Topline<\/p>\n
A full Blue Moon is coming this weekend \u2014 and despite the name, it has nothing to do with color. Early on Sunday, May 31, the moon will become full for the second time in a single calendar month, creating what\u2019s commonly known as a monthly Blue Moon. It\u2019s a simple quirk of timing, caused by the mismatch between the moon\u2019s 29.5-day cycle and our calendar months. Here\u2019s everything you need to know about the Blue Moon 2026. <\/p>\n
A second full moon in a single calendar month will occur on May 31 and be best seen at moonrise on May 30. (AP Photo\/Michael Probst)<\/p>\n
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reservedKey Facts<\/p>\n
A rare Blue Moon is coming \u2014 the second full moon in a single calendar month, caused by the mismatch between the moon\u2019s 29.5-day cycle and our calendar.<\/p>\n
It will occur on Sunday, May 31 \u2014 though it will be best seen at moonrise on Saturday, May 30, when it rises in the east during dusk.<\/p>\n
On Saturday, May 30, it appears on the eastern horizon at sunset, glowing orange \u2014 thanks to how Earth\u2019s atmosphere scatters light \u2014 not blue.<\/p>\n
The next monthly Blue Moon, like this one, will take place on Dec. 31, 2028. However, there\u2019s a seasonal Blue Moon on May 20, 2027.<\/p>\n
What A \u2018blue Moon\u2019 Really Is<\/p>\n
A full moon occurs every 29.5 days, but all months except February are slightly longer. That means occasionally, a full moon falls at the very beginning of a month, leaving just enough time for a second one to occur before the month ends. That\u2019s exactly what\u2019s happening in May 2026; the full Flower Moon rose on May 1. So 29.5 days, another full moon rises \u2014 and has no name. Hence, it\u2019s called a Blue Moon. However, this is a monthly Blue Moon. Astronomers use another definition: a Blue Moon is the third full moon in a row that occurs within a single astronomical season. That\u2019s called a seasonal Blue Moon, which next occurs on May 20, 2027.<\/p>\n
Why A \u2018blue Moon\u2019 Isn\u2019t Blue<\/p>\n
Despite its name, a Blue Moon usually appears orange when it rises; the phrase does not refer to its color. Like the setting sun, a rising moon shines through a thick layer of Earth\u2019s atmosphere. Shorter blue wavelengths scatter easily off air molecules, while longer red and orange wavelengths pass through more directly. This effect, known as Rayleigh scattering, gives moonrises and sunsets their warm, glowing colors.<\/p>\n
When To See The \u2018blue Moon\u2019 Rise<\/p>\n
The best time to see the full Blue Moon will be during dusk on Saturday, May 30. Find an unobstructed southeastern horizon at the time of moonrise where you are,<\/a> and after a short time, you\u2019ll see a large, orange full moon appear. The naked eye is fine \u2014 but you\u2019ll get an exquisite view through any pair of binoculars.<\/p>\n The times and dates given apply to mid-northern latitudes. For the most accurate location-specific information, consult online planetariums like Stellarium<\/a>.<\/p>\n Further ReadingForbesIn Photos: Full \u2018Flower Moon\u2019 Lights Up Night Sky Around The WorldBy Jamie Carter<\/a>ForbesWhat Is That Bright Star In The West After Sunset?By Jamie Carter<\/a>ForbesIt\u2019s 100 Days Until A Total Solar Eclipse. Here\u2019s How To See ItBy Jamie Carter<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Topline A full Blue Moon is coming this weekend \u2014 and despite the name, it has nothing to…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":987554,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[3844],"tags":[54023,258378,3863,273480,274552,70,413,274551,16,15,274550,274553,45443],"class_list":["post-987553","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-space","tag-blue-moon","tag-blue-moon-2026","tag-full-moon","tag-full-moon-may-31-2026","tag-night-sky-may-2026","tag-science","tag-space","tag-stargazing-may","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-what-is-a-blue-moon","tag-what-is-blue-moon","tag-when-is-full-moon"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/116645324663076597","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/987553","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=987553"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/987553\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/987554"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=987553"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=987553"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=987553"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}