The moon will shine bright when the sun sets on Friday evening, Aug. 8, but the official peak of the August 2025 full moon is not until the early morning hours of Saturday, Aug. 9, according to Time and Date. Moonwatchers willing to stay awake for the nighttime spectacle will have the chance to peer at it while at its brightest.

But first, let's break down the meaning of the sturgeon moon. The full moon will reach peak illumination in the United States on Saturday, Aug. 9, at 3:55 a.m. ET., according to the U.S. Naval Observatory's Astronomical Applications Department.

August's full 'Sturgeon Moon' rises this weekend, putting on a spectacular lunar light show as it leaps above the southeastern horizon at sunset on Aug. 9.