Moon | EarthSky

Sky chart with full moon and 3 labeled stars located along the slanted green ecliptic line.

May’s full moon is called the Flower Moon

The May full moon occurs in the the middle of the day on May 1. But it will look full on the nights before and after that. Learn more about the Flower Moon.

Close-up of a 1st quarter moon along the terminator with arrows pointing to the X and V regions.

Here’s how to see the Lunar X and V at 1st-quarter moon

Lunar X and Lunar V are optical features on the moon. They are visible through a telescope for several hours around the time of the 1st quarter moon.

2 large planets with dusty disks around them. One has magnetic field lines arcing from pole to pole.

Why do Jupiter’s large moons outnumber Saturn’s?

Jupiter's large moons - Ganymede, Callisto, Io and Europa - number four. But Saturn has just one large moon, Titan. Why? It may be the planets' magnetic fields.

A rocky gray surface with deep black within large and small craters.

There’s less ice in moon’s shadows than 1st thought

Ice in moon’s shadows is scarce, NASA’s ShadowCam finds, with only small, scattered deposits instead of the abundant ice once expected.

Coastline with waves coming in, and sky with moon above shredded clouds in with pink band in the sky in background.

Watch for the daytime moon after sunrise this week

Watch for the beautiful daytime moon this week, a pale orb floating against a blue sky in the morning hours. Look west! You'll see it!

Sky chart: The full moon near the star Spica, along the steep green ecliptic line.

April full moon is the Pink Moon overnight on April 1

The April 2026 full moon – overnight on April 1-2 – is the Pink Moon and will lie near the star Spica in the constellation Virgo.

Animation showing full illuminated Earth and moon, with moon's far side facing camera.

5 moon myths that still fool people today

There are plenty of myths that surround the moon. Here are 5 of the most popular. How many of these myths have you been led to believe?

Earthlike planet with oceans orbiting a larger, ringed Saturn-like planet in black space.

Moons of rogue planets habitable for billions of years?

Could moons of rogue planets support life? A new study led by researchers in Germany shows they could, if they have hydrogen atmospheres.

Gray, rolling landscape under a black sky, with small buildings, rockets, and astronauts.

Moon base and Mars! NASA makes exciting announcements

Moon base and Mars mission! NASA administrator Jared Isaacman announced them as part of a series of new NASA initiatives on March 24, 2026.

Animation of many small moons circling Saturn, with colorful orbits displayed.

More moons for Jupiter and Saturn! New totals here

The Minor Planet Center announced 4 more moons for Jupiter and 11 for Saturn on March 16, 2026. Their new grand totals? Saturn has 285 and Jupiter has 101.

Sun in a blue sky with a ring of light around it, and an outstretched finger blocking the sun itself.

What makes a halo around the sun or moon?

A halo around the sun or moon often appears as a glowing ring in the sky. It’s a stunning sight, but have you ever wondered what causes it?

Six kinds of shrink-wrapped food, and a knife, fork, and scissors.

What will Artemis 2 astronauts eat on their moon trip?

Get a peek at the items that will be on the menu for Artemis 2 astronauts as they make their journey to the moon in 2026.

New moon map reveals areas of recent tectonic activity

A new moon map and study from the Smithsonian Institution reveals ridges in the dark lunar plains showing evidence for recent tectonic activity on the moon.

2 pics, 2st showing path of asteroid intersecting with the moon and 2nd showing it not reaching the moon.

Asteroid 2024 YR4 won’t hit the moon after all

NASA said on March 5, 2026, that asteroid 2024 YR4 will not strike the moon in 2032. New observations have now ruled out previous probabilities.

Banded planet with hair-thin rings seen edge-on. A dark orange round moon is floating in front of the rings.

Did an epic collision form Saturn’s moon Titan and rings?

How did Saturn's moon Titan and Saturn's iconic rings form? A new study suggests a huge collision between 2 former moons was responsible for both.

Enormous white splash as a turbulent ocean wave hits a gray rock under a cloudy sky.

Expect high tides whenever we have a supermoon

The sun and moon, among other things, affect the height of the tides. Expect higher-than-usual tides for a few days following a supermoon.

The moon hangs in the distance, ringed by clouds tinged with orange. In the foreground, the ground resembles icy concrete.

Wintery full Snow Moon images for February 2026

The full Snow moon flooded February skies with winter glow. See breathtaking images captured by our incredible photographers around the world.

Huge pale yellow moon, mostly above the horizon, in light purple sky beyond a dark hill with tall cactuses.

Full moon names of the month and by the season

Lists of common full moon names - both by month and by season - for North America. And a word about full moon names in the Southern Hemisphere.

A bright white full moon in a dark blue dusk sky.

Watch for the February full moon – or Snow Moon – on February 1

The full Snow Moon will shine brightly all night on February 1-2, 2026. This February full moon will glow near the star Regulus in Leo the Lion.

Large brownish planet with banded atmosphere and a smaller bluish moon, with their sun in the distance.

Is a surprisingly massive exomoon orbiting this big exoplanet?

Astronomers using the Very Large Telescope might have found a massive exomoon - 40% the mass of Jupiter - orbiting a giant exoplanet 133 light-years away.

Sign Up for Our Amazing Newsletter!

May’s full moon is called the Flower Moon

Here’s how to see the Lunar X and V at 1st-quarter moon

Why do Jupiter’s large moons outnumber Saturn’s?

There’s less ice in moon’s shadows than 1st thought

Watch for the daytime moon after sunrise this week

April full moon is the Pink Moon overnight on April 1

5 moon myths that still fool people today

Moons of rogue planets habitable for billions of years?

Moon base and Mars! NASA makes exciting announcements

More moons for Jupiter and Saturn! New totals here

What makes a halo around the sun or moon?

What will Artemis 2 astronauts eat on their moon trip?

New moon map reveals areas of recent tectonic activity

Asteroid 2024 YR4 won’t hit the moon after all

Did an epic collision form Saturn’s moon Titan and rings?

Expect high tides whenever we have a supermoon

Wintery full Snow Moon images for February 2026

Full moon names of the month and by the season

Watch for the February full moon – or Snow Moon – on February 1

Is a surprisingly massive exomoon orbiting this big exoplanet?