Blue Moon 2026: Here's how to see the second full moon of May and how the Blue Moon got its name - exact date and time
Unusually there will be two full moons in May this year.
It's a sight that has inspired myths, superstitions and awe through the centuries - when the night sky is lit up by the seemingly-perfect glowing sphere of a full moon.
We experience one full moon every month (and occasionally a 13th - the so-called Blue Moon), with each one given a different evocative name.
Here's how to see the next one of 2026 - and it’s a Blue Moon.
What is a full moon?
A full moon is when moon appears as a complete circle in the sky. The moon produces no light of its own, so this only happens when the moon is on the opposite side of the Earth to the Sun - meaning the whole of the near side of the moon is fully lit up.
What is a Blue Moon?
Despite the well-known phrase ‘once in a Blue Moon’, it’s not actually that rare.
It’s the term given to the the third full moon of a season that contains a total of four full moons (a season typically only contains three full moons). It means you get a Blue Moon every couple of years - but it’s actually not blue.
A more modern definition is that a Blue Moon is when you get two full moons in the same month, which also happens every couple of years.
This year we have already experienced the Flower Moon in May, so the second full moon of the month is a Blue Moon.
When is the Blue Moon in 2026?
The next full moon or ‘Blue Moon’ will reach its peak at 9.45am on Sunday, May 31. This time only applies to the UK however as when the full moon rises and sets depends on where you are on the planet. Don’t worry that it’ll be light when it reaches its peak (or if there’s a bit of cloud) - it’ll still appear full over the entire night.
Why is it called a Blue Moon?
The name comes from an expression commonly used in the 16th century when people would talk about things that were an impossibility as happening “when the moon is blue”. It was then used to describe the rare(ish) occurence of an extra full moon.
Why do full moons have different names?
Full moon names are often attributed to Native American tribes that would give full moons nicknames to keep track of them as they didn’t record time using months found in the Julian or Gregorian calendar. Most of the names were linked to a specific event, for example the Worm Moon relates to a time of year when the ground starts to thaw and worms are able to wriggle up to the surface.
Other moons like the blood moon were thought to be caused by Jaguars who attacked the moon and left it bleeding hence the red colour. These lunar systems and their names differed between tribes but it seems Colonial Americans adopted some of these names and incorporated them into their own calendar systems.
When are the other full moons of 2026?
Here’s a full list of the other full moons still to come in 2026 - and their names:
June 30 - ‘Strawberry Moon’
July 29 - ‘Buck Moon’
August 28 - ‘Sturgeon Moon’
September 26 - ‘Harvest Moon’
October 26 - ‘Hunter’s Moon’
November 24 - ‘Beaver Moon’
December 24 - ‘Cold Moon’
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