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May hosts one of the most interesting lunar events of the 2026 calendar year: two full moons. The first full moon will be on May 1, leaving enough time for the second full moon on the last day of the month, May 31. The second full moon in one month is known as a blue moon, which inspired the saying “once in a blue moon” for something rare.
according to Old Farmer’s Almanacthe first full moon in May reaches peak brightness at 1:23 PM ET, or right at midday. The best time to see the full moon is the evenings of April 30 and May 1. You won’t need any help; It will be the brightest thing in the night sky. This moon is commonly called the “Venus Moon,” named in honor of the spring flowers that are now in bloom.
The second full moon reaches peak brightness at 4:45 a.m. ET on May 31. Since it is the second full moon of this month, it is called the Blue Moon.
Supermoons appear up to 14% larger and 30% brighter than small moons.
Both moons are also minimoons, meaning they are smaller and less bright than a regular full moon. This happens because the Moon is at its apogee, the point in its elliptical orbit when it is furthest from Earth. The moon remains at its peak for three to four months each year, and the full moon in May occurs during this time. When the opposite happens, it is called perihelion, and that is when Earth is getting a supermoon.
It takes a full month for a blue moon to appear, but there are some other things you can look for in the meantime. The week before and the week after the May new moon is Prime viewing time for EarthshineIt is a phenomenon through which you can see the dim part of the moon. This gives May four lunar events to enjoy for your viewing pleasure.
Two types of blue moons
The last such blue moon occurred in August 2023. But if you think you remember the recently introduced term, you’re right. There is also a monsoon blue moon, which marks the third full moon in an astrological season of four, and this occurred in 2024.
One season usually spans three months, so they usually only have three full moons. But since the seasons do not begin and end on the first and last of a given month, it is possible to have the fourth full moon in a single season. The fourth full moon of the season is known as the monsoon blue moon. The next seasonal blue moon is expected to appear in May 2027.
When the above happens with new moons instead of full moons, this is the case Known as the Black Moonwhich happened as recently as August.
Monthly blue moons occur when one calendar month gets two full moons instead of the usual one. The moon revolves around the earth Every 27.3 daysIt goes from one new moon to the next new moon in about 29.5 days. Since all but one month consists of 30 or more days, this means that there is a chance of two full moons occurring in a single month in any given month other than February.
Since the lunar cycle is 29.5 days, this means that each successive full moon occurs very early As the months passed by. This continues until a full moon occurs on the first day of the month, which is long enough, thus giving the moon enough time to orbit the Earth and become full again before the month is over. Blue moons are mostly quirks of the calendar system, so the moon isn’t doing anything too special. The timing is pretty great, though.
This cycle takes approximately 29 months to repeat. The next monthly blue moon is scheduled to occur in December 2028, followed by September 2031. So, if you’ve ever been asked how often something happens “once in a blue moon,” you now know the answer.
