How to see the 'flower moon,' May 2023's full moon

Michael Salerno, Arizona Republic
·2 min read

The fifth full moon of 2023 is not too far away. For sky watchers in the Phoenix area, May's "flower moon" will be visible in the night sky in early May.

This lunar event, when the moon is fully illuminated upon its approach to Earth, follows the Jan. 6 wolf moon, the Feb. 5 snow moon, the March 7 worm moon and the April 5 pink moon.

Moon watchers should be aware that the exact timing of the sunset and moonrise will vary depending on where they are.

Read on to find out what time to see the May 2023 full moon, why it's called the flower moon and a calendar of all the full moons of 2023.

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When is the full moon in May 2023?

Peak illumination of the May 2023 full moon will occur at 10:36 a.m. Arizona time on Friday, May 5.

Since the moon will be below the horizon around this time, the best nights to view the moon are May 4 and 5, according to the Farmer's Almanac.

Generally, the best views of the moon are around moonrise, when the moon will appear at its biggest, according to the Farmer's Almanac. Moonrise in Phoenix is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Arizona time on May 4 and 7:36 p.m. Arizona time on May 5.

Why is May the flower moon?

May's full moon is known as the flower moon for the flowers that bloom across America during the month. The moon's name has its origins from Native Americans, attributed to the Algonquin and Dakota tribes.

Other nicknames for the May full moon include the frog moon, the milk moon and the mulberry moon.

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When is the next full moon?

After May's flower moon, the next full moon is the strawberry moon on June 3.

Full moon schedule for 2023

Here is the entire 2023 full moon calendar:

  • Friday, Jan. 6.

  • Sunday, Feb. 5.

  • Tuesday, March 7.

  • Wednesday, April 5.

  • Friday, May 5.

  • Saturday, June 3.

  • Monday, July 3.

  • Tuesday, Aug. 1.

  • Wednesday, Aug. 30.

  • Friday, Sept. 29.

  • Saturday, Oct. 28.

  • Monday, Nov. 27.

  • Tuesday, Dec. 26.

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Reach the reporter at Michael.Salerno@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @salerno_phx.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: When is the next full moon? What to know about May's flower moon