GET READY FOR THIS MAY'S MICRO BLUE MOON! 🌕💙 | 30-31/05/2026
On the night of the 30th into the 31st of May (weather permitting) we will hopefully be treated to beautiful views of the second full moon of the month!
Seeing two full moons in one month is quite a rare occurrence, this special event is known as a "Blue" Moon.
As well as being a Blue Moon, May's second full Moon will also be what is known as a "Micro" Moon and will appear slightly smaller than usual too!
All in all this weekend's full moon will be quite a special one!
If you would like to learn more about this May's Micro Blue Moon plus when and where to see the full Moon please read on…
🌕 WHAT IS A FULL MOON?
A full Moon occurs when the Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun – an alignment also known as a Syzygy (a straight line arrangement of three or more celestial bodies). When this happens, the side of the Moon that can be seen from Earth is completely illuminated, giving it the appearance of being full.
On rare occasions the Earth can stand directly in between the Sun and Moon resulting in a lunar eclipse.
🔭 WHAT IS A MICRO MOON?
The term Micro Moon is the more popular way of referring to a lunar astronomical event known to astronomers and scientists as an Apogee-Syzygy.
The term Apogee-Syzygy denotes the confluence of two events:
Apogee – when an object is at its furthest distance from the Earth (90% apogee constitutes a Micro Moon).
Syzygy – an astronomical alignment where three or more celestial bodies line up in a straight line.
When the Moon is at Apogee, this gives the visual effect of the Moon appearing 30% less bright and 14% smaller than at Perigee (when the Moon is at its closest to Earth). Although the difference in distance does affect the Moon's size and brightness, it is not that apparent to the naked eye.
The perceived size of the Moon from Earth is more related to the "Moon Illusion" and how close the Moon appears to the horizon. When the Moon is closer to the horizon it will seem to appear larger than when it is higher in the sky.
💙 WHAT IS A BLUE MOON?
A Blue Moon is a rare occurrence which can be defined in two different ways.
The traditional/original definition of a Blue Moon is the third full moon of four full moons within a season. A season being a tri-monthly period between a solstice and equinox (eg. June's Summer solstice and Septembers Autumn equinox). If there were to be four full moons within one of these three month periods, the third of these full moons would be known as a Blue Moon (more specifically a seasonal Blue Moon).
The more widely recognised and modern definition of a Blue Moon is the second full moon in a single calendar month. This May's second full Moon takes this more well known definition.
Both of these types of Blue Moon are quite rare astronomical events. The last seasonal Blue Moon occurred in August 2024. The next seasonal Blue Moon will occur in 1 years' time on the 20th of May 2027. The next monthly Blue Moon won't occur for another 2 years, happening on the 31st of December 2028.
🎨 IS A BLUE MOON ACTUALLY BLUE IN COLOUR?
Despite being called a Blue Moon, a blue moon won't appear blue. At least it is very unlikely to appear blue.
There are some very rare occasions where atmospheric conditions can lead to the moon appearing blue in colour. The Moon can appear blue if Earth's atmosphere contains dust or smoke particles of a certain size eg. if a wildfire is raging nearby. Particles of this size can scatter red light and if these particles are present in the air and the moon shines through them, the moon may appear blue in colour.
✨ INTERESTING FACTS, SUPERSTITIONS & MYTHS
The term 'Blue Moon' is often thought to have been coined by the famous English playwright William Shakespeare. However, there are earlier references in a religious pamphlet written by Protestant friars William Roy and Jerome Barlow in 1528. The popular modern day definition of a Blue Moon is thought to have come about due to misunderstanding about seasonal Blue Moons picked up by the mainstream media in the 1940's.
Blue Moons have been associated with an abundance of superstitions, myths and spiritual practices throughout history all over the world. Blue Moons have been thought to bring good fortune to those who look upon them. Turning a coin in your pocket during a Blue Moon has also been thought to invoke good luck. In some cultures a Blue Moon is a time to communicate with long passed ancestors. Picking berries or flowers during a Blue Moon was believed to increase their magical potential.
📍 WHEN & WHERE TO SEE THE FULL MOON
This month, the Moon reaches its full phase for a second time shortly after 11:00 BST on the 31st of May. At this moment in time, the Moon will be below the horizon.
This means that at the times when the Moon is visible it will appear at its most full during the night of the 30th into the morning of the 31st.
The Moon will rise in the evening of the 30th at around 21:21 BST towards the South-East. As the night progresses the Moon will climb in the sky travelling towards the South where the Moon will reach its highest point in the sky at an altitude of 8 degrees at roughly 00:38 BST on the morning of the 31st. Following this, the Moon will begin to descend travelling towards the South-West where it will set in the morning skies at around 03:49 BST.
Remember that you don't really need to know the exact time of peak illumination to enjoy viewing the full Moon, as the Moon will appear full throughout the night and on the nights surrounding the peak.
⭐ WHERE AMONG THE STARS CAN THE MOON BE FOUND?
On the night of the 30th our natural satellite will be hitching a ride in the zodiacal constellation of Scorpius.
More specifically, the Moon can be found around 2 degrees left of the star named Fang, and around 4 degrees to the right of the bright star Antares
The zodiacal constellation of Scorpius can be found in between the constellations of Libra and Sagittarius and below the constellation of Ophiuchus.
👁️ LUNAR OBSERVATION
The great thing about observing the Moon is that you don't have to go and find a particularly dark location to view it. As the Moon is such a bright object in the sky, you can view it from brighter locations, even from the centre of a heavily light polluted city. Weather permitting of course.
🌅 MOON RISE/SET – MOON ILLUSION
It's always lovely to watch the moon rise/set, so if you can head out to witness the Moon rise or set, please do. Every time the Moon rises and sets it takes on a beautiful golden, amber colour and appears larger at this time too, due to an optical illusion known as the 'Moon illusion'. It's truly special to witness. As it rises and glides higher, its colour will transition into a bright white.
Sometimes the Moon can appear even more orangey red than usual too! The hue of the moon typically depends on atmospheric conditions wherever you're viewing it from. Things like clouds, dust, haze, smoke or pollution can cause the moon to appear different colours by scattering much of the blue light shining onto our natural satellite, leaving it with a more reddish tone.
🔭 EXPERIENCE THE NIGHT SKY WITH ASTRO DOG
Want to experience the wonders of the night sky for yourself? Join us at Astro Dog for one of our upcoming events and experiences — from planetarium shows to stargazing sessions under the dark skies of Yorkshire and the North York Moors. Browse all Astro Dog events →
📸 SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES AND PHOTOGRAPHS!
We always love hearing about your celestial adventures and seeing your photographs! If you head out to witness or capture photos of this special celestial event or any other sights in the night sky, please feel free to share your stories and photos in the comments below. 😊
💫 GOOD LUCK AND CLEAR SKIES
This month's full Micro Blue Moon will be a beautiful sight, and if you can, we recommend heading out to witness this special celestial event!
Will you be heading out to see it this weekend? Let us know in the comments!
Good luck if you head out folks. Wrap up warm if you do. Any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
Clear skies 💖