Let’s Have Some Fun – Lammas

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 January 29

The Fornax Cluster of Galaxies

Image Credit & Copyright: Marco Lorenzi, Angus Lau, Tommy Tse

Explanation: Named for the southern constellation toward which most of its galaxies can be found, the Fornax Cluster is one of the closest clusters of galaxies. About 62 million light-years away, it is almost 20 times more distant than our neighboring Andromeda Galaxy, and only about 10 percent farther than the better known and more populated Virgo Galaxy Cluster. Seen across this two degree wide field-of-view, almost every yellowish splotch on the image is an elliptical galaxy in the Fornax cluster. Elliptical galaxies NGC 1399 and NGC 1404 are the dominant, bright cluster members toward the upper left (but not the spiky foreground stars). A standout barred spiral galaxy NGC 1365 is visible on the lower right as a prominent Fornax cluster member.

A Thought for Today

Merry Meet and Merry Greet dear Sisters, Brothers, and Guests.

Merry Part and blessed be until we Merry Meet again

Let’s Have Some Fun – Imbolc

January 28, 2022 Daily Correspondence Digest for the Northern Hemisphere’s Moon Phase and Planetary Positions

You can use this link to go forward or backward in time for Moon phase information. If you are curious, you can even find out what phase the Moon was in when you or anyone else, you know was on the date the person was born.

From Moongiant.com

The Moon’s current phase for today and tonight is a Waning Crescent phase. In this phase the Moon’s illumination is growing smaller each day until the New Moon. During this part of the Moon cycle, the Moon is getting closer to the Sun as viewed from Earth and the night side of the Moon is facing the Earth with only a small edge of the Moon being illuminated. This phase is best viewed an hour or 2 before the sunrise and can be quite beautiful if you’re willing to get up early. It can also be a great time to see the features of the Moon’s surface. Along the edge where the illuminated portion meets the dark side, the craters and mountains cast long shadows making them easier to observe with a telescope or binoculars.

Visit the January 2022 Moon Phases Calendar to see all the daily moon phase for this month.

Today’s Waning Crescent Phase

The Waning Crescent on January 28 has an illumination of 19%. This is the percentage of the Moon illuminated by the Sun. The illumination is constantly changing and can vary up to 10% a day. On January 28 the Moon is 25.32 days old. This refers to how many days it has been since the last New Moon. It takes 29.53 days for the Moon to orbit the Earth and go through the lunar cycle of all 8 Moon phases.

The 8 Lunar Phases

There are 8 lunar phases the Moon goes through in its 29.53 days lunar cycle. The 4 major Moon phases are Full Moon, New Moon, First Quarter and Last Quarter. Between these major phases, there are 4 minor ones: the Waxing Crescent, Waxing Gibbous, Waning Gibbous and Waning Crescent. For more info on the Moon Cycle and on each phase check out Wikipedia Lunar Phase page.

Phase Details

Phase: Waning Crescent
Illumination: 19%
Moon Age: 25.32 days
Moon Angle: 0.55
Moon Distance: 363,341.03 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,342,218.34 km

Useful Moon Resources

Check the weather before a night of Moon gazing at weather.com

For a list of all the current meteor showers visit American Meteor Society

If you need to calculate the planetary positions for a specific use and time, click on this link

Currentplanetarypositions.com

To figure out GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) to your local time use this link

For Your Local Time and Date

Northwestern Hemisphere

The time for this Custom Planetary Positions is from the local time in Los Angeles, California, USA

January 28, 2022
12:00 am GMT 4:00 PM PST
Zodiac: Tropical (Standard Western)

Sun:08 Aquarius 01
Moon:09 Sagittarius 50
Mercury:27 Capricorn 57 Rx
Venus:11 Capricorn 07 Rx
Mars:02 Capricorn 31
Jupiter:06 Pisces 18
Saturn:15 Aquarius 00
Uranus:10 Taurus 51
Neptune:21 Pisces 19
Pluto:26 Capricorn 49
True Lunar Node:29 Taurus 12 Rx
Mean Lunar Node:28 Taurus 06 Rx
Lilith (Black Moon):21 Gemini 27
Chiron:09 Aries 08
Ceres:28 Taurus 32
Pallas:24 Pisces 12
Juno:28 Capricorn 01
Vesta:08 Capricorn 53
Eris:23 Aries 43

