Yesterday I pulled into the parking lot at school and looked up at the moon as I was sprinting into the building (because I was tardy) and stopped suddenly in delight because Jupiter was so bright and beautiful right next to the Moon.
Since school was starting about 20 minutes later (I can't believe how tardy I was); I thought maybe there was a chance I could take my first period class on a field trip. Yes, a field trip STARGAZING! During school hours. And really, I knew this was my last chance because daylight savings ends this weekend. So it was a race against the sun and the ever cloudy skies over the fair city of Seattle.
I didn't take this picture, but someone in India did a few hours later and posted it on one of my favorite Astronomy websites. Yeah, I have a favorite Astronomy website, quit acting so surprised. This is pretty much what I saw and what inspired the field trip plans:
And another one UP CLOSE:
So I grabbed the 7th graders in my first period class and we ran out to the soccer field the second after the bell rang and the heavens smiled on us. Most of us anyway. The kids with glasses probably didn't see much because the sky was getting pretty light. Poor blind kids. But the annoying cloud cover was gone and the skies were clear.
Extra bonus, Venus was trying to outshine Jupiter in the East.
The kids were amazed by both and even more amazed that they were looking at planets, not stars.
But when some of the kids started running around with the soccer cones on their heads I herded those cats back into the school.
