When is the next full moon? May 2024's Flower Moon rises in Indiana soon

John Tufts, Indianapolis Star
·2 min read

The full moon in May is commonly referred to as the Flower Moon, which will shine its brightest toward the end of the month. Here's what skywatchers need to know about it.

When is the full moon in May 2024?

The Flower Moon blossoms Thursday, May 23, 2024. The moon's phases in May are:

  • 🌗 Last Quarter: May 1.

  • 🌑 New Moon: May 8.

  • 🌓 First Quarter: May 15.

  • 🌕 Full Moon: May 23.

  • 🌗 Last Quarter: May 30.

Why is it called the Flower Moon?

"April showers bring May flowers," as the saying goes. The full moon in May is a reflection of flowers blooming across large swaths of North America, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac.

Other names for May's full moon from Native American tribes include the Budding Moon, Frog Moon and the Moon of Shedding Ponies.

What time is best to see the full moon in May 2024?

According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, moonrise for the Indianapolis area will happen by roughly 9:39 p.m. Thursday, May 23, crossing the meridian at 1:20 a.m. before setting at 6:03 a.m. Friday.

Why does the moon sometimes appear red?

You may have noticed the moon will occasionally take on a dramatic shade of orange or red in the night sky. That's because of how sunlight strikes the moon's surface after passing through our atmosphere.

A total lunar eclipse, with the moon appearing red in color, is seen in Japan on Aug. 28, 2007.
A total lunar eclipse, with the moon appearing red in color, is seen in Japan on Aug. 28, 2007.

When the moon moves into the inner part of Earth's shadow, or umbra, according to NASA, some of the sunlight entering Earth's skies scatters before reaching the moon's surface.

Colors with shorter wavelengths, such as blues and violets, scatter more easily than colors with longer wavelengths, which include red and orange. The more dust or clouds in Earth's atmosphere during a lunar eclipse, the redder the moon appears.

When is the next full moon of 2024?

The Strawberry Moon will look its sweetest on Saturday, June 22, 2024.

Look up: Here's when every full moon shines in 2024

Almanac

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John Tufts covers trending news for the Indianapolis Star. Send him a news tip at JTufts@Gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: May 2024 full moon: When to see the Flower Moon in Indiana