Today:
Today the Full Moon rises at 4:18 PM. November’s Full Moon is known as the “Beaver” Moon. It gets its name from the Algonquin tribes of the northeast, though its meaning is uncertain. It could be the time of trapping beavers for their furs for the winter ahead, or when beavers themselves are preparing their lodges for the coming season. It is also the closest Full Moon of the year, a so-called “supermoon” on social media. It’s a non-scientific, but fun term to describe our changing Moon.
Thursday:
The first of two minor meteor showers is near its peak tonight, known as the Southern Taurid Meteor Shower, to distinguish it from the Northern Taurids next week. This meteor shower remains active from late September through early December, tossing 5 to 10 meteors per hour across the heavens, some blazing a path as brighter, more dramatic fireballs. The bright Moon, unfortunately, makes seeing them more challenging.
Friday:
The Waning Gibbous Moon rises just east of northeast, just before 6:00 PM, and appears just to the right of the star Elnath, which marks the tip of Taurus, the Bull’s upper or right horn. This makes the star quite challenging to see. A little farther up and toward the northeast, appears Capella, the brightest star within Auriga, and the fourth brightest star in the northern (celestial) hemisphere.