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Full Sturgeon Moon August 2026: Meaning, Date, and How to See It

Full Sturgeon Moon OFA with text
Image Credit:
Colleen Quinnell
Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

The Full Sturgeon Moon of August 2026 will peak on Friday, August 28, marking the traditional Full Moon of late summer. Why do we call it the Sturgeon Moon? Is it full of fish? We’ll explain what makes the August Moon special and how to view this gorgeous summer sight best.

When to See the Full Moon in August 2026

August’s Full Moon will crest on Friday, August 28, reaching peak illumination at 12:18 A.M. Eastern Time. Look up on the evening of Thursday, August 27, to catch a spectacular view of the Full summer Moon. You can convert 12:18 A.M. Eastern Time to your time zone using our tool.

Why Is It Called the Sturgeon Moon?

The Full Moon of August is traditionally called the “Sturgeon Moon.”

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, not solely to the Full Moon.

The Sturgeon Moon

The name Sturgeon Moon comes from the giant lake sturgeon of the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain; this native freshwater fish was readily caught during this part of summer and an important food staple for Native Americans who lived in the region. At one time, the lake sturgeon were quite abundant in late summer, though they are rarer today.

What Is a Sturgeon?

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!
  • Today, there are about 29 species worldwide, including the lake sturgeon found in the Great Lakes. They have evolved in size from the size of a bass to a monster sturgeon as big as a Volkswagen.
  • The lake sturgeon is quite rare today due to intense overfishing in the 19th century, pollution, and damage to their habitat.
Lake sturgeon, the freshwater fish that inspired the August Sturgeon Moon
The word “sturgeon” means “the stirrer,” which is what this giant fish does when it is looking for food; it stirs up the mud and silt on river and lake bottoms. Notice the pointed snout and whisker-like tactile organs near the mouth. Credit: Tennessee Aquarium.

Alternative August Moon Names

Flying Up Moon is a Cree term describing the time when young birds are finally ready to take the leap and learn to fly. 

Corn Moon (Algonquin, Ojibwe), Harvest Moon (Dakota), and Ricing Moon (Anishinaabe) signify that this is the time to gather maturing crops. Along the same vein, the Assiniboine people named this period Black Cherries Moon, referring to when chokecherries become ripe.

The Tlingit people of the Pacific Northwest traditionally called this time of the season the Mountain Shadows Moon.

→ See all Full Moon names and their meanings.

Moon phases for August 2026 showing the Full Sturgeon Moon

Moon Phases for August 2026

See Moon phase dates and times below. Note: All dates and times are ET. Go to the Moon Phase Calendar for your time zone.

last quarter moon graphicLast Quarter: August 5, 10:21 P.M.
new moon graphicNew Moon: August 12, 1:37 P.M.
first quarter moon graphicFirst Quarter: August 19, 10:46 P.M.
full moon graphicFull Moon: August 28, 12:18 A.M.

→ For your next Full Moon, see our Full Moon Dates chart.

Full Sturgeon Moon Video

Each month, we will explain the traditional names of the Full Moon along with some fascinating facts. In this video, learn about the Full Sturgeon Moon. Click below to watch the video.

Best Days in August 2026

Below are the best days for activities, according to the Moon’s sign and phase in August.

ActivityBest Days
Cut Hay3, 4, 30, 31
Set Eggs7, 24, 25
Fishing12-28

→ See Best Days for MORE activities.

Moon Folklore

  • Clothes washed for the first time in the Full Moon will not last long.
  • If you glimpse the new Moon over your right shoulder, you will have good luck.
  • To have a project prosper, start it during the new Moon.
  • Babies born a day after the Full Moon enjoy success and endurance.

Share your thoughts about this month’s moon below!

Full Moon Names

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana.

Read more from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

<span>Tracy</span> Sun, 08/18/2024 - 11:02
Love this comment thank you !!!! **ducks off to look up cosmic plasma .... 🤣
<span>Tracy</span> Sun, 08/18/2024 - 11:02
Love this comment thank you !!!! **ducks off to look up cosmic plasma .... 🤣
<span>Kt Pie</span> Fri, 08/16/2024 - 00:52
I encourage you to make friends with people from all corners of the globe. Get our your telescopes and grab a notebook. Observe the night sky together. Learn constellations as this will help to orient you. As you make observations together, you will begin to form a clear understanding of the spherical earth.
<span>Kt Pie</span> Fri, 08/16/2024 - 00:52
...get *out your telescopes
<span>Sookie</span> Wed, 08/30/2023 - 07:45
Yes thats life and especially in todays world of fake pictures and narrative. What can be believed is a better response
<span>Angela</span> Mon, 08/28/2023 - 23:10
Okayyyyyyyy seems like you need to do your research Smh 🤦🏼‍♀️
<span>Wade Nelson</span> Sun, 08/27/2023 - 09:15
You need to get out of the house a little more often.
<span>Amanda</span> Wed, 08/23/2023 - 21:04
I'm sittin here at 9:01pm an everybody says it looks like there's 2 of em in the sky tonight like almost what it might look like if u were seeing double it looks really cool..
<span>Vicki</span> Tue, 08/01/2023 - 14:35
I just wanna know the moon will be in Seattle. Too many lights at night. And buildings
<span>Harry</span> Thu, 08/03/2023 - 00:54
Seattle is not a good place for viewing the wonders of the night sky. I always enjoyed going to Sunrise Point in Mount Rainier National Park for the best night sky viewing. The Perseid meteor shower peaks on Aug 12 and Aug 13 this year and is expected to be spectacular this year with up to 100 meteors per hour. I suggest you start planning an overnight trip to the park for a real treat. I have never been disappointed by the Perseids when viewed from Sunrise Point. However you should plan on arriving early to get a parking spot as well as to not disturb others' viewing pleasure with bright car lights.