Category: Daily Posts
May 29 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.
2022 May 29
Video about Simulation TNG50: A Galaxy Cluster Forms
Simulation TNG50: A Galaxy Cluster Forms
Video Credit: IllustrisTNG Project; Visualization: Dylan Nelson (Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics) et al.
Music: Symphony No. 5 (Ludwig van Beethoven), via YouTube Audio Library
Explanation: How do clusters of galaxies form? Since our universe moves too slowly to watch, faster-moving computer simulations are created to help find out. A recent effort is TNG50 from IllustrisTNG, an upgrade of the famous Illustris Simulation. The first part of the featured video tracks cosmic gas (mostly hydrogen) as it evolves into galaxies and galaxy clusters from the early universe to today, with brighter colors marking faster moving gas. As the universe matures, gas falls into gravitational wells, galaxies forms, galaxies spin, galaxies collide and merge, all while black holes form in galaxy centers and expel surrounding gas at high speeds. The second half of the video switches to tracking stars, showing a galaxy cluster coming together complete with tidal tails and stellar streams. The outflow from black holes in TNG50 is surprisingly complex and details are being compared with our real universe. Studying how gas coalesced in the early universe helps humanity better understand how our Earth, Sun, and Solar System originally formed.
A Laugh for Today
Which day of the week is your second day off to me that is your Sunday. Enjoy it by doing something you like to do! I plan on working outside on my yard/garden.
May 28 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.
2022 May 28
RCW 86: Historical Supernova Remnant
Image Credit & Copyright: Martin Pugh
Explanation: In 185 AD, Chinese astronomers recorded the appearance of a new star in the Nanmen asterism. That part of the sky is identified with Alpha and Beta Centauri on modern star charts. The new star was visible for months and is thought to be the earliest recorded supernova. This deep image shows emission nebula RCW 86, understood to be the remnant of that stellar explosion. The narrowband data trace gas ionized by the still expanding shock wave. Space-based images indicate an abundance of the element iron and lack of a neutron star or pulsar in the remnant, suggesting that the original supernova was Type Ia. Unlike the core collapse supernova explosion of a massive star, a Type Ia supernova is a thermonuclear detonation on a a white dwarf star that accretes material from a companion in a binary star system. Near the plane of our Milky Way galaxy and larger than a full moon on the sky this supernova remnant is too faint to be seen by eye though. RCW 86 is some 8,000 light-years distant and around 100 light-years across.
A Thought for Today
Try to find some time to meditate this weekend as it will make the coming week better.
Until we meet again dear sisters, brothers, and honored guests may you blessed be.
Some of the Witchcraft/Magickal Correspondence Digest for Friday
Magickal Intentions: Love, Romance, Marriage, Sexual Matters, Physical Beauty, Friendship and Partnerships, Strangers and Heart
Incense: Strawberry, Sandalwood, Rose, Saffron and Vanilla
Planet: Venus
Sign: Libra and Taurus
Angel: Ariel
Colors: Green, Pink, Aqua
Herbs/Plants: Pink Rose, Ivy, Birch, Heather, Clematis, Sage, Violet and Water Lilly Stones: Rose Quartz, Moonstone, Pink Tourmaline, Peridot, Emerald and Jade
Oil: (Venus) Cardamom, Palmrosa, Rose, Yarrow
Friday belongs to Venus, and its energies are warm, sensuous, and fulfilling. Efforts that involve any type of pleasure, comfort, and luxury, as well as the arts, music, or aroma (incense and perfume) works well on this day. As Venus lends its sensuous influences to the energies of this day, use it for any magical work that deals with matters of the heart.
May 27 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.
