The full moon in May is commonly known as the Flower Moon. The full moon reaches its peak illumination Thursday at approximately 9:53 p.m. according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.

Put your water on the windowsill, release any negativity, accept a marriage proposal, reach out to estranged loved ones … or simply ignore it and catch up on your beauty sleep. Full moon etiquette is largely based in superstition, but it can be a great opportunity for a refresh.

Astronomer, professor and Kirkwood Chair at Indiana University Bloomington Catherine Pilachowski said that full moon names are derived from Native American folklore as well as other cultural traditions. For the flower moon, the name signifies the month when flowers are planted.

“The full moon of a given month can have multiple names, depending on cultural traditions,” Pilachowski said. “Other names for the May full moon include the Milk Moon, the Mother’s Moon, and the Grass Moon.”

Contrary to popular belief, the full moon’s appearance is not derived from the name much like the pink and red moons. Pilachowski said that appearance has little to do with the name or month of the full moon and more to do with the moon’s orbit.

“(Its orbit is not a complete circle) That means that sometimes the moon is closer to Earth, and looks a bit larger, and sometimes is further from the Earth, and looks a bit smaller,” Pilachowski said. “In the Northern Hemisphere, the moon is lower in the sky during the summer months and higher in the sky during the winter months.”

The next complete moon phase in May according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac will be the last quarter moon on May 30.

We sent our reporter Dakota Bruton to the streets of Nashville to ask what people know about the Flower Moon and other full moons.