Astronomy Picture of the Day – The Prawn Nebula

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 July 4

IC 4628: The Prawn Nebula
Image Credit & Copyright: Michael Sidonio

 

Explanation: South of Antares, in the tail of the nebula-rich constellation Scorpius, lies emission nebula IC 4628. Nearby hot, massive stars, millions of years young, radiate the nebula with invisible ultraviolet light, stripping electrons from atoms. The electrons eventually recombine with the atoms to produce the visible nebular glow, dominated by the red emission of hydrogen. At an estimated distance of 6,000 light-years, the region shown is about 250 light-years across, spanningan area equivalent to four full moons on the sky. The nebula is also cataloged as Gum 56 for Australian astronomer Colin Stanley Gum, but seafood-loving astronomers might know this cosmic cloud as the Prawn Nebula.

Earth Sky News for July 4: Earth farthest from sun on July 4

Earth farthest from sun on July 4

Bottom line: Planet Earth reaches its most distant point from the sun for 2016 on July 4. Astronomers call this yearly point in Earth’s orbit our aphelion.

 

Author

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 published on EarthSky

Ah, What the Heck, Let’s Check Out the Ancient Symbol Cards to See What they have to say about this week….

Your Ancient Symbol Card Reading for the Upcoming Week

 
Past Influence that will impact your life are waning.

Ancestors

Ancestors represents the ongoing influence and remarkable contributions those who came before us have made to our state of being. Ancestors also reminds us that sometimes old wisdom is the best wisdom–especially when events are moving in ways we do not understand. Ancestors can bring comfort to a shaken spirit. It is a card of warmth in the sense that it reminds us that the spirit of past generations remains with us and can be called upon for guidance at any time.

 

 

 

 

Present Influence that will have an impact on your life are very strong

The Lotus

The Lotus represents the spiritual self in its purest form. It reminds us that for most achieving a well developed spirituality is a journey which can be long and arduous. The spirit of the Lotus is not of our secular world, and the presence of The Lotus suggests that what is needed can be found by exploring your relationship with the Universe not as a physical entity pursuing material gain, but as a divine soul in need of celestial sustenance.

 

 

 

 

Future influence whose impact on your life are growing and will be very strong this week.

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.

Your Ogham Symbol for Monday, July 4th is Beth/Beith

Your Ogham Symbol for Monday, July 4th

Beith, or Beth, corresponds to the letter B in the alphabet, and is associated with the Birch tree. When this symbol is used, it is representative of new beginnings, change, release, and rebirth. In some traditions, it also has connections with purification.

Birch trees are hardy. They’ll grow just about anywhere, including on bare soil. Because they tend to grow in clusters, what may be just one or two seedlings now can be practically an entire forest in a few decades.

In addition to being a sturdy sort of tree, the Birch is useful. In days gone by, it was used for infants’ cradles, and is still harvested today to make cabinets and furniture.

From a magical perspective, there are a number of uses for Birch. The branches are traditionally incorporated into the construction of a besom, and are used for the bristles. Use the white outer bark in ritual in place of paper or parchment — just be sure you only harvest the bark from a fallen Birch tree, not a living one. Ancient herbalists discovered that various parts of this tree can be used for medicinal purposes. Bark was once brewed into a tea to fight fevers, and the leaves were used alternately as a laxative and a diuretic, depending on how they were prepared.

Beith Correspondences

Mundane Aspects: When this symbol appears, it means it’s time to get rid of all those negative influences you’ve been carrying around with you. Figure out what things are bad in your life, which relationships are toxic, and find a way to leave them behind.

Instead of being dragged down by the negative, focus on the positive things you have in your life, the blessings and abundance. Use these things as a focus, rather than the harmful or damaging ones.

Magical Aspects: Consider the property of renewal and rebirth, as demonstrated by the Birch. Use this as a tool for spiritual and emotional regrowth, and developing your own ability to regenerate where there has been emptiness or devastation.

 

Your Daily Witches Rune for July 4th is The Rings

Daily Witches Rune

July 4th, 2016

The Rings

Keywords: Love, relationships.

Meanings: The Rings is the rune of love and when it is the leading stone, it is a positive answer to your question. It is very much a rune of relationship and can indicate engagement, marriage or a new/renewed relationship. It can also indicate the need for a fresh approach to an existing relationship.

Casting the Stones, Your Rune Reading for the Week of July 4th

Your Rune Reading for the Upcoming Week

 

bw-geboThe Past That Will Once Again Emerge
Gebo

Gebo represents the coming of gifts and favors. While each are usually positive events, they often carry obligations with them. Gebo often represents strong bonds such as deep friendships and marriage

 

 

bw-dagazThe Present Circumstances You Will Find Yourself In
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.

