The Flower Moon, May’s full moon, reaches full at 6:59 a.m. EDT (10:59 UTC) on Thursday, May 20, 2027. It is 2027’s seasonal Blue Moon, the third of four spring full moons, and falls on Vesak.
The Flower Moon is the traditional name for the full moon of May. In 2027, it reaches full on the morning of Thursday, May 20, in every US time zone.
It is also the only Blue Moon of 2027: spring 2027 holds four full moons, and under the seasonal rule, the third of them, the Flower Moon, takes the Blue Moon name.
The same full moon marks Vesak and Buddha Purnima, which fall on Thursday, May 20, 2027, in Singapore and India. This page gives the exact time in every US time zone, moonrise times for four US cities, the Flower Moon dates from 2026 to 2031, and where the name comes from.
Table of Contents
When is the Flower Moon 2027?
The Flower Moon 2027 is full at 10:59 UTC on Thursday, May 20, 2027, according to the U.S. Naval Observatory. Moonblink gives 10:58:52 UTC, which rounds to the same minute. The table below converts it to US and international time zones.
| Time zone | Flower Moon 2027 (exact full moon) |
|---|---|
| UTC | Thursday, May 20, 10:59 a.m. |
| US Eastern | Thursday, May 20, 6:59 a.m. EDT |
| US Central | Thursday, May 20, 5:59 a.m. CDT |
| US Mountain | Thursday, May 20, 4:59 a.m. MDT |
| US Pacific | Thursday, May 20, 3:59 a.m. PDT |
| Alaska | Thursday, May 20, 2:59 a.m. AKDT |
| Hawaii | Thursday, May 20, 12:59 a.m. HST |
| London | Thursday, May 20, 11:59 a.m. BST |
| India | Thursday, May 20, 4:29 p.m. IST |
| Sydney | Thursday, May 20, 8:59 p.m. AEST |
The 2027 Flower Moon falls on Thursday, May 20, in every time zone shown, and in almost every time zone in the world. The exceptions are at the far edges of the map: in American Samoa (UTC-11) it falls at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, May 19, and on Kiritimati in Kiribati (UTC+14) at 12:59 a.m. on Friday, May 21. In Hawaii, it misses May 19 by 59 minutes.
The full moon before it is the Pink Moon of Tuesday, April 20, and the next is the Strawberry Moon of Friday, June 18, in US time zones.
Flower Moon moonrise times in US cities
The exact full moon comes at or before dawn across the United States, so the evenings of Wednesday, May 19, and Thursday, May 20, are the best times to see it rise. The table below gives moonrise, sunset, moonset, and the share of the disc lit for four US cities, from the Naval Observatory’s rise and set data.
| City | Wednesday, May 19: moonrise (lit) | Wednesday, May 19: sunset | Thursday, May 20: moonset | Thursday, May 20: moonrise (lit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York (EDT) | 7:53 p.m. (99%) | 8:10 p.m. | 5:11 a.m. | 8:57 p.m. (100%) |
| Chicago (CDT) | 7:54 p.m. (99%) | 8:08 p.m. | 5:03 a.m. | 8:59 p.m. (100%) |
| Denver (MDT) | 7:59 p.m. (99%) | 8:11 p.m. | 5:22 a.m. | 9:03 p.m. (100%) |
| Los Angeles (PDT) | 7:37 p.m. (99%) | 7:51 p.m. | 5:35 a.m. | 8:38 p.m. (100%) |
On Wednesday, May 19, the Moon rises 12 to 17 minutes before sunset in all four cities, so it is already above the eastern horizon as the Sun goes down in the west.
On Thursday, May 20, it rises 46 to 51 minutes after sunset, in a darker sky. In Denver and Los Angeles, the Moon is still up at the moment of full, setting at 5:22 a.m. MDT and 5:35 a.m. PDT. In New York, it sets at 5:11 a.m. EDT, 1 hour and 48 minutes before the full moon.
The Flower Moon is 2027’s seasonal Blue Moon
“Blue Moon” has two definitions. A monthly Blue Moon is the second full moon in one calendar month. A seasonal Blue Moon is the third full moon in an astronomical season that has four, as timeanddate.com defines it.
Most seasons, which run about 89 to 94 days between an equinox and a solstice, hold three full moons. Spring 2027 holds four, so the third, the May 20 Flower Moon, is a seasonal Blue Moon, according to EarthSky and timeanddate.com.
| Spring 2027 full moon | Eastern Time | UTC | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season begins: March equinox | Saturday, March 20, 4:25 p.m. EDT | Mar 20, 20:25 | |
| 1st full moon | Monday, March 22, 6:44 a.m. EDT | Mar 22, 10:44 | Worm Moon |
| 2nd full moon | Tuesday, April 20, 6:27 p.m. EDT | Apr 20, 22:27 | Pink Moon |
| 3rd full moon | Thursday, May 20, 6:59 a.m. EDT | May 20, 10:59 | Flower Moon (Blue Moon) |
| 4th full moon | Friday, June 18, 8:44 p.m. EDT | Jun 19, 00:44 | Strawberry Moon |
| Season ends: June solstice | Monday, June 21, 10:11 a.m. EDT | Jun 21, 14:11 |
Spring 2027 fits four full moons because the first comes only 38 hours after the March equinox and the fourth comes about 2.5 days before the June solstice.
