May's ‘Flower Moon' is set to appear smaller in size with yellow-orange hue: Here's why

May’s first full moon, referred to as the “Flower Moon”, rises in the spring sky tonight.

Skywatchers can see its peak illumination at 1:23 p.m. EDT (1723 GMT) on May 1. This offers a stunning sight as the moon climbs over the southeastern horizon at sunset.

The moon is named “flower” as the northern hemisphere gets abundant blooms as spring is around the corner.

Instead of a supermoon, it is a “micromoon.” It is slightly smaller and dimmer.

It occurs when the moon is near its most distant point from Earth in its elliptical orbit. Resultantly, the lunar disk appears a bit smaller and dimmer than average.

If skywatchers observe it in the early evening, it will appear in a distinctive yellow-orange hue.

The early-evening viewer will see the moon appearing orange in colour due to Rayleigh scattering of sunlight in the thickest layer of Earth’s atmosphere. The bright stars Spica and Arcturus will be close by, with Venus and Jupiter shining in the west.

For many believers across Asia, tonight’s Flower Moon coincides with Buddha Purnima.

Additionally, May 2026 is set to have two full moons. The second is referred to as “blue Moon”