This weekend stargazers will be treated to a double feature in the sky. The Beaver moon, the last supermoon of the year, will be at its fullest on Friday at 4:29 p.m. ET. Supermoons occur when the moon is closest to Earth in its orbit, making it appear larger and brighter. The name “beaver moon” comes from the time of year when beavers begin hibernation, as well as the winter trapping season for beaver pelts. Spectators might witness a “moon illusion” where the supermoon appears even bigger due to an optical illusion.
In addition to the Beaver moon, the Leonid meteor shower will be visible this weekend. The best viewing period will be on Saturday night into Sunday morning, with the shower continuing until December 2. Other upcoming celestial events include the last full moon of 2024 on December 15, the Geminid meteor shower on December 12-13, and the Ursid meteor shower on December 21-22. The Leonid meteor shower peaks this weekend, and will be visible until December 2. Supermoons are not an official astronomical term, but the term is used to describe a full moon that comes within at least 90 percent of perigee, or the moon’s closest approach to Earth in its elliptical orbit.
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