Full Moon field guide · UK dates
The Flower Moon
A broad spring name marking the abundance of flowers in May.
What Flower Moon means
Flower Moon is one of the most direct seasonal labels: it connects May's full Moon with the flush of northern spring flowering. Milk Moon and Bright Moon appear in other English-language traditions.
Shorter nights keep the May full Moon lower in the UK sky than its winter counterparts.
These are popular English-language almanac names rather than a single universal cultural calendar. NASA’s Moon phase guide describes the modern naming usage. Seasonal descriptions here follow the northern hemisphere; southern seasons are reversed.
Next occurrence · Europe/London
Thu, 20 May 2027
Exact full Moon: . Brown lunation 1291.
Three-year almanac
Flower Moon dates, 2026–2028
| Year | Date and time · Europe/London | Lunation | Calendar |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1278 | Open month | |
| 2026 | 1279 | Open month | |
| 2027 | 1291 | Open month | |
| 2028 | 1303 | Open month |
02
What to notice from the UK
Choose a clear southern horizon and watch how the low lunar path changes the colour and apparent size near moonrise.
Check local rise and set for the next Flower Moon
The disc looks full on the nights around the exact instant. A low Moon may look larger or warmer because of perspective and the atmosphere, not because its phase changed.
03
Other recorded labels
Almanacs do not share one universal naming system. This month is also listed as Thrimilce Moon in an Old English grouping and Bright Moon in a modern Celtic-revival grouping.