This weekend, August's Full Moon will rise in the sky. Known as the Sturgeon Full Moon and coming to us in the humanitarian sign of Aquarius, this Moon will light up both the skies and the innovators within us.

For everything you need to know about how to see the August Full Moon and how it will affect you astrologically, read on.

When is the August Full Moon? And will you actually be able to see it?

The exact time of the Full Moon depends on your location and time zone. For some it could be during the dark, for others it could be the middle of the night.

In Australia, this Full Moon reaches its peak on 9 August in the early evening. For those on AEST – Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane and Hobart – it will reach its fullest point at 5:55pm. For Adelaide and Darwin it will be 5:25pm and for Perth, 3:55pm.

Visibility of this Moon will depend on the weather. It will begin to rise over the horizon around sunset, this will be your best time to view it – unless there are clouds.

If you're in Melbourne or Darwin, you'll get the best view, with no clouds predicted to obstruct this celestial event. Sydney and Hobart will have a partly cloudy view. Sadly for Brisbane, Canberra, Perth and Adelaide, you folks have a forecast of nothing but clouds and rain.

Why is it called the Sturgeon Full Moon?

The origins of the name Sturgeon Moon come from colonial American, Native American and European sources. Full Moons tend to adopt their names from the seasons, agriculture and hunting. Before modern calendars, the Full Moons were a useful tool to identify when flowers would be in bloom, when berries and fruit would be ready for harvest, when winter would reach a peak and when the land would be ready to sow again.

The Sturgeon Moon takes its name from the fish that are plentiful and readily caught at this point in the summer of the Northern Hemisphere. There is some debate that the Southern Hemisphere should actually observe the Moons in the inverse since the names are so closely tied to seasonal events. Where the North observes the Sturgeon Moon, the South would observe the Snow Moon.

What you can expect from the Full Moon in Aquarius

Arriving just a day after the peak of the Lion's Gate Portal, the Full Moon in Aquarius lights up our inner worlds with the desire for innovation and change.

Full Moons are always a time of high energy. This marks the climax of the Moon Cycle and its energetic peak. Folklore suggests people are moodier and more active around the Full Moon. Interestingly, the word 'lunatic' takes its etymological root from the latin word for the Moon, 'luna'. This is a time when emotions are strong and sensitivities are high.

Aside from heightening our emotions and intensifying our moods, the Full Moon is illuminating – both literally and figuratively. While it lights up the sky, it also sheds light on the hidden forces at work that you may have been unaware of or ignoring. Secrets come to light, new ideas are abundant and the truth of the situations around you are revealed.

When we look to this Moon at this time, it falls in the middle of Aquarius. This Air sign is known as the innovator of the zodiac. An adaptable communicator, this sign both a humanitarian and a rebel. Arguably the most intellectual of all the signs, Aquarius is a wavemaker. So much so, that when our outer planets move into this sign, its considered a mark of generational change and transformation.

As such, this Moon brings with it the desire to act for the collective good. It may seem antithetical given that we are in the midst of Leo season, but here the Moon asks us to look at what's best for everybody rather than what serves us alone. Empty and languid pursuits will feel particularly unappealing at this time. Aquarius is not a bed-rotter. Instead, we'll feel inspired to be out of the house and connecting with our community. In particular, there will be far more meaning found in altruistic activities.

Has a friend just had a baby? Drop off some ready-made meals. Is your work offering a volunteering day? Take the opportunity to sign up. Been meaning to clean out your closet? Send some of your nicer pieces to charity. Feeding the collective good will nourish you in a new way.

Some view Aquarius as a cold and emotionally stunted sign, but the truth is simply that Aquarius will evaluate situations without bias. Here, we are given the opportunity to clearly view situations without an emotional predisposition and act on what is best for all. It can also force us to ask questions about whether we've outgrown the people around us. Are your shared values still the same? If not, it could be time to move on.

Remember, we're still contending with four retrogrades

Whatever you do during this time, be cognisant Saturn, Neptune, Pluto and Mercury are all still in a retrograde transit. With the Moon in Aquarius asking us to take matters into our own hands and Saturn in Retrograde throwing out the rule book, it's a recipe for challenge, confrontation, and difficult conversations. Of course, these are the exact things you're supposed to avoid during Mercury Retrograde.

If your path is diverging away from those around you, it can be time to say goodbye to that friendship or relationship. The true art will come from doing this in a respectful way. Words spoken from frustration or anger can come back to haunt us. If you don't have anything constructive to say, sometimes it's best not to say anything at all.

Image: Joseph Corl on Unsplash