Why bother with trainspotting when a plethora of full Moon phases offer captivating celestial displays?
The lunar orb gracing Earth’s firmament on May 30th and 31st is a spectacle not to be overlooked.
This event is designated as a blue micromoon, a consequence of a rare confluence of cosmic occurrences that will not repeat until 2053, contingent upon one’s precise definition of a micromoon.
Beyond being a blue Moon—an infrequent occurrence of a second full Moon within a single calendar month, happening roughly every few years—it will also be proximate to apogee, the furthest point in its slightly elliptical trajectory around our planet.
The Farmer’s Almanac bestows the appellation “Flower Moon” upon the full Moon observed in May. While these traditional designations typically do not extend to blue Moons, there’s no impediment to mentally associating this celestial event with the enchanting essence of the Flower Moon.
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At an orbital distance of 406,135 kilometers (252,360 miles), this celestial body will represent the most remote full micromoon among the three occurring in 2026. Consequently, it will present as the most diminutive full Moon visible this year, and indeed until the year 2028.
The subsequent instance of a blue micromoon is anticipated no earlier than July 2053.
Micromoons and their more prominent counterparts, supermoons, are inherent phenomena arising from the Moon’s somewhat ovoid orbital path. Due to this deviation from a perfect circle, each orbit features a point of closest approach to Earth, termed perigee, and a point of furthest separation, known as apogee.
The Moon’s mean separation from Earth approximates 384,400 kilometers. However, the specific distances at perigee and apogee fluctuate as the Moon’s orbital trajectory experiences minor oscillations, primarily driven by the gravitational pull of the Sun and the evolving long-term gravitational dynamic between our planet and its satellite.
Furthermore, the lunar orbit undergoes apsidal precession, meaning the elliptical path does not precisely retrace itself with each revolution. This temporal misalignment between the peaks of perigees and apogees and the lunar cycle results in the infrequent observation of two to three full micromoons and three to four full supermoons annually.
Adding to the complexity, there exists no universally accepted scientific definition for a supermoon or a micromoon, and the classification of a full lunar event as such is contingent upon the specific criteria applied.
Time and Date establishes a stringent threshold for micromoons, defining them as occurring within 405,000 kilometers of Earth’s geocenter. In contrast, esteemed astrophysicist and eclipse expert Fred Espenak of Astropixels adopts a more accommodating standard, characterizing them as “within 90 percent of its greatest distance to Earth in a given orbit”—a broader interpretation that acknowledges variations in apogee and perigee distances.
The definition of a blue Moon, however, is considerably more precise.
This designation does not refer to the Moon adopting a literally azure hue but rather describes a celestial event arising from the subtle discrepancy between the lunar month (synodic month) and the calendar month. A synodic month comprises 29.53 days, whereas a calendar month typically spans 30 or 31 days.
This temporal variance causes the full Moon’s occurrence within the calendar month to shift incrementally each month. Periodically, occurring once every two or three years, the full Moon transpires early enough in a month that the subsequent full Moon concludes the same month.
Astronomically speaking, a full Moon constitutes a syzygy, a term denoting the celestial alignment of three or more astronomical entities in a linear configuration—in this context, the Earth, the Moon, and the Sun.
As a direct outcome of this alignment, the full Moon will occupy the celestial hemisphere diametrically opposite to the Sun. Therefore, regardless of your geographical location, the blue Flower micromoon can be observed rising over the eastern horizon, in opposition to the sunset.
Engaging with the Moon’s phases presents an accessible and cost-free recreational activity. One might even transform it into a unique pursuit. This particular occasion offers the distinct advantage of observing a dual celestial phenomenon: both a blue Moon and a micromoon.
This celestial event provides a thrill comparable to discovering a rare, gleaming Pokémon.
