Sturgeon Moon 2025: Why August’s Full Moon Lasts Two Nights
On Saturday, August 9, and Sunday, August 10, the full Sturgeon Moon will rise shortly after sunset, providing a rare skywatching opportunity.
This weekend, a full moon will rise — but unlike others, it will appear twice on the eastern horizon at sunset.
The Sturgeon Moon will officially reach full moon phase at 3:55 a.m. ET on Saturday, August 9, allowing those in North America to view the full moon rise twice in subsequent evenings.
The greatest time to observe a full moon rise is shortly after sunset, usually on the day it becomes full. Not only is the full moon completely illuminated at this time, but it also appears in the eastern sky when it is just dark enough for the moon to be visible, but the terrain in front of it is still bathed in dusk light.
However, there are some months when two consecutive evenings produce similarly stunning full moonrises.
When the full moon appears during the night, the evenings before and after can provide practically identical vistas, but only at specific times of the year. Because the moon orbits Earth every 29 days and there are 24 hours in a day, it rises an average of 50 minutes later each day.
However, in August, the full moon is low in the southern sky as seen from mid-northern latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. Because it is far south of the celestial equator, the full moon rises at a shallow angle to the horizon and lingers in the night sky for a shorter period of time, reducing the time difference between moonrises to approximately 30 minutes.
What does this signify for astronomers? The full Sturgeon Moon will rise at 8:03 p.m. ET on Friday (August 8), just one minute after sunset in New York City. It will rise at 8:32 p.m. ET, or 28 minutes after sunset, on Saturday. Both moonrises will occur at dusk, but be sure to check the exact time of moonrise where you live.
Although the naked eye is sufficient for watching a full moon, stargazing binoculars and backyard telescopes will reveal more details about the lunar surface.
According to TimeandDate, the popular term for August's full moon stems from the abundance of sturgeon fish in the Great Lakes during this time of year. According to the Center for Native American Studies, the Anishinaabeg people refer to it as the Wild Rice Moon, whereas NASA refers to it as the Green Corn and Grain Moon.
The Corn Moon will occur on Sunday, September 8, following the Sturgeon Moon in August. A total lunar eclipse will occur across regions of Asia, Australia, and the Pacific Ocean, causing the lunar surface to turn red for 82 minutes. However, North America will not be on the night side of Earth, so it will see only a regular full moon rise.
The Corn Moon will occur on Sunday, September 8, following the Sturgeon Moon in August. A total lunar eclipse will occur across regions of Asia, Australia, and the Pacific Ocean, causing the lunar surface to turn red for 82 minutes. However, North America will not be on the night side of Earth, so it will see only a regular full moon rise.