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 June 3

NGC 4631: The Whale Galaxy
Image Credit & Copyright: Martin Pugh Explanation: NGC 4631 is a big beautiful spiral galaxy. Seen edge-on, it lies only 25 million light-years away in the well-trained northern constellation Canes Venatici. The galaxy’s slightly distorted wedge shape suggests to some a cosmic herring and to others its popular moniker, The Whale Galaxy. Either way, it is similar in size to our own Milky Way. In this sharp color image, the galaxy’s yellowish core, dark dust clouds, bright blue star clusters, and red star forming regions are easy to spot. A companion galaxy, the small elliptical NGC 4627 is just above the Whale Galaxy. Faint star streams seen in deep images are the remnants of small companion galaxies disrupted by repeated encounters with the Whale in the distant past. The Whale Galaxy is also known to have spouted a halo of hot gas glowing in X-rays.

 

 

Moon Diary – New Moon in Gemini

4th-5th June 2016: Look Both Ways

by Jane Lyle

A beguiling carousel of a new Moon takes us for a dizzy spin in June.

It rises at 14 degrees of Gemini on 4th-5th June, depending on your time zone.

This is an important new Moon, for it vitalises June’s planetary atmosphere of inspiration, confusion, and flexibility. Loving words and beautiful music are a strong theme, for the Sun and Moon in charming Gemini are exactly aligned with sweet Venus. Our neighbourhoods and everyday lives could be the source of delights, happy social events, or pleasant encounters – for Gemini rules the third house, a place of communication, short journeys, and social life. In many ways, this is a lovely new Moon for romance, parties, friendship and fun.

Of course, that’s not the whole story. The Sun, Moon and Venus complete a pattern called a grand cross. This one connects Jupiter and the Moon’s nodes in Virgo, Neptune in Pisces, and Saturn in Sagittarius. All these signs are Mutable, that is – they’re adaptable, and their job is to weave a bridge between those signs that initiate things – the Cardinal signs, and those which consolidate things – the Fixed signs. When they’re all connected like this, it may be hard to get anything done, make decisions, or find clarity. We’re at a cosmic crossroads. One way or another we must learn to surf the waves.

We’ve got the potential for expanded consciousness and great compassion here, but Saturn insists on checking all the facts and figures. Extravagant spending or overly-generous actions are blocked, questioned, and limited. Events themselves could feel overwhelming in some way – perhaps there’s too much information, too many people demanding attention. Or maybe things are moving too fast, and our emotions are bewildering and hard to define. We may be ‘Jack of all trades, master of none’. Neptune’s dissolving presence suggests that this could be a ‘Wikileaks’ kind of lunar month too.

Fortunately, Gemini’s ruler – Mercury – is still in sensible Taurus. Finding some earthy stability should help us relax and think things through step by step. We’ll need to make an effort to pause, and not get swept away on some mad, magic carpet ride. Gemini mind partners Taurean matter – hopefully, this translates as keeping it real.
Yet, with a little caution, this can also be a potent time to make a fresh start or explore a new path – particularly in Gemini’s house in your own natal horoscope.

If you have planets around 12-17 degrees of Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius or Pisces then this new Moon, and it’s aspects, energises your horoscope this June.

This new Moon activates the national horoscopes for a wide range of countries including: Germany, Brazil, Norway, Denmark, Cuba, Australia, and the Vatican City, Rome.  Generally, locations influenced by this Moon will see increased debate, arguments, movement, and talk of education, agriculture, and information technology.

 

Source:

The Astrology Room

Find the Crow, Cup and Water Snake

Tonight, or any June evening, look in the sky around nightfall. The first “stars” you’ll likely notice are really the planets Jupiter and Mars. These brilliant beauties light up the sky as soon as the sun goes down. Then – assuming you’re in the Northern Hemisphere – look nearly due south, roughly midway between these two planets, for sparkling blue-white Spica, in Virgo. This post tells you how to find Spica. Okay … got Spica? Now, as nightfall deepens into later evening, watch for a number of fainter stars to become visible. Below and to the right of Spica are the constellations of Corvus the Crow, Crater the Cup, and Hydra the Water Snake.

In Greek mythology, Apollo sent the crow to fetch a cup of water. The crow, Corvus, got distracted eating figs. It was only after much delay that he finally remembered his mission. Rightly figuring that Apollo would be angry, the crow plucked a snake from the water and concocted a story about how it had attacked and delayed him.

Apollo was not fooled and angrily flung the Crow, Cup and Snake into the sky, placing the Crow and Cup on the Snake’s back.

Then the god ordered Hydra to never let the Crow drink from the Cup. As a further punishment, he ordered that the Crow could never sing again, only screech and caw.

None of these constellations has any bright stars, but Hydra holds the distinction of being the longest constellation in the heavens.

Bottom line: Use the bright star Spica to help you find the constellations of Corvus the Crow, Crater the Cup, and Hydra the Water Snake.

 

Author

The Wisdom of Buddha

Chaos is inherent in all compounded things. Strive on with diligence.