Saturday, April 25, 2015

Pluto's Secret by Margaret A Weithkamp with David DeVorkin

Pluto hid way out at the edge of the planets evading attention for years.  Scientists were very excited when it was finally identified and named Pluto.  But Pluto had a secret...

Abram's Books for Young Reader's sent me a copy of this book to read for review (thank you).  It has been published.  The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum helped with the facts.

This is a well illustrated educational tale of a new planet that eventually was declared an imposter.  It's an icy world, but it's not another planet.

When they decided Pluto was no longer a planet, there was a front page story about it in our paper.  Mr. Tombaugh's wife lived here and she was very upset they were taking his discovery away from him.  I'm afraid Pluto will always be a planet to me even if he's been demoted.  He's still there, isn't he?

Here's a chance to learn about a piece of history.  If you have the chance, visit an observatory.  They're amazing and great fun.  The one I visited was in Goldendale Washington and here's what the website says about it: " Goldendale Observatory is a 5-acre educational facility and certified Dark Sky Park on a 2,100-foot elevation hilltop 2 miles north of downtown Goldendale. The park features one of the nation's largest public telescopes and has attracted tens of thousands of sky-watchers since its dedication in 1973. The park offers spectacular views of the countryside from atop the observatory hill in the daytime, and magnificent views of the universe at night."

We saw the sun, then the moon, and then the stars.  We might have even seen Pluto.  It's amazing what is out there in the sky!  Let this book spark your child's interest in astronomy.

No comments:

Nonna Marie and the Case of the Lost Treasure by Lorenzo Carcaterra

As Nonna Maria's longtime friend and sometimes colleague, Captain Murino of the Ischian caribineri never wanted to see harm brought to t...