Pinpointing exactly how many miles the moon is from the earth is probably tricky for most people. All we know it is far. Very, very, very far, and we'll never get there, personally, probably, unless there's a whole new reality show in like half a century, which could happen.
By the way, it's somewhere in the 220,000ish-250,000ish mile range, give or take. We're not going to split hairs.
But, with all the 40th anniversary of Apollo 11 in the news, and with it just there, outside, over our heads, every night, we still consider the moon a friend, something we can know, enjoy, a place we'll never visit but only in our hearts and minds.
And planetariums. A stop at Griffith Park Observatory seems a natural first "moon meet-up" spot for the lunarly inclined. We're particularly interested in a solar eclipse program they have going on on July 21st -- we know, solar doesn't have much if anything to do with lunar -- never the twain shall meet -- but check it out if you're an eclipse aficionado. We know you're out there.
Plenty of sporty and outdoorsy groups do a full-moon hike every month, with the Santa Monica Mountains, Franklin Canyon, and Coldwater Canyon being common destinations. TreePeople is a good starting point if you're looking for like-minded hikers.
But it is hot, this 40th anniversary of Apollo 11. Very hot. We might head to a movie theater for a screening of the newish flick "Moon" with that patootie Sam Rockwell. Bonus: Duncan Jones, David Bowie's son, directs. Looks icy and strange and moon-mad and just what we're needing on a steamy afternoon. Eye showtimes/venues around town.
