May's full flower moon: When and where to watch the celestial spectacle
May's full moon, affectionately known as the Flower Moon, will light up the night sky this Sunday, even though it's what astronomers call a 'micromoon.' This name refers to its position at the farthest point in its orbit from Earth, making it appear smaller and dimmer than usual.
Still, it promises to be a stunning sight.
The moon will officially reach its full phase at 12:56 p.m. ET on Monday, it will appear full to the naked eye. Look toward the southeastern horizon after sunset on Monday; the moon will slowly rise and reach its highest point in the sky after midnight.
This Flower Moon is the last in a trio of micromoons for 2025. At the time of this full moon, the moon will be about 251,939 miles (405,456 kilometers) from Earth, compared to its average distance of around 238,855 miles (384,400 kilometers), according to NASA.
The name 'Flower Moon' comes from a Comanche tradition, symbolizing the abundance of blooming flora in May. However, different Native American tribes have their own names for this moon. The Creek and Choctaw call it the Mulberry Moon, the Cree refer to it as the Frog Moon, the Anishinaabe name it the Blossom Moon, and the Apache describe this time as the 'season when the leaves are green.'
What's next in the night sky?
After this
micromoon
, seven more full moons will grace the skies in 2025. Keep an eye out for supermoons in October, November, and December. Here's the upcoming full moon schedule, according to the Farmers' Almanac:
June 11 – Strawberry Moon
July 10 – Buck Moon
August 9 – Sturgeon Moon
September 7 – Corn Moon
October 6 – Harvest Moon (Supermoon)
November 5 – Beaver Moon (Supermoon)
December 4 – Cold Moon (Supermoon)
Eclipse alerts for 2025
Two eclipse events are also on the calendar for the latter part of the year:
Total Lunar Eclipse (September 7–8)
: Best visible from Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, eastern South America, Alaska, and Antarctica. During this event, Earth's shadow will cast a reddish glow on the moon — a phenomenon commonly known as a 'Blood Moon.'
Partial Solar Eclipse (September 21)
: Viewable mainly from remote areas of Australia, Antarctica, and the Pacific Ocean, this type of eclipse creates the illusion of the moon taking a 'bite' out of the sun.
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