The full Flower Moon turns officially full at 12:23 p.m. EDT on 1 May.. As always, the best moment to watch is moonrise where you are — just after sunset — when it appears largest and glows orange through atmospheric haze. The next full moon after the flower moon will be May 31’s Blue Moon, the second full moon in the same calendar month — an occasional consequence of the moon’s 29-day orbit of Earth. The best night to watch the Blue Moon will be on May 30, when it rises shortly after sunset.
— see https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiecartereurope/2026/04/27/see-a-brilliant-full-flower-moon-rise-the-night-sky-this-week/
Why A Full Moon Looks So Large
Moonrise is the best time to experience the so-called “moon illusion,” when the moon appears dramatically larger near the horizon. This optical illusion is caused by the human brain comparing the moon to foreground objects such as trees, buildings and mountains. Although the moon’s physical size does not change, it can appear significantly larger when low in the sky. According to NASA, there is still no satisfying scientific explanation for why the illusion is so powerful.
— see https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiecartereurope/2026/04/26/mays-full-flower-moon-is-coming—when-to-see-it-rise-on-may-day/
In May, the Big Dipper is at its best, appearing high in the sky near the zenith (directly overhead) for mid-northern latitudes in the early evening. It’s positioned in the northeast as night begins and remains visible throughout the night. The asterism is part of Ursa Major and acts as a sky guide to locate Polaris and other stars
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