May's Flower Moon Rises Into This Week's Night Skies

This week, the full moon for May 2024 is taking to the skies. You might have heard someone around you mention how this is the 'flower moon.' What you possibly don't know is why it has this name and its meaning.

May has many nights with mild weather, which are great opportunities for those who enjoy looking up at the moon or stargazing across the sky. The full moon for this month is known as the "flower moon" in the United States. Your calendar probably lists Thursday morning, May 23rd, as the official full moon date. However, according to NASA, the moon will look full to most human eyes between Tuesday night and the early hours of Friday evening.

In many climate zones, the transition from the end of May into the start of June represents the switch from meteorological spring into summer. Temperatures rise from the warm coziness of plants blooming to the hotter days of summer swelter. The flower moon is the last full moon before this change occurs across the Northern Hemisphere.

The flower moon becomes full on Thursday morning, May 23rd, at 9:53 a.m., but it will still be under the horizon for most Americans then. If you want a great view, look for it on Wednesday and Thursday evenings or early Thursday and Friday mornings.

The Flower Moon Name