TOLEDO, Ohio — The full moon for August is coming up on Monday - and it's a moon known by many names. Here's what they're called and why.
Sturgeon moon
"Sturgeon" is the Native American name for August's full moon. Native Americans named the full moons to help keep track of the seasons. It is called the Sturgeon Moon because of the amount of sturgeon that would be caught during the month of August.
Blue moon
There are two kinds of blue moons: monthly and seasonal. A blue moon means that this is the third of four full moons for the summer season, which is a rare occurrence. A monthly blue moon means this is the second full moon for that month.
The saying "once in a blue moon" means something is rare. This may have its origins in a volcanic eruption that, when smoke and ash obstructed the atmosphere, made the moon appear blue; it may also originate from the old English word "belewe," which means "to betray." Some scholars postulate moon-gazers centuries before us felt betrayed by an extra moon in a month. But no one really knows for sure.
A blue moon isn't literally blue; it will look the same as any other full moon (albeit slightly larger on Monday when it is also a supermoon).
Supermoon
A supermoon occurs when the full moon phase lands during the moon's perigee, or when it is at its closest point to Earth in its elliptical orbit. According to NASA, the moon's furthest distance from Earth is 253,000 miles, while its closest is about 226,000 miles. This makes the moon appear slightly larger and brighter than usual. This happens about three or four times each year.
A blue moon occurs every two to three years. A super blue moon is very rare and typically occurs every 10 to 20 years.
The moon will reach its peak at 2:26 p.m. EDT on Monday, Aug. 19. It will still look full once it rises above the horizon in the evening. The moon will look full from Sunday morning until Wednesday morning.
May 31, 2026 will be the next monthly blue moon. January 2037 will be the next time to see a super blue moon.
Unlike fainter objects like stars, the moon will be easy to see regardless of your location, so long as you have clear skies and a mostly-open horizon.
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