Get ready for blood moon after Sturgeon moon; next lunar eclipse after August full moon; check date, timings, and best viewing places

The Sturgeon Moon was one of the most striking and rare celestial events that was observed in August 2025. One of the things that made this astronomical event special was that it appeared on two consecutive evenings (August 8 and August 9, 2025), both during dusk. This unusual occurrence is caused by a “shortened moonrise delay” of about 30 minutes between the two nights. This is because the moon’s position is well south of the celestial equator.

Normally, the moon rises around 50 minutes later each day, but in August, it rose faster, letting skywatchers enjoy the glowing orb twice in a row as it climbs the eastern horizon after sunset. The moon reached its peak illumination at 3:55 AM. Eastern Time on August 9, 2025. For those in New York City, the moon rose just after sunset on both evenings, at 8:03 p.m. on August 8 and 8:32 p.m. on August 9.

The next full moon will appear on September 7, 2025. It will be a blood moon. It is a total lunar eclipse, when Earth’s shadow completely covers the moon.

What is Blood Moon?

A blood moon refers to a total lunar eclipse, when Earth’s shadow covers the moon entirely and turns it a deep red or reddish-brown color. This happens only during a full moon, when the sun, Earth, and moon line up perfectly.

The full moon, in most cases, is not perfectly full. The night sky enthusiasts always see the same side of the moon, but part of it is in shadow due to the moon's rotation.

The moon is 100 percent full only when it is perfectly aligned with the Earth and the sun. On some occasions, the moon is full twice in a month (or four times in a season).

What is the timing and best places to see the next full moon?

For all the Celestial watchers who are eagerly waiting for the next full moon, it will be observed on September 7, 2025 (Sunday). According to Space.com, it will officially reach its full moon phase at 2:09 PM (1809 GMT). The local moonrise times, however, will vary depending on location.

For all the casual stargazers, the moon will still appear full the night before and after its peak. The next full moon will be a blood moon. A total lunar eclipse is visible across Europe, Asia, and Western Australia, according to Space.com.