Supermoon August 2022: When is the next supermoon - how to see the Sturgeon moon tonight in Newcastle

Stargazers in Newcastle are in for a treat tonight, as the year’s final supermoon lights up the skies.

Named the ‘Sturgeon Moon’, August’s full moon is the fourth and last supermoon of the year, and missing it means you will have to wait a while for the next one to come along.

With clear skies predicted across much of the country, it should be an excellent opportunity to see a full moon that may appear larger and brighter than usual.

So what is a supermoon and when can you see it in Newcastle tonight? Here’s everything you need to know.

What is a supermoon?

According to the NASA website, a supermoon happens when the moon’s orbit is closest to Earth (perigee) and the moon is full.

The moon orbits Earth in an ellipse, an oval that pulls it closer and farther away from the planet as it rotates.

The apogee is the farthest point in this orbit and is around 253,000 miles (405,500 kilometres) from Earth on average.

Its closest point to Earth is the perigee, which is approximately 226,000 miles (363,300 kilometres).

A "supermoon" occurs when a full moon appears near perigee, when it is somewhat brighter and larger than an ordinary full moon.

When can I see the supermoon tonight?

The Sturgeon Supermoon will be visible in the UK and around the world tonight, on Thursday, August 11, 2022, and into the early hours of Friday morning.

The Sturgeon supermoon rises in the southeast at 8.55pm on Thursday, August 11, 2022. As the sun begins to set at 8:30 pm, the moon will rise in the still-dim sky.

Although it will be a few hours before it reaches its peaks, the moon should be visible one hour after rising.

The peak of the supermoon will occur at 2.36am on the morning of August 12, 2022.

What will the weather be like tonight and how can I see the supermoon in Newcastle?

In Newcastle, the Met Office has predicted that there will be another dry and clear day with increasingly hot temperatures on Thursday.

On Friday, high pressure continues to bring dry settled weather through the end of the week, with clear skies in store.

Therefore, your back garden or your balcony would be a perfect spot to see the moon, if the weather permits.

But if you live in a location where the horizon is obscured by buildings or trees, it is recommended that you wait until the moon has risen higher in the sky around midnight.

Why is it called ‘Sturgeon Moon’?

It is thought to be related to how many fish were caught under this especially bright moon, according to Live Science.

It states that the Algonquin tribes of what is now eastern North America gave the sturgeon moon its name because it was easier to catch giant sturgeon fish in the Great Lakes at this time of year.

According to NASA, Native American names for full moons first appeared in the Maine Farmer’s Almanack in the 1930s and have since become widely used.

When is the next supermoon?

A supermoon only happens three or four times a year, as opposed to a full moon, which appears once every lunar cycle (29.5 days long).

There will be four per year from now until 2025.

The next supermoon will take place in 2023 and will both be in August - one on August 1 and the next on August 31.