New Moon in May 2026
The new moon was on , 172 days ago.
- Moon in Taurus
- A new lunar cycle begins
All times are UTC; your local time appears next to each.
When exactly was the new moon?
The Moon passed between Earth and the Sun on . Nothing is visible at that moment; the first thin crescent usually shows one or two days later, low in the west after sunset—in this case around May 18.
- Moon sign
- Taurus
- Day type (garden)
- Root day
- Weekday
- Saturday
The Moon in Taurus
At the new moon the Moon and the Sun share the same sign, Taurus, an earth sign. In lunar tradition the new moon in Taurus opens a cycle colored by that sign’s themes, and the day itself is a root day, though both garden and hair tradition treat it as a rest day.
After the new moon: the waxing days
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Garden
The day of the new moon is a rest day for planning. From the next day the Moon waxes, which tradition reads as sowing time for everything that bears above ground: leafy greens, flowers, and fruiting crops on their days. Planting calendar →
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Hair
No cut and no color on the day of the new moon; the waxing days that follow are growth days, when a cut is said to grow back fast. Hair calendar →
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Sky
The nights around the new moon are the darkest of the month, the best for watching stars and meteors. The first crescent appears in the west at dusk; the waxing days begin with the day after the new moon.
Full moon in May 2026
The full moon was on , the Flower Moon in Scorpio.
The full moon was on , the Blue Moon in Sagittarius (full moon in May 2026).
Before and after
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New moon April 2026
Apr 17, 11:52 AM UTC, in Aries
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New moon June 2026
Jun 15, 2:54 AM UTC, in Gemini
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Lunar calendar May 2026
Every day of the month: phase, moon sign, garden, and hair
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Lunar calendar 2026
All new moons of 2026 with times
Frequently asked questions
Which day is the new moon in May 2026?
The new moon in May 2026 was on Saturday, May 16, 2026, at 8:01 PM UTC, with the Moon in Taurus.
When can I see the first crescent after the new moon in May 2026?
The first thin crescent usually shows one or two days after the new moon, so look low in the west shortly after sunset from about May 18, 2026. In the Northern Hemisphere the lit edge is on the right.
What does the new moon in May 2026 mean in lunar tradition?
Lunar tradition reads the day of the new moon as a rest day for planning rather than sowing, and the days after it, under the waxing Moon, as the time to sow above-ground crops and to cut hair for fast regrowth. With the Moon in Taurus, an earth sign, the day of this new moon is a root day in the garden tradition.