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 April 20

Galaxy Einstein Ring
Image Credit: Y. Hezaveh (Stanford) et al., ALMA (NRAO/ESO/NAOJ), NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope

Explanation: Can one galaxy hide behind another? Not in the case of SDP.81. Here the foreground galaxy, shown in blue in an image taken by the Hubble Space Telescope, acts like a huge gravitational lens, pulling light from a background galaxy, shown in red in an image taken in radio waves by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA), around it, keeping it visible. The alignment is so precise that the distant galaxy is distorted into part of a ring around the foreground galaxy, a formation known as an Einstein ring. Detailed analysis of the gravitational lens distortions indicate that a small dark satellite galaxy participates in the deflections, bolstering indication that many satellite galaxies are quite dim and dominated by dark matter. That small galaxy is depicted by a small white dot on the left. Although spanning only a few arcseconds, the featured Einstein ring is really tens of thousands of light years across.

Author

Deborah Byrd

Deborah Byrd created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded the website EarthSky.org in 1994. Today, she serves as Editor-in-Chief of this website and blogs frequently about astrophysics, the night sky and other topics related to Earth, space and the human world. 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

Sun in Taurus

Power your way to pleasure

By Tarot.com Staff, Taurus, Sun, Astrology

Part of the Daily Insight Group

The Words of Confucius

Go before the people with your example, and be laborious in their affairs.

The Wisdom of Buddha

Unity can only be manifested by the Binary. Unity itself and the idea of Unity are already two.

Your Daily Influences
April 21, 2016

The Hierophant
A lover of tradition and ceremony, The Hierphant needs social approval and appreciates the positive aspects of conformity.

Naudhiz
Naudhiz reversed may tell of needs met and harmonious relationships. Your passions for someone or something may be at their pinnacle.

Pisces the Fishes
This aspect of your life will be strongly influenced by a person who is escapist and idealistic, secretive and vague, weak-willed and easily led. This person probably relies to heavily upon you to make decisions for them.

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 Daily Influences
April 20, 2016

Ace of Pentacles
Prosperity, pleasure and beauty can be realized.

Berkano
Berkano is the Rune of birth and rebirth. This may symbolize a time when you are capable of great personal growth. Love may be in the air as well.

Scorpio the Scorpion
This aspect of your life will be strongly influenced by a person who is determined, forceful, emotional, intuitive, powerful, passionate, exciting and magnetic. This person is probably an acquaintance you made at work.

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 Daily Animal Spirit

April 21st, 2016

Mockingbird

Mockingbirds are master imitators, and can mimic the calls of many other birds. They’re also fearless protectors of their nest, and will attack any bird (no matter how large) to protect their young. Mockingbird’s lesson for you today is twofold: to listen to how you might be mimicking others—instead of listening to your own true voice; and to examine the value of what you defend. Hmmm?

Your Animal Spirit for Today
April 20, 2016 

Frog

Frog Rivet! Something in your life needs cleansing, and frog is here to help. Frog is traditionally associated with rain—that powerful force of Nature that can flood, nurture, heal, or drown. If Frog appears in your reading, you’re being asked to examine what is stagnating in your life—then ask Frog to help you let it go. Need to cry? Jump in the shower and let Frog Medicine do its work.

Your Ancient Symbol Card for the Day

The Owl

The powerful Owl easily makes its way through the darkest night on muted wings. Often it is only their haunting call echoing across the land that lets us know The Owl is near. Because of its amazing night vision, many cultures have attributed wisdom and the ability to uncover even the deepest secrets to the enigmatic, noble Owl. The Owl’s nocturnal prowess has lead many to see them as a messenger between the material and spirit worlds. Cultures as distinct as the African Zulus and ancient Celtics have ascribed magical powers to The Owl made them a revered companion to shaman and wizards.

Your Ancient Symbol Card for Today

The Phoenix

The mythical, endearing Phoenix has long been a symbol of rebirth, renewal, and coming full circle. Tired in both body and spirit the aged Phoenix combust into flames and from its ashes is reborn. The Phoenix does not indicate change so much as it does renewal and revitalization. It denotes the completion of a cycle and beginning anew.

As a daily card, The Phoenix suggest you are at a place where some aspects of your life have reached the end of a cycle. Your energies may be weakened from use and stretched over too many arenas to be as effective as they once were. As a result, now may be a good time for you to take a step back and allow yourself time to revitalize both your physical and spiritual self.

Daily Witches Rune

The Wave

Meaning: This rune symbolizes your friends and family and their influence upon you. Its meaning is usually derived from the other stones closest to it. This rune is also associated with travel. A journey abroad is indicated especially if the Sun rune is nearby, but a journey for someone close to you if the Moon stone is closest. If it is near to the Rings it foretells a holiday or long distance relationship.

