Day: August 15, 2016

Astronomy Picture of the Day – Human as Spaceship

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 August 15

Human as Spaceship
Space Image Credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble, and J. Maiz- Apellániz (IAA); Acknowledgement: D. De Martin;
Human Image Copyright: Charis Tsevis; Composition: R. J. Nemiroff

 

Explanation: You are a spaceship soaring through the universe. So is your dog. We all carry with us trillions of microorganisms as we go through life. These multitudes of bacteria, fungi, and archaea have different DNA than you. Collectively called your microbiome, your shipmates outnumber your own cells. Your crew members form communities, help digest food, engage in battles against intruders, and sometimes commute on a liquid superhighway from one end of your body to the other. Much of what your microbiome does, however, remains unknown. You are the captain, but being nice to your crew may allow you to explore more of your local cosmos.

Earth Sky News for Aug. 15th: Earth’s shadow and Belt of Venus

See Earth’s shadow and Belt of Venus

By

In both the evening and morning sky, try watching for Earth’s shadow. Earth’s shadow is a deep blue-grey, darker than the twilight sky. The pink band above the shadow – in the east after sunset, or west before dawn – is called the Belt of Venus.

We show a lovely photo of the Earth’s shadow on the chart at the top of this post (image from Woomera missile range in Australia. Used with permission).

Earth’s shadow can be seen any clear evening ascending in the eastern sky at the same rate that the sun sets below the western horizon.

The shadow of the Earth is big. You might have to turn your head to see the whole thing. And the shadow is curved, in just the same way that the whole Earth is curved. Earth’s shadow extends hundreds of thousands of miles into space, so far that it can touch the moon. Whenever that happens, there’s an eclipse of the moon, like the faint penumbral eclipse coming up on September 16.

Check out Earth’s shadow – in the east at sunset or in the west at sunrise – next time you have a clear sky. I often see it while out on the streets of my town as the sun is setting.

By the way, the image at the top of this post shows more or less the same moon phase that you’ll see tonight. It’ll be a waxing gibbous moon that’ll be visible in the east after sunset this evening. The full moon will come on August 18.

Bottom line: Watch for the curved blue-grey line of Earth’s shadow at dawn and dusk. The pink coloration above the shadow is called the Belt of Venus.

 

Deborah Byrd

Deborah Byrd created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and EarthSky.org in 1994. Today, she serves as Editor-in-Chief of this website. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named 3505 Byrd in her honor. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. “Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers,” she says.

Article originally published on EarthSky

Your Charm for August 15th is Taurus The Bull

Your Charm for Today

Today’s Meaning:
This aspect of your life will be strongly influenced by a person who is patient, reliable, warmhearted, loving, persistent, determined, placid and security loving. This is a person you respect.

General Description:
Second sign of the Zodiac, April 21st to May 22nd. Ruling planet Venus; correct metal Copper. Those born under Taurus were thought to be endowed with mental and physical strength, strong minded, clever, fearless and emotional. The correct Taurus gem is the Sapphire. The sapphire is of a deep blue color, and the darker the blue the greater its value. The ancients wore Sapphire charms for protection from poison, plague, fever, diseases of the skin, and to bring peace and happiness upon its wearer. The eyes were rubbed by a Sapphire to preserve them from injury by smallpox. King Solomon’s seal is said to have been a Sapphire.

Your Domino Past, Present & Future Reading for August 15th

Past, Present & Future Reading for Today

 

 

That Which is Behind You

Six/Six

The Double Six is the grandest of Dominos. It denotes success, fulfillment and happiness on a grand scale. New paths will open for you, and you are spiritually and intellectually ready to take them.

 

 

Your Current Place

Two/Four

You are surrounded by opportunities to grow at the moment. Take advantage of this time by exploring every avenue available to you to grow both spiritually and materially.

 

 

 

That Which is before You

Three/Six

Allow your feelings and passions to steer you toward the proper path for you. Do not allow your emotions to take a back seat to your intellect. Explore your deepest feelings about every aspect of your life and act to ease any negative feelings you have.

