The October full moon, often called the Hunter Moon, is expected to peak in the Lower Mainland on Oct. 25 at 9:11 p.m., with November and December bringing supermoons.
The Story
A full moon will brighten Metro Vancouver skies next week and will be among the year’s final full moons, with October’s full moon described as the last seemingly regular-sized one before November and December’s supermoons.
According to timeanddate.com, the October full moon will be at its fullest in the Lower Mainland on Oct. 25 at 9:11 p.m. October’s full moon is commonly called the “Hunter Moon” because it occurred when people hunted to prepare for a long winter.
The October full moon is also sometimes referred to as the Sanguine or Blood Moon, with one explanation linking the name to “the blood from hunting” or to the “turning of the leaves in autumn.”
The Old Farmer’s Almanac says Indigenous Peoples would give distinctive names to each recurring full moon to mark changing seasons.
Unlike the October “Hunter Moon,” the Harvest Moon name depends on how close the full moon falls to the fall equinox. The October full moon was described as a “full harvest moon” last year because it fell closer to the fall equinox on Sept. 22 than the September full moon.
This year, the September moon—known popularly as the full “corn” moon—lit the sky on Sept. 26, placing it closer to the autumn event, meaning the “Harvest Moon” designation could fall in September or October depending on timing.
Cloud cover is the main factor that could affect viewing. The story recommends using Environment Canada’s online cloud prediction tool to check when the sky may be clear.
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