The time for the Custom Planetary Positions is from the local time in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
The date in ( ) is because of us posting this from the Northern Hemisphere. So this post goes live at 8:00 AM AEDT on the date before the month. The date inside the ( ) is the date we have to use to get the timing right for you. That is also why the GMT time that shows at 9:00 PM.
Today the Moon will be in a Waxing Crescent Phase. A Waxing Crescent is the first Phase after the New Moon and is a great time to see the features of the moon’s surface. During this phase the Moon can be seen in the wester sky after the sun dips below the horizon at sunset. The moon is close to the sun in the sky and mostly dark except for the right edge of the moon which becomes brighter as the days get closer to the next phase which is a First Quarter with a 50% illumination.
The Waxing Crescent on May 12 has an illumination of 0%. 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 May 12 the Moon is 0.63 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.
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.
The time for the Custom Planetary Positions is from the local time in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
The date in ( ) is because of us posting this from the Northern Hemisphere. So this post goes live at 8:00 AM AEDT on the date before the month. The date inside the ( ) is the date we have to use to get the timing right for you. That is also why the GMT time that shows at 9:00 PM.
There’s very little moonlight and some great fainter targets in the sky from May 7 to 14.By Alison Klesman | Published: Friday, May 7, 2021RELATED TOPICS: OBSERVING
M106M106 is a spiral galaxy in the northern constellation Canes Venatici the Hunting Dogs. It lies some 25 million light-years from Earth. Some astronomers think emissions from M106 indicate a vast quantity of material is falling into a supermassive black hole at the galaxy’s core.Bill Snyder
Friday, May 7 Canes Venatici the Hunting Dogs is a northern constellation drawn from just two bright stars: magnitude 3 Alpha (α) and magnitude 4 Beta (β) Canum Venaticorum. They sit below the curve of the Big Dipper’s handle, parallel to Alkaid and Mizar but about 15° southwest of that pair.
The constellation is home to several relatively bright galaxies, including magnitude 8.4 M106. Measuring 20.0′ by 8.4′, many consider it one of the best galaxies in Messier’s list, but it’s also one of the least observed. You’ll find this spiral in the constellation’s northwest corner, about 6.5° northwest of Beta Canum Venaticorum and 7.5° southeast of magnitude 2.4 Phecda (Gamma [γ] Ursae Majoris). You’ll want to pull out your best scope for M106, which is tilted to our line of sight much like the more famous Andromeda Galaxy (M31) and resembles that object as well. With larger apertures, you’ll be able to make out the galaxy’s dust lanes and spiral structure.
Canes Venatici is home to several other Messier objects: galaxies M94, M51, and M63, as well as the globular cluster M3.Sunrise: 5:53 A.M. Sunset: 8:01 P.M. Moonrise: 4:19 A.M. Moonset: 4:12 P.M. Moon Phase: Waning crescent (15%) *Times for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset are given in local time from 40° N 90° W. The Moon’s illumination is given at 12 P.M. local time from the same location.
C/2020 R4 (ATLAS)You’ll find numerous galaxies scattered along Comet ATLAS’ path this month.Astronomy: Roen Kelly
euSaturday, May 8 May is your last chance to see Comet C/2020 R4 (ATLAS) before it streaks too far from the Sun and loses its glow. It won’t return for another 1,000 years, so get your comet watching on before midmonth, when the Moon’s bright light drowns it out.about:blank
ATLAS is currently gliding through Coma Berenices, just south of Canes Venatici (where we turned our gaze last night). This evening, you’ll find the magnitude 10 comet about 2.5° north of Gamma Comae Berenices; nearby are several galaxies around the same magnitude: NGC 4559, NGC 4565, NGC 4494, NGC 4631, and NGC 4395.
