Full Moon (Beaver Moon)

The Beaver Moon earned its name from two sources — it was the time when beavers were most actively building their winter dams and lodges, and the time when trappers set their beaver traps to secure pelts before waterways froze solid. Beaver fur was enormously valuable in the 17th and 18th centuries, driving the North American fur trade. Also called the Frost Moon and the Mourning Moon. November's Full Moon rises into increasingly cold, clear nights — the atmosphere is drier than summer, making stars and the Moon itself appear sharper and more brilliant.