Look to the sky on Friday morning (August 12) and you’ll see a stunning supermoon, much larger and brighter than usual. It’s known as the Sturgeon Moon, and you might even see Saturn near the moon as the planet will be at its brightest. According to NASA, you might even be able to get your first glimpse of the sturgeon moon at around 9:36 pm EDT on Thursday evening.
As you might have noticed, we’ve been writing a fair few articles about supermoons recently and it’s not just because we love them. This time of year there are four or five supermoons in a row because of the way in which the moon orbits the Earth.
The Sturgeon Moon, as it’s known, is the last of these for a while, and there’s something else that makes it particularly special. This supermoon will coincide with a the Perseid meteor shower, which could well be visible from Earth if the sky is clear of clouds.
The Perseid meteor shower is the most popular annual meteor shower and is normally active from July to September. This Friday and Saturday, we’ll get to see it peak. And don’t forget to keep your eyes peeled for Saturn if skies are clear.
Head to a quiet place with little to no light pollution after midnight on Saturday for a full show, and look north, away from the moon for the shower that will be appear alongside the last supermoon the year. We aren’t slated to get another one until August 2023, so don’t miss out.