Final supermoon of 2024 to shine bright Friday night
The weekend will kick off with the 'Super Beaver Moon,' the first of three astronomy events over the course of just a few nights.
November’s full moon, the Beaver Moon, will rise as a supermoon at the beginning of this weekend. It will be the last supermoon of 2024.
Mid-November is jam-packed with astronomy events, including the Leonid meteor shower and the alignment of Jupiter and Mars in the span of a few nights. The series of celestial sights will kick off on Friday with the last supermoon of 2024.
What is a supermoon?
The term supermoon is more than a viral nickname. As the moon orbits the Earth, it reaches points where it is closer to the planet, known as perigee, and points where it is farther away, known as apogee. When a full moon occurs near perigee, it glows a little brighter and appears a sliver larger in the night sky.
Supermoons come in groups of three or four, with this week's being the last of the fourth and final of the year.
A supermoon rises above Delhi's skyline in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
Super beaver moon
The weather, animal behavior and changes in the flora have inspired nicknames for every full moon depending on the time of year, with some names dating back hundreds of years.
November's full moon is commonly called the Beaver Moon as it is the month when beavers across North America retreat into their lodges ahead of the approaching winter, according to The Old Farmer's Almanac.
The combination of nicknames will lead to Friday night's event being called the Super Beaver Moon. However, to the casual observer, it will appear similar to other full moons throughout the year.
Those who miss the upcoming supermoon will have to wait quite some time to see another as the next one will not rise until Oct. 6, 2025.
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