Sturgeon Moon (also Sturgeon Super Moon)
noun phrase

- in August when the full moon happens at (or very near) the exact time when the Moon is closest to earth in its orbit

—
WORD ORIGIN

The word "sturgeon" comes from the Old English styria and the Middle English sturgeon. These are likely derived from the Latin sturio or sturgio and the Greek styrion. The root of these words in these languages may stem from the Proto-Indo-European root ster- which is related to the concept of being stiff, likely in reference to the rigid, bony plates of the sturgeon, which was a much-esteemed fish in ancient Greece and a costly luxury in Rome.

—
CELESTIAL SPECTACLE & FANTASTICAL FISH

A supermoon exceeds the disk size of an average-sized Moon by up to 8% and the brightness of an average-sized full Moon by some 16%. You may not perceive the difference in size, but a supermoon will appear brighter in the sky.

The Super Sturgeon Moon refers to a full moon that appears larger and brighter than usual because it occurs when the moon is at its closest point to Earth in its orbit, known as the perigee. The term "Sturgeon Moon" is one of the traditional names given to full moons by Native American tribes, which reflects the time of year when sturgeon fish are more readily caught in certain North American lakes and rivers.

Male sturgeons have a life span of around 55 years, while females can live up to 150 years! It is also the American continent’s largest freshwater fish and can grow to over two meters long and weigh around 90 kilos.

The sturgeon was essential for Native American tribes living in the area and is the oldest and largest native species in the Great Lakes—the largest surface freshwater system in the world.

—
SMUGGLE OWAD into an English conversation today, say something like:

“Weather permitting, let’s see if we can spot the STURGEON SUPER MOON tonight — our next chance will be on 19th August 2024.”

—
HERZLICHEN DANK to all readers helping me keep OWAD alive with single or monthly donations.

Every month, I spend evening and weekend hours with my family researching and writing your daily OWAD. It remains FREE, AD-free, and ALIVE thanks to voluntary donations from appreciative readers.

If you aren’t already, please also consider supporting us - even the equivalent of a single cup of coffee a month will help us cover mailing, site hosting, and maintenance costs. Just head over to DonorBox:

https://donorbox.org/please-become-a-friend-of-owad-5-3

or bank transfer to Paul Smith
IBAN: DE75 7316 0000 0002 5477 40
Please use your email-address as ‘Verwendungszweck

Thank you,
Paul