The comet will continue toward Leo night by night, heading nearly straight for Zosma in the great cat’s haunches.Sunrise: 5:52 A.M. Sunset: 8:02 P.M. Moonrise: 4:42 A.M. Moonset: 5:12 P.M. Moon Phase: Waning crescent (9%)
Sunday, May 9 Let’s return to Coma Berenices tonight to enjoy NGC 4565, one of the sky’s best edge-on galaxies. Even a small telescope (4 inches) will show this magnitude 9.5 galaxy, also known as the Needle Galaxy for its exceedingly thin appearance. If we could step outside the Milky Way and view it edge on, it would likely look quite similar. Although it sits some 30 million light-years away, thanks to projection effects NGC 4565 appears to sit near the edge of the much closer Coma Star Cluster (Melotte 111).
Melotte 111 itself is an excellent binocular object that can be found just south of Gamma Comae Berenices, which Comet ATLAS passed last night. The cluster’s 40-odd members form a loose v shape visible to the naked eye in a dark sky. It spans about 275′ and sits a little less than 300 light-years away.Sunrise: 5:51 A.M. Sunset: 8:03 P.M. Moonrise: 5:04 A.M. Moonset: 6:10 P.M. Moon Phase: Waning crescent (4%)
Monday, May 10 Mercury passes 8° north of Aldebaran at 11 P.M. EDT. Although they will have set by then, you can catch the pair sinking in the west just after sunset. Closest to the horizon is bright Venus, blazing at magnitude –3.9 and roughly 10″ in diameter. About 9° northeast of Venus is Mercury, a much dimmer –0.3 and spanning 7″. The red giant star Aldebaran, which marks the eye of Taurus the Bull, is south of the tiny planet.
Northwest of Venus (and roughly the same height above the horizon) is the Pleiades. See if you can spot any of the cluster’s bright stars popping out as dusk falls and the cluster quickly sets. You’ll definitely need a clear view of the horizon.
Much higher in the sky, now sitting near the knees of Gemini the Twins, is ruddy Mars, shining at magnitude 1.6. It will take longer for the Red Planet to show up against the darkening sky, but it will also remain above the horizon longer, setting around local midnight.Sunrise: 5:20 A.M. Sunset: 8:04 P.M. Moonrise: 5:28 A.M. Moonset: 7:10 P.M. Moon Phase: Waning crescent (1%)
Tuesday, May 11 Dedicated predawn observers can catch a mutual event between two of Jupiter’s Galilean moons this morning. First, find the bright magnitude –2.3 planet in the southeast before dawn. Jupiter currently sits in Aquarius, while Saturn (magnitude 0.5) hangs nearby in Capricornus, to Jupiter’s upper right. Neptune, not visible without binoculars or a telescope at magnitude 7.8, lies about 23° east-northeast of Jupiter, near the eastern edge of Aquarius and below the Circlet of Pisces.
Next, zoom in with a telescope on the solar system’s largest planet to catch the action: Beginning at 5:06 A.M. EDT, Europa’s shadow will eclipse the larger Ganymede. The event will only last a few minutes, ending by 5:15 A.M. EDT. Even if you aren’t able to catch the eclipse itself, you can still enjoy the scene: Io (closest) and Callisto (farthest) are on Jupiter’s west, while Ganymede (closest) and Europa (farthest) sit to the planet’s east.
New Moon occurs at today 3 P.M. EDT. Nearly three hours later, the Moon reaches apogee — the farthest point from our planet in its orbit around Earth — at 5:53 P.M. EDT. At that time, it will be 252,595 miles (406,512 kilometers) away.Sunrise: 5:49 A.M. Sunset: 8:05 P.M. Moonrise: 5:53 A.M. Moonset: 8:09 P.M. Moon Phase: New
Wednesday, May 12 There’s action in the west again around sunset: The Moon passes 0.7° south of Venus at 6 P.M. EDT, but you’ll need to wait for sunset to easily and safely view the scene. Twenty minutes after the Sun disappears, see if you can find the delicate crescent Moon, now sitting just over 1° southeast of the planet. A Moon this thin (roughly 1.4 percent lit) can be a major challenge, so take your time and use binoculars or a telescope — once the Sun is safely out of the picture.
