The full moon in November 2024 is a supermoon and the Beaver Moon

by Junna Base November 13, 2024

The November 2024 full moon known as the Beaver Moon is also a supermoon, meaning it will appear slightly larger and brighter than the usual full moon.

Although the Moon will be officially full at 4:29 p.m. EST on Friday, November 15th, it will also look abundantly full and bright throughout the night, both Thursday and Saturday, as it rises in the east around sunset , peaking around midnight and then setting in the west at or just before sunrise, EarthSky reports.

That means many sky watchers will be able to enjoy one last, spectacular full moon under temperate skies this week before the winter chill sets in for observations over the next few months.

According to Space.com, it is the last of four consecutive supermoons in 2024, following the blue moon in August, the harvest moon in September and the hunter moon in October.

Why is the full moon in November called the Beaver Moon?

The Old Farmer’s Almanac, a reference work published since the 18th century, names the various full moons after names used in Native American, Colonial American, and European sources, so that their meaning is derived from features of the Northern Hemisphere.

In November, the Beaver Moon was so named because it marks the time when beavers prepare their homes for winter and because it was also the best time to set beaver traps before the water began to freeze.

According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the November moon was even called the Beaver Moon, in part because “for both the colonists and the Algonquin tribes, this was the time to set beaver traps before the swamps froze to ensure the supply of warm winter pelts.”

What is a Supermoon?

This month’s full moon will also be a supermoon: When the moon’s orbit brings it closer to Earth than usual, the cosmic combination is called a supermoon. A supermoon occurs when the moon’s orbit is closest to Earth and the moon is full at the same time.

This happens when the full moon falls at perigee – the closest point to Earth in its orbit. At perigee, the moon is 224,895 miles from Earth and appears larger and brighter than a normal full moon.

When the Moon reaches its apogee, it will be furthest from Earth at a distance of 252,595 miles. If a full moon occurs while the moon is at apogee, it is called a micromoon.

When is the next full moon in 2024?

The next full moon of the year, the so-called cold moon, will reach its peak on December 15, 2024. The full moon in December is called the cold moon because it is the time of year when it starts to get cold outside.