Astronomy Picture of the Day

Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

2015 September 12

ISS Double Transit
Image Credit & Copyright: Hartwig Luethen

 

Explanation: Not once, but twice the International Space Station transits the Sun on consecutive orbits of planet Earth in this video frame composite. The scene was captured on August 22 from a single well-chosen location in Schmalenbeck, Germany where the ISS created intersecting shadow paths only around 7 kilometers wide. Crossing the solar disk in a second or less, the transits themselves were separated in time by about 90 minutes, corresponding to the space station’s orbital period. While the large, flare-producing sunspot group below center, AR 2043, remained a comfortable 150 million kilometers away, the distance between camera and orbiting station was 656 kilometers for its first (upper) transit and 915 kilometers for the second more central transit. In remarkably sharp silhouette, the ISS is noticeably larger in angular size during the closer, first pass. Of course, tomorrow the Moon will transit the Sun. But even at well-chosen locations, its dark, central shadow just misses the Earth’s surface creating a partial solar eclipse.

Planet Tracker

Moon in Virgo

Sep 11, 2015 to Sep 13, 2015

 

Caution this Moontime: you could get snared by a “Virgo moment.” Stuck on a detail you can’t abandon, compelled to argue small points with somebody who is as stuck as you. Or suddenly everything is a poorly organized file in need of drastic tidying. Most diabolical is the urge to tear yourself or somebody else apart with criticism. If you’ve gotten too busy with the little things, look to a bigger principle to lift you out. Or try the color purple. Visualize yourself in a bright field of purple wildflowers. Draw your imagination into the center of one flower and feel your kinship with it. Know that everything less than perfect is also holy. The intellect is keen during a Virgo Moon, and it likes useful work. You’ll hit your groove doing something productive. Straighten up a small corner of your world. Attend to an unsolved problem. Avoid heavy, spicy foods; be good to your liver and digestive system.

 

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The Wisdom of Buddha

You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.

Your Daily Influences
September 12, 2015

 

 

The Empress Reversed
This card represents infertility, instability and the loss of material possessions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jera
Jera denotes positive, recurring cycles, fertility and a time to harvest rewards from your hard work.

 

 

 

 

The Menat
You will find focusing on this aspect difficult, because truths will be obscured by dreaminess and illusion. You will not accomplish much here in the next several weeks, and therefore should focus your attention elsewhere

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your Daily Influences represent events and challenges the current day will present for you. They may represent opportunities you should be ready to seize. Or they may forewarn you of problems you may be able to avoid or lessen. Generally it is best to use them as tips to help you manage your day and nothing more.

 

 

 

Your Charm for Today

Today’s Meaning:

The most powerful of all talisman indicating you or someone close to you will recover from an infection.

General Description:

One of the most famous of all talismans, and used as a magical formula by the Gnostics in Rome for invoking the aid of beneficient spirits against disease, misfortune and death. Sammonieus, the celebrated Gnostic physician; instructed that the letters of this magical triangle which he used for curing agues and fevers, were to be written on paper, folded into the shape of a cross, worn for nine days suspended from the neck, and, before sunrise, cast behind the patient into a stream running eastward. It was also a most popular charm in the middle ages. During the Great Plague, 1665, great numbers of these amulets were worn as supposed safeguards against infection.

Shuffling the Cards, Your Past Present & Future Reading for Today Using the Ancient Symbol Cards

 

Past Influence whose impact on your life is waning.

The Believer

The Believer represents Faith and the realization that you have an important place in the workings of the Universe. Although The Believer may not always understand why things are the way they are, they none-the-less feel an underlying cosmic rhythm which is moving events in a direction that is good. The Believer rejoices in their celestial role, because they realize their life has purpose on a grand scale.

 

 

 
Present Influence whose impact on your life is very strong.

Alturism

Altruism denotes the noble act of giving to those in need without the expectation of a return. The act of giving has been seen as one of humankind’s greatest attributes throughout history. It is honored in nearly every culture. To give is a gift to both those who receive and those who give. Giving is usually associated with addressing the material needs of others, but the gift given can take many forms such as wisdom or protection or simply a shoulder to cry on.

 

 

 

 

Future influence whose impact on your life is growing and will be very strong in the future.

Solitude

Solitude is represented by a single person standing at the end of a boardwalk staring out at a vast, empty panorama. They are truly alone, but may not feel loneliness. They are at a place in their life where the need to withdraw from the our secular world is strong, because their focus should be on their inner self, their morality, and their dreams. The view before them is empty, but it is a canvas on which they may paint their future–a future restricted only by the size of their imagination and courage. For them Solitude is a choice. They chose to take the walkway that distances them from the rest of us. It is also a choice that can be undone. Just as they chose to take a path that leads them away from us, they may choose to turn around and come back at anytime.

Your Ancient Symbol Card for Today

Chance

The Chance card denotes a period in which taking risks may produce positive results. This doesn’t mean head off to a casino with your life’s savings! What is suggested is that you should make gains by taking a well calculated risk. For the power of Chance to be fully realized it is essential that you pick your risk carefully, move forward with conviction, and above all else don’t get greedy!

As a daily card, Chance implies you are currently in a place where taking a chance is likely to produce substantial rewards. In other words, take a few calculated steps out on the proverbial limb, but remember if you take it too far you are likely to lose all that you gain and possibly more.