Full 'flower moon' to shine Friday night: What to know
Micromoon vs. Supermoon: Stunning video compares the two
Filmed from the mountains of Colorado, a videographer shows the difference between micromoon and supermoon events.
Stargazers will be treated to the first of two May full moons Friday night with the rise of the full "flower moon."
Here’s what to know about the micromoon:
May’s full flower moon
Big picture view:
The full flower moon is a micromoon named for the blooms on Earth that are typically illuminated by the moon in late spring.
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According to the Farmers Almanac, the flower moon will reach peak brightness at 1:23 p.m. ET, which means most Americans won’t be able to see it at its brightest. But it will still shine bright over clear skies, making Friday night a good night for stargazing.
An Airbus A320-271N aircraft of German airline Condor flies past the Waxing Gibbous Moon over Frankfurt am Main, western Germany on April 30, 2026 on the eve of May full moon, also known as "Flower Moon". (Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP via Getty
What is a micromoon?
Dig deeper:
A micromoon happens when the moon is at its farthest point from Earth in its orbit, known as apogee.
According to NASA, May’s full flower moon will be roughly 249,180 miles from Earth.
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A "supermoon," on the other hand, happens when a full moon coincides with the moon's closest approach to Earth in its elliptical orbit, according to FOX Weather.
When’s the next full moon?
Timeline:
The next full moon – the "blue moon" – will rise on May 31.
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The blue moon gets its name from the phrase, "Once in a blue moon," as blue moons happen when there are two full moons in one month.
The Source: This report includes information from NASA and FOX Weather.