Astronomy enthusiasts can look forward to a series of celestial events in the coming months, beginning with the full August “sturgeon moon.” This moon will mark the first of four consecutive supermoons and will also qualify as a seasonal blue moon.
The full moon will reach its peak illumination on Monday, August 19, at 2:25 p.m. Eastern Time. Despite its classification as a blue moon, it will not actually appear blue. The term refers to its rarity, as it is the third of four full moons occurring within the summer season, which runs from June 20 to September 22 this year. The summer will feature four full moons—one each on June 21, July 21, August 19, and September 17—rather than the typical three.
A blue moon can also refer to a monthly blue moon, which occurs when there are two full moons within a single calendar month. However, that will not be the case for August’s moon. According to NASA, monthly blue moons happen roughly every two to three years due to the lunar cycle lasting about 29.5 days, which occasionally allows a full moon at the start and end of the same month.
Similarly, seasonal blue moons also occur around once every two to three years, making them uncommon, but not extremely rare.
As for when to observe the August full moon, it will be nearly full at 98% illumination on the evening of Sunday, August 18. It will appear completely illuminated on the night of August 19 and then 99% illuminated on Tuesday, August 20. In the New York City area, the near-full moon will rise in the east-southeastern sky around 7:36 p.m. on Sunday, while on Monday, the full supermoon will rise at approximately 8:07 p.m. The rise times in the Philadelphia region will be similar, occurring around 7:38 p.m. and 8:10 p.m., respectively.
Supermoons are characterized by their proximity to Earth during their full phase, making them appear larger and up to 30% brighter than a standard full moon. The definition of a supermoon varies among astronomers, with many agreeing that a supermoon occurs when the moon is closer than 223,000 miles to Earth during its full phase.
The August full moon is commonly referred to as the “sturgeon moon” due to the sturgeon fish, which were plentiful in North American waters during this time in history. Other nicknames include the “green corn moon” and the “grain moon,” referencing the beginning of the corn harvest in various U.S. regions.
Len Melisurgo can be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com or on X at @LensReality.