Strawberry Moon photo from San Diego goes viral as Reddit users urge photographer to ‘copyright this immediately’

A beautiful photo of the moon rising behind the Mount Helix Cross in San Diego has gone viral on Reddit. The photo was taken during a rare event called the "Strawberry Moon," which lit up the skies on the night of June 10 and early morning of June 11.

The picture was shared by a photographer with the username "Evgeny Yorobe Photography" on Reddit. It was titled: "Full Strawberry Moon rising behind the Mount Helix Cross tonight." The image got thousands of likes and comments from users who were amazed by how stunning it looked. One user even said, "You should copyright this immediately."

The photo shows the golden-colored full moon rising behind the Mount Helix Cross. It was taken from a distance of 6.25 miles at the Quarry Loop in Mission Trails. The photographer used a Nikon Z8 camera and a Tamron 150-600 G2 lens. The settings used were f/6.3, 1/15 sec shutter speed, and ISO 250.

The photographer explained that the moon appears so big due to a photography trick called "lens compression." This involves using a long lens from far away to make the moon appear larger compared to objects in the foreground. In this case, the moon looks enormous behind the cross on the hill.

What is the Strawberry Moon?

The term "Strawberry Moon" is used for the full moon in June. It does not mean that the moon turns pink. The name comes from Native American tribes like the Algonquian, Ojibwe, Dakota, and Lakota, who used the full moons to mark seasons. The June full moon marked the time for harvesting strawberries and other fruits.

This year’s Strawberry Moon had a warm golden glow because of an event called a "major lunar standstill." This occurs every 18.6 years when the moon reaches the extreme points of its orbit. It also causes the moon to rise and set in the most northern and southern points on the horizon. Because of this, the moon appeared lower and larger in the sky than usual.

In fact, this year's Strawberry Moon was the lowest full moon in nearly 20 years. It reached its peak brightness at 3:44 AM Eastern Time on June 11. The next time we will see another major lunar standstill like this will be in 2043.

Social Media reactions

Reddit users were quick to shower love on the image. Comments poured in, praising the photographer’s skills. One person wrote, "Wow! What a stunning photo! Good job!" Another joked, "Imagine how beautiful this will be when it's littered with high rise apartments!" Some were curious about how the effect was achieved, leading to a discussion on lens compression and camera settings.

Many users advised the photographer to protect his work. "You should copyright this immediately," one wrote, fearing that such an amazing image could be copied or used without permission.

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For centuries, full moons have been given names by different cultures to track seasons. The "Strawberry Moon" is just one of many traditional names. Others include the "Wolf Moon" in January and the "Harvest Moon" in September or October.

The idea of naming full moons comes from the need to track natural events in the absence of modern calendars. The Strawberry Moon is especially significant because it marks the beginning of the summer fruit harvest in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere.

In conclusion, the viral Strawberry Moon photo from San Diego is not just a beautiful image. It is a mix of art, science, and culture. It reminded people of the beauty of the skies and also of the need to preserve and share such moments responsibly. With the next lunar standstill nearly 20 years away, this year’s full moon was truly special.