August's full moon has a spectacular show planned for the end of the month.
Not only will the full Sturgeon Moon be bright and large, but will also include a partial lunar eclipse visible throughout North America, according to NASA. It is also considered an "almost blood moon," since most - but not all - of the moon will be covered by the Earth's shadow.
Here's what to know about August's full moon and what to expect.
The Sturgeon Moon peaks on Friday, Aug. 28 at 12:18 a.m. ET, according to the Farmer's Almanac.
August's full moon is called the Sturgeon Moon for the abundance of sturgeon traditionally caught in the Great Lakes and other major waterways during late summer, according to the Farmer's Almanac. Native Americans living near the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain once caught the fish during late summer, and the fish became a regular part of their diets. Today, there are about 29 species of sturgeon.
The Sturgeon Moon is also called the Mountain Shadows Moon, Corn Moon and Black Cherries Moon, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac.
The eclipse will begin at 9:23 p.m. ET on Thursday, Aug. 27, according to Time and Date. It will reach maximum eclipse, the peak when the moon will be the most covered, at 12:12 a.m. ET on Friday, Aug. 28.
A "blood moon" is a phenomenon that occurs when the moon appears red during a total lunar eclipse.
"When this happens, the only light that reaches the Moon's surface is from the edges of the Earth's atmosphere," according to NASA. This occurs because air molecules in our planet's atmosphere scatter the blue light and the remaining light reflects off the moon, making it appear red.
Since the partial lunar eclipse in August will only cover 96%, it is considered an "almost blood moon."
The next full moon after August's sturgeon moon is the Harvest Moon on Saturday, Sept. 26. The Harvest Moon is to peak at 12:49 p.m. ET, according to the Farmer's Almanac. September's moon is called the Harvest Moon because it takes place days after the autumnal equinox on Tuesday, Sept. 22 and historically provides farmers with additional evening moonlight during the fall harvest.
Contributing: USA Today Network
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: August full moon brings a rare 'almost blood moon'