May 2026 Brings Two Full Moons With the Flower Moon Tonight and a Blue Moon Micromoon on May 31st
UNITED STATES — May 2026 is delivering a rare celestial treat — two full moons in a single month. The first is the Flower Moon rising tonight, May 1, 2026, and the second arrives on May 31st as a Blue Moon that will also be the most distant and visually smallest full moon of the entire year.
Tonight’s Flower Moon — May 1, 2026
The first full moon of May is known traditionally as the Flower Moon, a name tied to the blooming season of spring. Tonight’s Flower Moon is the first of the two full moons occurring this month and offers a classic full moon viewing opportunity for skywatchers across the country.
The Blue Moon on May 31st — and Why It Is Special
The second full moon of the month on May 31, 2026 earns the title of Blue Moon simply because it is the second full moon within the same calendar month — a relatively rare occurrence. Despite the name, it will not actually appear blue in color.
What makes the May 31st Blue Moon particularly notable is that it will also be a micromoon — meaning the Moon will be at or near its farthest point from Earth in its orbit at the time of the full moon. As a result, it will appear as the most distant and visually smallest full moon of 2026, noticeably smaller and dimmer than a typical full moon when viewed from the surface.
Two Full Moons in One Month — How Rare Is It
Having two full moons in a single calendar month happens roughly once every two to three years on average, which is the origin of the popular phrase once in a blue moon. May 2026 offering both a Flower Moon and a Blue Moon micromoon makes it a month worth watching the night sky closely from start to finish.
Get your cameras ready for both events — tonight’s Flower Moon on May 1 and the Blue Moon micromoon on May 31, 2026.
Stay with CabarrusWeekly.com for continuing coverage of notable weather and sky events throughout May 2026.