 

 

A Glimpse of The Future
Elhaz

Watch for hidden traps. Look for holes in your defenses and fill them.

Shuffling the Cards, Your Pyramid Reading for the Week of July 4th

Your Pyramid Reading for the Week of July 4th

 

This Week’s Theme

Five of Wands
There may be obstacles on your path. Courage will be required to overcome them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Week’s Challenge

Page of Wands
This card represents courage and beauty, a quickness to love as well as anger. A carrier of tidings and information.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Week’s Ally

Ace of Swords
The triumph of power and will. Emotions are felt strongly. Great activity abounds. The heroic personality is near or soon to be born.

Shuffling the Cards, Your Wisdom of the Moon Spread for the Week of July 4th

Wisdom of The Moon Spread

The Wisdom of The Moon Spread is used to create a general inventory of your life at this time. Its locus is to help you make decisions concerning your life overall.

 

Discharging: that which you should let go of

Nine of Cups

Success and happiness are attained. The good things in life can be had. Good health will be enjoyed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Retaining: that which you should further develop

Death

This is the card of change and renewal, the emergence of new ideas and opportunities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Obtaining: that which is coming into your life

The Hanged Man Reversed

The card of false prophecy and time wasted. The reversed Hanged Man represents a preoccupation with the worldly and wasted energy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Worldly Influences: secular influences effecting your life

Five of Wands

There may be obstacles on your path. Courage will be required to overcome them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Benevolence: that which you can and should give to others

The Tower Reversed

The attainment of physical and spiritual freedom at great cost.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Learning: that which you should be learning at this time

Nine of Wands Reversed

There are obstacles before you. Health problems, discontent and adversity may need to be overcome

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Upcomimg: that which will be important in your future

Four of Pentacles Reversed

Gain is hindered by obstacles.

Your Daily Tarot Card for Monday, July 4th is The Wheel of Fortune

Your Personal Daily Tarot Card

The Wheel of Fortune



The Wheel of Fortune represents that aspect of life that is directed by forces and events we may not understand or even be aware of. In short, The Wheel deals with chance—those occurrences that manage to alter even the most structured of lives, usurp man’s “best laid plans.” While the effects of The Wheel are unpredictable, the outcome is always change; sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. Our path through life is never a ride down a perfectly straight highway. Sometimes we may even experience hairpin turns or complete reversals of direction. The Wheel of Fortune is strong reminder that despite our plans, the Universe has its own agenda from which we cannot escape participation.

Get A Jump on Tomorrow, Your Daily Horoscopes for Tuesday, July 5th

 

 

 

 

 

 

Get A Jump on Tomorrow…..

Your Daily Horoscopes for Tuesday, July 5th

 

Aries

Aries Horoscope
Aries

Your inner world and family or domestic life continue to be at the top of your list these days, dear Aries, and the confidence you derive from your support system now can carry you far. Conversations with those closest to you can be especially compassionate or inspiring. Thinking and communicating can be heavily influenced by your dreams and intuition, and ideas are coming together in almost magical ways. Do what you can to take a detour from the usual routines, as this can really get the creative juices flowing.

Taurus

Taurus

This can be a day of interesting news, connections, and communications, dear Taurus. Meetings with people may be unexpected and serendipitous. Conversations with friends can be inspiring and there is likely to be a real sense of camaraderie and support derived from your interactions. You are likely to be in a giving mood, not necessarily with material things, but with your time and “services”. People are recognizing you as a true and valued friend, and this can feel good. Your desire for an ideal friendship can be strong as well, and you have a real tendency to see others for their better qualities. Perhaps you’re wearing the proverbial rose-colored glasses today, but not in a destructive way!

Gemini

Gemini

You might be confident enough to reach for a goal that is just out of reach today, dear Gemini, or at least to dream of doing so. Taking little steps towards realizing a dream will be very satisfying now. Bringing a spirit of creativity and generosity of spirit to your professional life can be rewarding. Some of you might even learn of a pay increase or a boost in business. Certainly, business instincts are in good shape right now. Find ways to let your intuition engage today and you are likely to come to some interesting conclusions. You can be quite persuasive and able to paint yourself in creative ways – in effect, shaping how others see you.

Cancer

Cancer

This is a good day for exploring ways to better present yourself to the world, dear Cancer, even if it’s as simple as a small wardrobe change. You continue to be in strong touch with your more spiritual qualities, and your tendency to express a greater level of empathy today can win you an admirer. Thoughts are lofty now, and conversations can be inspiring. You are persuasive in your communications. Sharing your big ideas with others can help fuel the flames of your own inspiration. This is also a time when you are expressing yourself with added charm and imagination.

