Friday’s full moon, known as the “flower moon,” will mark a rare moment in the skies for more than one reason.
Not only is the full moon one of two for the month of May, leaving room for a “blue moon” later this month, it is also what is known as a “micromoon.”
What does that mean?
Here’s a breakdown of what to know about the lunar calendar for May:
What is the ‘flower moon’?
According to the Farmers Almanac, the flower moon is named as “a reference to abundant flowers in bloom — Mother Nature’s coming attractions” in May.
“May is the month when hundreds of native flowers, sedges, bushes and trees blossom throughout North America,” the Almanac writes.
What is a ‘micromoon’?
The May full moon happens to fall when the moon is at its farthest from Earth, making it what is known as a “micromoon,” according to EarthSky.
“The moon takes about a month to orbit Earth once (that’s where the word ‘month’ or ‘moon-th’ comes from). And the moon’s orbit around Earth isn’t a perfect circle. So the moon has a nearest point (perigee) and a farthest point (apogee) each month,” EarthSky reports. “When we have a full moon around the time of apogee, that’s a full micromoon.”
Time and Date notes that a micromoon may appear smaller than average, and much smaller than, say, a super full moon.
When is the May full moon?
The first one, known as the Flower Moon, occurs on May 1.
It is scheduled to peak at 12:23 p.m. CT.
When is the next May full moon?
The second full moon this month will be on May 31, making it a “blue moon.”
“Blue Moon is the name given to the second Full Moon in a single calendar month. It’s a relatively rare event, hence the phrase ‘once in a blue moon,’ NASAwrote.
