Hello Everyone!
Bet you want to know what happened to Andromeda, huh? Well, she was left last chained to the side of the sea cliff, with a tsunami heading towards the coast. Well, the tsunami was actually being created by Cretes the Sea Monster.
Cretes was a deep sea monster sent by Poseidon to destroy the coast town. This is one of the oldest constellations, as it was known as a crocodile by the ancient Egyptians. As the creature came upon Andromeda, a hero on a white horse flew in to save the day.
This Hero was Perseus, and his white horse Pegasus. He had just come from slaying Medusa, the Gorgon that was fabled to petrify with a gaze. Her blood fell into the sea below as he headed back with Medusa's head and mixed with the sea foam, giving birth to Pegasus. He corralled and calmed Pegasus to use as a flying mount, until time that Zeus claimed the steed as a carrier of his lightning bolts.
The constellation Pegasus is actually called the "Great Table" in the night sky, as it sits above in the Winter night sky as a large square in the sky. You will see the chains hanging to the lower left of the Great Table, with a large "lobster claw" with a triangle at the top to mark Perseus' part in the fable.
Perseus swooped down with Medusa's head and petrified the sea monster, unchained Andromeda, and returned her to her parents. In return for his heroic service, they granted him marriage to their daughter. And so ends the tale of Andromeda.
I cannot believe this is the last of the Star Stories! Just yesterday I was starting this journey into the blogging world, and now here I am wrapping up the year 2011. I am glad to see that over 20 followers enjoyed the year's review of the night sky, and that I reached 400 views. Perhaps this blog will turn into a small little reader, or perhaps not, but I am proud to say I followed through and shared these stories with you. Thank you for coming along on the journey through the night sky with me.
Sure, my Spirit Stories will still continue on, but not as frequently as the Star Stories blog did. I am sure that my spiritual growth will continue to multiply, especially with the birth of my child next year. As I take a moment to really remember what started my interest in stargazing, it would have to be moving to Arizona and looking up. If I made you look up just at least once this year at the universe, I am truly happy that these stories did their job.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Friday, December 16, 2011
Friday, December 9, 2011
#27 Full Moon December and a Troubled Family
Hello there everyone!
I cannot believe it is December! It feels like just yesterday that I was starting this blog. A full year has almost gone by, and we are closing up the full moon names with the December Full Moon this evening. The December moon is called the Cold Moon or Long Night's Moon. Of course, the Cold Moon makes sense, as it was noticed that the winter nights had finally started to settle in, along with the frosts/freezes of the winter season.
The Long Night's Moon is a clever way to notice that the Moon hangs longer and higher in the night sky, as the Sun hangs closer to the horizon due to the tilt of the Earth's axis away from the Sun and the Winter Solstice approaches.
Also, you may want to catch an early morning treat of a Lunar Eclipse that is slated to be spectacular, as it is timed during the moon set around 7:00am Arizona Time. Near the horizon, the Moon will appear super big, and the ruddy red color that the Moon takes on during an Eclipse is bound to be magnified.
Now, to start the two part story regarding the troubled family mentioned in the blog title. It has to do with a Queen, King, and their daughter. Cassiopeia, Cepheus, and Andromeda were a royal family that lived in Joppa, which was thought to be located on the Eastern coast of Africa. Queen Cassiopeia was known for her boasting, especially about the beauty of her daughter Andromeda and herself. She was also known to be of the attitude that her royal family was better than the other commoners, and even perhaps as great as the Gods and Goddesses. Poseidon was especially enraged when he heard Cassiopeia boast that she and her daughter were more beautiful that any of his sea maidens. He decided to send a large sea monster called Cretes to flood Joppa with a huge tsunami.
Cassiopeia is easy to find in the winter night sky. She is one of the circumpolar constellations, which rotates in a fixed position around the North Star. Find Polaris, and you are sure to be able to find your way to the "M" or "W" of Cassiopeia. This "W" is known symbolically as her throne. She hangs upside down for most of the year, in punishment for her vanity and ego-centrism.
King Cepheus, hearing the news that his city was in danger, consulted the Oracle, who suggested to appease the sea monster with a sacrifice. Cepheus was enraged at Cassiopeia for her boast, and tried to find any other suitable ways to please Poseidon, but not any sacrifice would do; it was to be his daughter Andromeda. Cepheus swallowed his fear and anger and succumbed to chaining his daughter to the side of the coastal cliff, despite her cries. He can be found as the dimmest constellation of this story, as a reflection of how much sorrow had taken his vigor and humility had brought him to his knees. The constellation is seen as the shape of a dim house, with an elongated triangle roof. Some actually think they can see the King on his knees, with his hands folded to the heavens in humble submission.
Andromeda, as a constellation, is just a large "V" or "A," and meant to symbolize the chains she was wearing on the cliff. She eventually got the best deal out of the event, but we will need to wait until next time to learn the outcome of this dilemma she was placed in. Within the constellation, we can view the closest deep sky object to our home; the Andromeda galaxy, which can sometimes be seen with the naked eye as a white splotch within the chains.
Our last post will explain the conclusion of this tale and end of journey through the night sky together. Catch up with you then!
I cannot believe it is December! It feels like just yesterday that I was starting this blog. A full year has almost gone by, and we are closing up the full moon names with the December Full Moon this evening. The December moon is called the Cold Moon or Long Night's Moon. Of course, the Cold Moon makes sense, as it was noticed that the winter nights had finally started to settle in, along with the frosts/freezes of the winter season.
The Long Night's Moon is a clever way to notice that the Moon hangs longer and higher in the night sky, as the Sun hangs closer to the horizon due to the tilt of the Earth's axis away from the Sun and the Winter Solstice approaches.
Also, you may want to catch an early morning treat of a Lunar Eclipse that is slated to be spectacular, as it is timed during the moon set around 7:00am Arizona Time. Near the horizon, the Moon will appear super big, and the ruddy red color that the Moon takes on during an Eclipse is bound to be magnified.
Now, to start the two part story regarding the troubled family mentioned in the blog title. It has to do with a Queen, King, and their daughter. Cassiopeia, Cepheus, and Andromeda were a royal family that lived in Joppa, which was thought to be located on the Eastern coast of Africa. Queen Cassiopeia was known for her boasting, especially about the beauty of her daughter Andromeda and herself. She was also known to be of the attitude that her royal family was better than the other commoners, and even perhaps as great as the Gods and Goddesses. Poseidon was especially enraged when he heard Cassiopeia boast that she and her daughter were more beautiful that any of his sea maidens. He decided to send a large sea monster called Cretes to flood Joppa with a huge tsunami.
Cassiopeia is easy to find in the winter night sky. She is one of the circumpolar constellations, which rotates in a fixed position around the North Star. Find Polaris, and you are sure to be able to find your way to the "M" or "W" of Cassiopeia. This "W" is known symbolically as her throne. She hangs upside down for most of the year, in punishment for her vanity and ego-centrism.
King Cepheus, hearing the news that his city was in danger, consulted the Oracle, who suggested to appease the sea monster with a sacrifice. Cepheus was enraged at Cassiopeia for her boast, and tried to find any other suitable ways to please Poseidon, but not any sacrifice would do; it was to be his daughter Andromeda. Cepheus swallowed his fear and anger and succumbed to chaining his daughter to the side of the coastal cliff, despite her cries. He can be found as the dimmest constellation of this story, as a reflection of how much sorrow had taken his vigor and humility had brought him to his knees. The constellation is seen as the shape of a dim house, with an elongated triangle roof. Some actually think they can see the King on his knees, with his hands folded to the heavens in humble submission.
Andromeda, as a constellation, is just a large "V" or "A," and meant to symbolize the chains she was wearing on the cliff. She eventually got the best deal out of the event, but we will need to wait until next time to learn the outcome of this dilemma she was placed in. Within the constellation, we can view the closest deep sky object to our home; the Andromeda galaxy, which can sometimes be seen with the naked eye as a white splotch within the chains.
Our last post will explain the conclusion of this tale and end of journey through the night sky together. Catch up with you then!
Sunday, November 20, 2011
#26 The Water Bearer and Twin Fish
Hello Fellow Stargazers!
It really brings up a lot of feelings realizing that this is the last post on the zodiac constellations. All that is left to share with you is the month of December and the constellations that tell the story of Perseus and Andromeda, as well as the story of the name of the full moon of December. Things are coming to a close this year, and as the Farnsworth household prepares for Thanksgiving and Christmas, the heat is turned on in the house, the tree and decorations bring a warmth all their own, and the evenings are a quiet and blissful time of warm drinks and cozy activities indoors.
I picture myself this December spending some time outdoors walking the lake and reflecting on the gifts poured out over myself and Cassie this year. As soon as the Christmas lights start appearing on the houses, I find time to enjoy the twinkling stars not only above us, but around us.
Speaking of pouring out, the first of the constellations we will share is Aquarius. Aquarius is one of the tougher constellations to trace out due to dim stars as well as the area of the sky that it occupies. The ancient Greeks aptly named this area the "celestial sea" and was the source of all the waters of the night sky. You can see that the Milky Way seems to spring from this area.
Ganymede is the celestial water bearer, a young man holding either the celestial urn or cup of immortality of the gods. A young shepherd boy that Zeus judged as the most beautiful of the mortals, he claimed him as the water boy of the Olympian gods and goddesses. As you will remember when we talked about Jupiter, Ganymede is one of the four Galilean moons, along with Io, Europa, and Callisto, and one of Zeus' many trifle jaunts with the mortals. He granted Ganymede immortality for his service and symbolized in the night sky as Aquarius.
Pisces is the other of a pair of water signs/constellations which can be seen wrapped around the bottom of the great square of Pegasus, which we will observe in December. The easiest part of this constellation to view is the circlet of Pisces, which is one head of the two fish that make up this constellation.
This pair of fish was believed to symbolize the gods Aphrodite and her son Eros (Venus and Cupid) as they transformed themselves into fish to escape the monster Typhon. Typhon was the largest and most feared of the monsters/Titans by the Gods, and when Typhon led the waged war of the Titans on the Gods for control of Olympus, most of the great ancient gods and goddesses transformed into animals and fled. Zeus was able to confront and defeat Typhon and seal him under Mount Etna, which is thought to this day to be the source of the mountain's eruptions.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
It really brings up a lot of feelings realizing that this is the last post on the zodiac constellations. All that is left to share with you is the month of December and the constellations that tell the story of Perseus and Andromeda, as well as the story of the name of the full moon of December. Things are coming to a close this year, and as the Farnsworth household prepares for Thanksgiving and Christmas, the heat is turned on in the house, the tree and decorations bring a warmth all their own, and the evenings are a quiet and blissful time of warm drinks and cozy activities indoors.
I picture myself this December spending some time outdoors walking the lake and reflecting on the gifts poured out over myself and Cassie this year. As soon as the Christmas lights start appearing on the houses, I find time to enjoy the twinkling stars not only above us, but around us.
Speaking of pouring out, the first of the constellations we will share is Aquarius. Aquarius is one of the tougher constellations to trace out due to dim stars as well as the area of the sky that it occupies. The ancient Greeks aptly named this area the "celestial sea" and was the source of all the waters of the night sky. You can see that the Milky Way seems to spring from this area.
Ganymede is the celestial water bearer, a young man holding either the celestial urn or cup of immortality of the gods. A young shepherd boy that Zeus judged as the most beautiful of the mortals, he claimed him as the water boy of the Olympian gods and goddesses. As you will remember when we talked about Jupiter, Ganymede is one of the four Galilean moons, along with Io, Europa, and Callisto, and one of Zeus' many trifle jaunts with the mortals. He granted Ganymede immortality for his service and symbolized in the night sky as Aquarius.
Pisces is the other of a pair of water signs/constellations which can be seen wrapped around the bottom of the great square of Pegasus, which we will observe in December. The easiest part of this constellation to view is the circlet of Pisces, which is one head of the two fish that make up this constellation.
This pair of fish was believed to symbolize the gods Aphrodite and her son Eros (Venus and Cupid) as they transformed themselves into fish to escape the monster Typhon. Typhon was the largest and most feared of the monsters/Titans by the Gods, and when Typhon led the waged war of the Titans on the Gods for control of Olympus, most of the great ancient gods and goddesses transformed into animals and fled. Zeus was able to confront and defeat Typhon and seal him under Mount Etna, which is thought to this day to be the source of the mountain's eruptions.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
Friday, November 11, 2011
#25 Full Moon November and S.T.A.R.
Hello everyone!
This week we had the pleasure of enjoying the November Full Moon, the Beaver Moon or Frosty Moon. So called because either it was time to set beaver traps to assure warmth from the beaver pelts gathered, or that beavers were preparing their dams and dens for winter. The Frosty Moon makes sense: it's starting to get cold and frosty! Time for the jackets and hats and gloves to come out! The beautiful part of the winter night sky is its amazing clarity due to dipping temperatures, and you cannot beat its majesty and excuse to carry out a warm beverage like cocoa, coffee, or cider with you to sip on as you take in the cosmos above you. Speaking of which, I believe that I will have to do just that very soon!
Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending S.T.A.R., my employer's alumni reunion for our clients that have successfully completed treatment. I have made it a given each year I have worked with my employer that I am available on Saturday evenings to not only offer stargazing but also to catch up with past clients and honor their recovery and continued success. This is my fourth year of enjoying the reunion activities.
I have had a 50% success rate with the stargazing activities. The first two years were spectacular, with clear skies and a wonderful turnout and time! It is sad to say that the last two outings were overcast and the sky was not available to enjoy. It is interesting to notice that when I was stargazing actively at my workplace with clients (at the time, I was working as a night counselor,) I had a similar energy about the experience at S.T.A.R. Once I moved into my daytime therapist position, stargazing with clients became slowly non-existent. The once well-used Orion telescope gathers dust in the far corner of my office. I still harbor sadness about this, but it did spark the interest and motivation for this blog to be created, so the activity has continued to evolve into where we are today within Russ' Star Stories. And shortly after we finish our journey through the night sky this year, I will probably turn your attention to Spirit Stories, which will continue to grow and share how stargazing has been a profound spiritual experience in my life.
This does not mean I did not enjoy the time spent at S.T.A.R. this year; the true gift had been from seeing some familiar faces and hearing that life was continuing to treat them well. These clients, no, human beings, are a real source of inspiration; it is not easy doing what they did. To me, they are the true stars! Keep shining bright!
This week we had the pleasure of enjoying the November Full Moon, the Beaver Moon or Frosty Moon. So called because either it was time to set beaver traps to assure warmth from the beaver pelts gathered, or that beavers were preparing their dams and dens for winter. The Frosty Moon makes sense: it's starting to get cold and frosty! Time for the jackets and hats and gloves to come out! The beautiful part of the winter night sky is its amazing clarity due to dipping temperatures, and you cannot beat its majesty and excuse to carry out a warm beverage like cocoa, coffee, or cider with you to sip on as you take in the cosmos above you. Speaking of which, I believe that I will have to do just that very soon!
Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending S.T.A.R., my employer's alumni reunion for our clients that have successfully completed treatment. I have made it a given each year I have worked with my employer that I am available on Saturday evenings to not only offer stargazing but also to catch up with past clients and honor their recovery and continued success. This is my fourth year of enjoying the reunion activities.
I have had a 50% success rate with the stargazing activities. The first two years were spectacular, with clear skies and a wonderful turnout and time! It is sad to say that the last two outings were overcast and the sky was not available to enjoy. It is interesting to notice that when I was stargazing actively at my workplace with clients (at the time, I was working as a night counselor,) I had a similar energy about the experience at S.T.A.R. Once I moved into my daytime therapist position, stargazing with clients became slowly non-existent. The once well-used Orion telescope gathers dust in the far corner of my office. I still harbor sadness about this, but it did spark the interest and motivation for this blog to be created, so the activity has continued to evolve into where we are today within Russ' Star Stories. And shortly after we finish our journey through the night sky this year, I will probably turn your attention to Spirit Stories, which will continue to grow and share how stargazing has been a profound spiritual experience in my life.
This does not mean I did not enjoy the time spent at S.T.A.R. this year; the true gift had been from seeing some familiar faces and hearing that life was continuing to treat them well. These clients, no, human beings, are a real source of inspiration; it is not easy doing what they did. To me, they are the true stars! Keep shining bright!
Saturday, October 22, 2011
#24 Two Goats
I cannot believe that my trip through the night sky this year is coming to a close in a little more than two months! A few zodiac signs and the winter night sky legend of Andromeda are left in our exploration of the star stories.
This post will look at the two goats of the universe: Capricorn and Aries.
Capricorn is one of the most ancient constellations; it dates back to 3,000 b.c. Babylonia. It was known as the solstice point to the ancient civilizations, and over time, due to the wobble of the Earth's axis, the sun now sets the lowest in Sagittarius.
My friend and fellow stargazer Vince introduced me to Capricorn by stating that I look for the "bikini bottom" of the night sky; he was right. Capricorn is a large triangle in the night sky, difficult to view due to its placement on the low horizon, even in the late summer months. You ask...how is this a goat?
Well, Capricornus is Latin for horned goat, and the Greeks saw the constellation as a sea goat, with the forequarters of a goat and the tail of a fish. Greek myth links this star collection to Pan, the half goat and half man god of deceit, illusion and music. Pan was known also for the woodland magic and regenerative nature of the Earth.
