The November 15 supermoon is the last one for 2024 (Credit: Alok Kumar/ CC-BY-SA-3.0/ Wikimedia Commons)

Full moons are always a stunning sight, but the one on November 15, 2024, promises to be even more spectacular. It will be the last of four consecutive supermoons, following August's Blue Moon, September's Harvest Moon, and October's Hunter Moon. After this, the next supermoon will not occur until October 7, 2025.

Supermoons are usually about seven percent bigger and 14 percent brighter than the average full moon. They occur when the full moon coincides with the lunar perigee — the Moon's closest point to Earth in orbit. On November 15, 2024, the Moon will be about 224,853 miles (361,866 km) from Earth. This is a few thousand miles farther than the November 2016 supermoon which, at 221,524 miles (356,508 km), was the closest seen in recent history. However, it will still be breathtaking.

The distance between the Moon and Earth varies due to the Moon's elliptical orbit. This alternately brings our satellite closer to and farther from our planet. The farthest point in this orbit is known as the apogee. It places the Moon at a distance of about 253,000 miles (407,164 km) from Earth. In contrast at perigee, the Moon comes to within 226,000 miles (363,711 km) of Earth.

The November full moon is often called the Beaver Moon. According to The Old Farmer's Almanac, this name refers to the time of year that beavers take shelter in their lodges for the long winter ahead. During North America's fur trade era, it was also the season to trap the animals for their thick, winter-ready coats. Other names for the November full moon include the Frost Moon, the Freezing Moon, and the Digging Moon.

The Old Farmer's Almanac has named every full moon (Credit: Scott Sutherland/ NASA/ Public Domain)

Some people believe that a supermoon’s proximity to Earth can cause earthquakes or tidal waves. However, scientists have found no evidence to support this claim. Instead, they encourage taking advantage of the rare opportunity to capture stunning photographs of the event — and to reflect on how fortunate we are to call this beautiful planet home.

Resources: Earthsky.org, USAtoday.com, Space.com