Your Balance Number for the Week of Aug. 15th is 6

Your Balance Number for the Upcoming Week

Your Balance Number is 6

As long as your life is on an even or uplifting keel balance numbers are relatively dormant. However, in those times when your life is out of order your Balance Number can become central to resolving the turmoil you are experiencing. Your Balance Number reflects the traits you need to bring to the forefront in order the get through difficult periods with the least amount of damage or time wasted on negative influences.

A 6 Balance Number suggests you are a key part of the problem and must take responsibility for your role. Do not allow yourself to be overly comforted by others. To do so will give you a false sense of justice and a stage on which to wallow. You need to not just act, but act responsibly and fairly.

Your Past, Present & Future Reading (Using The Ancient Symbol Deck) for Monday, Aug. 15th

Your Past, Present & Future Reading for Today

 

Past Influence whose impact on your life is waning.

Justice

Justice represents the expression of fairness without bias. Simply put, Justice embodies the notion that what is right is right and what is wrong is wrong. Justice denotes the need to remedy situations lacking equality for all. Depending on the circumstances, Justice may be asking us to curb our partiality, or conversely, Justice may indicate a time for you to demand fair treatment.

 

 

 

 

 

Present Influence whose impact on your life is very strong.

The Western Dragon

Unlike the beneficent Easter Dragon, The Western Dragon is a symbol of totally unleashed destructive power that is set upon anyone who crosses the Dragon’s path. The Western Dragon also hordes treasures that should rightfully be ours, and whose absence deprives us from being complete. The challenges set before us by the Western Dragon are truly prodigious, because they denote a force whose sole intent is not simply to keep us from moving forward in our lives, but to usurp all that we have previously gained as well. What is even more disturbing about the force behind the Western Dragon is that it may well indicate primal forces in ourselves so powerful that they do in fact turn us into our own worst enemy.

 

 

 

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

Futility

Sadly sometimes our desires lead us down paths which have no end and offer us no chance of achieving the results we want. If we persist we end up like Sisyphus: forever rolling a boulder uphill only to have it roll back downhill before we ever get to the top. Futility suggest the existence of just such a situation–we are chasing a prize that will never be ours. Futility indicates a need to rethink our ambitions and direct our energies towards a goal or goals that can be attained.

Your Ancient Symbol Card for August 15th is The Crystal

Your Ancient Symbol Card for Today

The Crystal



The Crystal glows with the power of mystical truths transformed into material realities. The Crystal denotes a self with a powerful connection to the spiritual world that allows them to literally soak up cosmic wisdom and apply it favorably to their everyday life. It suggest a tremendous growth of one’s spiritual self that will greatly impact the querant’s secular life.

As a daily card, The Crystal indicates a time when you are likely to be well served by allowing your spiritual self to guide your day to day behavior.

Your Witches Rune for August 15th is The Star

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f5680-starToday’s Witches Rune

The Star

Meaning: In many cultures, the Star is a symbol of hope, dreams and destiny, and in the Witches Runes this symbol has a similar connotation. When the Star rune appears, it’s green light for you to go after what you want.

Note that the Star does not say you’ll get everything you want without any work. No. This symbol is a not about easy success, but about having faith in what you are doing – and doing it. In fact, the goals suggested by the Star are usually the highest and most significant ones – the ones that are hardest to get. It does not matter what the dream is, but its significance in your life. This symbol also represents ideals, and they can be both individual and collective ones.

In a more down-to-earth way, the Star is related to revolutions, changes, risks, speculation and all things motivated by faith and ideals. It can represent a sudden spark on inspiration, a windfall, a sudden rise to fame or a promotion. Though the sudden changes brought by the Star are usually positive, they are also fast: you can get back to point zero as quickly as you rose. So don’t be afraid to jump forward when the opportunity arises.

The Star urges you to take the risk, to have hope and to trust. After the staleness of Crossroads, the Universe finally begins to move again. If you believe in Higher Powers, this symbol shows that They are guiding you in this moment. The Star is a very positive rune, but in a more negative context it can represent revolution for revolution’s sake and the constant idealization of people and situations. It can also stand for excessive individualism when going after a dream.

