May 2025 full moon: The Flower Moon dazzles in Spain
This month’s full moon coincides with the true arrival of spring in Spain
The full moon of May, known as the Flower Moon, will rise on Monday May 12 at 6.56pm Spanish peninsular time, promising a gorgeous celestial display.
While April's full moon coincided with the Lyrid meteor shower, May's moon won't be outshone. It arrives at the heart of spring, when wildflowers blanket the countryside and nature bursts into bloom - perfectly fitting for a moon named after the season’s blossoms.
Why it's called the Flower Moon
The name ‘Flower Moon’ has deep cultural and seasonal roots. It comes from Native American traditions, particularly from northeastern tribes like the Algonquian peoples, who named each full moon after what was happening in the natural world around them.
May was the time when forests and fields erupted with flowers. This moon marked not only a beautiful visual moment but also signalled seasonal rhythms: planting, community rituals and the renewal of life. These lunar names weren’t poetic flourishes; rather, they served as ecological calendars, deeply connected to nature’s cycles.
How and when to see the May full moon
- Exact time: May 12 at 6.56pm.
- Best viewing: Just after sunset, when the moon rises near the horizon.
- Visual effects: Thanks to the low angle and the Earth’s atmosphere, the moon may appear golden, coppery or even orange, creating a breathtaking view.
Tips for viewing
- Head to a spot with clear views to the east.
- Choose an area with low light pollution, ideally out in nature.
- No telescope needed as the full moon will be clearly visible.
Though not a supermoon and with no eclipse in sight, the Flower Moon is still one of the most photogenic and meaningful full moons of the year.
A yearly calendar
The full moon of May 2025 is not an isolated phenomenon. It is part of a sequence of full moons that, throughout the year, chronicle the pulse of the Earth through traditional names:
- January: Wolf Moon
- February: Snow Moon
- March: Worm Moon
- April: Pink Moon
- May: Flower Moon
- June: Strawberry Moon
- July: Deer Moon
- August: Sturgeon Moon
- September: Harvest Moon
- October: Hunter's Moon
- November: Beaver Moon
- December: Cold Moon
Lunar calendar May 2025
May will feature a full lunar cycle that begins with the first quarter moon on the 4th and culminates with the new moon on May 27. In the middle of this cycle, the long-awaited full moon, known as the Flower Moon, will occur on May 12, followed by the last quarter moon, scheduled for May 20.
While the full moon illuminates the sky and obscures fainter objects, the period around the new moon offers the best conditions for viewing clusters, galaxies and nebulae in crystal-clear detail.
Other must-see sky events in May
May isn’t just about the full moon. The month is packed with celestial highlights:
- May 2: Opposition of Vesta, the brightest asteroid in the main belt.
- May 3: The Moon aligns with Mars.
- May 4: Venus and Neptune appear just 2° apart.
- May 6: Peak of the Eta Aquariids meteor shower, from Halley’s Comet (up to 50 meteors per hour pre-dawn).
- May 10-14: Rare stellar occultations: the Moon briefly hides bright stars Spica and Antares.
- May 14: Asteroid Juno at opposition.
- May 26: Lunar perigee (Moon closest to Earth).
- May 30: Mercury at peak brightness.
Image: Canva Image Bank
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