The Moon looked unusually bright last night because it was a Beaver Moon, a full Moon that coincided with a particularly close approach to Earth, creating a "supermoon" effect. The combination made the Moon appear larger and brighter than typical full Moons. Key points about what you saw
- Full Moon illumination: During a full Moon, the Sun fully illuminates the side of the Moon facing Earth, which can make features appear flatter and glow quite brightly in the night sky. This is a normal characteristic, but it can seem especially striking when the Moon is high and the sky is clear. [web results indicate the full Moon on November 5, 2025, was prominent and brightly lit]
- Supermoon effect: When the full Moon occurs near perigee (the Moon’s closest point to Earth in its orbit), it appears larger and brighter than average. In 2025, November’s full Moon was described as a particularly large and bright “supermoon.” [web results indicate Beaver Moon / supermoon prominence on Nov 5, 2025]
- Timing and atmospheric conditions: The perceived brightness can also be enhanced by low atmospheric interference (clear skies, low humidity, and low light pollution) and the Moon’s altitude above the horizon. Observing conditions can intensify the Moon’s apparent brightness on any given night. [web results discussing brightness and viewing conditions for bright Moon events]
What to expect next
- The Beaver Moon/supermoon phenomenon has multiple annual occurrences, so similar bright full Moons may occur again in the year, depending on the Moon’s orbit. [web results discussing multiple supermoons in 2025]
- If you’d like, I can pull precise rise/set times for your location and provide a short guide on how to observe the Moon’s features most clearly during a full Moon today or on future dates.
