Are you smarter than a 5th grader?

There are some really smart kids out there. I have had so many kids come into the planetarium who know so much more about astronomy than I did when I was in high school. Some kids even know more than I do now. 

I love when kids ask me critically thought questions or questions I would've never thought to ask. I also love when a kid asks me a question that I do not know the answer to because then I get to learn something new. 

Today is a good example of kids asking great questions. After our show, Saturn: Jewel of the Heavens, sometimes I will ask the audience if they have any questions. There was a little boy in the audience who was maybe 5 or 6 years old. In fact, he could've been 4. 

He asked me these questions:

1. Why did those rocks [moons] collide into each other to form Saturn's ring?
2. Why do some of Saturn's rings have more stuff than other parts of the rings?

These are really great questions that show a level of critical thinking I'm sure I still don't have! 

What's great about these questions is that we are still trying to understand Saturn's rings and how they formed. There are multiple hypothesis, and the planetarium show only visualizes one of those scenarios. In addition, new research using Cassini data was released about something interesting and unexpected involving the density of the rings.

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute

So, an elementary-aged child is asking the same questions professional astronomers are also asking about the rings. That is amazing! It is also inspiring. Every time I have a kid come into the planetarium that shows such knowledge, curiosity, and excitement about astronomy, it gives me hope for the future. There will always be those kids who pursue their dreams and help pave our way forward through the universe.

GO HERE for the recent JPL article about the rings' density.

GO HERE to learn more about the rings in general.