Today in History

Events in History

1099 First Crusade: 15,000 starving Christian soldiers march in religious procession around Jerusalem as its Muslim defenders look on

1497 Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama departs on his first voyage, will become the 1st European to reach India by sea

1777 Independent Vermont introduces a new constitution, prohibiting slavery

1800 Dr. Benjamin Waterhouse gives the first cowpox vaccination in the United States to his son to prevent smallpox

1853 Commodore Matthew C. Perry sails his frigate Susquehanna into Tokyo Bay, opening Japan to Western influence and trade

1948 500th anniversary of the Russian Orthodox Church celebrated in Moscow

1949 South Africa’s Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act commences, prohibiting marriage or a sexual relationship between White people and people of other races [1]

Historical Events Today

Events in Flim and TV

1954 KMOX (now KMOV) TV channel 4 in Saint Louis, MO (CBS) 1st broadcast

1982 15th San Diego Comic-Con International opens at Hotel San Diego

2005 Marvel superhero film “The Fantastic Four” starring Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans and Michael Chiklis premieres

2010 “Inception”, directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, premieres in London

More Events in Film & TV

Events in Music

1946 “Tidbits of 1946” opens at Plymouth Theater NYC for 8 performances

1949 Monte Irvin & Hank Thompson, 1st black players for New York Giants, 4-3 loss to Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field

1974 David Bowie‘s begins 6 consecutive nights of his “Diamond Dogs” tour at Tower Theatre in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania; several shows were recorded and released as the double LP “David Live” later in the year

1982 “7 Brides for 7 Brothers” opens at Alvin Theater NYC for 5 performances

1988 American rockers and brothers Chico & Robert DeBarge indicted on drug trafficking charges

1988 Stevie Wonder announces he will run for mayor of Detroit in 1992; he does not follow through

1996 British girls group the Spice Girls release their debut single “Wannabe” in the UK

More Events in Music

Events in Sports

1889 John L. Sullivan successfully defends last officially sanctioned, bare-knuckle world heavyweight prizefighting championship; Jake Kilrain’s trainer throws in towel after 75 x 1-minute rounds near Hattiesburg, Mississippi

1889 Wimbledon Men’s Tennis: William Renshaw wins his 7th Wimbledon singles title; beats twin brother Ernest Renshaw 6-4, 6-1, 3-6, 6-0

1898 Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Red Donahue no-hits Boston Beaneaters, 5-0 at the Baker Bowl

1902 Baltimore manager John McGraw is accused by AL President Ban Johnson of trying to wreck the Orioles & Washington Senators; negotiates his release from the Orioles, having already signed with NY Giants

1905 Wimbledon Men’s Tennis: Home town favourite Laurence Doherty wins his 4th consecutive Wimbledon singles title; beats Norman Brookes of Australia 8-6 6-2 6-4

1905 Wimbledon Women’s Tennis: May Sutton becomes first American player to win the singles title at Wimbledon; beats Dorothea Chambers 6-3, 6-4

1911 Wimbledon Men’s Tennis: Anthony Wilding of New Zealand wins 2nd of 4 consecutive Wimbledon singles titles beating Herbert Roper-Barrett 6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 6-2 ret

1912 Giants Rube Marquard loses after winning 21 straight

More Events in Sport

Source: www.onthisday.com

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.

2024 July 8

Exoplanet Zoo: Other Stars

Illustration Credit & Copyright: Martin Vargic, Halcyon MapsExplanation: Do other stars have planets like our Sun? Surely they do, and evidence includes slight star wobbles created by the gravity of orbiting exoplanets and slight star dimmings caused by orbiting planets moving in front. In all, there have now been over 5,500 exoplanets discovered, including thousands by NASA‘s space-based Kepler and TESS missions, and over 100 by ESO‘s ground-based HARPS instrument. Featured here is an illustrated guess as to what some of these exoplanets might look like. Neptune-type planets occupy the middle and are colored blue because of blue-scattering atmospheric methane they might contain. On the sides of the illustration, Jupiter-type planets are shown, colored tan and red from the scatterings of atmospheric gases that likely include small amounts of carbon. Interspersed are many Earth-type rocky planets of many colors. As more exoplanets are discovered and investigated, humanity is developing a better understanding of how common Earth-like planets are, and how common life might be in the universe.

Source: apod.nasa.gov

July 8, 2024 Current Moon Phase and Planetary Positions for the Northern Hemispheres

 

Source: nineplanets.org

Moon Phase

The current moon phase for today is the Waxing Crescent phase.

