Flower Moon is about to light up May's night sky
Step outside on Monday night to catch a view of the Flower Moon, one of the smallest full moons of 2025.
A Firefly Aerospace Blue Ghost spacecraft captured incredible views of the far side of the moon on Feb. 18. The craft was orbiting just under 75 miles above the moon’s surface.
The upcoming week will kick off with one of the top astronomical sights of May as the Flower Moon glows in the night sky around the world.
Every full moon has multiple nicknames linked to the weather or environmental changes that often occur during the month. The most popular nickname for May's full moon is the Flower Moon, as flowers are in full bloom across North America.
Other nicknames for the full moon, which rises on Monday evening, include the Frog Moon, the Egg Laying Moon and the Planting Moon.
A full moon rises over a farm in Ashland, Neb., Thursday, May 27, 2010. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)
Monday night's full moon will also appear a smidge smaller and a shade dimmer in the sky as it will be a "micromoon," the opposite of a "supermoon."
As the moon orbits the Earth, there are times when it is a bit closer to the planet (perigee) and times when it is a little farther away (apogee). A micromoon occurs when a full moon rises around the same time that it is at its farthest point from the planet.
In a side-by-side comparison, a micromoon appears about 14% smaller than a supermoon, but this difference is almost undetectable to the average stargazer when looking at the moon in the night sky.
A supermoon (perigee moon) vs a micromoon (apogee moon). Image via NASA
On May 23, the moon will once again be part of an astronomy event as it aligns with Venus and Saturn in the pre-dawn sky. The event will unfold above the eastern horizon with the crescent moon hanging between the two planets.
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