Calgary 
The final months of 2025 feature a trio of supermoons, and the second of these, the Beaver Moon, will illuminate the sky on November 5, appearing as the year’s brightest and largest full moon.
Why Supermoon
A supermoon occurs when the full moon coincides with its closest point to Earth in its orbit, known as perigee. During its 27-day orbit, the moon’s distance from Earth varies between about 226,000 miles (363,300 km) at perigee and 251,000 miles (405,500 km) at apogee.
On November 5 at 13:19 UTC, the moon will be 356,980 km from Earth, well within the 90 percent range that defines a supermoon. The proximity will make it appear roughly 14 percent larger and up to 30 percent brighter, or about 0.28 magnitude more luminous, compared to when it is farthest away.
While the difference may be subtle to the eye, this supermoon will orbit about 17,000 miles closer than average, producing a noticeable glow strong enough to cast faint shadows.
Why ‘Beaver Moon’
The Beaver Moon, rooted in Indigenous and early North American traditions, marks the time when beavers take shelter in their lodges for winter and when trappers once set their traps before rivers froze.
According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, other traditional names for November’s full moon include the “Digging” or “Scratching Moon” (Tlingit), “Deer Rutting Moon” (Dakota and Lakota), “Whitefish Moon” (Algonquin), “Frost Moon” (Cree and Assiniboine), and “Freezing Moon” (Anishinaabe)—each reflecting seasonal changes and animal activity before winter.
When to See
Peak viewing times in Canada when the moon is 100% full are 5:19 a.m. in Vancouver, 6:19 a.m. in Edmonton, 7:19 a.m. in Regina and Winnipeg, 8:19 a.m. in Toronto and Montreal, and 9:49 a.m. in St. John’s, Halifax, Moncton, and Charlottetown.
However, in Central and Eastern Canada, the moon will set around 7:15 a.m. on November 5, before reaching its peak brightness. As a result, the best viewing times in these regions will be on the night of November 4 and the early hours of November 5.
The final supermoon of 2025 will occur on December 4.
The next supermoon of this brightness will not occur until November 24, 2026.
