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.

2018 April 2

Moons, Rings, Shadows, Clouds: Saturn (Cassini) 
Image Credit: NASA, JPL-Caltech, Space Science Institute

Explanation: While cruising around Saturn, be on the lookout for picturesque juxtapositions of moons, rings, and shadows. One quite picturesque arrangement occurred in 2005 and was captured by the then Saturn-orbiting Cassini spacecraft. In the featured image, moons Tethys and Mimas are visible on either side of Saturn’s thin rings, which are seen nearly edge-on. Across the top of Saturn are dark shadows of the wide rings, exhibiting their impressive complexity. The violet-light image brings up the texture of the backdrop: Saturn’s clouds. Cassini orbited Saturn from 2004 until September of last year, when the robotic spacecraft was directed to dive into Saturn to keep it from contaminating any moons.

Moon and Jupiter April 2 and 3

Tonight and tomorrow night – April 2 and 3, 2018 – watch for two very bright objects near each other late at night and before dawn breaks. They are the waning gibbous moon and king planet Jupiter. Two other planets – Mars and Saturn – are also nearby.

On April 2 and 3, as seen from the northern part of Earth’s globe, the moon and Jupiter climb above your southeast horizon in late evening. From the southern part of the globe, the moon and Jupiter are up by mid-evening (around 9 p.m. local time). From the entire globe, after they rise, the moon and Jupiter are up for the remainder of the night.

Meanwhile, Mars and Saturn come up closer to the time of dawn. They’re not as bright as the moon and Jupiter, but they’ll be nearby. Their conjunction is the morning of April 2, when they’re separated by only about 1.3 degrees, about the width of your finger held at arm’s length. Every morning this week, Mars and Saturn will be close enough to fit into a single binocular field of view. By the morning of April 7, the moon will join up with Mars and Saturn. As seen from North America, the moon, Mars and Saturn should fit – or nearly fit – into a single binocular field of view.

By the way, Jupiter is not the sky’s brightest planet. That honor belongs to Venus, which shines much more brilliantly than Jupiter ever does. In early April 2018, Venus is low in your western sky just after sunset and soon follows the sun beneath the western horizon.

Day by day throughout April, Venus will set later after sunset, while – day by day – Jupiter will rise earlier.

By mid-April, Venus will be setting as Jupiter is rising (given a level horizon). Toward the month’s end, look for Venus and Jupiter to appear opposite one another for a brief while at dusk or nightfall.

The Wisdom of Buddha

You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection.

Your Daily Charm

Today’s Meaning:
This aspect of your life will be strongly influenced by a person who is emotional, loving, intuitive, imaginative, shrewd, cautious, protective and sympathetic. This could be an elder you look up too.

General Description:
Fourth sign of the Zodiac, June 22nd to July 23rd. Ruled by the Moon; correct metal, Silver. Those born under Cancer’s influence were supposed to be keen observers, imaginative, strong willed, reliant, tenacious, impressionable, brilliant, reserved, exacting, and sometimes over anxious. The Cancer stones are the emerald, agate, and chalcedony. The emerald was most highly esteemed in ancient times, was believed to possess great healing powers, and to be beneficial to the eyes. Emerald talismans were worn to invoke eloquence, courage, protection from sickness, and by seamen to guard them from perils at sea. Emeralds were supposed to turn pale at the approach of danger.

Psychic Tip of the Day

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If You Were Born Today, April 2

Security and stability are exceptionally important to you, but that doesn’t mean you don’t take any risks–they are simply calculated ones. You are highly intuitive and positive and can articulate yourself well. Often, partnerships bring the most success into your life. However, you often take on more responsibility than others. You are never pretentious, answering to your own inner voice and inspiration. Famous people born today: Hans Christian Anderson, Marvin Gaye, Emmylou Harris, Michael Fassbender.

Your Birthday Year Forecast:

Your birthday falls shortly after a Full Moon this year, suggesting a period ahead of communication and teaching. You may be turned to for advice more frequently, and you are very willing to offer your help. This is a strong year for publicity and any other endeavors that involve spreading the word. As well, your ability to be objective–or to see the “big picture”–can be especially pronounced and rewarding this year.

Connecting with like-minded people is likely but also with people who have new perspectives to share during the period ahead. It’s a particularly powerful year for friendships that are often sudden or exciting, social affairs, and artistic work. Whirlwind changes in your love life and/or financial state are possible. It may be that you experience sudden changes or breakups with a friend or lover. However, the chance of a sudden new friendship is just as likely. At the root of this is a stronger taste for the unusual. What is familiar is less exciting to you than what is new and different. If a relationship seems to threaten your sense of freedom, you may have an easy time separating from it. Some fireworks in both your social and financial lives are expected.

Saturn transits square to your Sun in January, and this can encourage you to straighten out neglected areas of your life, however. You’ll be working hard at disciplining yourself. You are likely to have new or increased responsibilities, and it might take some time to get adjusted to them. The need to re-structure and re-organize your life will be apparent at some point during this period. Much can be accomplished. Although you may not always see immediate results for your efforts, important groundwork can be laid for the future.

The year ahead can be an ambitious time and a supportive period for reaching your goals. You might solve a long-standing problem, or capitalize upon a resource that was previously hidden.

This is an excellent year in which to advance projects revolving around communications – writing, speaking, selling, and so forth. Your reputation may be enhanced through word of mouth. Making new contacts through learning and mental pursuits figures strongly as well.

With Mars conjunct Saturn in your Solar Return chart, you are more determined and hard-working than usual. This is an excellent time to get organized and to stick with projects through to the end. When you face obstacles to your goals, which is a likely scenario this year, you are likely to just keep on pushing. Progress may be slow, but it’s steady and solid. What you accomplish now will benefit you for years to come. You may be called to task for a responsibility that you’ve avoided in the past.

Jupiter forms a trine to your Sun, and you have a stronger than usual desire to improve, grow, and learn. This is a fortunate aspect that helps boost optimism and confidence, and you are able to attract fortunate circumstances into your life as a result. Problems are easier to resolve. Matters related to universities, higher education, religion, publishing, legal affairs, and/or foreign interests can be especially strong. It’s an excellent time to further your education. You are likely to enjoy a larger perspective on matters that keeps you from getting lost in details or overly frustrated by everyday stresses during the course of the month.

Relationships are in strong focus this year, and you could find yourself in big demand. This is a year for solving problems and getting your life in order in significant ways. You receive plenty of cosmic support for making big improvements or lifestyle changes, although hard work is necessary. This can be a wonderful time for meeting new people or more thoroughly enjoying your current friendships.

2018 is a Number Eight year for you. Ruled by Saturn. This is a year of power and accomplishment. Actively seeking to expand, taking educated risks, and moving forward are highlighted. This is a year of opportunity, particularly in the material and business world, and opportunities need to be seized. It’s generally not a year to find a new love partner, simply because the focus is on the material world and your place in the world. This is a problem-solving year in which you can expect real, tangible results. Advice – take action, plan ahead, seize opportunities.

2019 will be a Number Nine year for you. Ruled by Mars. This is a year of completion and transition. It is a time when we need to let go of things that no longer serve their purpose, and hold on to things that have a future. It is a time of cleaning out dead wood, not necessarily for new beginnings. It can be a time when a burden has been taken off your shoulders, and it can be a year of giving of yourself. Advice – let go of things that are holding you back, give of yourself and express your sympathetic, compassionate side.

Cafe Astrology