Tonight, on May 6, 2025, the Moon is in a waxing gibbous phase with about 71% illumination. It is not a full moon yet; the next full moon, called the Flower Moon, will occur on May 12, 2025
. Regarding the Moon appearing orange, this color effect typically happens when the Moon is low on the horizon. The Moonlight passes through more of Earth's atmosphere, scattering shorter wavelengths (blue and violet) and leaving the longer red and orange wavelengths visible. This is the same reason the Sun looks orange or red at sunrise or sunset
. So, tonight the Moon is a waxing gibbous and may appear somewhat orange if it is near the horizon, but it is not an orange full moon itself
. The full Flower Moon, which can sometimes show fiery colors including orange, will be visible on May 12
