Beaver Moon Supermoon Nov. 5, 2025 — Biggest, Brightest Full Moon of the Year (Plus Taurids & Leonids Viewing Tips)

Beaver Moon Supermoon: What to Expect

November's Beaver Moon will be the largest and brightest supermoon of 2025, rising in the constellation Taurus just as the southern Taurids reach their peak and ahead of the popular Leonids meteor shower. According to the Farmer's Almanac, this full moon will come as close as 221,817 miles from Earth; NASA cites a comparable perigee of roughly 226,000 miles. Peak illumination is on Wednesday, Nov. 5 at 8:19 a.m. ET.

Why it Looks Bigger and More Orange

A supermoon occurs when the moon is full while near perigee, the closest point in its orbit to Earth. Because of the shorter distance and the way our atmosphere scatters light, the moon can appear slightly larger and often more orange when it sits low on the horizon — an optical and atmospheric effect rather than a physical color change.

Moonrise and Best Viewing Nights

Like October's Harvest Moon, the Beaver Moon will rise at roughly the same time for several nights. The best evenings to view the moon are Tuesday and Wednesday, Nov. 4–5, when it will be low on the horizon and most dramatic to the eye.

Meteor Showers to Watch

• Southern Taurids (active Sept. 20–Nov. 20, 2025): Peak night Nov. 4–5, coinciding with the Beaver Moon rise. Although typically slow with ≈5 meteors/hour, this year's southern Taurids are forecast to be unusually rich in bright fireballs. Best viewing: around midnight on Nov. 4–5.
• Northern Taurids (active Oct. 20–Dec. 10, 2025): Peak night Nov. 11–12. The overlap of the two Taurid streams can extend the period of enhanced fireball activity.
• Leonids (active Nov. 6–30, 2025): Peak morning Nov. 18, with the best dark-sky viewing on the night of Nov. 17 when the moon will be a waning crescent. Typical rates are about 10–15 meteors/hour in a normal year.

Meteor-Watching Tips

Go to the darkest possible viewing location, lie back, and allow at least 30 minutes for your eyes to adapt to the dark. The best time for meteor activity is usually around local midnight through pre-dawn. Dress warmly and give yourself patience — meteors are sporadic and weather-dependent.

Quick Moon-Phase Calendar

• New Moon: Oct. 21
• First Quarter: Oct. 29
• Full Moon (Beaver Supermoon): Nov. 5 (peak 8:19 a.m. ET)
• Last Quarter: Nov. 12
• New Moon: Nov. 20
• First Quarter: Nov. 28

The December Cold Supermoon follows on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. The winter solstice arrives on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, bringing the year’s shortest day (about 9 hours, 17 minutes of daylight in many mid-northern latitudes).

Background: Why the Beaver Moon?

The name Beaver Moon comes from traditional lunar names recorded by Native American, Colonial American and European sources. Historically, the timing signaled beavers finishing dams before the ground froze and coincided with trapping season for fur trades in North America.

Visibility note: Exact visibility depends on your location and local weather. For the clearest view, check local moonrise/moonset times and cloud forecasts before heading out.

Reporting by Maria Francis. This story originally appeared on Asbury Park Press.