Overview

• The moon will be at peak illumination at 3:55 a.m. ET on August 9 and appears full on the nights of August 8 and 9 thanks to the moon illusion
• Light from the Sturgeon Moon will wash out dimmer Perseid meteors when that shower peaks on August 12–13, following the recent Southern Delta Aquariids and Alpha Capricornids
• The Old Farmer’s Almanac popularized the ‘Sturgeon Moon’ name to mark prime sturgeon fishing season in the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain
• Conservation efforts have boosted lake sturgeon populations, prompting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to remove them from ESA consideration in 2024
• Observers are advised to find dark, unobstructed horizons away from city lights for the best view of the lunar disk near the horizon