The saying "once in a blue moon" is especially true this week: This Sunday (Aug. 22), the full Sturgeon Moon will rise impressing sky watchers.
Typically, the term "Blue Moon" refers to the second full moon within the same month.
If you recall, the last one rose on Oct. 31, 2020, when an eerie Blue Moon lit up the night sky on Halloween.
August's full moon won't actually look blue, however; unless smoke particles from this summer's horrible fires turn the moon some weird orange-red, the moon will appear its usual ghostly white.
Other events associated with August's full moon include the Hindu festival Raksha Bandhan, which celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters; the Nikini Poya holiday in Sri Lanka, which commemorates the first Buddhist council 2,400 years ago; and the Hungry Ghost Moon Festival in China, when ghosts and spirits, including those of deceased family members, are thought to visit the living.
