01x12 - What's Up With Saturn's Rings?/Sunspot's Night Out

[bunniefuu]

[together] Ready! Jet! Go!

- ♪ Jet Propulsion ♪

♪ That's his name ♪

♪ Jet Propulsion ♪

♪ He'll rocket to fame ♪

♪ When he arrived, he created a buzz ♪

♪ 'Cause there was no house ♪

♪ And then there was, he said ♪

- ♪ People of Earth! You ain't seen nothing yet! ♪

♪ I'm from Bortron , and my name is Jet! ♪

- ♪ Jet Propulsion ♪

♪ That's his name ♪

♪ He looks like us ♪

♪ But he isn't the same ♪

- ♪ I'm a space tripper and a galaxy crosser ♪

♪ My parents brought me here in a flying saucer ♪

- ♪ And just to prove it was a fact ♪

♪ He flew them out to space and back ♪

- ♪ Jet Propulsion ♪

[spaceship whirring]

- ♪ Jet Propulsion ♪

[together] Ready! Jet! Go!

- ♪ He showed up, and now it's a blast ♪

♪ Looks like the future really got here fast ♪

- ♪ Nice to meet you, human race ♪

♪ Tell me all about the place ♪

- Jet Propulsion!

- Jet Propulsion!

- Jet Propulsion!

all: Ready! Jet! Go!

- Yeah, wiggle your hips like this, Jet.

[hoop whirs, Jet laughs]

- Watching you guys hooping makes me think of Saturn,

since it has a big ring like a hoop.

- Wow. You're really getting good, Mindy.

You too, Jet.

- Thanks. It's fun to hula the hoop.

- Just like Saturn does, you know?

- Wait. Am I doing this right?

- Keep moving like this, like Mindy.

- Just keep practicing.

That's how I'll become the best hooper in the whole world...

or in our neighborhood.

- Or the whole universe.

- Jet, you know who's the best hooper in the whole universe?

Saturn, 'cause it has a hoop ring around it, right?

- Right! Good one, Mindy.

- Mindy, that's kind of brilliant and funny--

a hooping planet.

- Mindy's right, but, guys,

I kind of said that about Saturn a second ago.

- Oh, right, Sean.

But I didn't think you said Saturn.

I heard wrong. I heard "ice cream sundae"

or "Cincinnati"

or "sautéed sausages."

- [sighs] Fine.

- Aw. My hoop keeps falling down.

Why won't it just stay up?

Saturn's hoop stays up.

Why doesn't it ever fall down?

- Okay, that's a great question.

- Oh, oh, I never get tired of hooping with Earth hoop rings.

That's the secret to my homemade tomato and liver butter.

- Yuck. But good hooping, Mr. Propulsion.

- Very good, Dad.

It's all in the hips.

[Sunspot whistles]

- Wow! Way to go, Sunspot.

- And no hoops are falling down!

Sunspot is like Saturn.

- Or is Saturn just like Sunspot?

- I bet Saturn's ring doesn't fall

because of how fast it's moving.

- I guess that makes sense.

So the ring must orbit around Saturn

really, super fast?

- Yeah! Like this!

[together] Go, Mindy! Go, Mindy! Go, Mindy!

- [groans] I will do better!

- You know, it really is amazing

that Saturn's ring doesn't fall down.

- If only there was a way we could see that.

[horn honks]

Oh, wait. There is!

- Right! The engine is charged, windows are clean,

and we're ready to fly to Saturn.

- Saturn? Right now?

Maybe we should make a plan and go another day.

Plus, it's getting cloudy out,

and if I had a parrot,

I'd probably have to clean its cage.

- [laughs]

- Sean, face it-- you're going into outer space.

- [chuckles]

- I can't wait to hear about Saturn

and its hoop-- I mean, ring.

Will you find out why it never falls down?

- Major Mindy, I will report to you fully about Saturn,

and I bet there may even be

a picture or two for you when we get back.

- Yay! That will be great, Commander Sydney.

- Sunspot! Car trip!

[silly music]

♪ ♪

- Bye!

- Ready? - You know, I'm not sure

if we need to fly out to Saturn just to see one ring.

