Tonight’s Supermoon: what time is the supermoon, what is a Sturgeon moon and what does it mean?

A full moon is a majestic sight that everyone should have the opportunity to bask in at some point in their lives - so why not tonight?

People across the country will have one last chance this calendar year to see the August supermoon.

It has been illuminating the sky over the course of this week, with people flocking to nearby beaches and scenic open-air views to catch a glimpse.

The full moon is also referred to as a Sturgeon supermoon, but what is the meaning behind this? Here is everything you need to know.

What is a Supermoon?

A supermoon occurs when the Moon’s orbit is closest to Earth at the same time the Moon is full. So what’s so special about a supermoon?

• The Moon orbits Earth in an ellipse, an oval that brings it closer to and farther from Earth as it goes around
• The farthest point in this ellipse is called the ‘apogee’ and is about 253,000 miles from Earth on average
• Its closest point is the perigee, which is an average distance of about 226,000 miles from Earth
• When a full moon appears at perigee it is slightly brighter and larger than a regular full moon – and that’s where we get a supermoon

Why is it called a Sturgeon supermoon?

The sturgeon moon is actually named after the sturgeon fish which were commonly caught at this time of the year in the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain.

Sturgeons are fish that date back millions of years, renowned for being massive in size totalling at a near nine feet in length.

When can I see it next?

According to official data from NASA, there is only one more opportunity to see the Sturgeon supermoon in 2022.

If you do not want to miss out, the last sighting is expected to take place over the course of Thursday, 11 August and into Friday, 12 August.