A bright and enormous moon will light up the night from this Friday until the early hours of Saturday, when it will reach its maximum splendor. This is the August full moon, known as the Sturgeon Moon, which will also be a Supermoon, meaning it will appear 7% larger than normal.
To appreciate its true size, it is recommended to observe it from dark locations, away from city lights. However, Kelsey Young, NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD)’s lunar science objectives for the Artemis 2 mission, acknowledged that “the great thing about the full moon is that even if you’re in a big city with lots of lights, you can really see the full moon.”
The Sturgeon Moon will reach its fullest extent during the early hours of Saturday; however, it will appear full for a few more days. This is why some other astronomical spectacles, such as planetary alignments or the Perseid meteor shower, will be overshadowed by moon’s radiance.
Why is the August full moon called the Sturgeon Moon?
The August full moon has been named this way because this is the time of year when sturgeon fish are most easily caught. However, that’s not it’s only name. It is also known as the Black Cherry Moon, because this is the time when this fruit begins to ripen.
When are the next full moons?
- September 7: Corn Moon
- October 6: Harvest Moon
- November 5: Beaver Moon
- December 4: Cold Moon
