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How and when to see the incredible Sturgeon Moon in UK skies this weekend
August is full of several exciting space and sky events for Brits to enjoy, with one coming this weekend.
From the rare planetary parade to the peak of the Perseids Meteor Shower on August 12 and 13, be sure to look up.
This weekend, the Sturgeon Moon will light up the skies across the UK.
Here is all to know about the spectacle and when and how to see it.
What is the Sturgeon Moon?
The Sturgeon Moon is the name given to the final full moon of summer 2025, taking place in August.
There are often many informal names given to monthly full moons.
As explained by the BBC's Sky at Night Magazine, this moon takes its name from the fact that late summer is the time when sturgeon fish were most plentiful in the Great Lakes of North America.
When to see the 2025 Sturgeon Moon in the UK
The 2025 Sturgeon Moon will be available to see this weekend, and it is the last full moon in summer this year.
It will rise tonight, on Saturday, August 9 and Sunday, August 10, in the southeast between 8pm and 9pm, but timings vary depending on your exact location.
According to the MoonPhases UK website, it is estimated that the Sturgeon Moon will start rising at 7.57pm in London.
The moon is full on both Saturday and Sunday and rises at roughly the same time in roughly the same location on both evenings.
The 2025 Sturgeon Moon in the UK will rise this weekend (Image: Getty Images) The best places to view it are any with low light pollution, such as a public park or nature reserve.
The Sky at Night Magazine also says that if you view the Sturgeon Moon from its rise, then you will witness an optical effect called the "Moon Illusion".
It says: "It happens when the Moon is low on the horizon and looks much bigger than normal.
"It's likely caused by foreground objects like buildings and trees appearing tiny in comparison to the bright full Moon, thereby making the Moon itself look huge."
The good news for anyone going out to view the Sturgeon Moon is that the weather appears to be mostly clear skies this weekend, although some cloud coverage may disrupt views.
Perseids Meteors peak and planetary parade also in August
The Sturgeon Moon is not the only exciting sky event taking place this month.
Next week, the Perseids Meteor Shower peaks, which could see more than 100 per hour, meaning August 12 and 13 are the best times to see it.
It has been active since July 17 and will continue until August 24.
Then, later in August, there will be a planetary parade with six planets visible in the night sky.
Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn will be visible to the naked eye, while Uranus and Neptune can be spotted through binoculars or a small telescope.
It will take place on the morning of August 18, with the alignment visible for about 45 minutes before sunrise at around 6am, according to The Farmers' Almanac.
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It is not the first planetary parade event to take place in 2025.
In January, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune could all be seen in the sky at once.
Then, in February, Mercury joined the party to form a "grand planet parade" where all seven planets were pictured above the horizon at the same time.
