August may be a moonbather's dream come true in Metro Vancouver.
Not one but two of the massive moons are set to dazzle the region in the same month, which will make the second lunar spectacle a "blue moon."
The first of two supermoons will appear at its fullest in Metro Vancouver on Aug. 1 at 11:31 a.m., while the second one will look its largest on Aug. 30 at 6:35 p.m., according to timeanddate.com.
A supermoon refers to a full moon that looks roughly 15 per cent brighter and seven per cent bigger than a regular one due to its proximity to Earth.
EarthSky notes that astronomers usually refer to supermoons as perigean full moons — a term that simply refers to the moon being "near earth."
Full Sturgeon Moon rises in Vancouver
The full sturgeon moon is named after the large, prehistoric fish that are found in lakes across North America and around the world. August was considered the best time to fish the ancient-looking creatures, which "have been traced back to around 136 million years ago," according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.
The August moon was also given other names by different tribes across the continent, including "'Wheat Cut Moon” (San Ildefonso, and San Juan), “Moon When All Things Ripen” (Dakotah Sioux), and the ”Blueberry Moon” (Ojibwe).
Skywatchers won't need special equipment to view the massive supermoons but not all cameras will capture them clearly. Binoculars will also allow you to see details on the lunar surface.
Wondering what kind of weather we'll see in the Lower Mainland in August? Have a look at the complete Metro Vancouver summer weather forecast.
