A Full ‘Sturgeon Supermoon’ Will Rise This Week. Here’s Exactly When To See It As Its Best Where You Are
A full Moon as seen from Consuegra, Toledo, Spain.
Are you ready for the final “supermoon” of 2022?
Although it has perhaps the oddest name of any full Moon there are some good reasons to watch our satellite appear on the eastern horizon. Not only will it be draped in gorgeous orange hues—as every rising Moon is when seen on the horizon—but the full “Sturgeon Moon” also happens to be the final supermoon of 2022.
Depending on what definition of supermoon you use it’s either the third or the second supermoon of the year. Either way it will be the second-largest looking full Moon of the year thanks to it being 100% illuminated by the Sun less than 10 hours after it being at its closest point to the Earth in its monthly orbit.
Here’s everything you need to know about the full “Sturgeon Moon” including exactly when, where and how to see it at its biggest, brightest and best from where you are:
When is the ‘Sturgeon Moon?’
The full “Sturgeon Supermoon” will occur on Thursday/Friday, August 11/12, 2022 depending on where you are. For North America it’s on August 11 while for Europe it’s early on August 12.
Why to catch the ‘Sturgeon Supermoon’ as moonrise
The full Moon is always best viewed as it rises. Only on the night of the full Moon is it possible to see the Moon appear on the horizon during dusk. Since it rises about 50 minutes later each night it therefore rises during the early evening just before the full Moon and well after dark after the full Moon.
The full moon looks its best that moonrise because you’re seeing it in twilight. This is the only day night of the month when the moon will rise shortly very shortly after the sunset. You’re there for looking at the moon in twilight, with your surroundings still visible. This is why it’s easily able to take a photograph of the rising full moon while also capturing the scenery around it. That’s just not possible on any other night of the year.
Why Europe gets two ‘full Moon’ rises this month
Since the full Moon occurs just after midnight in Europe both the evening before and after sees the full Moon rise just after sunset. Everything is balanced, which means two chances to watch a near-full Moon appear on the horizon in twilight.
What is a ‘supermoon?’
A supermoon is a full Moon that occurs close to the Moon’s perigee—the point in space when it’s closest to the Earth during its monthly orbit—which will make the Moon appear a few percent larger than average. More noticeable is its extra brightness once it’s risen high into the sky.
What is the ‘Moon illusion?’
Full Moon night is is the only time of the month you get to see the disc in the context of its environment. That’s important because when your brain sees the Moon next to trees, buildings or mountains it compares it to them in terms of size. What happens is that your brain makes the full Moon look bigger than it actually is. This is called the “Moon illusion” and it only really happens when you view the full Moon on the horizon. To do that you have to get your timing spot-on.
Best time to see the ‘Sturgeon Supermoon’
Here are the exact times to see August’s “Sturgeon Supermoon” from a few key cities, but do check the exact times of moonrise and moonset for your location. If you don’t see the full Moon peek above the horizon at precisely these times—low cloud and horizon-haze mean you’ll have to wait for a few minutes.
Just after sunset on Thursday, August 11, 2022
Thursday evening offers the best opportunity to see the full “Sturgeon Supermoon” rise into a twilight sky:
- In New York sunset is at 8:01 p.m. EDT and moonrise is at 8:19 p.m. EDT (the moment of full Moon is at 8:37 p.m.EDT — so New Yorkers will easily see it at the exact moment of full Moon!).
- In Los Angeles sunset is at 7:45 p.m. PDT and moonrise at 8:05 p.m. PDT (the moment of full Moon is at 5:37 p.m. PDT).
- In London sunset is at 8:32 p.m. BST and moonrise at 8:55 p.m. BST
Just after sunset on Friday, August 12, 2022
Friday evening offers another opportunity to see the full “Sturgeon Supermoon” rise into a twilight sky, but only from Europe:
- In London sunset is at 8:30 p.m. BST and moonrise at 9:19 p.m. BST (the moment of full Moon is at 1:37 a.m. BST).
Where to see the ‘Sturgeon Supermoon’
Look east. Get yourself to an observing location that has a clear unobstructed view low to the eastern horizon. The full Moon always rises in the east at dusk (opposite a sunset, or thereabouts) and sets in the west the following morning (opposite a sunrise).
How to see the ‘Sturgeon Supermoon’
The first full Moon of the northern hemisphere’s summer season, the “Sturgeon Moon” will rise in the east just after sunset, shine brightly all night and then set in the west close to sunrise.
You don’t need any special equipment to see a full Moon—your own unaided eyes are perfect. However, if you do have a a pair of binoculars then get them ready for a stunning close-up.
Why does a rising full Moon look orange?
A rising full Moon look orange because you’re viewing it through a lot of atmosphere (as with a sunset). The physics at play is Raleigh Scattering, in which long wavelength red light travels more easily through the thickest part of Earth’s atmosphere then short-wavelength blue light, which strikes more particles and gets scattered.
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
