Who We Are

Saturday, August 08, 2009

Astronomy 101

Hi everypuppy and everycat! It's me - Amber! As part of my duties as Chief Meteorologist for the Ao4, it also falls upon me to study Astronomy - you know, the planets, the moon, stuff like that. Speaking of which - did anypup do anything cool the night of the full moon?

We didn't do anything real special, but I told some of my favorite moon jokes and we had a spontaneous howling session. All in all, pretty fun!

Anyroo, back to Astronomy! I encouraged Mom to load an App onto her iPhone called "Distant Suns" so I could study the planets and stars - and maybe teach Zimmie some cool stuff! As many of you know, a few years ago, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) decided that Pluto isn't a planet. Hrumph! I was happy to see that there is an option on the App that covers that; here's an iPhone screen shot:

I put my nose on the options and selected "I believe Pluto is still a planet!":

Take that, IAU! Ha roo!

So I was working the other night....

Me, Amber, working
Please ignore the long snowshoes. Sadly, they have since been trimmed.

...then decided to do some planet tracking. I entered Pluto into the search field and found it. I forgot to take a photo, but here's one from this morning:

iPhone screen shot: Pluto in the cross-hairs!

Isn't that exciting!??! Zimmie asked what all the excitement was and I told him I'd found Pluto! He wasn't very impressed - mostly because he and Davy were sort of busy... so I thought I'd have some fun with him.

"Well, Zimmie," I asked, "do you know where Pluto is?"
"Uh... no, not really, Ammy," he replied.
"Do you want to know where Pluto is?"
I knew I had his attention then. He loves to learn - you just have to get his attention first.
"Well, yeah, I do. Where is Pluto, Ammy?"
So I replied, "He's in Disneyland."

Hee hee hee! Get it? Pluto's in Disneyland. Hee hee hee!

Oddly, this was Zim's reaction:

"Pluto's in Disneyland..."

Here's a bird's eye view:

Groan...

I think he really liked that one!

If you're going to teach someone, you need to remember to throw some humor in there to make it more interesting!

Love,
Ammy
Chief Meteorologist and Astronomer for the Ao4

33 comments:

  1. Pluto in Disneyland! Oh, you are a caution, Ammy and I love your jokes!

    That was all furry interesting about the planets and that would be a good program to have. We live in town with lots of street lights so sometimes its hard to see whats on display in the sky.

    Another thing! I didn't know those furry paws are called Snowshoes! That is the best, I get them and my Mom wants to trim them all the time, but not in the winter anymore . . .I will keep my snowshoes! hahaha!

    Kisses,
    Stella

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  2. We enjoyed the joke!! The Pluto we know is also in Disney Land but well done with studying the planets!!
    love
    Martha & Bailey xxx
    ps does that mean you will be able to tell us our future too?

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  3. What a smart pup you are! I agree- Pluto deserves to be a planet. Zim sure is lucky to have you around to teach him so much stuff!!

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  4. I thought too that Pluto was in Disneyland!!!
    I guess I need to do some Astronomy research!
    Kisses and hugs
    Lorenza

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  5. Pluto is in Disney world, I saw him there. So it is not silly or funny. I don't get it?????
    -Kira The BeaWootiful (and blond)

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  6. You are so funny, Ammy. We loved that app on the iPhone, great way to learn so much. If you had told us you found Pluto, we would have thought you had been visiting us. The little ones have a lot of Plutos hanging out in their toy boxes:)

    Woos, the OP Pack

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  7. I like the picture of you working. Happy World Cat Day from me to you.

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  8. Great lesson!

    I'm glad woo liked the weather pikh on my blog today!

    As fur Pluto, he's one of my blogging pals
    http://plutoslife.blogspot.com/

    Woo should go paw howl-oh to him!

    Hugz&Khysses,
    Khyra

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  11. I believe Pluto is still a planet too! Maybe I should paw off a note to the IAW too. If we let them get away with this, who knows what other rumors they'll spread? Next thing woo know, they'll say the moon isn't made of green cheese!

    A-roos to yous,
    Jack a-roo

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  12. Good Job Amy!

    We love astronomy around here and also believe it's cool to visit Pluto at Disney World too.

    Keep up the good work!

    Chasing my tale...
    Addie, Lucie, and Hailey

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  13. Ha ha ha! Ammy, you are so funny! Gotta tell my dad that one!