Fire:3
Earth:10
Air:3
Water:3

Cardinal:8
Fixed:6
Mutable:5

Northern Hemisphere

The time for this Custom Planetary Positions is from the local time in Chicago, Illinois, USA

January 28, 2022
10:00 pm GMT 4:00 PM CST
Zodiac: Tropical (Standard Western)

Sun:08 Aquarius 57
Moon:23 Sagittarius 10
Mercury:27 Capricorn 05 Rx
Venus:11 Capricorn 05 Rx
Mars:03 Capricorn 11
Jupiter:06 Pisces 30
Saturn:15 Aquarius 07
Uranus:10 Taurus 52
Neptune:21 Pisces 20
Pluto:26 Capricorn 51
True Lunar Node:29 Taurus 10 Rx
Mean Lunar Node:28 Taurus 03 Rx
Lilith (Black Moon):21 Gemini 33
Chiron:09 Aries 09
Ceres:28 Taurus 37
Pallas:24 Pisces 29
Juno:28 Capricorn 23
Vesta:09 Capricorn 22
Eris:23 Aries 43

Fire:3

Earth:10
Air:3
Water:3

Cardinal:8
Fixed:6
Mutable:5

Northeastern Hemisphere

The time for this Custom Planetary Positions is from the local time in Frankfurt, Germany, Europe

28 January 2022
03:00 pm GMT 4:00 PM CEST
Zodiac: Tropical (Standard Western)

Sun:08 Aquarius 40
Moon:18 Sagittarius 54
Mercury:27 Capricorn 21 Rx
Venus:11 Capricorn 05 Rx
Mars:02 Capricorn 58
Jupiter:06 Pisces 26
Saturn:15 Aquarius 05
Uranus:10 Taurus 52
Neptune:21 Pisces 20
Pluto:26 Capricorn 50
True Lunar Node:29 Taurus 11 Rx
Mean Lunar Node:28 Taurus 04 Rx
Lilith (Black Moon):21 Gemini 32
Chiron:09 Aries 09
Ceres:28 Taurus 35
Pallas:24 Pisces 24
Juno:28 Capricorn 16
Vesta:09 Capricorn 12
Eris:23 Aries 43

Fire:3
Earth:10
Air:3
Water:3

Cardinal:8
Fixed:6
Mutable:5

I Apologize to My Readers in the Southern Hemisphere

Greetings Sisters, Brothers, and Honored Guests,

I am very sorry that the ‘ Daily Correspondence Digest for the Southern Hemisphere’s Moon Phase and Planetary Positions ‘ has been missing for some days in January. As you might have read in other posts, I have been having a lot of fibromyalgia problems along with arthritis ones this winter. Our winter where I live in the Midwestern United States has been going from below 0F up to in the 40’s F which is causing me multiple fibromyalgia flares. During fibromyalgia flares I get what is referred to as brain fog and since I have had problems with short term memory from the age of 2 years old after a major car accident, I was in. I think I have done all the major posts for both hemispheres only to come back the next day and find I have once again forgot to do the major post for your hemisphere. From today forward I am making myself a check list to make sure I do not forget to do the ‘ Daily Correspondence Digest for the Southern Hemisphere’s Moon Phase and Planetary Positions ‘. I will also make sure I do not forget to do Southern Hemisphere Sabbat posts at the appropriate time.

May you all be blessed with a beautiful spring and a summer that is not too hot and that both seasons bring you adequate amounts of rain.