On this day, the moon is 2.49 days old and 6.12% illuminated with a tilt of 143.385°. The approximate distance from Earth to the moon is 396,404.82 km and the moon sign is Leo.

The Moon phase for today is a Waxing Crescent phase. This is the phase where the moon started to become visible again after the New Moon.

In this part of the moon cycle, the Moon is moving away from the Sun and is becoming more and more illuminated by sunlight. In this phase, the moon will go from 0.1% to 49.9% illuminated before reaching the First Quarter phase.

In the Waxing Crescent phase the moon rises before noon in the east, transits the meridian before sunset, before setting in the west before midnight.

The Waxing Crescent phase, like all moon phases, will last for just over 7 days. The actual length will vary because of the elliptical shaped orbit of the moon. The moon is close to the Sun in the sky and the right edge will become brighter as it approaches 50% illumination and the First Quarter phase

Fun fact: although only a small part of the Moon is illuminated in the Waxing Crescent phase, you can still sometimes see the rest of moon as faintly visible. This is known as “earthshine” or Da Vinci glow and is a result of sunlight being reflected off the Earth and back to the Moon.

Phase Details

Phase: Waxing Crescent

Moon age: 2.49 days

Moon illumination: 6.12%

Moon tilt: 143.385°

Moon angle: 0.5

Moon distance: 396,404.82 km

Moon sign: Leo

Planetary Positions

London, England

July 08, 2024
11:00 am GMT 12:00 PM BST
Zodiac: Tropical (Standard Western)

Sun:16 Cancer 47
Moon:16 Leo 18
Mercury:09 Leo 37
Venus:26 Cancer 02
Mars:21 Taurus 18
Jupiter:09 Gemini 48
Saturn:19 Pisces 22 Rx
Uranus:26 Taurus 03
Neptune:29 Pisces 55 Rx
Pluto:01 Aquarius 13 Rx

True Lunar Node:10 Aries 18 Rx
Mean Lunar Node:10 Aries 51 Rx

Lilith (Black Moon):01 Libra 00

Chiron:23 Aries 23
Ceres:13 Capricorn 53 Rx
Pallas:19 Scorpio 47 Rx
Juno:19 Virgo 53
Vesta:08 Leo 09

Eris:25 Aries 29

Fire:7
Earth:4
Air:3
Water:5
Cardinal:8
Fixed:7
Mutable:4

Chicago, Illinois

July 08, 2024
05:00 pm GMT 12:00 PM CDT
Zodiac: Tropical (Standard Western)

Sun:17 Cancer 01
Moon:19 Leo 24
Mercury:10 Leo 00
Venus:26 Cancer 21
Mars:21 Taurus 28
Jupiter:09 Gemini 52
Saturn:19 Pisces 22 Rx
Uranus:26 Taurus 03
Neptune:29 Pisces 55 Rx
Pluto:01 Aquarius 13 Rx

True Lunar Node:10 Aries 15 Rx
Mean Lunar Node:10 Aries 50 Rx

Lilith (Black Moon):01 Libra 02

Chiron:23 Aries 24
Ceres:13 Capricorn 50 Rx
Pallas:19 Scorpio 47 Rx
Juno:19 Virgo 58
Vesta:08 Leo 15

Eris:25 Aries 29

Fire:7
Earth:4
Air:3
Water:5
Cardinal:8
Fixed:7
Mutable:4

Los Angels, California

July 08, 2024
07:00 pm GMT 12:00 PM PDT
Zodiac: Tropical (Standard Western)

Sun:17 Cancer 06
Moon:20 Leo 25
Mercury:10 Leo 07
Venus:26 Cancer 27
Mars:21 Taurus 32
Jupiter:09 Gemini 53
Saturn:19 Pisces 22 Rx
Uranus:26 Taurus 03
Neptune:29 Pisces 55 Rx
Pluto:01 Aquarius 12 Rx

True Lunar Node:10 Aries 15 Rx
Mean Lunar Node:10 Aries 50 Rx

Lilith (Black Moon):01 Libra 03

Chiron:23 Aries 24
Ceres:13 Capricorn 49 Rx
Pallas:19 Scorpio 47 Rx
Juno:19 Virgo 59
Vesta:08 Leo 18

Eris:25 Aries 29

Fire:7
Earth:4
Air:3
Water:5
Cardinal:8
Fixed:7
Mutable:4

July 8, 2024 Daily Horoscopes

Click here to read Georgia Nicols Daily, Weekly and Monthly Horoscopes

Click here for Anyone’s Birthday or Monthly Horoscopes Source: thehoroscope.co

Moon Alert

There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions today until 11 PM PDT. The Moon is in Leo.

