This Weekend's Full Sturgeon Moon Will Shine Bright Alongside a Dazzling Meteor Shower

Look up at the night sky this weekend to view a spectacular sight—the full Sturgeon Moon, which coincides with one of the most impressive meteor showers of the year, the Perseids.

According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, August's Full Sturgeon Moon will reach peak illumination at 3:55 a.m. Eastern Time on August 9. While the Sturgeon Moon is not considered a supermoon, it is slightly closer to Earth than an average moon, meaning it will appear a little bigger and brighter than usual.

The name "Sturgeon Moon" derives from the giant lake sturgeon of the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain, The Old Farmer's Almanac explains. The native freshwater fish was easily caught during August and early September and was an important food staple for Native Americans living in the region. The lake sturgeon used to be abundant in late summer, but is rarer today. Other names for this moon include Flying Up Moon, Corn Moon, Harvest Moon, and Ricing Moon.

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The best time to see the full Sturgeon Moon is at moonrise during dusk on August 8, when it appears above the eastern horizon in the Northern Hemisphere. You can check the moonrise and moonset times for your area here, as they vary by location.

A few days later, on August 12, the Perseid meteor shower is predicted to peak. Per NASA, stargazers can typically see an average of 50 to 100 meteors per hour during this time. The shower is currently active, meaning you may be able to catch a few shooting stars while glimpsing the full moon, but its brightness may obstruct your view.

A full moon occurs when the moon is opposite the sun, as seen from Earth. While the full moon peaks at a specific time, it can appear full for up to two days before it moves into its waning gibbous phase, according to NASA.