Why is the moon so bright this month? Supermoon lighting up night sky

If you’ve noticed the moon looking particularly bright the past few days, you’re not alone.

This brightness is due to the upcoming supermoon, the first of the year, which is set to light up the night sky next weekend.

Here’s what’s happening.

Why is the moon so bright tonight?

The next full moon will occur on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024.

The moon will appear full starting the afternoon of August 18 and will continue to look full until around 2:30 p.m. on August 20.

As the moon nears fullness, more of it is visible at night and appears brighter in the sky.

This is also the first supermoon of the year, which also makes the moon appear brighter.

What is a supermoon?

A supermoon occurs when the moon is at its closest point to Earth in its orbit while also being full.

This makes the moon appear both brighter and larger than a typical full moon. This phenomenon is why the moon might seem extraordinarily bright as it nears fullness.

Why is the August moon called the sturgeon moon?

The sturgeon moon gets its name from the giant sturgeon fish that were once abundant and easily caught in the Great Lakes during this time of year.

Native American tribes and early settlers relied on these fish as a staple food source. Today, sturgeons are much rarer due to overfishing, but their legacy lives on in the name of this moon.

Why Is the blue moon red?

This August full moon is not only a supermoon but also a seasonal blue moon. This term refers to the third full moon in a season that has four full moons. However, despite its name, the moon won’t actually be blue. On rare occasions, the moon can appear blue when viewed through particles like smoke and dust in the atmosphere, which filter out red and yellow wavelengths.

This month, the moon might also appear red due to the summer heat and dry conditions that create a haze in the atmosphere, giving it a fiery glow. This red hue is why the August full moon is sometimes called the “red moon.”