Kazakhstanis to witness two full moons in May

Tengrinews.kz — Kazakhstanis will be able to observe a relatively rare astronomical phenomenon — two full moons in a single month — this May.

According to the Laboratory of Solar Astronomy of IKI and ISZF, the first full moon will occur on the night of May 1–2.

According to forecasts, the second full moon will take place on May 31.

“Full moons are separated by an interval of about 29.5 days (this is where the 30-day calendar month comes from), so there is a mathematical possibility of fitting two full moons into one month, especially if it has 31 days,” Russian scientists noted.

The last time two full moons occurred in one month was in August 2023, and the next time this will happen is expected in December 2028.

When Kazakhstanis will be able to see it

An expert from the Fesenkov Astrophysical Institute, Svetlana Moshkina, commented on the phenomenon.

“Full moons and all lunar phases can be observed by all residents of planet Earth, just at different times. The full moon will occur on May 1 at 22:23 Astana time. If weather conditions allow, it will be visible to all residents of Kazakhstan,” she said.

The second full moon, according to the specialist, is expected on May 31. It will also be visible in the sky under favorable weather conditions.

How to observe the full moon

The easiest way to see the full moon is to find the point on the horizon where the Sun sets and then turn 180 degrees.

“The Moon will appear in the opposite part of the sky at about the same time. Unlike winter full moons, when Earth’s satellite can be seen high overhead, in late spring and summer the Moon rises only slightly above the horizon (by 10–20 degrees),” the laboratory noted.

For observation, a clear view of the eastern horizon is needed, preferably not obstructed by nearby trees or buildings.