2022 May 27
Titan: Moon over Saturn
Image Credit: NASA, JPL-Caltech, Space Science Institute
Explanation: Like Earth’s moon, Saturn’s largest moon Titan is locked in synchronous rotation. This mosaic of images recorded by the Cassini spacecraft in May of 2012 shows its anti-Saturn side, the side always facing away from the ringed gas giant. The only moon in the solar system with a dense atmosphere, Titan is the only solar system world besides Earth known to have standing bodies of liquid on its surface and an earthlike cycle of liquid rain and evaporation. Its high altitude layer of atmospheric haze is evident in the Cassini view of the 5,000 kilometer diameter moon over Saturn’s rings and cloud tops. Near center is the dark dune-filled region known as Shangri-La. The Cassini-delivered Huygens probe rests below and left of center, after the most distant landing for a spacecraft from Earth.
A Laugh for Today
I am doing my happy dance. How about you?
Let’s Have Som e Fun – 10 Winter Crafts for Wiccans
With the cold weather bringing everyone indoors, and the upcoming Yule holiday, making crafts and gifts indoors is a cozy, soul-nourishing activity.
Here’s some ideas for creating with the heart and spirit in mind.
For fall project ideas, check out this article, 11 Fall Projects for the Crafty Witch.
For spring project ideas, take a look at 10 Spring Projects for Wiccans.
1. Quilting. We hear an awful lot about “focus” in the context of spell work. Sewing makes for a powerful way to draw your intentions into sharp concentration. Try hand sewing a quilted sachet using a steady chant with every stitch to bring the mind into a lovely, trance like state of calm.
2. Candle making. Nothing warms the heart and soul like burning fresh, homemade candles. Pick a purpose. Then toss in herbs, anchor the wick with a special gemstone, rub it with oil and/or carve whatever you want into them.
3. Create an incense blend. Every witch should learn the art of blending herbs into pleasing, aromatic scents. Winter makes the perfect season for experimenting with dried herbs (preferably from your own fall garden harvest!). Test your blend by tossing a handful into your burning fireplace to warm and bless the home.
4. Make your own rune set. With the natural light in retreat and the long nighttime hours, divination makes for a lovely indoor evening activity. Make your own rune set—-and be creative! Carve the runes into polymer clay, wood or paint small stones. Makes a charming gift for a like-minded friend.
5. Crock pot something. A crock pot makes a perfect cauldron in the winter months. Stew something kitchen-witch style or …
Click here to read the rest of this article
A Thought for Today
Until we meet again dear sisters, brothers, and honored guests may you blessed be.
May 26 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.
2022 May 26
NGC 4565: Galaxy on Edge
Image Credit & Copyright: Michael Sherick
Explanation: Magnificent spiral galaxy NGC 4565 is viewed edge-on from planet Earth. Also known as the Needle Galaxy for its narrow profile, bright NGC 4565 is a stop on many telescopic tours of the northern sky, in the faint but well-groomed constellation Coma Berenices. This sharp, colorful image reveals the galaxy’s boxy, bulging central core cut by obscuring dust lanes that lace NGC 4565’s thin galactic plane. NGC 4565 itself lies about 40 million light-years distant and spans some 100,000 light-years. Easily spotted with small telescopes, sky enthusiasts consider NGC 4565 to be a prominent celestial masterpiece Messier missed.
A Laugh for Today
Wishing you a terrific Thursday!
Time to go make some more decaf coffee. Look for the spell on how to give decaf drinks a boost to energize you without the shakes caffeine can cause.
A Thought for Today
If we do a spell or ritual that messes with a person free will we are doing black/dark magick. Remember if you do this it will come back at you three times worse as stated in the Threefold Law also know as The Law of Three. This is against what the Wicce Rede says, “Do as ye will, less it harms none.”
Until we meet again dear sisters, brothers, and honored guests may you blessed be.
May 25 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.
2022 May 25
The Lively Center of the Lagoon Nebula
Image Credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble; Processing & Copyright: Mehmet Hakan Özsaraç
Explanation: The center of the Lagoon Nebula is a whirlwind of spectacular star formation. Visible near the image center, at least two long funnel-shaped clouds, each roughly half a light-year long, have been formed by extreme stellar winds and intense energetic starlight. A tremendously bright nearby star, Herschel 36, lights the area. Vast walls of dust hide and redden other hot young stars. As energy from these stars pours into the cool dust and gas, large temperature differences in adjoining regions can be created generating shearing winds which may cause the funnels. This picture, spanning about 10 light years, combines images taken in six colors by the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope. The Lagoon Nebula, also known as M8, lies about 5000 light years distant toward the constellation of the Archer (Sagittarius).
