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Full Beaver Supermoon November 2026: Date, Meaning, and Best Viewing

full beaver moon, november full moon, old farmer's almanac
Image Credit:
Colleen Quinnell/The Old Farmer's Almanac
Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

The Full Beaver Supermoon of November 2026 peaks on Tuesday, November 24, just days before Thanksgiving, making it the final Full Moon of autumn. Get more information, including Full Moon rise times, why we call it a Beaver Moon, and the best days by the Moon.

When to See November’s Full Moon

The Beaver Moon reaches peak illumination on Tuesday, November 24, at 9:5 A.M. EST. It will be below the horizon at that time, so be sure to look for it on the evenings of November 23 and 24. Find out exactly what time the Full Moon will appear above the horizon in your area with our Moonrise and Moonset Calculator.

What Makes the November 2026 Full Moon Special

The November Full Moon is a supermoon, the first in a series of three consecutive supermoons (November, December, January). A supermoon occurs when the Moon is at its closest point to Earth in its orbit, called perigee.

Because it’s a supermoon, it may appear slightly larger and brighter than a typical full Moon—up to 8% larger in diameter and 16% brighter. For most casual observers, the difference is subtle, but it’s more noticeable if compared to a micromoon, when the Moon is at its farthest point from Earth.

Being near perigee and full, this Moon can also produce slightly higher tides, known as perigean spring tides or king tides, especially along coastlines, though the effect is modest.

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 food stores for the long winter ahead. During the fur trade in North America, it was also the season to trap beavers for their thick, winter-ready pelts. 

Beaver chewing on a tree in late autumn, associated with the Beaver Moon

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 bears digging their winter dens. The Dakota and Lakota term Deer Rutting Moon refers to the time when deer seek mates, and the Algonquin Whitefish Moon describes the spawning time for this fish.

About 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.

Full Beaver Supermoon rising over a river in November
Image: Moonrise over the Syr Darya river, Sunday, Nov. 13, 2016, Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls 

Moon Phases for November 2026

november 2026 moon phases including the full beaver moon

Below are the times for each Moon phase this month (in Eastern Time). Click here to see the Moon Phase dates and times for your location.

Moon Phases for November 2026
New Moon Last QuarterLast Quarter: November 1, 3:28 P.M. EST
New MoonNew Moon: November 9, 2:02 A.M. EST
First Quarter New MoonFirst Quarter: November 17, 6:48 A.M. EST
Full MoonFull Moon: November 24, 9:53 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 2026

Below are the best days for certain activities, based on the Moon’s sign and phase in November.

For Harvesting:

  • Aboveground crops: 22, 23
  • Belowground crops: 8, 26, 27

For Setting Eggs: 

  • 24, 25

For Fishing:

  • 9-24

See Best Days for more activities.

Moon Facts

  • Did you know: The spin time of the Moon on its axis is identical to the time it takes the Moon to revolve around Earth, which is why the Moon always keeps almost precisely the same face toward us. Learn more about the far side of the Moon.
  • 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% less!

Learn more about Full Moon Names and share your thoughts about this month’s Moon below! 

Full Moon Names

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana.

Read more from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

<span>Anne</span> Fri, 11/03/2017 - 14:30
Beavers are a very important component of the Earth's Ecology; Beavers clear the woods by using branches to build dams; those dams create small ponds intermittently dotted in woods; With the decline of Beavers; we have more dry wood; and fewer ponds; resulting in "wildfires"; The Beavers themselves are mother natures unseen "Fire Prevention brigade. "Beavers rule"
<span>Regal Sol</span> Tue, 11/28/2023 - 10:15
If people stopped taking their fur they won't die off in the winter. 🙁
<span>Jerry S</span> Fri, 11/03/2017 - 09:06
Hey first time here so here goes. For the last month, (Nov), I've seen a very bright light in the east, south east sky early in the morning. Can you tell me what it is? Thanks!
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Fri, 11/03/2017 - 12:39

Welcome! That bright light may be Venus, which has been a "morning star" (a term describing bright planets that become visible in the east before sunrise) for a few months. You might be interested in this article that talked a bit about it from mid-October:

https://www.almanac.com/blog/astronomy/astronomy/smiling-moon-venus-mars-october-17

If you have a 2017 Almanac with you, you can also find a bit more about Venus as a morning star on page 124.

 <span>Jessica Law</span> Sun, 11/13/2016 - 22:39
Its very odd for me to ask if it is a full moon however i just felt it. I know that may seem weird but i feel there is more too the moon than what meets the eye. So many things happen on full moons that goes unexplained. What is it NASA will not say? Somehow we are connected to the moons force.
<span>Shellie Leoni</span> Mon, 11/11/2019 - 15:32
The effect of the moon on tides is the same reason for its effect on people, because the human body is MOSTLY water. Personally, I feel that when I am in tune with the Universe I feel good/well when the moon is full. If I'm out of balance physically or mentally, that's when I'm a 'LUNATIC'! In Love Always Shellie in Sunrise
<span>Linda</span> Sun, 11/13/2016 - 16:10
What does it mean when you can still see the moon during daylight hours? Sometimes, even though it is broad daylight I can see the moon. What are the circumstances that make that possible?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Mon, 11/14/2016 - 14:31

Good question. Though we can't always see it, the Moon is up in the daytime as often as at night. It's easiest to see right after the Full Moon in the morning. Or, look before a Full Moon in the afternoon.  You're also more likely to see it within a week or so of the Full Moon.

 <span>Jessica Lockhart</span> Sat, 11/12/2016 - 19:20
Why does the moon look red tonight 11\12\2016 I'm in Dunlap Tennessee??
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Sun, 11/13/2016 - 14:11

When the Moon looks red (or orange), this is due to the particles in the Earth's atmosphere.  Often, the Moon is more reddish when it is close to the horizon; this is because the moonlight must travel through more of our atmosphere to get to your eyes when the Sun or Moon is on the horizon. The Moon will also look more red or orange when it is rising or setting because that's also a time when the light has to travel through the most atmosphere to get to you. If you see an especially beautiful red or pink sunset, there are probably additional clouds enhancing the effect.