Beaver Moon: The last supermoon of 2024 rises on Friday

Skygazers will see the finale extra brightly Moon of the year, known as a Supermoon, when the Beaver full moon rises this Friday.

The moon reaches maximum illumination just before 4:30 PM ET on Friday, November 15. With the earlier sunsets in standard timeThose on the East Coast won’t have to wait long to see the moon in the sky.

Full Moons have dozens of different nicknames; most are associated with seasonal changes. In the USthese names usually have Native American historyincluding the Beaver Moon. According to the Farmer’s almanacNovember’s full moon was aptly named for the time of year when beavers prepare to take shelter in their dams from the winter months. Other North American names for the moon are also referenced animals prepare for winter weathersuch as the Deer Rutting Moon and Graving Moon.

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The Beaver Moon is seen through Christmas lights from the historic center on November 28, 2023 in San Salvador, El Salvador. (Photo by APHOTOGRAFIA/Getty Images)

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November’s Full Moon is known as a Supermoon because it occurs during perigee, the closest distance to the Moon Earth.

Skygazers will be treated to back-to-back Supermoons in the final quarter of the year. October’s Hunter Moon was also a Supermoon.

After the full moon, there are several ongoing meteor showers to look up to. The Leonids meteor shower reaches its peak activity on the night of November 17-18.

It’s hard to believe that 2024 is almost over, but the last full moon of the year occurs on December 15 and is known as the Cold Moon.