Chapter 230801: Flambé’s latest Misadventure ………………. August’s Full “Sturgeon” Moon  

Have you ever seen a living dinosaur? If you’ve seen a sturgeon, then count yourself among the lucky few. If not, a visit an aquarium where these 10 foot + fish are on display, will amaze. There are more than 2 dozen species of sturgeon worldwide, but in celebration of the August 1st Full Moon, look close as it rises and imagine an image (or 2) of the North American species of sturgeon swimming gracefully across the Moon’s smiling face.
Keep on reading to learn more about the August Full Sturgeon Moon and Flambé’s encounter with not one, but two of these incredible fish!

And Without Further Ado…… here’s a little bit about the August Full Sturgeon Moon

The August Full moon, usually the last Full Moon of summer,* is known as the Sturgeon Full Moon. But why the name Sturgeon? In centuries past, Native American tribes and settlers depended on the abundant sturgeon running throughout the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain, as a critical food staple. Sturgeon were also widespread in the Mississippi River basin, including the Detroit, Missouri and St. Lawrence rivers, where they were easy to catch and provided food for peoples living in these areas too.

Other August Full Moon Names 

The August Full Moon has been called by many names associated with the bounty of crops and harvests that are common this time of year. Here’s a sampling: Harvest Moon (Dakota) and Moon of the Ripening (Lakota); Grain Moon (Anglo-Saxon) and Green Corn Moon, aka Corn Moon (Algonquin and Ojibwe); Corn is in the Silk Moon (Ponca); Black Cherries Moon (Assiniboine and Sioux); Plum Moon (Shawnee).

In addition to referencing crops and harvests, wildlife species references that are in abundance this time of year were also used. Specifically, it’s this time of year when waterfowl molt and prepare for migration; they become easier to hunt, provide an abundance of food, and supply feathers used in decoration and as cushioning. Here’s those names:  Feather Shedding Moon (Passamaquoddy); Geese Shedding their Feathers Moon (Arapaho); Moon Young Ducks Begin to Fly (Cree).

And if that’s not enough, more names reference natural events such as dry riverbeds, rising temperatures, hazy skies, and summer thunderstorms, and include: Dry Moon (Catawba); Drying Up Moon (Cherokee); Hot Moon (Tunica and Shoshone); Red Moon (used by many different cultures); Lightning Moon (European origin and Neo-Pagan traditions); Mountain Shadows Moon (Tlingit)

Fun facts about sturgeon

1. There are more than two dozen species of sturgeon found worldwide, but the Full Sturgeon Moon specifically relates to the North American lake species, Acipenser fluvescens.

2. Sturgeon are one of the only fish species still alive today that could be found more than 200 million years ago, during the age of dinosaurs.

3. Living from 60-100 years, a 10 feet long, sturgeon can weigh 600-1,000 pounds! The largest sturgeon ever caught was 23 feet long and weighed 3,463 pounds.

4. Sturgeon are considered anadromous, which means they begin their lives in fresh water, but migrate to salt water, returning back to fresh water to breed, like Pacific salmon. But unlike salmon which die after breeding and laying eggs, sturgeon continue living.

*Usually the Sturgeon Full Moon is the last Full Moon of the summer season …. but 2023 is an exception. We get one more before summer changes to fall. And because the next Full Moon shines on August 31st, making it the 2nd Full Moon of the month, it is properly referred to as a Blue Moon. Stay tuned for more come the 31st!

Until next month and our next Full Moon, don’t forget to look up!

As always, Flambé invites you to follow her Zentangle-inspired antics (ZIAs) by visiting her page called Tangled Up, to see what trouble she always seems to find, past and present.