The planet Mercury sits about 9° above the pair, which will set just after 9 P.M. local time. Mercury remains visible about 50 minutes longer.Sunrise: 5:48 A.M. Sunset: 8:06 P.M. Moonrise: 6:21 A.M. Moonset: 9:10 P.M. Moon Phase: Waxing crescent (1%)
Heart attackAsteroid 29 Amphitrite appears to nearly block out Cor Leonis, also known as Regulus, on May 13.Alison Klesman (via TheSkyX)
Thursday, May 13 The Moon passes 2° south of Mercury at 2 P.M. EDT. Look west after sunset again this evening to find our satellite, now nearly 5 percent lit, a little over 3° southeast of the planet, still hanging in Taurus.
Then, once it’s dark, turn your gaze to Leo the Lion, still relatively high in the southwest. Leo’s brightest star, Regulus, is the one you’ll want to zoom in on with binoculars or, better yet, a small scope. Tonight, asteroid 29 Amphitrite is skimming just north of the magnitude 1.4 star. For reference, look northwest of Regulus to spot a magnitude 8 field star; Amphitrite is three times closer to Regulus than this star is. After passing, the asteroid will continue to move southeast through the constellation, as if making a beeline for Rho (ρ) Leonis.
Although this is a near miss, not all such events are — asteroidoccultations.com hosts a list of upcoming occultations and their visibility.Sunrise: 5:47 A.M. Sunset: 8:07 P.M. Moonrise: 6:54 A.M. Moonset: 10:09 P.M. Moon Phase: Waxing crescent (3%)
Friday, May 14 With such a slim Moon in the sky, tonight is a great night for hunting down the heart of a famous cluster of galaxies. The Virgo Cluster is located (predictably) in the constellation Virgo, which you’ll find in the south after sunset. Look for the constellation’s brightest star, magnitude 1 Spica, and draw a line to the northwest, connecting Spica and magnitude 3.4 Auva (Delta [δ] Virginis). Follow that like further northwest and you’ll reach the center of the Virgo Cluster, which is dominated by several large elliptical galaxies: M49, M60, M84, M86, and M87. (If that last galaxy sounds familiar, it’s likely because M87’s supermassive black hole was the first one caught on “film” when the Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration released an image of the shadow around the black hole in 2019.)
You can spot any of these bright ellipticals, which sit roughly 50 million light-years away, in a 3-inch (or larger) scope. They cover a relatively large field, so you’ll want to choose an eyepiece with a wide field of view. Alternatively, you can pump up the magnification and switch from target to target.Sunrise: 5:46 A.M. Sunset: 8:08 P.M. Moonrise: 7:33 A.M. Moonset: 11:06 P.M. Moon Phase: Waxing crescent (7%)
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Monday is named after the moon. The Latin term for Monday is Dies Lunae (“moon’s day”); in the Old English language, this day was Monandaeg; in Greek, it was Hermera Selenes. All of these different names and languages translate to the same thing: the “day of the moon.”
Working with the different phases of the moon is an important skill that takes a bit of time for Witches to learn. So why not cut to the chase and experiment with the day of the week that is dedicated to the moon in all of its magickal energies and aspects?
Magickally, Monday encourages the lunar energies of inspiration, illusion, prophetic dreams, emotions, psychic abilities, travel, women’s mysteries, and fertility.
Source
Book of Witchery: Spells, Charms & Correspondences for Every Day of the Week Ellen Dugan
Tuesday is the day to work any magick that falls in the category of increasing strength, courage, bravery, and passion. All of these intense emotions are linked to this day’s energies, and spells designed around these themes will have extra punch when performed on this magickal day.
So, let’s add a little passion and conviction into your life! Break out the daring red pieces of your wardrobe, and put a little pizzazz into your day. Work with Lilith, and see what she has to teach you about personal power and sexuality. Meditate on Tiw/Tyr and Mars, and see what those ancient warrior gods will show you about new tactics, strategies, and claiming personal victories in your life. Practice conjuring up that astral weapon from the meditation and use it wisely for protection and for courage.
