May 2026
Lunar calendar for May 2026: 31 calendar days, new moon on May 16, full moons on May 1 and May 31. For each date, the table above shows the lunar day, its symbol and the illumination of the Moon's disk.
Moon Phases This Month
The new moon falls on May 16, and the full moons on May 1 and May 31. The waxing Moon runs from May 16 until the full moon: tradition reserves this period for new beginnings and purchases. The waning Moon runs from the full moon to the next new moon: for wrapping things up, cleaning and letting go of what you don't need.
How to Use the Table
The large number in each cell is the lunar day number; below it are the day's symbol and the illumination percentage. Each day is covered in detail in the list of lunar days.
By tradition, a lunar day begins at moonrise, not at midnight, so a single calendar date sometimes covers two lunar days. The table shows the lunar day number at noon Moscow time: it is counted in 24-hour steps from the new moon.
Calculation Accuracy
Phases are calculated from the true positions of the Moon and the Sun: the new and full moon times match the astronomical ones to within 5 minutes, and dates are given in Moscow time. In another time zone, a phase close to midnight may fall on the neighboring date. Lunar days are counted in 24-hour steps from the new moon, while by tradition they begin at moonrise, so in a particular place their boundary can shift by several hours.