Observance of Valentine’s Day
“We may owe our observance of Valentine’s Day to the Roman celebration of Lupercalia, a festival of eroticism that honored Juno Februata, the goddess of “feverish” (febris) love. Annually, on the ides of February, love notes or “billets” would be drawn to partner men and women for feasting and sexual game playing.”
– Saint Valentine’s Day
Today is Tuesday, February 14Tuesday is dedicated to the powers of the planet Mars, personified in Ares, Tiwaz, Tiw, Tuisco and Tyr. Tuesday rules controlled power, energy and endurance.
Deity: Tiwaz
Zodiac Sign: Aries
Planet: Mars
Tree: Holly
Herb: Plantain
Stone: Agate
Animal: Crab
Element: Fire
Color: White
Number: 2
Rune: Tyr (T)
Celtic Tree Month of Luis (Rowan) – (January 21 – February 17)
The Runic Half Month of Sigel (February 12 – February 26)
Goddess of the Month of Bridhe – (January 22 – February 19th)
The Pagan Book of Days
Nigel Pennick
Valentine’s Day
“Valentine’s Day is most closely associated with the mutual exchange of love notes in the form of “valentines.” Modern Valentine symbols include the heart-shaped outline and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten notes have largely given way to mass-produced greeting cards. The mid-nineteenth century Valentine’s Day trade was a harbinger of further commercialized holidays in the United States to follow. The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately one billion valentines are sent each year worldwide, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year behind Christmas. The association estimates that women purchase approximately 85 percent of all valentines.”
– Valentine’s Day – Wikipedia
The Sky This Week for February 14 to 19The Winter Hexagon, Venus reaches its greatest brilliancy, and other beautiful things to look for in the sky this week.
By Richard Talcott
Tuesday, February 14
In what seems a fitting tribute, the planet named after the Roman goddess of love shines brilliantly in the evening sky on Valentine’s Day. Venus gleams at magnitude –4.8 and shows up easily in the west-southwest within a half-hour after sunset. It grows even more prominent as darkness settles over the landscape. The planet lies among the background stars of Pisces the Fish, a region that stands some 30° high an hour after the Sun goes down and doesn’t set until 9 p.m. local time. When viewed through a telescope this evening, Venus appears 38″ across and 29 percent illuminated.
Wednesday, February 15
Jupiter rises around 10 p.m. local time and climbs highest in the south about 90 minutes before morning twilight commences. The giant world shines at magnitude –2.3 against the backdrop of central Virgo, some 4° north of that constellation’s brightest star, 1st-magnitude Spica. And this evening, the waning gibbous Moon rises just a half-hour after the planet and follows it across the sky the rest of the night. Even a small telescope reveals Jupiter’s 41″-diameter disk and four bright moons.
Thursday, February 16
Mars continues to put on a nice show these February evenings. It appears 25° high in the west-southwest once twilight fades to darkness, though it’s easier to find by looking 7° (about one binocular field) to the upper left of brilliant Venus. The magnitude 1.2 Red Planet currently lies among the background stars of Pisces the Fish. A telescope shows the world’s 5″-diameter disk, but you likely won’t see any surface detail.
Friday, February 17
Venus reaches greatest brilliancy today, when it shines at magnitude –4.8 (magnitude –4.85, to be more precise). That makes it 10 times brighter than the evening sky’s second-brightest object, Jupiter. Although today marks the inner planet’s official peak, it doesn’t dip below magnitude –4.8 until early March.
Jupiter reaches aphelion at 2 a.m. EST. This is the point in its 12-year orbit around the Sun where it lies farthest from our star, at a distance of 507.2 million miles (816.3 million kilometers).
Saturday, February 18
Last Quarter Moon occurs at 2:33 p.m. EST. Look for it either before dawn this morning (when it lies among the background stars of Libra and looks slightly more than half-lit) or after it rises around 1:30 a.m. local time tomorrow (when it stands near the Scorpius-Ophiuchus border and appears as a fat crescent).
If the Last Quarter Moon looks a little smaller to you today, it may not be your imagination. Our satellite reaches apogee, the farthest point in its orbit around Earth, at 4:14 p.m. EST. It then lies 251,268 miles (404,376 kilometers) from Earth’s center.
Sunday, February 19
One of the sky’s largest asterisms — a recognizable pattern of stars separate from a constellation’s form — occupies center stage on February evenings. To trace the so-called Winter Hexagon, start with southern Orion’s luminary, Rigel. From there, the hexagon makes a clockwise loop. The second stop is brilliant Sirius in Canis Major. Next, pick up Procyon in the faint constellation Canis Minor, then the twins Castor and Pollux in Gemini, followed by Capella in Auriga, Aldebaran in Taurus, and finally back to Rigel.
It’s Valentine’s Day in the United States
Valentine’s Day is celebrated on February 14. It is a festival of romantic love and many people give cards, letters, flowers or presents to their spouse or partner. They may also arrange a romantic meal in a restaurant or night in a hotel. Common symbols of Valentine’s Day are hearts, red roses and Cupid.
What Do People Do?
Many people celebrate their love for their partner by sending cards or letters, giving gifts or flowers and arranging meals in restaurants or romantic nights in hotels. People who would like to have a romantic relationship with somebody may use the occasion to make this known, often anonymously. Valentine’s cards are often decorated with images of hearts, red roses or Cupid. Common Valentine’s Day gifts are flowers chocolates, candy, lingerie and champagne or sparkling wine. However, some people use the occasion to present lavish gifts, such as jewelry. Many restaurants and hotels have special offers at this time. These can include romantic meals or weekend breaks.
Public Life
Valentine’s Day is not a public holiday. Government offices, stores, schools and other organizations are open as usual. Public transit systems run on their regular schedule. Restaurants may be busier than usual as many people go out for an evening with their spouse or partner. Valentine’s Day is also a very popular date for weddings.
Background
There are a number of Saints called Valentine who are honored on February 14. The day became associated with romantic love in the Middle Ages in England. This may have followed on from the Pagan fertility festivals that were held all over Europe as the winter came to an end. Traditionally, lovers exchanged hand written notes. Commercial cards became available in the mid nineteenth century.
Symbols
The most common Valentine’s Day symbols are the heart, particularly in reds and pinks, and pictures or models of Cupid. Cupid is usually portrayed as a small winged figure with a bow and arrow. In mythology, he uses his arrow to strike the hearts of people. People who have fallen in love are sometimes said to be ‘struck by Cupid’s arrow. Other symbols of Valentine’s Day are couples in loving embraces and the gifts of flowers, chocolate, red roses and lingerie that couples often give each other.
Your Daily Sun & Moon Data for Tuesday, February 14thThe Sun
Sun Direction: ↑ 136.93° SE
Sun Altitude: 28.72°
Sun Distance: 91.806 million mi
Next Equinox: Mar 20, 2017 5:28 am (Vernal)
Sunrise Today: 6:44 am↑ 106° East
Sunset Today: 5:34 pm↑ 255° West
Length of Daylight: 10 hours, 49 minutes
The Moon
Moon Direction: ↑ 275.93° W
Moon Altitude: -10.42°
Moon Distance: 244699 mi
Next New Moon: Feb 26, 20178:58 am
Next Full Moon: Mar 12, 20179:53 am
Next Moonrise: Today9:28 pm
Current Moon Phase: Waning Gibbous
Illumination: 86.1%
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