Blue Moon in Old Town

Did you know there's a blue moon rising this Friday? Let's go check it out!

http://en.es-static.us/upl/2012/09/moon_8-31-2012_Priya_Kumar_Muscat_Masqat_Oman-e1346499658830.jpeg

They're not as rare as you might think from the expression, but the last one was back on 31 August 2012, and the next one won't be until 2018!

Friday's blue moon will rise in the east south-east (ESE; 106 degrees) at 8:23 pm DST and pass the local meridian at 12:57 am, 35.5 degrees above the horizon.

There are a couple of definitions for a Blue Moon: the more modern definition is the second of two full moons in a single calendar month, which is what we'll be seeing; while an older definition of Blue Moon is that it's the third of four full moons in a single season.

Will Friday's moon actually be blue? It's hard to predict, but probably not, since it depends upon having just the right-sized particles of dust or smoke in the atmosphere.

The route: From the bike rack across Diagonal Road from King Street Station parking lot, we’ll walk southeast to Duke Street and follow it east to S. Fayette Street. At Fayette Street we'll turn right and walk to Wilkes Street, where we'll turn left and follow Wilkes Street to the waterfront, arriving at about 8:10 pm. From there we'll walk north along the waterfront to Tidelock Park, where we'll turn around and walk back along the waterfront to King Street, arriving about 9:00 pm. At King Street we'll turn right and walk west along King Street back to our starting point, arriving about 9:30 pm. Anywhere along our route, folks can split off as inclined for a late snack or to walk directly to their final destinations, as desired. It's all good!

The walk is 5.2 miles of smiles and should take about 2 hours. The surface is mostly paved throughout and fairly level.

Google map: http://tinyurl.com/pte2p47

How to get there:

• Metro: King Street Station is on the Blue and Yellow Lines.

• Driving: From I-395, take VA-7 / King Street east about 2.8 miles. Take the first right after passing under the railroad (Daingerfield Street), and an immediate right onto Diagonal Road. From US-1 / Richmond Highway, follow King Street west 0.5 miles, take a sharp left onto Daingerfield, and the first right onto Diagonal Road. Parking is kind of hard to find on a Friday evening. Arrive early and you can find free parallel parking a couple blocks north of King Street, or on Commonwealth Ave west of the railroad tracks.

What to bring: Water, comfy shoes, and your furry friend if desired (leashes required; barking/howling optional). Insect repellent is optional. Sunset is at 8:21 pm, and twilight ends about 30 minutes later, so a flashlight might be handy. However, most of our route is well-lit, so it's not really a requirement.

Weather: The forecast is sunny and clear, with a high temperature of 93 degrees. Updates here: http://tinyurl.com/njo3ngq

Advisory: As a reminder, this is an adult group, and you are ultimately responsible for your own safety and well-being during events. No one under 18 years of age is permitted in this group.

Administrative stuff: There are restrooms at several commercial establishments along our route. Please see the Google map.

Notes:

Blue moon info at EarthSky.org: http://tinyurl.com/lxabaso

Image: Desert Blue Moon, by Priya Kumar , August, 2012, via EarthSky.org (http://earthsky.org/space/when-is-the-next-blue-moon).