A rare lunar event combining a calendar blue moon and a micromoon is scheduled for Sunday, May 31, 2026, according to astronomers and NASA. This marks the first such occurrence since August 2023. The moon will appear slightly smaller than usual because it reaches its farthest orbital point from Earth, though the size difference will likely go unnoticed without instruments. The previous instance of a blue moon that was also a micromoon took place in October 2020.
A blue moon refers to the second full moon within one calendar month, an event that happens every two to three years. Astronomers sometimes apply the label to the third full moon in a season containing four. Historical reports of genuinely blue-tinted moons followed major volcanic eruptions such as Krakatoa in 1883, when atmospheric particles altered the moon’s appearance; this effect is unrelated to the modern calendar definition.
The full moon should be visible across India on the night of May 31 if skies are clear. Near the horizon it may take on an orange hue before turning brighter and whiter as it rises higher.
A blue moon is defined by its timing within the calendar, whereas a micromoon results from the moon’s position at its greatest distance from Earth, making it marginally smaller and dimmer than average.
