Black and white photo of the Ground Zero tower, displayed along the north fence.
Photo by Jim Reed
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Day One of the Atomic Age, I imagine during the eighty mile drive from Alamogordo to Trinity Site, New Mexico, was much like today except for the early morning rain postponing the experiment from 4:00 to 5:30 a.m. Darkness filled the elongated valley bordered by mountains of hard granite, solidified lava flows and eroded mesas.
The rain was undoubtedly welcomed by the sparse yet hardy vegetation decorating the valley floor. The rare summer moisture provided relief from the searing, relentless desert heat – a brief chance to rejoice and replenish moments before disappearring in an unnatural and previously unknown manner. Except for the sound of our 200 vehicle convoy headed to Ground Zero, Day One was sunny, windless and serene, just like today.
In a valley twenty or so million years of age, change comes slowly. A picture taken sixteen million years ago would look very much like a picture taken a million years later. On Day One, July 16, 1945, at Trinity Site’s Ground Zero, change came quickly.
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National Solar Vacuum Tower. Photo by Jim Reed.
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If you really wanted a close-up look at the sun, you could fill up your gas tank and head sunward. Traveling eight hours each day at sixty miles per hour you’d cover the roughly 93 million miles from the earth to the sun in about 189,583 or so days (519.4 years) and arrive just before Thanksgiving in the year 2,517.
Faster and far more realistic would be a visit to Sunspot, located fifteen forested miles south of Cloudcroft, New Mexico, nestled between lovely tall pines and perched at the edge of Sacramento Peak . Here the Observatory’s numerous telescopes bring the sun’s activity to the human eye for study and observation.
Sunspot combines information, scenery and serenity in one small area. Stop at the Sunspot Astronomy and Visitors Center for an educational display of sun and star related exhibits along with photos of the area’s history. Pick up the brochure to learn about the first telescope built in Sunspot, the Grain Bin Dome, a telescope mounted inside a Sears and Roebuck mail order grain bin in 1950. The brochure will also act as a tour guide for your walk around the small area encompassing the Vacuum Tower, Evans Solar Facility, Hilltop Dome and Scenic View platform. On Saturdays from May to October, you can take the informative guided tour at 2 p.m.
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