The Flower Moon Lunar Eclipse Is In Full Bloom Tonight And You Don't Want To Miss It

Springtime brings with it the Flower Moon to the delight of skywatchers, along with a penumbral lunar eclipse. According to the Farmer's Almanac, any full moon in May is called the "Flower" Moon.

Spring has finally sprung for many of us, and with it comes a bounty of flowers signifying the season is upon us. With that in mind, May's Flower Moon is ready to light the night sky this evening. May's full Moon is known by a few other names, including the Planting Moon, the Milk Moon, and the Hare Moon. This year's Flower Moon also includes the added treat of a penumbral lunar eclipse.

A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves through the outer part of Earth's shadow, the penumbra. It is not quite as dramatic as other types of lunar eclipses and often appears as just another full moon to many. This is because a typical lunar eclipse also passes through the Earth's dark, inner shadow, referred to as the umbra, which is what produces a partial or total lunar eclipse.


If you want to watch a live view of the penumbral eclipse today, you can do so via the video above.

For those who enjoy viewing all the different phases of the moon, below is a chart showing the sunrise, sunset, and moon phases throughout the month of May.

The exact moment of the full moon is the time at which the Moon's ecliptic longitude is exactly 180 degrees away from the Sun's ecliptic longitude, according to In The Sky. Don't fret if you cannot determine exactly when that is, as the Moon will appear full throughout the night.

For those on the east coast of the United States, the full moon will be visible starting at around 1:34pm today. Hopefully, those wanting to gaze upon the Flower Moon today and this evening will have clear skies.