In a well-known battle, an ancient Titan creature named Typhoon threatened the Greek Gods. Pan sounded a conch horn as a warning, then changed into the sea goat as he jumped into the sea. Other Greek Gods also changed into animals to defeat this large storm-based creature. Zeus defeated Typhoon and placed the constellation in the sky as an honor to Pan's timely warning and clever escape.
Aries is the second of the sky goats, a ram with a golden fleece sent by Zeus to save two children from a sacrifice. Many see the parallel of the ram as a "sacrifice" to human life, and the "golden fleece" the promise of wealth and spiritual transcendence and eternity, as similar to the story of Christianity.
This is one of the few stories that we see Zeus as having a bit of gentleness and humanity. He takes interest in the lives of two children named Phrixus and Helle. They were a prince and princess that their step-mother despised. Ino, the evil step-mother, knew that if she secretly planted diseased crops, this would serve to set up a poor harvest. In the past, it was the King's children that were too be sacrificed to the gods for alleviation of famine. Zeus saw that the children were fated for sacrifice and sent a golden fleeced ram to the children. The ram collected the children and flew them East, out of danger and into safety. During the trip, Helle fell from the ram over the sea and perished, but her brother Phrixus survived. The ram gave its golden fleece to the King that was now the guardian to Phrixus, then returned to the heavens to Zeus. Zeus placed the ram in the night sky. The Greeks thought that the constellation was faint because it left its fleece on Earth.
Next time, we will explore the November Full Moon and the two water signs of the late fall and early winter sky. I'm getting ready for S.T.A.R., and sharing stargazing with some past clients and alumni, and remembering the small starts of the hobby of stargazing in my life. I am glad that I looked up and saw a wealth of stories, and further a wonderful opportunity to share the awe of the universe with others.
This post will look at the two goats of the universe: Capricorn and Aries.
Capricorn is one of the most ancient constellations; it dates back to 3,000 b.c. Babylonia. It was known as the solstice point to the ancient civilizations, and over time, due to the wobble of the Earth's axis, the sun now sets the lowest in Sagittarius.
My friend and fellow stargazer Vince introduced me to Capricorn by stating that I look for the "bikini bottom" of the night sky; he was right. Capricorn is a large triangle in the night sky, difficult to view due to its placement on the low horizon, even in the late summer months. You ask...how is this a goat?
Well, Capricornus is Latin for horned goat, and the Greeks saw the constellation as a sea goat, with the forequarters of a goat and the tail of a fish. Greek myth links this star collection to Pan, the half goat and half man god of deceit, illusion and music. Pan was known also for the woodland magic and regenerative nature of the Earth.
In a well-known battle, an ancient Titan creature named Typhoon threatened the Greek Gods. Pan sounded a conch horn as a warning, then changed into the sea goat as he jumped into the sea. Other Greek Gods also changed into animals to defeat this large storm-based creature. Zeus defeated Typhoon and placed the constellation in the sky as an honor to Pan's timely warning and clever escape.
Aries is the second of the sky goats, a ram with a golden fleece sent by Zeus to save two children from a sacrifice. Many see the parallel of the ram as a "sacrifice" to human life, and the "golden fleece" the promise of wealth and spiritual transcendence and eternity, as similar to the story of Christianity.
This is one of the few stories that we see Zeus as having a bit of gentleness and humanity. He takes interest in the lives of two children named Phrixus and Helle. They were a prince and princess that their step-mother despised. Ino, the evil step-mother, knew that if she secretly planted diseased crops, this would serve to set up a poor harvest. In the past, it was the King's children that were too be sacrificed to the gods for alleviation of famine. Zeus saw that the children were fated for sacrifice and sent a golden fleeced ram to the children. The ram collected the children and flew them East, out of danger and into safety. During the trip, Helle fell from the ram over the sea and perished, but her brother Phrixus survived. The ram gave its golden fleece to the King that was now the guardian to Phrixus, then returned to the heavens to Zeus. Zeus placed the ram in the night sky. The Greeks thought that the constellation was faint because it left its fleece on Earth.
Next time, we will explore the November Full Moon and the two water signs of the late fall and early winter sky. I'm getting ready for S.T.A.R., and sharing stargazing with some past clients and alumni, and remembering the small starts of the hobby of stargazing in my life. I am glad that I looked up and saw a wealth of stories, and further a wonderful opportunity to share the awe of the universe with others.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
#23 Full Moon October: Birthday Fire and Swing Nap
Hello There! Happy Autumn!
I enjoyed the latest Full Moon and beautiful orange hue this past week. The October Full Moon is known as the Full Hunter's Moon and Harvest Moon. Imagine if you will that you are camping at the edge of a forest; the leaves are falling, a crisp chill is in the evening air, and the pumpkins are ripe for picking. The wonderful smell of wood smoke enfolds the surrounding air. I get an inkling for the seasonal brews, especially pumpkin ales.
Many early campers and trappers, as well as Native Americans, found this the time to hunt and store for winter. The crops were gleaned, therefore game like fox and small creatures that were after the left-overs were easier to see and capture. Deer and game are fattening for winter. Because of winter looming, this moon was given great significance within the Native American tribes and European civilizations.
I enjoyed celebrating my 33rd birthday on the swing in the backyard last weekend; a fire burning down to ash and hot embers and a chill in the air made for a nice nap. I awoke to the beautiful clear night sky above, and was filled with awe and gratefulness for another year and reflected over the last year's challenges and blessings.
Be well Friends! Enjoy the upcoming fall months! Also, I have added to the Spirit Stories Tab, so head on over there next!
I enjoyed the latest Full Moon and beautiful orange hue this past week. The October Full Moon is known as the Full Hunter's Moon and Harvest Moon. Imagine if you will that you are camping at the edge of a forest; the leaves are falling, a crisp chill is in the evening air, and the pumpkins are ripe for picking. The wonderful smell of wood smoke enfolds the surrounding air. I get an inkling for the seasonal brews, especially pumpkin ales.
Many early campers and trappers, as well as Native Americans, found this the time to hunt and store for winter. The crops were gleaned, therefore game like fox and small creatures that were after the left-overs were easier to see and capture. Deer and game are fattening for winter. Because of winter looming, this moon was given great significance within the Native American tribes and European civilizations.
I enjoyed celebrating my 33rd birthday on the swing in the backyard last weekend; a fire burning down to ash and hot embers and a chill in the air made for a nice nap. I awoke to the beautiful clear night sky above, and was filled with awe and gratefulness for another year and reflected over the last year's challenges and blessings.
Be well Friends! Enjoy the upcoming fall months! Also, I have added to the Spirit Stories Tab, so head on over there next!
Saturday, September 17, 2011
#22 Full Moon September and Deep Sky Frustrations
Hello there fellow stargazers!
Has the cooler air and shorter days started to impact your inner-autumn flow? You walk into your local coffee and pastry shops and they are offering wonderfully pumpkin-spiced beverages and pumpkin deserts, and we start to crave apple pie, warm deserts, and warm beverages as the colder nights creep in.
The walk-in closet becomes transformed as long sleeve shirts and sweaters make a come-back. Millions of new clothes combinations become available!
So, as the full moon rose this past week, have you noticed the beautiful golden hue about it? It has been a rich treasure to behold. The September Full Moon is the well-named Full Corn/Full Harvest Moon. The staple fall crops of corn, pumpkins, squash, beans, and wild rice are ready for harvest. Kind of gets you thinking about Thanksgiving already!
Farmers can work later into the night with the light of the moon shining down upon them; the week of the autumn equinox the Moon rises about the same time each night, versus 50 minutes later as usual. Try timing the moon rise this weekend to see if this holds true for you!
In other horizons, I have been glad to have the somewhat clearer skies of September to start to pull out my "Big Daddy" telescope into the driveway and start to spy the late summer and early fall deep sky objects. I have been trying to view the recently discovered supernova which lies in M51, the Spiral Galaxy, yet have still have not seen it! The first few nights of this past week it was cloudy and raining, and the last few clouds have obscured the night by about more than half. I do enjoy the slow-down and cooling of the weather, however I would really like the chance to catch a view of M51 before the Big Dipper ends up too far below the horizon.
So, with the telescope out, I decided to view the tried and true deep sky object of the bejeweled Butterfly Star Cluster in between the tail of Scorpio and the spout of Sagittarius. I was not disappointed; it is an easy find even with a pair of binocular or even a keen pair of eyes as a white smudge on a dark moonless night.
Next time we will seek out and finish with the Zodiac with the constellations of Aquarius and Pisces. These are the two most obscure constellations in the night sky, and an exercise in patience with the reward of tracing them out on the Fall horizon being some pretty killer bragging rights!
Be Well until then!
Has the cooler air and shorter days started to impact your inner-autumn flow? You walk into your local coffee and pastry shops and they are offering wonderfully pumpkin-spiced beverages and pumpkin deserts, and we start to crave apple pie, warm deserts, and warm beverages as the colder nights creep in.
The walk-in closet becomes transformed as long sleeve shirts and sweaters make a come-back. Millions of new clothes combinations become available!
So, as the full moon rose this past week, have you noticed the beautiful golden hue about it? It has been a rich treasure to behold. The September Full Moon is the well-named Full Corn/Full Harvest Moon. The staple fall crops of corn, pumpkins, squash, beans, and wild rice are ready for harvest. Kind of gets you thinking about Thanksgiving already!
Farmers can work later into the night with the light of the moon shining down upon them; the week of the autumn equinox the Moon rises about the same time each night, versus 50 minutes later as usual. Try timing the moon rise this weekend to see if this holds true for you!
In other horizons, I have been glad to have the somewhat clearer skies of September to start to pull out my "Big Daddy" telescope into the driveway and start to spy the late summer and early fall deep sky objects. I have been trying to view the recently discovered supernova which lies in M51, the Spiral Galaxy, yet have still have not seen it! The first few nights of this past week it was cloudy and raining, and the last few clouds have obscured the night by about more than half. I do enjoy the slow-down and cooling of the weather, however I would really like the chance to catch a view of M51 before the Big Dipper ends up too far below the horizon.
So, with the telescope out, I decided to view the tried and true deep sky object of the bejeweled Butterfly Star Cluster in between the tail of Scorpio and the spout of Sagittarius. I was not disappointed; it is an easy find even with a pair of binocular or even a keen pair of eyes as a white smudge on a dark moonless night.
Next time we will seek out and finish with the Zodiac with the constellations of Aquarius and Pisces. These are the two most obscure constellations in the night sky, and an exercise in patience with the reward of tracing them out on the Fall horizon being some pretty killer bragging rights!
Be Well until then!
Saturday, September 3, 2011
#21 The Scorpion and the Archer
Happy Labor Day weekend!
The summer is coming to an end, and the night sky is becoming clearer as the Monsoon storms are dissipating. Peeks of the fall constellations are teasing my already deprived spirit. Before we move onto the fall night sky, we must spend some time with two constellations that are a large part of the Southwestern night sky: Scorpio and Sagittarius.
Scorpio and Sagittarius are a great late summer and early fall focus, as they take up most of the south-western night sky. They hold wonderful binocular deep-sky treasures. You can see four "M" star clusters near or between these two Zodiac constellations. I enjoyed each of these star clusters with only a pair of field binoculars! It feels so nice to stand underneath the clear starry night sky again! My wife Cassie is currently on her "scorpion hunt" with the black light flashlight and has found quite a large one on the wall in our backyard. Interesting things these arachnids are, and glad not to have been stung by one.
Scorpio is not hard to miss, as it appears as an elongated "S" in the night sky. Towards the middle of the constellation you will the the beautiful "jewel box" of the summer night sky: Antares, or enemy of Mars, so named due to its pinkish coloration which is similar to how the planet Mars appears in the night sky.
Scorpio also has some wonderful binocular viewing points to be aware of. M4 is seen to the upper right of Antares (about 1 o'clock) as a beautiful globular star cluster and it is easily viewed with Antares as a viewing guide. The tail of Scorpio holds wonderful "double" stars, twin stars sparkling within the same field of view. Between Scorpio and Sagittarius sits M6 and M7, both about 9 o'clock from the prominent tail stars of Scorpio. M7 is a nice example of an open star cluster, and M6 is aptly named the Butterfly cluster; can you see the butterfly pattern?
Scorpio is known as the scorpion, and at one time had also included Libra as its own. Libra had been thought of as the scorpion's "claws" at one time, until Julius Caesar decreed the sign of the scales of Libra be created to symbolize justice and democracy. Thus, the scorpion lost its claws, but it is still very dangerous with its stinger and venom.
Scorpio is immortalized in the night sky as the one creature that was able to take down Orion the Hunter. Notice that Orion is the "king" of the winter night sky, and that Scorpio is the "king" of the summer night sky? This is so both do not again meet, as they are mortal enemies. Scorpio, at the call of Hera, landed the poisonous and deathly blow to Orion with a sting to the heel, yet took the brunt of Orion's club crushing down upon its rough exoskeleton, also causing death. Scorpio is placed in the night sky to remind those that have a tendency to boast about their skills that even the smallest sting can unravel their inflated words.
Sagittarius is our "teapot" in the night sky, complete with the sugar spoon to the upper left (about 10 or 11 o'clock.) Sagittarius holds the M22 globular star cluster which I call the "spoonful of sugar." M22 can be found just above the tip-top of the teapot lid and a bit to the left (about 11 o'clock.)
Sagittarius is known as a centaur, or a half-man/half-horse creature. This centaur is visualized as hunting with a bow and arrow in this constellation, which was not the usual hunting weapon of centaurs. Therefore, it is thought that Sagittarius is representative of the satyr Crotus. A satyr is a half-man/half-goat creature, with goat horns and a large goatee. The satyr's instrument of choice was pipes, and the satyr was known to possess musical magic, known to ably soothe irritated folks or muddle the mind with illusions.
Crotus was the childhood friend of the Muses, the source of inspiration for the human arts. He studied the fine arts of hunting, athleticism, music, and art and excelled at all. It is thought that Crotus invented rhythm as he clapped time for the muses during their lyrical songs. It is thought also that he invented archery. Crotus was placed in the night sky at the request of the Muses to their father, Zeus.
The summer is coming to an end, and the night sky is becoming clearer as the Monsoon storms are dissipating. Peeks of the fall constellations are teasing my already deprived spirit. Before we move onto the fall night sky, we must spend some time with two constellations that are a large part of the Southwestern night sky: Scorpio and Sagittarius.
Scorpio and Sagittarius are a great late summer and early fall focus, as they take up most of the south-western night sky. They hold wonderful binocular deep-sky treasures. You can see four "M" star clusters near or between these two Zodiac constellations. I enjoyed each of these star clusters with only a pair of field binoculars! It feels so nice to stand underneath the clear starry night sky again! My wife Cassie is currently on her "scorpion hunt" with the black light flashlight and has found quite a large one on the wall in our backyard. Interesting things these arachnids are, and glad not to have been stung by one.
Scorpio is not hard to miss, as it appears as an elongated "S" in the night sky. Towards the middle of the constellation you will the the beautiful "jewel box" of the summer night sky: Antares, or enemy of Mars, so named due to its pinkish coloration which is similar to how the planet Mars appears in the night sky.
Scorpio also has some wonderful binocular viewing points to be aware of. M4 is seen to the upper right of Antares (about 1 o'clock) as a beautiful globular star cluster and it is easily viewed with Antares as a viewing guide. The tail of Scorpio holds wonderful "double" stars, twin stars sparkling within the same field of view. Between Scorpio and Sagittarius sits M6 and M7, both about 9 o'clock from the prominent tail stars of Scorpio. M7 is a nice example of an open star cluster, and M6 is aptly named the Butterfly cluster; can you see the butterfly pattern?
Scorpio is known as the scorpion, and at one time had also included Libra as its own. Libra had been thought of as the scorpion's "claws" at one time, until Julius Caesar decreed the sign of the scales of Libra be created to symbolize justice and democracy. Thus, the scorpion lost its claws, but it is still very dangerous with its stinger and venom.
Scorpio is immortalized in the night sky as the one creature that was able to take down Orion the Hunter. Notice that Orion is the "king" of the winter night sky, and that Scorpio is the "king" of the summer night sky? This is so both do not again meet, as they are mortal enemies. Scorpio, at the call of Hera, landed the poisonous and deathly blow to Orion with a sting to the heel, yet took the brunt of Orion's club crushing down upon its rough exoskeleton, also causing death. Scorpio is placed in the night sky to remind those that have a tendency to boast about their skills that even the smallest sting can unravel their inflated words.
Sagittarius is our "teapot" in the night sky, complete with the sugar spoon to the upper left (about 10 or 11 o'clock.) Sagittarius holds the M22 globular star cluster which I call the "spoonful of sugar." M22 can be found just above the tip-top of the teapot lid and a bit to the left (about 11 o'clock.)
Sagittarius is known as a centaur, or a half-man/half-horse creature. This centaur is visualized as hunting with a bow and arrow in this constellation, which was not the usual hunting weapon of centaurs. Therefore, it is thought that Sagittarius is representative of the satyr Crotus. A satyr is a half-man/half-goat creature, with goat horns and a large goatee. The satyr's instrument of choice was pipes, and the satyr was known to possess musical magic, known to ably soothe irritated folks or muddle the mind with illusions.
Crotus was the childhood friend of the Muses, the source of inspiration for the human arts. He studied the fine arts of hunting, athleticism, music, and art and excelled at all. It is thought that Crotus invented rhythm as he clapped time for the muses during their lyrical songs. It is thought also that he invented archery. Crotus was placed in the night sky at the request of the Muses to their father, Zeus.
