Beaver Moon - Full Moon of November

Watch on YouTube

Beaver Moon: Quick Facts

The Beaver Moon is the traditional name most commonly used today for November’s full Moon. It’s conventionally tied to that month, though full-Moon naming was never fully standardized — some sources use a different name for an early-November full Moon, and in rare years (like 2001) November has had two full Moons.

What it is	The traditional name for November’s only full Moon
When it happens	Every November, with no drift into another month
Also called	Frost Moon, Freezing Moon, Digging Moon (Tlingit), Trading Moon and Snow Moon (Cherokee), Deer Rutting Moon, Whitefish Moon, Mourning Moon, Moon of Moving Inside for Winter
Typical part of the sky	Generally among the stars of Taurus, Gemini, or a neighboring constellation, though the exact backdrop shifts year to year
Signature trait	The last full Moon before the winter solstice, closing out autumn under long, early-dark nights
Supermoon?	Depends on the year. It’s a supermoon only when it happens to fall near perigee (the Moon’s closest approach to Earth) — check the current year’s calendar for specifics
Lunar eclipse?	Occasionally — most famously Nov. 19, 2021, when a partial eclipse lasting 3 hours, 28 minutes coincided with the Beaver Moon, the longest partial lunar eclipse since 1440. Most years pass without one
Last full Moon of autumn?	Usually, but not always — in some years (like 2027) December’s full Moon still falls before the winter solstice, making it, not the Beaver Moon, autumn’s technical last

What Is the Beaver Moon?

Unlike the Harvest Moon, which can land in either September or October depending on the year, the Beaver Moon is conventionally tied to a single month: November. But full-Moon naming was never centrally standardized — some sources reserve the name for a full Moon falling after roughly November 7, using Hunter’s Moon for an earlier one, and in rare years November has held two full Moons altogether, as it did in 2001. It’s a late-autumn Moon, but not reliably the very last one: December’s full Moon sometimes lands before the winter solstice too.

Beavers Finishing Their Lodges According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the name marks the time of year beavers become especially active building up their lodges and dams, shoring up their homes before the water freezes solid.
Or the Start of Beaver-Trapping Season A second, harder-edged explanation ties the name to the fur trade: November was when trappers set their last lines before swamps froze over, since beaver pelts reached their thickest — and most valuable — in the cold months. The Royal Museums Greenwich notes historians still debate which origin came first.
Not a Physical Difference Like every named full Moon, the Beaver Moon isn’t physically different from any other full Moon — same surface, same size, same phase. What sets it apart is the calendar slot it fills and the season it marks.

Does the Beaver Moon Ever Fall in Another Month?

Almost never, but naming isn’t perfectly standardized. The Beaver Moon is conventionally treated as “November’s full Moon,” which keeps it in that month in the vast majority of years. Some sources, like EarthSky, instead call a full Moon that falls before Nov. 7 the Hunter’s Moon rather than the Beaver Moon. And because the lunar cycle doesn’t divide evenly into the calendar, November has occasionally held two full Moons — most recently in 2001.

When Is the Beaver Moon?

Because the lunar cycle runs about 29.5 days against a roughly 30-day November, the exact date and time still drift from year to year, even though the month itself never changes.

2026 Tuesday, November 24 — 14:53 UTC (a full supermoon, 360,766 km away)
2027 Sunday, November 14 — around 03:25 UTC
2028 Thursday, November 2 — 09:17 UTC (a distant, near-micromoon Beaver Moon, 399,077 km away)
2029 November 21, 04:03 UTC (November 20, 11:03 PM EST in New York/Toronto)
2030 Sunday, November 10 — around 03:30 UTC

Dates above are given in UTC; the local calendar date can fall a day earlier west of Greenwich, as with 2029.

Want This Year’s Exact Time? Peak times shift by time zone, so check moonphase.today’s daily Moon phase calendar for the precise moment in your location.

As with any full Moon, peak illumination is a specific moment, but the Moon looks essentially full at moonrise on both the evening before and the evening of the peak.

Notable Beaver Moons

Most Beaver Moons pass quietly — no eclipse, no exceptional closeness, just the last bright night before winter closes in. But the record includes a genuine standout, and the years ahead swing between a close supermoon and a distant, near-micromoon Beaver Moon.

The 2021 Beaver Moon Eclipse

Detail	Figure
Date	November 19, 2021
Duration	3 hours, 28 minutes, 23 seconds
Coverage	~97% of the Moon in Earth’s umbra
Record	Longest partial lunar eclipse since Feb. 18, 1440 — won’t be beaten until 2669

NASA attributed the unusual length to timing: the eclipse fell close to lunar apogee, when the Moon moves slowest along its orbit, so it lingered in Earth’s shadow far longer than a typical partial eclipse.

