November's Full Moon is the Beaver Moon, and it's brighting up our skies a little bit more tonight because it's a supermoon.
What is today’s moon phase?
As of Wednesday, Nov. 5, the moon phase is Full Moon. This means 100% of the moon is lit up tonight, according to NASA's Daily Moon Observation.
The moon is so big and bright in the sky tonight, so there's no shortage of features to spot on its surface (cloud coverage dependent). Without any visual aids, you can see things like the Aristarchus Plateau, and the Serenitatis and Crisium Mares. If you have a pair of binoculars you'll also see the Endymion and Posidonius Craters and the Grimaldi Basin. Finally, with a telescope you'll spot the Reiner Gamma and the Rupes Altai (Altai Scarp).
When is the next full moon?
The next full moon will be on Dec. 4.
What are moon phases?
NASA explains that the moon goes through different phases as it travels around Earth over roughly 29.5 days. The phases result from the shifting angles between the Sun, Moon, and Earth. From our viewpoint, the moon can look fully lit, partially lit, or even vanish from sight, though we always see the same side. What changes is the amount of sunlight bouncing off its surface depending on its position in orbit; a repeating pattern called the lunar cycle.
The eight main moon phases are:
New Moon - The moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).
Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).
First Quarter - Half of the moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-moon.
Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.
Full Moon - The whole face of the moon is illuminated and fully visible.
Waning Gibbous - The moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)
Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-moon, but now the left side is lit.
Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.
