A spectacular full moon is set to be visible in the skies tonight.
Stargazers are in for a treat as May’s full Moon, known as the ‘Flower Moon,' will appear in the night sky and dazzle the world for three days.
According to BBC Sky at Night Magazine, the term is a reference to the month, which is the time when flowers bloom after their winter slumber.
The spectacle also has additional nicknames such as "Mother's Moon," "Milk Moon" or "Corn Planting Moon," per Daily Mail.
For American viewers, the celestial event will reach its peak on Thursday (May 23), at 9:53 AM ET, as reported by NASA.
For UK viewers, it will rise in the southeast, and depending on the clear skies, it should be visible from 21:59 BST.
In some parts of the world, the Flower Moon will come so close to Antares, which is the brightest star in the constellation of Scorpius. This means that on Thursday night, the bright star will most likely disappear behind the moon.
The Moon will then travel across the southern part of the sky, before setting in the southwest in the early hours.
The Flower Moon will change colors, appearing orange for 15-20 minutes because you’re "looking at it through the densest part of Earth’s atmosphere," per Forbes.
This is also due to the fact that the sunlight will ricochet off the Moon and travel through Earth's atmosphere, as cited by BBC.
Another phenomenon that may occur is a vivid halo around the Moon which is caused by light from the celestial while it's moving through clouds.
After May's full moon is the Strawberry Moon, which will appear on June 21, 2024. It is named after the abundant strawberries that are typically harvested in the month.
The RMG website states that over time "different cultures have given names to full moons across the lunar calendar.".
"Many of the Moon’s nicknames have come to us from Native American culture because, for their way of life, the cycles of the lunar phases were just as important a method of timekeeping as the longer solar cycle of the year (from which the modern Gregorian calendar is derived)," they added.
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