Flower Moon 2025: Micromoon to Grace Night Skies Next Week

Get ready to witness a celestial spectacle! The first full moon of May, known as the Flower Moon, is set to illuminate the night sky next week. While full moons are always a sight to behold, this one has a unique characteristic: it's a micromoon.

The Flower Moon will make its appearance in the eastern sky at dusk on May 12, 2025, shining brightly throughout the night before setting in the west. While you can catch a nearly full moon on the preceding and following days, May 12th is the peak.

But what exactly is a micromoon? Unlike the more famous supermoons, a micromoon appears slightly smaller than average. This happens because the moon's orbit around Earth isn't perfectly circular, it's elliptical. This elliptical path creates points where the moon is closest to our planet (perigee) and farthest away (apogee). When a full moon occurs near the apogee, we get a micromoon.

According to Live Science, the term micromoon, also known as an apogee full moon, happens because of the Moon's elliptical flight path around our planet. This month, the apogee almost coincides with the full moon. The exact moment the moon reaches 100% fullness will be at 12:56 PM EDT (Eastern Daylight Time). Therefore, the best time to observe the luminous orb will be later that day during dusk.

To maximize your viewing experience, the experts recommend finding a location with an unobstructed view of the eastern horizon and checking your local moonrise and moonset times. As the moon rises or sets, it may also take on an orange hue due to Rayleigh scattering, the same phenomenon that gives us vibrant sunsets.

The Flower Moon gets its name from the abundance of blooming flowers during May. Other names include Planting Moon, Milk Moon, Mother's Moon, and Hare Moon, reflecting different cultures and traditions.

This year, the full flower moon occurs on Monday, May 12, 2025. The full flower moon will light up the night sky on Sunday, May 11, 2025. It will look full the night before and the night after it's officially 100%-lit by the sun, but the best time to watch it rise is at moonrise during dusk on May 12.

According to EarthSky, May’s full moon is known as the flower, planting and milk moon. However, cultural names for the full moon vary hugely across the world. The sight is at its best when the moon rises shortly after sunset and the timing is perfect this month for North America, with the moon rising about 30 minutes after sunset. New York: sunset at 8:03 p.m. EDT, moonrise at 8:31 p.m. EDT on Monday, May 12, 2025. Los Angeles: sunset at 7:45 p.m. PDT, moonrise at 8:15 p.m. PDT on Monday, May 12, 2025. London: sunset at 8:40 p.m. BST, moonrise at 9:07 p.m. BST on Monday, May 12, 2025.

Top tip for photos: Expert advice includes knowing the exact time and location of the moonrise, using a tripod, turning off the flash, adjusting focus and exposure and shooting in RAW, if your phone supports it, for easier editing afterward.

Mark your calendars and prepare to witness the Flower Moon! Will you be venturing out to view this celestial event? Share your thoughts and viewing tips in the comments below!

• Astronomy
• Flower Moon
• Micromoon