August, the last full month of summer, represents steamy temperatures, family vacations before back-to-school season kicks into high gear and lush gardens ripe for the picking. Historically, it also boasts celestial wonders, forgotten celebrations and weather-related proverbs. Here’s a closer look at its history.
August’s Ancient Origins
Originally the sixth month called “Sextilis” (Latin for “sixth”) under the Roman calendar, August was renamed to honor Augustus Caesar in 8 B.C. by the Roman Senate. The Senate had already renamed July in honor of Julius Caesar after his assassination. When Augustus Caesar, Rome’s first emperor, took power, he sought the same treatment. It became the eighth month with the adoption of the Gregorian calendar in 1582.
August Full Moon and Astronomical Events
There’s something fishy about August’s full moon. Named the Sturgeon Moon by Native Americans, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, it pays homage to giant lake sturgeon, once commonly found in the Great Lakes toward summer’s end.
Mid-August also marks the peak time to peep the Perseids, the year’s most popular meteor shower, reports NASA. Featuring 50 to 100 meteors per hour, they light up the night sky with bright streaking tails and fireballs.
Forgotten Holidays and Celebrations
Although it is the only month without a federal holiday, August still has plenty of food-themed days and historical celebrations.
Hungry? National Mustard Day takes place August 2, with National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day on August 4, and National Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor’s Porch Day each August 8.
August First Day was once a major 19th-century holiday for African Americans, commemorating the 1834 Slavery Abolition Act, which freed 800,000 enslaved people in British colonies, according to The Washington Post. The holiday faded after the Civil War.
In 1939, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt proclaimed August 19 National Aviation Day, in honor of Orville Wright’s birthday. (Sorry, Wilbur.)
Cat Nights, rooted in old Irish legend, starts on August 17, when a witch could turn into a cat eight times but not regain human form on the ninth day, which contributed to the saying “A cat has nine lives,” according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac.
Lammas, or Lughnasad, an ancient grain harvest festival, was celebrated by the ancient Celts at the end of July or early August. Lammas, or “loaf mass,” lasted until the mid-1800s.