Beaver Moon Distances, 2026–2030

Year	Distance	Note
2026	360,766 km	Full supermoon
2027	~369,000 km	Closer than average
2028	399,077 km	Near-micromoon — the smallest, dimmest Beaver Moon in this five-year stretch
2029	~365,000 km	Closer than average
2030	~372,000 km	Closer than average

Why the swing: The interval between full Moons — the synodic month — averages about 29.53 days, while the Moon’s perigee-to-perigee cycle averages about 27.55 days. Because those two cycles don’t stay in sync, a given month’s full Moon drifts to a different point in the perigee-apogee cycle each year, landing near perigee (bigger, brighter) some years and near apogee (smaller, dimmer) in others. 2026 and 2028 sit at opposite ends of that range.

Worth noting: 2028’s Nov. 2 date falls before the Nov. 7 cutoff some sources (like EarthSky) use to switch from Hunter’s Moon to Beaver Moon, so a few calendars may label that year’s November full Moon differently.

Names & Folklore of the Beaver Moon

“Beaver Moon” is the name that stuck in general circulation, largely through the Old Farmer’s Almanac, but it was never the only name for November’s full Moon. Different nations and traditions marked the same stretch of the calendar differently. Note: these are traditional seasonal labels — they don’t reflect any physical change in the Moon itself.

Frost Moon & Freezing Moon

Widely Used Colonial & Indigenous Name

One of the most common alternate names, tied simply to the season: by November, frost is a regular presence at dawn across much of North America. The same name occasionally gets used for December’s full Moon instead, depending on the source, since both months sit deep in frost territory.

Digging Moon

Tlingit Name

The Tlingit name for this Moon refers to animals foraging for the last accessible food and to bears digging in for their winter dens — the same late-autumn scramble to prepare for the cold that gives the Beaver Moon its more common name.

Trading Moon & Snow Moon

Documented Native American Names

Names documented among Native American November Moon traditions, tied to trade and early-winter activity. “Snow Moon” is also commonly used elsewhere for February’s full Moon instead — a reminder that these names were never part of one single standardized system, and specific tribal attributions vary by source.

Deer Rutting Moon & Whitefish Moon

Other Traditional Names

Other names track different signs of the season entirely: the Deer Rutting Moon marks the autumn deer mating season, while the Whitefish Moon refers to whitefish spawning runs relied on by some Great Lakes and northern communities heading into winter.

Science & The Beaver Moon

A Late-Autumn Moon — Usually the Last

The winter solstice falls around December 21. Because the Beaver Moon is in November, it’s often the final full Moon of astronomical autumn — but not every year. In 2027, for instance, December’s full Moon lands on Dec. 13, still eight days before the solstice, making it that year’s true last full Moon of fall.

Sometimes a Supermoon

A Beaver Moon can also happen to be a supermoon if it falls close enough to lunar perigee — there’s no single official threshold for how close counts. In 2026, for example, it’s a full supermoon at 360,766 km; in 2028, it swings to the opposite extreme, a distant, near-micromoon at 399,077 km. The two labels are independent — the Beaver Moon doesn’t need to be close to Earth to earn its name.

Why the 2021 Eclipse Ran So Long

A lunar eclipse’s length depends partly on how fast the Moon is moving through Earth’s shadow, and orbital speed isn’t constant: the Moon moves slower near apogee (its farthest point) than near perigee. November 19, 2021’s partial eclipse landed close to apogee, which is a real, physical reason it dragged on for nearly three and a half hours — not a quirk of timing alone.

Viewing the Beaver Moon

🌕 Best viewed at moonrise, on the evenings just before and on the day of full illumination

Watch It Rise Several Nights Running Since peak illumination usually falls at a specific hour rather than exactly at sunset, the Moon typically looks essentially full at moonrise on several consecutive evenings — no need to be precise about the exact moment of peak fullness.
Bundle Up — This One’s Cold Unlike September’s Harvest Moon, November evenings are genuinely cold across most of the Northern Hemisphere. Clear, frosty nights often make for the sharpest views of the year, so dress for the temperature, not just the sky.
Look for the Amber Horizon Glow Like any Moon near the horizon, the Beaver Moon often takes on a warm amber or orange tint as its light passes through more of Earth’s atmosphere — striking for photos even without any special conditions.
No Equipment Required A full Moon is bright enough to enjoy with the naked eye alone. Binoculars can sharpen craters and maria in the days just before or after full, when angled sunlight brings out relief that flattens out at exact fullness — but they’re optional for the main event.

“The Beaver Moon doesn’t linger long in memory the way its summer cousins do — it simply rises, cold and bright, marking the quiet turn from harvest to winter.”

A Year of Moons: Names & Meanings

These are traditional, popular names rather than official astronomical designations, and the seasonal imagery below is a modern, poetic gloss on them rather than settled history. Here’s a guide to the names in circulation for each month, with November’s Beaver Moon highlighted below.

🌕 Wolf Moon (January)

Kicks off the year with echoes of wolf packs calling through the frozen wilds—symbolizing endurance, pack loyalty, and clever survival in the harshest cold.

🌕 Snow Moon (February)

Blankets the landscape in stillness and deep drifts—a quiet call to conserve energy, embrace introspection, and trust that warmth will return.

