LAHORE: Pakistan, on Wednesday evening, experienced its first supermoon of 2025, known as the Beaver Moon, as this stunning celestial event lit up the skies across the country and around the globe.
Reaching its peak illumination at 6:19 PM local time, the Beaver Supermoon was the closest, largest, and brightest full moon of the year. According to the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco), it was positioned 356,980 kilometers (221,817 miles) from Earth, making it appear 7.9% larger and 16% brighter than an average full moon due to its proximity at perigee.
Suparco explained that a supermoon occurs when a full moon coincides with the closest point to Earth in its elliptical orbit. This November phenomenon is the second in a sequence of three consecutive supermoons, following October’s and preceding December’s. While the differences in size and brightness may not be obvious to the naked eye, the event still offers a rare and captivating spectacle in the night sky.
Supermoons typically occur three to four times a year, depending on the alignment of the moon’s perigee and full phase.
The name “Beaver Moon” originates from North American traditions and colonial folklore, signifying the time when people would set beaver traps before the swamps froze. The term “Beaver” also refers to the large, semiaquatic rodents known for their ability to gnaw through trees to build dams.
Earlier, a NASA spokesperson noted that while a supermoon isn’t physically larger, its closeness to Earth makes it appear up to 14% bigger and 30% brighter than a full moon at its farthest point.
