When I think of rockets, I think of climbing into one and launching off into outer space. Well, would you believe that rockets were invented around NINE HUNDRED years ago???
This isn’t to say that people were exploring space that long ago. No, the science that eventually got us into space started out just being used in fireworks, in China. Gunpowder was invented in China 1,200 years ago and was burned (in the form of fireworks) to scare away evil spirits.
From then, it took around three hundred years for people to figure out that fireworks could be turned into small rockets. And one of the most powerful emperors of all time used those rockets to fight his enemies and conquer all kinds of people. His name was Genghis Khan, and don’t let his jolly little smile fool you.
But it wasn’t until about 90 years ago that a scientist named Robert Goddard started thinking rockets might be able to go into space. People thought he was CRAZY, and they nicknamed him “Moony” and made fun of him all the time in the newspapers.
It turns out he was right, so the moral of the story is: “Don’t stop believing in space travel just because people give you a silly nickname.”
Here we are: another month, another painting up for auction.
The theme of the month is rockets, and so Robbi’s options were somewhat limited. Here’s what she came up with. I’m rather fond of it.
For those of you who do not live in the barn and are not, therefore, able to pick up the painting and peer at it closely, there are two figures in the painting, both dressed in green suits. One is looking (longingly?) out of the window of a rocketship. The other is blasting (gently?) through the vast recesses of empty space with the help of a jetpack.
There is some sort of dynamic in play, but I will leave it to each of you to draw your own conclusions as to what is going on.
Also, the painting features a planet. The planet is purple. It is riddled with various craters. This planet has had a rough go of it.
I told you I was going to let you decide for yourself what to make of this painting, but now I have changed my mind and am going to unload my theory on you after all. Robbi asked me to write a description of the painting, and it seems only fitting that I share it.
The wide, black universe their oyster, the newlyweds decide to settle near the lonely purple planet. While Stanley rocks his sweet new moves, Janet unwraps the salad spinner, lamenting that she had not instead registered for an additional jetpack.
Which is why the painting is called “Honeymoon.” Here it is in all its finished glory.
It can be yours, of course. Starting now and ending whenever someone splurges for the “Buy It Now” price of $1,000,000, the auction will otherwise roll on until next Sunday evening.
I think of shooting off into space to explore new worlds. I think of seeing the earth from space and floating in zero gravity. I think of stepping onto the moon and taking giant leaps into the air.
When I was a kid, I used to think being an astronaut would be really cool. Now that I’m a grown-up, I think it’s terrifying. I wonder what happened to me since then that made me such a wimp?
Maybe it was that I watched the video below. It’s amazing and gives me chills, but boy howdy, once that countdown begins, you can’t really say, “Oh, man, never mind! I didn’t actually want to go to space today!”
Have a look and a listen – the sound of the blastoff is amazing!
What do you think of when you think of rockets? Do you know any interesting facts about rockets? Do you like to draw rockets (like Kato does)? Share what you’ve got in the comments or write me an email or post it on the Bobbledy Facebook page. Anyone who contributes gets a chance to win a free book or CD from our shop this month!
