MEXICO CITY, August 7 (EL UNIVERSAL).- This Thursday, August 11, you cannot miss the August Full Moon, as it will not only represent the most impressive lunar phase of the month, but it will also be the last supermoon of the year, known as the “Sturgeon Moon”. When to see it?
The countdown begins to say goodbye to 2022 and with it we are also witnessing several astronomical phenomena that will occur for the last time in the year, one of them will be the August Moon. Throughout this year, four supermoons took place, the May one being the first that we could see, but why do they adopt this name?
Why are they called Supermoons?
According to “Almanac”, supermoons, named in this way by NASA since 1979, are called so only on those occasions when the full Moon approaches the Earth at the closest possible distance – this closeness is known as scientifically as “perigee”-, that’s why supermoons don’t happen every month and only happen from time to time. This is because the orbit of our planet is not a perfect circle and is more like an elliptical shape, that is why there are times when it is closer to the natural satellite, as if it were leaning towards it.
Because supermoons are closer to Earth, they appear larger and brighter to people observing them from the Earth’s surface than a typical full Moon.
Why is it called the Sturgeon Moon?
The names with which the full Moon of each month is identified come from native customs of the United States, and although their meaning is decontextualized, when they are referred to under those titles in other regions, they continue to be called that way. In this case, the August Moon adopted this name because during the eighth month of the year, in Lake Champlain, located between the territories of the US and Canada, the most successful hunts for sturgeons were carried out, a species of fish known as “fossil”. living,” but is now in danger of becoming extinct in 19 of the 20 states where it is endemic, which is why it has a “prehistoric” look.
But although this is the name by which it is best known, over the years, other terms have been coined for this month’s Full Moon, such as Corn Moon, Harvest Moon, because it is one of the best times, in North America, to collect mature crops.
What is the best time to observe the August supermoon?
Next Thursday, the August supermoon will begin at 8:36 p.m. and will reach its maximum magnitude, getting as close as possible to our planet, on the 12th. To appreciate its sighting you will not need any object, with your eyes it will be more than enough to capture one of the most impressive sequences of the Moon throughout the month, after being preceded by the crescent Moon, present since August 5. The full Moon this month will give way to the waning Moon starting on August 19 at 11:36 p.m.