Celebrate Space Exploration with International Space Day

Here at Janet's Planet Space Log blog, we're very excited because Friday, May 4 is International Space Day. Started in 1997, Space Day is an educational initiative that takes place each year on either the first Thursday or Friday of May.

The day is a chance for folks everywhere to honor the amazing, incredible achievements in space exploration and all the technological discoveries made over the years. Hundreds of thousands of teachers and millions of students across the globe will participate in different activities that celebrate space on this year's International Space Day.

Maybe your school is participating in Space Day! If not, there are plenty of fun things you can do on your own to celebrate. One way to celebrate National Space Day is by visiting to NASA's website for tons of fun opportunities to learn and play games about space. You could also get a little crafty and make space-themed creations like the ones shown here.

If you want to get some friends together to celebrate space, maybe you could throw a party that is out of this world. Here are some great ideas for decorations, favors and yummy snacks with an outer space theme. Of you might want to whip up a batch of galaxy playing dough.

No matter how you choose to celebrate Space Day, make sure you get a grown-up's permission and help, especially if you're cooking or using craft supplies. Why not take this day to get the whole family together? Space Day might just become your favorite holiday! 

Launching a Healthy Lunch

Have you ever visited NASA's Kid's Club site? You might expect to see tons of cool stuff about space and our solar system on it, but did you know there is also some really great information about the systems inside our bodies...including our digestive system and what types of food we need to eat each day to stay healthy? We've been playing a really fun game called 'Space Lunch' and we think you'd like it too! (As always, make sure you have a grown-up's permission before using the computer/internet!).

First, the game provides a neat interactive tool that shows the food pyramid and how our daily food amounts should be broken down. From fruits and veggies to meats and beans, this chart will help you see just how much of each food group to consume daily. After you have learned a thing or two about what foods your body needs, click on the play button to launch the game.

 

Now try to match sets of food that go together to reveal a funny picture. As you click on groupings of food, they will disappear to show the background image. There are more detailed instructions on the site, but the game is a fun and easy way to start thinking about eating healthier! Hope you enjoy it!

Hungry Enough to Eat a Star?

Have you ever been so hungry you felt like you could eat a horse? How about an entire star? In March, something happened about 3.9 billion light years away that had scientists scratching their heads. X-rays began streaming towards Earth and some satellite images showed evidence of high-energy flares. It turns out that a black hole in a distant galaxy that had previously been asleep just activated and consumed a star. Talk about waking up with an incredible appetite!

Astronomers are still following the high-energy flares that keep appearing after this occurrence. They believe that amounts of gas are slowly depleting and this is what causes the flares. They think the star that got devoured just ended up getting too close to the black hole and was eaten up. Poor star!

{video credit: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center/CI Lab via here}

Snuggle up with a Fluffy Galaxy

Teddy bears, warm towels fresh from the dryer, a new puppy…what do all these things have in common? You could say that each is fluffy. But did you know that a galaxy can be considered fluffy too? 35 million light-years away in the constellation Leo is a spiral galaxy called NGC 3521. It is called a flocculent spiral galaxy because its spiral arms have a “patchy, woolly look.” According to Webster’s Dictionary, flocculent means something is like wool tufts, or fluffy.

The most recent image of this galaxy was taken by the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope, which is located in Chile. Don’t worry if you don’t have access to a very large telescope. If you have a small telescope, you can probably spot this galaxy pretty easily. Just don’t try to give it a hug! It might be fluffy but it won’t make a very good stuffed animal.

{galaxy image via}

Summer Fun on the Moon

Hey friends of Janet's Planet! Hope everyone is having a wonderful summer! What adventures are you experiencing while the weather is hot? One Janet's Planet viewer named Ella submitted this picture of her summer vacation that was out of this world!


If you thought Ella's summer vacation was to the moon, you're almost right! She actually visited the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Have any of you space cadets ever been there? Since it might hard for most of us to actually travel to the moon, visiting museums is a great way to bring space to Earth. There are so many fun museums to visit all over the country. If you've never been to one, ask your parent or guardian if it might be possible to go! Or maybe your school has a field trip planned for this year...oh wait, we said school! Sorry, folks...go back to enjoying summer. School will be here soon enough!

