You “Wood”n’t Want To Miss North Dakota’s Next Beaver Supermoon

We have one final "supermoon" of 2024 and it's coming soon to the North Dakota skies.

According to NASA, skywatchers in North Dakota will be able to see the full Beaver Moon starting at 3:20 p.m. this Friday, November 15th.

This full moon will be extra special as it will be the final Supermoon of 2024, meaning it will appear larger and brighter than normal.

How much larger and brighter will this Supermoon be? The math works out to about 14% and 30%.

14% bigger and 30% brighter than a micromoon.

Supermoons occur as the moon rotates around the Earth in an oval shape, not in a perfect circle. Because of this, there are points in the rotation that are closer to Earth than normal.  This is called a perigee. At this point, the moon is 226,000 miles from Earth.

The farthest point the moon is from Earth is called an apogee (micromoon). At this point, the moon is about 253,000 miles from Earth.

Why is the November full moon called a "Beaver" full moon?

Again, according to NASA, its origins have to do with folklore from Native Americans and European culture. One thought is that November is when beavers fortify their dens and dams for the winter and stockpile their food.

November was also the best time to trap beavers for their thick winter pelts, perfect for winter-ready clothing.

So, if you are out and about in the wee hours this weekend, take a gander to the sky and take in the final Supermoon of the year. Again, you "wood"n't want to miss it.