Last night I watched the 10 o' clock news and discovered that Jupiter was the closest it would be to Earth for a long time. The earth is currently positioned in its orbit almost exactly between the sun and Jupiter. There was also a full moon. The earth won't be this close again for 12 more years. (For a more accurate/scientific explanation you can read about Jupiter . According to this site we should be able to see it well tonight too and subsequently, since it takes so many years for Jupiter to orbit the sun.)
I really wanted to show Conor. I had already gone outside to see Jupiter (& tried to take a few amateur photos), but, it was nearly 11 o'clock. I went into his room and he suddenly sneezed so loudly that he woke himself up. So, I told him we were going out to see Jupiter. He loved it and we enjoyed a little bit of science together. He told me more facts about Jupiter and then we went to bed.
_________________________ later on the next day __________________________
Conor loves to climb trees. Last year he and his friend mastered climbing a tree just outside the playground at their school. Today he climbed it and said that he thought he would stay there for his whole life. I was coercing him to come down and I said, "Who will go out and see Jupiter with me if you stay in that tree?" He thought for a second or two and then said, "Well, since we won't be able to see it again for another 12 years, it will be fine. I'm sure I'd come down by then." This child has always made me laugh since the day he learned to speak!
Go out and see Jupiter if you haven't already. It was cool!
2 comments:
Love that story. You know you're a cool mom when you get your kid out of bed late at night to check out a planet. Too bad it's so cloudy here. We'll have to check it out in 12 years.
Good for you Jeni! That's awesome! Sara and I did this not too long ago when there was a lunar eclipse. Fun just sitting on the porch with our robes & blankets - Jeff thought we were crazy (since it was like 3am) but well worth it =)
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