August Full Moon 2023: The Full Sturgeon Moon and Full Blue Moon
Mark your calendars for the two full moons in August, the eighth and ninth full moons of the 2023 Full Moon Calendar.
A full moon occurs when the Earth is directly between the Sun and Moon so that the moon looks completely illuminated when you look at it. It happens about once a month or, 29.53 days on average.
Ready to dive a little deeper into the two August full moons? Learn more about the moon’s nicknames and other facts.
The dates and times provided by NASA in the United States Eastern Time (ET) account for both Eastern Standard Time (EST) and Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) for part of the year in the United States. Also below is the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) time. This was previously referred to as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Since you may be in a different time zone, the exact dates may shift slightly for your calendar.
Full Sturgeon Moon and Full Blue Moon in August 2023
In August this year, there will be two full moons and both supermoons based on their distance. The first will be the Full Sturgeon Moon on Tuesday, August 1st, and the 2023 Full Blue Moon is on Wednesday, August 30th (August 31st UTC).
When are the full moons in August 2023?
The first August Full Moon will be on Tuesday, August 1, 2023, at 2:31 PM EDT or 6:31 PM UTC. It will be the second full moon of the Summer season as the second full moon after the Summer Solstice in 2023. The August 1st full moon will be the full moon in Aquarius.
At the end of the month, the second August Full Moon will be on Wednesday, August 30, 2023, at 9:35 PM EDT or August 31, 2023, at 1:35 AM UTC. It will be the third and last full moon of the Summer season and the full moon in Pisces.
Both the August 1st and August 30th full moons will be full supermoons.
Names of the August Full Moons
The names of the two full moons in August 2023 are the Full Sturgeon Moon and the Full Blue Moon.
Full Sturgeon Moon
The name of the August 1st full moon is the Full Sturgeon Moon and one you might not have guessed. The Sturgeon Moon gets its name as sturgeon are caught in high numbers in North America’s Great Lakes at that time of year.
Other nicknames for the August Full Moon include the Barley Moon, Corn Moon, Dog Moon, Fruit Moon, Grain Moon, Green Corn Moon, Herb Moon, Red Moon, and Wyrt Moon.
Full Blue Moon
The name of the August 30th full moon is the Full Blue Moon because it is the second full moon in the same calendar month for 2023.
Which season includes the August Full Moons?
In 2023, both August Full Moons will be part of the Summer 2023 season. The August 1st full moon will be the second full moon after the Summer Solstice Equinox in 2023. The August 30th full moon will be the third summer full moon.
The Summer Solstice marks the beginning of astronomical summer and the end of astronomical spring in the Northern Hemisphere.
In 2023, the Summer Solstice will be Wednesday, June 21, 2023, at 10:58 AM EDT or 2:58 PM UTC.
Depending on the year, the August Full Moon may also be a seasonal blue moon, but that won’t be the case for 2023. There will be a blue moon in August as a second full moon in the same month.
When is the new moon for the 2023 Full Sturgeon Moon?
The lunar cycle for the first August Full Moon will begin with its new moon in July 2023. The New Sturgeon Moon will be on Monday, July 17, 2023, at 2:32 PM EDT or 6:32 PM UTC, and will be the new moon in Cancer. It will be the first new moon of Summer 2023.
When is the new moon for the 2023 Full Blue Moon?
The lunar cycle for the second Full Moon in August will begin with its new moon in August 2023. The New Blue Moon will be on Wednesday, August 16, 2023, at 5:38 AM EDT or 9:38 AM UTC, and will be the new moon in Leo. It will be the second new moon of Summer 2023.
When there is a blue moon in a month, its new moon will be middle of the same month based on how the lunar cycles align with the calendar.
August Blue Moons
The next August Blue Moon will be the blue moon in August 2023, as there will be two full moons that month.
A blue moon is when two full moons are in the same calendar month. Months with 31 days, such as August, make it easier to have a blue moon because a full moon occurs about once a month or, 29.53 days on average.
The seasonal blue moon is a second definition for blue moons in which four full moons occur in a season. The third full moon of the season is called the seasonal blue moon in the seasons which has 4 full moons. The August full moon will always be either the second or third full moon of the summer season so it’s possible to be a seasonal blue moon.
The last August Seasonal Blue Moon was the August 2021 full moon, as there were four full moons during the 2021 Summer Season.
It’s also possible, depending on the time zone that the blue moon month could shift. For the purpose of this website, the blue moons will be defined based on Eastern (United States) time.
Will there be a full supermoon in August 2023?
Yes, both of the full moons in August 2023 will be full supermoons. The year will have two supermoons in August and two additional full supermoons depending on your definition.
A full supermoon is a full moon that nearly coincides with the closest point that the Moon comes to the Earth in its orbit, called perigee. The moon has a larger-than-usual appearance when you look at it. There isn’t an official definition for how close the moon must be to the Earth to be considered a supermoon. Depending on the version you use, the moon needs to be approximately 360,000 kilometers from the Earth or closer.
Will there be a lunar eclipse during the August Full Moon?
