Category Archives: Science

Charles Messier Catalogs the Stars

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Portrait of Charles MessierI’ve always found space to be fascinating. When I was a tad bit younger than Mr. Messier, I built my own Extendoscope to search the stars and planets around me. My greatest discovery was my friend Bong on the planet of Boings. Being curious definitely has its perks.

In Charles Messier’s case, this avid astronomer really enjoyed finding comets and other deep sky objects. Over the course of his career, he recorded 110 objects into his catalog consisting of deep sky objects like star clusters and nebulae (that means more than one nebula). The Messier catalog is still used by amateur astronomers on Earth today. Continue reading →

Slippery Slope: What a Drag!

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Science Jim "What A Drag!"Trying to get across that slippery slope was hard work. If only we had remembered sooner what our friend Science Jim had shared with us a few months ago about friction. So this time when Jim visited we quizzed him a bit more about how friction works. We did a cool experiment that really opened our eyes to the power of friction. But be warned, this little experiment is geared towards the older explorers, but if the parents take over the notetaking tasks younger ones can have fun too!  Continue reading →

Try This Truly “Cool” Necklace

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Sweltering ice cubeThis truly cool necklace idea was inspired by Bing and Bong’s adventure in Slippery Slope. I mean, what’s more slippery than ice!

Not only will kids enjoy cooling off during the last hot days of summer, but they’ll also become aware of temperatures changing depending on where you’re standing. For example, it’s hotter when you have to stand in direct sunlight vs. the coolness of the shady tree. Continue reading →

Cetus: The Sea Monster in the Sky

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Cetus the Whale ConstellationIf you thought that the fish we caught on the Planet of Technology was big, just wait until you catch a glimpse of the sea monster known as Cetus! I wouldn’t want to catch him on a fishing expedition!

The Cetus (also known as “Whale”) constellation is located in the Southern Sky. It is a very large, but dim constellation which makes it hard to find with the naked eye. Continue reading →

Let’s Make a Magnet

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Make A MagnetDid you like how we used that magnet to catch our giant fish? I’m sure you’ll agree that the folks on the Tiny Planet of Technology have ingenious tools. The really great thing about technology can be made just about anywhere — including your home.

Yes, it’s true. You can even create a magnet in your kitchen! Science Jim dropped by and shared with us an easy way to create a magnet with a few household items. But before you get started there are a few things you should know.

One of those things is what causes magnetism? Electrons! Electrons are always spinning. The reason some things are magnetic and other things aren’t is due to the balance of the spinning electrons. Electrons are said to spin left or right. Continue reading →