Aries (March 21-April 19)

This is a great day to make plans for a vacation or for social outings, including sports events. It’s also an excellent day to think about financial investments. Meanwhile, the arts, the entertainment world and fun activities with kids will appeal. You’re optimistic today!

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

Home, family and your private life are your main focus today. In fact, you might be keen to spruce up the place and do some home repairs. Redecorating projects will appeal. You have a choice of entertaining at home or enjoying quiet times.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

You’re mentally energetic today! Furthermore, you’re enthusiastic and open to big ideas. In part, this is because your mind is sharp, clear and alert, which allows you to see the big picture. It’s a good day for business negotiations and contract discussions as well as dealing with the law.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

You’re thinking about some big financial decisions today; or perhaps, a major purchase? Trust your moneymaking ideas because you might see ways to boost your income or your assets. You can also attract money to you at this time. Ka-ching!

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)

Today Mercury is in your sign dancing with lucky Jupiter. This boosts your optimism and makes you friendly and eager to engage with others. This is why your relationship with friends plus groups and organizations will be positive today. Others might be impressed by your big ideas!

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

You have an excellent, discriminating mind, and today is a great day to do research. In fact, you’ll enjoy expanding your world and learning new data, and finding solutions to problems or answers to questions. Nevertheless, this is also a popular time for you! Travel with friends will appeal.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

This is a great day to schmooze with others, and schmoozing is what you do best! You might enlist others to join a cause or an organization. You might make travel plans with someone. This is a great day to discuss legal matters as well as anything related to medicine, publishing, education and the media.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

Bosses, parents and people in authority will be impressed with what you have to say today, in part because you’re thinking big. Your visionary ideas will impress someone today. Be clear about what you want, especially in business negotiations. You’re very aware of group values and needs right now.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

This is the perfect day to make travel plans or study. Do anything that expands your experience of the world. Legal discussions will go well. Also, discussions about publishing and the media might impress a partner or close friend. Do something different today to enjoy some adventure.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Financial discussions, especially about how to divide or share something will favour you today. For example, it’s a good day to discuss inheritances or how to share responsibilities. Negotiations about budgets and allocation of supporting resources will also go well.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

Enjoy interacting with friends and members of the public today because people will be attracted to your positive enthusiasm. You’re full of big ideas, especially related to children, the arts, the entertainment world and sports. You might also find someone else who is equally as enthusiastic.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)

Your health feels buoyant and positive today, in part because personally, you’re enthusiastic! This upbeat energy will help you in your job. It will also help in discussions with family members or negotiations about real estate and home improvements. Great day to entertain at home! People will support you today.

If Your Birthday Is Today

Actress Maya Hawke (1998) shares your birthday today. You have a strong will, which makes you determined. You will devote yourself to an important cause with focus and energy. This year holds exciting changes and increased personal freedom. Let go of whatever impedes your progress and growth. Seek out new opportunities and be ready to act fast.

Aries (March 21-April 19)

You don’t seem to find time to rest but this doesn’t trouble you that much. You might be a bit grumpier because of that but can’t seem to realize it.

There might be need for some small changes in your life but it will take you some time to acknowledge that as long as the news doesn’t come from someone close to you.

You can also read this special Aries Daily Horoscope.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

Money is everything you will think of today despite not necessarily lacking or having any big troubles with it.

At the same time, even dreams can become true today if you knock on the right door. So do not hesitate to ask for help but make sure you only resort to people you trust with personal things rather than simple acquaintances.

You can also read this special Taurus Daily Horoscope.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

You seem to be very focused on your education today and even sign up for classes or similar. For the natives that are trying to continue their education this is going to be quite an emotional day as they won’t know very well what they are getting themselves into.

Other than that, quite a peaceful beginning of the week.

You can also read this special Gemini Daily Horoscope.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

You seem to be on the run this week beginning but surely isn’t to get as many things done as possible. Most likely you are trying to run away from responsibilities and apparently this time, the stars are going to be nice with you and let you have your way.

At the same time you will see that when it comes to your personal life, some things cannot be avoided.

You can also read this special Cancer Daily Horoscope.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)

You are trying to refrain yourself from too many comments and as well not get in the way of anyone but apparently this is not the best way to deal with this Monday.