Anyone with me on--

- ♪ Five, four, three, two, one ♪

♪ Doors are shut engine's on ♪

♪ Everybody in their place ♪

♪ Let's go into outer space ♪

all: ♪ Ready, jet, go! ♪

[engine rumbling]

[jet engines whirring]

- Ah, we're approaching Saturn.

[together] Ooh, Saturn!

- Do you think the ring ever falls down

when no one's looking?

- I doubt it, but I can't tell what's keeping it up.

I'm trying to see what the ring is made out of.

[Sunspot barks]

- Wood? Probably not.

- Hmm? - Eggs? Come on.

- Hmm? - Flowers? Uh, no.

[Sunspot grunts] Cookies? A big ring of cookies?

Sunspot.

Yep, we are gonna have to get close to the ring to find out.

Is that what he meant?

- I'm gonna say yes.

- I bet our friend Face can answer our question.

- Face , ready to assist you.

[together] Hi, Face!

- Greetings.

You rang me up with some ring questions?

- Yep! We were wondering what Saturn's ring was made of.

And where does the ring even come from?

- Good questions.

Scientists think that Saturn's rings

may have been formed by pieces of passing comets

or parts of former, broken-apart moons of Saturn.

[Sunspot barks]

- Sorry, Sunspot. The rings are not made of cookies,

though an alien pet can dream.

- Wait, Face!

Did you say "rings"?

- Face did say "rings."

Look, there are more than one.

- What? - Really?

- Oh, now I can see them.

Wow. So how many rings are there?

- Hmm, let's count.

[together] One, two, three,

four, five, six, seven!

- Wow. That is six more rings than I thought Saturn had.

- So all the rings are orbiting around and around

and not stopping?

Face, how come the rings never stop or fall down?

- Well, why don't we take a look?

The rings all orbit at slightly different speeds.

Saturn's strong gravity pulls the rings down

toward the planet, but they don't fall,

just like your hoops,

because they're all moving so fast.

- Wow. Gravity's really trying hard to pull the rings down.

- Yep, but this time, gravity won't win.

The rings are going around way too fast.

- That's amazing, since the rings

are made of rock or something.

[Sunspot barks] - Hmm. Rock?

- Well, I'm guessing. I wonder what they are made of.

- Are they made of rock?

- Well, we've come all this way.

Let's go find out. Shall we?

- [gasps] Look at the rings!

Up close, they're made of millions of pieces!

- Yeah, but millions of pieces of what?

- Landing in three, two, one, and we have touchdown.

- I can't believe we're actually stepping onto a ring of Saturn.

- Yep. It's a first for Earth and non-Earth kids.

- Ready, astronauts? Here we go!

[together] Wow.

Whoa!

- This is really slippery...

[together] Ice?

- This is so weird.

- Ha! Careful!

Between the ice and the low gravity,

it's gonna be hard to stay upright.

- Incredible! Got to say, I was not expecting this at all.

[boots squeak]

Looks like this whole ring is ice.

- Actually, all the rings of Saturn are mostly ice.

- Oh, so you knew this, Mom?

- I did. I thought it would be a fun...

Oh, what's that Earth word?

Um, oh, "surprise."

- [laughs] - Yeah!

- Astronaut's log--

this is so wild.

I have to rethink rings

and ice and planets.

- Aren't planets amazing?

Just when you think you have them figured out,

parts of them are made of ice!

Ha ha! Okay, let's ring skate!

[laughing]

Let's go! - Yeah!

- This is gonna be awesome. - Whoo-hoo!

- Whoa.

- Better safe than slipping. - Thanks.

- Uh, Mrs. Propulsion, did you bring the--

Oh, you did. Thanks.

Mindy will love this, if I can do this.

[hoop whirs]

[soft music]

♪ ♪

Hi, Mindy. Look, I'm hooping on the biggest hoop of all--

a ring of Saturn!

Want to try, Sean? - You're kidding.

I'm just trying not to slide and land on my--

Whoa!

Ugh!

See?

Note to self-- work on balancing on ice

in a low-gravity outer-space situation.

[accordion music]

[kids laughing] Sunspot!

- Whoo-hoo! - Whoo-hoo!

[together] Go, Jet! Go, Sunspot!

- Ah! Ooh! Dance with us, you guys!

