Full moon basics:
August’s full moon, known as the “Sturgeon Moon” is slated to rise in the South Central Texas sky on Monday.
While the moon won’t officially become full until 1:26 p.m. CDT on Monday, Aug. 19, you’ll likely notice the big bright moon this weekend with minimal cloud cover.
Here’s a look at the upcoming moonrise and moonset times in San Antonio:
| Day | Moonset | Moonrise |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, August 16 | 3:18 a.m. | 6:14 p.m. |
| Saturday, August 17 | 4:24 a.m. | 7:05 p.m. |
| Sunday, August 18 | 5:35 a.m. | 7:50 p.m. |
| Monday, August 19 | 6:46 a.m. | 8:29 p.m. |
| Tuesday, August 20 | 7:56 a.m. | 9:05 p.m. |
| Wednesday, August 21 | 9:05 a.m. | 9:38 p.m. |
How did the ‘Sturgeon Moon’ get its name?
According to timeanddate.com, August’s full moon was named the “Sturgeon Moon” to signify the large number of sturgeon fish that were found in the Great Lakes during this time of year.
Here’s a list of the traditional full moon names:
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January: Wolf Moon
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February: Snow Moon
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March: Worm Moon
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April: Pink Moon
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May: Flower Moon
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June: Strawberry Moon
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July: Buck Moon
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August: Sturgeon Moon
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September: Harvest / Corn Moon
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October: Harvest / Hunter’s Moon
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November: Beaver Moon
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December: Cold Moon
This year’s ‘Sturgeon Moon’ is a supermoon
August’s “Sturgeon Moon” is also a supermoon this year. According to NASA, a supermoon is “either a new or full moon that occurs when the moon is within 90% of its closest approach to Earth.”
This supermoon will be the first of four consecutive supermoons this year.
KSAT Connect:
If you happen to take a photo of the full moon over the next few days, feel free to upload it to KSAT Connect for the opportunity to see it on-air! You can submit your photos using the link here.