“For both the colonists and the Algonquin tribes, this was the time to set beaver traps before the swamps froze, to ensure a supply of warm winter furs,” the Almanac explains.
Different Indigenous tribes also gave the November moon their own distinctive names:
- Deer Rutting Moon — Cheyenne of the Great Plains
- Panther Moon — Choctaw of the Southeast
- Fledgling Hawk Moon — Hopi of the Southwest
- Turkey Moon — Potawatomi of the Great Lakes
- Frost Moon — Assiniboine of the Northern Plains and Creek of the Southeast
The 2025 Lunar Lineup
The Beaver Moon is the second of four consecutive supermoons this cycle:
- Oct. 7 – Harvest/Hunter’s Moon
- Nov. 5 – Beaver Moon
- Dec. 4 – Cold Moon
- Jan. 3, 2026 – Wolf Moon
Each one appears larger and brighter than average, a cosmic treat that happens only three or four times a year. After the Beaver Moon, December’s Cold Moon will close out 2025 as the final supermoon of the year.
For a complete guide to upcoming full moons and their traditional names, visit Sky at Night Magazine.
Don’t Miss the Beaver Moon
Astronomers and astrologers alike are calling this the most photogenic full moon of 2025. “It’s not just about how big it looks,” notes ABC News. “It’s about the light, the mood, and the reminder of how dynamic our sky really is.”
