Star Light, Star Bright

This month, and in particular this week, there is a big show in the sky for all those who happen to look up.  Five planets: Mars, Mercury, Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter are putting on a dazzling display just after sunset.  All this is possible to see without the use of a special telescope, although you will get to see much more detail if you happen to have one at hand.

"When I was shown the charts and
the diagrams..."

Why is this you ask?  Well, it is because each planet has an elliptical orbit.  Right now our orbits are lined up perfectly!  (Don't you just love it when that happens?)  My favorite detail to all of this is Jupiter and Venus.  Venus is currently below Jupiter in the sky.  However, as we get closer to the middle of March they will have a "conjunction" and do-si-do to swap places.  How's that for a moonlit dance?  So get out, look up, and even though they aren't stars, squeeze your eyes tight and make a wish!  To find out where they are and the best times for viewing this week, check out this site.

"How soon, unaccountable, I became
tired and sick;"

I have the perfect book to accompany this month's celestial show. A mentor of mine mentioned last year that her favorite poem was "When I heard the learn'd astronomer" by Walt Whitman.  I discovered not too long ago that this beautiful poem was turned into a children's book and illustrated by Loren Long (who recently received praise for his book Otis and the Tornado.)  This book set my heart to beating.  Whitman's simple, yet eloquent words are brought to life when we follow a young boy as he accompanies his parents to see a "learn'd astronomer" speak.  The boy, however, becomes bored with the blah, blah, blahs of the astronomer and wanders outside.  He keeps walking and finds himself below a beautiful, sparkling night sky.  We are reminded, through Whitman's words and Long's illustrations, that sometimes we need to take things into our own hands.

"In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time..."

My students and I read this book today and we discussed the theme and the craft of Whitman and Long.  For example, each page has a realistic illustration of this boy as he heads to the lecture, listens, and finally leaves.  However, each page also has little sketches that we can assume are done by the boy.  My students picked up on this today saying that Long probably did this because he wanted us to know just how much the boy loves learning about the night sky.   We went on to discuss the theme and the students thought it was twofold: 1.  That we can learn things ourselves by doing and 2. Things don't always turn out the way you expect them to. (Brilliant little stars themselves, aren't they?)

"Look'd up in perfect silence at the stars."

I expect my teacher friends will find this book very useful to tie in with units on the solar system or as a bonus book for poetry month in April.  However, if you just want your soul to be moved to the second star to the right, it will work for that as well.

"When I heard the learn'd astronomer"
by Walt Whitman

When I heard the learn'd astronomer;
When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me;
When I was shown the charts and the diagrams,
  to add, divide, and measure them;
When I, sitting, heard the astronomer,
  where he lectured with much applause in the lecture-room,
How soon, unaccountable, I became tired and sick;
Till rising and gliding out, I wander'd off by myself,
In the mystical moist night-air;
  and from time to time,
Look'd up in perfect silence at the stars.