Friday, August 12, 2011
#20 Full Moon August, Satellite Tracker, and Neptune Viewing 8/22
Hello Stargazers!
Happy August! Today is the 100% Full Moon; August boasts the Sturgeon Moon or the Red Moon. The sturgeon is a fish in the Great Lakes areas that continues to be most easily caught around the August Full Moon pattern. The red moon reflects that those humid and sultry evenings can cause a reddish-orange moon to appear in the sky.
August is a prime month for some fun viewing in the sky, unless of course you are sitting under the monsoon pattern thunderstorms out in southern Arizona. Look for the following this week:
1) Perseids meteor shower (although the full moon will wash out most of the shower activity); the peak is this evening/early dawn! For the next about three to four days thereafter, you can still see the remainder of the activity. When folks recall their childhood meteor shower experiences, chances are that it was a summer night and it was the Perseids. They are certainly "cosmic fireworks!" I remember plenty of times heading out and viewing the showers. One time in my childhood single-digits, I sat underneath the night sky and put out a white sheet, hoping to catch some "meteor dust!" Another time I remember sitting behind my next door neighbor's house sipping on apple cider and chatting about teenage angst.
2) Neptune Viewing August 22nd (I am hoping for a clear sky, as I have never viewed Neptune!) Although this will only appear as a little blue speck in the binoculars, and a larger one in a telescope, it is worth viewing as Neptune has not been this close in quite some time, if you can say Neptune is astronomically "close," being so far out into the solar system.
3) Another fun link at the bottom of the blog: A satellite tracker! I would argue that Spaceweather is a pretty good introduction to what you can find in the night sky other than the cosmic. The International Space Station (ISS) is a favorite, but take a look around for other interesting satellites and man-made junk!
I am getting that inner yearning for fall evenings in the core of my being. Of course, it seems that this deep character trait has been well-developed over the years growing up in the Northeast. It is about this time I start to plan to pull out my foliage pictures and longingly stare at them, dreaming of long New England walks in the woods. The evening get a bit more chilly and there is something about looking at the late summer and fall constellations that brings nostalgia to me. The fall night sky also reminds me of the start of my journey into the wonderful past time of stargazing close to five years ago...yes, FIVE years ago! I am fondly smiling.
Into September the posts will pick up again and we will visit the bottom of the lineup of the zodiac constellations, enjoy a few deep-sky gems, and dig deep into one of the richest mythological stories in the night sky: Perseus and Andromeda!
Be Well until then!
P.S. Keep looking for updates to Spirit Stories!
P.S.S. You might have noticed the new book list on the blog; these are 30 "classics" that I would like to take on, perhaps over the next year or so...anyone interested in a "blog book club?"
Happy August! Today is the 100% Full Moon; August boasts the Sturgeon Moon or the Red Moon. The sturgeon is a fish in the Great Lakes areas that continues to be most easily caught around the August Full Moon pattern. The red moon reflects that those humid and sultry evenings can cause a reddish-orange moon to appear in the sky.
August is a prime month for some fun viewing in the sky, unless of course you are sitting under the monsoon pattern thunderstorms out in southern Arizona. Look for the following this week:
1) Perseids meteor shower (although the full moon will wash out most of the shower activity); the peak is this evening/early dawn! For the next about three to four days thereafter, you can still see the remainder of the activity. When folks recall their childhood meteor shower experiences, chances are that it was a summer night and it was the Perseids. They are certainly "cosmic fireworks!" I remember plenty of times heading out and viewing the showers. One time in my childhood single-digits, I sat underneath the night sky and put out a white sheet, hoping to catch some "meteor dust!" Another time I remember sitting behind my next door neighbor's house sipping on apple cider and chatting about teenage angst.
2) Neptune Viewing August 22nd (I am hoping for a clear sky, as I have never viewed Neptune!) Although this will only appear as a little blue speck in the binoculars, and a larger one in a telescope, it is worth viewing as Neptune has not been this close in quite some time, if you can say Neptune is astronomically "close," being so far out into the solar system.
3) Another fun link at the bottom of the blog: A satellite tracker! I would argue that Spaceweather is a pretty good introduction to what you can find in the night sky other than the cosmic. The International Space Station (ISS) is a favorite, but take a look around for other interesting satellites and man-made junk!
I am getting that inner yearning for fall evenings in the core of my being. Of course, it seems that this deep character trait has been well-developed over the years growing up in the Northeast. It is about this time I start to plan to pull out my foliage pictures and longingly stare at them, dreaming of long New England walks in the woods. The evening get a bit more chilly and there is something about looking at the late summer and fall constellations that brings nostalgia to me. The fall night sky also reminds me of the start of my journey into the wonderful past time of stargazing close to five years ago...yes, FIVE years ago! I am fondly smiling.
Into September the posts will pick up again and we will visit the bottom of the lineup of the zodiac constellations, enjoy a few deep-sky gems, and dig deep into one of the richest mythological stories in the night sky: Perseus and Andromeda!
Be Well until then!
P.S. Keep looking for updates to Spirit Stories!
P.S.S. You might have noticed the new book list on the blog; these are 30 "classics" that I would like to take on, perhaps over the next year or so...anyone interested in a "blog book club?"
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
#19 How a Harp, a Swan, and an Eagle make up the Summer Triangle
The Monsoon has arrived! The rains have started to bless the dry desert land, filling the washes and cleaning the dusty air. When the rains come to visit out here in Arizona, it seems that everyone takes a sigh of relief. Not to mention that the Fourth of July came and no great fire danger came post-fireworks. Thank goodness! This past week has produced some great storms already, and are rather appropriate for the July Full Moon, the Thunder Moon. The July Full Moon can also be known as the Buck Moon, symbolizing the month that bucks' antlers start to show through as velvety knob tips.
Now onto the Summer Triangle. In our Eastern horizon, with not much difficulty, you will be able to find the three brightest stars of the summer night sky. From left to right, they are: Deneb, Vega, and Altair. Take a look at the Milky Way galaxy on a moonless night through this triangle; you are looking out at one of the densest areas of the Milky Way galaxy. With binoculars, you can get lost in the Milky Way, and find many interesting little clusters, star fields and dark spots (spots so dense with stars that light cannot seem to pass through.)
Lyra is the Harp constellation. The story of this cosmic harp starts with Hermes, the messenger god and god of herds. Hermes created the Lyre one day while walking the grounds around his cave in Arcadia and spying a turtle shell. He cleaned the shell and pierced the rim, and strung seven strings to honor the Pleiades. This lyre got Hermes out of trouble when he tried to steal Apollo's prized cattle. He traded his freedom from the crafty deed for the lyre. Apollo later gifted the musical instrument to Orpheus to accompany his songs.
Orpheus was the greatest musician of his age, and was thought to be able to even charm the rocks and trees. He was known to be of great help to Jason and the Argonauts on their quest for the golden fleece. Orpheus played a counter harmony that drowned out the Siren's dangerous song.
He took the interest of the nymph Eruydice after the quest and later married her. Eruydice died by the bite of a poisonous snake while being pursued by a son of Apollo. In mourning, Orpheus requested the release of his loved one from the Underworld, traveling under to petition Hades, the Lord of the Dead. Hades was so moved by Orpheus' music that he conceded and allowed the release of Eruydice from the Underworld with one condition; that Orpheus could not look back and gaze upon Eruydice until they were out of the Underworld and safely above ground. Orpheus was never quite sure she was following, as it is hard to feel a spirit or ghost following, and held true until his nerve gave out and he looked back to view her about a step or two from the surface. She swiftly slipped back into the depths to be lost to him forever.
Orpheus was never consoled, and traveled the countryside a loner, playing the lyre in mourning. Many women wanted his hand, but he refused. It is said that he was eventually succumbed to the wrath of the women that were wanting his attention and was stoned to death by them for his constant refusal.
Orpheus is also said to have perhaps perished by Dionysus' rage; Dionysus was known to be jealous and usually under the influence of alcohol, as fitting of the god of wine, and was upset that Orpheus did not play or offer songs or praise to him, but rather Apollo. Dionysus caused his followers to fall into a blind rage and rip Orpheus limb from limb. In tribute and retribution, his lyre was placed in the night sky.
Cygnus is the Swan constellation. The swan was another of Zeus' disguises to chase after another love interest. Within the graceful form of the swan, he did either of the two:
One: He chased the nymph Nemesis across land, sea, and air through many different animal forms and eventually outdid her when she morphed into a goose, and Zeus chose the swan. It is also told that he set up the meeting by bribing Aphrodite to pose as an eagle and chase Zeus as the swan into Nemesis' sanctuary and graceful arms. Either way, Nemesis was taken and laid an egg which later was given to Leda, Queen of Sparta, and hatched Helen of Troy, the beauty that started the Trojan War.
Two: He pursued Leda herself at the banks of a river in the form of a swan, which Leda enjoyed due to its extreme beauty and grace. Leda gave birth to the egg which birthed Helen of Troy. The eggshells were then hung with ribbon in the town temple in appreciation to the gods.
Aquila is the Eagle constellation. This eagle is Zeus' royal eagle, and was his loyal servant and message deliverer. Aquila is known for abducting the water boy Aquarius Ganymede from his field while he was tending sheep. Zeus found that Ganymede was the most beautiful and flawless human male that he had to have him to bear the cup of the gods. Aquila also was in charge of transporting Zeus' thunderbolts to and fro the heavens of Mount Olympus to the Earth. Aquila was known to be the guardian also of the souls that were destined to become immortalized by the gods decree.
Check in around the August Full Moon's appearance with stories of Scorpio and Sagittarius. In the meanwhile, I will be concentrating on starting my recovery story. Be well!
Now onto the Summer Triangle. In our Eastern horizon, with not much difficulty, you will be able to find the three brightest stars of the summer night sky. From left to right, they are: Deneb, Vega, and Altair. Take a look at the Milky Way galaxy on a moonless night through this triangle; you are looking out at one of the densest areas of the Milky Way galaxy. With binoculars, you can get lost in the Milky Way, and find many interesting little clusters, star fields and dark spots (spots so dense with stars that light cannot seem to pass through.)
Lyra is the Harp constellation. The story of this cosmic harp starts with Hermes, the messenger god and god of herds. Hermes created the Lyre one day while walking the grounds around his cave in Arcadia and spying a turtle shell. He cleaned the shell and pierced the rim, and strung seven strings to honor the Pleiades. This lyre got Hermes out of trouble when he tried to steal Apollo's prized cattle. He traded his freedom from the crafty deed for the lyre. Apollo later gifted the musical instrument to Orpheus to accompany his songs.
Orpheus was the greatest musician of his age, and was thought to be able to even charm the rocks and trees. He was known to be of great help to Jason and the Argonauts on their quest for the golden fleece. Orpheus played a counter harmony that drowned out the Siren's dangerous song.
He took the interest of the nymph Eruydice after the quest and later married her. Eruydice died by the bite of a poisonous snake while being pursued by a son of Apollo. In mourning, Orpheus requested the release of his loved one from the Underworld, traveling under to petition Hades, the Lord of the Dead. Hades was so moved by Orpheus' music that he conceded and allowed the release of Eruydice from the Underworld with one condition; that Orpheus could not look back and gaze upon Eruydice until they were out of the Underworld and safely above ground. Orpheus was never quite sure she was following, as it is hard to feel a spirit or ghost following, and held true until his nerve gave out and he looked back to view her about a step or two from the surface. She swiftly slipped back into the depths to be lost to him forever.
Orpheus was never consoled, and traveled the countryside a loner, playing the lyre in mourning. Many women wanted his hand, but he refused. It is said that he was eventually succumbed to the wrath of the women that were wanting his attention and was stoned to death by them for his constant refusal.
Orpheus is also said to have perhaps perished by Dionysus' rage; Dionysus was known to be jealous and usually under the influence of alcohol, as fitting of the god of wine, and was upset that Orpheus did not play or offer songs or praise to him, but rather Apollo. Dionysus caused his followers to fall into a blind rage and rip Orpheus limb from limb. In tribute and retribution, his lyre was placed in the night sky.
Cygnus is the Swan constellation. The swan was another of Zeus' disguises to chase after another love interest. Within the graceful form of the swan, he did either of the two:
One: He chased the nymph Nemesis across land, sea, and air through many different animal forms and eventually outdid her when she morphed into a goose, and Zeus chose the swan. It is also told that he set up the meeting by bribing Aphrodite to pose as an eagle and chase Zeus as the swan into Nemesis' sanctuary and graceful arms. Either way, Nemesis was taken and laid an egg which later was given to Leda, Queen of Sparta, and hatched Helen of Troy, the beauty that started the Trojan War.
Two: He pursued Leda herself at the banks of a river in the form of a swan, which Leda enjoyed due to its extreme beauty and grace. Leda gave birth to the egg which birthed Helen of Troy. The eggshells were then hung with ribbon in the town temple in appreciation to the gods.
Aquila is the Eagle constellation. This eagle is Zeus' royal eagle, and was his loyal servant and message deliverer. Aquila is known for abducting the water boy Aquarius Ganymede from his field while he was tending sheep. Zeus found that Ganymede was the most beautiful and flawless human male that he had to have him to bear the cup of the gods. Aquila also was in charge of transporting Zeus' thunderbolts to and fro the heavens of Mount Olympus to the Earth. Aquila was known to be the guardian also of the souls that were destined to become immortalized by the gods decree.
Check in around the August Full Moon's appearance with stories of Scorpio and Sagittarius. In the meanwhile, I will be concentrating on starting my recovery story. Be well!
Saturday, June 25, 2011
#18 Hercules and the 12 Labors
Hello there good friends and followers,
This post heralds the news of the start of a parallel project that I believe has revealed itself through my fascination with the stars and the enjoyment of building this blog to share with you all. With the Monsoon season out in Arizona approaching, this leads me to take a hiatus from the night sky, as most of July and August are hit-and-miss due to the thunderstorm activity brought to the desert. I hope that the Monsoon will bring well-needed rain out here in Southern Arizona; we are beyond dry out here and I cringe to think of the damage that a half-finished cigarette or spark from a cheap firework or a lightning strike would cause. I am grateful that the fires north of us are being contained successfully and give an even greater amount of honor and thanks to the firefighters, volunteer personnel, and other parties involved in that effort. I personally have not boded well with the aftermath in the air; this week brought not only continued dry skin and cracked hands, but a near swipe at a sinus infection and terrible allergies and asthmatic symptoms. I was not happy.
So to further explain; I will be taking a break from the blog after sharing about the summer triangle next post. In the rainy months ahead, I will post short posts on the full moons of July and August, and return in September to the last third of the zodiac. In the meanwhile, I am reviewing and starting to deeply understand and write the story of my life out into the desert and how it has created further spiritual reflection and growth in all aspects of my life, especially my spiritual recovery. Within a five year span much has happened through my passion with the universe related to my personal recovery journey, and I feel it is time to relate it to others.
But enough of that; let us explore the story of Hercules. He is one of the few heroes to be immortalized in the night sky, along with Orion and Perseus. Theseus did not make it into the sky, only the wedding crown glitters as a reminder of his success over the Minotaur and the labyrinth. Half-mortal son of Zeus, Hercules was born of Alcmene, known as one of the most graceful, wise, and respected royal women. Zeus posed as Alcmene's husband through an illusion and lay with her. Hera furious when she found out of Zeus' continued conquests. What further angered Hera was that Zeus got Hercules to suckle at the breast of Hera, thus making him immortal. The milk of the goddess was known to grant immortality, increased size, strength and skill. While Hercules was still an infant, Hera sent a pair of poisonous snakes to kill him while unsupervised in his crib, but Hercules easily strangled the pair. As an adult, he could still not find respite from Heras wrath; she set a spell upon him and he killed his children and wife in a stupor. Hercules sought the oracle about how to go about atonement of the deed. The Oracle told of the given name "glory of Hera" and the 12 Labors to be completed for his freedom.
King Eurystheus, who just so happened to be his half-brother, sent Herc on quite a quest:
1) He defeated the Nemean Lion (Seen in the night sky as Leo)
2) He defeated the Lernean Hydra (Seen in the night sky as Hydra)
3) He captured the Ceryneian doe, a difficult to catch animal with golden horns; he could not kill or harm the doe, as this doe was a favorite of the goddess of the hunt and the moon, Artemis
4) He captured the Erymanthian boar, the most ferocious animal alive
5) He had to complete a bet to clean Augean Stables in a day; he succeeded by diverting rivers
6) He drove drive away the Stymphalian birds, known for their razor sharp arrow-like feathers; he received the help of Athena and Hephaestus in the shape of a pair of bronze noisemakers
7) He captured the Cretan bull, known to breathe fire (Seen in the night sky as Taurus); this bull was a gift from Poseidon to Minos, King of Crete, and the King kept it instead of sacrificing it as he had promised. This infuriated Poseidon and he caused Minos' wife to fall in lust with the bull, conceiving the birth of the Minotaur, which was put into the labyrinth and later slain by Theseus
8) He round up the Mares of Diomedes, gruesome flesh eating horses
9) He obtained the magic belt from the Amazonian Queen through completing numerous trials; the belt was given to the Queen by Ares, the god of war
10) He herded the cattle of Geryon, a triplebodied monster born of Medusa's body when slain by Perseus, which Hercules killed with one well-placed arrow
The King then became enraged that Hercules succeeded, and placed the last two tasks to be completed. The King argued that Hercules tried to make a profit out of the cleaning of the stables, and was assisted in the slaying of the Hydra.
