August - The Sturgeon Moon

One of the most common names for August's moon also has the most specific origins. The "Sturgeon Moon" is named after these large, freshwater fish, native to North America.

At this time of year, the Great Lakes would be teeming with sturgeon, and many tribes depended upon this bounty for their food stores. One large sturgeon would feed a fair few people, as they grow to 2 metres in length and weigh about 90 kilos. You can see why their arrival at the Great Lakes was cause for celebration.

Further south, the August moon names feature berries, cherries and grass cutting. The Arapaho, as ever, has one of the best names for this month's moon: "Geese shedding their feathers". Time to get those pillows filled…

In Europe and Britain, the focus is on growth and harvesting, with the "Grain Moon" and the "Corn Moon". The storms of July's "Thunder Moon" haven't gone away: watch out for the "Lightning Moon".

In Britain, you may have heard of a "Lynx Moon". It's a lovely image, a wild cat silhouetted against the full moon; however, "lynx" comes from an old English word meaning "bright". Celts called August's full moon the "Dispute Moon", referring to the balance between nature and harvest.