How To See May's Flower Moon Next Week
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
The night sky will be putting on a dazzling display next week as May's Flower Moon rises, giving spring a touch of cosmic enchantment. Here's how to catch it at its brightest.
Reaching its peak at 12:57 p.m. EDT on May 12, the Flower Moon, which is the second full moon of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, will be best visible as it rises at moon-rise, during dusk.
But don't worry if you can't catch it at the exact right time! It will also appear full and bright on the nights of May 11 and May 13, making for plenty of opportunity to enjoy this celestial phenomena.
A stock image shows a full moon with flowers silhouette in the night.
A stock image shows a full moon with flowers silhouette in the night.
getty images
Where to see the Flower Moon in May
To fully enjoy the Flower Moon, a place with minimal light pollution offers the best visibility. Stargazers are recommended to find an elevated location, ideally an open field, or a quiet coastline with a clear view of the eastern horizon.
While the naked eye works for this annual lunar event, binoculars or a small telescope can offer a better view of the satellite's craters.
The exact best time to see the Flower Moon at its brightest varies depending on your location in the world. A moon-rise calculator can be helpful in identifying the best time to witness this phenomenon wherever you are.
In New York, moon-rise on the 12th of May will be around 8:31 p.m. EDT. In Los Angeles, meanwhile, it will be at 8:15 p.m. PDT.
May's Flower Moon will be a Micro-moon
This year's Flower Moon will appear slightly smaller than usual because it's a "micro-moon"—the opposite of a "super-moon."
The technical term for this is an apogee full moon, which happens when the moon is at its farthest point from Earth in its elliptical orbit. This year, the Flower Moon will coincide closely with the apogee, making it about 251,828 miles away instead of 238,855 miles.
Origins of the name
Connecticut College astronomer professor Alex Gianninas previously told Newsweek that the Flower Moon takes its name from the obvious connection with flowers blooming at this time of year.
"However, some Native American names for the full moon in May include the Egg Laying Moon and Planting Moon."
The lunar event occurs each May on a different date. Last year, it was on May 23, and appeared full for around three days.
A stock image shows a photographer taking pictures of the moon.
A stock image shows a photographer taking pictures of the moon.
getty images
How to Photograph the Moon
Photographing the moon can be challenging if you don't have the right equipment. Award-winning Hungarian astro-photographer Rafael Schmall previously told Newsweek that he recommends using DSLR or mirror-less cameras when capturing the moon.
He added that some bridge cameras with powerful zoom lenses are also capable of shooting the rising or setting moon. A light but strong tripod is also necessary.
Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about the moon? Let us know via science@newsweek.com.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
'Mass Effect' Series Moving Forward With 'Star Trek' Writer
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors All the way back in June 2021, "Mass Effect: Legendary Edition" project director Marc Walters told Business Insider that it was "not a matter of if, but when" that "Mass Effect" was adapted to the screen. That "when" just got a lot closer with the hiring of a showrunner. Deadline reports that Amazon MGM Studios, which has been working on developing a "Mass Effect" series since 2021, has hired "Star Trek Beyond" writer Doug Jung as showrunner of the project. Read More: Everything We Know About Netflix's Season 4 of 'Ginny & Georgia' Jung's other credits include "The Cloverfield Paradox" and more recently the Jason Momoa-led Apple TV+ series "Chief of War". He also wrote for "Mindhunter", "Big Love", and extensively for the crime drama "Dark Blue". Key art for Mass Effect shows Commander Shepard and his allies against a space backdrop Key art for Mass Effect shows Commander Shepard and his allies against a space backdrop Electronic Arts Jung will be working alongside Dan Casey, who Deadline reports has already been writing for the project for the past year. Jung and Casey will produce. Also producing are Ari Arad and Emmy Yu of Arad Productions, Michael Gamble of Electronic Arts, and Karim Zreik of Cedar Tree Productions. The first "Mass Effect" game was released in 2007, putting the player in control of Commander Shepard, a human soldier who finds himself on a quest to stop the ancient, malevolent A.I. villains known as the Reapers. Shepard's story was told in a total of three games, and then in 2017 came a story following a brand new group of heroes, "Mass Effect: Andromeda". Along the way were the mobile games "Mass Effect Galaxy" and "Mass Effect Infiltrator". Perhaps one of the biggest and obvious questions fans will want to have answered about the "Mass Effect" adaptation - assuming it adapts the story of the original game trilogy - is what gender Commander Shepard will be. The "Mass Effect" games are known for letting players make big choices that impact the outcome of the games, including the gender of the hero. The games also present the players with choices that can mean the life or death of many of the story's chief characters. Of course, there's no guarantee that the "Mass Effect" TV series will adapt the original trilogy. Like most popular video game franchises, "Mass Effect" is still expanding. "Andromeda" took the story in another direction and there is a fifth installment on the way. More TV: Alien: Earth Trailer Channels the Terror of the Original 1979 Classic Peacock Fumbles 'Love Island USA' Premiere—Here's the Schedule Ahead
