Recently, we witnessed one of the most spectacular meteor showers of the year as the Perseid meteor shower passed over Earth alongside the Eta Aquarids. However, as the summer stargazing events roll into August, the celestial show in the night sky is far from over. The first supermoon of 2024 has risen earlier this week, continuing to captivate skywatchers around the world.
This “supermoon” is the first of four supermoons this year, appearing larger than average (they may appear about 7% larger) and even more rare as it also takes on the title of a Blue Moon. Traditionally, August’s full moon is known as the Sturgeon Moon, coinciding this year with an overlap with Saturn, giving plenty to talk about concerning lunar phenomena this summer.
On August 19, the moon reached its fullness at 2:16 p.m. Eastern Time in the United States, making it visible on the Western horizon. It was only after sunset that the almost full moon could be seen rising, directly opposite the sun’s setting in the west.
Explaining the titles of the Supermoon, Blue Moon, and Sturgeon Moon: a Supermoon appears larger due to the elliptical shape of the moon’s orbit, bringing it closer or farther from Earth at certain points. When it reaches its closest point, it is considered a Supermoon, which this year will be on August 21—very close to a full moon but not necessarily at its exact closest point.
Conversely, when the moon is at its farthest point from Earth, it becomes the opposite of a Supermoon: a Micro Moon.
The term Blue Moon is usually a figure of speech. However, when an event is said to happen “once in a Blue Moon,” it sometimes does occur. Typically, there are three full moons each season, one per month. Occasionally, a season will feature four full moons due to extra lunar cycles falling at the beginning or end of a month. When this occurs, the third full moon in that season is called a Blue Moon. The August full moon fits these conditions this year.
Regarding the Sturgeon Moon, it is merely the name given to the full moon of August. This traditional designation originates from Colonial and Native American cultures. Sturgeon, large bottom-feeding fish found in the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain, were a significant food source for indigenous tribes in the region.
These ancient fish are known for stirring up mud at the lake bottom during feeding, hence the name “sturgeon,” derived from the Old French word “estourgeon,” meaning to stir. They are often referred to as “living fossils,” with a lifespan of up to 150 years and size ranges comparable to that of a passenger car.
In conclusion, this August, we have been treated to a Super Sturgeon Blue Full Moon.
Before the moon disappears from view, another rare sight graced the sky. On August 21, it closely approached Saturn, appearing to fly past the ringed planet from certain vantage points on Earth. When a celestial body passes in front of another, this event is described as an “occultation.” While Latin America, Europe, and Africa may witness the moon occulting Saturn, viewers in the Eastern United States saw the Moon in close proximity, with the Sturgeon Moon’s fullness passing slightly north of the gas giant shortly after sunset.
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