No part of this event will be visible in the Americas. For much of Africa the moon will rise while partially eclipsed.

At greatest eclipse at 17:24:04 GMT, 97% of the moon's diameter will sit within the shadow. Observers in Asia, Southeast Asia, and Australia will see the moon begin to dip into the shadow at 15:13:39 GMT and move clear of it at 19:31:54 GMT. This full moon will pass through the Earth's penumbral shadow, very slightly dimming the northern part of the moon's disk. Other common names are the Full Milk Moon, Full Flower Moon, or Full Corn Planting Moon. The Cherokee call it Ahnisguti, the 'the Planting Moon', when the fields are plowed and sown.

The Cree of North America call it Athikipisim, the 'the Frog Moon' - the time when frogs become active in ponds and swamps. For them, it signifies a time when Mother Earth again provides healing medicines. The indigenous Ojibwe groups of the Great Lakes region call the May full moon Zaagibagaa-giizis 'Budding Moon' or Namebine-giizis, the 'Sucker Moon'. Full moons in May always shine in or near the stars of Libra or Scorpius. The moon will reach its full phase on Friday, May 5 at 1:34 p.m. Wednesday, May 3: Bright moon passes Spica (evening) Use high magnification to look around Copernicus for small craters with bright floors and black haloes - impacts through Copernicus' white ejecta that excavated dark Oceanus Procellarum basalt and even deeper highlands anorthosite. Starting several nights before the moon reaches its full phase, Copernicus exhibits heavily terraced edges (due to slumping), an extensive ejecta blanket outside the crater's rim, a complex central peak, and both smooth and rough terrain on the crater's floor.Īround the full moon, Copernicus' ray system, extending 500 miles (800 km) in all directions, becomes prominent. This 800 million-year-old impact scar is visible with unaided eyes and binoculars - but telescope views will reveal many more interesting aspects of lunar geology. The prominent crater Copernicus is located in eastern Oceanus Procellarum - due south of Mare Imbrium and slightly northwest of the moon's center.

(Image credit: Chris Vaughan Starry Night)

Stars in the Sky by Casey Grant