Fred Espenak Lists 2026 Full Moon Micromoons, Including Three
Fred Espenak’s AstroPixels website lists three full moon micromoons in 2026, while Timeanddate.com lists two. The difference comes from how close a full moon must be to apogee before it is called a micromoon.
Espenak’s definition says the term applies when a new moon or full moon occurs near apogee, the moon’s farthest point from Earth in its orbit. In 2026, that debate affects whether readers count the Flower Moon on May 1, the Blue Moon on May 30-31, and the Strawberry Moon on June 29 as a full micromoon sequence.
Fred Espenak's Definition
Espenak writes: “In contrast to the supermoon there is the micromoon. When either the new moon or full moon phase occurs near apogee (within 90% of its greatest distance to Earth in a given orbit), the moon subtends its smallest apparent diameter as seen from Earth. This phenomenon, referred to a apogee syzygy or apogee new/full moon, is popularly known as a micromoon.”
That wording matters because there is no strict definition for how close to apogee the moon must be. EarthSky says a micromoon is a full or new moon that occurs when the moon is roughly at its farthest from Earth in its orbit, which leaves room for different counts in the same year.
May 2026 Full Moons
AstroPixels lists the full Flower Moon of May 1, 2026, as a micromoon. Timeanddate.com says the next micromoon is the Blue Moon of May 30-31, 2026, and AstroPixels also lists that moon as a micromoon.
The full moon at the end of May 2026 will be the year’s most distant full moon, at 252,360 miles, or 406,135 kilometers, from Earth. The moon’s average distance is 238,900 miles, or 384,472 kilometers.
EarthSky says a full micromoon appears about 12-14% smaller than a full supermoon and about 7% smaller than a full moon at an average distance. On June 29, 2026, both sources agree the full Strawberry Moon will also be a micromoon.
December 9, 2026
There is one new micromoon in 2026, and it will come on December 9. That new moon will be the most distant new moon of the year, at 251,460 miles, or 404,687 kilometers, from Earth.
For readers tracking the calendar, the practical takeaway is simple: 2026 does not give one fixed micromoon count. Depending on which definition is used, the year contains two or three full micromoons, plus one new micromoon in December.
