for our southern skies.
'[The Moon's] just been slowly shuffling, so you're not gonna get this huge difference, but it will be a little bit higher.'
The Strawberry moon will be visible throughout the night but it is best to head somewhere without light pollution to best experience the lunar event.
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