The beaver moon, last supermoon of the year, rises in stunning photos
The next supermoon won’t be until October 2025.
The last supermoon of 2024, known as the beaver moon, lit up the night sky on Nov. 14 as its spectacular illumination was seen around the world, and captured in stunning photos.
If you missed it, don't worry! The beaver moon will reach its peak on Nov. 15.
Starting at 4:29 p.m. ET, celestial enthusiasts can observe the supermoon from anywhere around the world without the need for binoculars or a telescope, as long as skies are clear. A supermoon is when the moon is at its closest position to Earth, according to NASA, which is why it appears bigger and brighter for stargazers at night.
November’s full moon is primarily called the beaver moon because it’s the time of year when beavers start to hunker down for winter in their lodges with their gathered food, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.
This supermoon accompanies the Leonid meteor shower, which peaks Saturday into Sunday, and typically produces about 15 meteors per hour. But due to the brightness of the moon, it could interfere with stargazers being able to see fainter meteors, so around five meteors per hour are more likely to be seen, Robert Lunsford, fireball report coordinator for the American Meteor Society, told CNN.
The beaver moon is the last of this year’s four consecutive supermoons. In 2025, there will be three supermoons starting on Oct. 7, and then on Nov. 5 and Dec. 4, EarthSky.org reports.
Below are the stunning photos captured from around the world of the celestial spectacle: