August’s full Moon will crest on Friday, August 28, reaching peak illumination at 12:18 am. The full Moon names used by The Old Farmer’s Almanac have different origins, including Native American, Colonial American, and European sources. Traditionally, each full Moon name was applied to the entire lunar month in which it occurred.

The name Sturgeon Moon comes from the giant lake and river sturgeons, a native freshwater fish readily caught during this part of summer and an important food staple for Native Americans. At one time, the lake sturgeon was quite abundant in late summer, though they are rarer today. These prehistoric-looking fish have been traced back to around 136 million years ago, and many people call them “living fossils.” Females require around 20 years to start reproducing, and they can reproduce only every 4 years. However, they can live up to 150 years!