Look for November's Beaver Moon and a Lunar Eclipse!
In 2021, November’s full Beaver Moon reaches peak illumination in the wee hours of Friday, November 19—so look up on Thursday night! In addition, the Beaver Moon will also be plunged into an eclipse Friday morning! Get more information including Full Moon rise times, why we call it a “Beaver” Moon, and best days by the Moon.
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When to See November’s Full Moon
The Beaver Moon reaches peak illumination in the early morning hours of Friday, November 19, at 3:59 A.M. EST. Of course, it will be very close to full the night before, so plan to look for it starting on Thursday, November 18, just after sunset!
Find out exactly what time the full Moon will appear above the horizon in your area with our Moonrise and Moonset Calculator.
See a Near-Total Lunar Eclipse
This year, November’s Beaver Moon is accompanied by a partial lunar eclipse that will be just shy of total—98% of the Moon will be covered by Earth’s shadow at the height of the eclipse! During a lunar eclipse, the Moon, Sun, and Earth stand in a line with the Earth in the middle, causing the planet’s shadow to be cast onto the Moon. This gives the full Moon a reddish, coppery hue, as well as the nickname “Blood Moon.” But is this Moon truly a Blood Moon? Read more about what a Blood Moon is—and isn’t.
This near-total lunar eclipse will be visible from most of North America, reaching its maximum at approximately 4:00Â A.M. Eastern Time on Friday, November 19. Be sure to convert to your local time zone to find out when to look for the eclipse!
Why Is It Called the Beaver Moon?
For decades, the Almanac has referenced the monthly full Moons with names tied to early Native American, Colonial American, and European folklore. Traditionally, each full Moon name was applied to the entire lunar month in which it occurred and through all of the Moon’s phases—not only the full Moon.
The Beaver Moon
Why the “Beaver” Moon? This is the time of year when beavers begin to take shelter in their lodges, having laid up sufficient stores of food for the long winter ahead. During the time of the fur trade in North America, it was also the season to trap beavers for their thick, winter-ready pelts.Â
Alternative November Moon Names
November’s Moon names highlight the actions of animals preparing for winter and the onset of the colder days ahead. Digging (or Scratching) Moon, a Tlingit name, evokes the image of animals foraging for fallen nuts and shoots of green foliage, and of bears digging their winter dens. The Dakota and Lakota term Deer Rutting Moon refers to the time when deer are seeking out mates and the Algonquin Whitefish Moon describes the spawning time for this fish.
In reference to the seasonal change of November, this Moon has been called the Frost Moon by the Cree and Assiniboine peoples and the Freezing Moon by the Anishinaabe—for good reason, as winter is right around the corner!
→ See more Full Moon names and their meanings.
Moon Phases for November 2021
Below are the times for each of the Moon’s phases this month (in Eastern Time). Click here to see the Moon Phase dates and times for your location.
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New Moon: November 4, 5:15 P.M. EDT |
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First Quarter: November 11, 7:48 A.M. EST |
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Full Moon: November 19, 3:59 A.M. EST |
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Last Quarter: November 27, 7:29 A.M. EST |
→ When is the next full Moon? Consult our Full Moon Dates chart.
Full Beaver Moon Video
An Almanac editor shares more facts and folklore about November’s Full Beaver Moon. Click below to watch the video.
Best Days in November 2021
Below are the best days for certain activities, based on the Moon’s sign and phase in November.
For Harvesting:
- Aboveground crops: 17, 18
- Belowground crops: 27, 28
For Setting Eggs:Â
- 18–20
For Fishing:
- 4–19
See Best Days for more activities.
Moon Facts
- Did you know: The spin-time of the Moon on its own axis is identical to the time it takes the Moon to revolve around Earth, which is why the Moon always keeps almost exactly the same face toward us.
- How much would you weigh on the Moon? Just multiply your weight (it doesn’t matter if it’s in pounds or kilograms) by 0.165. You’d weigh about 80 percent less!
Learn more about Full Moon Names and share your thoughts about this month’s Moon below!Â
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I always find this information helpful, interesting and intriguing ….but why is it no longer printed in the Farmers Almanac? I'm pretty sure it used to be, but I just went digging through two years worth and could not find this information....am I missing it? Or is it a "digital bonus" only? Thanks!
Thanks for asking, Cyndee. We produce two versions of the paperback Almanac, one for $7.99 and one for $8.95. The version at the slightly higher price has 32 pages of Reference material at the back (like the Calendar and Weather Forecast pages, the Reference pages each have a black tab on them that you can see as a black “line” when you look sideways at the issue). The $8.95 version is sold at bookstores, the $7.99 on newsstands, checkouts, our own magazine stands, and the like. We have different price points to serve different readerships and channels of distribution.
BTW, the extra Reference section is also bound into the the $9.99 “large print” version and the hardcover version ($15.95). We say “large print” because the pages are slightly larger and the paper is better quality (whiter) so the ink is easier to read. This is not “large print” as it is found, say, in a library book.
I hope this does not add confusion but helps to clarify. You can purchase any version of the Almanac at Almanac.com/store and the “large print” version on Amazon.com.
Does anyone know how many Thanksgivings in the past 50 years had a Full Moon??
Interesting question! There’s an Almanac Moon phase calendar that goes back to 1970 of that helps! www.almanac.com/astronomy/moon/calendar
This is a theory I have about the moon....
I have always been interested in the fact that the same side of the moon always faces us. The reason for this is unknown at this time (or at least unproven). It could be coincidental that the moon rotates perfectly, so that we only see the same side all of the time. I don't think that is very likely. I have questioned this observation before and the explanation provided at the time was that it was due to tidal pull. That's possible, but I personally think it could be due to the fact that the moon's gravity is uneven. Satellites have documented that the gravitational pull on the moon is uneven which could result in what we are seeing now. And that being so, it would be like a beach ball with a weight taped to one side of it having the heavier side roll on a hard surface so that the heaviest side would be facing downward. This could be the reason that the part of the moon's surface that has a higher mass always faces towards the earth. I came up with this idea many years ago and it could be a valid answer to the problem. What do others think? Are there other moons or planets that rotate showing the same side like our moon? I'm not aware of any, but it might help solve the question if there were.
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