The Dwarf Planet Pluto
Name: Pluto is named after the Roman God of the Underworld and judge of the dead. Hades is the Greek equivalent. As king of the Underworld, who do you think he has for a faithful companion? Yes, man’s best friend, a dog. But this being the hellish underworld, Cerberus is no ordinary dog. He’s a gigantic three headed monster (remember Fluffy from Harry Potter?) who guards the gates and prevents the dead from leaving.
Diameter: 1,473 miles; 2,370 kilometers
Temperature: -356°F; -215.55°C
Fun Pluto Facts: The planet was only discovered in 1930 by the American astronomer Clyde Tombaugh. Venetia Burney, an 11 year old English girl won an international contest to name the planet. Pluto keeps the tradition of naming the planets after the Roman Gods. It also seemed a good name for such a faraway and mysterious planet!
On July 14, 2015, Nasa’s New Horizons probe did the first ever flyby of the mysterious planet Pluto. Thanks to all new images sent back, scientists know a lot more. For instance, Pluto has huge ice mountains and vast glaciers. One big surprise…Pluto has a blue sky, just like our Earth!
Pluto has five moons. One large one named Charon and four smaller ones named, Styx, Nix, Kerberos and Hydra. Charon is the ferryman taking deceased souls to the underworld. Styx is the river that Charon rows them across. Nix is named after the Greek Goddess of the night. Hydra is the nine-headed underworld serpent and Kerboros is the Greek spelling of Cerberus, the famous three headed dog as mentioned above, that guards the entrance to the underworld.
Unlike the nearby gas giants, Pluto is a small rocky planetoid, covered in ice. You could actually stand on its surface. But you’d need to wrap up, it’s seriously freezing there!
Pluto is also the star of Amelia’s Amazing Space Adventures, my children’s space adventure series. Uglesnoo is a cute friendly alien from Pluto. On earth he ends up becoming a present. A present that’s not a present! Pluto is also where the tenth and last book in the Amelia’s Amazing Space Adventure series takes place. In Amelia, the Plutonians and the Creation Vacation, Amelia and Uglesnoo travel to Pluto. Theres’ only a few hours left to save Uglesnoo’s sister. Will they manage it? Amelia and Uglesnoo realize they are being watched… They need to reach Noolong, Uglesnoo’s sister. Can they give their enemy the slip?
Next post: My next few posts will be about best books for children and fun activities for children. After that, I’ll be back with some fun facts about the constellations, meteors, comets and other galaxies!
Ever wondered if aliens exist? What if one needed your help? Would you travel to outer space?
Now Available!
Book Three: Amelia, the Merballs and the Emerald Cannon
Amelia and Uglesnoo land on Mercury. They meet the Merballs, the friendly aliens that live there. All goes well until an asteroid hits their planet. Amelia and Uglesnoo find themselves in deep trouble. How will they convince the Merballs of their innocence? And how will they manage to collect the flying shoes, escape Mercury and continue their quest to save Uglesnoo’s sister?
To preview and/or buy the book, click below:
“Adventure, inventiveness, and humor merge in this quirky, appealing tale.”
Kirkus Reviews. Read Full Review
“…This third book is even more original, fun and creative! With aliens, different planets, a good dose of humor and excellent storytelling that is age-appropriate, this is one of the best kids series out there. The illustrations are pretty fun too and fit the story well.”
I Heart Reading. Read Full Review
Book Two: Amelia, the Venutons and the Golden Cage
Uglesnoo needs Amelia’s help. His sister is very sick. The only cure is a repelling crystal from Neptune. With his Earthling friend, Amelia, they must continue their quest. More items are needed to buy the crystal. But Venus is full of danger and angry aliens. Are Uglesnoo and Amelia in over their heads?
Click below for a preview:
“A lively sequel offers a sure-handed blend of fantasy, humor, adventure, and an ingenious heroine.” Kirkus Reviews
“Amelia, the Venutons and the Golden Cage is a wonderful children’s book that will allow your kids to get your kids started the Sci-Fi genre… The story is intriguing and well thought out. All in all, the author did a great job of creating an engaging story that kept my kids interested. We are definitely looking forward to the next book!” Rating 5/5 Stars. Examiner.com
Book One: Amelia, the Moochins and the Sapphire Palace
When is a present not a present? When it’s a friendly purple alien called Uglesnoo, from the planet Pluto! Uglesnoo needs to leave right away for the Moon. Uglesnoo also desperately needs Amelia’s help. Should Amelia venture into outer Space?
Click below for a preview:
“Appealing Illustrations combine with lots of text to make this a great read for children transitioning from picture books to chapter books.” – Kirkus Reviews
“The story is imaginative and fun…and a perfect book to stretch my oldest in his independent reading with something fun to keep his attention.” —Beautiful Books for Children
Amelia's Amazing Space Adventures 