Why the third full moon, not the fourth
EarthSky points out that it is the third of the four full moons, not the last, that is called the Blue Moon, so the June 18 Strawberry Moon is not a Blue Moon even though it is the extra fourth full moon of spring. timeanddate.com says the arrangement helps align the church calendar with the Moon’s phases, so that Lent and Easter fall at their proper times.
Seasonal Blue Moon and monthly Blue Moon
2027 has no monthly Blue Moon, because each of its 12 full moons falls in a different month. The most recent monthly Blue Moon was on Sunday, May 31, 2026, at 4:45 a.m. EDT, the second full moon of May 2026.
The next is on Sunday, December 31, 2028, at 11:48 a.m. EST (16:48 UTC), the second full moon of December 2028, according to EarthSky and the Naval Observatory’s 2028 table.
EarthSky lists the next seasonal Blue Moon after 2027 in August 2029, at 01:51 UTC on August 24, which is the evening of Thursday, August 23, in US time zones.
A seasonal Blue Moon does not depend on your time zone, since the season’s start and end are single instants. The 2027 Flower Moon is a Blue Moon everywhere in the world.
Vesak, Buddha Purnima and the 2027 Flower Moon
Vesak, which marks the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha, is tied to a full moon in May in many countries. In 2027:
- Singapore: Vesak Day is a public holiday on Thursday, May 20, 2027, according to the Singapore Government Gazette and Office Holidays. The full moon there comes at 6:59 p.m. local time that evening.
- India: Buddha Purnima, on the full moon of the month of Vaishakha, falls on Thursday, May 20, 2027, according to Dekho Panchang, with the full moon at 4:29 p.m. IST. Bangla Date Today gives the same date for Buddha Purnima in Bangladesh.
Some Buddhist countries set Vesak by their own lunar calendars, so dates elsewhere can differ, as Wikipedia notes.
Flower Moon dates for 2026 to 2031
The Flower Moon shifts about 11 days earlier each year, then jumps later when a 13th full moon falls into the year.
| Year | Flower Moon (Eastern Time) | Pacific Time | UTC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Friday, May 1, 1:23 p.m. EDT | Friday, May 1, 10:23 a.m. PDT | May 1, 17:23 |
| 2027 | Thursday, May 20, 6:59 a.m. EDT | Thursday, May 20, 3:59 a.m. PDT | May 20, 10:59 |
| 2028 | Monday, May 8, 3:49 p.m. EDT | Monday, May 8, 12:49 p.m. PDT | May 8, 19:49 |
| 2029 | Sunday, May 27, 2:37 p.m. EDT | Sunday, May 27, 11:37 a.m. PDT | May 27, 18:37 |
| 2030 | Friday, May 17, 7:19 a.m. EDT | Friday, May 17, 4:19 a.m. PDT | May 17, 11:19 |
| 2031 | Tuesday, May 6, 11:40 p.m. EDT | Tuesday, May 6, 8:40 p.m. PDT | May 7, 03:40 |
May 2026 had two full moons: the Flower Moon on Friday, May 1, and a monthly Blue Moon on Sunday, May 31. The 2031 Flower Moon falls on May 6 in the United States, but May 7 in UTC, so European calendars print the later date. The 2027 Flower Moon is the only one of the six that is a Blue Moon.
What is the Flower Moon?
The Flower Moon is a traditional name for the full moon of May. Like every full moon, it is the instant the Moon stands opposite the Sun, 180 degrees away along the ecliptic, so its whole Earth-facing side is lit.
The name does not reflect any astronomical difference from other full moons, and its 2027 Blue Moon label does not change its colour.
Where the Flower Moon name comes from
According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, the name reflects the flowers that bloom across North America in May, and it has been attributed to Algonquin peoples.
The Farmers’ Almanac gives the same explanation, saying the Algonquin nations named this moon for the first big wave of wildflowers, such as lupines, columbines, wild iris, and daisies.
The Maine Farmers’ Almanac began publishing such moon names in the 1930s, and the 1937 edition credited them to “our early English ancestors,” according to Wikipedia, so the origin of the full set of names is disputed.
Other names for the May full moon
The Old Farmer’s Almanac lists these May full moon names, with the peoples it attributes them to:
| Name | Attributed to |
|---|---|
| Budding Moon | Cree |
| Leaf Budding Moon | Cree |
| Egg Laying Moon | Cree |
| Frog Moon | Cree |
| Planting Moon | Dakota, Lakota |
| Moon of the Shedding Ponies | Oglala |
The Farmers’ Almanac adds names from Indigenous and European farming traditions, including the Milk Moon, the Corn Planting Moon, the Hare Moon and the Bright Moon.