Today’s Witches Rune

Woman

Meaning: The first meaning of this rune is quite obvious: it represents women. Any woman that is important in the question, whether you know her or not, will be represented by this rune. Mother, sister, aunt, grandma, a female boss, friend, lover or even enemy… all can be symbolized by the appearance of this rune.

In a more general sense, this rune is related to traditional female abilities and characteristics, such as giving birth, nurturing, comforting and healing. When this rune appears, you can count on the sympathy of others towards you or your situation. In its most negative aspects, the Woman rune can show over-protectiveness, a patronizing attitude or co-dependency. It often strives to maintain the status quo, refusing to change even if the situation is bad.

The Woman rune is connected to nurturing – nurturing a relationship, a person or a project. Like the Moon rune, it can be related to finding a safe place to rest and heal, but while the Moon implies a solitary retreat, the Woman often shows that you need to go back to the people you trust, the people you feel safe with.

Healing is another strong aspect of this symbol, as well as teaching. You can be both the patient/student or the healer/teacher when this rune appears. This rune is also connected to creativity, but in a way that is different from the Romance rune. While the latter is about the conception of a project – the initial stages of creation – the Woman is about the birth of this project. When your creation is brought out into the world, fully manifested.

In relationship readings, this rune isn’t bad, but rather weak. While it can indicate subtle ties between people, these are usually so, so subtle that the partners can easily drift away from each other. It can show that one of the partners sees the other as someone who needs to be protected and healed, rather than an equal. Usually, the romance is a bit stagnated when this rune appears, or very close to becoming a friendship.

Source:

Your Spiritual Journey Australia

Your Rune For Today
Fehu

Fehu is the Rune of prosperity, good luck and unbridled creative energies. Being associated with Frey, this Rune is also a powerful omen of fertility. Fehu is one of the three Mother Stones and should never be taken lightly.

Additional information about the Rune, Fehu

FEHU – The Rune of Wealth and Fulfilment

Alternative Names
Anglo-Friesian/Germanic: Fehu
Norse (Viking): Fe
Old English: Feoh

Other Names/Spellings: Faihu, Fé, Feh, Feo

English Letter Equivalent
F as in fat

Translation
Money, Cattle, Wealth

Meaning
Reward, Wealth, Nourishment

Characteristics
Realized ambition. Good health. Wealth. Love fulfilled. Good fortune. But remember – be charitable and show compassion.

Fehu means cattle, a measure of wealth to the ancients. Today Fehu means movable wealth, such as money and possessions. It also implies the energy and hard work that leads to wealth. Fehu can mean emotional and spiritual riches, as well as money.

Pronunciation: Fay-who

Personal Interpretation
Fehu is Frey’s rune, and he is the god of fertility, itself a form of wealth. It is a rune of unselfish abundance. Let it shine forth to lighten your path and the paths of others. You will never run out of your spiritual richness, but don’t waste it on those who will abuse it. Discernment is important.

Reverse
Failed ambition. Health problems. Poverty. Love unrequited. Bad luck.

Converse
Hidden reward. Undiscovered wealth. Nourishment withheld

Runic Number: 1

Color: Light Red

Element: Fire and Earth

Polarity: Female

Associated gods: Frey, Freyja

Astrological Correspondence: Aries

Source:
Oswald the Runemaker

Your Rune for Today

April 20, 2016

Mannaz

Additional information about today’s rune, Mannaz….

mannaz : man, humankind

Phonetic equivalent: m

DIVINATORY MEANINGS:

significator, self, family, community, relationships, social concerns

MAGICAL USES:

to represent a specific person or group of people; to establish social relationships

ASSOCIATED MYTHS & DEITIES:

Ask and Embla, Midgard

ANALYSIS:

In its broadest sense, mannaz represents all of humanity, and therefore the entire realm of Midgard. In more practical terms, though, it is those with whom we have personal connections, from our immediate circle of family and friends to the wider community around us, reminding us of our nature as social animals. It also represents our connection with the Gods and with nature, through the two Norse myths of the creation of humans; the first where they sprang from Ymir’s body, and the second in which they were created from two logs by a river. It takes the raw energy of ehwaz and controls it through our social conscience, reminding us of those we affect with our deeds both magical and mundane.

 

The rune itself resembles gebo with its joining of masculine and feminine elements, but is much more complete. It is the entire web of human relationships, with the self at the centre, which mirrors the web of fate explored through rai̡o. But while that web was more or less fixed, this one is mutable and alive. Past and present, male and female, self and other Рall opposites are joined here and made whole. Mannaz is our home, and speaks for all those whose lives we touch when we use the gifts we have been given through the runes