The full moon of May 2025, aptly known as the Flower Moon, is almost upon us. Representing the pinnacle of springtime, the moon will gleam in the night sky on Monday, May 12, 2025. Although the moon will be at its fullest in the early afternoon or late morning throughout the U.S., it will be most visible when it returns to the sky after sunset.
Across various cultures, the Flower Moon is tied closely with the abundance of blooming flowers. Find out the other reasons why this moon is so significant, and how you can catch its appearance.
How to Spot the Flower Moon
The Flower Moon’s full phase will peak at 16:56 UTC (12:56 p.m. EST) on May 12, 2025. It will be located southwest in the sky at this time, although it will not be easily viewable with the sun out. Make sure to keep your eyes on the sky later that night, as the full moon will return. Moonwatchers will not have to worry about missing out on the Flower Moon, as it will appear full in the sky the day before (Sunday, May 11, 2025) and after (Tuesday, May 13, 2025) its peak.
Each year, the Flower Moon can be spotted near the constellations Libra or Scorpio. This year, the full moon will start in Libra on May 12, 2025, and it will proceed to enter Scorpio territory on the night of May 13, 2025. As it moves into Scorpio, it will share the spotlight with Antares, the glowing red star that is the brightest in Scorpio, giving it the famed title “heart of the scorpion.”
Origins of the Flower Moon’s Names
The floral name of May’s Flower Moon comes from the Algonquin and Ojibwe peoples; although Flower Moon is what most people call it nowadays, the moon goes by a few other names in different cultures. Some are similarly plant-themed, from Corn Moon to Budding Moon to Leaf Budding Moon.
Other names are a bit more perplexing. The Old English name for this full moon was Milk Moon, as May was considered the month when cows could be milked three times a day. This full moon is also known as the Hare Moon, embodying the folklore connection between rabbits and the moons (for example, some Eastern Asian cultures see the patterns of lunar maria on the moon’s surface as a rabbit).
Read More: The Origin of the Moon’s Thin Atmosphere Might Be Tiny Impacts
Another Full Micromoon
Another prominent feature of this year’s Flower Moon is that it will be a micromoon, which means it will appear slightly smaller and dimmer than usual (also seen just last month with April’s Pink Moon). This happens when the moon reaches its farthest point from Earth, or its apogee. However, the difference in size is so marginal that it won’t put a damper on anyone’s viewing experience.
Those who have been paying close attention to full moons may also notice that the Flower Moon will experience a lower arc than previous months’ full moons, at least in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, the opposite is true: the arc will be higher than previous full moons.
After watching May’s Flower Moon rise in the sky, you’ll have to wait a month to catch the last full moon of spring: June’s delectably-named Strawberry Moon, which will appear around Wednesday, June 11, 2025, with summer right around the corner.
Read More: Water Levels on the Dark Side of the Moon are Drier, but Give Insight to Its Evolution
Article Sources
Our writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:
Jack Knudson is an assistant editor at Discover with a strong interest in environmental science and history. Before joining Discover in 2023, he studied journalism at the Scripps College of Communication at Ohio University and previously interned at Recycling Today magazine.
