The Super Beaver Moon is arriving this week and marks the end of a run of similar stunning sights. This is the fourth consecutive super moon – where the moon is at the closest point in its orbit to Earth – and is the final one of 2024.
According to the BBC Sky at Night magazine the “Beaver Moon” is one of the stranger nicknames given to full Moons. These include the Harvest Moon, Worm Moon and Strawberry Moon.
These are just nicknames, and don’t actually have any bearing on how a particular month’s full Moon will appear. The full Moon names are a reflection of what’s happening in nature during the month in which that full Moon appears.
So the November one gets its name because beavers are very active gathering food for winter, building dams and preparing for the colder months ahead. It also looks at historical human activity because beavers would have been hunted for their fur around this time of year.
It has other less unusual names however including the Freezing Moon or Frost Moon, which are both a nod to the arrival of colder months. As a supermoon it will be bigger than a usual full Moon but in reality, while still beautiful, the difference will only really be seen by using a telescope or some other viewing device.
How to see it
The Super Beaver Moon will be in the sky on November 15. It will reach its peak at 9.25pm.
To make the most of viewing it the skies need to be clear and cloud free. You are also best trying to get away from the street lights and seasoned stargazers say its best to bring chairs, blankets, snacks and drinks to make the evening more fun.
To take photographs consider using a long exposure setting to capture more details of the moon. Also try experimenting with different angles and compositions to get the best shots.