The celestial event of the month will bring the full Flower Moon into view on Monday, May 12th, 2025. Historically known to signal the arrival of spring, it will reach peak illumination around 12:56 pm. That being said, New Yorkers might want to wait until sundown to get a good view of the dazzling moon. Plus, the moon will appear full for around three nights, from Sunday through Tuesday.
When May’s full moon occurs, it will be near the farthest point in its orbit around Earth. Thus, people can call this a Micro Flower Moon. According to timeanddate, the Micro Flower Moon will be approximately 251,828 miles from Earth, that would be the equivalent distance of driving coast to coast in the U.S. about 90 times.
For clarification, a micromoon happens when a full moon or new moon aligns with an apogee (the name for when the moon’s orbit is at its farthest point from Earth).
As you might have wondered, yes, the Micro Flower Moon will be smaller than other full moons. Micromoons tend to be anywhere from 5.9%-6.9% tinier than regular full moons. However, the difference may not be noticeable to the naked eye.
The original source for its name has been attributed to Algonquin peoples, an Indigenous group hailing from western Quebec and Ontario, Canada.
Alternative May full moon names include: the Budding Moon, the Planting Moon, the Egg Laying Moon, the Frog Moon and the Moon of the Shedding Peonies. All names either note the impending warmer weather or the farming season cycle.
During full moons, The Old Farmer’s Almanac even shared some common folklore, like it being an ideal time to accept a marriage proposal or that clothes washed for the first time in a full moon won’t last long.
The last full moon occurred on April 12th, referred to as the Pink Moon. And after May’s full Flower Moon, New Yorkers can look forward to the full Strawberry Moon on June 11, 2025.
Keep up with every upcoming full moon, like the dates and times, on The Old Farmer’s Almanac’s 2025-2026 Full Moon Calendar.