Moon Phases

May full moon is the Flower Moon

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May 5, 2023

Big circle as the moon between smaller circles Spica and Zubenelgenubi. — The May full moon occurs at mid-day today, May 5, 2023. The moon looks full just before sunrise as it sets in the southwest. Zubenelgenubi is the star near the moon, while the star near the horizon is Spica, the brightest star in Virgo the Maiden. Chart via John Jardine Goss/ EarthSky.

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When to watch in 2023: Before sunrise and after sunset on May 5.
Where to look: Look for the bright round moon low in the southwest before sunrise, and low in the southeast after sunset on May 5. It appears full during the nights of May 4 and May 5.
Crest of the full moon falls at 17:34 UTC on May 5, 2023. That’s 12:34 p.m. CDT on May 5 in central North America. So, if you live in central North America, your fullest moon falls mid-way between sunrise and sunset on May 5 when it is on the other side of Earth, and, therefore, can’t be seen. The rising moon in the southeast on that morning will resemble the setting moon in the southwest that evening.

Big circle as the moon between white dot as Zubenelgenubi and red dot as Antares. — The May full moon occurs at mid-day on May 5, 2023. The moon will look full just after sunset as it rises in the southeast. Zubenelgenubi is the surprise star near the moon while the red star below it is Antares, the brightest star in Scorpius the Scorpion. Chart via John Jardine Goss/ EarthSky.

A penumbral lunar eclipse in central Asia

This full moon coincides with a penumbral eclipse of the moon. The eclipse is not visible in the Americas, but it is visible in central Asia. Since the moon will not lie in the dark umbral shadow, but in the lightly shaded penumbral shadow instead, the eclipse event might not be easily noticeable. During the eclipse, the full moon lies in Libra the Scales next to the star Zubenelgenubi.

Moon looks full over 3 nights

At full moon, the sun, Earth, and moon align in space, with Earth in the middle. The moon’s day side – its fully lighted hemisphere – faces us. That’s why the moon looks full. Note that the moon will look round for a day or two around full moon. Because the May full moon occurs near mid-day on May 5, the moon will look full on the overnights of May 4, 5, and 6.

Full moon lies opposite the sun in the sky. Earth is between the moon at left, and the sun at right. — At full moon, the sun, Earth, and moon align in space with Earth in the middle. The moon’s day side – its fully lighted hemisphere – directly faces us. Chart via John Jardine Goss/ EarthSky.

It’s the Flower Moon

All the full moons have nicknames. Popular names for May’s full moon include the Planting Moon and the Milk Moon, but the Flower Moon is the most common. As you might expect, the name Flower Moon recognizes the blooming of wildflowers and garden flowers, many giving an enchanting appearance in the light of May’s full moon.

Arc of the May full moon

The moon’s arc across our sky varies from month to month and from season to season. Every full moon rises along the eastern horizon, opposite the sun as it sets in the west. Every full moon arcs across the sky throughout the night and sets along the western horizon around dawn. For us in the Northern Hemisphere, the arc of May’s full moon is lower than the paths of the full moons since December, but higher than the next one in June.

For those in the Southern Hemisphere, the full moon’s arc across the sky is climbing higher with each successive month since December, and will continue to do so until the full moon nearest the June solstice.

High arc of the May full moon from the Southern Hemisphere. There is a smaller arc for the December full moon. — As viewed from the Southern Hemisphere, the May full moon’s path across the sky is much higher than the path of December’s full moon. Chart via John Jardine Goss/ EarthSky.

The May full moon is in Libra

As seen from the Americas, the full moon on the morning and evening of May 5 is located in the direction of the constellation Libra the Scales. It glows near Libra’s “surprise” star all night. That surprise star is the moderately bright Zubenelgenubi. Zubenelgenubi is a surprise star because people with keen eyesight see it as two stars, and binocular users readily catch its double star nature. Also, on the evening of May 5, the full moon lies close to the red star Antares in Scorpius the Scorpion.

Earth is at bottom right. The moon is in orbit at top left of Earth. The sunlight crosses Earth and the moon until Libra. Antares and Spica are represented as 2 dots, each at one side of Libra. — The 2023 May full moon falls near mid-day on May 5 and lies in the constellation Libra. Chart via John Jardine Goss/ EarthSky.

Bottom line: The May full moon occurs near mid-day today, May 5. The moon looks full on the overnights of May 4, 5, and 6.

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May 5, 2023

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Moon Phases

John Jardine Goss

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About the Author:

“I can sometimes see the moon in the daytime” was a cosmic revelation that John Jardine Goss first discovered through personal observations at age 6. It shook his young concept of the universe and launched his interest in astronomy and stargazing, a fascination he still holds today. John is past president of the Astronomical League, the largest U.S. federation of astronomical societies, with over 20,000 members. He's earned the title of Master Observer and has authored the celestial observing guides Exploring the Starry Realm and Carpe Lunam. John also writes a monthly stargazing column, Roanoke Skies, for the Roanoke Times, and a bimonthly column, Skywatch, for Blue Ridge Country magazine. He has contributed to Sky and Telescope magazine, the IDA Nightscape, the Astronomical League’s Reflector magazine, and the RASC Observer’s Handbook.