Two Full Moons This Month!

This year, August will have two full moons.  The Sturgeon Moon reaches its peak on Aug. 1  at 2:32 pm EST, but will still be gorgeous after sunset. The Blue Moon peaks on Aug. 30 at 9:36 pm EST—it will be the closest supermoon of the year.  Of course, the Blue Moon isn’t really blue; it’s what we call the second full moon of the month, and it only happens every two to three years.  Like once in a blue moon . . .

August’s full moon is called the Full Sturgeon Moon, after the primitive fish that used to be abundant in North America’s lakes and rivers during the summer months. Having remained mostly unchanged since the earliest fossil records, sturgeons are ancient living fossils that can grow up until 3.5 meters long, or as long as two adult humans stacked on top of each other. Nowadays, however, it’s almost impossible to see a sturgeon during the Full Sturgeon Moon. While they used to thrive, sturgeons are now considered the single most critically endangered group of species on earth .

In China, the Full Sturgeon Moon is known as the Hungry Ghosts Moon. August’s full moon coincides with the Hungry Ghosts Festival, which is when the gates of hell open up and the hungry dead once again walk amongst the living. The Chinese prepare offerings of food and money to satisfy the ghosts’ hunger, make them happy, and prevent them from causing havoc amongst humankind. In Malaysia and Singapore, Chinese communities set up musical stages and host performances, making sure to always leave the front row empty for the honored guests – the hungry ghosts. Under the full moon, people light lotus-shaped water lanterns and float them on lakes, rivers, and pools, in order to provide light for lost souls to find their way safely back into the afterlife.

In North America, Native American tribes saw the Full Sturgeon Moon as signifying a time of bountiful harvest. The Cherokee tribes called it the Full Fruit Moon, and many other First Nation tribes referred to it as the Black Berries Moon. The Sioux called it the Moon When All Things Ripen. The Paint Clans, which were known for their medicinal prowess, would harvest herbs and medicines, while the Wild Potato tribes would forage for food. Naturally, they would also catch a lot of sturgeon.