August’s Full Sturgeon Moon and Celestial Happenings

With the days getting shorter and Fall approaching, we anticipate the final full moon of Summer—the Sturgeon Moon. This full moon will grace the sky on Saturday, August 9, at 3:55 AM EST. The moon will appear full the night before and continue to shine bright until the night after.

The Native Algonquin fishing tribes named this moon the Sturgeon Moon because sturgeons—large, ancient fish found in the Great Lakes—were abundant during this time. These sturgeons, reaching lengths of up to 12 feet, played a vital role in the tribes’ survival.

Further south, tribes referred to this moon as The Full Red Moon due to the summer haze giving the moon a reddish tint. It has also been known as the Fruit Moon, the Grain Moon, and the Green Corn Moon, symbolizing the ripening of these foods as the harvest season approaches.

Perseid Meteor Show

A few days after the Full Sturgeon Moon peaks, the Perseid Meteors will dazzle spectators with their peak display during the overnight hours of August 12-13. Under ideal conditions, with clear skies and minimal light pollution, including natural light from the full moon, you may witness up to 100 meteors streaking across the sky per hour!

The best way to observe the Perseids is to find a location with minimal light pollution and look directly up. All meteors originate from a single point in the Perseus constellation, known as the radiant. Locate Perseus in the north to northeastern sky and follow the trails of the meteors.

Jupiter and Venus

Additionally, on August 11 and 12, look to the east just before sunrise to catch sight of Jupiter and Venus. These two planets, shining brightly in the sky besides the moon, will make their closest approach to Earth.