Create a philter for courage and protection or handcraft your own Witch’s jar to remove negativity from your home. See what other Witch crafts you can conjure up with Tuesday’s magick. Create some kitchen magick on this Tuesday by whipping up a spicy stew-add in a few Mars-associated ingredients such as carrots, peppers, and garlic. Empower the stew for success, and then treat yourself and your family to a good, hearty meal. Try working with a little aromatherapy and burn some spicy or coffee-scented candles to increase your energy level.
Check the sky at night, and see if you can find the reddish planet Mars up in the heavens. Not sure where to look? Check an astronomy magazine or search the Web for more information. Become a magickal warrior and move forward in your life with strength, courage, and compassion. Embrace the side of yourself that loves a good challenge and that is passionate and daring! Banish fear, and face your future with strength and conviction. Believe in yourself and in your dreams, work hard, and you will win every time.
—-Book of Witchery: Spells, Charms & Correspondences for Every Day of the Week
Ellen Dugan
Tuesday is the day to work any magick that falls in the category of increasing strength, courage, bravery, and passion. All of these intense emotions are linked to this day’s energies, and spells designed around these themes will have extra punch when performed on this magickal day.
So, let’s add a little passion and conviction into your life! Break out the daring red pieces of your wardrobe, and put a little pizzazz into your day. Work with Lilith, and see what she has to teach you about personal power and sexuality. Meditate on Tiw/Tyr and Mars, and see what those ancient warrior gods will show you about new tactics, strategies, and claiming personal victories in your life. Practice conjuring up that astral weapon from the meditation and use it wisely for protection and for courage.
Create a philter for courage and protection or handcraft your own Witch’s jar to remove negativity from your home. See what other Witch crafts you can conjure up with Tuesday’s magick. Create some kitchen magick on this Tuesday by whipping up a spicy stew-add in a few Mars-associated ingredients such as carrots, peppers, and garlic. Empower the stew for success, and then treat yourself and your family to a good, hearty meal. Try working with a little aromatherapy and burn some spicy or coffee-scented candles to increase your energy level.
Check the sky at night, and see if you can find the reddish planet Mars up in the heavens. Not sure where to look? Check an astronomy magazine or search the Web for more information. Become a magickal warrior and move forward in your life with strength, courage, and compassion. Embrace the side of yourself that loves a good challenge and that is passionate and daring! Banish fear, and face your future with strength and conviction. Believe in yourself and in your dreams, work hard, and you will win every time.
—-Book of Witchery: Spells, Charms & Correspondences for Every Day of the Week
Ellen Dugan
Tuesday is the day to work any magick that falls in the category of increasing strength, courage, bravery, and passion. All of these intense emotions are linked to this day’s energies, and spells designed around these themes will have extra punch when performed on this magickal day.
So, let’s add a little passion and conviction into your life! Break out the daring red pieces of your wardrobe, and put a little pizzazz into your day. Work with Lilith, and see what she has to teach you about personal power and sexuality. Meditate on Tiw/Tyr and Mars, and see what those ancient warrior gods will show you about new tactics, strategies, and claiming personal victories in your life. Practice conjuring up that astral weapon from the meditation and use it wisely for protection and for courage.
Create a philter for courage and protection or handcraft your own Witch’s jar to remove negativity from your home. See what other Witch crafts you can conjure up with Tuesday’s magick. Create some kitchen magick on this Tuesday by whipping up a spicy stew-add in a few Mars-associated ingredients such as carrots, peppers, and garlic. Empower the stew for success, and then treat yourself and your family to a good, hearty meal. Try working with a little aromatherapy and burn some spicy or coffee-scented candles to increase your energy level.
Check the sky at night, and see if you can find the reddish planet Mars up in the heavens. Not sure where to look? Check an astronomy magazine or search the Web for more information. Become a magickal warrior and move forward in your life with strength, courage, and compassion. Embrace the side of yourself that loves a good challenge and that is passionate and daring! Banish fear, and face your future with strength and conviction. Believe in yourself and in your dreams, work hard, and you will win every time.
