Is that just a moon, or is it a supermoon? In short, a supermoon is a moon that looks exceptionally large and bright due to its position in the sky. Among the various sightings of aurora borealis and multiple meteor showers, skygazers have had multiple occasions to view supermoons in 2024. The streak started with the rare blue supermoon back in August, and November’s full moon will be the final supermoon of the set. There won’t be another supermoon until late 2025, so if you’ve missed it up to this point, this is your last chance for a while.
November’s full moon, also known as the beaver moon, officially takes place on Nov. 15. Per The Farmer’s Almanac, the moon will be over 90% full on Nov. 13-17, so you can still see a mostly full moon even if local weather prevents you from viewing it on the actual day.
Read more: Everything to Know About the Moon
Once the sun sets, viewers will be treated to a very bright moon that also appears to be about 14% larger than other moons, according to NASA. This is due to the moon in perigee, which means it’s at its closest point to Earth during its irregular orbit around the planet. The opposite effect — referred to as minimoons — happens at the other end of the spectrum when the moon is at apogee, or the furthest point in its orbit from Earth. Supermoons can also happen when the moon is new, and it’s referred to as a new supermoon.
When can you see November’s supermoon?
The best dates will be Nov. 13-17. That’s when the moon will be over 90% full. On those days, the moon will rise around 5 p.m. ET and 8 p.m. PT. It will be visible all night until it sets around sunrise the following morning.
As for equipment, you won’t need any. The moon will be the brightest, biggest thing in the sky for the entire evening. In fact, don’t be surprised if your backyard looks more lit up than usual. Eagle-eyed gazers may also spot Jupiter, which will be quite literally following the moon through the sky all night. Those with a telescope may also be able to see Uranus as it’ll be right next to the moon all night as well.
After this month, when is the next supermoon?
Supermoons are fairly common since they happen when the moon is near its perigee, which happens every year like clockwork. The next set of four supermoons will begin in October 2025 and run through January 2026. After that, the next set of supermoons begins in November 2026 and runs through February 2027. Due to the overlap, 2025 and 2026 will only have three supermoons per year while 2027 will only have two. There won’t be four supermoons in a calendar year again until 2028.
Why is November’s full moon called the beaver moon?
Like most moon names, the beaver moon traces its lineage back to Native American, Colonial American and European folklore, per The Old Farmer’s Almanac. November is when beavers tend to start taking shelter in their lodges after storing up enough food to last them through the summer. Consequently, this was also one of the best times of the year to hunt beaver since they had grown their thicker winter coats by then, making for thicker and warmer clothing.
The November moon is also called the digging moon in honor of animals foraging for fallen food just before winter. It’s been called the deer rutting moon and whitefish moon since this is the time of year when deer seek mates and whitefish lay eggs. It’s also been called the frost moon and freezing moon since this is the time of year when it gets colder in the northern hemisphere.
