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May
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<p>May is the fifth month of the year in the <a href="/facts/Julian_calendar/EQBtA1ML">Julian</a> and <a href="/facts/Gregorian_calendar/axJfTXV1">Gregorian calendars</a>. Its length is 31 days. </p><p>May is a month of <a href="/facts/Spring_(season)/3UWDpVmx">spring</a> in the Northern Hemisphere, and <a href="/facts/Autumn/Rk9KKsS2">autumn</a> in the Southern Hemisphere. Therefore, May in the <a href="/facts/Southern_Hemisphere/QfJ4z9L5">Southern Hemisphere</a> is the seasonal equivalent of <a href="/facts/November/BTh2CLu7">November</a> in the Northern Hemisphere and vice versa. Late May typically marks the start of the summer vacation season in the <a href="/facts/United_States/P0sCdLe5">United States</a> (<a href="/facts/Memorial_Day/93lVtVcV">Memorial Day</a>) and <a href="/facts/Canada/D5P9yqs6">Canada</a> (<a href="/facts/Victoria_Day/VQ6Rrn8t">Victoria Day</a>) that ends on <a href="/facts/Labor_Day/v6JM0F4o">Labor Day</a>, the first Monday of September. </p><p>May (in <a href="/facts/Latin/pM3Kge85">Latin</a>, <i><a href="/facts/Maius/apYAbgoJ">Maius</a></i>) was named for the <a href="/facts/Greek_god/BkUKEnEh">Greek goddess</a> <a href="/facts/Maia_(mythology)/s2JLtR4c">Maia</a>, who was identified with the <a href="/facts/Roman_era/cGqIuxPd">Roman era</a> <a href="/facts/Goddess/051AEL6F">goddess</a> of fertility, <a href="/facts/Bona_Dea/1JS9w5AY">Bona Dea</a>, whose <a href="/facts/Festival/JAg4y9fD">festival</a> was held in May. Conversely, the Roman poet <a href="/facts/Ovid/qw6buQ2V">Ovid</a> provides a second etymology, in which he says that the month of May is named for the <i>maiores,</i> Latin for "elders", and that the following month (June) is named for the <i>iuniores,</i> or "young people" (<i>Fasti VI.88</i>). </p> <p><a href="/facts/Eta_Aquariids/Jw7j9QVm">Eta Aquariids</a> 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 <a href="/facts/Arietids/bWze5BS5">Arietids</a> shower from May 22 – July 2, and peaks on June 7. The <a href="/facts/Virginids/6ETQl1Ck">Virginids</a> also shower at various dates in May. </p>