As summer slips into autumn, plants begin to bloom and nights begin to grow longer; The final supermoon of the year - Thursday (Aug. 11). Nicknamed the "Sturgeon Moon," August's full moon peaks around 9:30 p.m. EDT on Thursday (0136 a.m. GMT on Friday) — although the moon will appear bright and full on Wednesday and Friday night (Aug. 10 and Aug. 12) as well.
Most publications consider this a supermoon, meaning the full moon occurs while the moon is nearest its closest point to Earth, also known as perigee, during the current orbit. The Sturgeon Moon will appear within 90% of perigee, making it a supermoon by most scientific definitions. (Some publications put specific distance or time constraints on supermoons, meaning the Sturgeon Moon may not fit the bill for every publication.) Supermoons can appear larger and up to 16% brighter in the sky than the average full moon, according to timeanddate.com.
The Sturgeon Moon's name comes to us from the Algonquin tribes of what is now eastern North America, as large sturgeon fish were more easily caught in the Great Lakes at this time of year.
The full moon occurs when The Earth and Moon align on an invisible 180-degree line. The Moon's orbit is about 5 degrees different from Earth's enabling the sun's rays to illuminate the side facing Earth.
The Moon, The Myth, The Legend... When it comes to planting seeds gardeners have long depended on the power of the moon to assist good growth; Modern gardeners have found this ancient wisdom to have some truth, although there are many contradictions on record. A typical old saying runs:
‘Plant the bean when the moon is light [waxing or full], plant potatoes when the moon is dark [new or waning] ’.
At new moon, water is pulled up through the soil, so newly planted seeds should swell significantly, then as the moon waxes to fullness, its gravitational pull is believed to help root growth, so is perfect for planting crops like carrots and turnips, and for transplanting seedlings. This does not chime perfectly, however, with the tradition of planting potatoes on Good Friday, by when the moon is always beginning to wane. A quiet, waning moon, is deemed a good time to harvest crops and for jobs like pruning. source
Have you guys ever planted seeds this way on purpose? Maybe for fun? Would love to hear some Full Moon Adventures if anyone has (:
Plant seed & be free ~