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2h ago

Flower Micromoon Rises Tonight to Open a Rare Two‑Full‑Moon May

Peaking this afternoon, the full moon appears slightly smaller because it occurs near the Moon’s farthest point from Earth.

May 1 brings the Full Flower Moon, exactly a calendar month after April 1’s Full Moon, imaged here. Credit: Steve Harwood (Flickr, CC BY-NC 4.0)
Bright Jupiter shines just above thin clouds at left, below the stars Castor and Pollux, the heads of Gemini. This month offers many transits of the Galilean moons, sometimes together. Credit: Alan Dyer
Image

Overview

  • The Flower Moon, which turns full Friday at about 1:23–1:24 p.m. EDT, will look best at dusk as it climbs low in the eastern sky.
  • This full moon is a micromoon near apogee at roughly 249,180 miles away, so it will appear a little smaller and dimmer than usual.
  • May will end with a second full moon, a Blue Moon on May 30–31, which observers report will be the smallest full moon of 2026.
  • Bright moonlight early in the month will mute the Eta Aquarid meteor shower during its May 5–6 peak, lowering visible counts for many viewers.
  • Moonrise and moonset vary by location, so check a local moonrise calculator to pinpoint your best viewing time.