The Beaver Supermoon 2024: All You Need to Know About the November Full Moon
Don’t miss out! The Full Moon, known as the Beaver Moon, is coming on November 15. It will be the last Supermoon of 2024, looking bigger and brighter than a regular Full Moon! Use the Sky Tonight app to find out when the Supermoon will be visible from your location, and read on to learn what the Beaver Moon means.
Contents
- When is the Full Moon in November 2024?
- Beaver Supermoon 2024
- What is the Beaver Moon?
- Alternative November Full Moon names
- When is the next Full Moon 2024: Cold Moon
- Astronomical events to see around the Full Moon in November 2024
- November Full Moon 2024: Conclusion
When is the Full Moon in November 2024?
The next Full Moon takes place on November 15, at 21:29 GMT (4:29 p.m. EST). At this point, our natural satellite will be in the constellation Aries. You can also see the famous Pleiades star cluster nearby. They will be visible to the naked eye in places with dark skies.
A Moon appears full when it is directly opposite the Sun, with the Earth in between. This moment is called “opposition” in astronomy. Since this happens at an exact time for everywhere on Earth, the Moon might be below the horizon in some places. For example, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the Moon will be officially “full” at 18:29 local time, but it will not rise until 19:45 local time.
Don’t worry, though — to the eye, the Moon will look fully lit all night, even the day before and after the exact date. Just check when the Full Moon will rise in your place to catch it. You can use the Moon Phases calculator to find the exact time for your location.
Moon phases in November 2024
- New Moon: November 1, 12:47 GMT (7:47 a.m. EST).
- First Quarter Moon: November 10, 18:55 GMT (1:55 p.m. EST).
- Full Moon: November 15, 21:29 GMT (4:29 p.m. EST).
- Last Quarter Moon: November 23, 01:28 GMT (November 22, 8:28 p.m. EST).
Did you know that there are eight traditionally recognized Moon phases? The four major phases are the Full Moon, New Moon, First Quarter, and Last Quarter. In between, there are four minor ones: the Waxing Crescent, Waxing Gibbous, Waning Gibbous, and Waning Crescent. The major Moon phases mark specific moments, while the minor phases span about 7.4 days, with the lunar appearance changing gradually over that time.
For the next lunar phase, as well as the size of the lunar disk and its illumination percentage for your location, visit the Moon Phases section of our website.
Beaver Supermoon 2024
What is a Supermoon?
Simply put, a Supermoon is a Full Moon that occurs near perigee (the closest point to Earth in the Moon's orbit). It appears 7% larger and about 16% brighter than an average Full Moon. To the naked eye, the difference is very subtle, if not invisible.
More: Supermoon explained in pictures.
Is the November Full Moon 2024 a Supermoon?
According to the Supermoon calendar by Fred Espenak, former NASA astrophysicist, the November Full Moon 2024 will be a Supermoon, the last one of 2024.
However, the November Full Moon 2024 is not included in the list of Supermoons by Richard Nolle, the astrologer who coined the term "Supermoon".
In our article about Supermoons, we explained why the two calendars are not identical.
What is the Beaver Moon?
Beaver Moon is one of the traditional names for the November Full Moon. It came from Native American tribes, who used to give names to the Full Moons based on peculiar features of every particular month.
Why is it called the Beaver Moon?
November is when beavers prepare for the cold: they build dams and stock up on food in their lodges. Maybe that’s why the Native Americans named the Full Moon in their honor, observing the activity of these industrious animals. The other possible reason is that during this month, the hunters traditionally set beaver traps to get the fur.
When is the next Beaver Moon: date and time
The next Beaver Moon occurs on November 15, 2024, at 21:29 GMT (4:29 p.m. EST). After that, we’ll have to wait until November 24, 2026 for the next Beaver Moon to come. In 2025, the Full Moon in November will be right next after the Harvest Moon, and therefore, according to tradition, will be called Hunter’s Moon. It will occur on November 5, at 13:19 GMT (8:19 a.m. EST).
Alternative November Full Moon names
The other November Full Moon names that came from Native American culture include Frost Moon and Freezing Moon – obviously because the weather is getting cold at this time of the year. In different parts of the world, you can find such names as:
- Chinese: White Moon
- Celtic: Dark Moon
- Wiccan: Snow Moon
- Cherokee: Trading Moon
- Southern Hemisphere: Corn Moon, Milk Moon, Flower Moon, Hare Moon
When is the next Full Moon 2024: Cold Moon
The next Full Moon after the Beaver Moon will be the Cold Moon on December 15. This will be the last Full Moon of 2024. So, don’t miss it!
In this colorful infographic, we’ve discussed all the Full Moons in 2024. Find out how they’ve got their traditional names and what’s special about them.
Astronomical events to see around the Full Moon in November 2024
The Full Moon will pass very close to the beautiful Pleiades star cluster in the constellation Taurus. To see them both clearly, use a pair of binoculars — while the Pleiades is one of the brightest star clusters, it’s often too dim to see with the naked eye in areas with light pollution. Start looking for the Pleiades and the Moon in the evening, about an hour after sunset. They rise higher around midnight.
On November 16, Mercury, the elusive planet, will reach its greatest elongation, appearing at its farthest point from the Sun in our sky. Look for it in the evening, just after sunset.
Then, on November 17, Jupiter, the second-brightest planet, will pass close to the nearly Full Moon. The apparent distance between them will be about three fingers held at arm’s length. Look for Jupiter and the Moon starting in the evening — they’ll be visible all night.
Learn more: Complete guide on November astronomical events.
November Full Moon 2024: Conclusion
This month’s Full Moon occurs on November 15. It’s traditionally called the Beaver Moon, for beavers begin to hide in their lodges around this time. It will also be a Supermoon, so the Moon will appear bigger and brighter than usual. The Full Moon is a nice and easy target to observe, so it's an ideal starting point for anyone new to stargazing. To enhance your experience, arm yourself with a stargazing app like Star Walk 2 and Sky Tonight and explore the night sky adorned with our shining natural satellite!
