May's super 'flower' moon shines over ancient Greek temple

STORY: The 5th century BC marble temple stands on a cliff over the coast at Cape Sounion, some 70 kilometers south of Athens. Several spectators stood around the temple to watch the moon rise.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac, which publishes Native American names for full moons, calls this month’s full moon the “flower moon”, as May is known as a month when flowers bloom in abundance. This name was given to the moon by the Algonquin tribes, an indigenous people of North America. The Cree gave it several names as well, related to Spring, such as the Budding Moon, or Egg Laying Moon.

This full moon is a supermoon, according to the almanac, and coincides with a total lunar eclipse, highly visible in the western hemisphere, which will turn the moon a reddish-brown. NASA calls May’s full moon a marginal supermoon. Supermoons are full moons whose orbit is closest to the Earth, making them appear larger and brighter.