‘Tis Talk Like a (Starry) Pirate Day

Yarrrr, ye lasses and lads of the starry deeps! Today is Talk Like a Pirate Day, which means ye can affect all FUN piratey attitudes (but NOT the pillagin’ and other law-breakin’ activities–those are frowned upon in TLAPD circles). “All in good fun” is the piratey watchword.

How to celebrate TLAPD if yer an astronomer?  Well, stargazin’ like a pirate is always in good form.  First, wait til it gets dark (if ye want to see stars).  If ye want to see just one star, then go outside and pretend yer on a desert isle with yer piratey treasure.  Count yer doubloons and cackle with glee.  And, let the sunshine warm ye, but do not be a chumbucket and actually LOOK at the Sun — it’ll mess with yer eyes somethin’ fierce!  Just enjoy it, and as Captain Jack warns ye, wear sunblock!

Nighttime starlubbers should wander out after the Sun’s been down fer a while (darkness is a good clue) –and look up!  Check out the stars. Look for a piratey planet!  See if ye can spot the Milky Way. (If ye need a star chart, look at this piratey navigator’s favorite: the Skyview Cafe.

That’s all there is to sailin’ the starry seas!  Oh, and ye must talk like a piratey astronomer!  Every once in a while say something like “Shiver me timbers, look at Jupiter there!”  or “Yarrrrr…. will ya look at that Milky Way!”  or “Take this telescope to the Lagoon Nebula!”

Wear somethin’ warm (even pirates get the shivers in cool night air), and if ye like, bring a grog or other beverage (our personal favorite is piratey hot chocolate).  After yer done, go back inside and watch a good piratey movie.  Pirates of the Caribbean comes to mind, or maybe even Aye, Robot, or Men in Blackbeards. Or maybe Yarrrrrrr Wars… or one of my personal favorites, The Pirate Wears Prada…