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LUNAR ECLIPSE WATCH
Come to Mason Neck State Park for the Park's Lunar Trifecta on the evening of January 20! That's the date of a total lunar eclipse, a Super Moon (when the moon is closer than normal to the earth and appears bigger and brighter) and the first full moon of the year. Don't miss your chance to see the last total eclipse until May 26, 2021, more than two years from now. The Northern Virginia Astronomy Club will be there with telescopes and binoculars so you can get a great view of the "Blood Moon" that becomes visible during a total eclipse. The Park's flyer on the Lunar Eclipse Watch is here: %20(002).jpg)
The Eclipse watch will take place from 9 PM on January 20 until 1 AM on January 21. The Earth's penumbra, or outer edge of its shadow, will begin to cross the moon at 9:36 and the partial eclipse will begin at 10:43. The total eclipse will last from 12:12 to 12:43 AM.
The Friends of Mason Neck State Park will provide hot chocolate, and the Visitor Center will be open so you can come inside and warm up. And the following day is Martin Luther King day, when many of you will be off work, so you can sleep in a little after your evening out.
The Friends of Mason Neck State Park is a Section 501(c)(3) organization that works to conserve, enhance, and interpret the Park's natural, educational, recreational, cultural and historic resources. We assist the Park Staff in implementing its programs and activities such as the annual Eagle Festival, shoreline cleanups, and outreach events. We also sponsor special events such as our annual Owl Moon and Holiday Party, help guide canoe and kayaking trips and lead hikes.
To learn about our upcoming and recent activities, go to our News Page.
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LUNARE ECLIPSE WATCH
The Friends of Mason Neck State Park are doing their part to slow the production and disposal of plastics. Plastic bottles take as long as 450 years to decompose in the environment. Before they do, they break down into "micro-plastic" bits that are eaten by animals and can end up in our own bodies. On land, plastic adversely affects soil fertility, and can choke our streams and rivers.
The Friends of Mason Neck State Park have stopped offering disposable water bottles to Park volunteers and at Friends events. Instead, they are offering free multi-use bottles that recipients can take home with them. Hopefully, people will use these bottles instead of buying more disposable ones.
Mason Neck State Park also is committed to reducing the use of disposable plastic bottles and has installed water bottle filling stations at the Visitor Center and the picnic area.
Do your part too: find ways to limit your use of disposable plastics, including those grocery store bags that have a typical useful life of 15 minutes -- the time to get from store to home -- and take 1000 years to decompose in a landfill.
Mason Neck State Park is located on the Mason Neck peninsula in southeastern Fairfax County, Virginia. The Park's wetlands, forest, water, ponds, and fields are home to a variety of wildlife, including bald eagles, osprey, geese, ducks, swans, and other birds living on or near the Potomac River, Kane's Creek, and Belmont Bay.
The Park has hiking trails, three miles of paved multi-use trails, a large picnic area, a playground, a car-top canoe and kayak launch, and a visitor center. Canoe, kayak, and bicycle rentals are available.
