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August brings not one, but two full moons, both of which are supermoons, making it a celestial delight for skywatchers. Tuesday, August 1, will see the first of these brilliant lunar displays, known as the sturgeon moon, following a weekend of meteor showers. For those who look up at the night sky, the supermoon phenomenon makes it significantly bigger and brighter than a usual full moon.
In the past, Native Americans, colonial Americans, and Europeans watched full moons and gave them particular names. This is how the name "sturgeon moon" came to be. The name was given because there were so many big sturgeon in the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain in the summer.
These magnificent fish have been around for more than 100 million years and are frequently referred to as living fossils. Sadly, their populations have drastically fallen as a result of overfishing and habitat degradation.
A supermoon happens when the moon's orbit puts it closer to Earth than usual, providing skywatchers with an amazing cosmic display. The August 1st sturgeon moon will peak around 2:32 p.m. ET, but when it rises above the southeast horizon after sunset, it will still look full and bright. Its splendor is enhanced by the supermoon title, which makes it appear bigger and brighter than a typical full moon.
There will be a total of four supermoons in 2023, making it a notable year for them. The full moon on August 30th will be notable because it will be a blue moon, which denotes the second full moon of the month. So, mark your calendars for two wonderful moonlit evenings.
The names of each full moon have cultural importance and are linked to distinct customs. Numerous societies, including indigenous peoples, colonial settlers, and European cultures, have named full moons. It's interesting to note that these titles were originally used for the entire lunar month, not simply the full moon's nocturnal period.