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Opinion: Science is Utah's quiet engine — don't stall it with cuts to important funding
Science quietly powers Utah's prosperity. From lifesaving diagnostics at ARUP Laboratories and cutting-edge biotech startups to clean energy research at Utah State and drought-resistant crops developed through university partnerships, science is behind much of what makes life in Utah better, longer and more secure. In 2024, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded over $300 million to Utah institutions. That funding supported thousands of jobs, helped launch companies, and enabled groundbreaking research in everything from cancer treatments to Alzheimer's to rare disease therapies. Public health advances that benefit every Utahn — urban or rural — almost always begin through federally funded research. But now, that progress is in jeopardy. Proposed cuts and restrictions to NIH funding could have devastating effects on Utah's research institutions and economy. The plan to slash NIH's overall budget by nearly half, coupled with a proposal to reduce the indirect cost reimbursement to universities from around 50% to 15%, would mean far less money to cover the real costs of doing science. Basics like lab space, utilities, data storage and administrative support aren't luxuries — they're the infrastructure that makes research possible. For public universities like the University of Utah and Utah State, this isn't just a budget concern. It's a structural threat. Without adequate indirect cost support, universities would either have to drastically scale back research activity or shift the financial burden to students and state taxpayers. Both options would weaken Utah's competitive edge in science and technology. The consequences would ripple far beyond campus. Utah is known for its 'Industry' motto — a title that honors the resourcefulness and hard work that built our communities. Today, that industrious spirit thrives in our biotech labs, clean tech startups and health research centers. But industries can't thrive without innovation. Utah's life sciences sector depends on a steady pipeline of NIH-supported talent and discoveries emerging from research. Companies like Recursion, Myriad Genetics and BioFire Diagnostics thrive because of academic partnerships and access to skilled graduates. Pulling funding would slow innovation and shrink the talent pool. But it's not just about economics. It's about people. NIH funding supports clinical trials that help Utah families battling cancer. It funds suicide prevention programs in our schools, mental health outreach in rural counties, and pediatric care innovations at Primary Children's Hospital (PCH). It supports research for Native American communities and families dealing with chronic conditions like diabetes and asthma. Without that funding, many of these programs would disappear. I've seen the impact of public health investment firsthand. After I tested positive for latent tuberculosis as a student, I received free weekly treatment and health monitoring through the Utah County Health Department. It was science-backed care, delivered through a local system supported by federal resources. Without that treatment, I could have developed active tuberculosis — a threat not just to me but also to others. The system worked because it was built on scientific research and proactive policy. That kind of safety net doesn't happen without sustained funding. Furthermore, my nephew, Wesley, was cared for at PCH when he was just four months old. He was diagnosed with polyarteritis nodosa, a rare autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and damage to the heart. The NIH not only funds various programs at PCH but also was crucial to backing the science that led to properly diagnosing and saving Wesley. These cuts hurt the next generation. Graduate students and early career scientists — many of whom come from Utah — rely on federal research grants to get their start. If funding dries up, so do those opportunities. We risk losing promising young minds to other careers or other countries. This is not a partisan issue. Scientific progress should never be about politics. Every Utahn benefits from the medications they take, the clean water they drink, the safe food they eat and the medical care they receive. All of these are underpinned by science. Restricting it weakens our shared safety net and quality of life. Utah is built on hard work, innovation and foresight. Cutting science funding now would undermine the very foundation that allows us to adapt, compete and care for our communities. Science works for Utah — let's keep it that way.
