Hey, stargazers: mark your diaries. The moon will be at its biggest and brightest next week, as August’s full moon lights up skies all over the world on Monday August 3.
August’s full moon is otherwise known as a full ‘sturgeon moon’. According to Nasa, who know a thing or two about the moon and stuff, that’s because ‘The Maine Farmer's Almanac first published “Indian” names for the full moons in the 1930s, and over time these names have become widely known and used.’
‘According to this almanac, as the full moon in August and the second full moon of summer, the Algonquin tribes in what is now the northeastern USA called this the Sturgeon Moon after the large fish that were more easily caught this time of year in the Great Lakes and other major bodies of water.’
Not into fish? It’s also known as the ‘grain’, ‘green corn’, ‘fruit’ and ‘barley’ moon.
The moon is set to look pretty shiny and spectacular this weekend and all through the start of next week, so if you’re looking for something to do one evening (plans: remember those?) then it’s an ace time to go outside and look skywards.
Check out what else is happening in the skies above us this year.