Who Smarted? – Trusty Trivia: PLANETARY ORBITS!!!

Episode Date: January 8, 2026
Host: Trusty Narrator (Atomic Entertainment / Starglow Media)

Episode Overview

This episode of "Who Smarted?" dives into the cosmic world of planetary orbits with a lively and engaging trivia format. Designed for young listeners, the Trusty Narrator invites "smarty pants" (the listeners) to join in on the fun, blending humor and straightforward science facts to spark curiosity about how planets move in space.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Welcoming the Listeners & Shoutouts

• Trusty Narrator gives a warm welcome, specifically mentioning fans Henry from Orillia, Ontario, and Luca from Williamstown, Massachusetts, for enjoying learning and laughing with the show.
• Sets the energetic, playful tone for the trivia:

  "Today we're going full circle with planetary orbits." (01:42)

2. Trivia Question #1: What Keeps Planets in Orbit?

• Options:
  A) Gravity
  B) Duct tape
  C) Really good balance
• Correct Answer:
  A) Gravity
• Explanation:
  Gravity acts as the invisible force that keeps planets moving along their paths around the sun.
  • Memorable moment:

    "Did you go with A? You're universally locked in. Gravity keeps planets moving in their orbital paths." (02:16)

3. Trivia Question #2: Shape of a Planet's Orbit

• Options:
  A) A perfect circle
  B) An oval
  C) A zigzag
• Correct Answer:
  B) Oval
• Explanation:
  Planets orbit the sun in an elliptical (oval-shaped) path, not a perfect circle.
  • Notable quote:

    "You are elliptically correct. Planetary orbits are oval shaped, not perfect circles." (02:46–02:49)

4. Trivia Question #3: Fastest Planetary Orbit

• Options:
  A) Earth
  B) Jupiter
  C) Mercury
• Correct Answer:
  C) Mercury
• Fact:
  Mercury has the shortest orbit around the sun, taking just 88 Earth days to complete one revolution.
  • Energetic highlight:

    "If you said C, you are moving at warp speed. Mercury zips around the sun in just 88 Earth days. You're astronomically smart." (03:04–03:17)

5. Episode Wrap-up & Additional Learning

• Trusty Narrator encourages listeners to check out the podcast’s archive for a full episode on planetary orbits:

  "If you want to learn more about the planetary orbits, check out our Planetary Orbits episode in the WhoSmarted archives." (03:22)

• Invites listeners to return for more trivia and fun next week.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the humor and fun of learning:

  “Now let’s gravitate towards the questions.” (02:15)

• Celebrating correct answers:

  "You are elliptically correct." (02:46)

Important Timestamps

• [01:40] – Trivia begins with listener shoutouts and warm-up
• [02:16] – Question 1: What keeps planets in orbit?
• [02:46] – Question 2: What shape is a planet's orbit?
• [03:04] – Question 3: Fastest planet around the sun
• [03:17] – Episode wrap-up and further learning suggestion

Episode Tone & Style

• Playful, upbeat, and interactive: The Trusty Narrator consistently invites the audience to play along, keeping the content accessible and fun, with witty transitions and lighthearted jokes (e.g., duct tape as an option for what keeps planets in orbit).
• Encouraging: Listeners are praised for correct answers ("You're universally locked in," "You're astronomically smart").

Summary

This episode of “Who Smarted?” uses engaging trivia to teach young listeners about planetary orbits. Through humor, memorable analogies, and intuitive questioning, kids learn why planets stay in orbit (gravity), the true shape of their paths (elliptical), and which planet orbits the sun the quickest (Mercury). With frequent audience engagement and playful language, the show makes astronomy fun and accessible—a perfect bite-sized science adventure!