—-Book of Witchery: Spells, Charms & Correspondences for Every Day of the Week
Tuesday is the day to work any magick that falls in the category of increasing strength, courage, bravery, and passion. All of these intense emotions are linked to this day’s energies, and spells designed around these themes will have extra punch when performed on this magickal day.
So, let’s add a little passion and conviction into your life! Break out the daring red pieces of your wardrobe, and put a little pizzazz into your day. Work with Lilith, and see what she has to teach you about personal power and sexuality. Meditate on Tiw/Tyr and Mars, and see what those ancient warrior gods will show you about new tactics, strategies, and claiming personal victories in your life. Practice conjuring up that astral weapon from the meditation and use it wisely for protection and for courage.
Create a philter for courage and protection or handcraft your own Witch’s jar to remove negativity from your home. See what other Witch crafts you can conjure up with Tuesday’s magick. Create some kitchen magick on this Tuesday by whipping up a spicy stew-add in a few Mars-associated ingredients such as carrots, peppers, and garlic. Empower the stew for success, and then treat yourself and your family to a good, hearty meal. Try working with a little aromatherapy and burn some spicy or coffee-scented candles to increase your energy level.
Check the sky at night, and see if you can find the reddish planet Mars up in the heavens. Not sure where to look? Check an astronomy magazine or search the Web for more information. Become a magickal warrior and move forward in your life with strength, courage, and compassion. Embrace the side of yourself that loves a good challenge and that is passionate and daring! Banish fear, and face your future with strength and conviction. Believe in yourself and in your dreams, work hard, and you will win every time.
—-Ellen Dugan, Book of Witchery: Spells, Charms & Correspondences for Every Day of the Week
Tuesday is the day to work any magick that falls in the category of increasing strength, courage, bravery, and passion. All of these intense emotions are linked to this day’s energies, and spells designed around these themes will have extra punch when performed on this magickal day.
So, let’s add a little passion and conviction into your life! Break out the daring red pieces of your wardrobe, and put a little pizzazz into your day. Work with Lilith, and see what she has to teach you about personal power and sexuality. Meditate on Tiw/Tyr and Mars, and see what those ancient warrior gods will show you about new tactics, strategies, and claiming personal victories in your life. Practice conjuring up that astral weapon from the meditation and use it wisely for protection and for courage.
Create a philter for courage and protection or handcraft your own Witch’s jar to remove negativity from your home. See what other Witch crafts you can conjure up with Tuesday’s magick. Create some kitchen magick on this Tuesday by whipping up a spicy stew-add in a few Mars-associated ingredients such as carrots, peppers, and garlic. Empower the stew for success, and then treat yourself and your family to a good, hearty meal. Try working with a little aromatherapy and burn some spicy or coffee-scented candles to increase your energy level.
Check the sky at night, and see if you can find the reddish planet Mars up in the heavens. Not sure where to look? Check an astronomy magazine or search the Web for more information. Become a magickal warrior and move forward in your life with strength, courage, and compassion. Embrace the side of yourself that loves a good challenge and that is passionate and daring! Banish fear, and face your future with strength and conviction. Believe in yourself and in your dreams, work hard, and you will win every time.
—-Book of Witchery: Spells, Charms & Correspondences for Every Day of the Week
Tuesday is the day to work any magick that falls in the category of increasing strength, courage, bravery, and passion. All of these intense emotions are linked to this day’s energies, and spells designed around these themes will have extra punch when performed on this magickal day.
So, let’s add a little passion and conviction into your life! Break out the daring red pieces of your wardrobe, and put a little pizzazz into your day. Work with Lilith, and see what she has to teach you about personal power and sexuality. Meditate onTiw/Tyr and Mars, and see what those ancient warrior gods will show you about new tactics, strategies, and claiming personal victories in your life. Practice conjuring up that astral weapon from the meditation and use it wisely for protection and for courage.
