August is arguably the most exciting month out of the year for stargazers. Starting at 11:59 AM EDT on Monday, August 3, you’ll be able to see August’s most spectacular full moon, also known as the “sturgeon” moon. Yes, that’s “sturgeon” like the fish.
“The Maine Farmer’s Almanac first published ‘Indian’ names for the full moons in the 1930s, and over time these names have become widely known and used,” explains NASA, adding, “As the full moon in August and the second full moon of summer, the Algonquin tribes in what is now the northeastern USA called this the Sturgeon Moon after the large fish that were more easily caught this time of year in the Great Lakes and other major bodies of water.” Alternative names used for this moon include “barley,” “green corn,” and “fruit” moon.
