Health, Science, Environment

San Antonio Park stretches a full city block on each side, in a lush area near Foothill Blvd and 18th Avenue in Oakland. About 15 years ago, the park was considered a dangerous eyesore. Since then, through the help of people who care about healthy public spaces, like Grey Kolevzon it has become an important example of what can happen when people pull together to build something up.

Paul Salazar is a member of the San Francisco Amateur Astronomers and keeps a regular astronomy blog called the Urban Astronomer. He sat down with KALW’s Ben Trefny to talk about the upcoming solar eclipse. He also explained what he calls a "spectacular solar event" that only happens twice every hundred years. It's called the Transit of Venus and it's happening on June 5. Listen to find out where and when to watch.

It’s only once a year that you can experience almost complete darkness in the afternoon sky. This Sunday, the Western United States will experience a solar eclipse. But in a special path across Northern California, the moon will be almost fully enclosed by the disc of the sun, creating a “Ring of Fire” effect. To learn more about the science behind the spectacle – and another reason to look up later in May – KALW's Ben Trefny talked to our local expert, Paul Salazar. Salazar is a member of the San Francisco Amateur Astronomers and keeps a regular astronomy blog.