The full moon (tatkresiwok - Inuit) occurs when the Sun and the Moon are on exact opposite sides of the Earth every 29.53 days. This lunar phase is known by many different names, cultures, religions and languages, depending on the month it occurs. This mid spring full moon occurs in May and is known as the Milk Moon, Grass Moon, Corn Planting Moon, or Flower Moon.
The full moon for the month of May is at its fullest at 10:24 AM on Friday the 1st.
...and the sun sets at 7:34 PM and the moon rises at 8:01 PM.
This is just about the best night to view the moon at its fullest after it rises today! Come join us for a meet-n-greet in the evening and to watch the full moon rise over the treetops of Claremont
The event begins at 7:30 PM and the event will officially end by 8:30 PM, but there may be some early birds and lingering about into the night. There are no benches or picnic tables to sit on, so bring your own camp chairs to enjoy this magical evening.
Please do bring your bugs and coins for trading, discovering, or just to show them off. There are no food or beverage establishments nearby, but there is a bathroom, although we can't guarantee if it will be open after dark. On warm days, there are usually some cold beverages and the pizza stays hot! If you plan on bringing something to share, be sure to post it in a note. Please remember to dress appropriately for the temperature and weather conditions, as this event is outdoors, rain or shine. The terrain is mostly cement and wheelchairs have access to the venue from the south end of the parking lot. You may want to bring blankets and/or camp chairs.
It is interesting to note that often, calendars indicating moon phases may be off by a day when intended for use in a different time zone. Don't be late or you just might miss out on this magical time as the sun sets and the full moon rises.
Today is...
- Armed Forces Day (Mauritania)
- International Sunflower Guerrilla Gardening Day
- Lei Day (Hawaii)
- May Day (beginning of Summer) observances in the Northern hemisphere
On this day...
- 1807 – The Slave Trade Act 1807 takes effect, abolishing the slave trade within the British Empire.
- 1863 – The Battle of Chancellorsville between Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and the Union Army of the Potomac under Joseph Hooker begins.
- 1915 – RMS Lusitania departs from New York City on her 202nd, and final, crossing of the North Atlantic. Six days later, the ship is torpedoed off the coast of Ireland with the loss of 1,198 lives.
- 1930 – "Pluto" is officially proposed for the name of the newly discovered dwarf planet by Vesto Slipher in the Lowell Observatory Observation Circular. The name quickly catches on.
- 1956 – The polio vaccine developed by Jonas Salk is made available to the public.
- 1971 – Amtrak (the National Railroad Passenger Corporation) takes over operation of U.S. passenger rail service.
- 2019 – Naruhito ascends to the throne of Japan succeeding his father Akihito, beginning the Reiwa period.
Notable births...
- 1764 – Benjamin Henry Latrobe, English-American architect, designed the United States Capitol (died 1820)
- 1852 – Calamity Jane, American frontierswoman and professional scout (died 1903)
- 1907 – Kate Smith, American singer and actress (died 1986)
- 1918 – Jack Paar, American comedian, author and talk show host (died 2004)
- 1939 – Judy Collins, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
- 1954 - Ray Parker Jr., American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
- 1969 - Wes Anderson, American director, producer, and screenwriter
Notable deaths...
- 1904 – Antonín Dvořák, Czech composer and academic (born 1841)
- 1945 – Joseph Goebbels, German lawyer and politician, Chancellor of Germany (born 1897)
- 1955 - William Thomson Sloper, American stockbroker and survivor of the sinking of the RMS Titanic (born 1883)
- 1965 - Spike Jones, American singer and bandleader (born 1911)
- 1994 - Ayrton Senna, Brazilian race car driver (born 1960)
- 1998 – Eldridge Cleaver, American author and activist (born 1935)
- 2023 - Gordon Lightfoot, Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1938)
Note: If you are feeling sick, it is asked that you wait to attend in person events. Anyone who has Covid-19 symptoms, who has been in recent contact with a positive case, or might think they have been, is asked to not attend the event for the safety of themselves and others.
For Planning Purposes - Full Moon Dates for 2026
Saturday, January 3 at 2:04 AM
Sunday, February 1 at 2:10 PM
Tuesday, March 3 at 3:39 AM
Wednesday, April 1 at 7:13 PM
Friday, May 1 at 10:24 AM
Sunday, May 31 at 1:46 AM
Monday, June 29 at 4:58 PM
Wednesday, July 29 at 7:37 AM
Thursday, August 27 at 9:19 PM
Saturday, September 26 at 9:50 AM
Sunday, October 25 at 9:13 PM
Tuesday, November 24 at 6:55 AM
Wednesday, December 23 at 5:29 PM