Most People Have No Idea You Can Do This One Fascinating Activity In New Mexico
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Juliet White
Author
While most people know that the world’s first nuclear device was detonated in New Mexico, fewer people are aware that you can actually visit the Trinity Site.
Twice a year, on one day in April and October respectively, members of the public are granted access to White Sands Missile Range. This location, which forever changed history, has been declared a National Historic Landmark.
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Visitors here are permitted to see the ground zero site.
On this spot, atomic scientists detonated the world’s first nuclear weapon on July 16th 1945. They called this plutonium bomb the "gadget." They didn't know what would happen when it exploded.
On this spot, atomic scientists detonated the world’s first nuclear weapon on July 16th 1945. They called this plutonium bomb the "gadget." They didn't know what would happen when it exploded.
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Scientists originally thought it would be necessary to place this 214-ton container around the bomb. In the end, they decided that it wasn’t needed. Visitors touring the Trinity Site can approach Jumbo.
It’s also possible to visit the McDonald ranch house, where the bomb’s core was assembled in the master bedroom.
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In many ways, ground zero looks much like the land surrounding it. The blast left a dent in the earth that has since been filled in. You wouldn't know that this explosion caused a 40,000 foot wide mushroom cloud to form above the Jornada del Muerto Desert.
The blast unleashed 18.6 kilotons of power and enough heat to melt the sand here into a substance known as Trinite. (While some Trinite remains at the site, it is now against the law to remove it.)
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Glass shattered in windows as far as 120 miles away from the blast site.
Flickr/SCFiasco
Radiation levels at the Trinity Site are still ten times higher than the naturally occurring levels in the area. To learn more about your exposure while visiting, click here.
This video includes footage of the Trinity Test.
The Trinity Site will next be open to the public on 16th October, 2016.
Would you go? If you’ve already visited the Trinity Site, what did you think?
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