In relationship readings, this rune represents hope and an idealistic kind of love. Usually the people involved in the relationship have high expectations about the other. They easily put their partner on a pedestal, only to feel frustrated when reality strikes. The Star can also represent unrequited love, or the love for someone who is unattainable. On the other hand, this rune tells you to not give up love entirely – keep looking, because someone is coming.

 

Additional Information About Today’s Witches Rune courtesy of Your Spiritual Journey Australia

 

Your Crowley Thoth Tarot Card for August 15th is The Hermit

Your Crowley Thoth Tarot Card for Today

The Hermit



The Hermit denotes a need to have some space between you and everyday hustle and bustle of our busy world. The Hermit needs to retreat. Indeed, happiness for The Hermit requires seclusion, freedom from material wants, and time for intense introspection. The answers The Hermit needs cannot be found in our physical world. The truths he seeks are internal, spiritual, and the distraction of a well developed social life can only impede his quest for his personal truths. Still, although not anything remotely resembling extroversion, The Hermit does sometimes need to share time with others; so he can learn or teach, guide and be guided. The Hermit’s time spent amongst people depletes his energy rapidly. To avoid an overload he has to retreat from social settings quickly.

Your Daily Tarot Card for Monday, August 15th is The Hermit

Your Personal Daily Tarot Card

The Hermit



The Hermit denotes a need to have some space between you and the everyday hustle and bustle of our busy world. The Hermit needs to retreat. Indeed, happiness for The Hermit requires seclusion, freedom from material wants, and time for intense introspection. The answers The Hermit needs cannot be found in our physical world. The truths he seeks are internal, spiritual, and the distraction of a well developed social life can only impede his quest for his personal truths. Still, although not anything remotely resembling extroversion, The Hermit does sometimes need to share time with others; so he can both learn and teach, guide and be guided. The Hermit’s time spent amongst people depletes his energy rapidly. To avoid mental and physical overload he has to retreat from social settings quickly.

Get A Jump On Tomorrow, Your Daily Horoscopes for Tuesday, August 16th

Get A Jump On Tomorrow…..

Your Daily Horoscopes for Tuesday, August 16th

by Rick Levine

 

General Horoscope

The cosmic winds shift as energetic changes free us from the status quo. We can move beyond our fears to embrace the future once the Moon moves from conservative Capricorn into radical Aquarius at 7:52 am EDT. Anything is possible as ingenious solutions appear out of the blue now that the radiant Sun trines brilliant Uranus. Previously self-imposed limitations disappear, enabling us to rethink old problems and see them in an exciting new light.

Aries Horoscope Mar 21 – Apr 19

Sometimes you gung-ho Rams can’t tell the difference between assertion and aggression. However, your steady persistence is rewarded today because it counterbalances the progressive Sun-Uranus trine which blasts you clear into the future. An odd mixture of strategic planning and impulsive reactions can positively influence your work and help you reach your professional goals. Success doesn’t just come and find you; you must go out and get it.

Taurus Horoscope Apr 20 – May 20

Innovation and common sense work in tandem today. The Sun’s harmonious trine to independent Uranus in your 12th House of Fantasy sets your imagination free. Out-of-the-box solutions to stubborn problems empower you to untangle knots in your progress or raise your awareness to new levels of understanding. Unfortunately, all your brilliant concepts are useless now if you don’t have the means to make them real. Nevertheless, if you want to achieve your dreams bad enough, you’ll find a way rather than an excuse.

Gemini Horoscope May 21 – Jun 20

It requires courage to reveal your vulnerability instead of just showing off the clever side of your personality. The bighearted Leo Sun, shining in your 3rd House of Communication, motivates you to take chances and talk about your feelings, especially now that it’s forming a liberating trine to spontaneous Uranus. Honesty can sometimes be a double-edged sword, but it’s easier to build a solid foundation when you come straight from your heart. It takes time to build trust, but it’s an essential ingredient in any type of relationship.

