Full moon and stars

I headed out with the running group a little after 6pm this evening, and as we walked across the frozen parking lot at Cornerstone Fitness in Manchester, a full moon rose in the sky in front of us. The moon hovered just over the top of the Green Mountains, and it lit up the ground almost as well as our headlamps.

1.25 miles later we turned onto Bonnet Street, and once again saw the full moon, this time a bit higher in the sky and surrounded by bright stars. One of the many benefits of living in a small town in southwestern Vermont is the lack of light pollution. Even though we were running in the middle of town where street lamps light the sidewalks, we could still see the moon and stars against the black sky. My sister who lives in Houston always comments on how dark it is in Vermont at night, and also on the number of stars. She rarely sees the stars in Houston because of all the lights from the city.

The moon was again right in front of me as I drove up East Manchester Road toward home. There are no streetlights in this part of town, yet the clear night, bright stars and full moon made it easy to see the road. I was tempted to turn off my car's headlights and drive the 1/3 mile down our dead-end dirt road with only the moon to guide me. I followed the rules and left the headlights on, but after I parked the car I stood outside in the darkness for a few moments, enjoying the night sky and the shadows cast by the moon.

Thank you, running group, for the opportunity to experience this wonderful night!