When is the next full moon? Why is it called flower moon?

Iris Seaton, Asheville Citizen Times
·2 min read

While a solar eclipse like the one Americans saw this year is a rare phenomenon, there's plenty going on in the sky every month.

Full moons occur roughly every 29.5 days. Most recently, the pink moon passed overhead — and in case you didn't notice, it wasn't pink. So where did the name come from?

Here's some info on 2024's full moons, and where they get their titles.

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When was the last full moon?

The last full moon just finished shining, reaching its peak on April 23. The April 2024 moon was known as the "pink moon."

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When is the next full moon?

The next full moon will occur a month from the last on May 23. This moon is named the "flower moon."

The full moon known as the pink moon illuminates the night sky in Palm Springs, Calif., April 23, 2024.
The full moon known as the pink moon illuminates the night sky in Palm Springs, Calif., April 23, 2024.

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Why is May's full moon called flower moon?

The Old Farmer's Almanac says that the 12 full moons each year are named by Native Americans, according to previous reporting by the Hendersonville Times-News. UNC Asheville Associate Professor of Astronomy Britt Lundren reminded readers that, when sharing the titles of the monthly moons, it's important to remember the cultural diversity of tribes in the U.S.

"Each tribe has a close relationship with the land, and their moon names will reflect the seasonal changes unique to their environments," Lundren said.

May's title of "flower moon" simply refers to the many flowers that bloom in May. Other names for the flower moon include:

  • Budding Moon (Cree)

  • Egg Laying Moon (Cree)

  • Frog Moon (Cree)

  • Leaf Budding Moon (Cree)

  • Planting Moon (Dakota, Lakota)

  • Moon of Shedding Ponies (Oglala)

April's pink moon received its name from the appearance of “moss pink,” or wild ground phlox — one of the first spring wildflowers. Other names for the pink moon include:

  • Breaking Ice Moon (Algonquin)

  • Broken Snowshoe Moon (Anishinaabe)

  • Budding Moon of Plants and Shrubs (Tlingit)

  • Frog Moon (Cree)

  • Moon of the Red Grass Appearing (Oglala)

  • Moon When the Ducks Come Back (Lakota)

  • Moon When the Geese Lay Eggs (Dakota)

  • Moon When the Streams are Again Navigable (Dakota)

  • Sucker Moon (Anishinaabe)

  • Sugar Maker Moon (Western Abenaki)

A full moon is visible at the Desert Empire League track and field finals in Palm Desert, Calif., on Tuesday, April 23, 2024.
A full moon is visible at the Desert Empire League track and field finals in Palm Desert, Calif., on Tuesday, April 23, 2024.

2024 full moon names

Here's a list of the full moon names for 2024, courtesy of the Old Farmer's Almanac:

  • January - Wolf Moon

  • February - Snow Moon

  • March - Worm Moon

  • April - Pink Moon

  • May - Flower Moon

  • June - Strawberry Moon

  • July - Buck Moon

  • August - Sturgeon Moon

  • September - Corn Moon

  • October - Hunter Moon

  • November - Beaver Moon

  • December - Cold Moon

Dean Hensley, Hendersonville Times-News, contributed.

Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@citizentimes.com.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Full moon May 2024 is called flower moon