Beaver Moon is the traditional nickname for November’s full Moon, with origins tied to historical wildlife and seasonal activity rather than an official astronomical term. Here’s the concise background:
- Why the name appears: In northern hemispheric folklore and traditional calendars, each month’s full Moon was given a descriptive name reflecting natural events or animal behavior typical for that time of year. November is a period when beavers are actively preparing for winter, building damns and caching food, which led to the common label “Beaver Moon.” Some sources also note that beavers’ winter preparations were a reliable seasonal cue for people relying on Moon-based calendars. This usage is informal and cultural, not an official designation.
- Alternate names and nuances: November’s full Moon has other traditional names as well, such as the Frost Moon or Digging Moon, depending on regional or cultural traditions. The same Moon can carry multiple nicknames in different communities.
- “Supermoon” context: In recent years, the Moon’s apparent size may be emphasized when the November full Moon coincides with perigee (the Moon’s closest approach to Earth), sometimes called a “supermoon.” This is a separate orbital phenomenon and does not define the Beaver Moon name itself.
If you’d like, I can pull up more on the origins from specific cultural sources or explain how the Moon’s orbit affects its brightness and size during a perigee-full Moon.
