May 2026 has a rare surprise for skywatchers as a celestial treat is going to appear.
The month is set to have two full moons.
The first Moon, referred to as the Flower Moon, will peak on Friday, May 1. The moon will peak at 1:23 p.m. EDT.
The second full Moon, known as a Blue Moon, will rise on Sunday, May 31 at 4:45 a.m. EDT.
This moon is called the “May Flower Moon” because of the many flowers that bloom all around the Northern Hemisphere during springtime. The Algonquin Native Americans referred to this as the “Flower Moon.”
While the Blue Moon gets its name because of the rarity of having a second full moon in a single month, referencing the phrase “once in a blue moon.”
Such an event occurs every 2.5 to 3 years. The last double moon event occurred in 2023 when the first full moon (Sturgeon Moon) peaked on August 1, 2023, while the second Full Moon (Blue Moon) was on August 30-31, 2023.
The next double Moon event will not occur until December 2028.
For U.S. viewers, the Flower Moon will appear over the southeastern horizon around sunset, where it may also glow with a vivid yellow-orange hue due to Rayleigh scattering.
Around moonrise, Venus and Jupiter will also be visible in the western sky.
