When to See Full Moon August 2021

Rosemary August 11, 2021 | 10:57

August’s full Sturgeon Moon reaches its peak on Sunday, August 22, 2021. Learn when and how to see the full moon this month.

Photo Physics in My View

Full moons happen when the moon is located opposite the sun, with the Earth directly in between. This alignment will happen next at 8:02 a.m. ET on Sunday, August 22.

At this time, the moon will reach peak illumination, appearing like a perfect circle in the sky. While observers in North America will not be able to see the moon at this exact moment because it will already have set below the horizon, our natural satellite will appear full to the untrained eye on the night before and after this peak.

The full moon in August is commonly referred to as the sturgeon moon because Native American tribes once considered this a prime time for catching the giant fish in the continent's lakes. Because this year's sturgeon moon is the third of four full moons in the Northern Hemisphere's summer—and the Southern Hemisphere's winter—it is also known as a "blue moon."

When to see Full Moon August 2021

Photo Space

August’s full Moon will first appear on the night of Saturday, August 21, before reaching peak illumination at 8:02 A.M. Eastern Time on Sunday, August 22. On either of these nights, look toward the southeast after sunset to catch a glimpse of the Sturgeon Moon rising.

Another August astronomy highlight to keep an eye out for is the annual Perseid meteor shower, which goes from late July to late August. The meteors will reach their maximum in the hours just before dawn (while it’s still dark) between August 11 and 13! The Moon will have just been in its New phase on August 8, so we won’t have to worry about a bright Moon washing out the meteors! Learn how and when to see the Perseid meteor shower.

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.

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.

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.

Photo Astrology and Sprrituality

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.

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.

Blue Moon

There are actually two different definitions of a blue moon. The one coming up later this month is a "seasonal blue moon." This refers to the third full moon in an astronomical season that has four full moons.

The other definition of blue moon is a "monthly blue moon." This definition refers to the second full moon in a calendar month with two full moons.

The time between full moons is roughly 29.5 days, but most calendar months are slightly longer. This discrepancy means that most months only have one full moon, but every so often two will appear in the same month.

Both types of blue moons come around roughly every two or three years, although monthly blue moons are slightly more frequent. The next seasonal blue moon will appear on August 19, 2024, according to TimeAndDate.com.

These definitions have nothing to do with the color of the moon. Sometimes, however, the moon does actually appear blue, although this phenomenon is uncommon and only occurs under specific conditions.

The moon can appear blue when the atmosphere above a given location is filled with ash or dust particles of just the right size, according to SpaceWeather.com These particles can scatter red light being reflected off the moon in such a way that it looks blue in appearance.

Thus, in incredibly rare circumstances, it is possible that a seasonal or monthly blue moon may actually appear blue in color from some locations.

Moon phrases for August 2021

Photo Space

New Moon: August 8, 9:50 A.M.

First Quarter: August 15, 11:21 A.M.

Full Moon: August 22, 8:02 A.M.

Last Quarter: August 30, 3:15 A.M.

Best days in August 2021

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

Activity Best Days

Cutting Hay 25, 26

Setting Eggs 1, 20, 21, 29, 30

Fishing 8-22

What is Full Buck Moon (July 23): Meaning and How To See

July’s full Buck Moon is coming up— rising after sunset on Friday, July 23. Keep reading the article below to learn more about this full ...

Qantas's Supermoon Flight: Ticket Price, Schedule, Passenger and Lunar Views

Qantas airlines offers passengers chance to see supermoon from sky or flight to nowhere during Covid-19 pandemic. What is Supermoon Flight: Ticket Price, Date&Schedule, ...

What is Snowmoon: Name Origin, Date, Time and Interesting Myths

It is predicted that there would be a super full moon called "Snowmoon" on Saturday, February 27 2021. Read the article below for more information ...