They Might Be Thursday: Why Does the Sun Really Shine? (The Sun is a Miasma of Incandescent Plasma)

Happy Thursday, Kangaroonies!

So I think this song gets the award for longest title ever (although if you know of one that is longer, let me know!

We're back with our friends, They Might Be Giants, and the truth behind what the sun is REALLY made out of.....

Claraboo

What is that? Wednesday: Amazing Northern Lights Time Lapse

Good morning!!

I got up early today,  had a little coffee, and sat down to work on the blog.  My cat, Erma, decided to help a little:

I haven't seen the Northern Lights (or the Aurora borealis) in caribou ("in person" for any of you humans reading), but I've seen plenty of videos and photographs...they are just BEAUTIFUL!

So what are the Northern Lights (or as the Southern Lights are called - Aurora australis)?  For that answer, I consulted The Northern Lights Centre's website:

The bright dancing lights of the aurora are actually collisions between electrically charged particles from the sun that enter the earth's atmosphere. The lights are seen above the magnetic poles of the northern and southern hemispheres. Auroral displays appear in many colours although pale green and pink are the most common. Shades of red, yellow, green, blue, and violet have been reported. The lights appear in many forms from patches or scattered clouds of light to streamers, arcs, rippling curtains or shooting rays that light up the sky with an eerie glow.

Pretty fantastic, don't you think?

Claraboo

 

Science Sunday: The Higgs boson particle explained!

Bonjour, science enthusiasts!  

You may or may not have heard about the possible discovery of the Higgs boson particle.  I'm still trying to fully understand it - but as far as science goes, nothing is bigger than this!  Now, you may not understand everything in this video and that's okay.  But I wanted to share it anyway...this is a really important discovery!

Science Sunday: Kangaroo Island: a haven for Australian wildlife

Welcome to Sunday!  

I hope your weekend was restful, yet adventurous.  Were you able to go on a bike ride?  I rode my bicycle around the Acres with Tutu (she's Eppy's sister and has the GREATEST pink hair) and played in the sprinkler.  

You're never too old to run through a sprinkler!

In honor of the Captain himself, I'm sharing a video on kangaroos...did you know there is a WHOLE island off of South Australia that is a wildlife sanctuary for kangaroos, koalas, echidnas, and more?  Watch this video to learn more...

Claraboo

Scientific Sundays: Solar Eclipse today!!!

This is so exciting!

Have you heard about the solar eclipse today? This happens when the moon passes in front of the sun and blocks most of the sun.  The only part of the sun you'll see will be a "ring of fire" around the edges of the moon.

Now, the most important part in all of this is that 

YOU DO NOT LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE SUN!
  Doing so can hurt your eyes and you don't want to do that!  

So please promise me you won't.  :)

But you can still see the solar eclipse!  Watch this video and it'll tell you how to make a solar eclipse viewer out of household items:

This will be the first time seeing the solar eclipse since 1994! 

Enjoy and be safe, Kangaroonies!

Claraboo

By popular demand...Non-Animated, Educational Character Tuesday!

Happy Tuesday all!

So over on our Facebook page, a fan asked when we were going to do a "non-animated, educational character" day...he wanted to see the Captain do his own video (which, we PROMISE, you will see...the Cap is hard at work on one and we know you're going to LOVE it!), but for now, I'd like to present Neil DeGrasse Tyson and The Symphony of Science...

Scott, this one's for you!

I'd love to chat more, but I hear a knock at my door...I forgot that one of the porcupines wanted to see my new place!  I'm all moved in and enjoying my view of trees, flowers, and elephants.  :)

Claraboo

They Might Be Thursdays: ROY G. BIV by TMBG

Today at Kangaroo Acres, we had the weirdest weather.  First it rained, then it was sunny, and then it got oh-so-very windy and then there was hail and then it was sunny again.  

And then it rained.

Whew.

We kept looking out the windows at the sky, trying to see our friend, Roy G. Biv.  What's that?  You've never heard of him?

Oh, here he is now!

I really hope it's a beautiful, sunny day where you live, but if it happens to rain, make sure to look up.  Maybe Roy will visit your house!

Love, 

Claraboo

Scientific Sundays: Head Rush - Disappearing Glass

Salut, mes amis, and welcome to Sunday!

 So remember when we posted a video of the Mythbusters making a Rube Goldberg machine?  It's okay!  If you didn't see it, go ahead and click on the link and I'll be right here waiting for you.

I'll probably sing a song and water my plants, if you don't mind.

Oh! And ride my unicycle around the library (Shhh...don't tell the Captain!).

...
......

You're back!

Okay, so there's this fantastic woman, whose name is Kari Byron, and she's on Mythbusters.  She also hosts her own show called Head Rush and that's where this next video comes from.  Make sure you have an adult's help with this one!

Enjoy the sunshine, Kangaroonies!  See you tomorrow!

Claraboo