This month, the full moon peaked just before 4 a.m. ET on Saturday morning, Aug. 9. But Americans have been treated to a bright light in the night sky for a few days now, as Earth's neighbor has appeared completely illuminated by direct sunlight since entering its "full" phase this week.

With the new moon darkening the skies, you’ll have a rare shot at spotting the Milky Way, deep-sky galaxies, and even the Andromeda galaxy with the naked eye.

August's full moon, known as the sturgeon moon, is coming this weekend. It is one of several full moons throughout the year with traditional names, and its appearance will be followed just a few days later by the peak of the Perseid meteor shower.