The last full moon before winter is set to rise above the UK tonight
16:14, 05 Nov 2025Updated 16:25, 05 Nov 2025
The Met Office has issued its verdict on seeing the Beaver Supermoon in Greater Manchester tonight(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
A celestial phenomenon known as a Beaver Supermoon will appear in the night sky tonight – but when is the best time to see it?
The moon rises at 3:55pm this evening, Wednesday November 5, and it promises to be the brightest and largest full moon of 2025. But the weather conditions here in the UK could affect how visible the supermoon is from different parts of the country.
A supermoon occurs when a full moon coincides with the point in its orbit closest to Earth, known as perigee. The moon’s orbit is not a perfect circle but rather elliptical, meaning its distance from Earth varies throughout the month.
At perigee, the moon is about 220,000 miles away, while at its furthest point, known as apogee, it is around 250,000 miles away.
When the full moon falls within 90% of its closest approach, it is dubbed a supermoon, when the moon can appear up to 14% larger and 30% brighter than typical full moons.
The Beaver Supermoon will be visible in parts of the UK tonight(Image: Getty Images)
Although Wednesday night is set to be fairly dry across the UK, there is likely to be various amounts of cloud cover, affecting people’s opportunity to see the Beaver supermoon.
Exact time to see ‘beaver’ supermoon in Greater Manchester
For those hoping to see the supermoon in Greater Manchester, the Met Office confirmed that the best time, when the skies are the most clear, will be at around 5pm.
There will be “brief windows” for people across the UK to see the Beaver Supermoon as cloud cover ebbs and flows over the country.
For Greater Manchester, the Met Office said: “Around 5pm, skies above Leeds, Manchester, and York are forecast to clear sufficiently to offer a good view of the supermoon.”
This Met Office weather map shows a break in the clouds above Greater Manchester at around 7pm tonight(Image: Met Office)
The full statement reads: “Despite the widespread cloud cover, there will be brief windows of opportunity for keen observers. Around 5pm, skies above Leeds, Manchester, and York are forecast to clear sufficiently to offer a good view of the supermoon.
“Later in the evening, at approximately 11pm, a corridor of cloud is expected to clear from Northwich to Swindon, extending down through Hereford, Worcester, Bristol, and Salisbury, reaching as far south as Bournemouth.
“Those willing to stay up late may be rewarded with a glimpse of the supermoon as it shines through these clearer skies.”
Met Office maps show thick cloud cover above Greater Manchester by 11pm tonight(Image: Met Office)
And the Met Office said a bit of “patience” and “luck” may be required for those in other parts of the country.
The statement concludes: “For those in other parts of the country, patience and a bit of luck may be required. With variable cloud cover, brief breaks may occur, offering fleeting views of the moon. It is advisable to check local forecasts and keep an eye on the sky throughout the evening.”