Sun-Star Far
(distance matters)
Our Solar Sun’s diameter’s
four hundred times as wide as Moon’s.
Its distance from the Earth’s about
four hundred times as far.
So when we look up in the sky
at night-time then again at noon
the Moon appears exactly as
the same size as our star.
Although our Sun-star’s really huge
compared to Moon’s small sphere
it’s far enough away from us
to look the same down here!
We made a promise to the moon
The year was nineteen-sixty-nine;
the twentieth of July.
Apollo Eleven astronauts
made history on high.
Neil Armstrong, then Buzz Aldrin
left footprints in Moon’s dust.
As pioneers and heroes,
they showed us how to trust.
The world embraced their Star-Child dreams.
A plaque was left behind.
It proudly says, “We came in peace
for all – for ALL mankind.”
Battle of the Bulge
(Earth-Moon gravity)
Like many love relationships
the Earth and Moon are falling out.
Despite their great attractiveness
there’s friction they don’t talk about.
When first they met, they twirled and danced.
Their gravitation’s fondness showed.
But by degrees, as time has passed
rotations of their dance have slowed.
The Moon no longer pirouettes
within her orbit round the Earth.
Instead one side is always set
to face the world (and watch his girth).
Their gravity distorts their crusts
and makes them bulge at closest side.
Earth’s oceans rise as though to thrust
a beckoned hand to Moon’s fine pride.
For she creates the ebbs and flows
of all the seas that make our tides.
But honestly, that friction slows
her down and makes her really tired!
Four centimetres every year
she moves away from Earth’s embrace.
Our Moon is drifting off, I fear,
and nothing else could take her place.
from The Science Rhymes Book – second edition (Jabiru Publishing 2018)
Perhaps the most enduring gifts
from Christmas-tide festivities
are not the items bought in shops
but things that make prized memories.
From moments filled with laughter at
some zany fun activity
to having simply helped someone
through using our proclivity.
Your Grandma will delight in any
art or craftwork made by you.
Our love and personality are
captured in the things we do.
Our presence time and talents shared
are valued gifts both rich and wise.
They’re cherished in fond memories
much more than any merchandise.
“Twas the night before Christmas.
No cards have been sent.
No presents are wrapped,
there’s no tree to augment.
No air tickets purchased
to family events.
If we choose to “go green”
well that’s what is meant.
Instead, give to charity,
make our own jam
to give to the family
rather than ham.
Avoid plastic tinsel.
As home decorator
only use hand-made
from wool, wood or paper.
The night before Christmas
we chose to go green
and help to keep Earth’s
environment clean.
inspired by the New Scientist’s article on how to HAVE A GREEN CHRISTMAS
Notes
On the eighth day of Christmas (1st January), New Horizons (the space probe that took photos of dwarf planet Pluto back in July 2015) will be 6.6 billion kilometres from Earth, travelling at 14 kilometres per second, flying past a rock about 37 kilometres wide called 2014 MU69 (nick-named Ultima Thule) in the solar system’s Kuiper Belt. If it doesn’t bump into anything on the way, we will receive images from its cameras just over six hours after they are taken. This is an incredible technological adventure with cosmologically amazing consequences. What an exciting way to start the New Year!
http://www.planetary.org/blogs/jason-davis/2018/nh-ut-100days.html
Let the show go on
For you and me
it’s free to see.
The greatest show around.
The cast’s
eleven million of
the life forms that abound.
From big-screen species
super-stars
like humans; dolphins; whales.
To tiniest of
microbes making
sure our show won’t fail.
The plants provide
the perfect props
and stunning back-drop scenes.
All intertwined
with DNA
and fascinating genes.
The show is so
tremendous.
Full of life’s variety.
Our planet Earth’s
X-factor is …
BIO-DIVERSITY!
First published in CSIRO’s Scientriffic magazine, No 65 January 2010
Flying Gallop
Before Eadweard Muybridge
came along
most painters painted
their horses wrong.
When galloping, galloping
at great speed,
legs of their steed?
We can hear when they gallop
and gallop at pace
there’s a break in the sound,
like their feet are in space.
So we know from this galloping
galloping sound,
there’s a time when all hooves
are NOT on the ground.
Like a carousel horse
with its legs all-stretched-out,
most artists made horse-legs
the wrong way about.
Then Muybridge’s movie
closed the affair.
Horse-legs are TUCKED
when all in the air.
Perched high on a horse,
we can’t really tell
as it’s hard to see where
a horse’s legs dwell.
And a galloping gallop’s like
flying as well.
So let’s soar on a horse
on a carousel!
Inspired by The Horse in Motion movie by Eadweard Muybridge 1878
http://100photos.time.com/photos/eadweard-muybridge-horse-in-motion
Australian Children’s Poetry 