This month’s full moon, known as the Beaver Moon, will be a supermoon. It will rise in the UK around 3.30pm, and will be the last supermoon until the end of next year.
The Beaver Moon will be its brightest tonight, Friday, November 15 at 9.28pm. You should be able to enjoy the moon’s glow as many places across the region will have clear skies.
A supermoon shines up to 15 per cent brighter and appears to be 30 per cent larger than the average full moon. A supermoon is a result of the moon reaching its closest point to the Earth, known as the ‘perigee’, which contrasts with the ‘apogee’, its farthest point.
Supermoons are not particularly rare, as there tends to be three or four each year. This year however, there has been three consecutive supermoons; the Blue moon in August, September’s Harvest moon and the Hunter’s moon in October, which was the brightest of all.
The next supermoon is not expected until October 2025, so it will definitely be worth catching a glimpse of tonight’s if you can.
It is customary for full moons to have names which often originate from Native American traditions where the lunar cycles served as a vital timekeeping tool, as well as a description of human activities at the time.
In November, beavers are very active gathering food for winter, building dams, and preparing for the cold winter. The other reason it’s called a Beaver Moon is because beavers would have been hunted for their fur around this time of year.
For anyone hoping to enjoy tonight’s full moon, the higher up you are the better your chance of seeing the Beaver Moon in all its glory. Take a hike and find the perfect stargazing spot. The further away from any light pollution, the better the chance you’ll have of seeing the stars and moon.