![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/SEI_299109815-1c68.jpg\")
\n\t\tA rare blue moon will be seen today, but what\u2019s so special about it? (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt \u2013 AMA\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
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\n\t\tA rare blue moon will be seen today, but what\u2019s so special about it? (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt \u2013 AMA\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
We\u2019re being treated to yet another full moon this month with the arrival of today\u2019s blue moon.<\/p>\n
The blue moon, deceptively not named after its colour, will rise today and peak at around 9.45am \u2013 so if you\u2019re hoping to catch a glimpse, there\u2019s no time for lie-ins.<\/p>\n
Earlier in the month, stargazers took to social media<\/a> to share pictures of the flower moon rising above rooftops and trees across the UK.<\/p>\n What made this year\u2019s flower moon special was that it was a micromoon, meaning it appeared slightly smaller and dimmer than usual in the sky.<\/p>\n Today\u2019s full moon is equally as special because it\u2019s both a rare blue moon and a micromoon. You can learn more about why blue moons get their name and how you might be able to see one today right here.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tSign up for all of the latest stories\t\t\t<\/p>\n Start your day informed with Metro’s News Updates<\/a> newsletter or get Breaking News<\/a> alerts the moment it happens. <\/p>\n \t\t A blue moon is the name given to the 13th full moon within a calendar year. <\/p>\n As explained by Royal Museums Greenwich<\/a>, each of the 12 phases of the moon takes roughly 29.5 days to complete, totalling 354 days for all cycles \u2013 just under the total number of days in a year.<\/p>\n As a result, we sometimes see a 13th full moon, named a blue moon because it doesn\u2019t fit in with the regular naming conventions of full moons (wolf moon, flower moon, harvest moon, et cetera).<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tAre blue moons actually blue?\t\t\t<\/p>\n Unfortunately, blue moons are not actually blue, and they appear in the sky as any other full moon. So why are these full moons called blue moons?<\/p>\n Well, it\u2019s thought that the name comes from a mispronunciation of the word \u2018belewe\u2019, which means \u2018to betray\u2019, with the blue moon \u2018betraying\u2019 the tradition of experiencing only one full moon per month. <\/p>\n There are two other definitions for the blue moon. <\/p>\n The first relates to the astronomical seasons, the periods between equinoxes and solstices. Ordinarily, there are three full moons per season, but a blue moon is the third full moon of four full moons within one astronomical season. <\/p>\n The second is thought to have started as a mistake but became popularised through the Trivial Pursuit Board game and radio<\/a> shows. This simple definition explains blue moons as the second full moon in any calendar month with two full moons, like this month. <\/p>\n How often do blue moons happen?<\/p>\n Blue moons occur roughly every two to three years. The last blue moon took place on August 19, 2024, and, after today, the next blue moon will happen on May 20, 2027.<\/p>\n You can sometimes experience two blue moons within one year. We saw this in 2018, one of which was a lunar eclipse<\/a>, and we\u2019re expecting to see two more in 2037 \u2013 don\u2019t forget to mark it in your calendar!<\/p>\n \t\t The blue moon will reach its peak around 9.45am today.<\/p>\n The Met Office<\/a> has predicted showers for today as the weather cools following a record-breaking heatwave<\/a> felt across the entirety of the United Kingdom. <\/p>\n With today\u2019s blue moon also being a micromoon, you may struggle to see it, particularly if you\u2019re in an area expecting lots of rain<\/a>. However, we still think it\u2019s worth a check if you\u2019re awake early enough.<\/p>\n \t\t If you do miss today\u2019s blue moon, there will fortunately be plenty more full moons coming your way, including:<\/p>\n The strawberry moon on June 30<\/p>\n The buck moon on July 29<\/p>\n The sturgeon moon on August 28<\/p>\n The harvest moon on September 26<\/p>\n The hunter\u2019s moon on October 26<\/p>\n The beaver moon on November 24<\/p>\n The cold moon on December 24<\/p>\n Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk<\/a>.<\/p>\n For more stories like this, check our news page<\/a>.<\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow![\"LONDON,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/SEI_299109820-c813.jpg\")
\n\t\tWe\u2019ve been treated to two full moons this month. (Photo by Dan Kitwood\/Getty Images)
\nWhat is a blue moon?<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/SEI_251030333-bb14.jpg\")
\n\t\tThe blue moon isn\u2019t actually blue, but it\u2019ll still be gorgeous to view, like the flower moon from earlier this month (Credits: Owen Humphreys\/PA Wire)
\nWill the blue moon be visible?<\/p>\n![\"GLASTONBURY,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/SEI_299109819-2ee3.jpg\")
\n\t\tWill you be looking out for the Blue Moon today? (Photo by Matt Cardy\/Getty Images)
\nWhen is the next full moon in the UK?<\/p>\n
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\nMORE: Daily horoscope May 31, 2026: Today\u2019s predictions for your star sign<\/a><\/p>\n
\nMORE: Your star sign\u2019s tarot horoscope for the month of June 2026<\/a><\/p>\n