Two full moons light up May’s sky in South Carolina

This May, South Carolina gets a rare sky show with not one but two full moons. Such back-to-back full moons only happen every two or three years, according to space experts. The second one is called a blue moon, but don’t expect a color change—it’s just a name. The first full moon, often nicknamed the Flower Moon, peaks early on May 1 at 1:23 p. m. Unfortunately, daylight and possible clouds could block the view for most people in South Carolina. Still, the moon looks full for two nights before and after the peak, so there’s some wiggle room to catch it rising at sunset. The second full moon arrives at 4:45 a. m. on May 31, and it’ll be visible the night before and early that morning.Both moons are also micromoons, meaning they’re farther from Earth than usual. The year started with a supermoon, where the moon is closer and looks bigger. This time, the moons will appear slightly smaller and fainter, so don’t expect a bright spectacle. The blue moon on May 31 is actually the farthest full moon of the year 2026. That makes it extra special, even if it’s hard to notice without a telescope.