The last supermoon of the year, also known as the sturgeon moon, happens on Thursday night and coincides with the peak of the Perseid meteor shower.
Before you get too excited about the double celestial events, there’s some bad news. The bright full moon will likely make it difficult for those hoping to see the meteor shower. Meteors are best seen in a dark sky. Generally, a new moon is better and away from light pollution. In this case, the supermoon will not make good sky viewing conditions for the Perseids.
The Perseids are pieces of Comet Swift-Tuttle, and July 17 to August 24 is the most active time for meteors. This year’s peak, when more meteors will shoot across the sky, is expected to be from August 11 to 13. Unfortunately, August’s full moon occurs on August 11, which could slow down the view.
According to NASA, the moon will be brighter than anything else in the night sky, blotting out all but the brightest Perseids as they pass through Earth’s atmosphere.
“Unfortunately, this year’s Perseid peak will see the worst possible circumstances for observers,” NASA astronomer Bill Cooke said in a post. “Most of us in North America will typically see 50 to 60 meteors per hour,” he said, “But this year, during the normal peak, the full Moon will reduce that to 10-20 per hour at best.”
Thursday’s cloud forecast from the FOX Forecast Center shows mostly clear skies for the Midwest and Central Plains for the full moon. Chicago and Seattle will get a nice view of the Sturgeon supermoon.
Thursday’s cloud forecast calls for clear skies for the Midwest and Central Plains for a full moon. Fox weather
Although the full moon is a monthly occurrence, August’s full moon is a supermoon, meaning it is closer to Earth in its orbit, making it appear slightly larger and brighter in the sky July’s full moon was also a supermoon, the brightest of the year, and August’s supermoon ends four for the year.
According to NASA, the full moon will appear 7 degrees above the east-southeast horizon when evening twilight ends at 9:11 p.m. ET. Maximum illumination, when the moon will be full, occurs at 9:36 PM Eastern. If you look up and to the left of the Moon, Saturn will be only 6 degrees above it.
The bright full moon will likely make it difficult to see the meteor shower. Peter Alessandria
According to the Farmers’ Almanac, the sturgeon moon is named for the large sturgeon fish commonly caught in the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain during this time of year.
If you plan to observe the meteor shower or the full moon, use the “Plan” tab in the FOX Weather app for updated pre-event forecasts for your area.