With November 2020 approaching, sky observers will receive a double treat, a partial lunar eclipse while the “early moon” will shine in the early morning sky.
Beaver Moon – as the nickname is because this is the time of year when Beavers build their winter dams in preparation for the cold winter – will reach its full stage on Monday morning, November 30, at 4:30 a.m. Eastern time. So it will look bigger and brighter in the sky on Sunday nights and Tuesday nights – assuming the clouds won’t block your view.
(Unfortunately, a heavy rainstorm is expected in the New Jersey area on Monday, and it extends to early Tuesday.)
Partial lunar eclipse
Due to the lunar eclipse early Monday morning, there will be a partial lunar eclipse – known as a penumbral eclipse. While it’s not as dramatic as a total lunar eclipse, experts say it could be visible to sky watchers here in New Jersey and other parts of North America.
An eclipse on Earth occurs when the moon passes through the Earth’s shadow or the outer part of the penumbra, and a portion of the sun’s rays are blocked from shining on the moon at that time, according to astronomers at EarthSky.org.
“It will take 4 hours and 21 minutes for the moon to move towards the pale outer fringe (penumbra) of Earth’s shadow,” says Joe Rao, an astronomy author at Space.com, on Monday morning.
Rao notes that, about 20 minutes before the deepest phase of the eclipse, you will see some evidence of this circular miniature spray on the upper edge of the moon. “This corresponds to EST around 4:22 in the morning; 3:22 p.m. CST; 2:22 am MT and 1:22 am PST. ”
If this were a full lunar eclipse instead of a partial one, the whole moon would soon be darkened and give a reddish-orange color.
By the way, it’s completely safe to watch a lunar eclipse with a telescope, binoculars or your own eyes. No special filters are required.
The full moon of November 2020 is coming soon, and its nickname is “Beaver Moon”.Bruno Glets | Pixabay
Origin of the nickname Beaver Moon
The nickname “Beaver Moon” comes from the Algonquin Native American tribes and American colonists, who nicknamed each full moon based on weather conditions, farming routines, and hunting trends at that time of year.
Some publications, such as TimeEndDate.com, say that the November moon got its name “after the Beavers, which closed the winter at this time of year.”
The farmer’s almanac says the nickname may have been derived from beavers preparing for winter in November, but notes that it may have something to do with predators. “This time it was time to set up beaver traps to ensure the supply of warm winter furs,” the release said.
Other nicknames for the full November moon
Like other full moons throughout the year, the full moon of November has produced a few different nicknames over time.
In addition to the popular “Beaver Moon” moniker, the full moon in November has been made “Hunter Moon”, “Shock Moon”, “Reed Moon” and “Snow Moon” – in terms of cooling weather. During this month.
The full moon in December is commonly known as the “cold moon” due to the cold winter air.Pixabay
The final full moon of 2020
If you don’t get a chance to see the full moon in November, you can see the full “cold moon” in December.
The moon will officially reach its full phase on Tuesday, December 29 at 10:28 PM Eastern Time, so it will appear larger than the night before (December 28) and the next two nights (December 30 and December 31).
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