One full moon in May? No, two! How often it happens and when they rise

Full moon enthusiasts, get ready. May's full moon is just a week away . But guess what — May will have twofull moons, one to start the month, and the second to end it.

Here's what to know about them.

When are the May full moons?

May will have two full moons, and the first one will rise next week.

One will appear at the beginning of the month, on May 1, called the flower moon. It will peak at 1:23 p.m. ET.

The other, called a blue moon, rises on May 31 at 4:45 a.m. ET ., according to the Old Farmer's Almanac .

The second May full moon is going to be a micromoon

You may have heard of a supermoon — we witnessed three supermoons last year. But have you ever heard of a micromoon?

The flower moon, appearing on May 1, will be at its regular full-moon size. But the blue moon at the end of the month will appear smaller than usual.

A micromoon is the exact opposite of a supermoon. May's second full moon will occur just before apogee, the point at which the moon is farthest from Earth, according to Old Farmer's Almanac . When the full moon appears, the moon will be smaller and dimmer than usual.

How often does a blue moon occur?

Blue moons are not all that uncommon, occurring every 2–3 years, according to Royal Museums Greenwich . After May 2026, May 2027 and December 2028 will also bring blue moons, according to RMG.

What phase of the lunar cycle is the moon in now?

As of April 24, the moon is seven days old in the waxing gibbous phase with 52% illumination according to Space.com .

The moon's phases in April and May are:

• 🌑 New moon:April 17

• 🌓 First quarter:April 23

• 🌕 Full moon:May 1

• 🌗 Last quarter:May 9

How did the flower moon get its name?

You might assume the May full moon is called the flower moon because it's spring, and you're right — many flowers are blooming.

The nickname flower moonhas also been attributed to Algonquin peoples, a Native American tribe, according to Old Farmer's Almanac .

The second May full moon, the blue moon, isn't named after the color of the moon. The truth is, it wasn't named after anything, but became a trend after a mistake was printed in a 1946 issue of Sky & Telescope Magazine, according to Old Farmer's Almanac .

What are the two types of blue moon?

There are two ways to achieve a blue moon.

One is to have two full moons in a calendar month, like we will have in May 2026. That is a called a calendrical blue moon, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac .

The other way is when their are four full moons in an astronomical season (there are typically three). That is known as a seasonal blue moon, and the third full moon in that situation is the blue moon, according to the almanac.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: May to have 2 full moons. How often that happens and when they'll rise