JACKSON, Wyo. — Remember to look skyward over the next few nights: The second full moon of the month is approaching peak fullness.
The moon will reach peak fullness at 2:45 a.m. on Sunday, May 31. It will be a blue micromoon: “blue” because it’s the second full moon in a single month, and “micro” because it will occur when the moon is near its farthest point in its orbit, therefore appearing smaller and dimmer to the naked eye.
According to NASA, the micromoon phenomenon occurs when the moon reaches apogee position, when it is approximately 251,000 miles away from Earth. Supermoons, on the other hand, occur when the moon is in perigee position, approximately 226,000 miles away. The next supermoon is expected in November.
May’s first full moon peaked on May 1.
Get a look at the nearly full moon before precipitation puts a damper on moon-watching this weekend. Buckrail Meteorologist Alan Smith anticipates high chances of rain on Saturday.
