Overview
- The second full moon of May — a calendrical “blue moon” — will reach peak illumination at about 4:45–4:46 a.m. EDT on Sunday, May 31, with local rise and set times varying by region.
- This same full phase occurs near lunar apogee, making it a micromoon that will be roughly 6% smaller than an average full moon and measurably farther from Earth (about 252,300–252,360 miles).
- Observers can see the event with the naked eye across large parts of the world; binoculars help, telescopes are not required, and NASA plus the Virtual Telescope Project will offer photography tips and live streams.
- The name “blue moon” is calendrical and does not mean the Moon will turn blue; any orange or red tones at moonrise are caused by Earth’s atmosphere scattering light and by the familiar moon illusion.
- Calendar context: the last calendrical blue moon was in August 2023, the next calendrical blue moon will be December 31, 2028, and astronomers report this specific blue‑micromoon coincidence won’t repeat until 2053.