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 January 27

South of Orion

Image Credit & Copyright: Vikas Chander

Explanation: South of the large star-forming region known as the Orion Nebula, lies bright blue reflection nebula NGC 1999. At the edge of the Orion molecular cloud complex some 1,500 light-years distant, NGC 1999’s illumination is provided by the embedded variable star V380 Orionis. The nebula is marked with a dark sideways T-shape at center right in this telescopic vista that spans about two full moons on the sky. Its dark shape was once assumed to be an obscuring dust cloud seen in silhouette. But infrared data suggest the shape is likely a hole blown through the nebula itself by energetic young stars. In fact, this region abounds with energetic young stars producing jets and outflows with luminous shock waves. Cataloged as Herbig-Haro (HH) objects, named for astronomers George Herbig and Guillermo Haro, the shocks have intense reddish hues. HH1 and HH2 are just below and right of NGC 1999. HH222, also known as the Waterfall nebula, looks like a red gash near top right in the frame. To create the shocks stellar jets push through the surrounding material at speeds of hundreds of kilometers per second.

A Thought for Today

I am not feeling any better than yesterday as it is still below 0F here and in the double digit below 0F with the wind chill factor. But I do not want to take off another day and you miss out on the daily posts I try to do every day. So even though all the extras’ posts are missing at least you are getting the regular everyday posts. It will probably be the same for the rest of this week. I hope you will bear with me while I am in this fibromyalgia super flare and the pain from arthritis and stick around until I can bring you extra posts about a wide range of pagan and some other topics.

Life in The Craft mini magazine will still be going out on January 30th, so you have the stuff it covers for Imbolc which falls on February 1st.

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 January 26

Stars, Dust, and Gas Near Antares

Image Credit & Copyright: Mario Cogo (Galax Lux)

Explanation: Why is the sky near Antares and Rho Ophiuchi so dusty yet colorful? The colors result from a mixture of objects and processes. Fine dust — illuminated from the front by starlight — produces blue reflection nebulae. Gaseous clouds whose atoms are excited by ultraviolet starlight produce reddish emission nebulae. Backlit dust clouds block starlight and so appear dark. Antares, a red supergiant and one of the brighter stars in the night sky, lights up the yellow-red clouds on the lower right of the featured image. The Rho Ophiuchi star system lies at the center of the blue reflection nebula on the top left. The distant globular cluster of stars M4 is visible above and to the right of Antares. These star clouds are even more colorful than humans can see, emitting light across the electromagnetic spectrum.

I Am Taking Today Off

I know I missed some posts last week because of the fall I took on the ice landing on my right shoulder. It is feeling better thank you for helping me to heal.

Today it’s -10F and feel totally rotten Because of fibromyalgia flare combined with a couple of other things. When I type my fingers feel like bolts of electricity are being pumped into them. I can’t even hold a pen iCal to use the eraser to touch the keys with.

Stay warm and stay inside if you live where this bitter cold is.

I hope to be back tomorrow if the fibro flare calms down. Sorry for any inconvenience this might have caused you.

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 January 25

Video: Comet Leonard over One Hour

Video Credit & Copyright: Matipon Tangmatitham (NARIT); Text: Matipon TangmatithamExplanation: Which direction is this comet heading? Judging by the tail, one might imagine that Comet Leonard is traveling towards the bottom right, but a full 3D analysis shows it traveling almost directly away from the camera. With this perspective, the dust tail is trailed towards the camera and can only be seen as a short yellow-white glow near the head of the comet. The bluish ion tail, however, is made up of escaping ions that are forced directly away from the Sun by the solar wind — but channeled along the Sun’s magnetic field lines. The Sun’s magnetic field is quite complex, however, and occasionally solar magnetic reconnection will break the ion tail into knots that are pushed away from the Sun. One such knot is visible in the featured one-hour time-lapse video captured in late December from Thailand. Comet Leonard is now fading as it heads out of our Solar System.

Gallery: Notable images submitted to APOD of Comet Leonard in 2021

How To Open Your 7 Chakras?

This contains a video as well as reading material on how to open your seven chakras.

Click here for more information from sunsigns.org on How To Open Your Chakras?

Lady Beltane can open your chakras either through a full-length photograph of you or through a Skype video call, especially if they have never been done or are blocked. She does charge for cleaning them out, fills them with positive energy, get them connect to each other and will check back in a week to see if a minor tune up may be needed. Prices for this service can be found on the ‘Lady Beltane’s Readings and Abilities’ (page coming soon). Until the page is up you can contact Lady Beltane at ladybeltane@aol.com for more information. Please put the word “CHAKRAS” in the subject line. Thank you!