11) He had to obtain the golden apples of Hesperides, slaying a hundred headed dragon (seen in the night sky as Draco the Dragon)
12) He had to capture Cerberus, the three headed hell-hound and pet of Hades, and had to take caution that he would be able to leave the Underworld by taking up study and blessings to protect his soul
Something about all these trials is rather interesting, if you look at them as having a specific trait or skill that is heroic. The first and second reflect endurance and teamwork. The third and fourth are the success of the warrior in balancing the doe (golden innocence/gentleness) and the boar (taming the primal nature.) The fifth and sixth model ingenuity and creativity and the importance of brains over brawn. The seventh and eighth show how the hero is a humanitarian, to serve and maintain safety and a sense of community. The ninth and tenth show the use of diplomacy and discipline. The last two trials could be seen as symbolically triumphing over heaven and hell through strengthening of the spirit.
Take your field binoculars and view M13, the Cottonball Cluster in Hercules as a wonderful example of a globular cluster. You can find M13 hanging out half-way between two of the keystone stars; see the image above for a guide. Indeed you can see this in May at the horizon; be aware now that Hercules will be further up in the Eastern sky. Why did I wait so long? Well, to get a better view away from the horizon where all the city lights or particulates could mess with your viewing pleasure! Enjoy!
This post heralds the news of the start of a parallel project that I believe has revealed itself through my fascination with the stars and the enjoyment of building this blog to share with you all. With the Monsoon season out in Arizona approaching, this leads me to take a hiatus from the night sky, as most of July and August are hit-and-miss due to the thunderstorm activity brought to the desert. I hope that the Monsoon will bring well-needed rain out here in Southern Arizona; we are beyond dry out here and I cringe to think of the damage that a half-finished cigarette or spark from a cheap firework or a lightning strike would cause. I am grateful that the fires north of us are being contained successfully and give an even greater amount of honor and thanks to the firefighters, volunteer personnel, and other parties involved in that effort. I personally have not boded well with the aftermath in the air; this week brought not only continued dry skin and cracked hands, but a near swipe at a sinus infection and terrible allergies and asthmatic symptoms. I was not happy.
So to further explain; I will be taking a break from the blog after sharing about the summer triangle next post. In the rainy months ahead, I will post short posts on the full moons of July and August, and return in September to the last third of the zodiac. In the meanwhile, I am reviewing and starting to deeply understand and write the story of my life out into the desert and how it has created further spiritual reflection and growth in all aspects of my life, especially my spiritual recovery. Within a five year span much has happened through my passion with the universe related to my personal recovery journey, and I feel it is time to relate it to others.
But enough of that; let us explore the story of Hercules. He is one of the few heroes to be immortalized in the night sky, along with Orion and Perseus. Theseus did not make it into the sky, only the wedding crown glitters as a reminder of his success over the Minotaur and the labyrinth. Half-mortal son of Zeus, Hercules was born of Alcmene, known as one of the most graceful, wise, and respected royal women. Zeus posed as Alcmene's husband through an illusion and lay with her. Hera furious when she found out of Zeus' continued conquests. What further angered Hera was that Zeus got Hercules to suckle at the breast of Hera, thus making him immortal. The milk of the goddess was known to grant immortality, increased size, strength and skill. While Hercules was still an infant, Hera sent a pair of poisonous snakes to kill him while unsupervised in his crib, but Hercules easily strangled the pair. As an adult, he could still not find respite from Heras wrath; she set a spell upon him and he killed his children and wife in a stupor. Hercules sought the oracle about how to go about atonement of the deed. The Oracle told of the given name "glory of Hera" and the 12 Labors to be completed for his freedom.
King Eurystheus, who just so happened to be his half-brother, sent Herc on quite a quest:
1) He defeated the Nemean Lion (Seen in the night sky as Leo)
2) He defeated the Lernean Hydra (Seen in the night sky as Hydra)
3) He captured the Ceryneian doe, a difficult to catch animal with golden horns; he could not kill or harm the doe, as this doe was a favorite of the goddess of the hunt and the moon, Artemis
4) He captured the Erymanthian boar, the most ferocious animal alive
5) He had to complete a bet to clean Augean Stables in a day; he succeeded by diverting rivers
6) He drove drive away the Stymphalian birds, known for their razor sharp arrow-like feathers; he received the help of Athena and Hephaestus in the shape of a pair of bronze noisemakers
7) He captured the Cretan bull, known to breathe fire (Seen in the night sky as Taurus); this bull was a gift from Poseidon to Minos, King of Crete, and the King kept it instead of sacrificing it as he had promised. This infuriated Poseidon and he caused Minos' wife to fall in lust with the bull, conceiving the birth of the Minotaur, which was put into the labyrinth and later slain by Theseus
8) He round up the Mares of Diomedes, gruesome flesh eating horses
9) He obtained the magic belt from the Amazonian Queen through completing numerous trials; the belt was given to the Queen by Ares, the god of war
10) He herded the cattle of Geryon, a triplebodied monster born of Medusa's body when slain by Perseus, which Hercules killed with one well-placed arrow
The King then became enraged that Hercules succeeded, and placed the last two tasks to be completed. The King argued that Hercules tried to make a profit out of the cleaning of the stables, and was assisted in the slaying of the Hydra.
11) He had to obtain the golden apples of Hesperides, slaying a hundred headed dragon (seen in the night sky as Draco the Dragon)
12) He had to capture Cerberus, the three headed hell-hound and pet of Hades, and had to take caution that he would be able to leave the Underworld by taking up study and blessings to protect his soul
Something about all these trials is rather interesting, if you look at them as having a specific trait or skill that is heroic. The first and second reflect endurance and teamwork. The third and fourth are the success of the warrior in balancing the doe (golden innocence/gentleness) and the boar (taming the primal nature.) The fifth and sixth model ingenuity and creativity and the importance of brains over brawn. The seventh and eighth show how the hero is a humanitarian, to serve and maintain safety and a sense of community. The ninth and tenth show the use of diplomacy and discipline. The last two trials could be seen as symbolically triumphing over heaven and hell through strengthening of the spirit.
Take your field binoculars and view M13, the Cottonball Cluster in Hercules as a wonderful example of a globular cluster. You can find M13 hanging out half-way between two of the keystone stars; see the image above for a guide. Indeed you can see this in May at the horizon; be aware now that Hercules will be further up in the Eastern sky. Why did I wait so long? Well, to get a better view away from the horizon where all the city lights or particulates could mess with your viewing pleasure! Enjoy!
Saturday, June 18, 2011
#17 Full Moon June
A beautiful orange/red moon greeted the early evening Arizona horizon this past week. My good friend V noticed the moon and asked about its significance. Well, upon further review, there are a few things to be aware of when we view a orange/red moon:
1) red light is the least scattered near the horizon, as it is the longest wavelength, and as moonlight is just reflected sunlight, this is why the Moon takes on the reddish hue
2) specific particles from a recent volcanic reaction or large fire can cause a clouded and dirty horizon, blocking the shorter length wavelengths and leaving the red/orange spectrum (for those that do not know, Arizona is currently fighting its largest fire in its history)
3) the last is in relation to the celestial event of a lunar eclipse; the Moon is obscured by the Earth's shadow, but once again the red light from the sun's rays is able to breach the edges of the Earth's edge
June's Full Moon is named the strawberry or rose moon. June was known by the Native Americans as the strawberry harvest. Strawberries would be the most abundant and ready for harvest at this time of the year.
June's Full Moon was also known as the Rose Moon, especially in Europe. It was known to spark love interests and romantic airs, and add to the ambiance of a June wedding. I like the idea of the Rose Moon, especially out here in Arizona, as roses do rather well with the hot and dry climate, and tend to bloom fullest between April-June and November-December.
Next week we will espy Hercules and learn of his 12 labors, as well as a great globular star cluster nicknamed the "cotton ball" cluster in Hercules that is visible with a good set of field binoculars.
See you then!
1) red light is the least scattered near the horizon, as it is the longest wavelength, and as moonlight is just reflected sunlight, this is why the Moon takes on the reddish hue
2) specific particles from a recent volcanic reaction or large fire can cause a clouded and dirty horizon, blocking the shorter length wavelengths and leaving the red/orange spectrum (for those that do not know, Arizona is currently fighting its largest fire in its history)
3) the last is in relation to the celestial event of a lunar eclipse; the Moon is obscured by the Earth's shadow, but once again the red light from the sun's rays is able to breach the edges of the Earth's edge
June's Full Moon is named the strawberry or rose moon. June was known by the Native Americans as the strawberry harvest. Strawberries would be the most abundant and ready for harvest at this time of the year.
June's Full Moon was also known as the Rose Moon, especially in Europe. It was known to spark love interests and romantic airs, and add to the ambiance of a June wedding. I like the idea of the Rose Moon, especially out here in Arizona, as roses do rather well with the hot and dry climate, and tend to bloom fullest between April-June and November-December.
Next week we will espy Hercules and learn of his 12 labors, as well as a great globular star cluster nicknamed the "cotton ball" cluster in Hercules that is visible with a good set of field binoculars.
See you then!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
#16 Midnight Cinnamon rolls and the Milky Way
Come to think of it, a cinnamon roll does kind of resemble the Milky Way galaxy, doesn't it? The whole spiral shape, the dense and rich frosting, and the...wait a minute!
I stepped outside last weekend around midnight to enjoy the first view of the Milky Way galaxy from the balcony this year. I am always incredibly impressed by the density of the stars across the sky above during the late spring and early summer night sky. I took a moment to let my senses, especially my eyes, get adjusted. Just then I got a whiff of cinnamon goodness. My next door neighbor appeared to be making cinnamon rolls late in the evening. What a treat! I will never tire of the decedent taste of a greatly baked cinnamon bun...I mean, of the grand palette of the universe!
Let's take a look at two constellations this post: Draco and Delphinus. I know I mentioned Hercules last time, but I am saving his tale for a stand-alone post, complete with a guide on how to find the cotton ball cluster, M13.
Draco the Dragon coils and weaves around and through the Big and Little Dippers. The best time to see the whole constellation is late spring. Look for the head of the Dragon to the left of Hercules and above and to the left of the brightest summer star Vega, rising slowly in the Eastern horizon. It is easily noticed as a large triangle; from the head weave your way around the Little Dipper and between the Dippers to the end of its tail.
Draco symbolizes the great dragon guardian Ladon. Ladon was appointed the guardian of the golden apples of life and knowledge, and made a great guardian with its near one hundred heads! The tree was given to Hera as a wedding gift, and she chose to plant the tree on Mount Atlas. It is here we can find Atlas holding the world upon his shoulders, his punishment from the Olympian Gods for challenging them during the Great Titan War with his brethren; at first, Atlas' daughters were placed in charge of the tree and precious apples, but they were pilfering them constantly and were quickly replaced by Hera and rebuked.
Hercules was charged with obtaining some of these apples as a labor, and the story of his success in this trial will be shared within the next post. Ladon was placed in the night sky by Hera as a respect to the loyal servitude of the dragon to the Queen of the Gods.
Delphinus the Dolphin is an addition to my constellation knowledge this year, and a challenge to those up to finding a sparsely known constellation. This small constellation can be found on the Eastern horizon, under what is considered the Summer Triangle. The Summer Triangle starts with finding Vega, the brightest summer star, then consists of both Deneb to the lower left and Altair to the lower right. Connecting the three produce the triangle. We will further explore the constellations within the triangle further into the summer months.
Below the triangle look for a diamond-shaped cluster of stars with a tail...perhaps a bit like a kite even. A pair of binoculars is also a nice way to view the cluster up close. This dolphin was the loyal servant and messenger of Poseidon, and was integral in Poseidon finding a wife for the palace he had finished soon after being awarded the realm of the sea. He sent Delphinus out to scout the Nereids, underwater sprites or nymphs, and found favor with one of the Nereids. They were most flighty, but when approached by the gentle and soothing dolphin, they calmed. Eventually the nereid Amphitrite was coaxed onto the back of the dolphin and brought to the palace. In gratitude, Delphinus was placed in the sky to revere the intelligent creature of the sea.
Hope you enjoyed the tales of two loyal creatures! Catch you soon with the tale of Hercules!
Friday, May 20, 2011
#15 Full Moon May and Libra the Scales of Justice
Hello Friends!
It has been awhile since I've posted last. May has been rather busy for me, and it appears there is a bit of a waiting game to get into the summer constellations. I realized then that the summer night sky, while interesting, has a bit of a meditative quality to it in regards to the fact that it is one of the visually darkest and devoid skies, other than for the Milky Way that is beautifully stretched across the sky.
So, this past week the Full Moon made its appearance. This then is our fodder for today's post. The May Full Moon is named the Full Flower Moon, for the sole idea that most every plant and tree has flowered due to the April precipitation. The May Moon is also known as the Milk Moon, for what reason we do not know.
When I saw the full moon a few nights ago, I likened it to a Milk Moon, because the weather had cooled out here in the desert southwest and humidity (yes...moisture) had been evident in the sky, thus the moon took on a milky appearance to me. I have enjoyed recently sitting on my balcony and staring into the blackness of the sky, and relaxing and being grateful for life in general. Life has been tough as of late, and I have missed the slow and calming energies of the night sky. This urges me to find when the next meteor shower will be active so as to just enjoy a night of gazing into the sky and catching the chance to see a brilliant spark of burning gas hurtling to the Earth from outer space. HINT: Late July and Early August!
I realized that I have not given credit to my zodiac sign, Libra the Scales! Libra is the only zodiac sign that is not human or animal, and did not exist until separated from Scorpio the Scorpion. Libra used to represent the claws of Scorpio, but later was given a place in the sky by the Romans as the scales of justice and balance in 1 AD. I suppose this makes sense, as Libra balances out the zodiac, and could be seen as a mark of balance between times BC and AD. It also marks the fascination of the ancients with the balance of all celestial life cycles, whether they be the seasons, day and night, or birth and death.
Catch you next time: we will start with an introduction to Hercules and Draco!
It has been awhile since I've posted last. May has been rather busy for me, and it appears there is a bit of a waiting game to get into the summer constellations. I realized then that the summer night sky, while interesting, has a bit of a meditative quality to it in regards to the fact that it is one of the visually darkest and devoid skies, other than for the Milky Way that is beautifully stretched across the sky.
So, this past week the Full Moon made its appearance. This then is our fodder for today's post. The May Full Moon is named the Full Flower Moon, for the sole idea that most every plant and tree has flowered due to the April precipitation. The May Moon is also known as the Milk Moon, for what reason we do not know.
When I saw the full moon a few nights ago, I likened it to a Milk Moon, because the weather had cooled out here in the desert southwest and humidity (yes...moisture) had been evident in the sky, thus the moon took on a milky appearance to me. I have enjoyed recently sitting on my balcony and staring into the blackness of the sky, and relaxing and being grateful for life in general. Life has been tough as of late, and I have missed the slow and calming energies of the night sky. This urges me to find when the next meteor shower will be active so as to just enjoy a night of gazing into the sky and catching the chance to see a brilliant spark of burning gas hurtling to the Earth from outer space. HINT: Late July and Early August!
I realized that I have not given credit to my zodiac sign, Libra the Scales! Libra is the only zodiac sign that is not human or animal, and did not exist until separated from Scorpio the Scorpion. Libra used to represent the claws of Scorpio, but later was given a place in the sky by the Romans as the scales of justice and balance in 1 AD. I suppose this makes sense, as Libra balances out the zodiac, and could be seen as a mark of balance between times BC and AD. It also marks the fascination of the ancients with the balance of all celestial life cycles, whether they be the seasons, day and night, or birth and death.
Catch you next time: we will start with an introduction to Hercules and Draco!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
#14 A Serpent's Story
Good Evening Fellow Star Spies!
The ancients had a way of using constellations and stars to mark immortality and legend. I think it is relevant to think of the sky above us as amazing and wondrous, along with having the characteristics of being the easel of the myths of great men and figures alike. The night sky is a great place to dream, to wonder, and to envision our mysteries of life.
Want to view the largest constellation in the night sky? The constellation that takes over half of the year to be fully visible? Behold! Hydra, the serpent. This constellation is most known as one of the labors of Hercules, the second to be exact, and was known for having multiple heads. There is, however, only one head associated with this constellation. This then leads us to realize that the middle and dominant head was immortal.
This serpent was the great water-snake of a town called Lerna. It's breath was known to poison and kill, and running across its path was not suggested. This snake is also the brother of Draco, the dragon that guards the golden apples of Hera. We will soon visit Draco, as he is almost finished with his slithering into the night sky from the Eastern horizon.
Hercules had to take care to draw the Hydra out from the poisonous swamp it inhabited. Hercules used his flame arrows to irritate the beast, then grappled with it and clubbed in one of its heads. To his surprise, the head grew back and sprouted two identical heads! Hercules had to think quick, and called for his charioteer IIolaus to cauterize each of the stumps when he would cut off a head to prevent further regeneration. He finished the immortal head and buried it deep in the Earth under a nearby rock. He used the poisonous gall of the remainder of the body to dip his arrows in.