Come on!

- Um, maybe next time.

Wait. I can't--

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!

[laughter]

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!

[laughs]

- [laughs] Nice moves, Sean.

I knew you could do it.

both: Go, Sean! Go, Sean!

Go, Sean! Go, Sean!

- Yes! Still standing.

Whoa!

- Check out Sunspot!

- Whoa.

- [barks]

- Whoo-hoo-hoo! That's impressive!

- Yeah! - Awesome!

- This is great! - Whoo!

- Seven rings, and they all go around so fast

that gravity can't pull them down?

Oh, that's why my hoop stays up. Who knew?

- And, Mindy, you won't believe what the rings are made of.

- Please say cookies.

Whoa! It's ice!

- Yep, the rings are made of ice,

and we skated on them.

- Even Sean skated...

and danced.

- Wow. Nice moves, Sean.

- Hi, Mindy. I'm hooping on the biggest hoop of all--

a ring of Saturn!

- I love it! What's going on in outer space?

I never knew Saturn had so many rings

and that they're made of ice.

- None of us did, and we found out because you asked.

- So do you want to see what I've been practicing?

Here goes!

[together] Yeah!

Go, Mindy! Go, Mindy! Go, Mindy!

[hoops whirring]

Go, Sunspot! Go, Sunspot! Go, Sunspot!

- Seven hoops for Sunspot, just like Saturn.

- Hey, let's all do the Saturn.

Hoop with as many rings-- I mean, hoops--as you can.

[hoops whirring]

- Astronaut's log-- it's way easier

to maintain balance on planet Earth.

Ooh, and doing "the Saturn" is fun.

Whoo-hoo!

[all cheering, laughing]

- If you could talk to an alien, what would you say?

What music would you want them to hear,

and what sights would you want them to see?

The "Voyager" spacecraft were designed to visit

the outer planets in our solar system.

Both spacecraft visited Jupiter and Saturn,

and "Voyager " visited four planets--

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune

in something we call "the Grand Tour."

Hi. I'm astronomer Amy Mainzer.

When scientists and engineers were building

the "Voyager" spacecraft, they knew that these spacecraft

would travel a huge, long distance out into deep space,

and they thought that maybe someday,

well, maybe somebody would find them,

and if they did,

what would they want them to know about us?

With that in mind, they designed these golden records.

Golden records carry greetings from people

in dozens of different languages.

- Konnichiwa. - Hola, y saludos a todos.

[woman speaking native language]

- The outside covers have a lot

of scientific information about Earth.

They even carry our galactic address--how to find us.

The "Voyager" missions are traveling incredibly fast,

but space is incredibly big,

so it'll take tens of thousands of years

until these spacecraft reach even the nearest stars.

Maybe it'll be millions of years--or maybe never--

until an alien species finds them.

But if they do, they'll have these golden records

that'll tell them a little bit about us.

So the next time you're listening

to your favorite record or reading your favorite book,

think about what you'd put on your own golden record

that you would send out to the stars.

- Cow. - [moos]

- Dog. - [barks]

- Duck. - [quacks]

- Lion. - [roars]

- Wow.

- That's amazing, Sunspot!

[triumphant tone plays]

[cats meowing, dogs howling]

- I've heard that sound before.

Is it some kind of weird Earth song

that the neighbors around here sing?

- Nope. That's just probably some local dogs and cats

howling for fun.

- Yeah, some animals talk to each other by howling,

and sometimes at night, they howl when the moon is out.

- So some Earth animals talk to each other by howling?

[chuckles] This is one strange planet.

[howls, growls, and squeaks]

- [chuckles] He sounds just like them.

- And you squeaked too, Sunspot.

You have your own special kind of howl.

- [howls and squeaks]

- What's he pointing at? - Oh, at his favorite star--

The North Star.

It's always in the same place in the sky,

so Sunspot always knows exactly where it is.

The North Star has been used forever by Earth people

who need to find the direction north.

Even your Earth explorers from long ago

used the North Star when they were sailing around in boats.

- Cool! - I had no idea.

- Jet! Sunspot! Time for dinner!

- Coming, Mom!

Oh, maybe we can try to find the North Star after dinner.

both: Okay. - That'd be great.

