Can you believe we are in August already? Let’s hope for another sunny heatwave and some clear skies for stargazing. Read below to know what to look out for this month!
Sturgeon Moon
Mark your calendars! The next full Moon will grace the skies on 9th August at 8:55am (UK time). This month’s Moon is traditionally known as the Sturgeon Moon, a name rooted from North American tradition. It has also been known as the Swan Flight Moon, Red Moon and Grain Moon.
The name comes from the giant lake sturgeon, a prehistoric-looking fish that once thrived in the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain. These freshwater giants were most easily caught in late summer and were a vital food source for Native American communities in the region. While once plentiful, sturgeon are now a much rarer sight due to overfishing and habitat changes.
But the Sturgeon Moon isn’t just about fish, it’s also surrounded by fascinating folklore. Here are a few lunar legends tied to full and new Moons:
- Clothes washed for the first time under a full Moon won’t last long.
- Catch a glimpse of the new Moon over your right shoulder, and good luck will follow.
- Want your project to thrive? Start it during a new Moon for the best chance of success.
- Babies born the day after a full Moon are said to be blessed with endurance and success.
Why is is also known as the Red Moon, the Grain Moon, and the Swan Flight Moon?
- Red Moon: Not to be confused with June’s Strawberry Moon, or even a lunar eclipse, the August Red Moon is known as this simply because of its close proximity to the horizon. In the summer months the Moon can hang low on the horizon and this means that air molecules in the hazy atmosphere scatter most of the short, blue wavelengths, leaving the remaining longer red wavelengths, thus we get a red Moon.
- Grain Moon: The name Grain Moon is all down to the different grains that can be harvested at this time of the year, and comes from Old English Folklore.
- Swan Flight Moon: Coming from the Inuit community, this name for the Moon was inspired by the young swans that were seen taking flight at this time of the year.
Constellation – Cassiopeia The Queen
There is lots of constellations to see during summer, but one of my favourites would be Cassiopea The Queen! She looks like the letter W in the sky! You can see her all year round but the summer makes her easier to spot. In Greek mythology, Cassiopeia was the queen of Aethiopia, married to King Cepheus and mum to Andromeda. She was also extremely pleased with herself, so much so that she bragged she and her daughter were more beautiful than the sea nymphs, the Nereids. Bad move.
The Nereids were not fans of the comparison, and neither was Poseidon, the god of the sea (and apparently not big on constructive feedback). As revenge, he sent a sea monster, Cetus to trash the kingdom like an ancient Greek Godzilla.
To calm things down, Andromeda was chained to a rock as a sacrifice, (Thanks, Mum!). Luckily, Perseus swooped in and saved her, probably wondering what kind of family drama he’d just landed in. However, Poseidon wasn’t done with Cassiopeia. As a final cosmic punishment, he tossed her into the stars as a constellation, forever stuck on a throne and, just to rub it in, spending half the year upside down.
Perseids Meteor Shower
Every year, the Perseid meteor shower lights up the night sky and it’s one of the best and brightest meteor showers you can see!
So, what exactly is happening up there?
Perseids Meteor shower. In the background we can see very distinctly The Plough, also known as The Big Dipper. Image Credit: Yanina Metodiva
Meteors are tiny pieces of space rock or dust. Many of them come from comets, which are icy, dusty objects that orbit the Sun. As a comet gets closer to the Sun, it starts to heat up and bits break off. Sometimes, these bits end up in the path of Earth’s orbit.
When Earth passes through this trail of debris, those little bits hit our atmosphere at incredible speeds, sometimes as fast as 36 miles per second (that’s over 100 times faster than a jet plane!). The air in front of the meteor gets squashed and superheated, causing the meteor to burn up in a flash of light. These are the “shooting stars” we see in the sky. The smaller ones leave a quick streak, while larger ones might even explode into bright fireballs.
In 2025, the Perseids meteor shower will be active from 17th July to 24th August and will radiate from the constellation itself in the North sky. The number of meteors builds up slowly each night, peaking around 12th August. That night should give you the best chance to see the most meteors, especially if the sky is dark and clear.
So grab a blanket, head somewhere with as little light as possible, and enjoy the show! No telescope needed, just your eyes and a bit of patience.