Almost hyperspace: Random APOD Generator
Norse Mythology
Norse mythology, the stories of gods and heroes from in and around the Viking Age (c. 790 – c. 1100 CE) in northern Europe, has provided us with some of the most famous figures in world mythology. Here, in this collection, we look at such colourful characters as the wise and one-eyed war god Odin who calls warriors to the halls of Valhalla, red-eyed Thor with his giant thunder-making hammer, and Freyja, the fertility goddess who travels in a cat-drawn carriage. We also examine the literary sources of these stories, the cults of the various gods and consider the wider significance of these strange northern tales.
…archaeological evidence helps hint at personal devotion to specific gods people felt connected to, with accompanying customs and rituals being a standard part of everyday life.
Tips For Teachers & Educators
Mythology tends to be quite a popular topic among students as it appears quite a bit here and there in pop culture. It is usually easier to find ways to engage students than for some other subjects.
Here, the TV series Vikings will help you, as it is usually known (and liked!) by a fair amount of students.
A few things we want to point out, regarding this collection: …
Click here to read the rest of this article and for other information about Norse Mythology
A Thought for Today
Listen to your intuition as it can be your spirit guides or animals telling you something important.
Until we meet again dear sisters, brothers, and honored guests may you blessed be.
May 24 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.
2022 May 24
A Deep Sky Behind an Eclipsed Moon
Image Credit & Copyright: Andrei Ionut Dascalu
Explanation: The plan was to capture a picturesque part of the sky that was hosting an unusual guest. The result included a bonus — an additional and unexpected guest. The beautiful background features part of the central band of our Milky Way galaxy on the far left, and the colorful clouds of Rho Ophiuchi in the image center. The unusual guest, a dimmed and reddened Moon on the right, was expected because the image was taken during last week’s total lunar eclipse. The timing had to be right because the Moon — both before and after eclipse — would be so bright it would overwhelm the background. The unexpected guest was the bright meteor across the image center. The fleeting meteor streak was captured on only one of the 10 consecutively-captured deep-field images from La Palma in the Spanish Canary Islands, while the eclipsed Moon image was taken immediately afterwards with the same camera and from the same location. The next total lunar eclipse — also quite expected — will occur in early November.
Notable Submissions to APOD: Total Lunar Eclipse of 2022 May
A Laugh for Today
and this week just keeps moving closer to a day off.
A Thought for Today
Until we meet again dear sisters, brothers, and honored guests may you blessed be.
May 23 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.
2022 May 23
The Once and Future Stars of Andromeda
Image Credit: NASA, NSF, NOAJ, Hubble, Subaru, Mayall, DSS, Spitzer; Processing & Copyright: Robert Gendler & Russell Croman
Explanation: This picture of Andromeda shows not only where stars are now, but where stars will soon be. Of course, the big, beautiful Andromeda Galaxy, M31, is a spiral galaxy — and a mere 2.5 million light-years away. Both space-based and ground-based observatories have been here combined to produce this intriguing composite image of Andromeda, at wavelengths both inside and outside normally visible light. The visible light shows where M31’s stars are now — as highlighted in white and blue hues and imaged by the Hubble, Subaru, and Mayall telescopes. The infrared light shows where M31’s future stars will soon form — as highlighted in orange hues and imaged by NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope. The infrared light tracks enormous lanes of dust, warmed by stars, sweeping along Andromeda’s spiral arms. This dust is a tracer of the galaxy’s vast interstellar gas — the raw material for future star formation. These new stars will likely form over the next hundred million years, surely well before Andromeda merges with our Milky Way Galaxy in about 5 billion years.
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