- All right, ready? Let's eat.

- Wait. Where's Sunspot?

His food's cut up like he prefers it.

His pillow is just how he likes it.

His Bortronian tea is hot.

- Well, maybe he's still putting on his dinner jacket.

- Or scrubbing his feet. - Or maybe he's outside

looking up at the North Star-- his favorite.

You know our Sunspot--he gets busy with one of his projects

and forgets about everything else.

[both laughing] - Yeah, sure does.

- Yes. - Okay, seriously, let's eat.

- What? Dad, Sunspot never misses dinner.

Can we look for him first?

- You're right. He never misses a meal.

- Well, this is all frozen, anyway.

It needs to thaw out a little.

Come on!

all: Sunspot! - Where are you?

[cats meowing, dogs howling, animal squeaking]

- Hmm, is that some Earth animal's howling

and a dash of meowing?

- And a squeak! That's Sunspot!

- Are you looking for Sunspot? - We heard him squeak.

- Do you think he's out with the other animals?

- I think he might be,

since it's just not like him to miss dinner.

- Well, Sunspot is his own kind of creature.

Maybe he just wanted to try something new

and dine out tonight.

- Huh. Yeah, Sunspot does like to try new things,

and he has an amazing voice.

Not to brag, but he sang in the All Bortronian Creature Choir.

- Yeah, they toured our solar system.

I still have the T-shirt.

- I hope Sunspot comes back.

We have our juggling lesson every night before my bedtime.

- Of course we'll find Sunspot.

He'll come back. This is where he lives.

- Yeah. Sunspot has never been away from us at night.

- Maybe he wants to try living like a wild Earth animal.

He'll come back and tell stories of his adventures outdoors,

finding food, sleeping wherever he can...

- Wow. Then we'd better find him.

Sunspot doesn't know about any of those things.

- Okay, then, it's time for Operation Find Sunspot.

[together] Yes!

- Wait. What does Find Sunspot stand for?

- Um, finding Sunspot. - Oh! Great!

- Cody. Where are you, boy?

Hmm, either he's missing,

or he's become a detective on his own and taken on a case.

Or he's buying me a surprise present.

Nah, Cody's missing.

Time to track him down.

I'll need my usual detective supplies--

a magnifying glass, a notebook, and dog treats.

[cats meowing, dogs howling]

- Okay, let's spread out and look for Sunspot.

Ready? Go!

- Hmm. Human footprints, snail prints,

possibly alien pet prints with three toes.

- No Sunspot. - Didn't see him at all.

[car alarm blaring]

- Whoa. What kind of animal makes that sound?

[alarm beeps off]

Oh, it was a car kind of animal.

[howling and squeaking]

- Over there! Come on!

- Oh, if only Sunspot left us a clue where to find him,

like we were playing a game.

- Actually, Mindy, Sunspot sort of is leaving us clues--

howling clues.

We just have to follow them.

- You're right, Sydney.

[howling and squeaking]

Hey! Sunspot's giving us a clue!

Let's go find him. Come on.

- I think Sunspot's this way.

[howling and squeaking]

- Well, I say now he's this way.

- Okay, I've put dog treats everywhere.

What could be keeping Cody from being here eating them?

[sighs]

[insects chirping]

[meowing and squeaking]

both: This way!

- Wait. Where are we?

Are we lost?

- No way. I can see the tree house.

- Hmm. Looks like someone accidentally dropped

a line of small cookies.

[sniffs]

Oh! They smell just like my auntie's shampoo.

- [sniffs]

Yep, just like Aunt... [speaking halting gibberish]

Hmm. Shampoo. I've always wondered what that tastes like.

- All right! Cookies!

It was nice of whoever dropped these here.

- [sniffs] - Whoa.

- Wait! Stop.

These cookies are dog treats, not people treats.

- Naughty Bortron people treats.

- [chewing and gulping] Hmm. Not bad.

- Maybe someone put these treats down to find a lost doggie.

Should we follow the dog treat trail to find Sunspot?

- No, I don't think so.

Wait. Follow the trail-- that's it!

It's not the dog treat trail we should follow,

but a trail to the North Star in the sky.

I bet then we'll find Sunspot.