    Thank you for the cool info and we still think Pluto is a planet too!

    Mochi

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  14. Mol You are a case.. I lughed at those jokes. But you afre kinda clever for a woofie that is..

    Hugs GJ xx

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  15. Wow, Astonomy..we are impressed.

    Pluto is in Disneyland..lol, that is funny!

    Have a great Sunday you guys!

    Holly & Zac...XX

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  16. Tee Hee Plutos in Disney land...you are TOO funny Ammy!!!

    Smileys!
    Dory

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  17. That's a great one! It's too bad Zim didn't enjoy it. Maybe he was sad that he couldn't put his moves on Pluto.

    Steve

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  18. Ammy, you are so smart! Maybe Sam can come over and you can teach him about astronomy?

    Sam

    www.howsamseesit.blogspot.com

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  19. hahahaha. Pluto is in Disneyland.

    Thanks for your kind words when our cousin Fraggle went to the bridge.

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  20. Ammy - you are a wild and very funny girl, but studious, obviously! The jokes are to ha-rooo over and like Stella said, "snowshoes" to describe your toesies is adorable. If I had an iphone, I'd never figgur it out - I have a furry basic flip thing and can't even figgur out how to take a pitchur wid it heehee! Love Zim's reactions.
    xo Sammie

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  21. We love to sit out on the deck and watch the stars with Momma and think about all the other pups that may be looking at them too. When we see a shooting star, we say that it's Tasha doing zoomies at the Bridge.

    I have a toefur problem too. It grows almost as fast as my talons.


    Princess Eva

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  22. We thought Pluto was in Disneyland too!!!

    Big Sloppy Kisses
    Gus, Louie and Callie

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  23. wow what a cool app - mommy is downloading it too - so we can keep up with you guys -

    we were think the disneylad joke was coming - you sibes are too funny

    Woodrow - Sweetie - Sherman

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  24. That's a pretty night pic of the moon. It looks very cool on this hot hot day! I'm impressed that you're learning astronomy.

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  25. You can come skating with us all the time - mommy has a friend with sled dogs that she skates with - she does all 6 of them on there sled leads - so she can do you 4 - plus she does MJ, Bean, George our cousins and me. and we might be small but we are powerful

    Woodrow - Sweetie - Sherman

    I entered Wood is a pulling contest once he pulled 1100lbs

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  26. Woo - great post today. And we love the Pluto joke.

    We have a picture of the moon in our post tomorrow. Great minds think alike.

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  27. Ammy you're so funny! Pluto's in Disneyland! Ha roo roo!

    Zimmie sure sleeps like a cat a lot - he really is an honorary cat isn't he?

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  28. Sure looks like you're working hard there Ammy! Luvly snowshoes too! Zim sure is lucky and must be very happy to be learning loads from you! Pluto's in Disneyland...LOL! Good one!

    Cheers,
    Maxx

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  29. Kudos to you for choosing the option to keep Pluto as a planet! You're right! Only four percent of the IAU voted on the controversial demotion of Pluto, and most were not planetary scientists. Hundreds of professional astronomers led by Dr. Alan Stern, Principal Investigator of NASA's New Horizons mission to Pluto, immediately signed a formal petition rejecting the IAU definition. This is still very much an ongoing debate. I encourage everyone who believes Pluto is a planet to email the IAU leadership and ask them to reopen this issue. Email addresses for IAU officials are available on my blog at http://laurele.livejournal.com at the bottom paragraph of the August 1 entry.

    The IAU is not the only venue where this can be discussed and voted upon. If enough people, including professional astronomers, choose to reject the IAU definition and not use it, it will simply fall into obscurity.

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  30. do you know Ammy, I kinda had the Marvin Jokeroonie feeling that this was going to be the outcome of your post.

    It "disnae" matter though, as we say here in bonnie Kilt Land.

    oh and I see I am quite the latest, very latest pup, in fact, the last pup, possibly, in commenting.

    I have been busy guarding the house while my people have been by the seaside eating fish 'n chips.

    M xxxxx

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  31. In my view, our feet are all in the stars.

    Or is it our fate..........

    well I have no idea.

    Pluto used to be my fave Disney character. I am glad you like him tooooo!

    lotsaluv, Marvin xxxx

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  32. Tanner thought that joke was hilarious, he is still laughing. :)

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  33. Yeah -- that's sticking it to the IAU!

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