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.

2016 May 29

Valles Marineris: The Grand Canyon of Mars
Image Credit: Viking Project, USGS, NASA

Explanation: Mars will look good in Earth’s skies over the next few days — but not this good. To get a view this amazing, a spacecraft had to actually visit the red planet. Running across the image center, though, is one the largest canyons in the Solar System. Named Valles Marineris, the grand valley extends over 3,000 kilometers long, spans as much as 600 kilometers across, and delves as much as 8 kilometers deep. By comparison, the Earth’s Grand Canyon in Arizona, USA is 800 kilometers long, 30 kilometers across, and 1.8 kilometers deep. The origin of the Valles Marineris remains unknown, although a leading hypothesis holds that it started as a crack billions of years ago as the planet cooled. Several geologic processes have been identified in the canyon. The featured mosaic was created from over 100 images of Mars taken by Viking Orbiters in the 1970s. Tomorrow, Mars and Earth will pass the closest in 11 years, resulting in the red planet being quite noticeable toward the southeast after sunset.

Best time to see Saturn is here!

Tonight – or any night in late May 2016 – watch for the ringed planet Saturn. It’s found near the brilliant planet Mars (which is closest to us on May 30 for the first time in two years) and the star Antares. It’s not just Mars that’s closest around now. Saturn also comes closest to Earth for the year on Friday, June 3 – only four days after Mars’ closest approach on Monday.

Both Mars and Saturn are coming up fairly early in the evening now. Mars has been awesome for weeks, and the best time to observe Saturn in all of 2016 is also upon us.

Earth will pass between Saturn and the sun on June 3, 2016. That is Saturn’s yearly opposition, and it marks the middle of the best time of year to see this planet.

After coming up in the eastern part of the sky in early evening, Saturn will continue to climb upward throughout the evening hours. This world will soar to its highest spot in the sky after the midnight hour. It’ll be low in the west at morning dawn.

As with all the planets, you’ll find Saturn along the same path that the sun and moon travel across the sky. Look generally eastward after nightfall. Try looking first for brilliant Mars in the east at nightfall or early evening, and then look for fainter Saturn and the star Antares below Mars.

Golden Saturn is fainter than Mars but brighter that the ruddy-colored Antares.

I know the focus has been on Mars in recent weeks. But start watching Saturn now! You’ll enjoy it and Mars for many weeks to come.

Saturn is the most distant world we can easily see with unaided eye. It shines as brightly as as a bright star. But it does not shine as brightly as evening’s two brightest planets, Mars and Jupiter.

As Earth moves around the sun, the Earth’s change of position will cause Mars, Saturn and Antares, the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius the Scorpion, to rise some four minutes earlier daily, or one-half hour earlier each week. Best of all, you can use Mars to locate Saturn for months to come. In fact, Mars and Saturn will stage their conjunction in the evening sky on August 25, 2016, whereby both worlds will fit within a single binocular field.

When the Earth finally passes in between Saturn and the sun on the night of June 2-3, Earth will come closest to Saturn for the year, and Saturn, in turn, will shine at its brilliant best for 2016.

So, in less a week from now, the planet Saturn will be at opposition (opposite the sun in Earth’s sky). Saturn will be out all night long at that juncture, rising in the east around sunset and setting in the west around sunrise. Note the beautiful contrast of color between golden Saturn, red Mars and ruddy Antares! It won’t be too much longer before Saturn stays out from dusk until dawn.

Bottom line: Earth will pass between the sun and Saturn on June 3, 2016. The best time of year to see the planet is here.

Author

Bruce McClure

Bruce McClure is the chief writer for the popular EarthSky Tonight pages. Since joining EarthSky in 2004, he has written thousands of astronomy articles, enjoyed here by millions. He also writes, gives planetarium shows and hosts a wide assortment of public astronomy programs in and around his home in upstate New York. If you ask an astronomy question on our site, it’s likely to be Bruce that answers it. His love for the heavens has taken him to Lake Titicaca in Bolivia, and he has sailed the North Atlantic, earning his celestial navigation certificate through the School of Ocean Sailing and Navigation. Bruce is also a sundial aficionado. He says his number one passion – besides his wife Alice – is stargazing.