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 January 24

Rigel and the Witch Head Nebula

Image Credit & Copyright: José Mtanous

Explanation: By starlight this eerie visage shines in the dark, a crooked profile evoking its popular name, the Witch Head Nebula. In fact, this entrancing telescopic portrait gives the impression that the witch has fixed her gaze on Orion’s bright supergiant star Rigel. More formally known as IC 2118, the Witch Head Nebula spans about 50 light-years and is composed of interstellar dust grains reflecting Rigel’s starlight. The blue color of the Witch Head Nebula and of the dust surrounding Rigel is caused not only by Rigel‘s intense blue starlight but because the dust grains scatter blue light more efficiently than red. The same physical process causes Earth’s daytime sky to appear blue, although the scatterers in Earth’s atmosphere are molecules of nitrogen and oxygen. Rigel, the Witch Head Nebula, and gas and dust that surrounds them lie about 800 light-years away.

Weekly Horoscope Sunday, January 23 to Saturday, January 29, 2022

Click here for Georgia Nicols’ Daily HoroscopesHoroscopes

All Signs

This week we’ll put our noses to the proverbial grind stone because suddenly, we want to be productive. We want to stop needless effort and activities that drain our energy. Enough! We will cut back, pare down and focus on what is necessary. It’s time to review goals and take steps to move forward to what we really want to achieve. (Hey, this isn’t a pep talk. These are the astrological influences coming down the pipe for everyone.) By the weekend, we will reward themselves. Yay! After all, you can’t afford to waste too much time making money. Don’t wait to be happy in the future. Be happy now.

Aries (March 21-April 19)

This is a goal-oriented week because there are four planets at the top of your chart pumping your ambition! Please know that some of your best opportunities will actually be connected with the past. If you’re looking for a job, or you want to explore your options, go back to places you have done business with before, or worked at before, or where you might have applied before. This is because two planets at the top of your chart are retrograde right now – Mercury and Venus. This also means good things are waiting for you that are connected with your past. Meanwhile, this is a popular week and people will be supportive. You can’t lose!

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

Right now, you look fabulous in the eyes of authority figures. You don’t even have to do anything special. (Chalk it up to good lighting.) It’s important to know this because it means you can ask for something and people will be receptive to you. They admire you and will be more likely to go along with your request. (This happens only once a year so use it while you have it!) Meanwhile, four planets make you want to travel, learn and do something to expand your world. You might face restrictions that we all have right now; but you can still do something to shake things up and create variety in your life.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

You want to explore new ideas, learn new things and expand your world through travel. These are all things you love to do because you’re always curious and you hate to be bored. Naturally, with the restrictions that we have right now, you might not be able to do all of these things but you can always learn. You can always go someplace you’ve never been before. You can explore your world. Meanwhile, this week is passionate and intense! Physical intimacy will be memorable. In your mundane, practical world – you will easily finish up old business that has been lingering, especially related to shared property, taxes, debt and inheritances. Just do it.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

This is an interesting week because four planets are sitting opposite your sign – Mercury retrograde, Venus retrograde, fiery Mars and Pluto. Obviously, your focus will be on partners, spouses and close friends. Furthermore, your focus might also be on ex-partners and old friends who are back in your world. This might be a good thing – or not. (When people from our past are “back in our world”, sometimes it’s not literally; sometimes they are in our thoughts or our dreams. But they’re back!) This can be an opportunity for you to work out old details, establish closure or learn something, especially about yourself.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)

This week the Sun continues to be as far away from you as it can get all year (in your chart), which means your energy level is low. You need more sleep. The irony is that four other planets are urging you to bust your buns and work hard! And you will do this. This will mean you need more sleep! Yes, it’s a vicious cycle. Two retrograde planets will help you finish old business and wrap up old stuff so that you feel caught up and ready for whatever’s coming next. Actually, this is a lovely opportunity for you. Later, you will be gratified and proud of everything you’re able to do. Relations with coworkers will be cozy and supportive. Everything will help you to be productive.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

