Mark your calendar for the night before Thanksgiving week gets busy: November's full moon, the Beaver Moon, is a supermoon on Tuesday, November 24, 2026. The Moon reaches its exact full phase at 9:53 a.m. Eastern Time (14:53 UTC) that morning, so the best time to watch is moonrise on the evening of Monday, November 23, and again on Tuesday evening, November 24, when it will look full and bright.
It is also the first of three supermoons in a row, followed by December's Cold Moon and January's Wolf Moon. Here is what a supermoon really is, why November's full moon is called the Beaver Moon, and how to get the best view.
When to See the Beaver Supermoon
- Exact full moon: 9:53 a.m. EST on Tuesday, November 24, 2026 (that is 8:23 p.m. in India).
- Best viewing in North America: moonrise on the evenings of Monday, November 23 and Tuesday, November 24. At 9:53 a.m. the Moon is below the horizon for most of the US.
- Where to look: toward the east around sunset. The full moon always rises close to the time the Sun sets, because it sits on the opposite side of Earth from the Sun.
To the naked eye, the Moon will look full for about a day before and after the exact moment, so do not worry if clouds spoil one night.
What Is a Supermoon?
The Moon's orbit around Earth is not a perfect circle; it is a slightly stretched oval (an ellipse). The point where the Moon comes closest to Earth is called perigee, and the farthest point is apogee.
A "supermoon" is a popular, non-scientific name for a full moon that happens when the Moon is near perigee. A common definition, used by astrologer Richard Nolle who coined the term in 1979, is a full moon within 90% of its closest approach to Earth. Space.com, citing NASA, notes that a supermoon can look up to 14% bigger and 30% brighter than the faintest full moon of the year (a "micromoon"). Meteor fans can also catch the Taurid meteor shower, known for slow fireballs and the Leonids later this month.
In real life, the difference is hard to notice without a side-by-side photo. What most people actually notice is a bright, beautiful moon, especially when it is rising.
Why does a rising moon look so huge?
A full moon low on the horizon often looks gigantic, but that is mostly a trick of the brain called the Moon illusion, not the supermoon effect. We explained it in Why Does the Moon Look Bigger on the Horizon? A rising supermoon gives you both: a slightly larger Moon and the illusion on top.
Why Is It Called the Beaver Moon?
Many full moon names popular in the US come from a mix of Native American, Colonial American and European traditions, made famous by almanacs. According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, November's full moon is called the Beaver Moon because it comes when beavers retreat into their lodges, having stored enough food to survive the winter.
Another common explanation is that it was the time when trappers set beaver traps before the swamps froze, because beaver fur was in high demand. Other names for November's full moon include the Frost Moon and, in some European traditions, the Mourning Moon.
Full Moon Names Through the Year
The Beaver Moon is one of 12 traditional full moon names popularized by almanacs in North America. Here is the full set, as commonly listed by the Old Farmer's Almanac:
- January: Wolf Moon
- February: Snow Moon
- March: Worm Moon
- April: Pink Moon
- May: Flower Moon
- June: Strawberry Moon
- July: Buck Moon
- August: Sturgeon Moon
- September: Corn Moon (or Harvest Moon, if closest to the equinox)
- October: Hunter's Moon
- November: Beaver Moon
- December: Cold Moon
Three Supermoons in a Row
The November 24 Beaver Moon kicks off a run of three consecutive supermoons, according to Space.com:
- November 24, 2026: Beaver Moon
- December 2026: Cold Moon
- January 2027: Wolf Moon
Supermoons usually come in groups like this, because the timing of the full moon lines up with perigee for a few months in a row before drifting apart again.
How to Get the Best View (and Photos)
- Watch moonrise. Check the moonrise time for your city with a weather or astronomy app. The Moon looks most dramatic in the first 30 minutes after it rises.
- Find an open eastern horizon: a beach, a hill, a lake or an open field.
- Use foreground objects. Trees, buildings and mountains give a sense of scale and make the Moon look enormous in photos.
- Phone photos: tap on the Moon to focus, then slide the exposure down so it isn't a white blob. Use zoom and rest the phone on something steady. Night mode often overexposes the Moon.
- Dress warmly. Late-November evenings are cold in much of the US, and cold also drains your phone battery faster; see Why Does My Phone Battery Die Faster in the Cold?
Does a Supermoon Affect Tides?
Yes, a little. When the Moon is closer to Earth, its gravity pulls slightly harder on the oceans. Combined with the full moon, when the Sun and Moon line up, this can make high tides a bit higher than usual, sometimes called "king tides" in coastal areas. The effect is usually just a few inches, but it can matter in places already prone to coastal flooding.
Despite popular myths, there is no good scientific evidence that supermoons cause earthquakes or affect human behavior.
Other Sky Events This Month
November also brings the Leonid meteor shower, which peaks in mid-November; we covered the dates and tips in Leonid Meteor Shower 2026: When and How to See It Around the Leonids' peak the Moon is only about half lit and sets near midnight, leaving dark pre-dawn hours for meteors, while the end of the month belongs to the bright Beaver supermoon.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the full moon in November 2026?
Tuesday, November 24, 2026, at 9:53 a.m. EST (14:53 UTC).
Is the November 2026 full moon a supermoon?
Yes. The Beaver Moon is the first of three supermoons in a row, followed by December's Cold Moon and January's Wolf Moon.
Why is it called the Beaver Moon?
Because November is when beavers settle into their lodges for winter, and historically when trappers set beaver traps before waters froze.
How much bigger does a supermoon look?
Up to about 14% bigger and 30% brighter than the year's smallest full moon, though the difference is hard to see without a comparison.
What is the best time to see the supermoon?
Just after moonrise on November 23 or 24, looking east around sunset.
Sources: Space.com (timing, three-supermoon run, and NASA's 14%/30% figures), the Old Farmer's Almanac and Farmers' Almanac (Beaver Moon name and date), checked November 2, 2026.
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