The Beaver Moon is the name for November's full moon. In 2026, the Beaver Moon is full on Tuesday, November 24, at 9:53 AM Eastern Time. It's a supermoon in Gemini ♊︎ and the second-closest full moon of the year, falling two days before Thanksgiving. Because beavers spend this part of the year finishing their lodges and storing food for winter, many practitioners use the Beaver Moon for blessing the home, finishing projects, and getting ready for the cold months.
When Is the Beaver Moon in 2026?
The November 2026 full moon is on Tuesday, November 24, at 9:53 AM Eastern Standard Time. That moment falls in daylight across most of the US, so the evenings of November 23 and 24 are the best times to look. The moon will look full to the eye from about November 23 through November 25, so any of those nights works for moon watching or ritual.
Here's the exact moment of the full moon in each US time zone:
- Eastern: 9:53 AM, Tuesday, November 24.
- Central: 8:53 AM, Tuesday, November 24.
- Mountain: 7:53 AM, Tuesday, November 24.
- Pacific: 6:53 AM, Tuesday, November 24.
- Alaska: 5:53 AM, Tuesday, November 24.
- Hawaii: 4:53 AM, Tuesday, November 24.
Is the Beaver Moon a Supermoon in 2026?
Yes, the 2026 Beaver Moon is a supermoon, meaning the full moon happens near the Moon's closest point to Earth, so it looks a little bigger and brighter than usual. It will be about 224,169 miles away, and only December's Cold Moon comes closer in 2026. It's the first of four supermoons in a row from November 2026 to February 2027, and our supermoon guide lists the other three.
When Is the Next Beaver Moon?
The next Beaver Moon after this one is on Saturday, November 13, 2027, at 10:26 PM Eastern Time. Our full moon names guide lists every full moon through the end of 2027.
What Is a Beaver Moon?
A Beaver Moon is the full moon in November, named for the time of year when beavers get ready for winter. In 2026, it's the last full moon of autumn, because December's full moon falls after the solstice, and it's the twelfth of 13 full moons this year.
Why Is It Called the Beaver Moon?
The Beaver Moon is named for beavers preparing for winter and for the trappers who followed them. The Old Farmer's Almanac points to beavers taking shelter in their lodges and to the fur trade, when this was the season to trap them for their thick winter pelts. The Farmers' Almanac adds that trappers set their traps before the rivers iced over.
The name has been in print for more than two centuries. The explorer Jonathan Carver recorded a list of lunar months in 1778 that included a "Beaver" moon, and later almanacs spread the full set. The history of full moon names explains how those lists were passed along.
Other Names for the November Full Moon
The November full moon is also called the Frost Moon and the Mourning Moon, both listed by the Farmers' Almanac. The Frost Moon points to the first hard frosts of the season.
Almanacs often describe full moon names as Native American, but the real story is more complicated. Many Native nations have their own names for the moons of the year, and those names are best learned from the nations themselves. Our full moon names guide explains more.
Beaver Moon Spiritual Meaning
The spiritual meaning of the Beaver Moon is preparation, home, and finishing what you started. Beavers build lodges and dams and store food for winter, so many practitioners use this full moon to take care of the practical and spiritual work that gets a household through the cold months.
Here's how many people work with the Beaver Moon:
- Protecting the home: The beaver's lodge makes this a natural time to bless your home and refresh any protection work at the doors and windows.
- Finishing projects: Full moons are a traditional time for completion, so many people use this one to wrap up what they've left unfinished before the holidays.
- Stocking up: Many people use it to fill their herb jars, candle drawers, and pantry shelves, whether that means a big shop or one jar of something you love.
- Working together: Beaver families repair their dams and lodges as a group, so this is a good time for family or coven projects.
- Gratitude: Falling so close to Thanksgiving in 2026, this full moon suits giving thanks for what you've already gathered this year.
The Beaver Moon in Gemini in 2026
The November 2026 full moon is in Gemini ♊︎, the sign of communication, curiosity, and short trips, which makes it a good time for conversations, writing, and learning. The sun is in Sagittarius ♐︎, the sign of big ideas and travel, so this full moon highlights the balance between the details in front of you and the bigger picture.
- Good day for: honest conversations, journaling, finishing paperwork, reaching out to family, and spell work that uses written or spoken words.
- Watch out for: gossip, overthinking, a scattered schedule, and holiday travel mix-ups.
Gemini is ruled by Mercury ☿︎, and this full moon falls six days before Mercury leaves its post-retrograde shadow on November 30, so it's worth double-checking travel plans and messages. Our astrology chart for today shows where all the planets are at the moment of the full moon.
Beaver Moon Rituals and Things to Do
The best Beaver Moon rituals are practical ones: bless your home, finish one project, make moon water, or set a candle in the window. Here's a simple ritual to start with, followed by more ideas.
A Beaver Moon Ritual to Finish the Season and Protect Your Home
This short Beaver Moon ritual helps you finish one thing and bless your home for the winter. It takes about 20 minutes.