Upon this serpent's back rides two other constellations that are part of the second story given to this massive serpent. These are Corvus the Crow and Crater the Cup. I just realized that is a lot of C's. Crater is the immortal cups of the Gods, known to carry the life-water for sacrifice, or ambrosia, the nectar of the Gods and their life force. This life force was known to impart eternal life. Crater is the cup that is seen in Aquarius, the symbol of the water bearer Ganymede, picked by the God Zeus for his attractiveness.
Corvus was the favorite bird of Apollo, and his valuable servant. Corvus was called upon one day by Apollo to take Crater the cup to the well-spring to collect water for a sacrifice. The crow was on his way to the spring and came across a fig tree in full bloom, and being tempted, stayed and ate his fill of the figs for three days! In the meanwhile, Apollo was left to find his own water for the sacrifice. Corvus knew he would be in trouble if he returned without an alibi. He found a water snake and returned with it, trying to convince Apollo that the water snake was vicious and would not let him collect water from the spring. Apollo was not fooled, as he is gifted as the God of prophecy, and saw through the lie. He condemned the bird to a life of thirst, thus why the crow has such a raspy call. Our lesson here is: keep our word impeccable and truthful, for if we do not do so, our word will become ugly and unbelievable.
The crow also gets given a story about why it is black; Apollo turned this once white as a dove bird black out of spite of the news the crow delivered to him about a love being unfaithful. This also warns us that gossip or being overly involved in others' relationships can tarnish our image to others.
There is one more constellation that rides the back of the celestial serpent. This is Noctura the Owl, which did not make it to the identified current constellations. I think it interesting to know that this is one of the least known obsolete constellations; even I did not know of this constellation until recently. English amateur astronomer Jamieson placed the owl in the sky at the tail end of Hydra, to the right of Libra, the scales. He was boggled as to why the bird did not make it into the night sky, especially with its fame and popularity in ancient cultures (Greek/Roman/Egyptian.)
I think its neat that the more I stare at the night sky and look for further objects, the more the stars reveal to me. I enjoy truly the vastness and endless enjoyment I receive when marveling at the night sky; I hope you do as well!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
#13 April Egg Moon and A Celestial Camping Retreat
Happy Easter everyone! Below is the view of the night sky from Easter Island; amazing! I believe that I want to see this before I leave the Earth.
A quick check in with the April Full Moon. The April Full Moon goes by the Full Pink Moon, because of the color of the herb moss phlox, one of the earliest widespread flowers of spring. The Full Sprouting Grass Moon and the Egg Moon are another two names for the April Moon. Each of these really capture the spring season, and bring to mind Easter. Spring grass, pink flowers, and eggs...of course it is April!
Lately I am kicking around setting up my sleeping bag outside on the balcony, or setting up the dome tent out in the backyard. I am getting the itch, now that it is warmer at night, to sleep outside under the stars. Perhaps this weekend I will set up out in the backyard and also set up the telescope. I still have yet to get a glimpse of M51, the spiral galaxy at the end of the handle of the Big Dipper. Now that it is sitting further above in the sky, I will attempt this again.
I think also that the time spent outside in nature is truly something that I could enjoy as of late. I remember last year and the Sundance I participated in. I enjoyed the quiet sunrise and bird song, and the ancient connection that permeated my spirit as I settled in under the stars. I enjoyed the flute songs that were created both in twilight and early dawn. I enjoyed the quiet solitude and clarity of my mind. Truly there is a magic to merging our unconscious with the infinite universe above us, that we seem to have lost over time to our "warm and cozy" sleep caves and snooze buttons. I think it is time to backyard camp; anyone with me?
A quick check in with the April Full Moon. The April Full Moon goes by the Full Pink Moon, because of the color of the herb moss phlox, one of the earliest widespread flowers of spring. The Full Sprouting Grass Moon and the Egg Moon are another two names for the April Moon. Each of these really capture the spring season, and bring to mind Easter. Spring grass, pink flowers, and eggs...of course it is April!
Lately I am kicking around setting up my sleeping bag outside on the balcony, or setting up the dome tent out in the backyard. I am getting the itch, now that it is warmer at night, to sleep outside under the stars. Perhaps this weekend I will set up out in the backyard and also set up the telescope. I still have yet to get a glimpse of M51, the spiral galaxy at the end of the handle of the Big Dipper. Now that it is sitting further above in the sky, I will attempt this again.
I think also that the time spent outside in nature is truly something that I could enjoy as of late. I remember last year and the Sundance I participated in. I enjoyed the quiet sunrise and bird song, and the ancient connection that permeated my spirit as I settled in under the stars. I enjoyed the flute songs that were created both in twilight and early dawn. I enjoyed the quiet solitude and clarity of my mind. Truly there is a magic to merging our unconscious with the infinite universe above us, that we seem to have lost over time to our "warm and cozy" sleep caves and snooze buttons. I think it is time to backyard camp; anyone with me?
Thursday, April 14, 2011
#12 A Lion, a Virgin, and a Herdsman (Bonus: A Crown!)
Follow the arc to Arcturus and drive a spike to Spica! Grab your star map from starmaps.com for this journey through the sky, as it will come in handy!
Let's take a look at the late evening sky together. This fun statement is a handy way to find the bright stars within the constellations of Virgo the Virgin and Bootes the Herdsman. But first, I would like to give Leo the Lion his time in the spotlight, as he has crept further above the horizon without our stopping to enjoy his story.
Leo can be found just above Corvus the Crow. He is currently heading towards being vertical in the night sky. Look for the two asterisms of Leo: 1) the triangle and 2) the sickle or question mark. The brightest star in Leo is Regulus, or the little king. It is also said to be the lion's heart.
Leo has a few stories connected to him. The first story involves the labors of Hercules. Hercules first labor was to hunt and destroy the Nemean lion. This lion was known for its furiousness and toughness. It would leave the two mouthed cave it lived in and head down and attack the city of Nemea, bringing its lunch back to its den. Hercules engaged the lion from a distance first, striking with arrows. The lion's tough skin did not allow for penetration, so Hercules tracked the lion to the den and had to use his massive and superhumanly strong arms to strangle the lion, and used the lion's razor sharp claws to take the hide for his own.
The Bible also has a mention of Daniel and his trial in the Lion's Den. Daniel's story is about being able to trust in God's protection during dangerous situations. Daniel was put into a den of lions and protected by God as a testament of his faith and commitment to his belief in God. This constellation can remind us to be unafraid to stand up for what we believe in, to be proud and courageous of our convictions. It can also be a reminder of the protection and security afforded us amidst life's challenges by the universe/Higher Power/God.
Lastly, Leo can be seen as perhaps the celestial inspiration of the Great Sphinx of Egypt. You can see the triangle as the hind legs and the sickle as the head dress and head of the Sphinx.
Next, we visit the story of Virgo the Virgin, the second largest constellation other than Hydra. Virgo is seen as an angel with wings holding a sheath of wheat, standing next to the constellation of Libra the scales. She is thought to represent two goddesses. The first is Dike, the goddess of Justice. She was the part of the Earth when Zeus' father Cronus ruled Golden Age; her presence could be considered the symbol "divine, spiritual, and higher intelligence" being a great part of humankind's prosperity. This changed as Zeus took over and overthrew his father. The Silver Age was born and in it Zeus introduced the seasons. Dike pined for a time when humankind was of a higher order and look for the common and higher good, but the humans were becoming more quarrelsome, and Dike warned them they would further fall if they continued their ways and did not honor their spirit. She retreated to the mountains and sadly watched as the Bronze and Iron Ages were ushered in and mankind continued to fall into war, theft, and violence. Dike could not bear seeing humankind fall to this blinding ignorance any longer, and headed into the heavens to sit next to the scales of justice, patiently awaiting a time for humankind to tip the scales back in favor of the pursuit of goodness and morality.
The constellation could also be seen as Demeter, the harvest goddess and sister to Zeus. It is important to note that the brightest star of Virgo is Spica, which means leaf of wheat. Being the harvest goddess, this is a fitting symbol. Demeter leads the way for one of the stories of Bootes, the Herdsman. Bootes has been seen to represent Demeter's son, the inventor of the plow. His plow is the constellation of the Big Dipper, and continues to plow the barren Earth after Winter to prepare for the appearance of Demeter in the Spring.
Bootes is also known as the guardian of the bear. Remember the story of Callisto, who was turned into a bear by Hera? Bootes is known as Arcas, the son of Callisto. He was placed in the night sky to continue to be a protector and guide his mother along her course around the north star Polaris. The brightest star of Bootes is Arcturus, which means guardian of the bear, most fitting for Arcas.
Lastly, take a look at the small bowl-shaped or U-shaped grouping of stars to the upper left of Bootes. This is the constellation of the Celestial Crown, or Corona Borealis. This heavenly crown is known as the property of Ariadne, daughter of King Minos of Crete, and the wife of the Greek hero Theseus. She gave Theseus a ball of string to navigate the labyrinth in his attempt to slay the Minotaur and release the city from the sacrificial ceremony made every year to appease the beast. He bested the beast and followed the string out. In their marriage, the God of the blacksmiths, Hephaestus, gave Ariadne a tiara forged with beautiful and rare gems that glowed with a light of their own for the ceremony. In celebration, Theseus threw the crown into the sky after the marriage to honor the commitment.
I'll catch you all soon with a few more star stories! Be Well!
Let's take a look at the late evening sky together. This fun statement is a handy way to find the bright stars within the constellations of Virgo the Virgin and Bootes the Herdsman. But first, I would like to give Leo the Lion his time in the spotlight, as he has crept further above the horizon without our stopping to enjoy his story.
Leo can be found just above Corvus the Crow. He is currently heading towards being vertical in the night sky. Look for the two asterisms of Leo: 1) the triangle and 2) the sickle or question mark. The brightest star in Leo is Regulus, or the little king. It is also said to be the lion's heart.
Leo has a few stories connected to him. The first story involves the labors of Hercules. Hercules first labor was to hunt and destroy the Nemean lion. This lion was known for its furiousness and toughness. It would leave the two mouthed cave it lived in and head down and attack the city of Nemea, bringing its lunch back to its den. Hercules engaged the lion from a distance first, striking with arrows. The lion's tough skin did not allow for penetration, so Hercules tracked the lion to the den and had to use his massive and superhumanly strong arms to strangle the lion, and used the lion's razor sharp claws to take the hide for his own.
The Bible also has a mention of Daniel and his trial in the Lion's Den. Daniel's story is about being able to trust in God's protection during dangerous situations. Daniel was put into a den of lions and protected by God as a testament of his faith and commitment to his belief in God. This constellation can remind us to be unafraid to stand up for what we believe in, to be proud and courageous of our convictions. It can also be a reminder of the protection and security afforded us amidst life's challenges by the universe/Higher Power/God.
Lastly, Leo can be seen as perhaps the celestial inspiration of the Great Sphinx of Egypt. You can see the triangle as the hind legs and the sickle as the head dress and head of the Sphinx.
Next, we visit the story of Virgo the Virgin, the second largest constellation other than Hydra. Virgo is seen as an angel with wings holding a sheath of wheat, standing next to the constellation of Libra the scales. She is thought to represent two goddesses. The first is Dike, the goddess of Justice. She was the part of the Earth when Zeus' father Cronus ruled Golden Age; her presence could be considered the symbol "divine, spiritual, and higher intelligence" being a great part of humankind's prosperity. This changed as Zeus took over and overthrew his father. The Silver Age was born and in it Zeus introduced the seasons. Dike pined for a time when humankind was of a higher order and look for the common and higher good, but the humans were becoming more quarrelsome, and Dike warned them they would further fall if they continued their ways and did not honor their spirit. She retreated to the mountains and sadly watched as the Bronze and Iron Ages were ushered in and mankind continued to fall into war, theft, and violence. Dike could not bear seeing humankind fall to this blinding ignorance any longer, and headed into the heavens to sit next to the scales of justice, patiently awaiting a time for humankind to tip the scales back in favor of the pursuit of goodness and morality.
The constellation could also be seen as Demeter, the harvest goddess and sister to Zeus. It is important to note that the brightest star of Virgo is Spica, which means leaf of wheat. Being the harvest goddess, this is a fitting symbol. Demeter leads the way for one of the stories of Bootes, the Herdsman. Bootes has been seen to represent Demeter's son, the inventor of the plow. His plow is the constellation of the Big Dipper, and continues to plow the barren Earth after Winter to prepare for the appearance of Demeter in the Spring.
Bootes is also known as the guardian of the bear. Remember the story of Callisto, who was turned into a bear by Hera? Bootes is known as Arcas, the son of Callisto. He was placed in the night sky to continue to be a protector and guide his mother along her course around the north star Polaris. The brightest star of Bootes is Arcturus, which means guardian of the bear, most fitting for Arcas.
Lastly, take a look at the small bowl-shaped or U-shaped grouping of stars to the upper left of Bootes. This is the constellation of the Celestial Crown, or Corona Borealis. This heavenly crown is known as the property of Ariadne, daughter of King Minos of Crete, and the wife of the Greek hero Theseus. She gave Theseus a ball of string to navigate the labyrinth in his attempt to slay the Minotaur and release the city from the sacrificial ceremony made every year to appease the beast. He bested the beast and followed the string out. In their marriage, the God of the blacksmiths, Hephaestus, gave Ariadne a tiara forged with beautiful and rare gems that glowed with a light of their own for the ceremony. In celebration, Theseus threw the crown into the sky after the marriage to honor the commitment.
I'll catch you all soon with a few more star stories! Be Well!
Friday, April 1, 2011
#11 Saturn and a distant Star Cluster
Greetings Earthlings! It's an optimal time to view Saturn!
Last weekend, I enjoyed an impromptu backyard night sky viewing in which I enjoyed the mid-spring night sky. With Leo high in the sky, and Virgo rising shortly thereafter, I was excited to view the adjunct areas of the dark sky.
Within this area is a richness of deep sky objects (Galaxies and Star Clusters) that the more patient viewer can zero in on. I chose to find M3, a star cluster to the north of Arcturus, the bright beige spring sky currently in the Eastern horizon, and part of the Coma Berenices star clusters, and M51, a spiral galaxy that is found at the end of the handle of the Big Dipper constellation.
I was able to successfully resolve M3! A beautiful globular cluster sitting within the darkness of what appears to be deep dark sky, M3 surely was bright. I look forward to again viewing M3 once further up in the night sky, as I believe some light and atmospheric pollution may have dimmed optimal viewing. I enjoyed yet again the company of my in-laws to view the night sky.
M51, however, was not as easy to find. About and hour or so later, I found what appeared to be M51, but with the city night sky to the Northeast of us, the light pollution did not yield any favors. So, I will wait for about another few weeks and attempt a reviewing.
Saturn is in opposition this Sunday, meaning it is at its closest to the Earth in its orbit. It appears that the Sun sets and Saturn rises in the same area in the Eastern sky as the Earth spins from the Sun and faces out towards Saturn. This allows for the brightest and best view of Saturn. I enjoyed sharing the planet with my in-laws and wife this time. I really enjoyed the view this year of Saturn; I would say it was the best view of the planet I have ever encountered. I remember the first view of Saturn I had; it was with my neighbor Scott with his older telescope and it looked like a small tan sticker in the eyepiece. My view showed clearly the gap between the planet's body and rings; the rings still vertically aligned. Not known is the fact that Saturn's axis tilts and this makes the rings on Saturn appear at different angles as it orbits around the Sun.
Next time we will visit the stories of the constellations Leo the Lion and Virgo the Virgin. See you then!
Last weekend, I enjoyed an impromptu backyard night sky viewing in which I enjoyed the mid-spring night sky. With Leo high in the sky, and Virgo rising shortly thereafter, I was excited to view the adjunct areas of the dark sky.
Within this area is a richness of deep sky objects (Galaxies and Star Clusters) that the more patient viewer can zero in on. I chose to find M3, a star cluster to the north of Arcturus, the bright beige spring sky currently in the Eastern horizon, and part of the Coma Berenices star clusters, and M51, a spiral galaxy that is found at the end of the handle of the Big Dipper constellation.
I was able to successfully resolve M3! A beautiful globular cluster sitting within the darkness of what appears to be deep dark sky, M3 surely was bright. I look forward to again viewing M3 once further up in the night sky, as I believe some light and atmospheric pollution may have dimmed optimal viewing. I enjoyed yet again the company of my in-laws to view the night sky.
M51, however, was not as easy to find. About and hour or so later, I found what appeared to be M51, but with the city night sky to the Northeast of us, the light pollution did not yield any favors. So, I will wait for about another few weeks and attempt a reviewing.
Saturn is in opposition this Sunday, meaning it is at its closest to the Earth in its orbit. It appears that the Sun sets and Saturn rises in the same area in the Eastern sky as the Earth spins from the Sun and faces out towards Saturn. This allows for the brightest and best view of Saturn. I enjoyed sharing the planet with my in-laws and wife this time. I really enjoyed the view this year of Saturn; I would say it was the best view of the planet I have ever encountered. I remember the first view of Saturn I had; it was with my neighbor Scott with his older telescope and it looked like a small tan sticker in the eyepiece. My view showed clearly the gap between the planet's body and rings; the rings still vertically aligned. Not known is the fact that Saturn's axis tilts and this makes the rings on Saturn appear at different angles as it orbits around the Sun.
Next time we will visit the stories of the constellations Leo the Lion and Virgo the Virgin. See you then!
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
#10 A Few Inconspicuous Constellations
Good Evening Everyone! This is the Coma Galaxy in the Coma Star Cluster!
