Petra is fascinated with astronomy at the moment. Last weekend she and I went to the Griffith observatory, where she spent most of her time chatting with the planets ("Hi Pluto! You're so small!"), and charming the docents. We managed to miss the planetarium show (the real reason she wanted to go), but didn't mind at all, she was having so much fun. When she did tire of it, she asked to go to the giftshop, where she bought a set of glow-in-the-dark planets to hang from her bedroom ceiling (her "planetarium"), and has me tell stories about them every night. We finished with lunch at the "Cafe at the end of the Universe." A great day for Daddy and Daughter!The visit to the observatory just stoked her interest in planets. She has pretty much memorized the lyrics to "Interplanet Janet," including all the facts about the planets, and integrated the sun song as well (hydrogen fusion into helium!). We've spent hours online watching space videos (she likes the astronaut losing her toolbag). She's learned about comets, the origins of the moon (you have to love a theory called "The Big Whack"). She also learned about the controversy surrounding Pluto being demoted to "dwarf planet." Pluto is her favorite planet, so we had to go into detail on this one. I tell you though, if I have to see/hear the "Poor Pluto" song one more time I might scream!
After watching some NASA video and animations she even did a great drawing of the Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet crashing into Jupiter (I'll have to post an annotated version later, but trust me, those are comet fragments on the left page (tails pointing up), and Jupiter, with the cloud stripes and big red eye, on the right, with "scabs" all over it where the comet hits). I'm so proud of my little astronomer!
To feed the obsession, yesterday we went to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory open house. Within minutes of arriving, she was explaining planetary theory to the JPL staff ("Pluto's not a planet anymore! Jupiter is a GAS GIANT!"). She had a great time seeing robots, "visiting" mars, and seeing the Mars Science Lab being assembled. She collected a full set of the special space collector cards that NASA had for the event, and asked good science questions too! She even took a short break to play the roll of Mars rock and have a rover drive over her.
All this learning isn't enough for Petra. She also needs social events, so last weekend we also went to the Festival of Books with her friend Jenna. The prime driver for this was a personal appearance by DJ Lance Rock and Brobee. The girls loved dancing to the music as DJ Lance spun tunes, and then they waited patiently in line to have him sign their DVDs and books. He's a cool guy, very friendly, and just about exactly our age as well (as we found out googling him later). He even paid his dues working a day job at Amoeba records in Los Angeles!Signing off,
