The last supermoon of the year will peak along with the Leonid meteor shower

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November’s full moon, also known as the beaver moon, will shine brightly in the sky on Friday as the last supermoon of the year.

For sky watchers observing the golden orb this weekend, the Leonid meteor shower could provide a dazzling bonus feature as it peaks Saturday night into early Sunday, according to American Meteor Society.

The beaver moon — named as a nod to the animal’s hibernation and thicker fur this time of year — will reach the peak of its full phase at 4:29 p.m. ET Friday, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac. But the moon will appear full to the naked eye about a day before and after its peak, said Noah Petro, director of NASA’s Planetary Geology, Geophysics and Geochemistry Laboratory.

“There is a moment in time when the moon is at its fullestbut if it’s cloudy or you’re in a hurry, you can go out at a different time either the day before, later in the evening or the following day, you’ll still see the beauty that is the full moon,” said Petro.

A supermoon occurs when the moon’s full phase coincides with its perigee, its closest approach to Earth in its orbit, according to NASAwhich makes the moon appear slightly larger and brighter than average.

November’s full moon is it fourth supermoon in a row this year and will be slightly further away than October’s full moon, which was the closest moon in 2024 and was captured in images all over the world.

But the Beaver Moon could still offer a clear sight to see. Petro recommends watching the moon as it rises for a chance to see a “moon illusion” as it climbs above the horizon, where the supermoon could look even bigger than usual.

Scientists don’t really know why this optical illusion occurs, but it’s thought to be the result of a combination of how our brain processes visual information and the size of the moon compared to smaller objects near the horizon, such as trees or house roofs.

In addition to observations from Earth, current space missions such as NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiterwhich has been collecting data on the moon since 2009, is helping to improve our understanding of the moon, Petro said.

“We are still mapping the moon. We are still uncovering its secrets,” he said. it is this little spacecraft that stages our view of the moon and its history. .”

Local weather conditions permitting, those in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres will be able to see the Beaver Moon and may also spot a Leonid meteor burning brightly in the night sky.

How to see the Leonids

The Leonid meteor shower tends to produce 15 meteors an hour during its peak, but because of the moon’s full brightness, which will inhibit visibility of fainter meteors, viewing conditions may only offer about five meteors an hour this weekend, Robert said Lunsford, the fireball report coordinator for the American Meteor Society.

For patient skywatchers looking to spy a meteor, Lunsford recommends facing east with the moon out of your line of sight.

“Look halfway up the sky, as most meteors will appear in the lower half of the sky,” Lunsford said in an email. “Look as late as possible, as more Leonids will be seen before dawn than near midnight.”

For amateur astronomers who want to get involved in data collection about space objects, Lunsford pointed to online fireball report forms that can help scientists study meteor shower activity, such as one from the International Meteorological Organization.

“From these reports, astronomers get a better idea of ​​when Earth encounters these meteors and the strength of this activity,” he added. “This allows them to produce more accurate predictions for future Leonid showers.”

Upcoming Heavenly Events

The last full moon in 2024 will be the cold moon on December 15, according to Farmer’s Almanac.

The Leonids will be seen blazing in the night sky until the shower’s end on December 2, according to American Meteor Society. If you’re eager to see more, top two upcoming meteor showers next month:

Geminids: December 12-13

Watch faces: December 21-22

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