Just a quick check in between visits from the 'rents.
Took a nice respite to the backyard this evening to view the Coma Star Cluster and some of the less well-known Spring constellations between Leo and The Big Dipper.
First is another set of stars, somewhat dim, yet easily found hanging out in the darkness between The Big Dipper and Leo the Lion. These stars are the Herding Dogs, or Canes Venatici. These are thought to be Bootes the Herdsman's dogs. Unlike Orion's hunting dogs, these dogs are linked to the Herdsman and are meant to shepherd in the flocks.
The next star cluster is within the constellation of Coma Berenices, or Berenice's Hair. This is one of the few named after a historical figure. This constellation is meant to symbolize the hair of queen Berenice II of Egypt. She was known for her long golden hair, and she cut it when her husband was victorious in a war campaign and gave it to Aphrodite as a sacrifice. It was placed in the sky by Aphrodite. Through the binoculars, this star cluster looks kind of like a coat hangar. It is neat to think that while looking at this star cluster, I am looking out to some of the deeper galaxies of the universe. I am still super excited to get to the galaxies and constellations of Leo and Virgo.
There is a Little Lion, Leo Minor, that looks like a triangle under the Big Dipper's ladle. Kind of looks like a mini-Leo. There is no real significance to this constellation, other than to say we have checked it off the list of viewing in the night sky.
Also had the opportunity this past weekend to check out the Full Moon for the month of March. The Full Worm Moon/Lenten Moon is he last Full Moon of Winter! It is named so for the start of Spring and the time when the ground thaws and earthworm casings are prevalent. This weekend was the closest biggest moon to been seen in the last 18 years. My mother and father and I enjoyed the bigger than life Moon rising slowly above the horizon.
Saturn is on the horizon as well. In the binoculars you can see the shape of the planet and wonderful tan coloration. I was tempted to pull out the telescope, well next time! :)
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
#9 A Few Planets
Hello Stargazers! That is Venus and it's beautifully gold cloud cover; the cloud cover gives it the brightness that we have come to dub the morning/evening star.
You may have noticed a bit of a lapse in the blogging; I've been busy visiting with my parents this week! Also, each time I have wanted to pull out the telescope prior to their arrival or during their visit, it has been hazy and/or partially cloudy. I get so frustrated with the weather, but I should be grateful that most of the time the night sky out here in Arizona is beautiful!
So, I have been just in the practice of viewing a few of the planets currently in the night and dawn sky. This past week I have been able to spy Jupiter and Mercury on the western dusk horizon just after sunset. The brightest "star" in the Western sky is Jupiter at this time; keep a keen eye on the horizon and you will see Mercury. Our Winter sky is slowly retiring to the Western horizon, making way for the Spring and Summer night spectacles.
I also enjoyed a quick viewing of Venus, our morning and evening "star," on last Friday morning while carpooling with my colleague and friend V. Pulling out of the housing community, I took a quick look towards the dawn Eastern sky and spied the bright planet adding to the beautiful sunrise of the morning.
So that leaves only Mars and Neptune to write about; Mars (Ares) will show up in the night sky in February 2012 and Neptune (Poseidon) in the night sky in early August. Mars is sitting in the early evening sky right now and is not visible through the abundant sunshine, so patience is key to viewing Mars next year. We will attempt a viewing of Neptune in August.
Venus (Aphrodite) is the Greek goddess of love and beauty, and Mercury (Hermes) is the Greek god of travel, correspondence, and messages. Hermes is the messenger of the Gods to the humans, sharing this role counterpart Iris. He is also a guide to the underworld. Aphrodite was married to Vulcan (Hephaestus) due to her extreme beauty causing intense jealousy amongst the Greek gods. It is interesting to equate the Greek goddess of love and beauty to Venus; as Venus is quite beautiful from afar, but quite a dangerous and stormy place upon further inspection. Mercury really is just a piece of superheated rock, and the only planet that does not rotate on its axis due to the intense gravity of the Sun, but it is the quickest to circle the Sun.
I have been trying to set up the telescope for a viewing of the late evening Eastern sky for the emergence of Saturn just below Leo the Lion. I have also wanted to view a few galaxies below Leo and share about the Lion, so keep an eye out for this in the coming weeks. Virgo and the galaxies of Virgo are also upcoming, and a small but densely star-populated area called the Coma Berenices to the left of Leo the Lion houses a few star clusters, especially the Coma star cluster.
I'm excited for the end of this week, as currently I am looking at a bright blue sky and enjoying warm weather in the Spring evenings! My wife reminds me that the night sky is not going anywhere and there is no rush to viewing the gems upcoming in the Spring. So, I am reminded to pause and enjoy the pace of nature.
You may have noticed a bit of a lapse in the blogging; I've been busy visiting with my parents this week! Also, each time I have wanted to pull out the telescope prior to their arrival or during their visit, it has been hazy and/or partially cloudy. I get so frustrated with the weather, but I should be grateful that most of the time the night sky out here in Arizona is beautiful!
So, I have been just in the practice of viewing a few of the planets currently in the night and dawn sky. This past week I have been able to spy Jupiter and Mercury on the western dusk horizon just after sunset. The brightest "star" in the Western sky is Jupiter at this time; keep a keen eye on the horizon and you will see Mercury. Our Winter sky is slowly retiring to the Western horizon, making way for the Spring and Summer night spectacles.
I also enjoyed a quick viewing of Venus, our morning and evening "star," on last Friday morning while carpooling with my colleague and friend V. Pulling out of the housing community, I took a quick look towards the dawn Eastern sky and spied the bright planet adding to the beautiful sunrise of the morning.
So that leaves only Mars and Neptune to write about; Mars (Ares) will show up in the night sky in February 2012 and Neptune (Poseidon) in the night sky in early August. Mars is sitting in the early evening sky right now and is not visible through the abundant sunshine, so patience is key to viewing Mars next year. We will attempt a viewing of Neptune in August.
Venus (Aphrodite) is the Greek goddess of love and beauty, and Mercury (Hermes) is the Greek god of travel, correspondence, and messages. Hermes is the messenger of the Gods to the humans, sharing this role counterpart Iris. He is also a guide to the underworld. Aphrodite was married to Vulcan (Hephaestus) due to her extreme beauty causing intense jealousy amongst the Greek gods. It is interesting to equate the Greek goddess of love and beauty to Venus; as Venus is quite beautiful from afar, but quite a dangerous and stormy place upon further inspection. Mercury really is just a piece of superheated rock, and the only planet that does not rotate on its axis due to the intense gravity of the Sun, but it is the quickest to circle the Sun.
I have been trying to set up the telescope for a viewing of the late evening Eastern sky for the emergence of Saturn just below Leo the Lion. I have also wanted to view a few galaxies below Leo and share about the Lion, so keep an eye out for this in the coming weeks. Virgo and the galaxies of Virgo are also upcoming, and a small but densely star-populated area called the Coma Berenices to the left of Leo the Lion houses a few star clusters, especially the Coma star cluster.
I'm excited for the end of this week, as currently I am looking at a bright blue sky and enjoying warm weather in the Spring evenings! My wife reminds me that the night sky is not going anywhere and there is no rush to viewing the gems upcoming in the Spring. So, I am reminded to pause and enjoy the pace of nature.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
#8 The Dippers and Sisters
Hello Friends,
I'ts been a few more days than I have wanted to update you on our night sky; I apologize. However, I have finally bested this head cold, and I know I am looking forward to going out this weekend to view Leo and Leo's galaxies physically well and clear headed again.
It seems that the seasons are slowly turning to Spring. The sky ladles; the Big Dipper and Little Dipper, are taking their place; the Little Dipper spilling its contents into the Big Dipper. See the picture above; an easily remembered trick to find the North Star Polaris is shown above. Polaris is our celestial north. A very clear night and non-polluted sky will produce the full handle of the Little Dipper and the bowl of the Dipper. Surprising our North Star is so dim, huh?
From the handle of the Big Dipper, you can trace further down to the bright Spring star Arcturus, part of the constellation Bootes the herdsman. We will visit with the herdsman in the future, when he has awoken from the low horizon of the Eastern sky. For now, he guides either the bears or plows we visit with this week, and will be mentioned as the young gentleman Arcas in our star story tonight.
The Dippers have also been known by the ancients as either bears or plows. The Big Dipper is by far the most known and familiar constellation in the night sky. If we take a moment to see them as plows, it is quite simple: the long handles with the square box blades. As for bears, it is a bit more of the imagination to see, but the square boxes would give us the bear's body, and the handles the tails.
If the handles are the tails, why are they so long? Thomas Hood, a writer and astrologer made mention that they were perhaps stretched by Zeus when he flung them to safety into the night sky.
The Big Bear is actually Callisto, a paramour of Zeus. Sometimes the Small Bear gets recognized as Arcas, her demi-god son by Zeus, but more often Arcas gets given the honor of being seen in the constellation Bootes, known as a great hunter. How did Callisto become a bear, and find her way as this bear in the night sky?
Callisto was well noticed by the Gods of Olympus, especially Artemis. Artemis was moved so by Callisto's grace and beauty that she appeared to her and asked her to join her hunter's troupe. She accepted and joined Artemis' hunters. This troupe was well-known for two things: it was all women and these women took a vow of chastity for life, to stay pure and true to the commitment they swore to. Callisto became accustomed to placing a tied white bow in her hair and wearing a white tunic with beautiful brooch. She soon became Artemis' best hunting partner due to her hunting skill and true companionship.
Then, in moves Zeus to disrupt this beautiful friendship and peace. Zeus saw Callisto lying in the field one day and disguised himself as Artemis. He put his arms around her and took her. Callisto was most ashamed and hid the fact that she was pregnant until one day the hunting troop came to a bathing site. She disrobed and bathed in a spring, thus showing her pregnancy. Artemis thus banished her from the troupe, and shared Callisto's ravaging by Zeus with Hera, Zeus' wife.
Callisto later gave birth; all this time Hera had been aware of another of Zeus' transgressions, and she was ready and infuriated. Hera tackled Callisto to the ground and cursed her to become the shape of a bear. Callisto roamed the forest he had hunted and become familiar with for a great time until coming across her son Arcas, who had become a great hunter and was that day tracking in the forest. Callisto recognized her son Arcas immediately and headed towards him. Arcas readied his spear and may have succeeded in taking Callisto's life, but Zeus intervened with a whirlwind and carried them into the sky as Big Dipper and Little Dipper.
Lastly, back we go to the Pleiades, or the Seven Sisters, which we mentioned briefly gazing at with the in-laws a bit ago during their visit. I realized that I had not finished the story telling regarding these important sisters.
The Greeks used the Pleiades as a mini-constellation and calendar marker. When the Greeks saw them peeking above the horizon, it meant a start to harvest. They are the seven daughters of the titan Atlas and oceanid Pleione. The Pleiades gained their name from either pleos, the Greek word meaning full, or the Greek word peleiades, meaning flock of doves. Both are fitting to this beautiful open star cluster.
The names of the seven sisters: Alcyone, Asterope, Celaeno, Electra, Maia, Merope, and Taygete. The sisters were well-liked by the Gods of Olympus. Poseidon wooed Alcyone and Celaeno. Zeus wooed Maia (she birthed Hermes and was the foster mother of Arcas), Electra, and Taygete. Asterope was ravished by Ares. So as you may realize, six became the gods paramours; the last one Merope married a mortal Sisyphus who eternally rolls boulder up the hill in Hades due to his wily of cheating the Lord of Death Hades.
So see? There are six visible sister stars, and one not so visible. It is thought to be Merope because she married a mortal, but astronomers named Asterope the faintest.
See you next week! In the meanwhile, enjoy the warmer nights that are becoming more available; I know I will!
I'ts been a few more days than I have wanted to update you on our night sky; I apologize. However, I have finally bested this head cold, and I know I am looking forward to going out this weekend to view Leo and Leo's galaxies physically well and clear headed again.
It seems that the seasons are slowly turning to Spring. The sky ladles; the Big Dipper and Little Dipper, are taking their place; the Little Dipper spilling its contents into the Big Dipper. See the picture above; an easily remembered trick to find the North Star Polaris is shown above. Polaris is our celestial north. A very clear night and non-polluted sky will produce the full handle of the Little Dipper and the bowl of the Dipper. Surprising our North Star is so dim, huh?
From the handle of the Big Dipper, you can trace further down to the bright Spring star Arcturus, part of the constellation Bootes the herdsman. We will visit with the herdsman in the future, when he has awoken from the low horizon of the Eastern sky. For now, he guides either the bears or plows we visit with this week, and will be mentioned as the young gentleman Arcas in our star story tonight.
The Dippers have also been known by the ancients as either bears or plows. The Big Dipper is by far the most known and familiar constellation in the night sky. If we take a moment to see them as plows, it is quite simple: the long handles with the square box blades. As for bears, it is a bit more of the imagination to see, but the square boxes would give us the bear's body, and the handles the tails.
If the handles are the tails, why are they so long? Thomas Hood, a writer and astrologer made mention that they were perhaps stretched by Zeus when he flung them to safety into the night sky.
The Big Bear is actually Callisto, a paramour of Zeus. Sometimes the Small Bear gets recognized as Arcas, her demi-god son by Zeus, but more often Arcas gets given the honor of being seen in the constellation Bootes, known as a great hunter. How did Callisto become a bear, and find her way as this bear in the night sky?
Callisto was well noticed by the Gods of Olympus, especially Artemis. Artemis was moved so by Callisto's grace and beauty that she appeared to her and asked her to join her hunter's troupe. She accepted and joined Artemis' hunters. This troupe was well-known for two things: it was all women and these women took a vow of chastity for life, to stay pure and true to the commitment they swore to. Callisto became accustomed to placing a tied white bow in her hair and wearing a white tunic with beautiful brooch. She soon became Artemis' best hunting partner due to her hunting skill and true companionship.
Then, in moves Zeus to disrupt this beautiful friendship and peace. Zeus saw Callisto lying in the field one day and disguised himself as Artemis. He put his arms around her and took her. Callisto was most ashamed and hid the fact that she was pregnant until one day the hunting troop came to a bathing site. She disrobed and bathed in a spring, thus showing her pregnancy. Artemis thus banished her from the troupe, and shared Callisto's ravaging by Zeus with Hera, Zeus' wife.
Callisto later gave birth; all this time Hera had been aware of another of Zeus' transgressions, and she was ready and infuriated. Hera tackled Callisto to the ground and cursed her to become the shape of a bear. Callisto roamed the forest he had hunted and become familiar with for a great time until coming across her son Arcas, who had become a great hunter and was that day tracking in the forest. Callisto recognized her son Arcas immediately and headed towards him. Arcas readied his spear and may have succeeded in taking Callisto's life, but Zeus intervened with a whirlwind and carried them into the sky as Big Dipper and Little Dipper.
Lastly, back we go to the Pleiades, or the Seven Sisters, which we mentioned briefly gazing at with the in-laws a bit ago during their visit. I realized that I had not finished the story telling regarding these important sisters.
The Greeks used the Pleiades as a mini-constellation and calendar marker. When the Greeks saw them peeking above the horizon, it meant a start to harvest. They are the seven daughters of the titan Atlas and oceanid Pleione. The Pleiades gained their name from either pleos, the Greek word meaning full, or the Greek word peleiades, meaning flock of doves. Both are fitting to this beautiful open star cluster.
The names of the seven sisters: Alcyone, Asterope, Celaeno, Electra, Maia, Merope, and Taygete. The sisters were well-liked by the Gods of Olympus. Poseidon wooed Alcyone and Celaeno. Zeus wooed Maia (she birthed Hermes and was the foster mother of Arcas), Electra, and Taygete. Asterope was ravished by Ares. So as you may realize, six became the gods paramours; the last one Merope married a mortal Sisyphus who eternally rolls boulder up the hill in Hades due to his wily of cheating the Lord of Death Hades.
So see? There are six visible sister stars, and one not so visible. It is thought to be Merope because she married a mortal, but astronomers named Asterope the faintest.
See you next week! In the meanwhile, enjoy the warmer nights that are becoming more available; I know I will!
Sunday, February 20, 2011
#7 Full Moon February...Werewolves?
Can you believe it is almost the end of February?
The weather has been uncooperative this weekend, but I'm not really complaining. The winter-like weather out here in the desert Southwest is a welcome respite from the normal hot and dry days that are offered up by the Sonoran Desert. Black rolling clouds in the sky give way to wonderfully blustery winds that caress your face, and an occasional sprinkle or two. The evening cools down significantly and brings a quiet darkness that envelops the cacti and other desert flora. Friday evening's Full Moon hid behind this blackened curtain and shone brightly as the Full Snow Moon (well, as close to snow as you can get out here in the Southwest, I guess.) Remember I mentioned that I'd keep you in the know about the monthly Full Moon names? Well, February's moon is the full snow moon, since the heaviest snows were known to usually fall during this month to the native tribes. Some tribes also knew this moon as the Full Hunger Moon, since harsh weather conditions made hunting very difficult.
I thought also that it would be fun to discuss a few of the myths of the Full Moon this month, as company is visiting and I am not as able to disappear into the night on star strolls or stargazing expeditions. My in-laws, wife Cassandra, and I watched The Wolfman the night of the Full Moon and this sparked my curiosity as to how a myth such as werewolves came to be. So, I imagine that the symbolism of the moon certainly has some bearing on this. The moon truly idealizes the time of sleep and dreaming, of darkness and mysticism, and of the secrets of the unseen and unconscious. So the dark night brought about the imagination, the focus on the unknown and secret, and was known as an eerie mystic eyeglass to the spiritual nature of humankind.
