the essential
This Friday, a new space phenomenon will be observable in the sky. The full Beaver Moon should delight astronomy fans this evening. It will also be the last supermoon of the year.
This will be the last supermoon of the year. The full Beaver Moon will be visible this Friday, November 15. For those who are curious, you will have to watch a little. You will be able to admire this super Moon, which appears larger in the sky, at 10:28 p.m.
The phenomenon refers to “a full moon which occurs when our natural satellite is closest to the Earth”, explains La Cité de l’Espace. Because “the distance between our planet and the Moon is not fixed” and “varies on average from 363,300 km to 405,500 km”. During these phases, the Moon can appear up to 14% larger than during a normal full Moon. Not enough to make a huge difference to the naked eye, but it can also be brighter, says NASA.
There are several variations of the phenomenon: the super blue, red, snow, wolf moon… These different names generally refer to the time of year when they occur. The Super Beaver Moon takes its name from the Native American tribes who associate the month of November with this rodent. It corresponds to the time when the beaver builds dams and prepares for hibernation as winter approaches.
This Friday, it will be the fourth super Moon of the year to light up our sky according to BFMTV after the super Blue Moon on August 19, the super Harvest Moon on September 18 and the super Hunter Moon on October 17. For those who wish to observe the star in the best conditions this evening, it is better to find a place where the sky is clear. And for those less lucky who miss the spectacle, you will have to be patient: the next super Beaver Moon can be admired on November 26, 2026.
