Full Moon May 2026: The Flower Moon
Date: May 1, 2026 · Time: 17:23 UTC
2026 has a second full moon later in May (May 31, 08:45 UTC) -- a Blue Moon by the traditional "two full moons in one month" definition.
The full moon in May 2026 is the Flower Moon, marking the point in spring when flowers become abundant across most of North America. 2026 is a rare year with two full moons in the same month, so a second one follows on May 31.
Viewing notes
The full moon rises around sunset and is visible all night, weather permitting. For the best view, look toward the eastern horizon shortly after sunset on the date above -- no special equipment needed.
Where this date comes from
This date and time come from published astronomical calendars, not this site's own calculation engine, since precise full-moon timing depends on more than the mean-cycle approximation used elsewhere on this site. See the sourcing note below for both cited sources.
Common questions
What time zone is 17:23 UTC shown in?
UTC. Convert it to your own time zone to know when to look -- for example, US Eastern Time is UTC minus 4 or 5 hours depending on the time of year.
How precise is this date and time?
Down to the minute -- it's sourced from two independent astronomical calendars (Star Walk and Farmers' Almanac) that agree with each other after converting time zones, not from this site's own mean-cycle formula.
Is this the only full moon in May 2026?
No -- May 2026 has two full moons. This page covers the first, on May 1. The second falls on May 31 and is a Blue Moon by the traditional "two full moons in one month" definition.
The May 1, 2026 full moon date and 17:23 UTC time are sourced directly from Star Walk's 2026 full moon calendar and cross-checked against Farmers' Almanac's independently published time (converted from Eastern Time to UTC), both cited below. The two sources agree to the minute.
Sources: Star Walk, Full Moon Calendar 2026, Farmers' Almanac, Full Moon Dates and Times.