The "Super Sturgeon Moon" is set to appear on August 1, but what most people don't know is the actual story of its origin. As such, the term has deep roots in Native American culture as it happens during the month that was most abundant in sturgeon.
Supermoons Explained
According to Earth, stargazers will be able to see two supermoons in August, starting with one that has roots in Native American culture, the "Super Sturgeon Moon." This event is expected to happen on August 1 and is to be followed by an elusive blue moon before the end of the month.
In order for a supermoon to occur, there has to be a full moon close to the earth. As noted by NASA, a moon's orbit around the planet doesn't actually rotate in a full circle but instead forms a sort of oval, otherwise referred to as an ellipse.
This results in the moon being in two positions, either closest to the Earth or farthest as it completes a full cycle. When the moon reaches its furthest point from Earth, this is called the apogee, which is located 253,000 miles away on average.
When the opposite occurs and the moon is located closest to the Earth, this point is called the perigee, which is located around 226,000 miles away. In order for a supermoon to occur, it has to be closer to the Earth than this usual point.
Supermoon's Occurrence
Aside from needing to be closer to the Earth than usual, the moon also has to be in its full moon phase, which results in Earth seeing the moon as larger and brighter than usual. The year's supermoon cycle is special because it is happening four times consecutively.
As noted by Earth Sky, the first time a supermoon happened was on July 3 and after the two occurrences in August, another supermoon will appear on September 29. The closest occurrence will be on August 31, with the supermoon just 222,043 miles away.
For the Super Sturgeon Moon, its distance away from Earth would be 222,158 miles. During the July 3 supermoon, its distance away from Earth was 224,895 miles, which is still closer to its average of 226,000 miles compared to the other occurrences.
Super Sturgeon Moon Occurrence
The first supermoon, the Super Sturgeon Moon, will happen on August 1, reaching its peak at 1:33 PM. It's also important to note that the reason for the Super Sturgeon Moon being special is because it is a supermoon version of the Sturgeon Moon.
The reason why a Sturgeon Moon is special is because it comes from some Native American groups in North America's Great Lakes region. During this month, Sturgeons were most abundant, but this was not the only name for its moon.
Other names include the Grain Moon, but it can sometimes also be referred to as the Green Corn Moon, Fruit Moon, and in some instances, the Barley Moon.
RELATED ARTICLE: August's Sturgeon Supermoon: When To See This Celestial Spectacle That Marks the First Full Moon of the Month
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