Full Moon -- Tonight!

A bright full moon is expected to light up the night after sunset this evening.  Remember to check this out!  One of the benefits of waking up in the middle of the night, I get to appreciate the brilliant shine of a full moon on a late summer night when I am out the door for work at 2 AM.  Better yet, the full moon tonight will happen on a clear and comfortable night.

Each full moon has a nickname, they are often based on ancient folklore.  This month is the "Full Sturgeon Moon".  Many attribute this full moon in August to local fishing tribes and their pursuit of the sturgeon, a large fish in the Great Lakes.  This month was a very popular month for fishing the sturgeon in Lake Erie and the other Great Lakes.  A few tribes also knew it as the Full Red Moon because, as the moon rises, it can appear reddish through the common sultry haze during the late summer month of August.  This haze can be a result of dust, pollen, smoke from far distant wildfires or any other particles suspended in the atmosphere. 

The moon will rise at 7:56 PM this evening, with best viewing between 8 PM and 10 PM tonight.  If you catch good pictures send them to me on Twitter: @ChrisWTOL or Facebook: Meteorologist Chris Vickers