John Flaherty's photo of the taco moon from earlier combines food and astronomy.
Carson Valley Community Food Closet offers Douglas County residents a free food distribution day on 8-10 a.m. Saturday.
All are welcome, and recipients are encouraged to bring reusable baskets, bags, and boxes if possible. Available items include dry and canned goods and household products.
Food distribution dates are scheduled each month on Saturdays through October. Future dates are: June 26, July 24, Aug. 28, Sept. 25, and Oct. 16. These events are organized as a way to introduce the food closet’s services to everyone in the community, regardless of current recipient status.
Representatives from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Commodity Supplemental Food Program are on hand at each event to answer questions and assist with program enrollment.
CVCFC is located 1251 Waterloo Lane in Gardnerville. Donations to the food closet are accepted from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and volunteers are on hand to help unload donated goods.
Questions may be directed to 775-782-3711 or info@thefoodcloset.org.
May brings moon magic
Light from May’s full flower super moon will be obscured during the early morning hours on May 26. That’s the date of a total lunar eclipse, which, weather permitting, will be visible from the Carson Valley.
During the event, Earth will be lined up between the sun and the moon. The moon starts to cross the outer part of earth’s shadow, called the penumbra, starting at 1:47 a.m. Just under an hour later, at 2:45 a.m., the moon moves into the deeper part of Earth’s shadow, called the umbra. It’s at this point when NASA says, “significant darkening will be noticeable.”
The moment of greatest eclipse takes place at 4:19 a.m. The moon will completes its exit from the penumbra at 6:49 a.m.
The moon may have a rusty, reddish hue as a result of the sun’s light passing through the edges of our planet’s atmosphere. Air molecules for Earth’s atmosphere scatter most of the blue light, and the light that remains can cast a red glow onto the moon. This is why a lunar eclipse is often referenced as a “blood moon.”
While solar eclipses require special tools for viewing, lunar eclipses are safe to view with the naked eye. If you’re so inclined, step outside early Wednesday morning to catch a glimpse of the total lunar eclipse in the southwestern sky. The eclipse coincides with perigee, which happens when the moon’s elliptical orbit reaches its nearest point to Earth. The close proximity of this month’s moon is what makes it a “supermoon.”
A video featuring in-depth information about this and other May celestial events can be found online at jpl.nasa.gov/videos/whats-up-may-2021.
Breakfast at the Elks’ lodge
The Tahoe/Douglas Elks invite the community to family breakfast at the lodge this Sunday, May 23 from 8:30 a.m.-10 a.m. The meal includes omelets, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits and gravy, orange juice, and coffee.
Cost is $7 for Elks members and spouses and $4 for children of Elks members. Non-Elks members pay $8 per adult and $5 per child. Children are defined as those aged 10 and younger.
The lodge is located at 1227 Kimmerling Road in the Gardnerville Ranchos. Proceeds from Elks events support local programs that benefit senior citizens, youth, and veterans.
Amy Roby can be reached at ranchosroundup@hotmail.com.
