May

'''May''' is the fifth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars and the third of seven months to have a length of 31 days. May is a month of 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. No other month either begins or ends on the same day of the week as May in any year. This month is the only month with these two properties. May, however, starts and ends on the same day of the week as January of the following year. Also, in common years, May begins and ends on the same day of the week as August of the previous year, and, in leap years, it begins on the same day as February, March, and November of the previous year. In years immediately before common years, May begins and ends on the same day of the week as October of the following year and ends on the same day of the week as February of the following year. In years immediately before leap years, it begins and ends on the same day of the week as January and July of the following year and begins on the same day of the week as January, April, and July of the following year. May (in Latin, ''Maius'') was named for the Greek Goddess 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''). Mayovka, in the context of the late Russian Empire, was a picnic in the countryside or in a park in the early days of May, hence the name. Eventually, "mayovka" (specifically, "proletarian mayovka") came to mean an illegal celebration of May 1 by revolutionary public, typically presented as an innocent picnic. Special devotions to the Virgin Mary take place in May. See May devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary. 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.