No, a lunar eclipse will not occur during the full moon in August 2023. In the future, there will be an eclipse during the first full moon of the year.
In 2023 there will be two lunar eclipses during the year. The May Full Moon will have a penumbral lunar eclipse, and there will be a partial lunar eclipse during the October Full Moon.
August 2023 Moon Phases in Eastern Time and UTC
Below are the lunar phases for August 2023, including the new moon, first quarter, full moon, and last quarter that are scheduled for the month. The date and times are based on the United States Eastern Time Zone and UTC, adjusted for daylight saving time.
| Lunar Phase | US Eastern Date & Time | UTC Date & Time |
|---|---|---|
| August Full Moon | August 1, 2023 2:31 PM EDT | August 1, 2023 6:31 PM UTC |
| August Last Quarter | August 8, 2023 6:28 AM EDT | August 8, 2023 10:28 AM UTC |
| August New Moon | August 16, 2023 5:38 AM EDT | August 16, 2023 9:38 AM UTC |
| August First Quarter | August 24, 2023 5:57 AM EDT | August 24, 2023 9:57 AM UTC |
| August Blue Moon | August 30, 2023 9:35 PM EDT | August 31, 2023 1:35 AM UTC |
Future August Full Moons
Over the next few years, there will be four full moons because August 2023 will have a blue moon. Here’s a quick summary of the dates of each full moon and how they fit into each season.
Starting with 2023, here are the dates of the next 4 August Full Moons:
August 1, 2023
The first August 2023 Full Moon will be on Tuesday, August 1, 2023, at 2:31 PM EDT or 6:31 PM UTC. This will be the second full moon of the Summer 2023 season.
August 30, 2023 (Full Blue Moon)
There will be a second full moon as a blue moon in August 2023 on Wednesday, August 30, 2023, at 9:35 PM EDT or August 31, 2023, at 1:35 AM UTC. This will be the third and last full moon of the Summer 2023 season.
August 19, 2024
The August 2024 Full Moon will be on Monday, August 19, 2024, at 2:26 PM EDT or 6:26 PM UTC. This will be the third full moon of the Summer 2024 season.
August 9, 2025
The August 2025 Full Moon will be on Saturday, August 9, 2025, at 3:55 AM EDT or 7:55 AM UTC. This will be the second full moon of the Summer 2025 season.
Past August Full Moons
And what about in the past? Here is when the full moon occurred in the recent past for August.
August 11, 2022
The August 2022 Full Moon will be on Thursday, August 11, 2022, at 9:36 PM EDT or August 12, 2022, at 1:36 AM UTC. This will be the second full moon of the Summer 2022 season.
August 22, 2021
The August 2021 Full Moon was on Sunday, August 22, 2021, at 8:02 AM EDT or 12:02 PM UTC. This was the third full moon of the Summer 2021 season. It was also considered a seasonal blue moon because it was the third full moon in a season with four full moons.
August 3, 2020
The August 2020 Full Moon was on Monday, August 3, 2020, at 11:59 AM EDT or 3:59 PM UTC. It was the second full moon of the Summer 2020 season.
August 15, 2019
The August 2019 Full Moon was on Thursday, August 15, 2019, at 8:29 AM EDT or 12:29 PM UTC. It was the second full moon of the Summer 2019 season.
August 26, 2018
The August 2018 Full Moon was on Sunday, August 26, 2018, at 7:56 AM EDT or 11:56 AM UTC. It was the second full moon of the Summer 2018 season.
August 7, 2017
The August 2017 Full Moon was on Monday, August 7, 2017, at 2:11 PM EDT or 6:11 PM UTC. It was the second full moon of the Summer 2017 season.
August 18, 2016
The August 2016 Full Moon was on Thursday, August 18, 2016, at 5:27 AM ET or 9:27 AM UTC. This was the second full moon of the Summer 2016 season.
August 29, 2015
The August 2015 Full Moon was on Saturday, August 29, 2015, at 2:35 PM ET or 6:35 PM UTC. This was the third full moon of the Summer 2015 season. This full moon was later in the month because July had a blue moon at the very end of the month.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are a few frequently asked questions about the August Full Moon Calendar to help you prepare for the years ahead.
There will be two full moons in August 2023. The first is on Tuesday, August 1, 2023, at 2:31 PM EDT or 6:31 PM UTC and the second full moon will be on Wednesday, August 30, 2023, at 9:35 PM EDT or August 31, 2023, at 1:35 AM UTC. Both will be part of the Summer 2023 and are full supermoons.
The most common name for the August Full Moon is the Sturgeon Moon. As with other full moon names, it’s inspired by nature and refers to the high numbers of sturgeon caught in high numbers in North America’s Great Lakes. Additional names for this month’s full moon include: Barley Moon, Corn Moon, Dog Moon, Fruit Moon, Grain Moon, Green Corn Moon, Herb Moon, Red Moon, and Wyrt Moon.
And if you’re looking for when the full moon occurs for the rest of the year, check out these future full moon calendars.
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