Blue Moon May 2026: Why the May full moon is so rare.

May is double the fun for Full Moon and space fans because we’re getting two in one month. The first took place on May 1 and the second will take place on May 31. This phenomenon is called Blue Moon. And no, this doesn’t mean that its color will actually turn blue, it’s just a somewhat rare occurrence. You could say, “Once in a blue moon”…

What is a blue moon?

According to NASA, a blue moon occurs when a full moon appears twice in the same calendar month. The lunar cycle (the process of the Moon revolving around the Earth) lasts about 29 and a half days, which is slightly shorter than most months. This means that there is a periodic change similar to May, with a full moon at the beginning of the month and another full moon at the end. This is not particularly common, occurring approximately every two years. This is a monthly blue moon.

There are also seasonal blue moons. This occurs when four full moons occur in a single season instead of three, which is usually the case.

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When is the blue moon in 2026?

The Blue Moon in 2026 will occur on May 31. According to the time and date, it will peak around 4:45 a.m. ET.

How often does a blue moon occur?

That said, blue moons are quite uncommon. NASA says these occur approximately every two or three years.

When is the next blue moon?

Royal Museum Greenwich Tells us that the next Blue Moon will occur on May 20, 2027. This will be a seasonal blue moon.