Watch for November's Full Beaver Supermoon!
November’s full Beaver Supermoon reaches peak illumination on Wednesday, November 5, 2025. This is the closest Supermoon of the year! Get more information, including Full Moon rise times, why we call it a Beaver Moon, and the best days by the Moon.
When to See November’s Full Moon
The Beaver Moon reaches peak illumination on Wednesday, November 5, at 8:19 A.M. EST. It will be below the horizon at that time, so be sure to look for it on the evenings of November 4 and 5.
Find out exactly what time the full Moon will appear above the horizon in your area with our Moonrise and Moonset Calculator.
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Behold the Full Beaver Supermoon!
November’s full Beaver Moon orbits closer to Earth than any of the other full Moons this year, making it one of the three supermoons of 2025! At its nearest point, the Hunter’s Moon will be 221,817 miles (356,980 kilometers) miles from Earth… this is the closest Supermoon of the year!
“Supermoon” is a catchy term for what astronomers call “a perigean full Moon,” which is when the full Moon happens at or near its closest point to Earth in its oval-shaped orbit. While a supermoon is technically bigger and brighter than a regular full Moon, it only appears about 7% larger—which can be an imperceptible difference to the human eye, depending on other conditions.
As the Moon drifts over the horizon around sunset, it may appear larger and more orange—how perfect for the fall season! But don’t be fooled by the “Moon Illusion,” which makes the Moon appear bigger than it is.
Why Is It Called the Beaver Moon?
For decades, the Almanac has referenced the monthly full Moons with names tied to early Native American, Colonial American, and European folklore. Traditionally, each full Moon name was applied to the entire lunar month in which it occurred and through all of the Moon’s phases—not only the full Moon.
The Beaver Moon
Why the “Beaver” Moon? This is the time of year when beavers begin to take shelter in their lodges, having laid up sufficient food stores for the long winter ahead. During the fur trade in North America, it was also the season to trap beavers for their thick, winter-ready pelts.
Alternative November Moon Names
November’s Moon names highlight the actions of animals preparing for winter and the onset of the colder days ahead. Digging (or Scratching) Moon, a Tlingit name, evokes the image of animals foraging for fallen nuts and shoots of green foliage and bears digging their winter dens. The Dakota and Lakota term Deer Rutting Moon refers to the time when deer seek mates, and the Algonquin Whitefish Moon describes the spawning time for this fish.
About the seasonal change of November, this Moon has been called the Frost Moon by the Cree and Assiniboine peoples and the Freezing Moon by the Anishinaabe—for good reason, as winter is right around the corner!
→ See more Full Moon names and their meanings.
Moon Phases for November 2025
Below are the times for each Moon phase this month (in Eastern Time). Click here to see the Moon Phase dates and times for your location.
 | Full Moon: November 5, 8:19 A.M. EST |
 | Last Quarter: November 12, 12:28 A.M. EST |
 | New Moon: November 20, 1:47 A.M. EST |
 | First Quarter: November 28, 1:59 A.M. EST |
→ When is the next full Moon? Consult our Full Moon Dates chart.
Full Beaver Moon Video
An Almanac editor shares more facts and folklore about November’s Full Beaver Moon. Click below to watch the video.
Best Days in November 2025
Below are the best days for certain activities, based on the Moon’s sign and phase in November.
For Harvesting:
- Aboveground crops: 4, 5, 23, 24
- Belowground crops: 13, 14
For Setting Eggs:
- 7, 8
For Fishing:
- 1–5, 20-30
See Best Days for more activities.
Moon Facts
- Did you know: The spin-time of the Moon on its axis is identical to the time it takes the Moon to revolve around Earth, which is why the Moon always keeps almost precisely the same face toward us. Learn more about the far side of the Moon.
- How much would you weigh on the Moon? Just multiply your weight (it doesn’t matter if it’s in pounds or kilograms) by 0.165. You’d weigh about 80% less!
Learn more about Full Moon Names and share your thoughts about this month’s Moon below!
Catherine Boeckmann
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I find that the full moon the stars and space is also interesting. Tonight I took some pictures of the full moon I'll try to send one
Very neat to get to now the old ways of the moon
This picture is exactly like one that I took last year. Locating it & sending it to you.
it is common knowledge that most births happen in or araound the change of the moon (Full moon or New Moon). Is there a reason why?
Many people believe that there is a correlation between the full and/or new Moon phases and an increase in the number of births. Others think that this is a myth. Several scientific studies have not been able to prove the correlation. That said, we always welcome all perspectives and your thoughts on the matter.
The reason for full moon births is because 9 months earlier they were conceived. :)
Ask any Nurse or Doctor that works in Labor and Delivery they will tell you, yes more babies are born during the new and full moons. :)
quick question OFA - when we see half of the moon - we call it a quarter moon - I guess because we are seeing 25% of the whole thing. Following that logic - should a 'full' moon be a half moon - as we only see 50% of the whole? Please solve the debate with my son - as the descriptions appear inconsistent...
Great question! According to the United States Naval Observatory, the First Quarter and Last Quarter Moon phases are named as such because of their position in the Moon's orbit. The First Quarter is 1/4 of the way through its orbit from starting position (New Moon), and the Third Quarter is 3/4 of the way along in its orbit.
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/moon_phases.php
The Full Moon is named instead for the percent of surface illuminated from our viewpoint (100 percent, full disc), and occurs when the Moon is 1/2 the way along in its orbit.
New Moon--named so because in this case it is the start of the lunar cycle; we can see no surface illumination from our position on Earth.
why is that i always get my period two days before the full moon
