November’s supermoon is special, and here’s why – NBC Chicago

This week’s full moon will also be a supermoon, the last of 2024 and the last we’ll see for quite a while.

What makes the “Beaver Moon,” as it was called by Native Americans, so special this month? Here’s what you need to know:

When will the supermoon appear in the sky?

According to Astronomy Magazine, the moon will reach full phase around 6:26 a.m. Central Standard Time on Friday morning.

This happens just before sunrise in Chicago, at 6:40 a.m

What is a Supermoon?

According to NASA, a supermoon occurs when the moon moves within 90% of its closest approach to Earth. According to the agency, this distance is approximately 221,938 miles.

Supermoons appear slightly larger and much brighter in the sky than a moon at its apogee, i.e. at its furthest point in its orbit from Earth.

According to NASA, supermoons always occur one after the other, typically three to four per year.

What makes this month’s supermoon so special?

According to NASA, this month’s supermoon will be the last to occur during a full moon until October 2025, with nearly 11 months passing without a supermoon visible in the night sky.

According to the agency, there will be four supermoons in a row between October 2025 and January 2026.