- You're right, Sean. Sunspot's star.

- Yeah, the North Star.

Sunspot always goes north when he explores.

- So now we just have to figure out

where the North Star is.

Let's see...

- Uh, it's up in the sky, silly.

[whirring]

- Mindy's right! Good evening, everyone.

- Face! Did I accidentally pocket-dial you?

- No, I heard "North Star" and had to chime in.

We can find it together.

The easiest way to locate the North Star

is to first find a pattern of stars

called the Big Dipper.

It's part of a larger constellation

called Ursa Major.

- A consternation called the Big what?

- It's called a constellation.

It's when stars make patterns in the sky.

- Really? Wow!

- Exactly right, Sydney!

And one pattern of seven very bright stars

is called the Big Dipper.

- Hey, when you connect the dots,

the Big Dipper kind of looks like a big cup with a handle.

- Yeah! I see it! It's a long handle.

- You're right! And that's why it's called the Big Dipper.

And to find the North Star, follow a line

straight up from these two stars of the Big Dipper,

and there is the North Star.

- But where's the real North Star?

Can you help us find it, Face?

- Of course!

Now look through me and line up the stars on my screen

with the stars in the sky.

- I'm lining it up...

Got it!

all: Yeah! There it is!

- Now, from the tip of the Big Dipper cup...

[gasps] There it is--

the actual North Star!

- Good work!

Well, like the North Star,

I'm constantly around if you need more help.

Bye for now.

- Okay, so that's north.

Now we just follow the North Star this way.

- I'll try to find Cody one more time.

[howling, squeaking, meowing]

Maybe he's where those howling dogs and cats are.

[howling, squeaking, meowing]

- This way!

[branches rustling]

What's that?

[all scream]

[together] Mitchell!

- Are you looking for Sunspot too?

- No, I'm looking for my dog, Cody.

- What is going on around here?

Why are all the pets missing tonight?

[howling, squeaking, meowing]

- [gasps] Look.

[animals meowing and howling in harmony]

♪ ♪

[cheering]

all: Awesome!

- [gasps] Cody!

[cats screech]

- [barking]

[cats continue screeching]

- You guys sounded amazing, Sunspot!

- Really awesome. - Yeah.

Your conducting skills have really come a long way.

- By the way, Sunspot, we found you by using the North Star.

[Sunspot chuckles]

- Oh, Sunspot, I missed you...a lot!

- [purrs]

[children laughing]

- Sunspot, I'm so happy you're back.

- Yeah! - We missed you a lot, Sunspot!

[animals meowing and howling in harmony]

♪ ♪

- Do you remember the first time you ever saw a rainbow?

Hi. I'm astronomer Amy Mainzer.

I was about three years old when I first saw a rainbow,

and I remember just being stunned by a beautiful arch

of colors going across the sky.

With this glass prism, I can split white light

from the Sun into a rainbow of different colors.

But even all of these amazing colors that you see here

are just a tiny fraction of all the different kinds of light

that are in the universe.

It's just that our eyes can't see most of it.

Essentially, there's light beyond the rainbow.

You've already had tons of experience with light

that you can't see, even if you don't know it.

For example, if you've ever gotten a sunburn,

well, that's caused by ultraviolet light.

Ultraviolet is light that's bluer

than the blue light you see coming out of the prism here.

Or if you've ever broken a bone and had to have X-rays taken--

X-rays are even bluer than ultraviolet.

On the other side of the spectrum,

there's light that's redder than red.

We call it infrared light.

If you've used a TV remote control,

well, that TV remote is using infrared light

to talk to the television.

If you keep going,

there's even light that's redder than infrared.

We call it microwaves.

This is the kind of light that your microwave oven

uses to cook food.

If we get all the way out beyond microwaves,

we get to the reddest light of all--radio waves.

Cell phones use radio waves to communicate.

So the next time you're eating some rainbow sherbet--

a personal favorite of mine--

just remember, there's a lot more light out there

beyond the rainbow than what your eyes can see.

- ♪ Jet Propulsion ♪

[together] Ready! Jet! Go!

[upbeat music]

♪ ♪

- Jet Propulsion! - Jet Propulsion!

- Jet Propulsion!

[together] Ready! Jet! Go!