Transcript for October 3 - 4

RACHEL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for October 3rd and 4th. We’re your hosts, Rachel...

PAUL
...and Paul.

RACHEL
Is there really such a thing as the Evening Star?

PAUL
Sure, it’s Venus.

RACHEL
Oh, so when I can see Venus after sunset, it’s called the Evening Star.

PAUL
That’s right, and stargazers can see the Evening Star tonight if they would like.

RACHEL
Even better, when they find the Evening Star on the 3rd, they’ll find another visitor just above Venus.

PAUL
That visitor is the thin crescent moon.

RACHEL
And they’ll make an attractive sight for your binoculars.

PAUL
You’ll find them in the low south-southwest at around 8:00 PM.

RACHEL
Hey! Just why is Venus so bright?

PAUL
The first reason is because it’s close to Earth.

RACHEL
Oh, so that is why it was the first planet visited by spacecraft.

PAUL
Yep. And the spacecraft was named Mariner 2.

RACHEL
That was way back on December 14th, 1962.

PAUL
Did you know that Mariner 2’s flyby of Venus was the first time the United States could claim a space first?

RACHEL
Prior to the flyby, the Soviet Union was the nation responsible for every space age first.

PAUL
During its flyby, Mariner 2 verified that the surface of Venus is far too hot to support life.

RACHEL
And those result helped us understand the risks of a run-away greenhouse effect.

PAUL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 3rd and 4th of October.

RACHEL
Be sure to read our blog at idahoskies.blogspot.com for additional information.

For Idaho Skies this is Rachel...

PAUL
...and Paul.

RACHEL
Dark skies and bright stars.