Shortly after Halloween, stargazers in Indiana will be treated to perhaps the largest and brightest supermoon of 2025.
The full Beaver supermoon is making a splash the first week of November. According to EarthSky, the moon will be at its closest to Earth all year, making it especially bright to behold.
What date is the full moon in November 2025?
Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025, is when the moon reaches peak illumination.
Dates of the moon’s phases in November
Why is it called the Beaver Moon?
The Beaver Moon takes its name from early Native American tribes as well as American colonists, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, when beavers begin sheltering in their lodges after gathering enough food to last the winter. Fur trappers, the almanac stated, used this time to hunt beavers for their pelts.
November’s full moon also known as the ‘Frost Moon’
Other names for November’s full moon from Native American tribes include the Whitefish Moon, the Deer Rutting Moon, and Frost Moon.
Story continues after photo gallery.
What is a supermoon?
November’s full moon will be especially bright and shine for days, even though the “super” in supermoon often has more to do with its proximity to Earth and less, some say, than how it looks in size.
“Supermoons happen when a new moon or a full moon coincides with perigee,” writes NASA, which means the moon is at its closest point to Earth all month.
That’s because of how the moon orbits our planet.
Why do we have supermoons?
“The moon’s orbit around the earth is not a circle but an ellipse,” explained Dr. Catherine Pilachowski in an earlier message to IndyStar.
Pilachowski, who serves as professor of Astronomy at Indiana University, said the moon’s distance from earth changes throughout the year.
“When the full moon coincides with the moon at perigee we have a supermoon,” Pilachowski said.
November’s supermoon will be closest all year
November’s supermoon will be especially bright because it will be the closest full moon all year, which, to be fair, is nearly over with.
Even so, November’s supermoon will be more than 2,000 miles closer than it was in October, at a total distance of 221,823 miles from Earth, according to NASA.
How big are supermoons?
Supermoons can appear up to 14% larger and 30% brighter than the faintest moon of the year.
Visually, that might not leave much of an impression, but the proximity of a supermoon has an effect on Earth, causing higher tides than normal.
Will skies be clear in Indianapolis, Indiana, during the supermoon?
While it’s still too early for the National Weather Service in Indianapolis to give its forecast for Nov. 5, AccuWeather is reporting skies around Central Indiana are expected to be cloudy with lows in the low 40s.
Midwest weather tends to be fickle, of course, so keep an eye on the forecast the closer we get to Nov. 5.
What does the moon rise in November 2025 for Indianapolis, Indiana?
Moonrise for the Indianapolis area will happen by roughly 5:27 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 5, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, crossing the meridian at 12:03 a.m. before setting at 7:29 a.m. Thursday.
What time is the full moon Nov. 5, 2025?
The moon will shine its brightest when it reaches peak illumination at 8:19 A.M. EST, Nov. 5, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.
You can check moonrise and moonset times for your zip code by visiting the Old Farmer’s Almanac online.
Orionids meteor shower continues into November
The Orionids meteor shower, which stem from Hailey’s Comet, peaked Oct. 21 but will stretch on for another few weeks until Nov. 22.
Astronomers say late October is still best time to watch these meteors, which can streak by at 20 per hour.
Need help finding stars, planets and constellations? Try these free astronomy apps
The following free astronomy apps can help you locate stars, planets, and constellations.
Indiana’s best places to stargaze
If possible, head to Beverly Shores, near Gary, which is an International Dark Sky location and therefore an excellent place for stargazing.
You can also travel to Kemil Beach at Indiana Dunes State Park and Dr. T.K. Lawless County Park in Michigan, which also are designated dark sky locations, according to DarkSky International.
Remaining full moons in 2025
How to stargaze in Indiana, or anywhere
Experts recommend you do the following to get the most out of the experience:
John Tufts covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip at JTufts@Gannett.com. Find him on BlueSky at JohnWritesStuff.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: When is the next full moon? November supermoon could be brightest, largest of 2025
Reporting by John Tufts, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