Just get out there and say what you think, you will be surprised of how openly people will meet your ideas and what other benefits might come up out of this.

You can also read this special Leo Daily Horoscope.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

This Monday will probably surprise you with some travel related activities and although at the beginning you might view all this with reservation, eventually you will be won over.

Meanwhile, there shouldn’t be a bad idea if you focused more on the research part of your daily activities and try to gain as much information as possible.

You can also read this special Virgo Daily Horoscope.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

It appears that this Monday is going to temporarily shut off the energy tap and you will have to dose carefully the resources that you have left.

Can’t tell you exactly until when it will be shut but I can assure you that you will feel more tired than usual and this will get on the nerves of people in your family who were counting on you.

You can also read this special Libra Daily Horoscope.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

You aren’t completely relaxed and not only you can’t understand why but people around are becoming increasingly irritated with your attitude.

There might be some things that can show up and help you relax but I wouldn’t count on them and instead I would try to find the exact reasons why you are feeling this way and address that.

You can also read this special Scorpio Daily Horoscope.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

I know you are on a rush this Monday trying to get over with a lot of things in a small amount of time but maybe this won’t be that easily possible and maybe you will have to go through the normal amount of time.

As a plan B I would suggest that you don’t allocate tight deadlines to activities you are not sure of so you can avoid any crashes.

You can also read this special Sagittarius Daily Horoscope.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

You should count more on the actual facts that are happening right under your nose than believe what others are saying today.

So as long as you don’t see it with your eyes, I’d say not count on that. Even people you truly trust might turn out to be a bit deceitful today or there is a high risk of misunderstanding so everything points in the same direction.

You can also read this special Capricorn Daily Horoscope.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

You might want to avoid getting legally involved in a certain contract today, even if this has been discussed for some time.

Maybe it shouldn’t be a bad idea to allow time to read it again and understand better even the small print. Other than that, you seem to be quite convincing this Monday so it won’t take you long to delay things.

You can also read this special Aquarius Daily Horoscope.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)

Quite a convincing day this Monday but you will be the one doing the talking so do expect some hard times if you don’t find the right focus and energy to sustain that.

Also, you shouldn’t let yourself accept deals that you don’t consider fair no matter how many promises are being made to you in respect to the future.

You can also read this special Pisces Daily Horoscope.

July 7, 2024 Today in History

Source: www.onthisday.com

Events in History

1520 Hernán Cortés and the Tlaxcalans defeat a numerically superior Aztec force in the Battle of Otumba in Mexico

1807 French Emperor Napoléon Bonaparte and Russian Tsar Alexander I meet on a raft in the middle of the Neman River and sign the first Treaty of Tilsit

1937 Japanese and Chinese troops clash at the Marco Polo Bridge, beginning the Second Sino-Japanese War

1947 Alleged and disputed Roswell UFO incident

2005 Coordinated terrorist bomb blasts strike London’s public transport system during the morning rush hour, killing 52 and injuring 700

2005 Influenced by global Live 8 concerts, G8 leaders pledge to double 2004 levels of aid to Africa from US$25 to US$50 billion by the year 2010 and to drop the debt owed by 18 of the most heavily indebted poor countries. Results are mixed. [1]

Events in Flim and TV

1936 RCA shows 1st real TV program (dancing, film on locomotives, Bonwit Teller fashion show and monologue from Tobacco Road & comedy)

1939 “The Rules of the Game”, French film directed by Jean Renoir, starring Nora Gregor and Paulette Dubost, premieres in Paris

1949 “Dragnet” premieres on NBC radio; also a TV series in 1951 & 1967

1956 “Hancock’s Half Hour” premieres as a TV show starring Tony Hancock and Sid James, written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson

1975 TV soap opera “Ryan’s Hope” premieres

1977 “The Spy Who Loved Me”, 10th James Bond film starring Roger Moore and Barbara Bach, premieres in London

1980 Jineane Ford of Arizona replaces Shawn Weatherly (Miss Universe) as the 29th Miss USA

1980 Shawn Weatherly, of USA, crowned 29th Miss Universe

Events in Music

1498 Emperor Maximilian I orders appointment of a conductor, two bass singers and six choir boys, establishing the Vienna Court Music Ensemble; later includes Vienna Boys Choir

1949 Musical revue “Cabatgata (A Night in Spain)” opens at the Broadway Theatre, NYC; runs for 76 performances

1956 Douglas Moore and John Latouche’s opera “Ballad of Baby Doe,” premieres at the Central City Opera, in Central City, Colorado

