Look out tonight for November’s supermoon, the brightest moon of 2025

It’s already a great month for skygazers, with A A trio of meteor showers The return of the winter constellations in the Northern Hemisphere. Tonight, also featuring the second of Four supermoons respectively. This month’s supermoon will occur from November 4-5, and November’s beaver moon is special because it will be the brightest full moon of 2025.

In addition to being a supermoon, the November full moon is known as the Beaver Moon. There is some controversy as to why it is called this way. Some believe this was the best time of year in the old days to set beaver traps to obtain pelts for winter clothing. Others believe this coincides with the busiest part of the year for beavers, who are now stocking their habitats with supplies for the coming winter.

Here’s when it will appear largest and brightest, and what else you need to know about November’s supermoon.

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Brightest supermoon: When is the best time to see it?

The moon will reach peak illumination at 8:19 a.m. ET on November 5, making the evening of November 4 and morning of November 5 the best times to view the moon.

Because the moon’s phases change slowly, the moon will appear nearly full for about a week. If you can’t see the full moon on its best night due to weather or other reasons, you can still see the full moon mostly anytime from November 3 to November 8.

Throughout those days, the Moon will be noticeably brighter in the night sky than any other full Moon in 2025. The reason for this is the Moon’s elliptical orbit. Because it’s not a perfect circle, the Moon’s 27.3-day journey around Earth brings it closer to us on some days, a phenomenon known as perigee. If there is a full moon during this time, it will be classified as a “perigee” moon, which you may know better as a supermoon.

Not all supermoons are created equal, and November will be extra special than most. according to Farmer’s AlmanacThe Beaver Moon will be just 221,817 miles from Earth, making it the closest full moon of the year. This means it will be the biggest and brightest of the year.

In practice, the differences are fairly subtle and likely not visible to the naked eye when compared side by side with other giant moons. The supermoon is only 7% larger than a regular full moon. According to To NASAThe biggest difference is when comparing the supermoon to the small moon, as the supermoon will be 14% larger and 30% brighter. So, if you notice that your backyard is more lit than usual, it’s because of the supermoon.

Also because of the moon’s orbit, November will also bring a small new moon, meaning the moon will be as far away from Earth as possible – a phenomenon known as apogee. The November new moon will occur on November 20, but you won’t be able to see it.