Don’t Miss Tonight’s Spectacular Super Full Moon – Peak Time, Viewing Tips & Photo Guide

H2: When and How to See August’s Full Sturgeon Moon Sky-watchers in North America will see the Moon reach peak illumination at 3:55 a.m. EDT (07:55 UTC) on Saturday, 9 August 2025, but it will appear full both the night before and the night after. Moonrise on 8 August occurs around sunset—check local times to plan photography or telescope sessions. H2: Why It’s Called the “Sturgeon Moon” The August full moon takes its name from Indigenous peoples of the Great Lakes and Hudson Bay, who noted that lake sturgeon were most readily caught during this part of summer. Other traditional names include the Corn Moon and Barley Moon, marking late-season harvests. H2: A Supermoon That Looks 7 % Larger Because the Moon will be just 362,600 km from Earth—well inside the threshold for a “supermoon”—it will appear up to 14 % brighter and about 7 % larger than an average full moon. Low on the horizon, this extra size combines with the “moon illusion,” making it seem even bigger. H2: Double Celestial Treat: Perseid Meteor Shower The Sturgeon Moon coincides with the build-up to the Perseid meteor shower’s 12–13 August peak. Although moonlight will wash out faint meteors, bright fireballs remain visible after midnight once the Moon sets. Face northeast and scan a wide swath of sky for best results. H2: Rare Planetary Alignment at Dawn Early risers on 9 August can also spot a five-planet lineup—Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn—arching above the eastern horizon about 45 minutes before sunrise. Use binoculars for Mercury and Mars, and frame the glowing supermoon nearby for striking photographs. H2: Viewing Tips for Maximum Impact • Seek dark-sky sites at least 40 km from city centers. • Use a wide-angle lens (24 mm or wider) to capture landscape and lunar disk together. • For telescopes, a neutral-density moon filter preserves surface detail. • Try time-lapse sequences from dusk to dawn to compress moonrise, meteor streaks and planet arcs into one clip. H2: Key Times at a Glance (9 August 2025) • Full phase: 07:55 UTC / 3:55 a.m. EDT / 12:55 a.m. PDT • Moonrise (East Coast U.S.): 7:31 p.m. EDT on 8 August • Moonset (East Coast U.S.): 6:06 a.m. EDT on 9 August • Dawn planetary alignment: begins ~4:50 a.m. local H2: Next Up—The Harvest Moon September’s Harvest Moon, the last supermoon of 2025, rises on 7 September. Mark your calendar now for another extra-bright lunar show and a final chance to capture summer night-sky photos.