1962 “The Stripper”, an instrumental single by trombonist David Rose and his Orchestra goes to No. 1 in the US

1965 Otis Redding records the song “Respect” at Stax Studios in Memphis, Tennessee; it later becomes a signature piece for Aretha Franklin

1967 EMI/Parlophone releases The Beatles single “All You Need Is Love” in the UK; it had been introduced to a global audience as part of the BBC’s “Our World” television broadcast 12 days earlier

1968 British rock group “Yardbirds” disbands; guitarist Jimmy Page recruits new members to fill concert commitments – the new group evolves into Led Zeppelin

1969 The Beatles begin recording George Harrison‘s song “Here Comes the Sun” at EMI Studios in London; John Lennon was absent and did not contribute to the track

Events in Sports

1868 Surrey wicket-keeper Ted Pooley completes a then-1st class cricket record 12 dismissals (8 caught, 4 stumped) in a County match against Sussex at The Oval

1887 Wimbledon Men’s Tennis: 3-time runner-up Herbert Lawford wins his only Wimbledon title beating Ernest Renshaw 1-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4

1890 Wimbledon Men’s Tennis: Irishman Willoughby Hamilton wins his only Wimbledon title beating 7-time champion William Renshaw 6-8, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-1

1892 Wimbledon Women’s Tennis: Lottie Dod beats Blanche Bingley-Hillyard for a 4th time in a Wimbledon final 6-1, 6-1

1900 Boston Beaneaters pitcher Kid Nichols notches his 300th career MLB victory with an 11-4 win over Chicago Orphans

1911 Wimbledon Women’s Tennis: Dorothea Chambers becomes first player not to concede a game in a final beating Dora Boothby 6-0, 6-0

1912 American athlete Jim Thorpe wins 4 of 5 events to win the Pentathlon gold medal at the Stockholm Olympics, medal stripped 1913 (played pro baseball), reinstated 1982

1914 Baltimore Orioles owner Jack Dunn offers future baseball legend Babe Ruth, Ernie Shore & Ben Egan for $10k to Connie Mack (Philadelphia A’s); refuses pleading lack of finance

Some of the Witchcraft/Magickal Correspondence for Wednesday

(YOU CAN COPY AND PASTE ANY COROSPONDENCES POSTED TO A DOCUMENT TO PRINT AND/OR SAVE ON YOUR COMPUTER)

Wednesday’s Correspondences



Be bold and daring today! Expand your knowledge of the Craft by working with the planetary energies of Mercury on this multifaceted day of the week. Consider the Greco-Roman gods Mercury and Hermes and all of the many lessons they have for you. Embrace change and movement, and work on your communication techniques. Conjure up a little good luck for yourself with that Mercury dime spell. Call on Athena to inspire you to try magickal arts and crafts and to be more creative in your own spellwork and witchery.
Meditate on Odin and see what you can discover about him. I wonder what sort of fabulous and fascinating magickal wisdom you will uncover? Odin is a shaman, after all; he may appear in many guises and faces. I guarantee that he will make you laugh at yourself before he is through with you, but you will learn. It’s up to you what you do with that knowledge. Will you let it shapeshift into wisdom?
Wednesday is the wild and wily day of the week, so try to go with the flow; don’t fight the quirky energies of the day. Most importantly, follow your heart, and always keep a good sense of humor, because of Wednesdays you will really need it.
 
Source
Book of Witchery: Spells, Charms & Correspondences for Every Day of the Week
Ellen Dugan

Question (via Quora): Why Is Lead (Pb) Ammunition Still Being Manufactured And Used?

It’s Cheap And Easy, But Is It Worth The Cost?

By Rebecca Williams

Reposted by Graphia

https://thechemistryspace.quora.com/https-www-quora-com-Why-is-lead-ammunition-still-being-manufactured-and-used-answer-Rebecca-Williams-1128?ch=18&oid=122594252&share=0fbc4b16&srid=hXLmhI&target_type=post

Miracle Plant Used in Ancient Greece Rediscovered After 2,000 Years

Written by Giovanni Prete

Reposted by Graphia

https://greekreporter.com/2023/08/13/plant-ancient-greece-rediscovered/

Spells – Dice in the Moon Divination c. 2012

(YOU CAN COPY AND PASTE ANY SPELLS POSTED TO A DOCUMENT TO PRINT AND/OR SAVE ON YOUR COMPUTER)

Dice in the Moon Divination

You will need a large white piece of paper, a writing pen, and three dice.

