Catch the Full Sturgeon Supermoon!
August’s full Sturgeon Moon reaches its peak on Thursday, August 11, 2022. It will be the last supermoon of the year! Learn when to look for it and why August’s Full Moon got such a peculiar name.
When to See the Full Moon in August 2022
August’s full Moon will appear on the night of Thursday, August 11, reaching peak illumination at 9:36 P.M. Eastern Time. On either of these nights, look toward the southeast after sunset to catch a glimpse of the Sturgeon Moon rising.
→ Consult our Moonrise and Moonset Calculator to see precisely when the Sturgeon Moon will be visible in your area!
Summer’s Last Supermoon
The Sturgeon Moon rounds out this year’s parade of four supermoons, which started in May! Supermoons are commonly defined as full Moons that occur while the Moon is at its nearest point to Earth. (Because its orbit is not a perfect circle, the Moon’s distance from Earth changes throughout the month.) Supermoons are ever-so-slightly closer to Earth than the average full Moon, which technically makes them extra large and bright from Earth’s perspective.
→ Read more about this year’s supermoons here!
Why Is It Called the Sturgeon Moon?
The full Moon names used by The Old Farmer’s Almanac come from a number of places, including Native American, Colonial American, and European sources. Traditionally, each full Moon name was applied to the entire lunar month in which it occurred, not solely to the full Moon.
The Sturgeon Moon
August’s full Moon was traditionally called the Sturgeon Moon because the giant sturgeon of the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain were most readily caught during this part of summer.
What Is a Sturgeon?
These prehistoric-looking fish have been traced back to around 136 million years ago and many people call them “living fossils.”
- Females require around 20 years to start reproducing, and they can only reproduce every 4 years. However, they can live up to 150 years!
- Today, there are about 29 species worldwide, including the lake sturgeon found in the Great Lakes. They have evolved in size from the size of a bass to monster sturgeon as big as a Volkswagen.
- The lake sturgeon is quite rare today, due to intense overfishing in the 19th century, pollution, and damage to their habitat.
Alternative August Moon Names
Flying Up Moon is a Cree term describing the time when young birds are finally ready to take the leap and learn to fly.
Corn Moon (Algonquin, Ojibwe), Harvest Moon (Dakota), and Ricing Moon (Anishinaabe) signify that this is the time to gather maturing crops. Along the same vein, the Assiniboine people named this period Black Cherries Moon, referring to when chokecherries become ripe.
The Tlingit people of the Pacific Northwest traditionally called this time of the season the Mountain Shadows Moon.
→ See all Full Moon names and their meanings.
Moon Phases for August 2022
See Moon phase dates and times below. Note: All dates and times are ET. Go to the Moon Phase Calendar for your time zone.
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First Quarter: August 5, 7:07 A.M. |
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Full Moon: August 11, 9:36 P.M. |
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Last Quarter: August 19, 12:36 A.M. |
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New Moon: August 27, 4:16 A.M. |
→ For your next full Moon, see our Full Moon Dates chart.
Full Sturgeon Moon Video
Each month, we will explain the traditional names of the Full Moon along with some fascinating facts. In this video, learn about the Full Sturgeon Moon. Click below to watch the video.
Best Days in August 2022
Below are the best days for activities, according to the Moon’s sign and phase in August.
| Activity | Best Days |
| Cutting Hay | 15, 16 |
| Setting Eggs | 10–12, 19, 20 |
| Fishing | 1-11, 27–31 |
→ See Best Days for MORE activities.
Moon Folklore
- Clothes washed for the first time in the full Moon will not last long.
- If you glimpse the new Moon over your right shoulder, you will have good luck.
- To have a project prosper, start it during the new Moon.
- Babies born a day after the full Moon enjoy success and endurance.
Share your thoughts about this month’s moon below!
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I was blessed to witness few nights of full moon, and moon with a very bright star next to it I took some picture but not clear it was about 2,3am,breathtaking
I was blessed to witness few nights of full moon, and moon with a very bright star next to it I took some picture but not clear it was about 2,3am,breathtaking
Next year, 2023, we'll have two full moons in August. So, which will be called the Sturgeon Moon? 1st (UTC), or 31st (UTC), or both? If not both, what will be a name for the other one?
My idea is, 1st: Sturgeon / 31st: Blue, and this wil be applied to another month too (I mean, May 31st of 2026's moon also will be a Blue moon, not a Flower moon). Is this correct?
As this is not the first case definitely, there must be an answer already. But I cannot find it. Thank you for your help.
You are correct. The first full Moon typically goes by the most popular name (Sturgeon Moon, in the case of August). The second full Moon in any calendar month is known as a Blue Moon, but it may also go by one of the month’s other Moon names (such as Flying Up Moon or Black Cherries Moon for August).
Thank you! I understand very well.
I hope you see beautiful moons :D
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