The moon also was seen as a time piece; the changing of phases of the moon was certainly of great interest to past civilizations, which saw this large white orb in the sky and made many tales out of the phases of the moon, from a great monster swallowing the moon and regurgitating it, to a great clock in the sky which told the stories of the swift changes of life (from birth, to fullness and fertility in the Full Moon, to death in the dark or New Moon.) It was seen as the feminine counterpart of the Sun, and was also positioned in many tales of powerful pairs in the celestial myths. The twin god and goddess Apollo and Artemis is the Greek counterpart of these new bright orbs in the sky, the two celestial beings that herald in and excuse the Sun and Moon in the daily dance of the day. It has also been personified as "the Man in the Moon," looking above and seeing what appears to be a human face smiling down back at us.
The Moon was also known to sway the tides, and was given the distinction of having great influence on human behavior. The human body, comprised of a good amount of water, has been suggested to be swayed by the Moon. This is supposedly shown as true by studies identifying swiftly changing behaviors, such as madness, lunacy, and aggression. There is the idea that crimes committed become more aggressive. The psychiatric hospitals become fuller. That more babies are born because of the Moon's influence. It is funny because many studies have been conducted that show no conclusive truthful evidence, but I am a believer as I have worked in a psychiatric hospital and seen first-hand that there appears to be some coincidental pattern of acuity becoming greater during a full moon.
Ancient cultures adopted the idea of superstitions that gave the Moon such power as being able to drive a person mad, and become sick with moon-madness, or moonstruck. The Moon was able to not only strike madness in a person, but intense love and beauty and romance as well. "When the Moon hits your eye...like a big pizza pie...THAT'S AMORE!" All I can think of is either Cher in the movie or Lady and the Tramp sitting and eating spaghetti!
So, put these Moon myths together and we get the synthesis of the werewolf: darkness of the spirit in the human condition (aggression and bestial and primal tendencies that are secret and hidden during the day), being struck by the Moon with a curse (being turned into a wolf beast, based on the changing cycle of the Moon), and lastly of creatures of the night (a fascination with the mystic, grotesque, and misunderstood.) We humans have quite the imaginations, don't we?
Be careful of that Moon friend!
The weather has been uncooperative this weekend, but I'm not really complaining. The winter-like weather out here in the desert Southwest is a welcome respite from the normal hot and dry days that are offered up by the Sonoran Desert. Black rolling clouds in the sky give way to wonderfully blustery winds that caress your face, and an occasional sprinkle or two. The evening cools down significantly and brings a quiet darkness that envelops the cacti and other desert flora. Friday evening's Full Moon hid behind this blackened curtain and shone brightly as the Full Snow Moon (well, as close to snow as you can get out here in the Southwest, I guess.) Remember I mentioned that I'd keep you in the know about the monthly Full Moon names? Well, February's moon is the full snow moon, since the heaviest snows were known to usually fall during this month to the native tribes. Some tribes also knew this moon as the Full Hunger Moon, since harsh weather conditions made hunting very difficult.
I thought also that it would be fun to discuss a few of the myths of the Full Moon this month, as company is visiting and I am not as able to disappear into the night on star strolls or stargazing expeditions. My in-laws, wife Cassandra, and I watched The Wolfman the night of the Full Moon and this sparked my curiosity as to how a myth such as werewolves came to be. So, I imagine that the symbolism of the moon certainly has some bearing on this. The moon truly idealizes the time of sleep and dreaming, of darkness and mysticism, and of the secrets of the unseen and unconscious. So the dark night brought about the imagination, the focus on the unknown and secret, and was known as an eerie mystic eyeglass to the spiritual nature of humankind.
The moon also was seen as a time piece; the changing of phases of the moon was certainly of great interest to past civilizations, which saw this large white orb in the sky and made many tales out of the phases of the moon, from a great monster swallowing the moon and regurgitating it, to a great clock in the sky which told the stories of the swift changes of life (from birth, to fullness and fertility in the Full Moon, to death in the dark or New Moon.) It was seen as the feminine counterpart of the Sun, and was also positioned in many tales of powerful pairs in the celestial myths. The twin god and goddess Apollo and Artemis is the Greek counterpart of these new bright orbs in the sky, the two celestial beings that herald in and excuse the Sun and Moon in the daily dance of the day. It has also been personified as "the Man in the Moon," looking above and seeing what appears to be a human face smiling down back at us.
The Moon was also known to sway the tides, and was given the distinction of having great influence on human behavior. The human body, comprised of a good amount of water, has been suggested to be swayed by the Moon. This is supposedly shown as true by studies identifying swiftly changing behaviors, such as madness, lunacy, and aggression. There is the idea that crimes committed become more aggressive. The psychiatric hospitals become fuller. That more babies are born because of the Moon's influence. It is funny because many studies have been conducted that show no conclusive truthful evidence, but I am a believer as I have worked in a psychiatric hospital and seen first-hand that there appears to be some coincidental pattern of acuity becoming greater during a full moon.
Ancient cultures adopted the idea of superstitions that gave the Moon such power as being able to drive a person mad, and become sick with moon-madness, or moonstruck. The Moon was able to not only strike madness in a person, but intense love and beauty and romance as well. "When the Moon hits your eye...like a big pizza pie...THAT'S AMORE!" All I can think of is either Cher in the movie or Lady and the Tramp sitting and eating spaghetti!
So, put these Moon myths together and we get the synthesis of the werewolf: darkness of the spirit in the human condition (aggression and bestial and primal tendencies that are secret and hidden during the day), being struck by the Moon with a curse (being turned into a wolf beast, based on the changing cycle of the Moon), and lastly of creatures of the night (a fascination with the mystic, grotesque, and misunderstood.) We humans have quite the imaginations, don't we?
Be careful of that Moon friend!
Saturday, February 12, 2011
#6 A Celestial River, A Beautiful Galaxy and A Double Cluster
So this has been a wonderful day; and, cap it off with a wonderful viewing of some of the late winter gems in the night sky with beloved family. My in-laws are out visiting, and my father in law Mike took an instant interest in the "Big Daddy" of telescopes, my 8" Dobosian. So, we started with viewing the planet Jupiter in the western horizon. Our solar system planets endorsed the Roman names, I wonder why? Imagine calling Jupiter Zeus? That, I think, would be kind of neat, but Jupiter does have a royal sound to it. So, our largest planet is aptly named after the stormy and gas-filled god of Olympus. Jupiter boasts up to three red spots, immense gas storms with intense winds and lightning (Zeus' trademark.) Through my telescope it appears as a small sphere with multi-color bands. Brown, tan, and yellow bands give Jupiter its distinct color. Four "bright stars" complete the viewing: the four Galilean moons Io, Callisto, Europa, and Ganymede.
The nice surprise of tonight was that Uranus was close by. This was my first time being able to see Uranus. Uranus and Neptune are really just for being able to say that you saw a small greenish speck in the sky, something like a star that does not twinkle. And, of course, my family had fun with all the Uranus jokes! Uranus is the grandfather of Zeus, god of the sky and heavens, and husband of Gaea/Gaia, the goddess Earth and the father of Saturn/Cronus, the god of time and agriculture. I will expand on the other planets as I view them. Do you know what god Pluto is? Hades, the god of the underworld and darkness, probably perhaps because it is so far out in the solar system it is in the icy shadowy darkness.
We then viewed the Orion Nebula M42; I am now jazzed up to get myself a set of filters for the telescope, especially an OIII filter to sharpen the contrast on nebulae. My mother in law and I found a few for sale which are certainly now on my wish list. My mother in law Cheryl then prompted us to take a look at the Pleides M45, the most noticed open star cluster in the night sky.
Then enter a beautiful spiral galaxy: Andromeda (M31/32) Take a moment to take a look above. The galaxy is the closest to us to view, and on a collision course with the Milky Way galaxy. The viewing was very clear, even with the waxing Moon and light pollution. Once again, I believe the filter would be able to bring further contract to the core and arms of the spiral galaxy. My father in law Mike made the comment that it "blew his mind that we are looking at light that was generated at the time of the dinosaurs." This is quite profound, and true in some cases, especially viewing the Virgo galaxy cluster. The light and/or stars we are viewing may already be dead by the time the light reaches us; hard to imagine huh?
Lastly, we shared a well-known twin star cluster known only as the Double Cluster. Surprisingly, this magnificent deep-sky object is not cataloged in the Messier objects, as Messier had started the catalog to help guide scientists from mistaking deep-sky objects for comets. These clusters are available for viewing as well to the naked eye in dark rural areas, and a nice way to ponder the density and vastness of the universe. I usually describe them as "two buckshots" or "two scatter plots."
I really enjoyed being able to spend time with my family and share my love of the stars. It was quite the gift. The day before I had planned just to share about Eridanus, the Celestial River that is not well known and usually glanced over; a very dim constellation that runs North to South, starting at Orion's foot and ending in the Southern Hemisphere. If you are able to trace the Northern part of the river, you have great eyesight.
I was not sure how much time I would have to share my stargazing, but enjoyed the time and support given by my family to my interests, and the time spent together. Now I know that truly, love is "Universe-al." Happy Valentine's Day everyone.
The nice surprise of tonight was that Uranus was close by. This was my first time being able to see Uranus. Uranus and Neptune are really just for being able to say that you saw a small greenish speck in the sky, something like a star that does not twinkle. And, of course, my family had fun with all the Uranus jokes! Uranus is the grandfather of Zeus, god of the sky and heavens, and husband of Gaea/Gaia, the goddess Earth and the father of Saturn/Cronus, the god of time and agriculture. I will expand on the other planets as I view them. Do you know what god Pluto is? Hades, the god of the underworld and darkness, probably perhaps because it is so far out in the solar system it is in the icy shadowy darkness.
We then viewed the Orion Nebula M42; I am now jazzed up to get myself a set of filters for the telescope, especially an OIII filter to sharpen the contrast on nebulae. My mother in law and I found a few for sale which are certainly now on my wish list. My mother in law Cheryl then prompted us to take a look at the Pleides M45, the most noticed open star cluster in the night sky.
Then enter a beautiful spiral galaxy: Andromeda (M31/32) Take a moment to take a look above. The galaxy is the closest to us to view, and on a collision course with the Milky Way galaxy. The viewing was very clear, even with the waxing Moon and light pollution. Once again, I believe the filter would be able to bring further contract to the core and arms of the spiral galaxy. My father in law Mike made the comment that it "blew his mind that we are looking at light that was generated at the time of the dinosaurs." This is quite profound, and true in some cases, especially viewing the Virgo galaxy cluster. The light and/or stars we are viewing may already be dead by the time the light reaches us; hard to imagine huh?
Lastly, we shared a well-known twin star cluster known only as the Double Cluster. Surprisingly, this magnificent deep-sky object is not cataloged in the Messier objects, as Messier had started the catalog to help guide scientists from mistaking deep-sky objects for comets. These clusters are available for viewing as well to the naked eye in dark rural areas, and a nice way to ponder the density and vastness of the universe. I usually describe them as "two buckshots" or "two scatter plots."
I really enjoyed being able to spend time with my family and share my love of the stars. It was quite the gift. The day before I had planned just to share about Eridanus, the Celestial River that is not well known and usually glanced over; a very dim constellation that runs North to South, starting at Orion's foot and ending in the Southern Hemisphere. If you are able to trace the Northern part of the river, you have great eyesight.
I was not sure how much time I would have to share my stargazing, but enjoyed the time and support given by my family to my interests, and the time spent together. Now I know that truly, love is "Universe-al." Happy Valentine's Day everyone.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
#5 When you Wish upon a Star...
Happy February star friends; check out the Crab Nebula (M1) above!
On Tuesday evening, I chose to pull out with my 8" Dobsonian telescope, and figured I would take a bit of time to take a peek at the Orion Nebula, and try my luck with other cataloged Messier objects in the winter night sky. After pulling the telescope out to the driveway, setting up all my eyepieces and gear, and training my laser scope on the winter night sky, I was able to find two nebula. I successfully found the Crab Nebula near Taurus' left horn tip. Imagine, I am looking at the nebulous gases left over from a supernova that occurred in 1054 A.D! Although it may just appear in the telescope as a blob, the mind-blowing idea that this gas used to be a star close to 950 years ago was staggering.
I also took a nice look at the Orion nebula, and enjoyed the greenish ectoplasm that showed up in the view; actually, it was one of the clearest looks at the Orion nebula I have had. I finished my stargazing outing with a view of the crescent moon, and have started to learn the craters of the moon. I believe in March we could start to learn some of the bigger craters of the Moon together, sound good?
So, in light of Valentine's Day this weekend, and family company coming to visit for about close to two weeks, I may be a little less expansive on my offerings each week. This week I thought it would be nice to take a look at the symbolism and stories that those wondrous balls of gas in the night sky have inspired in regards to love, legend, and destiny.
Well, of course, most of us have heard the famous Walt Disney song "When you wish upon a star..." or the childhood rhyme: "Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight..." or even when you have caught a shooting star, have you wondered how it was that stars were given such wonderful wishing qualities? What is it with the fascination of gazing up above us and calling out for our heartfelt desires? Something about the expansive cosmos above us beckons us further to explore what is truly larger than us, and in ancient civilizations, this awe and wonder equated to the idea that something truly higher than humankind was above looking over the Earth, and perhaps is listening to our calls for help and support.
The universe above also seemed to take on the quality of being a harbinger of natural disasters, and most eclipses (Solar and Lunar) and meteor shower events were seen as large signs of impending doom or change, and taken very seriously. The awe and fear of the unknown power of the universe and natural world around those ancient civilizations is certainly respectable. It is also interesting to notice that a star was the sign of the coming of Jesus Christ, and challenged the idea that signs from the universe above were all dangerous with the coming of a divine gift and love that truly was a blessing to humankind.
Stars have also been guides to way fared sailors, sailing in the full darkness of the wide open sea, and to the three wise men looking for the Christ child and a higher knowledge and truth. Imagine the courage it took to travel through darkness, with only a night sky full of stars to keep the sailors and their ships on course; this never ceases to amaze me.Stars truly have also picked up an enigma of wisdom and spirituality about them, and are known as guideposts for cosmic fate and destiny. For instance, Shakespeare was well-known for writing in astrology and star symbolism into his great plays, especially his tragedies and most noticeably Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare calls the couple "star-crossed lovers" and makes alliteration to the Moon, Sun, and stars quite often. The literary imagery of love being linked to stars is perhaps because of the furiousness of the fiery and burning gases and bright twinkle of star above. John Keats "Bright Star" is a nice example of how a star's birth, death, and fusion of gases can create a beautiful prose.
Lastly, where else do we come across stars? Well, as symbols in flags and as badges and pins that conceptualize accomplishment and status. Gold stars reward commitment, discipline, and hard work. The American flag and the American military use stars to denote rank and commitment. A gold star can be the finishing achievement for a grade school student's superbly done theme paper, as much so as a twinkling star can be a beautiful set of eyes "a twinkle in the eye" or a diamond that twinkles like a star in an engagement or wedding ring.
Russ
On Tuesday evening, I chose to pull out with my 8" Dobsonian telescope, and figured I would take a bit of time to take a peek at the Orion Nebula, and try my luck with other cataloged Messier objects in the winter night sky. After pulling the telescope out to the driveway, setting up all my eyepieces and gear, and training my laser scope on the winter night sky, I was able to find two nebula. I successfully found the Crab Nebula near Taurus' left horn tip. Imagine, I am looking at the nebulous gases left over from a supernova that occurred in 1054 A.D! Although it may just appear in the telescope as a blob, the mind-blowing idea that this gas used to be a star close to 950 years ago was staggering.
I also took a nice look at the Orion nebula, and enjoyed the greenish ectoplasm that showed up in the view; actually, it was one of the clearest looks at the Orion nebula I have had. I finished my stargazing outing with a view of the crescent moon, and have started to learn the craters of the moon. I believe in March we could start to learn some of the bigger craters of the Moon together, sound good?
So, in light of Valentine's Day this weekend, and family company coming to visit for about close to two weeks, I may be a little less expansive on my offerings each week. This week I thought it would be nice to take a look at the symbolism and stories that those wondrous balls of gas in the night sky have inspired in regards to love, legend, and destiny.
Well, of course, most of us have heard the famous Walt Disney song "When you wish upon a star..." or the childhood rhyme: "Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight..." or even when you have caught a shooting star, have you wondered how it was that stars were given such wonderful wishing qualities? What is it with the fascination of gazing up above us and calling out for our heartfelt desires? Something about the expansive cosmos above us beckons us further to explore what is truly larger than us, and in ancient civilizations, this awe and wonder equated to the idea that something truly higher than humankind was above looking over the Earth, and perhaps is listening to our calls for help and support.
The universe above also seemed to take on the quality of being a harbinger of natural disasters, and most eclipses (Solar and Lunar) and meteor shower events were seen as large signs of impending doom or change, and taken very seriously. The awe and fear of the unknown power of the universe and natural world around those ancient civilizations is certainly respectable. It is also interesting to notice that a star was the sign of the coming of Jesus Christ, and challenged the idea that signs from the universe above were all dangerous with the coming of a divine gift and love that truly was a blessing to humankind.
