Sturgeon Moon Meets Near-Total Lunar Eclipse: How to Watch This Week

August’s full sturgeon moon will align with a near-total partial lunar eclipse, with Earth’s shadow covering about 96% of the Moon. The eclipse begins at 10:34 p.m. ET Thursday and peaks around 12:13 a.m. ET Friday, while the full Moon reaches its maximum at 12:18 a.m. ET. Observers across North and South America can see most or all of it, and viewing is safe without any equipment, though the Moon’s color may be muted since only part of it is in Earth’s umbra. The sturgeon Moon name comes from Native American/North American traditions. The article also notes there are four more full moons in 2026.