On Wednesday, the full moon will be full in a rare and unique astronomical phenomenon over the skies of Jordan and the world.

Arab Weather - The June full moon will be complete on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, at 10:45 a.m. and will be below the horizon. From the capital, Amman, the moon will rise on the evening of the same day at 8:14 p.m. Jordan time, at an azimuth angle of 114 degrees towards the southeastern horizon. However, what distinguishes this full moon is not its completion itself, but rather its unusually low rising position in the sky, which constitutes a rare astronomical event that only occurs once every 18.6 years, and is known in astrophysics as the major lunar solstice (Lunistice).

This phenomenon occurs as a result of the complex interaction between the gravity of the Earth, the Sun, and the Moon, in addition to the tilt of the Moon's orbit (about 5 degrees from the Earth's orbit around the Sun) and the Earth's own axis of rotation. This long cycle causes the Moon's tilt to change over the years, reaching its maximum angular deviation north and south from the celestial equator at the lunar solstice, about ±28.5 degrees.

During this period, the moon can rise and set from points very far north or south on the horizon, points it only reaches during this rare phenomenon. The year 2025 marks the peak of this cycle, the first time it has occurred since 2006, and it will not be repeated for about two decades.

On the night of Wednesday, June 11, ten days before the summer solstice on June 21, a full moon known in some cultures as the "Strawberry Moon" (a name unrelated to its color) will appear very low in the southern sky, about five degrees lower than the sun's winter low point, a very rare occurrence for a full moon.

Jordan's geographical location lies at a mid-latitude, making it an ideal location for observing this phenomenon. From the rooftops of Amman, to the rose-red city of Petra, through the deserts of Wadi Rum, and the historical and archaeological sites scattered throughout the Kingdom, Jordanians will be able to watch the moon rise low on the horizon toward the south, as if touching the tops of hills and mountains.

Because moonlight passes through dense layers of the atmosphere at this low altitude, the light is scattered, making the moon appear warm, ranging from orange to red, giving the view a special aesthetic that attracts photographers and sky enthusiasts.

Ancient civilizations have long been interested in the movements and extreme positions of the moon. Monuments such as the Callanish Stones in Scotland and Chaco Canyon in the United States were built in precise alignment with the extreme positions of moonrise and sunset. In our region, including Jordan, lunar cycles were a cornerstone in determining agricultural seasons and calendars, and may even have influenced the distribution of some astronomically oriented archaeological sites.

This event represents a rare opportunity for the scientific community, astronomy enthusiasts, and photographers to document rare moments. The Jordanian Astronomical Society will organize open invitations for astronomical photography enthusiasts to capture iconic documentary images of the full moon from archaeological and tourist sites across the Kingdom, as part of its efforts to promote astronomical tourism and connect the sky with history and heritage.

Photographers are advised to plan ahead to observe the moon near the horizon, where the visual effect is most spectacular. This phenomenon also provides rich educational material for schools and universities.

On the other side of the globe, such as South Africa, Chile and New Zealand, the full moon will rise high in the southern sky to light up the long winter nights, in a scene completely opposite to what will be seen in Jordan. And in the far north, such as Iceland and Alaska, the moon will not appear at all as it remains below the horizon.

Global observatories, such as the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, are also preparing to organize special events for this rare night, which will have a scientific, cultural, and artistic dimension.

Because 2025 marks the major lunar solstice, the Moon's path across the sky will be wider than usual, meaning it will reach locations further north and south. As a result, the Moon will likely appear in constellations outside the traditional zodiac. The full moon on this day will transit Ophiuchus and Sagittarius. The Moon may also appear in 18 constellations and signs: the 13 zodiac signs, plus Sextant, Orion, Auriga, Capricorn, and Corvus.

Dr. Ammar Al-Sakaji

President of the Jordanian Astronomical Society