Despite the rain, the nights are mild, and we?ve got not one, but two full Moons to look forward to in August. You may have also caught a glimpse of a meteor from the famous Perseids, one of the best meteor showers of 2023. If not, there?s still time as the shower continues until 24 August.
The beginning of August welcomes the second supermoon of the year, but when exactly can you see the Sturgeon Moon? Which constellation will it appear in? And, what's the best time to view it from the UK? Answers to these questions, and more, are below.
If you?re enjoying the warm weather and clear nights, why not plan ahead with our full Moon UK calendar and astronomy for beginners guide? And in case you missed it, check out the shortlist for Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2023.
When can I see the Sturgeon Supermoon in 2023?
The Sturgeon Supermoon will be visible Tuesday 1 August 2023, in the UK and around the world. If you?re unable to see the first supermoon of August at its peak, it will also appear full the night before on Monday 31 July, and the day after on Wednesday 2 August.
And if you?re starting to feel frustrated at the constant deluge of rain we?ve had this summer, it may bring a surprising advantage. If August continues the trend of being as wet as July has been, or you're near another water source (such as a waterfall) keep your eyes peeled for the super rare night sky phenomenon, a moonbow. They can appear as a ghostly halo around the moon, or as a faint rainbow against the night sky.
What is the best time to see the full Sturgeon Supermoon?
The summer supermoon, the full Sturgeon Moon rises at 9:22pm in the southeast on 1 August 2023 (as seen from London, UK). When above the horizon, it will reach a maximum illumination of 99.7 per cent as it crosses the local meridian at 1:27am in the small hours of 2 August.
The Sun will begin to set at 8:49pm on the 1st, and the Moon will rise in the twilight sky and should offer a good view (clouds permitting) soon after rising.
Syzygy, which happens for just a moment when the Earth, Moon and Sun are perfectly aligned, will happen before the Moon has risen in the northern hemisphere, at 7:31pm BST.
If you live in an area where the horizon is obstructed (for example, by trees, buildings or hills), then it?s recommended you wait a little longer, until the Moon has risen higher in the sky, around 11pm.
Which constellation will the Sturgeon Moon be in?
On the night of full, the Sturgeon Supermoon will be in the constellation Capricornus, sitting level with Saturn in nearby Aquarius.
Two nights after full, on 3 August, the Moon will move to just 2.5 degrees south of Saturn in the constellation Aquarius, then the following week on 8 August, it will be around 2.9 degrees north of Jupiter, in the constellation Aries. By the time the following full Moon, the rare blue Moon, occurs at the end of the month, the Moon will have returned to being 2.5 degrees south of Saturn in Aquarius.
Why is it called the Sturgeon Moon?
It?s thought the name originates from the Algonquin tribes of North America, who named it after the abundance of sturgeon in the rivers and lakes at this time of year.
As North America?s largest freshwater fish, the sturgeon has been reported to reach lengths of up to 4.5 ? 6m (15-20 feet), weighing nearly a tonne ? that?s around the same as a cow! Although once plentiful, they are sadly now endangered.
Is the Sturgeon Moon 2023 a supermoon?
Yes, the first full Moon in August this year, the Sturgeon Moon is a supermoon, and the second supermoon of the year!
Supermoons are categorised when the Moon is 360,000km or less away from Earth in its orbital path, and we'll often see two or three full supermoons in a row. In 2023, the July full Moon, the Buck Moon, and the following full Moon at the end of August, a rare blue Moon, are also supermoons.
When are the supermoons 2023?
Here are the supermoons of 2023:
- 3 July 2023: Buck Moon
- 1 August 2023: Sturgeon Moon
- 31 August 2023: Blue Moon
- 29 September 2023: Harvest Moon
What causes a supermoon?
The Moon follows an elliptical (oval-shaped) orbit around the Earth, causing its distance from us to change over time. During a supermoon, the full Moon coincides with the perigee, the point in its orbit when it comes closest to the Earth. Conversely, when a full Moon is at its furthest distance in its orbital path around the Earth (called the apogee), the Moon appears smaller. Rather aptly, this is termed a micromoon.
As you might have guessed from the name, a supermoon appears larger (around 7 per cent larger) and brighter (around 15 per cent brighter) than a standard full Moon. In comparison to a micromoon, this effect is amplified further, appearing around 14 per cent bigger and 30 per cent brighter.
How often do we get a full Moon?
To be precise, the lunar cycle occurs over a period of 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes, and 3 seconds, which is usually rounded to 29.53 days. Therefore, we get a full Moon every 29.53 days as the cycle completes. The lunar cycle is calculated by the time it takes the Moon to orbit the Earth once, as measured from new Moon to new Moon, also known as one synodic month.
We usually have 12 full Moons in a calendar year, occurring when the Moon is fully illuminated by the Sun, aka at opposition. This happens when the Earth is located directly between the Sun and the Moon.
However, because one lunar cycle takes a little under a calendar month in our Gregorian calendar, we sometimes have 13 full Moons in a year. This occurs around every two to three years. This means that we will see two full Moons in a single month, and this extra full Moon is known as a ?blue Moon?. We?ll see a rare blue Moon at the end of this month.
Likewise, we sometimes get two new Moons in a month, and this extra new Moon is known as a Black Moon. The most recent Black Moon was on 19 May 2023.
How does the full Moon affect the Earth?
Belief is a powerful thing, but scientifically speaking ? the full Moon itself will not have any significant effect on your life. That said, if you feel a powerful urge to overhaul your wardrobe, or the restless urge to go for a run, why not just go with the flow?
In terms of on Earth, when a full Moon occurs, it intensifies the high and low tides, and this effect becomes even more pronounced during a supermoon, thanks to the Moon coming that much closer to Earth. However, the most significant impact on tides usually occurs a couple of days after the supermoon, though to the casual observer, the difference may be too subtle to see.
?It?s true that about two-thirds of tides are influenced by the Moon's gravity (and a third the Sun). We get high tides when the Sun and Moon are aligned ? at a full or new Moon,? explains astronomy lecturer Darren Baskill.
?As the supermoon will be closer to Earth than a normal full Moon, it will have a greater tidal force ? but this will only change the tide by a few centimetres,? he adds.
However, there is some research that does in fact suggest a supermoon increases the risk of more severe beach erosion. After analysing 25 years of data, scientists in Japan have suggested that supermoons drive more erosion of the sand in the swash zone. This is where waves crash on the beach after breaking. However, more research is needed to determine the interplay of high waves and storm surges with these findings.
How will the full Moon affect me?
Some people believe that a full Moon means a bad night's sleep, even when in a dark room. And to that end, researchers have looked into these claims, to investigate whether the lunar cycle actually has an effect on our sleep.
And the results are surprising.
They found that in the days running up to, and after a full Moon, it took people an average of an extra five minutes to fall asleep. That doesn?t sound like much, but they also found that people had, on average 30 per cent less deep sleep, and slept 20 minutes less than usual. So if you wake up feeling a bit worse for wear, maybe we can blame the Moon, after all?
About our expert
Dr Darren Baskill is an outreach officer and lecturer in the department of physics and astronomy at the University of Sussex. He previously lectured at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, where he also initiated the annual Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition.
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