Planet Conjunction and Plumbing
The Sidewalk Astronomers
Dad and I awoke at dawn on Friday to see the conjunction of Jupiter and Venus, which were less than a degree apart. Dad brought the telescope to the front yard and called his friend to come over and take a look. The three of us took turns looking through the telescope at the planets. We clearly saw the bands of Jupiter and four of its moons. Venus, close as it is to Earth, looked like a star. And the fact that they were less than a degree apart from one another, they were in the same field of view.
A neighbor was taking a morning walk, and we invited him to come over, “Come look at Jupiter and Venus.” He was a little surprised but came over anyway. Everyone who looks through the telescope has the same reaction: “Wow!” He looked at the sky and again through the telescope. Still amazed by the sight, he thanked us and continued his walk.
So we were like John Dobson, the original Sidewalk Astronomer.
Down the Drain and Into the Brain
Ty first learned that “all drains lead to the ocean” while watching Finding Nemo. He stated that this pertained to toilets. He pointed to the bends under the tank. “Where does the water go next?” he asked.
“Into the pipes in the wall, down to the ground pipes and into the street to the treatment facility,” I answered.
A few hours later, he was asking Dad to show him the pipes under the bathroom sink. Dad started to explain the trap (which I call the U-bend), and Ty had to see if all the pipes had the same thing. They walked to the kitchen sink where Dad explained the garbage disposal and the water’s route to the street and facility. He asked Ty where the trap was. I remembered seeing an illustration in the Highlights magazine of a sink, its U-bend, and where the water settles, so I showed it to them. Dad explained it clearly. The walked to the Master bathroom and went through the same motions.
Talk about a home schooling lesson… on a Saturday!
