Blue Moon Over Silver Lake and Echo Park Friday

Early this week we were gazing moonward, after the death of astronaut Neil Armstrong and the urging of his family to think of him there.

As the week winds down we've got another good reason to gaze up: the last blue moon in almost three years.

Huffington Post gives a good explanation of the origins of the term blue moon here.

But today we keep it simple and define a blue moon as two full moons in the same month.

That will happen Friday just before 7 a.m. PDT here, when the moon reaches its fullest for the second time in August.

You won't see a blue-colored moon--blue moons simply aren't blue--but you could see a blue sky behind it--depending on the weather, which is forecast to be partly cloudy.

The next full moon won't be until July 31, 2015, so have a good look and maybe think of an American astronaut as you do.

The Griffith Park Observatory will be open until 10 p.m. Friday night for viewing.

Others recommend a drive up the 2 Freeway into Glendale or Montrose, for some spectacular viewing.

If you happen to snap a photo too, send it our way at anthea.raymond@patch.com or upload it here.