May's full 'Flower Moon' set to illuminate the night sky this week

May's full Flower Moon is set to light up the night sky on Friday 1 May.

It will rise as daylight fades, appearing low in the eastern sky before climbing toward the south-east as midnight approaches. Throughout the night it will cross the southern sky before setting off to the south-west around dawn.

The term Flower Moon comes from Native American seasonal naming traditions and was later popularised through sources such as the Farmer's Almanac.

These names were rooted in the natural world, reflecting the changes unfolding each month - and in May, that meant the burst of wildflowers, warmer weather, and renewed plant growth.

The meaning fits beautifully in the UK as well. By early May, the country is awash with colour: bluebells carpet ancient woodlands, hawthorn blossoms brighten hedgerows, and the lengthening days stretch into gentle, warm evenings.

This year's Flower Moon will be a micromoon, meaning it appears slightly smaller than usual because it is at the farthest point from Earth in its orbit.

The Moon's monthly orbit around Earth is slightly elliptical rather than circular, which means its distance from us varies. When this year's Flower Moon becomes full, it will be close to its maximum distance from Earth - a point known as apogee.

By contrast, a supermoon occurs when the full moon is near its minimum distance from Earth, known as perigee. The difference between these two extremes - roughly 363,000km (226,000 miles) at perigee and about 406,000km (252,000 miles) at apogee - sounds huge, but to the naked eye the change is barely noticeable except in photographs.

The overall effect is that a micromoon appears slightly smaller in the sky and may be a touch less bright than average.

Into Thursday and Friday, low pressure in the Bay of Biscay is expected to drift closer to our shores and bring a chance of showers, initially focused on western regions.

This also means more cloud in the night sky, reducing opportunities for unbroken viewing. Even so, with showers the cloud will only be patchy, leaving clear skies at times.

You can find your latest forecast on the BBC Weather website and app.

If you miss the opportunity to spot the Flower Moon as the month begins, there will be a rare second full Moon opportunity at the tail end of the month.

Known as a Blue Moon, a second full Moon in a single month occurs once every two to three years - hence the phrase phrase "once in a Blue Moon".

If you capture any stunning snaps of the full Moon where you are, share them with BBC Weather Watchers here.