Strawberry moon over Ballenstedt: The celestial event was so spectacular!

Strawberry moon over Ballenstedt: The celestial event was so spectacular!

On the magical night of June 11th to 12th, 2025, nature lovers and amateur photographers in Cologne were able to admire a very special spectacle in the sky - the strawberry moon. Above the roofs of the city, standing low on the horizon and shining in a characteristic red, the full moon shone and captivated numerous people with its beauty. This special lunar phase, known as the Strawberry Moon or Rose Moon, occurs in June and marks the beginning of the strawberry harvest. Contrary to what the name suggests, the reddish color of the moon is not due to its color, but to its position in the sky, explains fotomagazin.de.

What's particularly interesting is that the 2025 Strawberry Moon coincides with the Nodal Rotation, an event that can only be observed every 18.6 years. This special constellation causes the moon to appear only about eleven degrees above the horizon when it rises, resulting in an impressive visual effect. The next comparable strawberry moon will not be visible again until 2043, making this night a unique experience, as news38.de reports.

Photography of the Strawberry Moon

For amateur photographers, this night offered the perfect opportunity to capture impressive images of the Strawberry Moon. Torsten Krause, a photographer from the Harz region, set out with his camera to find the best location to photograph the moon behind the historic Ballenstedt Castle. Using an app that indicates the ideal times for moon photography, he managed to capture breathtaking shots. However, the weather thwarted his plans as the conditions are often unpredictable, reports news38.de.

In order to take the perfect pictures, it is advisable to follow a few photography principles. A camera with manual settings is advisable, while a telephoto lens with at least 200mm focal length and a sturdy tripod are essential. Manual focusing and a low ISO number ensure the best image quality. The optimal time to take photos is shortly after moonrise, with a location with a clear view to the east and low light pollution being ideal, as fotomagazin.de notes.

An experience for city and country

The visual appearance of the strawberry moon was particularly impressive in many cities in Germany. Countless magnificent images of the strawberry moon were captured from the Munich Olympic site to Frankfurt and Lake Schwerin. Klaus Fischer, for example, documented the spectacle from a castle square in Dachau. In Cologne, too, the citizens were joyfully blinded by the celestial phenomenon. By the way, the strawberry moon gets its name not only because of its color, but also because of the strawberry harvest, which is currently in full swing and thus explains the catchy title "Strawberry Moon", as the Süddeutsche Zeitung leads.

Now we have to wait: we have to wait until 2043 for the next strawberry moon. But the memories of this magical night will probably stay with the people of Cologne for a long time.