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The biggest and brightestfull moon of 2024so far will uprise today ( Aug. 19 ) , but its unusual name take explaining . Although August ’s full moon is typically called the " Sturgeon Moon , " this month , it ’s also a " blue supermoon . "
The Sturgeon Moon , at its entire on Aug. 19 at 2:25 p.m. EDT , is call a blue moon because of an astronomical quirk . There are two types of blue moon : a monthly aristocratic lunation ( the second full moon in a month ) and a seasonal blue moon ( the third of four full moon in the same astronomic time of year ) . Since thesummer solsticeon June 20 , there have been full moonshine on June 22 and July 21 . The Sturgeon Moon on Aug. 19 and the following full moon , the Harvest Moon , on Sept. 18 will occur before theequinoxon Sept. 22 .
The moon appears nearly full over Madrid’s business district on Aug. 18. It will be appear completely full on Aug. 19 at 2:25 p.m. EDT.
Blue moons of either case come once every two to three years , accord toNASA . The last seasonal blue moons were in October 2020 and August 2021 , and the next seasonal blue lunar month will occur in May 2027 , according totimeanddate.com
Best see rising above the easterly sensible horizon at moonrise on Monday , the Sturgeon Moon will also appear vivid on Tuesday . Stargazing binocularsandbackyard telescopesaren’t necessary to enjoy the full moon , but may help reveal details on the lunar surface not seeable to the bare optic .
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August ’s full synodic month is discover for sturgeon Pisces the Fishes that are found in the Great Lakes at this time of twelvemonth , according totimeanddate.com . The Anishinaabeg people call the August moon Minoomini Giizis , which means " the Grain ( Wild Rice ) Moon , " according to theCenter for Native American Studies .
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This month ’s full moonshine is also a supermoon — a event of the moon ’s monthly orbit around Earth not being a perfect circle . Each month , the moon reaches its closest point to Earth , have sex as perigee . When perigee coincides with a full moon , it ’s a supermoon .
There will be four supermoons in 2024 , start with the Sturgeon Moon . The nigh full moon of the year will be the Hunter ’s Moon on Oct. 17 . The next full lunation will be the Harvest Moon on Sept. 17 . In addition to being one of the advantageously - known full moons of the year , part of the 2024 Harvest Moon will excrete through Earth ’s shadow during the night , do it to become part occult by Earth .
