August's full moon — named for the giant sturgeon once caught in abundance in the Great Lakes. The lore, the look, and how to see it.
The name comes from the tribes around the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain, where the prehistoric-looking lake sturgeon were most readily caught in late summer. The same August moon was also called the Green Corn Moon, the Grain Moon, and the Red Moon for the reddish tint it often takes through summer haze.
As a late-summer full moon, the Sturgeon Moon still follows a relatively low path and spends a long time near the horizon, where summer haze and extra atmosphere often lend it a warm amber or reddish tint at moonrise.
Get a closer look
A beginner telescope or good astronomy binoculars bring the Moon's craters and phases into stunning detail.
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