Leo

Leo

This is another day for having more faith in your dreams, dear Leo, and there is a real sense that they may very well come true. You might easily influence others with your own beliefs. There is strong energy for work done behind the scenes and thinking done in relative solitude. The grand design behind recent events continues to unfold for you – this is an important week of self-discovery and significant “aha” moments. There may be a chance meeting or other serendipitous events that lead to wonderful ideas and a new way of looking at a matter that truly helps you to move forward. Helpful conversations can figure prominently.

Virgo

Virgo Symbol/Glyph
Virgo

Circumstances are such that you feel inspired by, and have more faith in, your relationships today, dear Virgo. You are also believing in some of your fondest hopes and wishes, making this a fine day to dream up new ideas or to refine your current ones. You might stumble upon just the right information that gets you going. You are likely to be more understanding and accepting with a partner or special someone now, and this can help boost your relationship. This is a strong day for coming to agreements and connecting with a partner.

Libra

Libra Glyph-Symbol
Libra

This is a wonderful day for dreaming up new and very creative ways to further your goals or your career, dear Libra. In fact, this week is powerful for these things. Putting a unique and imaginative spin on practical matters comes naturally right now. Your faith in your dreams will help you to make important adjustments to plans. Adding creative flair to your offerings may figure strongly now. Business thinking is also creative. The Moon’s move into your friendship sector midday can shift some of your focus to your social life and happiness goals.

Scorpio

Scorpio Symbol Glyph
Scorpio

You have a magic touch today, dear Scorpio, and can be quite persuasive. You do everything with creative flair right now, and your refined, accepting nature is very refreshing for those around you, effectively boosting your personal appeal. Do something with your ideas, whether this is as simple as sharing them with others (you can be inspiring right now), or if it involves creating a piece of art. A Mercury-Neptune connection today might also point to a romantic conversation. The Moon moves to the top of your solar chart midday, bringing your attention to goals and responsibilities.

Sagittarius

Sagittarius Glyph Symbol
Sagittarius

You can be in a dreamy mood today, dear Sagittarius, and many of your imaginative musings can revolve around your family or home life. The ideal setup is something you may be thinking about most – dreams are rich! In terms of turning your dreams to reality, aim to start little and then build upon it, as this is the most satisfying and usually the most successful way to chase a dream. This is important all week – get inspired, but keep in mind that the key to hanging on to your dreams is to set smaller, realizable goals as you pursue them. It’s a good day for coming to agreements, or, at the very least, coming to an understanding with someone and feeling stronger for it. Conversations with family take on a compassionate, creative tone.

Capricorn

Capricorn Symbol/Glyph
Capricorn

Conversations today can be inspiring, dear Capricorn, mainly because it seems that others readily “get” your inner reality. This is a good week for expressing yourself with creative panache, and for others to pick up on the subtleties you are trying to convey, and this is peaking today. You may be drawn to the mystical, spiritual, fantastic, and magical right now. Sharing ideas with a partner may be satisfying. This can be a day of meditation in motion – you are likely to be busy but often very much lost in thought. Conversations with others can really get the creative juices flowing.

Aquarius

Aquarius

You are inclined to fantasize or idealize things today, dear Aquarius, but you are also quite willing to bring matters down to earth just enough that they are workable. Wild fantasies can be fine if you need to escape the duller moments of your life. However, you are looking for a more realizable dream so that if something borders on the impossible, you’re likely to give up on it quickly. Entertain the possible, but do allow yourself to add a small challenge to the equation. You can be more creative in your work or you might be adding practical details to creative projects today.

Pisces

Pisces

You are in your element today, dear Pisces, and you are expressing yourself both comfortably and creatively. Generally, others are noticing you and appreciating your contributions now, particularly in terms of your ideas and perspectives. Today and tomorrow are strong for communicating your ideas and affections, for making romantic connections, for coming to agreements, and for dreaming up good plans and ideas. It’s a strong period for attracting a relationship.

 

If You Were Born Today, July 4

happy-birthday-cake

If You Were Born Today, July 4

You have strong business sense, but you are also quite wise when it comes to people. You are independent, and although you’re attached to family and loved ones, you need to feel as if you are free in order to function at your best. You are creative and very clever, sometimes in a self-serving way, and have a youthful quality that remains with you throughout life. You need to avoid expecting inhuman things of humans! Many of you have a great fondness for history and research. Famous people born today: Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ann Landers, Abigail Van Buren, Eva Marie Saint, Neil Simon, Bill Withers.