Charting the Course: STS-135 Atlantis

Are you like us here at Janet’s Planet and excited to follow every move of the final shuttle STS-135 on its adventure in space? Never fear fellow space lovers! Thanks to a fun interactive tool on NASA’s website, we can all follow along as if we were right there with the team aboard the shuttle Atlantis! The above image shows the final spacewalk of the shuttle era. We're watching history in the making friends!

Currently on day 7 of the 12-day mission, the crew got the wakeup call of R.E.M. singer Michael Stipe singing his hit song “Man on the Moon.” Stipe also issued a personal message wishing “a very good morning” to the crew.

Here we see the space shuttle Atlantis over the clear blue waters of the Bahamas before it completed a perfect docking operation with the International Space Station. Wait, Atlantis crew…no time for a snorkeling expedition?

[all images via NASA.gov]

Janet's Planet Live...Taking the Show on the Road!

Hey there all you fantastic fans of Janet's Planet. Did you know that there are plans in the works for Janet's Planet to come to a city near you in the form of a live stage show? Janet's Planet Live, A Tour Through the Solar System is a 45-minute action packed show featuring Janet and a very interesting cast of characters. The show includes high energy songs that will really get your feet tapping and hands clapping as well as some very cool motion capture technology to engage audience members. Fans will be in for a real treat as they are given a virtual tour around our solar system on the 3 giant screens of Janet's futuristic Mission Control set.

The show will have its big premiere in Nashville, TN September 12-16, free to the public as we kick of the fall tour. The first scheduled dates are in Largo, FL Sept 30 & October 1, 2011. We really hope you'll check out our page on kickstarter.com and support us! Most of all, we can't wait to see you in person at Janet's Planet Live!

NASA Tweetup at the Jet Propulsion Lab

Are any of you fantastic Janet's Planet fans on twitter? Today, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California is hosting an event called a "Tweetup" for some of its Twitter followers. While these folks had to register awhile back to attend in person, it's not too late for you to attend the event, virtually that is. By following this link to the Twitter stream, you can see what all the buzz is about.


There are four space missions launching this year and an asteroid belt encounter is nearly underway so 2011 is definitely an important one in the area of space and planetary exploration. The people attending the Tweetup will be given the chance to interact with JPL scientists and engineers to learn more about some upcoming missions, including Aquarius which studies salt in oceans. They will also learn more about Grail, a mission studying the moon's field of gravity.

If you are using Twitter to follow along with the conversation, here are a couple more folks you might want to follow: @NASA and @NASAJPL, @MarsRovers, and @AsteroidWatch

The Art of Space

If you were asked to interpret the work of NASA through art, what would it look like? This is just the question a group of famous artists was asked and the works produced as their answers are in a new show. The show, ‘NASA/Art: 50 Years of Exploration’ is a traveling exhibition of about 50 works of art illustrating different perspectives on space, space travel and exploration. From paintings and drawings to sculpture and photography, the works in this show capture all different aspects of the history of the space program.

Some of the artists involved are Alexander Calder, Annie Leibovitz, Robert Rauschenberg, Norman Rockwell and Andy Warhol. Those more artistically inclined Janet’s Planet fans might be wondering how these artists are involved, when many of them are no longer alive. This program actually began way back in 1962, hence the show’s name, 50 Years of Exploration. To see more about this show and plan a visit, follow this link to the Smithsonian Institution.

Dreaming of Space Travel

Today on the Space Log, we're featuring the artwork of a very talented kid. Matteo Lopez' Google Doodle, shown above, was the winner in a nationwide contest hosted by the well-known search engine. Doodle 4 Google is a competition where students in grades K-12 are invited to share their talent through art and compete to redesign the Google logo. The theme of the contest was "What I'd like to do someday."

Clearly Matteo is a space fan and would like to visit space. Maybe he'll have the chance one day! In addition to bragging rights and having his artwork featured on the Google homepage for millions to see, he also won a $15,000 college scholarship and a technology grant for his school.

Congratulations Matteo! We think your design is pretty special and hopefully one day, we'll hear about you traveling to space! Maybe we'll even write about it on the Space Log! If you'd like to participate in the contest, check out this link...just be sure to get a grown-up's permission. Everybody have a safe & fun weekend from your friends at Janet's Planet!

