Bunchland

Books to get you in a seriously celestial mood

Did you know that the biggest full moon of the year could be seen this past weekend? On Saturday, May 5^th, the moon was extra big and extra bright. A “supermoon” happens due to a fluke of orbital mechanics that bring it closer to the earth. Between the supermoon and the upcoming solar eclipse (!!) we’re on a bit of a space kick. Here are five books to read if you are too:

1. Astronaut Handbook by Meghan McCarthy

Your kid’s personal guide to being an astronaut will school them on eating in space, being a team player aboard ship, and training for weightlessness on the vomit comet. There are lots of fun facts (a space suit has 12 layers, and weighs 280 pounds!) and other resources. Also: the author’s site tells you how to make a rocket.  Read more...

Our Yuri Gagarin Bunchbrary

Today marks 50 years since Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first person to venture into outer space. Amazing. You might even say it calls for a celebration. World Space Party, anyone? So while your Yuri’s Night space party might include some rocket crafts, space songs and astronaut food, you might want to wind down with one or more of these astronomical films.

1. The Rocketeer (1991)

This 1930s period piece doesn’t have space travel per say, but it does have a young (& handsome, obviously) pilot who stumbles upon a secret prototype jetpack that allows him to become a spacey-looking superhero who fights Nazis. And though the movie was made well after Gagarin’s fatal test flight, he must have read comic books with Rocketeer-esque plots back in his pre-cosmonaut days.

2. Muppets from Space (1999)

 Read more...

Liftoff in T- 10, 9, 8…

Today’s Postcard from Bunchland comes from Flickr user marcialc.

Do you have a Postcard from Bunchland?  Send photos of family fun to meghan@bunchfamily.ca or find us on Flickr.

Do your aspiring astronauts and cosmonauts know who Yuri Gagarin is?

For us and our kids, growing up to be an astronaut was/is a very real possibility . (Provided one had all the math/physics/flying smarts and dedication.) But go back one generation, and space travel wasn’t much more than a dream until Yuri Gagarin made that first space journey 50 years ago. Everyone can quote Neil Armstrong, but what do we know about Russian Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin? He orbited the Earth on April 12, 1961, so this Tuesday will be the 50th anniversary of the first space journey. Here’s some info:

1. According to this book, Yuri Gagarin started dreaming about and planning his trip into space while he was still a kid. Before anyone had been in space. Follow your dreams, kids!

2. Fellow Cosmonaut Valery Bykovsky said that Gagarin was a good hockey player.  Read more...

April is your best bet to see the sixth planet from the sun

Every year, the Earth finds itself between the sun and Saturn. When this happens, Saturn is “in opposition,” since from an earthling’s point of view, the sun and the second largest planet in the solar system are on opposite sides of the sky. This means that we earthlings can see Saturn with our own eyes, without the help of any fancy astronomical equipment.

How can you see Saturn for yourself?  Read more...

1. Cross your fingers for a not-so-cloudy night sky
2. Go outside after dark.
3. Face east. (So the opposite of where the sun set.)
4. Look for a very bright star (Spica)
5. Look just above that star for a bright, golden, star-looking object. That’s Saturn.