Lunar Calendar for Sunday, May 23, 2027
Moon in Capricorn · waning gibbous · lunar day 18
- 91% illuminated
- Element Earth
- Cold day
- 250,099 miles (402,495 km)
Discipline and pragmatism have the upper hand. Capricorn days favor duties, long-term goals, and patient work. Progress is slow but solid.
Waning gibbous
The Moon is still mostly lit, but the edge that brightened first is now fading. It rises later each evening and lingers into the morning sky. In lunar tradition, the waning weeks favor finishing, clearing, and letting go rather than starting something new.
On its monthly path across the sky, the Moon is now climbing: seen from the Northern Hemisphere, each day it crosses the sky a little higher than the day before. In planting tradition, the ascending Moon is the time of rising sap—a time for grafting and for harvesting fruit meant to stay fresh.
Element of the day
- Element
- Earth
- Day character
- Cold
A cold earth day in Capricorn is steady and persistent, made for work that takes stamina.
Lunar day 18
The eighteenth lunar day is a mirror: take an honest look at yourself and give the body a lighter routine.
Lunar days are counted from the new moon: day 1 begins at the new moon, and a cycle has 29 or 30 of them. Tradition gives each day its own character.
Health by lunar tradition
In lunar tradition, extra care goes to the knees, bones, joints, and skin.
Under a waning Moon, rest serves the knees and joints, and a deep cleansing of the skin is the traditional practice.
On Capricorn days, tradition favors skin care: shaving, hair removal, and a rich cream are said to have a longer-lasting effect.
The skin appreciates moisture: reach for a body lotion or an oil after the shower.
May favors exercise outdoors; build fitness gradually. Do not underestimate the first strong sun: half an hour of it is plenty at first, and a hat helps.
Food by lunar tradition
- Favored today
- Salts and minerals
Capricorn days belong to minerals and salts. Tradition favors home-cooked root vegetables over anything processed. A salt bath in the evening is said to calm both skin and mind.
Under a waning Moon, tradition favors an early, unhurried supper.
In lunar lore, the body switches from storing to spending after the full moon.
May brings asparagus, strawberries, young lettuce, and radishes. Fresh dairy with spring vegetables makes a simple May meal.
Reach for seasonal foods that suit the day: radishes, asparagus, and young lettuce.
Tip of the day: buckwheat, millet, or quinoa instead of white rice adds minerals to the meal.
Garden by the moon
- Plant part
- Root
May belongs to planting out: once your last frost date has passed, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and zucchini can go outdoors. Sow beans and corn, and plant celeriac and leeks. Harvest the first lettuce and radishes, and late in the month the first strawberries.
The ideal day to lay out beds and paths; raking and leveling go quickly, and stones and fences set now are said to stand like rock. Dig roots after sunset or before sunrise. Not a day for picking fruit; the valuable part sits below ground.
Capricorn days are root days, and in tradition the days for structure in the garden: building beds, paths, and fences. Herbalists gather herbs for the bones, joints, and skin on Capricorn days.
Under a waning Moon, tradition says, the parts of plants below ground take the lead.
Sow and plant everything that bears below ground.
Transplant seedlings and prune trees and shrubs.
A waning Moon is said to strengthen roots, so focus on celeriac.
On root days it pays to tend what grows underground: celeriac and radishes.
Harvest time: this month belongs to crops such as lettuce, radishes, and the first strawberries.
Seasonal advice is for the Northern Hemisphere’s temperate zone; south of the equator, swap the seasons. For the best days of the month, see planting by the moon and the lunar hair calendar.
Frequently asked questions
What moon is May 23rd?
On May 23, 2027, the Moon is waning gibbous, 91% lit, in the sign of Capricorn. It is day 18 of the lunar cycle.
Is May 23, 2027 a full moon?
No. On May 23, 2027, the Moon is waning gibbous. The nearest full moon after that date is June 19, 2027.
What day is the full moon in May 2027?
The full moon in May 2027 is the Flower Moon on May 20, 2027, at 10:59 AM UTC.
The whole month day by day: lunar calendar May 2027; the whole year at a glance: lunar calendar 2027. Full moon in May 2027 · New moon in May 2027