Beaver Moon Set to Shine Brightly in November Sky this Weekend
Ancient North American Indian tradition dictates that each full moon is given its own name to identify the time of year. November’s full moon is called the Beaver Moon or Hunter’s Moon, because it is the time of year when hunters set beaver traps before the water freezes and the beavers take to their lodges until springtime. A farmer’s Almanac from the 1930s describes the full moon of November being called the Beaver Moon by Algonquin tribes in the Northern United States.
This year the Beaver Moon is also going to be larger and brighter in the sky because on Saturday night, it will be 226,179 miles away, which is only 1,592 miles away from its perigee, or the closest distance the moons orbit brings it to Earth. The moon will be at perigee on Sunday, but the full moon ends on Saturday. In order to qualify for the super moon designation, it would need to be at perigee during a full moon. The Beaver Moon misses the super moon title by just one day.
Still, this moon should look spectacular all weekend, if skies remain clear. In the Northern Hemisphere, the moon will be higher in the sky as winter approaches. On Sunday night, the moon is still going to be nearly full, and at its perigee it will look like a diamond on the sky. Take some time out to check out our closest heavenly sibling — we only have one moon, but it is a truly beautiful and magnificent celestial object of our solar system. The full moon has a different name for each month of the year
January: Wolf Moon, Old Moon.
February: Snow Moon, Hunger Moon.
March: Worm Moon, Sap Moon, Crow Moon.
April: Pink Moon, Grass Moon, Fish Moon.
May: Flower Moon, Planting Moon.
June: Strawberry Moon, Rose Moon.
July: Buck Moon, Thunder Moon, Hay Moon.
August: Sturgeon Moon, Red Moon.
September: Harvest Moon, Corn Moon.
October: Hunter's Moon.
November: Beaver Moon, Frost Moon.
December: Cold Moon, Long Night's Moon.