The closest supermoon of 2025 will illuminate the sky this week, offering stargazers the best opportunity to witness this celestial phenomenon at its most spectacular.
Supermoons appear larger and brighter than typical full moons because they occur when the moon reaches its closest point to Earth in its orbit. These impressive lunar displays hang low on the horizon and are particularly striking just after sunset.
The moon will reach peak fullness at 8:19 a.m. ET on Wednesday morning, marking the optimal viewing time for this astronomical event. It will actually be at its closest point to Earth around 5:30 p.m. ET that evening.
Because of the proximity, tides may be impacted more dramatically than usual.
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According to the Farmer's Almanac, November's supermoon traditionally coincides with the arrival of the first snow in northern parts of the United States and Canada, adding seasonal significance to the celestial display.
It is also referred to as the "beaver moon" because it is the time when beavers take shelter in their lodges with their food stores for the winter. Other names for November full moon include the "digging or scratching moon" by the Tlingit, the "deer rutting moon" by the Dakota and Lakota, the "whitefish moon" by the Algonquin or the "frost moon" by the Cree and Assiniboine, according to the Almanac.
For those who miss this supermoon, another opportunity awaits exactly one month later on Dec. 4.
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