On the piece of paper draw a circle, representing the moon. Lay the paper down on a flat surface, and before rolling the dice, determine what question you want to ask. Ask your favorite moon goddess such as Akupera (Hindu) or Diana (Roman) to bless the dice., then cast the dice into the circle and count up the total. Any dice falling outside the circle of moon must be recast. The following list gives each number’s divination meaning:

3     Good luck and good fortune

4     Disillusionment and disappointment

5     Someone will bring you happiness

6     Family and home issues

7     Beware of scandal and lies

8     Money matters and finances

9     Love is coming to you

10    Spiritual gains

11    Illness or injury

12    Secrecy and possible betrayal

13    Success will be yours

14    Helpful friends

15    Be cautious

16    Time for taking a journey

17    You will meet strangers with good advice

18    You will attain your goals

November 20 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 November 20

Airglow Ripples over Tibet

Image Credit & Copyright: Jeff Dai

Explanation: Why would the sky look like a giant target? Airglow. Following a giant thunderstorm over Bangladesh in late April, giant circular ripples of glowing air appeared over Tibet, China, as pictured here. The unusual pattern is created by atmospheric gravity waves, waves of alternating air pressure that can grow with height as the air thins, in this case about 90-kilometers up. Unlike auroras powered by collisions with energetic charged particles and seen at high latitudes, airglow is due to chemiluminescence, the production of light in a chemical reaction. More typically seen near the horizon, airglow keeps the night sky from ever being completely dark.

November 19 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 November 19

Artemis 1 Moonshot

Image Credit & Copyright: John Kraus

Explanation: When the Artemis 1 mission’s Orion spacecraft makes its November 21 powered flyby of the Moon, denizens of planet Earth will see the Moon in a waning crescent phase. The spacecraft will approach to within about 130 kilometers of the lunar surface on its way to a distant retrograde orbit some 70,000 kilometers beyond the Moon. But the Moon was at last quarter for the November 16 launch and near the horizon in the dark early hours after midnight. It’s captured here in skies over Kennedy Space Center along with the SLS rocket engines and solid rocket boosters lofting the uncrewed Orion to space. Ragged fringes appearing along the bright edge of the sunlit lunar nearside are caused as pressure waves generated by the rocket’s passage change the index of refraction along the camera’s line of sight.

November 17 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 November 17

Planet Earth from Orion

Image Credit: NASA, Artemis 1

Explanation: A Space Launch System rocket left planet Earth on Wednesday, November 16 at 1:47am EST carrying the Orion spacecraft on the Artemis 1 mission, the first integrated test of NASA’s deep space exploration systems. Over an hour after liftoff from Kennedy Space Center’s historic Launch Complex 39B, one of Orion’s external video cameras captured this view of its new perspective from space. In the foreground are Orion’s Orbital Maneuvering System engine and auxillary engines, at the bottom of the European Service Module. Beyond one of the module’s 7-meter long extended solar array wings lies the spacecraft’s beautiful home world. The Artemis 1 mission will last almost four weeks, testing capabilities to enable human exploration of the Moon and Mars. The uncrewed Orion spacecraft is expected to fly by the Moon on November 21, performing a close approach to the lunar surface on its way to a retrograde orbit 70,000 kilometers beyond the Moon.

November 16 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 November 16

In the Arms of NGC 1097

Image Credit & Copyright: Mike Selby, Mark Hanson

Explanation: Spiral galaxy NGC 1097 shines in southern skies, about 45 million light-years away in the heated constellation Fornax. Its blue spiral arms are mottled with pinkish star forming regions in this colorful galaxy portrait. They seem to have wrapped around a small companion galaxy above and right of center, about 40,000 light-years from the spiral’s luminous core. That’s not NGC 1097’s only peculiar feature, though. This very deep exposure hints of faint, mysterious jets, seen to extend well beyond the bluish arms. In fact, four faint jets are ultimately recognized in optical images of NGC 1097. The jets trace an X centered on the galaxy’s nucleus, but probably don’t originate there. Instead, they could be fossil star streams, trails left over from the capture and disruption of a much smaller galaxy in the large spiral’s ancient past. A Seyfert galaxy, NGC 1097’s nucleus also harbors a supermassive black hole.

