Rare ‘blue moon’ is coming to North Carolina skies. Here’s when
Key Takeaways
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- May’s blue moon will peak Sunday, May 31 at 4:45 a.m.
- The May blue moon is the month’s second full moon and will not appear blue.
- The moon will be a micro moon about 252,360 miles from Earth, appearing smaller.
North Carolina sky gazers will get a chance to see the only blue moon of the year later this month, though catching it will require an early wake-up call. The lunar event will also be a “micro moon,” making it the smallest full moon of 2026.
FULL STORY: Look up, North Carolina. A rare ‘blue moon’ event is coming soon. Here’s when
Here are key takeaways:
- May’s blue moon will rise Sunday, May 31, and peak at 4:45 a.m., according to the Farmers’ Almanac. It’s the second full moon of the month, following the Flower Moon on May 1.
- Despite the name, the moon won’t actually appear blue. The term refers to the second full moon in a calendar month, an event that typically happens every two to three years.
- The moon will also be a micro moon, occurring about 252,360 miles from Earth — roughly 13,400 miles farther than average, according to EarthSky.com. That makes it appear smaller and dimmer than usual.
- Stargazers can spot Venus and Jupiter in the western sky about an hour after sunset, with Mars and Saturn visible to the east about an hour before sunrise, per Accuweather.com.
- The next blue moon won’t appear until December 2028.
This report was produced with the assistance of a proprietary tool powered by artificial intelligence and using our own originally reported, written and published content. It was reviewed and edited by our journalists.