You'll need: a brown chime candle, a heatproof holder, a small bowl of water, paper, and a pen.
- Choose your spot. Sit near a window where you can see the moon, or near your front door if you can't.
- Light the candle. Set it in the holder and take a few slow breaths.
- Name one thing to finish. Write down one project, task, or conversation you want to finish before winter.
- Name what you want to protect. Underneath, write what you want your home to keep safe through the cold months.
- Say the words. Hold the paper in the candlelight and say the verse below.
- Bless your home. Dip your fingers in the water and touch it to your front door and windowsills.
- Keep the paper. Fold it and keep it on your altar until the next full moon on December 23, and cross off the task when it's done.
Beaver Moon, rising bright,
Bless this home and hold it tight.
What I started, I will end;
What I love, I will defend.
Let the candle burn while you're in the room, and snuff it out before you go to bed.
How to Make Beaver Moon Water
Beaver Moon water is water charged under the November full moon. Set a lidded jar of water under the moonlight overnight, then decide whether you'll drink it or keep it for spellwork:
- To drink it, start with water that's safe to drink, boil it for 1 minute the next morning, let it cool, and keep it in the refrigerator.
- For spellwork, preserve it with an equal amount of 80-proof vodka, or 3 parts vegetable glycerin to 1 part water, and label it "not for drinking."
Our guide to moon water covers both methods step by step.
More Ways to Spend the Beaver Moon
Here are more simple ways to celebrate the November full moon:
- Moon watch. Step outside around sunset on November 24 and look east as the moon rises.
- Clear one shelf. Tidy your altar, your herb jars, or one kitchen shelf so your home is ready for winter.
- Light a gratitude candle. A gratitude votive or any candle you have works well with a few words of thanks before a meal, however simple the meal is.
- Write it down. Use a moon journal to list what you've finished this year and what you still want to finish.
- Charge your stones. Leave moonstone, selenite, or clear quartz on a windowsill in the moonlight.
Our full moon ritual guide has a longer step-by-step ritual that works for any full moon.
Beaver Moon Correspondences
The Beaver Moon's correspondences reflect late autumn and the Gemini moon: brown for the lodge, silver for the frost, and stones and herbs for protection.
- Colors: Brown stands for wood and earth, and silver stands for frost and moonlight.
- Crystals: Moonstone is the classic full moon stone, and selenite carries its glow. Black obsidian suits protection, and clear quartz amplifies any intention.
- Herbs and resins: Rosemary is used for protection and remembrance, and cedar and pine are used for protecting the home.
- Themes: The Beaver Moon's themes are preparation, home, protection, completion, and gratitude.
- Element: Air 🜁 is the element of the Gemini moon, the sign of words and ideas.
How to See the Beaver Moon
The easiest way to see the Beaver Moon is to look east around sunset on Tuesday, November 24, when the moon rises as the sun goes down. It rises low on the horizon, where it looks its largest, then climbs through the night and sets in the west around sunrise. You don't need a telescope.
| City | Moonrise, November 24 | Sunset, November 24 |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 4:15 PM | 4:31 PM |
| Chicago | 4:07 PM | 4:23 PM |
| Denver | 4:28 PM | 4:38 PM |
| Los Angeles | 4:42 PM | 4:45 PM |
The Beaver Moon in the Southern Hemisphere
In the Southern Hemisphere, the November full moon is a spring full moon, so many people there use different names. A common approach is to shift the Northern Hemisphere names by six months, which makes the Beaver Moon a May full moon south of the equator. Our full moon names guide explains the Southern Hemisphere names.
Beaver Moon FAQ
When Is the Beaver Moon in 2026?
The Beaver Moon is on Tuesday, November 24, 2026, at 9:53 AM Eastern Time. It will look full from about November 23 through November 25.
What Is a Beaver Moon?
A Beaver Moon is the full moon in November, named for the time of year when beavers get ready for winter.
Why Is It Called a Beaver Moon?
It's called the Beaver Moon because beavers are finishing their lodges and storing food for winter in November, and because it was the season for trapping beavers before the water froze.
What Is the November Full Moon Called?
The November full moon is most often called the Beaver Moon. It's also known as the Frost Moon and the Mourning Moon.
What Does the Beaver Moon Mean Spiritually?
The Beaver Moon stands for preparation, home, and finishing what you started. Many practitioners use it to bless their home, complete projects, and get ready for winter.
Is the Beaver Moon a Supermoon in 2026?
Yes. The November 24, 2026, Beaver Moon is a supermoon, the first of four in a row from November 2026 to February 2027.
What Zodiac Sign Is the November 2026 Full Moon In?
The November 2026 full moon is in Gemini, the sign of communication and curiosity, opposite the sun in Sagittarius.
When Is the Next Beaver Moon?
The next Beaver Moon after November 2026 is on Saturday, November 13, 2027, at 10:26 PM Eastern Time.
Featured photo: The Beaver Moon over Mount Zwischen at Great Sand Dunes, November 2024. National Park Service, via Wikimedia Commons.
