Beaver Supermoon 2025: How to watch the year’s biggest and brightest Moon tonight

Beaver Supermoon 2025: Year’s Closest and Brightest Moon to Dazzle Skies on November 5 (Image: Canva)

Stargazers around the world will be in for a treat when the largest and brightest supermoon rises on November 5, 2025. Referred to as the Beaver Supermoon, it shall appear larger and closer than any other full moon this year, so it will be the ideal night for skywatching.

What makes this supermoon special?
The Moon will be aligned with Earth and the Sun, fully lighting up its visible face, and at its closest point to our planet for the year. During this full moon, the Moon will be only 356,980 kilometres away, making it appear larger and brighter in the night sky.  According to astronomers, this distance hasn’t been matched since February 2019, when the Moon came within 356,846 kilometres.

Why do supermoons occur?
Supermoons occur because the Moon orbits Earth in a slightly oval shape. This means that sometimes it's closer to perigee and other times to apogee. The average distance at perigee is around 363,396 kilometres, while at apogee it stretches to 405,504 kilometres. Only when a full or new Moon coincides with perigee is it called a supermoon.

What can skywatchers expect?
The full Moon will rise as the Sun sets, creating a beautiful display for those with telescopes or cameras. The Beaver Supermoon will glow with extra brilliance and size, providing one of the best lunar views of the year. For those who miss it, December’s full Moon — called the Cold Supermoon—will offer another chance, though it will be slightly farther away at 357,219 kilometres.

As the Moon lights up the November sky, it reminds us of our place in the cosmos and offers a moment of calm for anyone looking up from Earth’s busy surface.