The hunter’s moon seen above Buona Vista on Oct 17. The beaver moon will be the last supermoon people in Singapore will see for about a year. - ST
SINGAPORE: On Nov 15, celestial gazers and photography enthusiasts in Singapore will have their eyes firmly fixed on the night sky to catch a glimpse of 2024’s last supermoon.
Called the beaver moon, it will be the fourth supermoon of 2024 since the sturgeon moon lit up the Singapore evening skies in August.
It will also be the last supermoon people in Singapore will see for about a year, until the next one appears around October 2025, said the Science Centre Singapore observatory, in response to queries from The Straits Times.
Why is it called the beaver moon and what makes it special?
The observatory said that each full moon is given a unique name depending on the month – with the ones appearing in November traditionally called the beaver moon.
However, 2024’s beaver moon is significant because it also qualifies as a supermoon, which means it will appear larger and brighter because of its closer proximity to Earth.
It comes after the hunter’s moon in October, which was also a supermoon.
The name “beaver moon” has its roots in Native American and early European settler traditions, which used names for full moons to mark seasonal changes.
November’s full moon was said to be named after the increased activity of beavers as they prepared for winter by building dams and storing food.
Supermoons are not rare and occur as a regular part of the Moon’s orbit around Earth, said Nasa research scientist Dennis Gallagher, according to a Nov 12 post on a US National Aeronautics and Space Administration blog called Watch the Skies.
How close will it be?
On Nov 15, the Moon will reach a distance of about 360,000km from Earth. This is notably closer than the average lunar distance of 384,400km, which means the moon will appear larger and more luminous than usual.
However, the observatory added that the Moon’s distance from Earth can fluctuate as it orbits, and that in turn might affect how big it appears.
When and where to see it in Singapore?
In Singapore, the beaver moon is expected to rise at about 6.45pm on Nov 15 and reach an ideal viewing height a little after 7pm.
For the best views, look for an open area with a clear line of sight to the horizon, just after sunset, although weather conditions will have a bearing on visibility. - The Straits Times/ANN
