Anika is hooked onto Astronomy. Not the observational kind – since Dad is wimp enough not to brave the freezing temperature outside and whip out the 8″ Schmidt-Cassegrain, especially since he acted brave enough to not purchase an auto-locator.

Anika is hooked onto theoretical (i.e., reading about) astronomy. She knows her planets – count (8, not 9 silly, Pluto is a dwarf planet), distances from the Sun (relative), composition (rocky or gas) and so on. She knows her nebulae (star factory) and galaxies (lotsa stars). Heck, she even knows that Titan, a moon of Saturn, is very earth-like. And of course there is endless fun in comparing herself to a Planet Earth Girl, Mama as a Planet Saturn Girl, (Saturn and Earth are very beautiful – so you know who came up with this comparison), Daddy as the Man from the bloated gas giant Jupiter, and Pumpi as Pluto – a dwarf planet, not a real one yet. Pumpi does become Mars when Sheru becomes angry.

One night, before sleeping, Mama asked Anika what she thought was closest object from Earth.

Anika: “Moon”

Mama: “And further away than the Moon?”

Anika: “Mars”

And so on and so forth till she reaches the outer limits of the Solar System.

Mama: “Anika, what is beyond the Solar System”

Anika: “Galaxies”

Mama: “And beyond?”

Anika: “Don’t know Mama”

Mama: “All of us, including the galaxies and solar system, are part of our Universe. There is no end to the Universe – it is called infinite. But if there was an end, what do you think it would be like?”

Anika, thinking hard: “There would be a fence… A white fence… With a Gate”

Mama: “And when you open the Gate…”

Anika: “You would see infinite white houses, lots and lots of them.”