🌕 Worm Moon (March)

Signals the underground stir as worms rework the soil, drawing robins and early gardeners alike—the earth’s first lively exhale after winter’s long sleep.

🌕 Pink Moon (April)

Showcases the soft pink spread of phlox across meadows—bursting with fresh color, hope, and the joyful unfurling of new growth.

🌕 Flower Moon (May)

Lights up a riot of blossoms everywhere—celebrating peak fertility, abundance, and nature’s most vibrant display of life.

🌕 Strawberry Moon (June)

Aligns with the ripe, ruby harvest of wild strawberries—a sweet invitation to savor simple joys and the earth’s generous gifts.

🌕 Buck Moon (July)

Named for bucks sprouting new velvet antlers—embodying vigorous growth, summer thunder, and the pulse of peak vitality.

🌕 Sturgeon Moon (August)

Named for the giant lake sturgeon of the Great Lakes — traditionally August’s full Moon, and in some years the coinciding lunar eclipse adds to the show.

🌕 Corn Moon (September)

Named for the ripening corn harvest. In roughly two years out of three, this is also the Harvest Moon — the full Moon closest to the autumnal equinox.

🌕 Hunter’s Moon (October)

Reveals game in cleared fields under crisp skies. In some years, the equinox falls closer to October’s full Moon, and this one carries the Harvest Moon title instead.

🌕 Beaver Moon (November) — You Are Here

Watches beavers rush to fortify dams before ice sets in—a moon of diligent preparation and cozying up against approaching cold. Usually the last full Moon of autumn, though December’s full Moon occasionally claims that title instead.

🌕 Cold Moon (December)

Rises amid the year’s longest nights over a quiet, frosted world—inviting reflection, rest, and quiet hope for the light’s return.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Beaver Moon?

The Beaver Moon is the traditional name most commonly used for November’s full Moon. It’s conventionally tied to that month, though full-Moon naming isn’t fully standardized, and in rare years — like 2001 — November has had two full Moons.

Does November always have exactly one full Moon?

Almost always, but not without exception. Because the synodic month (about 29.53 days) is shorter than November’s 30 days, a full Moon landing early enough in the month leaves room for a second one before it ends — as happened on November 1 and November 30, 2001. That’s rare, but it has happened, and it’s the reason “always one Beaver Moon” isn’t quite an absolute rule.

When is the Beaver Moon?

It falls once a year in November. The exact date and time shift from year to year because the roughly 29.5-day lunar cycle doesn’t divide evenly into the calendar month. Check a current Moon phase calendar for the precise date and time in your time zone.

Why is it called the Beaver Moon?

There are two commonly cited explanations, and historians debate which came first: it may mark the time of year beavers become especially active finishing their lodges and dams before the water freezes, or it may refer to the start of beaver-trapping season, when pelts reached their thickest and most valuable ahead of winter.

What other names does November’s full Moon have?

Alternate names include the Frost Moon and Freezing Moon, the Tlingit’s Digging Moon, the Cherokee’s Trading Moon and Snow Moon, the Deer Rutting Moon, and the Whitefish Moon — each tied to a different sign of the season, from frost and foraging to deer mating and fish spawning runs.

Is the Beaver Moon a supermoon?

It depends on the year. The Beaver Moon and “supermoon” are independent labels — it only counts as a supermoon when it happens to fall close enough to perigee, the Moon’s closest approach to Earth. In 2026 it’s a full supermoon; in 2028 it swings to the opposite extreme, a distant, near-micromoon Beaver Moon.

Was there ever a Beaver Moon lunar eclipse?

Yes — on November 19, 2021, a partial lunar eclipse coincided with the Beaver Moon and lasted 3 hours, 28 minutes and 23 seconds, covering about 97% of the Moon. It was the longest partial lunar eclipse since 1440, and won’t be surpassed until 2669.

Is the Beaver Moon the last full Moon of the year?

No — it’s usually the last full Moon of autumn, not of the year, though even that isn’t guaranteed. December’s Cold Moon typically follows it and is usually winter’s first full Moon, but in years when the Cold Moon itself lands before the solstice (as in 2027), it’s technically still an autumn Moon, and the following January’s Wolf Moon becomes winter’s first instead.

Does the Beaver Moon look bigger or more orange than usual?

It can look larger near the horizon, but that’s the Moon illusion, an optical effect from comparing it to foreground objects like trees and buildings, not an actual change in its size. The amber or orange tint often seen near moonrise and moonset is real, though — it comes from the Moon’s light passing through more of Earth’s atmosphere at low angles, the same effect that colors sunsets.

Why does the Beaver Moon rise around sunset?

A full Moon is, by definition, positioned opposite the Sun in the sky, so it always rises around the time the Sun sets — true for every full Moon, not just the Beaver Moon.

Do beavers actually do anything special during the Beaver Moon?

The timing lines up with real behavior rather than being purely symbolic: late autumn is when beavers are most active reinforcing their lodges and dams and caching food, finishing that work before ponds and streams freeze over for the winter.

Beaver Moon – Full Moon of November