Full moon May 2025: Here’s the best time to see the flower ‘micromoon’ tonight

Disney’s 1951 animated film Alice in Wonderland taught audiences that “you can learn a lot of things from the flowers.” But the movie never mentioned the full moon named after those springtime sensations. According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, a celestial phenomenon called the “Flower Moon” occurs today, and despite being “micro,” it is still a sight to behold.

Let’s take a deeper look into what all these names mean, and when you can see this “full flower micromoon.”

Why is the May full moon tonight called the ‘Flower Moon’?

The Old Farmer’s Almanac shares popular names given to each month’s full moons. Many of these monikers are based in Native American tradition. May is most commonly referred to as the “Flower Moon,” thanks to the Algonquin people. The name comes from the fact that many flowers begin to bloom in May, thanks in part to all the April showers.

Eighteenth century American explorer Jonathan Carver used a similar name in his 1798 publication, Travels Through the Interior Parts of North America. He dubbed the orb “Month of Flowers,” after living among the Dakota people. American transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau references this name in his writings as well.

Other tribes’ monikers celebrated other spring seasonal delights. The Cree preferred “Budding Moon” and “Leaf Budding Moon,” while the Oglala used “Moon of the Shedding Ponies.” Similarly, the Dakota and Lakota people also utilized the name “Planting Moon.”

The Flower Moon tonight is also a micromoon

The Flower Moon is also the third and final micromoon of 2025. A micromoon occurs when the moon becomes full during apogee, which is a fancy NASA word describing the moon at its farthest point away from Earth.

May’s full moon will be smaller and dimmer as a result, but it’s still an impressive satellite (just like humans, the orb can’t always give 100%!).

When is the best time to see the full Flower Moon tonight?

While May’s moon reaches peak illumination today at 12:56 p.m. ET, it will appear full for a couple of nights.

This gives you enough time to bask in its glory, and maybe even accept a proposal of marriage. Ancient folklore states that love is intensified during this time, because as the moon regulates the tides, it may also impact the water in human bodies. In a similar vein, if you need an excuse not to do laundry, clothes washed during this period are said not to last long.

Looking up and ahead

After you go for love (or the longevity of your clothes) with this flower micromoon, the rest of 2025 still has plenty in store. Coming attractions include three back-to-back supermoons beginning in October, to finish the year out strong.

But before we get there, next month’s “Strawberry Moon” celebrates the time when the sweet fruit is ripe and ready to pick. Stay tuned for more to come on these nighttime displays.

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