A sturgeon supermoon will rise over Kansas soon. Here’s when to get the best view
The “sturgeon” full moon will light up the night sky over Kansas soon, and it will mark the second supermoon of the year.
The sturgeon moon will peak at 12:33 p.m. Tuesday, according to Forbes, and the best time to see it will likely be moonrise in Wichita, which will happen at 9:10 p.m. that day.
“August’s full Moon was traditionally called the Sturgeon Moon because the giant sturgeon of the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain were most readily caught during this part of summer,” the Old Farmer’s Almanac says.
Full moons have multiple names, and many come from Indigenous cultures. The Old Farmer’s Almanac uses Indigenous moon names, along with monikers from colonial America and other North American sources.
Wichita residents should be able to enjoy a nice view of the supermoon, as the National Weather Service forecasts Tuesday night will be mostly clear with a low around 79 degrees.
What is the sturgeon supermoon?
This full moon will appear ”slightly larger than normal,” Space.com reports.
“The term ‘supermoon’ was coined by astrologer Richard Nolle in 1979 as either a new or full Moon that occurs when the Moon is within 90% of perigee, its closest approach to Earth,” a NASA article about July’s supermoon reads.
Because it will be closer to earth than most full moons, the sturgeon moon will likely appear 10% to 11% larger in the sky, according to Space.com, though the difference may not be obvious to casual observers without telescopes.
The sturgeon moon is also called the grain moon, corn moon, lynx moon and lightning moon, Forbes reports.
More full moons in 2023
Here’s when to see more full moons in 2023, with information from Space.com:
Aug. 30: Blue supermoon (appears biggest and brightest of the year)
Sept. 29: Harvest supermoon
Oct. 28: Hunter’s moon
Nov. 27: Beaver moon
Dec. 26: Cold moon
The blue supermoon will be August’s second full moon, and Forbes says the best times to see it will be the evenings of Aug. 30 and Aug. 31.
Lake Afton Public Observatory, located in Goddard, will be open from 9 to 11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights for stargazing.
Reservations can be made online for the observatory, but they are not required. Admission is $8 for those 14 years and older, $4 for youth ages 5 to 13 and $7 for adults 65 and older. Immediate family pricing is available for $20.
