The May 2026 Full Moon is on Friday, May 1. It will be the fifth full moon of 2026.
A full moon occurs when the Earth is between the Sun and the Moon, so the moon looks completely illuminated. It happens about once a month or 29.53 days on average, also called a synodic month.
Ready to dive a little deeper into the May Full Moon of 2026? Learn more about the moon’s nicknames and other facts about it.
Get ready for 2026’s May full moon
The May Full Moon is on Friday, May 1st. It will be the fifth full moon of the year.
The May 1 Full Moon is the second full moon of Spring as the second to occur after the Spring Equinox, also called the Vernal Equinox. Depending on the year the full moon in May is either the second or third Spring Full Moon. Also in some years, the May full moon is a seasonal blue moon as the third full moon in a season with four full moons.
When is the full moon in May for 2026?
The peak of the May full moon is 1:23 PM EDT on May 1. The moon will look fairly full the day before and after. The May 1 Full Moon will be the full moon in Scorpio.
Related: Learn more about the May Full Moon in 2027.
Names for the May Full Moon
The May full moon is commonly referred to as the Full Flower Moon. This name probably isn’t a surprise when you think of the saying: “April Showers bring May Flowers”. Welcome to Spring and the flowers that come with the season.
While the April full moon name doesn’t reference rain, the May full moon matches the time-honored saying.
Other nicknames for the May Full Moon include the Corn Planting Moon, and Milk Moon.
Will there be a lunar eclipse in May during the full moon?
No, there will not be a lunar eclipse during the May full moon in 2026. The March full moon and August full moon will each have a Total Lunar Eclipse, also called a Blood Moon.
Will there a full supermoon in May?
No, there will not be full supermoon in May. The 2026 super full moons will be during the January Full Moon, November Full Moon and December Full Moon.
A full supermoon is a full moon that nearly coincides with the closest point at which the Moon comes to Earth in its orbit, called perigee. The moon will have a larger-than-usual appearance. There isn’t an official definition of the exact distance the moon needs to be to be called a supermoon. It’s approximately 360,000 kilometers or closer, depending on the definition.
Will May Full Moon be a seasonal blue moon?
No, the full moon at the beginning of May will not be a seasonal blue moon. There will be a blue moon at the end of May in 2026.
There are two definitions of blue moons. The most common, and the one you likely know, is when two full moons occur in the same month. The second full moon is typically called a blue moon.
The second definition relates to having an extra full moon on the calendar during a season. When a season has four full moons, the third full moon is also called a blue moon or a seasonal blue moon.
Moon Phases in May 2026
Below are the four core moon phases that will occur in May, including the new moon, first quarter, full moon, and last quarter. The lunar cycle for the full moon will start in April and end in May. There will also be a blue moon at the end of May.
| Phase | Date & Time | Season |
|---|---|---|
| May Full Moon 2026 | Fri, May 1, 1:23 p.m. EDT | Spring |
| May Last Quarter | Sat, May 9, 5:11 p.m. EDT | Spring |
| May New Moon 2026 | Sat, May 16, 4:01 p.m. EDT | Spring |
| May First Quarter | Sat, May 23, 7:11 a.m. EDT | Spring |
| May Blue Moonn 2026 | Sun, May 31, 4:45 a.m. EDT | Spring |
Full Moons this Year in 2026
The May full moon is one of the thirteen full moons this year. The others are
- Full Moon in January 2026 was on the Jan 3rd
- Full Moon in February 2026 was on Feb 1st
- Full Moon in March 2026 was on March 3rd
- Full Moon in April 2026 is in on April 1st
- Blue Moon in May 2026 is at the end of May
- Full Moon in June 2026 is on June 29th
- Full Moon in July 2026 is on July 29th
- Full Moon in August 2026 is on August 28th
- Full Moon in September 2026 is on September 26th
- Full Moon in October 2026 is on October 26th
- Full Moon in November 2026 is on November 24th
- Full Moon in December 2026 is on December 23rd
Sources
The dates and times provided by NASA are set to United States (USA) Eastern Time for states including New York and Florida, adjusted for Daylight Saving Time for part of the year. Since you may be in a different time zone, the exact dates may shift for your calendar.