Supermoon may outshine the Perseids meteor shower

WASHINGTON — The third and final Supermoon of the summer will rise tonight, and it will be the last Supermoon of the year.

The Sturgeon Moon got its name from the Maine Farmer’s Almanac – where the most widely known and used names for full moons come from. The August full moon is called the Sturgeon Moon because it’s believed that the large fish were caught more easily this time of year in the Great Lakes and other large bodies of water. The full moon has also been referred to as the “Green Corn Moon”.

The Supermoon isn’t the only spectacle in the sky tonight. The Perseids meteor shower will also be visible. 

The Perseids are often thought to be the best meteor shower of the year. Even in big cities with loads of light pollution –  the meteor shower which launches 50 to 100 meteors per hour – can typically be seen. However, the two events colliding may not be as cool as it sounds.

The bright moon will make it difficult to see the meteors. If you want to try and see them, the best time will be after midnight on Saturday morning. Your best bet to get a good view is to be in a place with little light pollution and other light sources and to be in a spot with a good, unobstructed view of the sky.

Tonight isn’t your only chance to see the meteor shower – it will peak late Friday night into early Saturday morning – which will have better sky conditions anyway! Clouds may obstruct the view tonight.

Enjoy the astronomical events and, as always, send us your photos!

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