Good evening,
It's Gina here.
Tonight we're joining Leo for a journey to one of the most magical places in our solar system,
Saturn.
So get cozy in your bed,
Snuggle down and let's begin.
Leo is lying in bed gazing out of his window at stars.
He thinks of his adventures,
The contrasts of Mercury,
The honey-coloured mist around Venus,
Seeing Earth from above,
Full of life,
Oceans and land,
The red glow of Mars and the pink clouds of Jupiter.
Tonight it's time to visit Saturn,
The planet with beautiful rings.
Leo smiled.
I wonder what they look like,
How close,
He said to himself.
The thought fills him with quiet excitement.
He slips out of bed,
Tiptoes to his little silver rocket by the window and climbs inside.
The buttons glow softly beneath his fingertips.
Three,
Two,
One,
Liftoff.
The rocket hums gently as it rises into the sky,
Past the moon,
Past the glowing light of Mars and Jupiter,
Out into the deep still sea of space.
Stars sparkle all around him like tiny diamonds.
Time seems to slow as Leo watches them drift by.
Then,
Far in the distance,
He begins to see a pale golden glow.
Saturn.
It grows larger and larger until it fills his window.
A soft,
Hazy planet surrounded by beautiful shining rings.
The rings stretch out wide and bright,
Glittering with bits of ice and dust that catch the sunlight like snowflakes.
Also orbiting Saturn are 146 moons.
Leo stares in wonder.
Leo's rocket slows,
Circling gently around the planet.
It's even more beautiful than I imagined.
He parked his rocket beside one of Saturn's wide,
Shimmering rings,
Slipped into his spacesuit,
Then stepped outside.
The rings stretched around the planet like a glowing ribbon of light,
Made of tiny pieces of ice and rock,
Each one catching the sunlight in its own special way.
They sparkled gold and silver against the dark of space.
Leo floated gently from the rocket,
His feet brushing through the mists of glittering particles.
There was no ground,
Only endless sparkles drifting around him.
Cool and quiet,
Like powdered crystals suspended in air.
He reached out and watched tiny bits of ice spin slowly past his glove.
Leo laughed.
He gave a tiny push with his hand,
And instead of falling,
He glided forward weightless and free.
He stretched his arms wide,
Floating through the glowing mist as Saturn shone behind him.
It felt like skating across a frozen rainbow.
It was calm,
It was weightless,
It was magical.
For a while,
Leo floated among the rings,
Turning,
Drifting,
And spinning softly through the gentle light.
He felt free,
Light,
And completely at peace.
After a while,
He begins to feel sleepy.
The golden glow of Saturn surrounds him,
And the stars look softer now,
Like tiny lanterns in the dark.
Leo floats back towards his rocket and climbs inside.
He looks out one last time at Saturn's rings,
Still glowing faintly in the distance.
Good night,
Saturn,
He whispers.
The rocket hums softly as it turns for home.
Through the window,
Saturn fades away,
Its light twinkling behind him.
When Leo lands back beside his window,
The night outside is quiet and still.
He changes into his pajamas and climbs into bed.
He pulls his blanket out to his chin and closes his eyes,
Remembering how it felt to float among the shimmering rings,
Peaceful,
Silent,
And full of light.
Now,
If you're listening at home,
You can join Leo for a few calm deep breaths.
Take a slow breath in,
And a gentle breath out.
Again,
Breathe in deeply and softly,
And breathe out,
Letting your body rest.
Now,
Imagine you're floating among Saturn's golden rings.
They move slowly all around you,
Silver,
Gold,
And pale blue,
Wrapping you in their gentle glow.
You begin to feel that golden light at your feet,
Warm and calm.
It moves gently up through your legs,
Relaxing every muscle,
Helping you feel soft and peaceful.
That golden glow travels higher to your tummy and chest,
Filling you with calm.
It spreads to your arms and hands,
Then moves up to your neck and face,
Softening your eyes,
Cheeks,
And forehead.
Finally,
The light reaches the top of your head,
And you feel completely calm,
As if you're floating in space,
Surrounded by the soft golden rings of Saturn.
Leo sighs quietly,
His breathing slow and steady.
The memory of Saturn's rings shimmers behind his closed eyes,
Endless,
Gentle,
And full of peace.
As he drifts off to sleep,
He imagines those golden rings circling softly around him,
Keeping him safe and calm through the night.
If you've enjoyed this journey,
Perhaps you'd like to join us again tomorrow,
When Leo visits Uranus.
Until then,
Good night my friend.