Tag Archives: jupiter

Space Shanties

Today’s post comes from Captain Billy, skipper of the pirate ship Muskellunge.

Ahoy!

Me an’ me boys is crazy-excited t’ hear that NASA has discovered a underground ocean on th’ largest moon of Jupiter!

Not that we’s lookin’ fer other seas t’ sail, on account of this one here is fine, an’ plenty large enough. Plus, a Jovian Lunar ocean with a roof over it made of 95 miles of ice raises serious questions about navigation an’ winds an’ how tall can yer mast be t’ keep from scrapin’ th’ underside.

There’s no disagreement among me boys on this point – a ocean up in the stars don’t have th’ same allure as th’ one under the stars that we all enjoys so much.

But th’ possibilities is what has us thrilled.

If there’s oceans out there orbitin’ that vast gas giant, then what’s there t’ prevent there from bein’ Jupiter pirates? An’ if there’s Jupiter pirates, don’t it follow that there’d be Jupiter grog an’ Jupiter booty?

All of it incredibly massive, of course!

So naturally our imaginations ran away wit’ us, an we began t’ wonder what sort of sea shanty we might sing up there if we went, even though there’s no way we’d go (so don’t ask)!

Th’ song we made up is t’ th’ tune of one of our home world favorites – Stormalong.

O we’re sailin’ under an icy dome.
Way,hay, Ganymede.
We’re a long long way from our Earthly home.
Aye aye we’re on Ganymede.

An’ there ain’t no wind for to fill our sails
Way, hay, Ganymede.
It ain’t clear what sailin’ here entails.
Aye aye we’re on Ganymede.

But the ocean’s salty an’ dark and deep.
Way, hay, Ganymede.
If there’s monsters in it, let them sleep!
Aye aye we’re on Ganymede.

If there’s fishes swimmin’ beneath our feet
Way, hay, Ganymede
Please be slow an’ fat an’ O.K. to eat.
Aye Aye we’re on Ganymede.

Though it’s scary here an’ th’ water’s cold,
Way, hay, Ganymede
May the seas be calm an’ the booty gold!
Aye Aye we’re on Ganymede.

When you’re far away, what song reminds you of home?

Odd Couple

It’s like one of those rumors you heard in high school. Jupiter really likes Venus. I mean really, really likes her. See how he does everything he can to get closer?

Jupiter - blotchy lovestruck loser

For, like, the whole past week he’s just been hanging around. If you catch a glimpse of her, look nearby. There he is, looming! Weird. Do you think she likes him? If there are two planets that are NOT going to get together, it’s them.

She’s so small and hot, and he’s huge! They say he’s incredibly gaseous. And people who watch him closely say he’s so moon eyed around her. Or maybe those are actual moons. Hard to tell.

Venus - electrified hotness

Stranger things have happened. Venus and Jupiter will appear to get quite close today, but really, there’s absolutely no chance they’ll ever actually be an item. Two reasons:

1) If you grew up with the same straight-line map of the solar system I saw, you know that Venus is off to the right, between us and the gigantic flaming sun. And Jupiter is far left – out past the asteroid belt and halfway to Uranus. They’re simply too far apart. We shouldn’t even be able to see them in the same piece of sky. Don’t these planets know their left from their right? Didn’t they learn the chart?

2) In Mythology, Jupiter and Venus are a father/daughter pair. Ugh. I know those Gods and Goddesses were a little indiscriminate, but come on. There’s a whole universe out there. Pick somebody more appropriate!

Tell us about the Oddest Couple you know.