The 2027 Flower Moon’s distance and zodiac sign
The 2027 Flower Moon is 393,901 km from Earth at full, according to Moonblink. That makes it the eighth-closest of the 12 full moons of 2027, and 36,257 km farther than the January 22 supermoon. It is not a supermoon. The full moons of 2027 move steadily farther from Earth from January to July, and the Flower Moon is the fifth in that run.
At the Flower Moon, the Sun is in Taurus, so the Moon stands opposite it in Scorpio. In astrology, this is the full moon in Scorpio, the second in a row after the April 20 Pink Moon.
The Flower Moon falls about 19 hours before the Sun leaves Taurus for Gemini at 2:18 a.m. EDT on Friday, May 21, which is why 2027 has two full moons in Scorpio.
How to see the Flower Moon
The Flower Moon is visible to the naked eye wherever the sky is clear. These steps give the best view in the United States:
- Choose your evening. On Wednesday, May 19, 2027, the 99%-lit Moon rises before sunset; on Thursday, May 20, the full Moon rises 46 to 51 minutes after sunset in the four cities above.
- Find a spot with a clear view of the eastern horizon.
- On May 19, look east from moonrise, between 7:37 and 7:59 p.m. local daylight time in the four cities, to see the Moon rise in a bright sky before sunset.
- On May 20, watch from about 8:38 to 9:03 p.m. local time for moonrise, then during the first hour after, while the Moon is low.
What the Flower Moon is not
Several terms are linked to the May full moon. The table below sets out the differences.
| Term | What it means | Relation to the 2027 Flower Moon |
|---|---|---|
| Flower Moon | Traditional name for May’s full moon | Thursday, May 20, 2027 |
| Seasonal Blue Moon | The third full moon in a season with four | Yes; the Flower Moon is the third of four spring full moons |
| Monthly Blue Moon | The second full moon in one calendar month | No; 2027 has none, and the most recent was May 31, 2026 |
| A blue-coloured Moon | The Moon turning blue | No; the Blue Moon name is about the calendar, not the colour |
| Supermoon | A full moon near the Moon’s closest approach to Earth | No; 2027’s only supermoon is January 22 |
| Strawberry Moon | Traditional name for June’s full moon | The next full moon, June 18, 2027, in US time zones |
Frequently asked questions
When is the Flower Moon in 2027?
The Flower Moon in 2027 is on Thursday, May 20, at 6:59 a.m. EDT (10:59 UTC), according to the U.S. Naval Observatory. In Pacific Time, it falls at 3:59 a.m. PDT. The best evenings to see it are Wednesday, May 19, when it rises 99% lit before sunset, and Thursday, May 20, when it rises full after sunset.
Is the 2027 Flower Moon a Blue Moon?
Yes. The Flower Moon of May 20, 2027, is a seasonal Blue Moon, the third of four full moons in spring 2027, according to EarthSky and timeanddate.com. Spring runs from the March 20 equinox to the June 21 solstice and contains full moons on March 22, April 20, May 20, and June 18. It is not a monthly Blue Moon.
Will the Blue Moon on May 20, 2027, look blue?
No. The Blue Moon name refers to the calendar, not the colour. The 2027 Flower Moon is called a Blue Moon because it is the third full moon in a season with four, and it will look like any other full moon. It rises after sunset on Thursday, May 20, across the United States.
Why is it called the Flower Moon?
The Old Farmer’s Almanac and the Farmers’ Almanac both say the name comes from the flowers that bloom across North America in May, and both attribute it to Algonquin peoples. Other May names include the Budding Moon, the Planting Moon, the Frog Moon, and the Milk Moon.
Is Vesak on the full moon in 2027?
Yes. Vesak Day is a public holiday in Singapore on Thursday, May 20, 2027, according to the Singapore Government Gazette, and Buddha Purnima falls on the same day in India. Both mark the May 20 Flower Moon, which is full at 10:59 UTC. Some countries set Vesak by their own lunar calendars, so dates elsewhere can differ.
When is the Flower Moon in 2028?
The 2028 Flower Moon is on Monday, May 8, 2028, at 3:49 p.m. EDT (19:49 UTC), according to the U.S. Naval Observatory. It is not a Blue Moon. The 2029 Flower Moon falls on Sunday, May 27, and the 2030 Flower Moon on Friday, May 17.
What sign is the Flower Moon in 2027?
The 2027 Flower Moon is in Scorpio. At full moon, the Moon sits opposite the Sun, and on May 20, 2027, the Sun is in Taurus, which it leaves for Gemini at 2:18 a.m. EDT on May 21. In astrology, this is called the full moon in Scorpio, the second in a row after the April 20 Pink Moon.
Sources:
- USNO moon phases 2027
- Moonblink 2027 table
- EarthSky: When is the next Blue Moon?
- timeanddate.com: Blue Moon
- Singapore Government Gazette: 2027 public holidays
- Office Holidays: Vesak Day Singapore
- Dekho Panchang: Buddha Purnima 2027
- Bangla Date Today: Buddha Purnima
- The Old Farmer’s Almanac: May full moon
- Farmers’ Almanac: Flower Moon
