How You Can Watch May’s Flower Moon, Which Is Named For Spring Blooms
On Monday, May 12, the full Flower Moon will appear in the east at dusk. It will emit a luminous glow all night and set in the west when dawn arrives. The moon will also be bright, shining, and full on Sunday, May 11, and Tuesday, May 13.
It will be at its peak fullness at exactly 12:56 p.m. EDT, when the sun is still high in the sky. However, it will be most visible during dusk later that day. If you want to observe the moon for yourself, make sure to be in a place with a low view of the eastern horizon.
The full moon will look really big because of the moon illusion, which is a trick of visual perception that is still not entirely understood. The moon will also appear orange as it rises or falls due to Rayleigh scattering.
The phenomenon refers to the dispersal of light off tiny air molecules that are much smaller than the wavelength of the light. It is responsible for giving the sky its blue color and for the deep reds and oranges that show up at sunset.
This full moon may seem a little smaller than usual. It will be a micromoon, also called an apogee full moon, which occurs because the moon orbits Earth on a slightly elliptical path. This month, the moon will be at its farthest (apogee) point from Earth. The closest point is known as perigee.
May’s Flower Moon is named for the flowers that bloom across North America in the spring, such as lupine, violets, and wild garlic. The Flower Moon can be an opportunity to reflect on past relationships and embrace new beginnings.
The name has been attributed to the Algonquin people. It goes by many other names as well. According to the Center for Native American studies, the Anishinaabe, or Ojibwe, of the Great Lakes region call it the Sucker Moon.
The Anglo-Saxon name of Milk Moon comes from the fact that people tend to milk cows three times a day in May. Other names include Mothers’ Moon, Hare Moon, Bright Moon, and Grass Moon.
The next full moon is the Strawberry Moon. It will appear in the sky on Wednesday, June 11, although it will be best seen as it rises during dusk on Tuesday, June 10.
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It will be the last full moon of spring, occurring just 11 days before the summer solstice on Saturday, June 21.
According to folklore, a full moon is the ideal time to accept a marriage proposal. Additionally, clothes that are washed during a full moon are said not to last for very long. So, you might want to keep these in mind as May’s Flower Moon approaches!
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