The last supermoon of the year is happening tomorrow, and hopefully, you’re an early riser. According to NASA, this full moon, also known as the Flower Moon, Corn Planting Moon, Milk Moon, and Vesak Festival Moon, will peak on the morning of May 7 at 6:45 AM ET. If you decide to sleep in, you can still catch it on Friday morning at around the same time.
Photo: Paramonov Alexander/Shutterstock
The Last Supermoon of the Year Will Light Up the Sky Tomorrow
A supermoon occurs when a new or full moon is at 90 percent of its perigee, which is the closest approach to Earth during its orbit. This makes the moon appear larger and brighter than it normally would. May’s supermoon won’t be quite as bright as April’s, but it will still look more impressive than a typical full moon.
The Flower Moon derives its name from the way Native Americans used to track the seasons, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. Since flower blooms are abundant in May, this month’s moon was named accordingly. Do not expect to glimpse any flowers sprouting from the moon’s surface.
The May supermoon is the last of a series of four supermoons this year with April being the brightest.
If you make the effort to wake up at 6:45 AM only to find clouds hanging above you, you can always check out the Virtual Telescope Project, which will be livestreaming the supermoon over Rome. The stream will take place on May 7 at 2:30 PM ET. 