This is an interesting week because like everyone else, you’re keen to work hard and be productive. However, in addition to this influence, you also have four planets urging you to play and have fun! This means you’re ready to work hard and party hard! Enjoy social outings wherever possible. Enjoy sports events and playful activities with kids. You will also enjoy any chance to express your creative talents because you want the joy of creating new things. Admittedly, old flames might be back in the picture. This can be exciting and thrilling or scary. It can also trigger problems with a current partner. Just go with the flow and be honest and forthright.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

This is a strong time for you because the Sun is now in an Air Sign and you are an Air Sign, so there is a lovely support in terms of energy and opportunity for you. This is why you feel free to do your own thing and be exactly who you are. This makes you joyful! Because of this, you will enjoy social outings, sports and fun activities with kids, as well as chances to express your creative talents. Nevertheless, you are also dealing with a wild and crazy situation at home. Past issues are back on the table. Relatives you haven’t seen for a while might be sleeping on your sofa. Despite this increased activity and chaos, you want to make home improvements and redecorate. (Put those sofa surfers to work.)

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

The bottom line for you lately is that you want to cocoon at home and relax among familiar surroundings. You feel you have to pull your act together, and you want to do this privately. (Some of you might be more involved than usual with a parent.) However, despite your desire to withdraw to your own sanctuary, four planets are urging you to get out there and hustle! This is why appointments, errands, short trips plus conversations with family members, siblings and neighbours will keep you busy! (Everyone loves you.) Make sure you make time for yourself because you count. If you don’t take care of your own needs – you’ll be no use to anyone. (But you know this.)

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

This is a fast-paced time! Short trips, errands, appointments, discussions with relatives and neighbours, plus increased reading, writing and studying make busy demands on your days. You’re keen to talk to others because you want to enlighten someone about your ideas. (You’ve got that philosopher streak.) Nevertheless, this week, four planets are sitting in your Money House. And two of these planets are retrograde, which means money will be delayed. Cheques in the mail will be late. On the upside, you will wrap up financial business that has been dragging on forever. You will work hard to boost your earnings but you’ll also spend money. (Especially on beautiful things for yourself and loved ones.) Ka-ching!

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

This week fiery Mars moves into your sign to stay for the next six weeks. Yay! This will boost your energy and give you lots of drive! It will help you get stuff done. But it can make you come on too strong with others. Meanwhile, Mercury retrograde has slipped back into your sign to join Pluto and Venus, which is also retrograde. This could trigger moments of Dijon vu, where the smell of mustard reminds you of cold rinks and hockey games. “He scores!” Don’t hesitate to buy nice clothes for yourself. A new look will boost your confidence and work well with the sassy energy that Mars is giving you. Go do that voodoo that you do so well!

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

This continues to be your special time because the Sun is still in your sign until Feb. 17. Yeehaw! You are blessed! The Sun boosts your confidence and gives you energy, focus and optimism. Ironically while this wonderful, positive influence exists, meanwhile, four planets are literally “hiding” in your chart. This is a real Jekyll and Hyde influence. The upside is it will help you do research. It will also promote secret love affairs. And you will find it easier to be self-scrutinizing and contemplative. The downside is that it’s possible that someone is working against your best interests. Trust your intuition on this. If you suspect that something fishy is going on – it is!

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)

You’re very active with others right now because people from your past, friends from your past, as well as professional contacts you might have known through groups, clubs and organizations are suddenly back in your world. This is why you are involved with younger people and artistic people. You also might be in competition with someone. Some of you will be more involved with competitive physical sports – there are many ways this energy is expressing itself for your sign. The bottom line is that you can learn a lot through your contact with these people from your present and your past. Meanwhile, in the bigger picture, use some of this quiet time to think what you want for your new year ahead.

January 23, 2022 Daily Correspondence Digest for the Northern Hemisphere’s Moon Phase and Planetary Positions

You can use this link to go forward or backward in time for Moon phase information. If you are curious you can even find out what phase the Moon was in when you or anyone else, you know was on the date the person was born.