Transit of Venus Today

This afternoon you can witness an event that won't happen again for another 105 years: the Transit of Venus. Basically this is when the planet Venus passes in front of the sun. I got to see it in 2004, when it last happened (it generally happens in pairs, 8 years apart, and then not again for over a century). Quite frankly, seeing a little dot in front of the sun (with a special sun scope to protect the eyes) isn't that exciting. But seeing that little dot in a different place half an hour or an hour later makes you realize that there is something different going on.

One of the coolest things about the Transit of Venus is the history of it. This is only the eighth time it's happened since the telescope has been invented. Early astronomers were able to learn lots about the solar system during previous Transits of Venus.

In Snake Valley in 1882 observations were made from Ab Lehman's ranch by William Eimbeck and others who were assisting with the heliograph station up on Wheeler Peak, which was part of a survey to make an accurate map of the West along the 39th parallel.

Something else to think about during today's Transit of Venus is that a planet crossing in front of a star is how astronomers are finding planets out in the universe. The amount of light the sun emits is slightly reduced (very slightly), letting astronomers know that there is something else out there. In far off galaxies they don't know the characteristics of that planet, but that will come later, right?

To learn more about the sun, Venus, and much, much more, head to the Great Basin Visitor Center this afternoon. The telescopes will be out at 3 p.m. The transit takes seven hours, ending after dark here, so you have a little leeway in when you go see the Transit. But take the time to look (being sure not to look at the sun without proper protection). Unless you plan on being around in 2117, this may be your only chance to see this!

Solar Eclipse Observing Party May 20

Get ready to have some fun in Snake Valley!

Upcoming Snake Valley Events

Ready for some fun this summer and don't want to travel too far? Fortunately, there's lots going on right here in Snake Valley!

In addition to Tuesdays at the community center in Baker, Ladies' lunches every other Thursday, jam sessions Friday nights at T&D's, we have some extra events to look forward to.

The Great Basin Astronomy Festival will be June 14-16, with over 40 astronomers coming to help lead park visitors into the cosmos via a variety of programs. This astronomy festival keeps getting bigger and better, and is a great opportunity to learn more about what we can see from our fantastic night skies.

The Snake Valley Festival will be June 15-17, with a wide variety of events from an ice cream social, wine tasting, breakfast, parade, booths, yard sale, entertainment, silent auction, barbeque dinner, water fight, music, auction, 5K run, children's games, book sale, and much more. The schedules of the two festivals for the third weekend in June are being planned so that attendees will be able to do a lot of activities at each one, so it's a wonderful time to be in Snake Valley.

The fourth annual BioBlitz at Great Basin National Park will focus on Diptera-flies. It will be held June 19-21, so extend your stay to learn more about the area. Join entomologists, naturalists, and enthusiasts from all over the U.S. to help find what flies live in the national park. Over the past few years, six fly species new to science have been found. You could possibly find another one! The park is providing free camping to participants during the event.

Fourth of July at EskDale is always a great event, with yummy food, entertainment, and fireworks with close-up seating. Want to get an early start that morning? Sign up for the 5k/10k/half marathon!

Saturday of Labor Day Weekend, September 1, is the Snake Valley Days Barbeque and Dance. This event has been held since the 1960s and is a great way to reconnect with Snake Valley friends.

Snake Valley may not have a lot of residents, but we know how to have fun! Join us for these fun events, and check out the calendar on the side of the Protect Snake Valley blog to keep up to date with what's coming up. If you have events to add, please leave a comment!

Lunar Eclipse

 Early Saturday morning we were  lucky to experience a total lunar eclipse. It's the last one till 2014, so I was eager to witness it.

 I realized I should have started taking photos earlier, because the cool thing about any eclipse is watching the shadow move. Just seeing it at one point in time isn't particularly awe-inspiring.

There will be lots of astronomical events in Snake Valley this year, including several star parties, the Astronomy Festival June 14-16, and a Transit of Venus viewing June 5, 2012. Plus probably some more!

It's time to learn some more about the big universe we live in.

International Observe the Moon Night

Tonight is the first International Observe the Moon Night, an event designated to get more people interested in the moon and other features beyond our earth.

Great Basin National Park is holding a special program at 7 p.m. at the Lehman Caves Visitor Center area. You can sure appreciate the night sky in the dark skies of Snake Valley!

To learn more about the moon, check out this LiveScience article with links to a moon map and moon viewing tips.