Beaver Moon: How to Enjoy the Immense Full Moon in November This Weekend

In the middle of the month, we will witness a magnificent full moon, reminiscent of the ancient custom of regulating hunting, harvest, and navigation periods by the phases of the satellite.

As we approach November 16, we will see the Moon growing larger in the sky until that midnight when it reaches a splendid luminous circle that technically won't be a supermoon, but will still be a visual spectacle that no one will want to miss.

This is known as the Beaver Moon, a name acquired from the custom of Native American tribes - and later adopted by European settlers - to set traps to catch these rodents before the lakes and rivers froze.

Although our calendar is predominantly solar, for centuries the Moon has regulated the lives of many communities. Learning its phases was vital for understanding the cycles of tides, the ideal times for planting or pruning, and organizing sea voyages. Therefore, the arrival of the full moon in November marked the prelude to winter in Native American cultures, when it was crucial to capture as many beavers as possible before the animals retreated to their wooden shelters and did not emerge until the waters thawed.

Let's remember that between the 18th and 19th centuries, beaver fur was highly valuable, as in Europe it was used to make felt hats, while the natives needed it to make their coats. The importance grew so much that companies like Hudson's Bay Company and North West Company came to monopolize much of the fur trade to the Old Continent.

The November full moon is also known by the poetic name of Frost Moon, as it heralds the decline in temperatures and the appearance of the first frosts that leave a white coating on the ground and plants.

On Saturday, November 9, the Moon was in the waxing crescent phase, leading up to full moon on Friday, the 15th to Saturday, the 16th. Then, day by day (or rather, night by night) it will decrease in brightness until it appears as a waning crescent on Saturday, the 23rd.

On the 15th, the Moon will appear shortly before 5:00 PM (the time varies depending on the location), and on the 16th, it will rise shortly after 5:30 PM, meaning it will not be possible to see it as a luminous disk emerging from the horizon. However, as it coincides with sunset, it will be possible to see it in its fullness a couple of hours later.

However, as surprising as its brightness might be, it technically won't be a supermoon. This term is usually used when the satellite is at perigee, that is, at the closest point in its orbit to Earth, less than 362,000 km away. In this case, the closest approach to our planet will be at midnight on November 15, when it is at 360,312 km. But by a narrow margin, with a brightness of 99%, it is technically considered a gibbous waxing moon. By the time it shines at 100% on the night of Saturday the 16th and becomes a true full moon, it will already be over 362,000 km away, slowly moving away from us.

But patience is needed, because the next full moon, arriving on December 15, will indeed be a magnificent supermoon when the celestial body approaches 357,000 km. At night, its brightness could be 7% to 15% more intense than usual.

Surely everyone, whether pondering the Beaver Moon or the supermoon in December, will want to immortalize it with their phone, but they will be disappointed when the screen shows a smaller white dot. This is because there is an optical illusion known as 'moon illusion', which is due to a couple of factors.

One is visual perspective, as there are objects such as trees or buildings near the horizon that provide a frame of reference making the Moon appear larger. The other is the effect of the atmosphere, which acts like a lens and distorts the size we perceive (similar to the sun at dawn and dusk). Therefore, if we want to capture its magic, it is suggested to use long focal length lenses or telephoto lenses that play with the trick of making the Moon appear larger in comparison to the landscape elements.