November 15 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 November 15

Wolf’s Cave Nebula

Image Credit & Copyright: Gianni Lacroce

Explanation: The mysterious blue reflection nebula found in catalogs as VdB 152 or Ced 201 really is very faint. It lies at the tip of the long dark nebula Barnard 175 in a dusty complex that has also been called Wolf’s Cave. At the center of this deep telescopic view, the cosmic apparitions are nearly 1,400 light-years away along the northern Milky Way in the royal constellation Cepheus. Interstellar dust in the region blocks light from background stars and scatters light from the embedded bright star, giving the end nebula its characteristic blue color. Though stars do form in molecular clouds, this star seems to have only accidentally wandered into the area, as its measured velocity through space is very different from the cloud’s velocity. At the image bottom is the planetary nebula Dengel-Hartl 5, while red glowing gas from an ancient supernova remnant is also visible along the image’s right side.

November 14 Today in History

Today’s Important Historical Events

1680 Gottfried Kirch discovers the Great Comet of 1680 (Kirch’s Comet/Newton’s Comet)

1896 Power plant at Niagara Falls begins operation

1908 Albert Einstein presents his quantum theory of light

1920 The Russian Bolshevik army occupies Sebastopol, ending anti-communist attempts to regain the government of Russia

Today’s Historical Events

1524 Francisco Pizarro begins his 1st great expedition, near Colombia

1550 Pope Julius III proclaims new seat on Council of Trente

1666 Samuel Pepys reports on 1st blood transfusion (between dogs)

1675 Pope Clemens X declares Gorcumse martyrs divine

1680 Gottfried Kirch discovers the Great Comet of 1680 (Kirch’s Comet/Newton’s Comet)

1698 Spanish king Carlos appoints grandson prince Jozef Ferdinand as heir

1732 First professional librarian in north America, Louis Timothee, hired in Philadelphia

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1957 Dick Hutton beats Lou Thesz in Toronto, to become NWA wrestling champion

1965 KCST TV channel 39 in San Diego, CA (NBC) begins broadcasting

1968 U.S. premiere of film version of Morris L. West’s best seller “The Shoes of the Fisherman”

1976 “Network”, directed by Sidney Lumet, starring Faye Dunaway, Peter Finch and William Holden, premieres in Los Angeles and New York City (Finch – Academy Awards Best Actor 1977)

1980 Kimberley Santos, 19 of Guam, crowned 30th Miss World

1985 Holmfriour Karlsdottir of Iceland, 22, crowned 35th Miss World

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1908 Oscar Strauss’ musical “Der tapfere Soldat” premieres in Vienna

1952 First regular UK singles chart published by the New Musical Express

1959 “Girls against the Boys” closes at Alvin Theater NYC after 16 performances

1960 Ray Charles‘ single “Georgia On My Mind” reaches #1

1964 “Fade Out-Fade In” closes at Mark Hellinger NYC after 199 performances

1964 “Folies Bergere” closes at Broadway Theater NYC after 191 performances

1964 “Oliver!” closes at Imperial Theater NYC after 774 performances

1965 “Baker Street” closes at Broadway Theater NYC after 313 performances

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1888 St Andrews Golf Club, Yonkers NY, opens with just 6 holes

1936 More than 21,000 watch Don Bradman score 192 for South Australia v Victoria in a drawn Sheffield Shield match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground

1943 Chic Bear Sid Luckman passes for 7 touchdowns vs NY Giants (56-7)

1957 Milwaukee Brave Hank Aaron wins NL MVP

1964 Detroit Red Wings Gordie Howe sets NHL record 627th career goal

1966 Muhammad Ali TKOs Cleveland Williams in 3 for heavyweight title

1973 Canada begins production of Olympic coins

1973 Jim Palmer is named AL Cy Young winner

November 13 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 November 13

Flying Saucer Crash Lands in Utah Desert

Image Credit: USAF 388th Range Sqd., Genesis Mission, NASA

Explanation: A flying saucer from outer space crash-landed in the Utah desert after being tracked by radar and chased by helicopters. The year was 2004, and no space aliens were involved. The saucer, pictured here, was the Genesis sample return capsule, part of a human-made robot Genesis spaceship launched in 2001 by NASA itself to study the Sun. The unexpectedly hard landing at over 300 kilometers per hour occurred because the parachutes did not open as planned. The Genesis mission had been orbiting the Sun collecting solar wind particles that are usually deflected away by Earth’s magnetic field. Despite the crash landing, many return samples remained in good enough condition to analyze. So far, Genesis-related discoveries include new details about the composition of the Sun and how the abundance of some types of elements differ across the Solar System. These results have provided intriguing clues into details of how the Sun and planets formed billions of years