By Tarot.com Staff

Videos, Scorpio, Mars, Astrology

Part of the Daily Insight Group

The Wisdom of Buddha

There is nothing more dreadful than the habit of doubt. Doubt separates people. It is a poison that disintegrates friendships and breaks up pleasant relations. It is a thorn that irritates and hurts; it is a sword that kills.

Your Daily Influences
May 29, 2016 

The King of Wands
Passionate, a spry body and mind, honesty and friendliness.

Raidho
Raidho may mark the coming of a physical or spiritual journey. Whichever the case, changes in your life are soon to come. Spiritual or material goals may be attained.

The Scarab
The Scarab is a symbol of creation. Someone close to you will soon announce the conception of new life, life that will positively affect you within this aspect.

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:
You are distracted from this aspect by other areas of your life you feel are more pressing. This aspect is suffering from this lack of attention. You must ask yourself how much more you can let it suffer before you give it due attention.

General Description:
From remote times the terrors of the arts of fascination have been dreaded, and by wearing this charm, which contained a written invocation to their gods, it was believed that full protection was obtained. The Bulla was popular in Rome from a very early period. It was worn on a necklace, or upon the girdle. The Gorgons head, with hair of writhing snakes, was believed to terrify and drive away the power of the bewitched. Even today in many countries, the magic power of the evil eye is still believed in.

Today’s Witches Rune

Man

Meaning: The Man rune demands action. It’s not longer time to quietly sit and think, or to hide yourself and heal. No, it’s time to get up and fight for what you want. If things are slow or stagnated, change them. Begin something new. It’s not a moment to let things flow as they will, but to grab the reigns and gain control over the situation. Be the leader and defend your stand.

While the Woman rune is about healing, this one can be about defending yourself, and, sometimes, hurting or getting hurt in the process. You may have to defend your opinions, your actions or choices against some aggressive people. This rune offers you a challenge, but is also shows that you have the resources needed to face it. Naturally, this rune has very aggressive potentials in it, and they need a good deal of discipline in order to not become sorely destructive.

The Man rune also accelerates everything… nothing stays still when its around. The outcome of your question may happen sooner than you expected, but the result will probably be unexpected. It does not mean that all will go wrong, no – things will simply develop in unseen ways.

In relationship readings, the Man rune promises a period of instability, so it’s important to not have high expectations. Under the influence of this rune, the relationship can be a stairway to Heaven or a ticket to Hell… and sometimes both, in a short period of time. It promises a bumpy journey for the heart, but with a great level of intensity. The Man rune can stand for love/hate relationship, cat and rat games and obsessions… the kind of things that turns one nuts (for good and for bad). This rune is good in questions concerning sexuality.

Additional information about Today’s Witches courtesy of Your Spiritual Journey Australia

Your Rune Reading for the Upcoming Week

The Past That Will Revisit You This Week
Mannaz

Now is the time for you to explore your inner self and those of others. Your intelligence and creativity are very well honed at the moment. Cooperation from and with others should be very easy to attain.

The Present Circumstances That Will Present Themselves
Hagalaz

Hagalaz is the hail Rune. It denotes chaos, destruction and disruption on a primal level. You may experience delays in moving toward your goals.

A Glimpse of the Future That Will Be Revealed
Dagaz

Dagaz represents the fresh light of a new day. You are close to making a breakthrough. You have the will to change whatever you deem necessary. You may see the world with absolute clarity at this time.

Get a Jump On Tomorrow…..

Your Daily Horoscopes for Monday, May 30th

by Rick Levine

Part of the Daily Insight Group

If Today is Your Birthday: May 29

You are an “idea person” with a sharp mind and a gift for gab. You are exceptionally passionate and quite idealistic about love, which can lead to ups and downs in your love life. You exude strength of character, although sometimes your harder outer “shell” can hide a person with many soft corners inside.

Famous people born today: John F. Kennedy, Bob Hope, La Toya Jackson, Melissa Etheridge, Annette Bening.

Your Birthday Year Forecast:

With the Sun and Moon in harmony in your Solar Return chart, the year ahead should be satisfying and balanced overall. You are in comfortable demand and personally popular, and you are able to achieve a decent balance between work and play; personal and professional life. For the most part, you are on top of your game this year, and positive connections with others can be made fairly easily. With the ability to handle your emotions successfully, there is less stress on both your mind and body. Your self-confidence and positive attitude will reward you!

