You’ve probably heard of a comet, but do you know exactly what it is? A comet is a mixture of rock and ice. It’s absolutely huge and flies through space at stupendous speeds. The core of a comet can be anywhere from 2 to 150 miles (3.22-241.40 kilometers) wide!
Just like planets, comets revolve around the Sun. But when they get closer to the Sun, part of the icy core turns into a gas, which in turn forms a glowing serpentine tail, stretching for millions of miles! Some comets are so bright and beautiful; you can even see them during the day!
Have you ever seen a Halley’s, as in Halley’s Comet? If you’re old, like me, you’ll remember the last sighting in 1986. And if you’re young now, you’ll be getting on in years when Halley’s Comet makes its next scheduled appearance in 2061.
The English astronomer Edmond Halley, (1656-1742) first discovered this comet, and it remains the most famous comet of all. As he researched records of a mysterious light in the sky, he found these sightings occurred in 1531, 1607 and 1682, all exactly 76 years apart. He predicted it would next make a glowing showing in 1758. And it did! Ever since then it’s been known as Halley’s Comet.
Extra Fun Fact
The date is 1066. The event is the battle of Hastings, an event that would change the course of English history. English astrologers noted the bright light in the sky: Halley’s Comet is as fourth as bright as the moon and four times bigger than Venus.
An omen or a blessing, they pondered? William the Conqueror thought it a, “Wonderful sign from heaven,” and for him it proved to be true. He won the battle and the Normans took over England. Later William commissioned the Bayeux Tapestry – to commemorate his conquest – he made sure to include his blessing from heaven. Halley’s Comet appears in the top center of this piece of the Tapestry. Can you spot it?
Evonne Blanchard is the author of, ‘Amelia, the Moochins and the Sapphire Palace and ‘Amelia, the Venutons and the Golden Cage. These are the first two books in, ‘Amelia’s Amazing Space Adventures,’ an exciting series of ten books set in outer space (for children ages 5-9).
Ever wondered if aliens exist? What if one needed your help? Would you travel to outer space? For the adventures… of a lifetime!
New Amelia, the Venutons and the Golden Cage: Book Two
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?
“A lively sequel offers a sure-handed blend of fantasy, humor, adventure, and an ingenious heroine.” Kirkus Reviews
5/5 star rating! “Amelia, the Venutons and the Golden Cage is a wonderful children’s book that will allow your kids to get started in 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!”- Examiner.com
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Amelia, the Moochins and the Sapphire Palace: Book One
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?
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“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
Leo
Now, you’re probably heard the word constellation mentioned when people talk about the night sky. But what does that word mean? Well, constellation comes from the Latin word, ‘constellatio.’ Translated, it means set of stars! Now if you go back in time, before iPods, iPads video games, face time and Netflix. Okay, now go back even further, to a time of no TV, no phones…no electricity even! What did people even do for entertainment back then? Well one popular activity was star gazing. And without modern light pollution, you could see… a lot. Early civilizations looked at stars and told stories. Then they began to observe that the same set of stars could be seen at different times of the year, every year. Some of these constellations became the signs of the zodiac, our star signs. Different civilizations have different star stories, but here in the west we are more familiar with the Greco-Roman Stories.
Amelia's Amazing Space Adventures 
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