Are you from Mars? and Other Idioms About Space

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At the end of this month, we will have the closest view of the planet Mars since 2003. When Earth and Mars line up directly with the sun, it is called an opposition and this year this takes place on July 27. From this date until July 30, Mars will appear at its brightest since 2003. The planet will be visible for most of the night, hitting its highest point around midnight. Mars will reach its closest approach to Earth on July 31 and then become fainter by the middle of August.

Here are 25 idioms about space:

  1. are you from Mars? – a question used to indicate that someone is out of touch with reality/the norm
  2. everything under the sun – everything on earth
  3. failure to launch – struggling to transition into adulthood
  4. Houston, we have a problem! – a reference to the Apollo 13 mission, used humorously to report something that has gone wrong
  5. it’s not rocket science/you don’t need to be a rocket scientist – it’s not that difficult to understand/you don’t need to be extremely intelligent
  6. many moons (ago) – a long time (ago)
  7. moonshine – illicitly/illegally distilled alcohol, foolish ideas
  8. on another planet – out of touch with reality/the norm
  9. once in a blue moon – rarely
  10. out of this world – very impressive/enjoyable
  11. over the moon – delighted, extremely happy
  12. rising star – someone who is achieving increasing success in a particular field and likely to rise to the top
  13. space cadet – someone who is out of touch with reality/spaced out on drugs
  14. star-crossed – inevitable, thwarted by bad luck, doomed by the stars
  15. to aim/reach/shoot for the stars – to aim high, to have ambitions
  16. to ask for the moon/to give someone the moon – to ask for the impossible/to promise someone the impossible
  17. to come back down to earth – to return to reality after a period of excitement/daydreaming
  18. to have stars in your eyes/starry-eyed – to be naively or idealistically enthusiastic about something or someone
  19. to hitch your wagon to a star – to try and achieve by associating yourself with someone who is already successful
  20. to moon around – to move around/spend time aimlessly usually due to sadness or being in love
  21. to see stars – to think you are seeing flashes of light after hitting your head
  22. to thank your lucky stars – to feel grateful for your good fortune
  23. to think someone hung the moon and stars – to think someone is extraordinary
  24. what planet are you on? – a question used to indicate that someone is out of touch with reality/the norm
  25. written in the stars – predetermined by fate/destiny

Can you think of any idioms about space?


26 Jul 2018
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"I ran the trial with a small group of students over three weeks before the summer holidays," she says. "I quickly saw the benefits, and signed up."

King's Leadership Academy, Warrington

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