May’s full moon, known as the Flower Moon, will be visible in the UK on Friday, May 1. This year’s moon is a micromoon, appearing slightly smaller and dimmer than usual due to its distance from Earth. Visibility will depend on local weather conditions.
The Flower Moon will be visible on Friday, May 1 May’s full moon is known as the Flower Moon , and it’s expected to light up UK skies this week.
Here’s all you need to know about when is it rising and if we’ll be able to see it. Also referred to as the Planting Moon or Milk Moon, the Flower Moon, named thanks to the blooming that occurs as Spring gets underway, is expected to rise on Friday, May 1. Last year, starwatchers took to social media to share pictures of the luminous orb rising above rooftops and trees.
From London’s skyline to Cambridgeshire’s Ely Cathedral, the display drew people to their windows for hours. What makes this year’s Flower Moon special is that it’s a micromoon, meaning it will appear slightly smaller in the sky and may be somewhat dimmer than usual. The Flower Moon lit up skies across the world in 2024, including New York. What is a micromoon?
A micromoon is when the moon appears smaller than usual because it’s at its farthest point from Earth in its elliptical orbit. When the Flower Moon rises on Friday, it’ll be at its maximum distance away from Earth, a term known as apogee.
In contrast, a supermoon, like last year’s Harvest Moon, happens when the full moon as at its closest distance to Earth, a term known as perigee. The view of the moon over Delimara Point lighthouse, as seen from Birzebbuga, Malta Will the Flower Moon be visible? The Flower Moon will be most visible from around 6.23pm on Friday.
The Moon is expected to appear low in the sky in the evening of May 1 before rising as we approach midnight and then disappearing around dawn on Saturday. The Met Office has predicted sunshine for most of the UK on Friday, although some parts will face heavy showers or thunderstorms, which means cloud, reducing chances of seeing the Moon.
The predicted cloudy weather along with the Flower Moon’s dimmer appearance means it may be harder for Brits to view the lunar orb – but with its peak being relatively early in the evening, it’s still worth a check. Stargazers are looking forward to seeing the full moon this week When is the next full moon in the UK?
If you do miss this year’s Flower Moon, there will fortunately be another full moon at the end of the month: the Blue Moon, which will peak on May 31 at 9.45am. There are several other full moons following that, including: The Strawberry moon on June 30 The Buck Moon on July 29 The Sturgeon Moon on August 28 The Harvest Moon on September 26 The Hunter’s Moon on October 26 The Beaver Moon on November 24 The Cold Moon on December 24 Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. For more stories like this, check our news page.
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