Your Birthday Year Forecast:

The New Moon in your Solar Return chart suggests that you will instinctively begin a new phase of your life this year. A decisively new direction has come about in your life. This can be an emotionally stimulating time in which you feel the urge to initiate and project, even if you are not quite clear about what you are projecting. Much of the energy in your life can have a magical quality to it as things are just automatically going in a certain direction. It is important to be intuitive at this time and allow the natural course to show you the way to the next step. Surprises (mostly very pleasant) pepper your year. New beginnings are in order, and you are bound to feel some level of excitement as the year unfolds.

This can be a year in which you experience important turning points, or you could begin new projects or goals that have a long-term impact on your life.

This can be a busy year. Your communications are more colorful, and you have more impact with what you communicate. Your appreciation for art may deepen. You are also likely to present yourself well during this period of your life, and personal magnetism is great.

Neptune transits in harmony with your Sun from March 2017 onward. A higher purpose to your life is what you seek during this period, and you rely more heavily upon your intuition in order to achieve it. You could find that your intuition is subtly enhanced and that you’re often in the right place at the right time, probably because your hunches are more likely to be correct. You tune into your imaginative and artistic side. This is a good year for self-improvement programs or efforts. The need to “get away from it all” to find some peace and quiet now and again will be strong. A more sensitive – even mysterious -persona is projected this year, and this can attract pleasantly unusual circumstances (and people) into your life.

You are especially creative and expressive this year and your love life can be animated. You succeed best in fields or areas that allow you to make something beautiful, attractive, and/or entertaining. Personal magnetism is strong. You are playfully competitive and might win a major competition, if applicable. This is a good period for creative projects and joining with others in pursuing a common goal.

You are more sensitive artistically, your imagination is stirred, and you have an increased appreciation for subtleties. You are inspired and could even inspire others with your words. Some of your hunches could be prophetic. You are thinking more creatively, and express yourself with more sensitivity, compassion, and warmth.

You often have a way with words this year, and verbalizing your feelings can be enjoyable. You are able to handle people well, and negotiations are favored in general. This can be a good year for dabbling in the arts, furthering a creative hobby or craft, and exploring new artistic interests. Even so, there can be distinct advantages to working in some level of solitude this year as it can be too easy to become distracted on social levels, which can impact your productivity.

You may be attracted to people with artistic inclinations or to relationships in which there is an imbalance of power or a theme of saving or helping. The more romantic or idealistic side of your nature can emerge strongly now, perhaps inspired by someone you care about or someone you meet this year.

You have a strong need for affection during this period of life, and you tend to be especially generous with those you love. Watch for overindulgence in this respect, but enjoy the good vibes as well. You can do especially well working with people you love.

There can be a stronger inclination towards togetherness and sharing. You are taking more pride in your relationships. However, there can be some struggles with trust in a relationship this year. You might also experience compulsive attractions and attachments, or attraction to complicated love relationships. The need for deeper intimacy is present, but fear of this closeness may be just as strong. This energy may instead play out on the level of finances — there can be some tension over your personal finances, and/or the need to make a large payment that necessitates changes in your spending habits. Finances may be complicated. Power struggles with money are possible.

Watch for impatience or fits of temper that work against you this year. There may be changes in work schedules or life’s circumstances could challenge you in such a way that you need to change your goals or actions. This can also be a time when you tend to resist others and challenge them if they are trying to hold you back. Energy fluctuates this year. If you can avoid rash or impulsive moves, you could enjoy more courage than usual to do things that break the routine or clear the air.

Your unique manner of expressing and asserting yourself is in focus and appreciated this year. Suppressed anger is more effectively released in creative ways. Physical healing can help inner healing, and vice versa.

This is a period of new beginnings and fresh starts. The year ahead is strong for entertaining your more artistic or spiritual side. It is easier than usual to express your individuality in a manner that is true to you this year. Love and social matters can be up and down, but also quite magical at times. Personal appeal is excellent. New and interesting experiences are likely, but energy can fluctuate and impulsive moves should be watched for. This is a strong year for taking up interesting studies and for meeting people through learning endeavors.

 

2016 is a Number Two year for you. Ruled by the Moon. This is a year of potential companionship. It is a quiet, gentle, and mostly harmonious year that is less active than other years. Instead, you are more responsive to the needs of others. If you are patient and open yourself up in a gentle manner, you will attract both things and people. This is an excellent year in which to build and develop for the future. Advice – be patient, be receptive, enjoy the peace, collect.

2017 will be a Number Three year for you. Ruled by Jupiter. This is a year of sociability. It is a friendly time, when it is easy to enjoy life and other people. Focus is on personal freedom, reaching out to others, making new friends, and exploration. You are more enthusiastic and ready for adventure. It is likely to be a rather lighthearted year, when opportunities for “play” time are greater than usual. It’s also a good year for expressing your creativity. Advice – reach out, but avoid scattering your energies.

Courtesy of Cafe Astrology