Manuela Donà 30 July 2023
Not just shooting stars. In addition to the annual swarm of the Perseids, the San Lorenzo meteors, the sky this month will also be the stage for two Supermoons.
In August 2023 there will be an infrequent and curious phenomenon: the “double” full moon, that is, we will have two full moons.
The first full moon can be admired very large Tuesday evening 1st August and is called Sturgeon Moon.
The second can be observed Thursday 31 August and it will be there Chief Blu
Sturgeon full moon
The full moon in August is also called of the sturgeon in North America, it is thought that fishing tribes gave it this name because Great Lakes sturgeon were easier to catch at this time. It was also known by the natives as Red Moon, Red Moon, as, remaining longer in the low atmosphere, it appears reddish in August. Being the harvest period it was also named Green Corn Moon, Green Corn Moon e Grain Moon, Grain Moon. Native American tribes saw the full sturgeon moon as a bountiful harvest time, they called it the Full Fruit Moon or Black Berry Moono la Moon of when all things ripen. Medicinal herbs were collected.
In China, the full sturgeon moon is known as the moon of hungry ghosts, people light lotus-shaped water lanterns and float them on lakes, rivers and pools, in order to provide light for lost souls to find their road to the afterlife. It was born as a festival during which farmers prayed to their ancestors for a good harvest.
Why is it called the blue moon?
‘Blue Moon’ is a traditional name given to the thirteenth full moon which occurs in a calendar year. The Blue Moon was first seen and recorded in 1883. Another Blue Full Moon was seen in 1991. It appears blue in its shading from the movement of dust clouds caused by volcanic eruptions or forest fires on Earth.
It’s a rare event that only happens every two to three years, hence the popular phrase “once in a blue moon.” In many cultures, the full moon holds great significance, symbolizing change, transformation, and new beginnings. The Blue Moon Super Moon is considered to be a powerful time to set intentions, release negative energy, and manifest abundance.
What is the Super Moon
our satellite will be in the full moon phase and will also reach perigee (the point of its orbit closest to the Earth), thus appearing larger and brighter in the sky. A ‘Supermoon’, indeed. The shooting stars of San Lorenzo, whose peak is expected between 11 and 13 August, will be a spectacle to be admired towards mid-August when there will be “tears of San Lorenzo”.
When and where to see the show
Eyes fixed on the sky already from dusk. The Blue Moon or the Sturgeon Moon or even the Wheat Moon will rise. To better enjoy the show it is advisable to go to a dark place.
Among the most beautiful destinations:
Col San Gallo a Soligo, among the Prosecco hills, is an ideal area for a night walk in the moonlight. From the top of the hill at 363m above sea level, one can enjoy one of the best views over the entire Treviso plain, which seems to follow the course of the Piave river towards the sea. On clear and sunny days it is possible to glimpse the reflection of the sun in the Venice lagoon. Mount Pizzoc in the Treviso pre-Alps. A summit at 1,565 meters high which dominates the Pian del Cansiglio allowing on the clearest days of the Venice lagoon and the Milky Way, the quintessential galaxy of our solar system. Mount Cesen, in Pianezze, is a massif north-west of Treviso, which can be reached by car. Free from urban lighting it is ideal.
Vittorio Veneto Astronomical Observatory a Piadera in Fregona. There are three domes available, the most technological has a telescope three meters long and with a diameter of 61 centimeters, it is among the largest in the Veneto region. www.astrofili-vittorioveneto.it.
Don Chiavacci astronomical observatory, a Crespano del Grappa. Unique area of its kind, included in the regional protection plan from light pollution – it is equipped with a terrace of the stars.
Rites and beliefs
The full moon, or full moon, occurs when the sunlit lunar hemisphere, which is opposite the moon, is fully visible from Earth. The full moon concentrates the energies of all lunar phases into its perfect, luminous circle. It is a symbol of fullness, totality. And for this very reason powerful energies are attributed to it.
It’s a good time to make a decision or get answers. With August the wheel of the year turns, the period dominated by the sun and the generosity of nature, sees the decline. It is an ancient custom to thank the earth for the abundance of its gifts received, the results of which are finally enjoyed, after the hard work. This month means holidays for us, for the Celts it marked the end of summer and the beginning of autumn.
At this time of the year we celebrate Lughnassad, festivals of the god Lug. The characteristics of this period are optimism, joie de vivre, creativity to the max, freedom of expression.
The Full Moon in August brings confidence and luck in love and work suggests savoring our emotions without constraints and sharing them with those close to us. It encourages us to be happy, to live the present intensely and to savor the pleasures that are offered to us.
Let’s take advantage of this moment and the energy to express ourselves creatively and let those talents emerge that we often, caught up in the frenzy of work, neglect throughout the year that each of us possesses, but often do not express themselves due to lack of time.