Create a philter for courage and protection or handcraft your own Witch’s jar to remove negativity from your home. See what other Witch crafts you can conjure up with Tuesday’s magick. Create some kitchen magick on this Tuesday by whipping up a spicy stew-add in a few Mars-associated ingredients such as carrots, peppers, and garlic. Empower the stew for success, and then treat yourself and your family to a good, hearty meal. Try working with a little aromatherapy and burn some spicy or coffee-scented candles to increase your energy level.
Check the sky at night, and see if you can find the reddish planet Mars up in the heavens. Not sure where to look? Check an astronomy magazine or search the Web for more information. Become a magickal warrior and move forward in your life with strength, courage, and compassion. Embrace the side of yourself that loves a good challenge and that is passionate and daring! Banish fear, and face your future with strength and conviction. Believe in yourself and in your dreams, work hard, and you will win every time.
—-Book of Witchery: Spells, Charms & Correspondences for Every Day of the Week
The New Moon is a time best suited for new beginnings! For the first 48 hours following the exact time of the New Moon each month, a window of opportunity opens for making wishes that, if noted, come true in the days and months ahead. There is a tremendous amount of enthusiasm in the atmosphere, making it a great time to go forward and begin projects that you feel instinctively attracted to initiating. Follow your impulses and let yourself make new starts in areas that are important to you.
This is a time to rest, reevaluate and reflect, pulling back into yourself to reconnect with inner sources of strength. Now is not a time to initiate anything new. It’s a phase suited to spending time with friends and getting in touch with the “big picture.” A window of opportunity exists for seeing your life objectively and becoming aware of what is important to you. At this point, what are your dreams and aspirations? What larger goals can you aspire to that will bring vitality and excitement into your life? This is a time for resting and gaining inner strength to prepare for a new cycle.
The Equirria was an ancient Roman festival of horse-racing held in honor of the God Mars. It was said to have been established by Romulus and held in the Campus Martius on Caelian Hill. There was a similar festival held on March 14 called the Mamuralia.
Mars was originally a God of agriculture and guardian of fields and boundaries, known as Mamers, Maris, or Marmar. He became identified with the Greek God Ares and so assumed the major role of war God. He was regarded as the son of Juno, and the month of March was named after him. He had a succession of festivals in February, March, and October.
Magickal Activity for Equirria
The First Pentacle of Mars
The First Pentacle of Mars is used to invoke the powers of Mars for gaining courage, enthusiasm, ambition, and all physical accomplishments.
You will need:
A square of red card stock
1 Red red votive candle in a glass holder
A small red cloth bag
Inscribe the First Pentacle of Mars on the red square of card stock. Light the red votive candle, and place it on top of the pentacle as you chant:
“Almighty warrior and God of power,
Fill me with courage from this hour.”
Allow the candle to burn completely out. Place the pentacle in the red bag and carry for courage
This is a tremendous time of transmutation. All of the prior elements are coming together for a final burst of creative output. You have seen a clear view of your own needs and the posture of significant others. Now the accumulation of that input is leading to a deep, core change within you. In this phase, you will naturally be inclined to seek higher guidance so that you can emerge from this transformation successfully. The Disseminting Moon favors sharing what you have learned (and are learning) with others.
This is a tremendous time of transmutation. All of the prior elements are coming together for a final burst of creative output. You have seen a clear view of your own needs and the posture of significant others. Now the accumulation of that input is leading to a deep, core change within you. In this phase, you will naturally be inclined to seek higher guidance so that you can emerge from this transformation successfully. The Gibbous Moon favors sharing what you have learned (and are learning) with others.
It was on this date in 1930 that ex-planet Pluto was discovered. On this ‘Pluto Day,’ download an image of Pluto’s glyph and reproduce it in cornmeal on the threshold of your entryway door. It is said that doing so will attract the formidable attributes that Pluto is famous for. Considering that Pluto wields considerable power, you can expect to feel pretty potent after enacting this exercise. Let the cornmeal blow away or sweep it away after leaving it in place for twenty-four hours.
Tuesday’s Witchery
Witches Of The Craft® 
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