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
List of Elon Musk's Government Contracts as Trump Threatens To Terminate
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. As Elon Musk and President Donald Trump traded jabs on their rival social media platforms, their feud has escalated beyond a public spat, threatening billions of dollars in federal contracts and throwing the future of America's space program into question. With Trump threatening to sever government ties with Musk's businesses, most notably SpaceX, Newsweek looked at the web of contracts that bind the billionaire's ventures to the U.S. government. Newsweek has reached out to SpaceX for comment via email on Friday. Why It Matters NASA and SpaceX have built one of the most significant public-private partnerships in modern space exploration. Since 2015, SpaceX has received more than $13 billion in NASA contracts, making it one of the agency's largest private partners. SpaceX is deeply integrated into U.S. national security and the space programs, with Clayton Swope, deputy director of the Center for Strategic and International Studies Aerospace Security Project, telling Newsweek: "SpaceX is not like the appendix but a vital organ in everything the United States is doing in space." Musk,the SpaceX CEO and former Trump ally headingthe Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), clashed publicly with the president on Thursday in a heated exchange on social media. The dispute began over Musk's criticism of a Trump-backed spending bill and escalated into threats over federal contracts and allegations involving Trump's ties to child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. SpaceX's mega rocket Starship makes a test flight from Starbase, Texas, on May 27, 2025. SpaceX's mega rocket Starship makes a test flight from Starbase, Texas, on May 27, 2025. AP Photo/Eric Gay What To Know On Thursday, the president threatened termination of Musk's various contracts, writing in a Truth Social post: "The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon's Governmental Subsidies and Contracts." NASA press secretary Bethany Stevens told Newsweek in an emailed statement on Friday: "NASA will continue to execute upon the President's vision for the future of space. We will continue to work with our industry partners to ensure the President's objectives in space are met." Space experts largely agree that Musk essentially has a "monopoly" on the industry, responsible for key people movement and launching "more than 90 percent of the U.S. satellites into space," Darrell West, a senior fellow in the Center for Technology Innovation in the governance studies program at the Brookings Institution in Washington, told Newsweek. Musk also runs Starlink, a satellite subsidiary of SpaceX, that provides internet coverage to more than 100 countries, among other services. The billionaire's federal contracts range in research development, space exploration, utility and defense, particularly as space becomes more and more militarized. NASA Artemis In 2021, SpaceX was awarded the contract to help get American astronauts to the moon in development of the first commercial human lander. The initial contract was awarded at $2.89 billion, though various modifications have greatly increase that number, such as an additional $1.15 billion in 2022. In the 2021 press release, NASA said the program would help land the first woman and person of color on the moon. NASA Commercial Crew Transportation Awarded in 2014, SpaceX was selected to provide crew launch services to the International Space Station (ISS) through the development of Crew Dragon and its operational missions. The Crew Dragon is a capsule that transports astronauts to and from the ISS. Currently, NASA has no way to independently get to and from the ISS and would have to rely on the Russians for the transport. As a result of this and other measures, Scott Hubbard, former director of NASA's Ames Research Center, the first Mars program director and the founder of NASA's Astrobiology Institute, told Newsweek that he doesn't believe Trump's threats will be realized, saying: "There is no alternative to the F9-Dragon combination at present." Space X was awarded $2.6 billion for the project but has also received several multimillion-dollar contracts in relation to the larger project of ISS operations. The contract is set to expire when the ISS retires. It is planned to remain operation through 2030. At one point on Thursday, Musk threatened to decommission the Dragon spacecraft, a statement he has since retracted. NASA Commercial Resupply Services 2 In 2016, SpaceX received a NASA award to ensure cargo delivery to the ISS from 2019 to 2024. It launched its first mission in 2020, then conducted regular missions between 2021 and 2023. In 2022, NASA announced six more SpaceX missions, and in 2024 revealed plans to extend the contract through to the ISS' end in 2030. It's not exactly clear how much SpaceX was awarded for the missions, but in total, including missions with three providers, NASA awarded $14 billion combined. NASA ISS Deorbit Vehicle In June 2024, SpaceX was awarded a contract of up to $843 million to develop a U.S. Deorbit Vehicle to safely deorbit the ISS in 2030. NASA has pledged that the deorbit will be "in a controlled manner" that will "ensure avoidance of risk to populated areas." The contract will run through ISS' deorbiting process in 2030. NASA Launch Services SpaceX has several multimillion-dollar active launch contracts under NASA's Launch Services Program, which manages uncrewed missions. Contracts include a $255 million deal to launch NASA's Roman Space Telescope on a Falcon Heavy in 2026, a $178 million launch contract for NASA's Europa Clipper on Falcon Heavy, and a $256.6 million contract to launch the Dragonfly rotorcraft mission to Saturn's moon Titan, among others. U.S. Space Force National Security Space Launch (Phase 2) In 2020, SpaceX was granted contracts to launch some of the Pentagon's high-priority satellites into space for fiscal years 2022-2027. The initial contract was valued at $316 million, with an additional estimated billions in various task orders. The satellites allow security forces to communicate, geolocate and coordinate intelligence. U.S. Air Force (AFRL) – Rocket Cargo Program A $102 million contract was awarded in 2022 for SpaceX to use its resources to demonstrate technologies for point-to-point space transportation. The project involves collecting data and developing cargo designs for mass payloads, among other initiatives. U.S. Space Force and Department of Defense Starlink Services Contracts The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and Space Force have established several contracts with SpaceX for Starlink satellite services. In 2023, the Space Force awarded SpaceX about $70 million for Starlink satellite internet services that help provide military units with Starlink terminals and connectivity. Additionally, the Pentagon in mid-2023 confirmed a multimillion-dollar contract for Starlink to support operations in Ukraine, a close U.S. ally. Tesla Musk is also the head of Tesla, an electric vehicle company that has benefited from several government programs over the years, including federal loans from the Department of Energy and tax incentives. What Happens Next Several space experts told Newsweek it's unlikely the government will cancel SpaceX's contracts, citing the scale of the projects and the limited number of viable alternatives the government would have. Given the volatile nature of their feud, it remains unclear whether Trump will attempt to cancel existing contracts or limit future deals, or whether Musk could pull SpaceX out of its government commitments altogether.