Neptune transits square to your Sun this year until January, and there will be times when you combat low energy and motivation levels. It’s important to be selective when it comes to projects or answering demands.  A noncommittal attitude in your personal life could leave people in your life feeling frustrated with you as you attempt to find yourself. Your self-image is being re-worked, and you are becoming more sensitive to a greater, perhaps more spiritual, sense of purpose. After January, this influence passes and you’re likely to enjoy more clarity and a stronger sense of purpose. In December, Saturn transits in opposition to your Sun. Saturn calls upon you to identify the weaker areas of your life, and to fix or strengthen them. Take the time to sort out your life, improve your work, and to become more efficient. Taking a slow and steady approach to life is necessary now. Pushing too hard will likely lead to frustration and setbacks. Take it easy and work on self-improvement. Results are not immediate, but will eventually come and bring healthy rewards.

You are likely to establish connections and/or relationships with people that help forward your own personal growth this year. There can be meaningful connections made in the period ahead. You feel your life has definite purpose, and through your contacts with others, you are encouraged to grow.

You may be actively involved with teamwork and collaboration with others this year. Your passions are stirred and others may be instrumental in building your confidence and going after what you want. For some, the beginning of a significant new relationship, or the intensification of an existing romance, can occur.

This is a good year in which to take steps towards making yourself feel more secure and safe, and for family or domestic activities. This is also a time when you more readily support or defend others.

Love and social relationships can be up and down. On one hand, you may grow and develop a bond, but another relationship could be disruptive and dramatic. Unusual attractions (to people and things) can have you acting on a whim. You may deal with freedom versus closeness issues in your relationships, or unpredictable energy may play out on other levels related to socializing, spending, and pleasure. For example, vacation plans may go awry or agreements could be broken. Impulsive spending is something to watch for. Even so, something big is in the works regarding your love life. You’ll have a chance to heal old wounds with regards to love. You’re also bound to find new ways of making money.

You may be involved in frequent lectures, debates, and discussions during the year. You can convey your ideas more powerfully. You are quick to take the initiative and to put your thoughts into action. Adventuresome travel may be part of the picture. You may be more actively involved with young people. Even so, with Mercury in challenging aspect to Neptune in your Solar Return, some difficulties with communications are possible. There can be misunderstandings, misinformation, wishful thinking, confusion, carelessness, and deception. Verify the facts before making decisions and avoid taking precipitate action. Read all the fine print before signing a contract or making an agreement.

Energy levels can be up and down this year, as you often need to feel inspired in order to feel motivated and take action. Take an objective look also at how your dreams and visions fit into the lives of others and the world in general. Watch for impracticality. Take advantage of the “high” periods in order to offset the possible loss in productivity during the low-energy stages. This could also be a year in which you are considerably more creative.

In partnerships and close relationships, you may be working together on a big project or doing a lot more together. Otherwise, excess energy could lead to some restlessness and disagreements. Overall, however, there is good energy for partnering this year.

Ideas are abundant this year, and you can be especially enthusiastic about what you’re doing. You can get a lot done in the period ahead. December is an important time for learning your limits and for organizing important areas of your life. Partnering up to get something specific accomplished can be very successful. While there can be distinct opportunities on a mental level this year, watch your communications and pay more attention to important details. As well, conserving energy is important, as you can experience real ups and downs in the energy department. Relationships are dynamic, encouraging growth and change.

2015 is a Number Six year for you. Ruled by Venus. This is a year of relative contentment. It is a time when love is the easiest to attract, and partnerships formed under this vibration have a better chance for longevity. You are able to attract others, and material things as well, this year. This is a good year for establishing harmony in the family and in the home. Advice – develop existing relationships, be positive and receptive because these kinds of energies help you to attract what you desire.

2016 will be a Number Seven year for you. Ruled by Neptune. This is a year of preparation, chance, and refinement. It is not a time of dramatic changes. Instead, it’s a year when reflection on the past is helpful, and when refinements to your life path should be made. It’s a good year to study and analyze. Unexpected twists to your life story and “chance” meetings are probable. Advice – take stock of your life in order to prepare for more exciting years to come, examine the past and plan for the future, get in touch with your deepest needs and uncover your personal power, don’t strain yourself or actively try to expand.

Courtesy of Cafe Astrology