November 11 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 November 11

Blood Moon, Ice Giant

Image Credit & Copyright: Ryan Han

Explanation: On November 8 the Full Moon turned blood red as it slid through Earth’s shadow in a beautiful total lunar eclipse. During totality it also passed in front of, or occulted, outer planet Uranus for eclipse viewers located in parts of northern America and Asia. For a close-up and wider view these two images were taken just before the occultation began, captured with different telescopes and cameras from the same roof top in Shanghai, China. Normally very faint compared to a Full Moon, the tiny, pale, greenish disk of the distant ice giant is just to the left of the Moon’s edge and about to disappear behind the darkened, red lunar limb. Though only visible from certain locations across planet Earth, lunar occultations of planets are fairly common. But for this rare “lunar eclipse occultation” to take place, at the time of the total eclipse the outer planet had to be both at opposition and very near the ecliptic plane to fall in line with Sun, Earth, and Moon.

 

Lunar Eclipse of November 2022: Notable Submissions to APOD
Love Eclipses? (US): Apply to become a NASA Partner Eclipse Ambassador

November 7 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 November 7

A Total Lunar Eclipse Over Tajikistan

Video Credit & Copyright: Jean-Luc Dauvergne (Ciel et Espace); Music: Valère Leroy & Sophie Huet (Space-Music)

Explanation: If the full Moon suddenly faded, what would you see? The answer was recorded in a dramatic time lapse video taken during the total lunar eclipse in 2011 from Tajikistan. During a total lunar eclipse, the Earth moves between the Moon and the Sun, causing the moon to fade dramatically. The Moon never gets completely dark, though, since the Earth’s atmosphere refracts some light. As the featured video begins, the scene may appear to be daytime and sunlit, but actually it is a nighttime and lit by the glow of the full Moon. As the Moon becomes eclipsed and fades, background stars become visible and here can be seen reflected in a lake. Most spectacularly, the sky surrounding the eclipsed moon suddenly appears to be full of stars and highlighted by the busy plane of our Milky Way Galaxy. The sequence repeats with a closer view, and the final image shows the placement of the eclipsed Moon near the Eagle, Swan, Trifid, and Lagoon nebulas. Nearly two hours after the eclipse started, the moon emerged from the Earth’s shadow and its bright full glare again dominated the sky. Later today or tomorrow, depending on your location relative to the International Date Line, a new total lunar eclipse will take place — with totality being primarily visible over northeastern Asia and northwestern North America.

 

Total Lunar Eclipse of November 2022: What you need to know.

November 5 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 November 5

Lunar Eclipse at the South Pole

Image Credit & Copyright: Aman Chokshi

Explanation: Last May 16 the Moon slid through Earth’s shadow, completely immersed in the planet’s dark umbra for about 1 hour and 25 minutes during a total lunar eclipse. In this composited timelapse view, the partial and total phases of the eclipse were captured as the Moon tracked above the horizon from Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. There it shared a cold and starry south polar night with a surging display of the aurora australis and central Milky Way. In the foreground are the BICEP (right) and South Pole telescopes at the southernmost station’s Dark Sector Laboratory. But while polar skies can be spectacular, you won’t want to go to the South Pole to view the total lunar eclipse coming up on November 8. Instead, that eclipse can be seen from locations in Asia, Australia, the Pacific, the Americas and Northern Europe. It will be your last chance to watch a total lunar eclipse until 2025.

November 4 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 November 4

InSight’s Final Selfie

Image Credit: NASA, JPL-Caltech, Mars InSight

Explanation: The Mars InSight lander returned its first image from the Red Planet’s flat, equatorial Elysium Planitia after a successful touchdown on November 26, 2018. The history making mission to explore the martian Interior using Seismic investigations, geodesy, and heat transport has been operating for over 1,400 martian days or sols. In that time the InSight mission has detected more than 1,300 marsquakes and recorded data from Mars-shaking meteoroid impacts, observing how the seismic waves travel to provide a glimpse inside Mars. Analyzing the archive of data collected is expected to yield discoveries for decades. But InSight’s final operational sol is likely not far off. The reason is evident in this selfie recorded earlier this year showing its deck and large, 2-meter-wide solar panels covered with dust. Kicked up by martian winds the dust continues to accumulate and drastically reduce the power that can be generated by InSight’s solar panels.