May is a lucky month for stargazers, as the month will begin with a full moon and end with one.
The first full moon of the month will be a Flower Moon, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. The moon doesn’t actually look like a flower, but is typically named as its the first full moon of May. It gets its name from the indigenous Algonquin people, according to the almanac.
The moon at the end of the month, the Blue Micromoon, gets its name because, while not exactly appearing small, takes place is right before apogee, June 1. Apogee is the point when the moon is farthest from Earth, Almanac.com says.
What days are the next full moons?
When is the next full moon?
May 1, or May Day, will bring the Flower Moon, the almanac said.
Unfortunately for Californians, its peak illumination will be at 10:23 a.m. PST.
May 31 will bring the Blue Micromoon, which will peak at 1:45 a.m.
Will Californians see the next full moon?
While Californians won’t witness the flower moon during its peak time, the night of May 1 shows that California as a whole will largely be cloud-free, according to the National Weather Service.
An April 29 map from the weather agency shows clouds, represented in gray, clear across most of the state for the night of May 1.
Northern parts of the state and coastal cities may experience some cloud cover by 5 a.m. on May 2.
Where are the best places to stargaze in California?
To find the best places to stargaze in California, locate the darkest sky possible away from city lights to make the most of the shooting star show and the wolf moon.
The National Parks Conservation Association has designated Death Valley and Joshua Tree National Parks in Southern California as Certified Dark-Sky Parks.
Dark Sky International also recommends Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Borrego Springs, and Julian as places to see the meteor light shows.
In Central California, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks and Yosemite National Park are good places to see celestial light shows.
Shasta, Siskiyou, and other North State counties offer excellent places to view the night sky. Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park is also a prime night sky-watching location on the North Coast.
What are the current moon phases?
As of April 29, the moon was 96% full, according to Almanac.com.
Full Moon: May 1 Last Quarter: May 9 New Moon: May 16 First Quarter: May 23 Full Moon: May 31
Ernesto Centeno Araujo covers breaking news for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at ecentenoaraujo@vcstar.com, 805-437-0224 or @ecentenoaraujo on Instagram and X.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: When is the next full moon? What are the Flower Moon, Blue Micromoon?
Reporting by Ernesto Centeno Araujo, Ventura County Star / Ventura County Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
