Blue Moon lights up skies THIS weekend—here's everything you must know

A celestial delight is on its way for stargazers as the second full moon, known as Blue Moon, is happening this weekend.

The Blue moon will grace the skies on May 31, 2026 but don’t be surprised when you spot it not appearing blue; it’s actually more to do with the celestial phenomenon.

It marks the first time since August 30, 2023 that a rare Blue Moon can be spotted on the last day of May at 4:45 a.m. ET.

Where does the term ‘Blue Moon’ originate?

As per the Old Farmer’s yearly publication, the term Blue Moon points to when multiple full moons appear within the same month.

A Seasonal Blue Moon means the third full moon in a season that has four full moons, whereas a calendrical Blue Moon is the second full moon within a single month.

Astronomical experts believe a calendrical Blue Moon is rare because the lunar cycle spans about 29 ½ days, while most months contain 30 or 31 days.

A full moon normally falls on the first or second day of a month, besides in February.

In consequence, a Blue Moon happens roughly every 30 months on average.

On May 31, with a Blue Moon on the horizon, it will mark the first time two full moons have appeared in the same month since August 2023, a rare lunar phenomenon that will happen next in December 2028.