April 30, 2026, 4:36 p.m. ET
A bright full moon will light up the sky this weekend as it rises in Scorpio. Here’s what to know about the special May 2026 flower moon.
Tonight’s full moon will be the May flower moon, but not the only full moon this month. It will be the first of two full moons this month, a rare event that happens every 18 months, according to EarthSky, with the second moon called a blue moon — hence, the saying once in a blue moon.
Is there a full moon tonight? Current moon phase 2026
Tonight’s moon phase will be a waxing gibbous at 98% illumination, according to Time and Date as it nears its actual peak illumination on Friday at 1:23 p.m. ET. It will appear bright and full tonight, Thursday, April 30 and Friday, May 1.
- 🌕 Full moon: May 1
- 🌗 Last quarter: May 9
- 🌑 New moon: May 16
- 🌓 First quarter: May 23
- 🌕 Full moon: May 31
When is the next full moon? 2026 May full moon
The next full moon will be the May 2026 flower moon, which will reach peak illumination at 1:23 p.m. on Friday, May 1, 2026. The moon will appear bright and full on both nights of Thursday, April 30 and Friday, May 1. However, the month of May in 2026 will have two full moons, with the second one set to rise on May 31.
Why is the May full moon called the flower moon? Flower moon meaning
The flower moon name for May’s moon is a reflection of the abundant flowers blooming across large swaths of North America, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.
Other names for May’s full moon include the budding moon, leaf budding moon, and the planting moon.
When is the next blue moon? Blue moon 2026
The next blue moon, a special micromoon and the second full moon of May, will rise on Sunday, May 31 with peak illumination at 4:45 a.m. This moon will be appear full and bright all weekend, including Saturday night, May 30 and Sunday night, May 31.
What is a blue moon? Will the moon really be blue?
The next moon in May will be the “blue moon,” a term used to describe a second moon in the same month and not the actual color of the moon itself. The full moon takes about 29.5 days to complete a cycle of phases and so on the rare occurrence of a full moon on the first of the month, it will lead to a second full moon at the end of the month, around the 30 or 31st date, except in February, according to Space.com.
This calendrical blue moon phenomena happens every two and a half years on average, earning the iconic phrase “once in a blue moon.” The next calendar blue moon after the May 31, 2026 occurrence will be on December 31, 2028.
Note there is another type of blue moon called the seasonal blue moon. This blue moon refers to an extra moon within an astronomical season that typically includes three full moons in a season but instead has four. In this case, the third of the four moons in that season would also be called a blue moon.
The next seasonal blue moon will occur on May 20, 2027.
What is a micromoon? Micro full moon 2026
May’s full moon may look a bit smaller than average, because it will be a ‘micromoon’ or an apogee full moon.
A micro moon occurs when a full moon coincides with the point in its orbit when it’s farthest from Earth, known as apogee. As a result, the micro moon will appear about 14% smaller and 30% dimmer than usual, or when it is closest to the Earth.
When is the full moon in June 2026? Strawberry moon
June’s full moon will be the strawberry moon, which appears on Monday, June 29, 2026.
Maria Francis is a Pennsylvania-based journalist covering trending and breaking topics across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions for USA Today Network. Reach her at mfrancis@usatodayco.com.