What is a blue micromoon and when is the best time to see it this weekend?
This weekend, a blue micromoon will be visible, a rare astronomical event. A blue micromoon occurs when a second full moon appears in a calendar month, while a micromoon refers to the moon being at its furthest point from Earth. The best viewing times will be Saturday and Sunday nights, as the full moon will be indistinguishable from being full the night before and after.
- ▪A blue micromoon occurs when there is a second full moon in a calendar month.
- ▪Micromoons happen when the moon is at its furthest point from Earth, appearing about 14% smaller than a supermoon.
- ▪Blue micromoons are rare, occurring about once every couple of decades.
6 outlets in our directory ran this story, first to last over 23 hours. Coverage spans 2 points on the political spectrum — 4 centre, 1 right.
- ▪ The only Blue Moon of 2026 rises this weekend — here’s how to get the best view of the ‘micromoon’ — New York Post
- ▪ Blue Moon 2026: An extremely rare micromoon rises tonight — Live Science
- ▪ May Full Moon 2026: See the Blue Moon — Mashable
- ▪ This weekend's blue moon is also a micromoon (but won't be blue and isn't smaller) — Boing Boing
- ▪ How to Best See This Weekend’s Rare Blue Micromoon — TIME — Top
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| Original publisher | The Guardian — Science |
| Canonical URL | https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/may/30/what-is-rare-blue-micromoon |
| Publication time | Sat, 30 May 2026 05:00:11 GMT |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-30T05:17:05.759Z |
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A full moon rises behind the dome of St Paul's Cathedral in London. Photograph: Ben Whitley/PAView image in fullscreenA full moon rises behind the dome of St Paul's Cathedral in London. Photograph: Ben Whitley/PAThe moonExplainerWhat is a blue micromoon and when is the best time to see it this weekend?A blue micromoon is a rare spectacle, though it’s not as blue or as micro as you might imagineNicola Davis Science correspondentSat 30 May 2026 01.00 EDTLast modified on Sat 30 May 2026 01.01 EDTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleThis weekend the night skies will feature a rare spectacle – a blue micromoon. We take a look at what the phrase means and how to catch a glimpse of the event.What is a blue moon?There is more than one definition of a blue moon.
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