Cancer Horoscope Jun 21 – Jul 22

You can straddle the divide between caution and risk today by discovering and applying previously untapped talents and abilities. However, the creative Sun in your 2nd House of Self-Worth forms a supportive trine with Uranus, encouraging you to take chances in your professional life. This is your moment to shine; the cosmos is empowering you to be boldly innovative and break out of your familiar shell. As Robert Kennedy said, “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.”

Leo Horoscope Jul 23 – Aug 22

Allow yourself as much freedom to dream as you can today. Temporarily letting go of responsibilities gives you the space you need to see your life in a fresh new light. The unconventional Sun-Uranus trine opens your mind, creating an ideal time to release your old self-image, making way for a more amazing version of you with a more adventurous future. Learning to fly looks harder from the ground. Jump and your wings will appear.

Virgo Horoscope Aug 23 – Sep 22

Although your thoughts are truly brilliant now, people may not be able to understand what you’re saying unless you simplify your concepts. Instead of rushing ahead in a flurry of words, slow down and explain everything methodically. Although a thrilling Sun-Uranus trine opens doors that were previously locked, it’s still up to you to be careful so you can make the most of this more permissive environment. Today is an opportunity that vanishes tomorrow; don’t waste one moment second-guessing yourself.

Libra Horoscope Sep 23 – Oct 22

You’re hesitant to come out and say what’s on your mind today because you’re worried about people misunderstanding your intentions. Although you might send subtle signals of interest to someone so you won’t be noticed by others, your actions may be more obvious than you think. Luckily, a stroke of genius suddenly reveals a way for you to break free of an unpleasant situation as the Sun trines rebellious Uranus in your 7th House of Others. For once, it’s better to say too much now than nothing at all.

Scorpio Horoscope Oct 23 – Nov 21

It’s as if a lightning rod is attracting unexpected events and encouraging radical behavior at work. Although this cosmic interference might normally be disturbing, the Sun’s superconductive trine to electrifying Uranus is thrilling as it lights up your mind with original answers to existing questions. But don’t waste this energy on attention-seeking antics; keep your ego in check and just do your job to the best of your ability. Success can be yours if you don’t become arrogant or expect everything to fall your way. Humility is your friend.

Sagittarius Horoscope Nov 22 – Dec 21

Don’t wait for someone else to rush in and save the day today. The dramatic Leo Sun’s trine to radical Uranus calls for bold action that produces both emotional and financial rewards. Although you may be inspired by the vibrant Leo Sun’s presence in your 9th House of Big Ideas, its awkward aspect to wounded Chiron leaves you uncertain about the value of your actions. Fortunately, your amazing ideas are the proof of the pudding if you trust in yourself. Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.

Capricorn Horoscope Dec 22 – Jan 19

There is chemistry at work today if you’re open to the spontaneity of the moment. Collaborating closely with a creative partner sparks contagious excitement and fascinating ideas while the willful Sun in your 8th House of Shared Resources trines brilliant Uranus. Make sure to record your conversations for future use or the genius of the moment could be lost into space forever. As Dante wrote, “He listens well who takes notes.”

Aquarius Horoscope Jan 20 – Feb 18

You can take giant leaps over huge hurdles while the confident Sun in creative Leo forms a mind-opening trine with revolutionary Uranus. When you devote your heart and head to a cause, the obstacles you encounter are no match for the strength of your convictions. You’re ready to carve out a unique path into the future that fully expresses your originality. This cosmic wake-up call releases you from doubt and drudgery today, clearing the way for others to follow in your pioneering footsteps.

Pisces Horoscope Feb 19 – Mar 20

It’s as if you struggled up a mountain, arrived at the summit, and now finally enjoy an unobstructed view of the future. Your illusions are shattered by lightning bolts of awareness that awaken you from a foggy sleep. You can suddenly see the truth and are eager to apply your newfound passion to making something wonderful happen. Although you feel the exhilaration of the radiant Sun’s trine to wild Uranus, you also realize how much work still lies ahead. Seek out new experiences, but proceed with caution, so you don’t do anything you’ll soon regret.

 

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