How would you like to become a Martian?

Did you know that it’s possible for you to become a citizen of Mars, without ever leaving your house? NASA has created a fun site that allows you to see what it would be like to live as a Martian. From the main page, you are taken into Citizenship Hall where you can take a tour of different virtual facilities and look at images taken by the Mars Rover.

You can also send a virtual postcard to the Spirit Rover in her new home and see what messages of encouragement other folks have created on their postcards too. In the Crater City Arts District, you’ll find the Two Moons Theater. Here you can have a front row seat to many different interesting videos taken of Mars’ surface. Or hop over to the Tourist Atlas for an interactive map of your new virtual home.


At the Martian Town Hall Polling Place, you are given a chance to ask questions about Mars and learn about how ideas concerning Mars have changed over the years in popular culture. This is a great site and should offer you some fun activities as well as knowledge about Mars.


{Before you use a computer or the internet, make sure to get an adult’s permission. This site is so cool, your parent or guardian would probably enjoy taking a look at it with you!}

Happy Roving!

Staying Safe in All Weather

{Credit: NASA , Jesse Allen and Robert Simmon, using USGS Landsat data}

The south is still in recovery mode after the storms that ripped through the area in the last few weeks. Some NASA images taken via Landsatellite are helping scientists understand the paths of the tornadoes. You might have heard your parents talking about the storms, or maybe you even live near where they took place. Storms that involve tornadoes should be taken seriously, so it's good to be informed about what to do just in case. If you hear grown-ups talking about a tornado watch, this just means that the current weather conditions are right to possibly produce a tornado. Think of it like this...during a tornado watch, the weather services are just on the lookout for tornadoes, watching for a possible one.

{Credit: NASA MODIS Rapid Response Team, Jeff Schmaltz}

If you hear that a tornado warning has been issued, this means an actual tornado has been spotted in the area. This is when it's time to head to a safe room, maybe a basement or bathroom with no windows. Anything unknown can seem scary, but with the right information and awareness, we can all take the necessary precautions and stay safe.

For more information about staying safe and informed about weather and storms, visit this site and become a Disaster Action Kid! Stay safe friends!

The Astronaut's Old Clothes

{image via Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum collection}

Have you ever heard the phrase, "the clothes make the man?" While education, experience and passion for space are all important aspects in the career of an astronaut, you can't get very far without the proper wardrobe. There's a neat interactive feature on the New York Times website that gives you a chance for a closer look at many different articles of clothing and gear used by NASA scientists.

Some of the items shown have never been to space, such as prototypes and test suits. Others played a much more important role, including the Apollo AL-7 suit worn by Buzz Aldrin when he stepped onto the moon. Some of these suits are on display at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, but if you can't visit there anytime soon, hop over to the NY Times feature and take a look. Click on any part of the image to zoom in and explore.

If you were designing a spacesuit, what would it look like? What features would you include? What color would it be? It's fun to think about!

Don't Be an April Fool...Celebrate Earth Month!

{image via globalgreen.org}

Earth Day is April 22, but this year, let's celebrate our earth all month long. Many communities are hosting events during the month of April which will allow citizens to come out and participate in clean-ups, recycling drives and other fun activities. Check your local community calendars to see if there are fun ways to get involved in your neighborhood. This could be a great way for your whole family to come together and spend a day doing something to help the Earth.

Maybe your family already recycles, but there is always something more you can do in your daily routine to be more conscious. Things as simple as turning off the lights when you leave the room or turning off the water while brushing your teeth can go a long way towards saving resources. Instead of packing your lunch box with disposable plastic bags, why not ask your parents if you can get reusable plastic containers that are free of BPAs and other chemicals. Walk or ride your bike instead of driving in a car. Don't litter. What are some other examples you can think of that would help you celebrate the Earth this month?

Join us at the Music City Kid Expo!

Hey friends! There's a fun event coming up that we wanted to share with you...the first ever Music City Kid Expo in Franklin, TN! This all day event will be packed full of excitement, including games, inflatables, and a petting zoo. The most exciting part is that Janet will be performing! Check out the Janet's Planet Facebook page for more details! We can't wait to see you there!