Archive · 28 Aug 2026
Sturgeon Moon 2026: August Full Moon Brings Partial Eclipse
The full Moon in August 2026 is called the Sturgeon Moon.
It will be brightest at 12:18 a.m.
Eastern Time on August 28.
The name comes from a large freshwater fish called lake sturgeon.
These fish live in places such as the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain.
Long ago, late summer was a good time to catch them.
They were an important food for Native American communities in those areas.
This year’s full Moon will also have a deep partial lunar eclipse.
That happens when Earth moves between the Sun and Moon and casts a shadow on the Moon.
The 2026 Sturgeon Moon will reach peak illumination at 12:18 a.m. Eastern Time on August 28.
The August full Moon is traditionally named after lake sturgeon found in the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain.
Late summer was historically a productive time for catching lake sturgeon, an important food source for nearby Native American communities.
Lake sturgeon populations are now much lower than they once were.
The full Moon will coincide with a deep partial lunar eclipse as Earth’s shadow crosses the Moon.
- Who
- The August 2026 full Moon, traditionally known as the Sturgeon Moon.
- What
- It will reach peak illumination and coincide with a deep partial lunar eclipse.
- When
- Friday, August 28, 2026, at 12:18 a.m. Eastern Time.
- Where
- In the night sky; the Sturgeon Moon name is associated with the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain.
- Why
- The name comes from lake sturgeon, which were historically caught during late summer and used as an important food source.
- Peak illumination
- 12:18 a.m. Eastern Time
- Date
- August 28, 2026
- Traditional name
- Sturgeon Moon
- Name origin
- Lake sturgeon
- Associated waters
- The Great Lakes and Lake Champlain
- Additional event
- Deep partial lunar eclipse
- Moon-name traditions
- Native American, Colonial American and European traditions