The final supermoon of the year will appear in the skies this Friday. The Beaver Moon, which is always the name of November's full moon will be the last of four supermoons in 2024.

The Beaver Moon will reach peak illumination around 4:30 p.m. ET on Friday, November 15th.


What You Need To Know

  • November's full moon is known as the Beaver Moon

  • This is the last of four supermoons that will occur this year

  • The next supermoon won't appear until October 2025

The Beaver Moon is named for the time of the year when beavers are preparing to take shelter in their dams for the winter months. An earlier sunset will allow many on the east coast to see the full moon for a longer period of time.

What's a supermoon?

A supermoon is when the moon’s orbit is at its closest to Earth. The moon will appear brighter and larger than normal. October's supermoon was the largest (and closest) appearing full moon of the year. The Beaver Moon will be the third-smallest of 2024’s four “supermoons.”

The next supermoon won't appear until October 2025.

Alternative names

According to the farmer’s almanac, names of moons corresponded with entire lunar months and were derived from Native American, Colonial American and European sources.

The month is a transitional month as we move away from summer toward fall and the alternative names reflect this. 

  • Digging (or Scratching) Moon (Tlingit)
  • Deer Rutting Moon (Dakota and Lakota)
  • Whitefish Moon (Algonquin)

Check your local forecast here to see how clouds may affect your viewing.

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