Colorado
June’s full moon is called a strawberry moon. How to see it in Colorado
Astronomy events to look out for the month of June
Professor Chris Palma shares the top astronomy events to watch this June, from the Strawberry Moon to the summer solstice.
June’s full moon is coming with a strawberry on top, and bottom, and is one not to be missed — unless the weather doesn’t cooperate.
Here’s what you need to know to enjoy this celestial show:
Best times to see the June strawberry full moon
The moon will be fullest the nights of June 10 and 11.
This June’s full moon is special in that while all June full moons ride low in the sky, this June’s full moon will be the lowest full moon since 2006, according to EarthSky. More on that later.
While the moon will shine on these nights, there are two special times to view this full moon. The moon will appear plump hanging low in the eastern horizon just after sunset, which is 8:30 p.m. MT in Fort Collins both evenings.
The strawberry moon is the most colorful of the year because it takes a low, shallow path across the sky, Bob Bonadurer, director of the Milwaukee Public Museum’s planetarium, told USA TODAY.
Another optimal viewing time is when the moon crests, the point at which it appears fullest and brightest. That will occur at 1:44 a.m. MT on June 11 and the moon will hang low in the west opposite the sunrise on June 11, which is at 5:29 a.m. in Fort Collins.
Why Tuesday might make for better full moon viewing than Wednesday in Fort Collins
The Fort Collins forecast calls for partly cloudy skies the night of June 10, according to the National Weather Service.
The forecast for the night of June 11 calls for mostly cloudy skies with a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms before 9 p.m. and a slight chance of showers between 9 p.m. and midnight.
Why the June moon is called the strawberry moon? Will it appear that color?
All full moons have names.
Some Native American tribes called the June full moon by this name because June is the time of year many berries ripen, especially strawberries, according to EarthSky.
Despite the name, don’t think of the color of this moon as a ripe strawberry. However, the moon’s low arc means more moonlight in the Earth’s atmosphere might add a hint of color.
“So there’s a chance it will actually look a little bit reddish or pink, and so that may also be part of the origin of the name,” Chris Palma, professor of astronomy and astrophysics at Penn State University, told AccuWeather.
Why this strawberry moon is special
This June’s full moon will ride the lowest since 2006 because of what’s called a “major lunar standstill,” according to EarthSky.
All June moons ride low in the sky and the sun rides high in the sky this time of year. The summer solstice is June 20.
“It’s all about the inclination of the moon’s orbit, which undergoes an 18.6-year cycle,” EarthSky’s John Jardine Goss told USA TODAY. “The cycle happens because the moon’s orbit is being slowly dragged around — mostly due to the pull of the sun — every 18.6 years.”
This year’s major lunar standstill culminated in January 2025. And we’re still close enough to it that the standstill is affecting the path of this June full moon, EarthSky said.
Reporting by USA TODAY reporter Doyle Rice contributed to this report.
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Colorado
Julian Lewis Says Deion Sanders’ Colorado ‘Wasn’t Really Looking at Defenses Much’ Last Season
Colorado quarterback Julian Lewis made a stunning admission that could explain the team’s 3-9 finish to the 2025 season.
While speaking to ESPNU at Big 12 media days, Lewis was asked what the biggest difference was between last year and this year, and he revealed that the Deion Sanders-coached Buffaloes typically didn’t watch film during his first season with the team.
“My play, I’m actually looking at the defenses now,” Lewis said. “Last year, we wasn’t really looking at defenses much, just kind of high school free-balling, just out there playing football. But it’s a lot bigger than that now, so it should be fun.”
Before taking a redshirt year, Lewis played in four games as a true freshman with two starts and threw for 589 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions while completing 55.3 percent of his passes. He should fare even better this season with the benefit of film study.
Lewis will enter the 2026 campaign as Colorado’s starting quarterback, so he will have the opportunity to show his improvements when the Buffaloes open the year against Georgia Tech on Sept. 3.
State and federal agencies are starting to reopen public lands, state wildlife areas and a segment of the Colorado River that were closed in light of the Snyder Fire in Mesa County.
Stage 2 fire restrictions — banning all open fire or flames, including charcoal grills and wood-burning stoves — remain in effect as extreme fire danger, spurred on by hot and dry conditions, persists across the region.
The Snyder Fire started on Friday, June 26, when several smaller fires burning on the Colorado-Utah border combined. As of July 7, the fire was 98% contained after burning over 30,200 acres and killing three wildland firefighters.
With fire activity decreasing and containment increasing, Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the Bureau of Land Management shared their plans Tuesday to reopen lands impacted by the wildfire.
Parks and Wildlife said in a news release that it, alongside the Bureau of Land Management, had lifted the closure for public access and downstream recreation on the Colorado River, starting at the James M. Robb-Colorado River State Park in Fruita and extending to the Utah state line. It also reopened the boat ramp at the Fruita section of the James M. Robb-Colorado River State Park in Fruita to downstream traffic.
The state agency’s Horsethief State Wildlife Area in Fruita and the Loma Boat Launch State Wildlife Area also reopened.
The BLM said in a news release that all lands within the perimeter of the Snyder Fire burn area remain closed to ensure public and firefighter safety.
“The burned landscape — including vegetation — remains dynamic and unpredictable as it naturally recovers from the fire impacts. This order is effective immediately and will remain in effect until the order is rescinded,” the BLM said.
Both agencies also warned that fire danger remains extremely elevated and Stage 2 fire restrictions are in place.
A map of current federal and state fire restrictions is available on the Rocky Mountain Area Interagency Fire Restriction Dashboard or by visiting DFPC.Colorado.Gov/sections/wildfire-information-center. The Colorado Trails Explorer (or COTREX) app also has wildfire closure alerts.
Under current conditions, Parks and Wildlife advised the following actions to prevent sparking wildfires:
- Use established rings: Where permitted, only build campfires inside permanent metal fire rings in designated campgrounds.
- Clear nearby debris: Remove all dry grass, leaves and pine needles within a 10-foot radius of any flame.
- Drown and stir: Extinguish fires completely with water, stir the ashes, and ensure the debris is cold to the touch.
- Watch campfires constantly: Never leave a fire or portable stove unattended. If you see an unattended fire, call 911.
- Keep vehicles off brush: Avoid parking or idling cars on tall, dry grass where hot exhaust systems can ignite a fire.
- Secure towing equipment: Ensure trailer safety chains do not drag and spark against asphalt. Check them at every stop.
The BLM added that under its Stage 2 restrictions, smoking is prohibited except in an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials.
Gas-powered stoves or grills with a shut-off valve are still allowed in cleared areas under this stage.
Violating Stage 2 fire restrictions by lighting a campfire is a Class 2 misdemeanor. Violators face an immediate citation, a mandatory court appearance, steep fines and potential jail time. Additionally, you can be held financially liable for all fire suppression costs and property damage if the campfire sparks a wildfire.
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