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.

A full moon occurs when the moon is directly opposite the sun in Earth's sky, at which point the entirety of its surface appears lit from our perspective. This month's full moon will officially reach peak illumination on Aug. 9 at 3:55 a.m. EDT (0755 GMT), when it will be visible roughly 20 degrees above the southwestern horizon close to Deneb Algedi — the star that represents the tail of the sea-goat in the constellation Capricornus.

Though it reaches maximum illumination on Aug. 9, the moon will still appear full for a night or two either side of the peak. Be sure to check out our guide to exploring the moon with a telescope if you

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