Stars have also been guides to way fared sailors, sailing in the full darkness of the wide open sea, and to the three wise men looking for the Christ child and a higher knowledge and truth. Imagine the courage it took to travel through darkness, with only a night sky full of stars to keep the sailors and their ships on course; this never ceases to amaze me.Stars truly have also picked up an enigma of wisdom and spirituality about them, and are known as guideposts for cosmic fate and destiny. For instance, Shakespeare was well-known for writing in astrology and star symbolism into his great plays, especially his tragedies and most noticeably Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare calls the couple "star-crossed lovers" and makes alliteration to the Moon, Sun, and stars quite often. The literary imagery of love being linked to stars is perhaps because of the furiousness of the fiery and burning gases and bright twinkle of star above. John Keats "Bright Star" is a nice example of how a star's birth, death, and fusion of gases can create a beautiful prose.
Lastly, where else do we come across stars? Well, as symbols in flags and as badges and pins that conceptualize accomplishment and status. Gold stars reward commitment, discipline, and hard work. The American flag and the American military use stars to denote rank and commitment. A gold star can be the finishing achievement for a grade school student's superbly done theme paper, as much so as a twinkling star can be a beautiful set of eyes "a twinkle in the eye" or a diamond that twinkles like a star in an engagement or wedding ring.
Twinkle twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are
Up above the world so high
Like a diamond in the sky
Twinkle twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are
Take care until next time,
Russ
Friday, February 4, 2011
#4 The Bull The Charioteer and The Mysterious Goats
Hello Friends,
It's been one "bull" of a week.
I really enjoyed my star stroll this past weekend. I got my wife Cassandra to join me; and so we bundled up together and enjoyed the starry night together. Taurus the Bull grabbed my attention this week, especially for the reason that its horns are one of the first of a few open star clusters the winter night sky can show us, and the first I will make mention of in the upcoming few weeks.
Notice Taurus appears to charge Orion the Hunter. First find Orion, then jump up and to the right. You will find a sideways "V-shaped" cluster of stars. This is the Hyades cluster of stars; in Greek, meaning "the rainy ones" and in Roman culture, they were seen as the Piglets. The rainy ones were so named due to their rise in the sky relating to the coming of Spring by the time Taurus gazed down upon us from far above. They were also so named as the mourning widows, crying the tears of those wifes that have lost their husbands to war or the hunt. There really is no story or reason noted as to why the Romans saw these stars as piglets.
The bright reddish/pink "eye" of the bull is Aldebaran, another of the super giant stars. At the tip of the left horn, lies a bright star that has been shared with Taurus and Auriga, the Charioteer's right foot. At the tip of the right horn lies the Crab Nebula. With field binoculars, you are able to see more of the several hundred stars that lie in this open star cluster; a decent telescope will show the Crab Nebula, a super explosion that was recorded in 1054 A.D. and was visible even during daytime for three weeks.
Imagine, I have never seen the Crab Nebula! This is certainly something I am going to gaze upon this weekend. I am so excited by finding something new in every adventure I take into the night sky. I never fear becoming bored of the night sky; each time I gaze upon the night sky, I am still continually brought to awe.
The bull is only the shape of the horns, head, and shoulders; there are no stars that identify the body and legs, and of course there is a great story behind this. Where the body and hind quarters would take up space are Cetus and Aries, the Ram instead. See the brighter three starred hook-shaped constellation? That is Aries, mostly linked and symbolized as the ram that produced Jason's golden fleece. And Cetus, we will visit in the near future, as this creature is part and parcel of the story of Perseus, the Hero.
So, about the missing half of the bull in the sky? Well, Manilius, a Roman poet, astrologer, and author from 1 A.D. draws a moral from this experience, sharing that "the sky teaches us to undergo loss with fortitude, even since constellations are formed with limbs deformed." The bull is also submerged underwater, only leaving its front quarters above water. Why is a bull emerged in water?
Once again, we see Zeus take on an animal form to woo and seduce a mortal woman. He was particularly fond of taking animal forms, so as to deceive his wife Hera and entice the mortal woman with a gentle and beautiful creature. Each of the planet Jupiter's four Galilean Moons (Io, Europa, Callisto, and Ganymede) has connected a story where Zeus takes an animal form to entice a mortal woman (man in Ganymede's case) to lay with him. Taurus the Bull was the shape Zeus took to lure a woman named Europa to lay with him.
In a side story, the bull/heifer could also symbolize Io, who Zeus turned into a heifer to disguise her from Hera. Hera's woman's intuition was strong, however, and she sent the one-hundred eyed watchman Argus to watch over this heifer that Zeus had brought to Olympus (our ancient private investigator of the gods). Argus was able to spy and confirm that the heifer was Io. Hera was furious and sent a gadfly after Io. Io then decided to swim away into the sea to escape. The heifer is seen swimming in the night sky, her top half above the water and the only part able to be spied.
The legend that incorporates Zeus taking the form of the bull is somewhat more complex. Zeus saw Europa and other girls playing upon the beach, and instructed Hermes to cause and gather the wild cattle in the mountains towards the beach. He hid within the cattle drive, a snow white bull with polished metal horns. Europa found this beast incredibly handsome and admired its gentle nature. She adorned the horns with flowers and stroked its head and neck. Zeus then coaxed Europa to sit upon the Bull's back. Once she had, he paddled out into the sea with Europa, where Europa became much more fearful and clung onto his horns as the waves washed over her and the bull. Zeus paddled and came to shore on Crete and revealed himself, giving her lavish gifts and a puppy, which at times is symbolized as Canis Major.
This myth shows the calming and restraint of the primal urges in the interest of love. It also shows of patience and cunning to win the heart of someone. It is a beautiful picture of the dance and method of love, and the gentle beauty of a woman taming the beast of man. We see this similar story in, of course, the tale of Beauty and the Beast.
Now let us head over to the tip of the left horn and/or the right foot of Auriga, the charioteer. The charioteer stands alone, holding the reins of a chariot in one hand and a goat in another. The constellation looks like a pentagon in the sky, within which is a yellowish star named Capella. Capella is noted as the winter star, and the goat star. It is funny because none of the myths mention or explain the origin of the goat, other than the star Capella meaning goat star. If you look to the right of the star, there are three small stars in a triangular cluster; these are dubbed as the "kids."
The most popular identification of the Charioteer is Erichthonius, a legendary king of Athens. He was a demi-god, the son of Hephaetus, the god of fire and forge. Hephaetus was not very kind to his demi-children, so Athena took him under her wing and taught him to tame horses, which led to the use of four horses to draw a chariot, that Erichthonius fashioned through his craftmanship derived as a gift from Hephaetus. The other interesting point to know is that Erichthonius was crippled as a result of being his father being disfigured, thus his intellect and craftmanship of the chariot reminds us that a physical limitation can be certainly overcome with creativity, intellect, and focus.
I left you another beautiful link: EarthSky Tonight, which gives a nice little spot on a highlight of the night sky to view and observe each day, and to share with other stargazers.
Be Well,
Russ
It's been one "bull" of a week.
I really enjoyed my star stroll this past weekend. I got my wife Cassandra to join me; and so we bundled up together and enjoyed the starry night together. Taurus the Bull grabbed my attention this week, especially for the reason that its horns are one of the first of a few open star clusters the winter night sky can show us, and the first I will make mention of in the upcoming few weeks.
Notice Taurus appears to charge Orion the Hunter. First find Orion, then jump up and to the right. You will find a sideways "V-shaped" cluster of stars. This is the Hyades cluster of stars; in Greek, meaning "the rainy ones" and in Roman culture, they were seen as the Piglets. The rainy ones were so named due to their rise in the sky relating to the coming of Spring by the time Taurus gazed down upon us from far above. They were also so named as the mourning widows, crying the tears of those wifes that have lost their husbands to war or the hunt. There really is no story or reason noted as to why the Romans saw these stars as piglets.
The bright reddish/pink "eye" of the bull is Aldebaran, another of the super giant stars. At the tip of the left horn, lies a bright star that has been shared with Taurus and Auriga, the Charioteer's right foot. At the tip of the right horn lies the Crab Nebula. With field binoculars, you are able to see more of the several hundred stars that lie in this open star cluster; a decent telescope will show the Crab Nebula, a super explosion that was recorded in 1054 A.D. and was visible even during daytime for three weeks.
Imagine, I have never seen the Crab Nebula! This is certainly something I am going to gaze upon this weekend. I am so excited by finding something new in every adventure I take into the night sky. I never fear becoming bored of the night sky; each time I gaze upon the night sky, I am still continually brought to awe.
The bull is only the shape of the horns, head, and shoulders; there are no stars that identify the body and legs, and of course there is a great story behind this. Where the body and hind quarters would take up space are Cetus and Aries, the Ram instead. See the brighter three starred hook-shaped constellation? That is Aries, mostly linked and symbolized as the ram that produced Jason's golden fleece. And Cetus, we will visit in the near future, as this creature is part and parcel of the story of Perseus, the Hero.
So, about the missing half of the bull in the sky? Well, Manilius, a Roman poet, astrologer, and author from 1 A.D. draws a moral from this experience, sharing that "the sky teaches us to undergo loss with fortitude, even since constellations are formed with limbs deformed." The bull is also submerged underwater, only leaving its front quarters above water. Why is a bull emerged in water?
Once again, we see Zeus take on an animal form to woo and seduce a mortal woman. He was particularly fond of taking animal forms, so as to deceive his wife Hera and entice the mortal woman with a gentle and beautiful creature. Each of the planet Jupiter's four Galilean Moons (Io, Europa, Callisto, and Ganymede) has connected a story where Zeus takes an animal form to entice a mortal woman (man in Ganymede's case) to lay with him. Taurus the Bull was the shape Zeus took to lure a woman named Europa to lay with him.
In a side story, the bull/heifer could also symbolize Io, who Zeus turned into a heifer to disguise her from Hera. Hera's woman's intuition was strong, however, and she sent the one-hundred eyed watchman Argus to watch over this heifer that Zeus had brought to Olympus (our ancient private investigator of the gods). Argus was able to spy and confirm that the heifer was Io. Hera was furious and sent a gadfly after Io. Io then decided to swim away into the sea to escape. The heifer is seen swimming in the night sky, her top half above the water and the only part able to be spied.
The legend that incorporates Zeus taking the form of the bull is somewhat more complex. Zeus saw Europa and other girls playing upon the beach, and instructed Hermes to cause and gather the wild cattle in the mountains towards the beach. He hid within the cattle drive, a snow white bull with polished metal horns. Europa found this beast incredibly handsome and admired its gentle nature. She adorned the horns with flowers and stroked its head and neck. Zeus then coaxed Europa to sit upon the Bull's back. Once she had, he paddled out into the sea with Europa, where Europa became much more fearful and clung onto his horns as the waves washed over her and the bull. Zeus paddled and came to shore on Crete and revealed himself, giving her lavish gifts and a puppy, which at times is symbolized as Canis Major.
This myth shows the calming and restraint of the primal urges in the interest of love. It also shows of patience and cunning to win the heart of someone. It is a beautiful picture of the dance and method of love, and the gentle beauty of a woman taming the beast of man. We see this similar story in, of course, the tale of Beauty and the Beast.
Now let us head over to the tip of the left horn and/or the right foot of Auriga, the charioteer. The charioteer stands alone, holding the reins of a chariot in one hand and a goat in another. The constellation looks like a pentagon in the sky, within which is a yellowish star named Capella. Capella is noted as the winter star, and the goat star. It is funny because none of the myths mention or explain the origin of the goat, other than the star Capella meaning goat star. If you look to the right of the star, there are three small stars in a triangular cluster; these are dubbed as the "kids."
The most popular identification of the Charioteer is Erichthonius, a legendary king of Athens. He was a demi-god, the son of Hephaetus, the god of fire and forge. Hephaetus was not very kind to his demi-children, so Athena took him under her wing and taught him to tame horses, which led to the use of four horses to draw a chariot, that Erichthonius fashioned through his craftmanship derived as a gift from Hephaetus. The other interesting point to know is that Erichthonius was crippled as a result of being his father being disfigured, thus his intellect and craftmanship of the chariot reminds us that a physical limitation can be certainly overcome with creativity, intellect, and focus.
I left you another beautiful link: EarthSky Tonight, which gives a nice little spot on a highlight of the night sky to view and observe each day, and to share with other stargazers.
Be Well,
Russ
Sunday, January 23, 2011
#3 A Full Moon Walk
Hello star friends,
Have you been enjoying the fuller Moon this week?
There are a few wonderful exercises in enjoying the full moon I would like to share with you. Although moon surfacing viewing is not encouraged during the full moon because: 1) it is very bright through a small telescope 2) there is no depth shadowing due to the sun shining upon the whole of the Earth Side of the Moon, thus 3) cratering is not as profound. There are some well utilized time passers when we would like to enjoy the Moon's beauty to take advantage of.
Have you noticed that a wanning moon rises later in the evening and is usually greeting us in the early morning hours? This is a wonderful opportunity to grab some field binoculars and enjoy the Moon as the moon rises. The quiet awaking of the Earth with a setting Moon gives a quiet calm to our viewing, as well as a nice way to open our day with peace. The Moon is quite symbolic of the inner intuition, so it is quite a nice exercise to allow for opening the day.
Another activity is a late night moon meditation. The meditation I share with you came to me as I sat below the moon one late evening. You are welcome to utilize this meditation for your benefit and at your comfort level. I wrote this last January, January 29th to be exact; nice how one year later it can be of benefit.
Start first by settling into a comfortable place
take a moment to notice the Moon
What phase is it? What color?
How big? How small? What direction?
What do you see in the Moon's surface?
Feel the light of the Moon washing
over you- starting from the top of
your head and spilling down over
your face- creating a beautiful
illuminating shield over you and above you.
Where would you carry the Moon?
Reach out and
Grab it
Bring it to your
Heart
Be aware of the messages it gives you
it controls the tides/water ebb and flow
What emotions is it showing you?
Who would you bless tonight?
Thank the Moon for being there
with you and its deeper insights
Let the Moon guide you as you further
explore the night sky. It protects
heals and blesses.
Peace in the Universe.
Each month the full moon also brings mindfulness to the Algonquian tribes of Native Americans from the North East region. Why you may ask? Well, they had names for each of the full moon's throughout the year, probably to reflect a natural calendar and reflection of natural lifestyles including farming and hunting. The early settling Europeans adopted these names. Over time, they became lost in time. So I'll make mention of each of the full moon names as we travel along through the months ahead as an awakening and honoring of these names and the stories, and those that had been just as aware of the universe around and within them.
January's Full Moon is the Wolf Moon, named so because of hungry wolf packs howling at night.
Lastly, check out the link for the moon map below that I have added; we will eventually chat again about the Moon, while it is starting its waxing from the New Moon, and this will become very handy to us.
"I see the Moon
the Moon sees me.
God bless the Moon
and God bless me."
Until Next Time,
Russ
Have you been enjoying the fuller Moon this week?
There are a few wonderful exercises in enjoying the full moon I would like to share with you. Although moon surfacing viewing is not encouraged during the full moon because: 1) it is very bright through a small telescope 2) there is no depth shadowing due to the sun shining upon the whole of the Earth Side of the Moon, thus 3) cratering is not as profound. There are some well utilized time passers when we would like to enjoy the Moon's beauty to take advantage of.
Have you noticed that a wanning moon rises later in the evening and is usually greeting us in the early morning hours? This is a wonderful opportunity to grab some field binoculars and enjoy the Moon as the moon rises. The quiet awaking of the Earth with a setting Moon gives a quiet calm to our viewing, as well as a nice way to open our day with peace. The Moon is quite symbolic of the inner intuition, so it is quite a nice exercise to allow for opening the day.
Another activity is a late night moon meditation. The meditation I share with you came to me as I sat below the moon one late evening. You are welcome to utilize this meditation for your benefit and at your comfort level. I wrote this last January, January 29th to be exact; nice how one year later it can be of benefit.
Start first by settling into a comfortable place
take a moment to notice the Moon
What phase is it? What color?
How big? How small? What direction?
What do you see in the Moon's surface?
Feel the light of the Moon washing
over you- starting from the top of
your head and spilling down over
your face- creating a beautiful
illuminating shield over you and above you.
Where would you carry the Moon?
Reach out and
Grab it
Bring it to your
Heart
Be aware of the messages it gives you
it controls the tides/water ebb and flow
What emotions is it showing you?
Who would you bless tonight?
Thank the Moon for being there
with you and its deeper insights
Let the Moon guide you as you further
explore the night sky. It protects
heals and blesses.
Peace in the Universe.
Each month the full moon also brings mindfulness to the Algonquian tribes of Native Americans from the North East region. Why you may ask? Well, they had names for each of the full moon's throughout the year, probably to reflect a natural calendar and reflection of natural lifestyles including farming and hunting. The early settling Europeans adopted these names. Over time, they became lost in time. So I'll make mention of each of the full moon names as we travel along through the months ahead as an awakening and honoring of these names and the stories, and those that had been just as aware of the universe around and within them.
January's Full Moon is the Wolf Moon, named so because of hungry wolf packs howling at night.
Lastly, check out the link for the moon map below that I have added; we will eventually chat again about the Moon, while it is starting its waxing from the New Moon, and this will become very handy to us.
"I see the Moon
the Moon sees me.
God bless the Moon
and God bless me."
Until Next Time,
Russ
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