Editing May (section)

{{short description|Fifth month in the Julian and Gregorian calendars}}
{{About|the month}}
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{{Calendar}}

'''May''' is the fifth month of the year in the [[Julian calendar|Julian]]  and [[Gregorian calendar]]s.  Its length is 31 days.

May is a month of [[Spring (season)|spring]] in the Northern Hemisphere, and [[autumn]] in the Southern Hemisphere. Therefore, May in the [[Southern Hemisphere]] is the seasonal equivalent of [[November]] in the Northern Hemisphere and vice versa. Late May typically marks the start of the summer vacation season in the [[United States]] ([[Memorial Day]]) and [[Canada]] ([[Victoria Day]]) that ends on [[Labor Day]], the first Monday of September.

May (in [[Latin]], ''[[Maius]]'') was named for the [[Greek god]]dess [[Maia (mythology)|Maia]], who was identified with the [[Roman era]] [[goddess]] of fertility, [[Bona Dea]], whose [[festival]] was held in May. Conversely, the Roman poet [[Ovid]] provides a second etymology, in which he says that the month of May is named for the ''maiores,'' Latin for "elders", and that the following month (June) is named for the ''iuniores,'' or "young people" (''Fasti VI.88'').
[[File:Podophyllum peltatum Shenks Ferry 2.jpg|alt=|thumb|May apples blooming. Common name given due to the plant's tendency to bloom in the month of May.]]
[[File:Lady of the Rosary altar, Inner City Parish Church, 2016 Budapest.jpg|thumb|220px|upright=0.9|Special devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary take place in May]]

[[Eta Aquariids]] meteor shower appears in May. It is visible from about April 21 to about May 20 each year with peak activity on or around May 6. The [[Arietids]] shower from May 22 – July 2, and peaks on June 7. The [[Virginids]] also shower at various dates in May.