Supermoon in August 2024: The First of the Year!

Photo Credit

Colleen Quinnell

Catch the Full Sturgeon Supermoon

August 20, 2024

August’s Full Moon will peak on Monday, August 19, but it will appear full for three days—through early Wednesday morning. Plus, it’s a supermoon—the very first of 2024—so it’s bigger and brighter than usual! We’ll explain what makes the August Moon special and how to view this gorgeous summer sight best.

When to See the Full Moon in August 2024

August’s full Moon will crest on Monday, August 19, reaching peak illumination at 2:26 P.M. Eastern Time. In the evening, look toward the southeast after sunset to glimpse the Sturgeon Moon rising.

First Supermoon of the Year

This is the first of four consecutive supermoons of the year! This means that it will appear bigger and brighter than the full Moons we have seen thus far! Learn about what it means to be a Supermoon.

And It’s a Blue Moon

Some folks are calling it a “Blue Moon.” Wonder why? One definition of Blue Moon is the third full Moon in a season with four full Moons.

Here at The Old Farmer’s ��, we usually use the more common definition for Blue Moon, which refers to two full Moons in a single month. We call the first Moon its traditional name (which is Sturgeon Moon for August) and the second full Moon a Blue Moon.

Learn more about the term, Blue Moon.

Why Is It Called the Sturgeon Moon?

The full Moon of August is traditionally called the “Sturgeon Moon.”

The full Moon names used by The Old Farmer’s �� have different origins, 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

The name Sturgeon Moon comes from the giant lake sturgeon of the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain; this native freshwater fish was readily caught during this part of summer and an important food staple for Native Americans who lived in the region. At one time the lake sturgeon was quite abundant in late summer, though they are rarer today.

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 a 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.

The word "sturgeon" means "the stirrer," which is what this giant fish does when it is looking for food; it stirs up the mud and silt on river and lake bottoms. Notice the pointed snout and whisker-like tactile organs near the mouth. Credit: Tennessee Aquarium..jpg — The word “sturgeon” means “the stirrer,” which is what this giant fish does when it is looking for food; it stirs up the mud and silt on river and lake bottoms. Notice the pointed snout and whisker-like tactile organs near the mouth. Credit: Tennessee Aquarium.

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.

→&�Բ��;See all Full Moon names and their meanings.

Moon Phases for August 2024

See Moon phase dates and times below. Note: All dates and times are ET. Go to the Moon Phase Calendar for your time zone.

Moon Phases for August 2024

	New Moon: August 4, 7:13 A.M.
	First Quarter: August 12, 11:19 A.M.
	Full Moon: August 19, 2:26 P.M.
	Last Quarter: August 26, 5:26 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 2024

Below are the best days for activities, according to the Moon’s sign and phase in August.

Activity	Best Days
Cutting Hay	22, 23
Harvest Aboveground Crops	6, 7
Fishing	4-19

→&�Բ��;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!

Full Moon Names

Comments

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Go out of the city to watch the moon. And stars

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Has anyone ever figured out why the days leading up to a full moon makes those of us with chronic illness feel worse? Especially pain and sleepiness.

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It affects people differently based on where it hits in their astrology birth charts - check yours out ! It's eye opening for surw

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Parasites are highly active 3 days before through 3 days after the full moon. They are slightly less active the same duration of the new moon. Do you crave sugar then?

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I have chronic pain of Rheumatoid arthritis. The rising tide at full moon is associated with metabolic 'high tides' in the human body, eg increases in hypertension, water retention and increased inflammation, and is traditionally known- also a verified fact of science- to have effects on our circadian rhythms/sleep cycle. People spend 30% less time in NREM sleep (deep sleep) and typically sleep 20 minutes less than when there isn't a full moon, due to decreased levels of melatonin at the time of full moon. Switch off computer screens earlier than usual, reduce blue light exposure to sleep a bit better at this time of month.

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Leslie-

Check out our article: Does the Full Moon Make People Crazy? How The Moon Affects Us.

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Yes it true that it affects people, but in different ways. It can make you feel sleepy, flu like, it makes some angry, moody, and some people feel energized, happy. There is a lot of ways it can affect people. It affects the ocean as well. It’s the polarity, it’s strong during a full moon, especially when the moon is as close as it’s been. There are sites you can get this information, and it is all scientific fact.

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