Annual B&A Trail Planet Walk Slated For May 10

Passing through a 4.7-mile stretch of the B&A Trail between Glen Burnie and Severna Park, bikers, runners and walkers may notice monuments to the sun and each of the planets in our solar system, from Mercury to Pluto. These monuments are erected in proportional distance from the sun, with each mile of the “Planet Walk” that they form representing a distance of 781 million miles in space.

Each year, the Friends of Anne Arundel County Trails hosts a special educational event highlighting the planets at their respective stations; this year’s Planet Walk is scheduled for May 10 and will run from 10:00am to 2:30pm.

Planetary scientists from NASA Goddard, area colleges and astronomy clubs will be on hand at all of the planet stations to provide information and answer astronomical questions.

Following the Planet Walk, an evening program will be held at Anne Arundel Community College (AACC) at 7:00pm. There, Dr. Erwan Mazarico of NASA will speak on “Europa Clipper: NASA's Mission to Jupiter's moon Europa.” At the conclusion of the free lecture, which will take place in the student union dining hall, the AACC observatory will be open to the public for stargazing, weather conditions permitting.

The Planet Walk is free, and parking is available at the lot beside the B&A Trail south of Aquahart Road. The walk continues south along the trail from Aquahart Road to Earleigh Heights Road in Severna Park.

Learn more about the Friends of Anne Arundel County Trails and the group’s events on its Facebook page, www.facebook.com/friendsofannearundelcountytrails.