Mesmerizing Supermoon Spectacle: Sturgeon Moon Shines Bright in Central Texas

The first of two supermoons in August will be visible from Central Texas on Tuesday night into Wednesday morning

The supermoon on August 1 is called the "Sturgeon Moon," named after the large fish in the Great Lakes that were more easily caught during this time of year

A supermoon occurs when a full moon coincides with the moon's closest approach to Earth, making it appear 7% larger and up to 30% brighter

The second supermoon of the month, known as the "Blue Moon," will be visible on August 30

High tides and low tides will be more extreme during the supermoon due to the moon's stronger gravitational pull on the oceans

Supermoons happen three to four times a year, with the previous one in 2023 being the full buck moon on July 3

The moon will appear full for three days around the supermoon time, and it will reach peak illumination at specific times, like 2:32 pm ET for the sturgeon supermoon

The term "blue moon" refers to the second full moon in a calendar month, and this upcoming blue moon is especially noteworthy as it will occur during the moon's perigee on August 30 at 9:36 pm