05/31/2026
Mark your calendar. The sky is about to flex.
On May 31, 2026, a rare Full Blue Moon climbs into the night.
This is the second full moon of May, following the Flower Moon that lit up the sky on May 1.
And here's the kicker.
Two full moons in a single calendar month hasn't happened since August 2023. The next one won't show up until December 2028.
Peak illumination hits at 08:45 GMT (4:45 a.m. ET) on May 31, with the moon glowing inside Scorpius near Antares, the red heart of the scorpion.
But there's a twist.
This Blue Moon is also a micromoon, sitting about 252,000 miles away near its farthest point from Earth. That makes it the smallest full moon of 2026, around 7% smaller than an average full moon.
No, it won't actually look blue. The name is calendar trivia, not color.
It will, however, look unreal.
Step outside after sunset on May 30 or May 31. Find the eastern horizon. Kill the city lights if you can.
Don't blink. Moments like this don't wait for you.
Source: EarthSky, BBC Sky at Night Magazine, Starwalk, The Old Farmer's Almanac
