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 22

The Full Moon and the Dancer

Image Credit & Copyright: Elena Pinna

Explanation: On Monday, January’s Full Moon rose as the Sun set. Spotted near the eastern horizon, its warm hues are seen in this photo taken near Cagliari, capital city of the Italian island of Sardinia. Of course the familiar patterns of light and dark across the Moon’s nearside are created by bright rugged highlands and dark smooth lunar maria. Traditionally the patterns are seen as pareidolia, giving the visual illusion of a human face like the Man in the Moon, or familiar animal like the Moon rabbit. But for a moment the swarming murmuration, also known as a flock of starlings, frozen in the snapshot’s field of view lends another pareidolic element to the scene. Some see the graceful figure of a dancer enchanted by moonlight.

 

Printable Warning Spell

January 21 Today In History

Today’s Important Historical Events

1525 The Swiss Anabaptist Movement is born when Conrad Grebel, Felix Manz, George Blaurock, and a dozen others baptize each other in the home of Manz’s mother in Zürich, breaking a thousand-year tradition of church-state union

1789 1st American novel, WH Brown’s “Power of Sympathy” is published

1793 Louis XVI of France is executed by guillotine in Paris, following his conviction for “high treason” by the newly created French Parliament (Convention nationale), during the French Revolution

1952 Jawaharlal Nehru‘s Congress party wins general election in India

1968 The Battle of Khe Sanh – one of the most publicized and controversial battles of the Vietnam War – begins at the Khe Sanh Air Base

2008 Black Monday in worldwide stock markets. FTSE 100 had its biggest ever one-day points fall, European stocks closed with their worst result since 9/11, and Asian stocks drop as much as 15%.

Today’s Historical Events

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

Today’s Historical Events in Music

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

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 21

Young Star Jet MHO 2147

Image Credit & License: International Gemini Observatory / NOIRLab / NSF / AURA Acknowledgments: L. Ferrero (Universidad Nacional de Córdoba)
Explanation: Laser guide stars and adaptive optics sharpened this stunning ground-based image of stellar jets from the Gemini South Observatory, Chilean Andes, planet Earth. These twin outflows of MHO 2147 are from a young star in formation. It lies toward the central Milky Way and the boundary of the constellations Sagittarius and Ophiuchus at an estimated distance of some 10,000 light-years. At center, the star itself is obscured by a dense region of cold dust. But the infrared image still traces the sinuous jets across a frame that would span about 5 light-years at the system’s estimated distance. Driven outward by the young rotating star, the apparent wandering direction of the jets is likely due to precession. Part of a multiple star system, the young star’s rotational axis would slowly precess or wobble like a top under the gravitation influence of its nearby companions.

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 20

NGC 7822 in Cepheus

Image Credit & Copyright: Mark Carter

Explanation: Hot, young stars and cosmic pillars of gas and dust seem to crowd into NGC 7822. At the edge of a giant molecular cloud toward the northern constellation Cepheus, the glowing star forming region lies about 3,000 light-years away. Within the nebula, bright edges and dark shapes stand out in this colorful telescopic skyscape. The image includes data from narrowband filters, mapping emission from atomic oxygen, hydrogen, and sulfur into blue, green, and red hues. The emission line and color combination has become well-known as the Hubble palette. The atomic emission is powered by energetic radiation from the central hot stars. Their powerful winds and radiation sculpt and erode the denser pillar shapes and clear out a characteristic cavity light-years across the center of the natal cloud. Stars could still be forming inside the pillars by gravitational collapse but as the pillars are eroded away, any forming stars will ultimately be cutoff from their reservoir of star stuff. This field of view spans about 40 light-years at the estimated distance of NGC 7822.

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 18

From Orion to the Southern Cross

Image Credit & Copyright: Lucy Yunxi Hu

Explanation: This is a sky filled with glowing icons. On the far left is the familiar constellation of Orion, divided by its iconic three-aligned belt stars and featuring the famous Orion Nebula, both partly encircled by Barnard’s Loop. Just left of center in the featured image is the brightest star in the night: Sirius. Arching across the image center is the central band of our Milky Way Galaxy. On the far right, near the top, are the two brightest satellite galaxies of the Milky Way: the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), and the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). Also on the far right — just above the cloudy horizon — is the constellation of Crux, complete with the four stars that make the iconic Southern Cross. The featured image is a composite of 18 consecutive exposures taken by the same camera and from the same location in eastern Australia during the last days of last year. In the foreground, picturesque basalt columns of the Bombo Quarry part to reveal the vast Pacific Ocean.

Printable Full Moon Affirmation

Thank you for everything.

All my needs are met in all areas of my life.

I have all that I need while walking towards what I desire to have in my life.

I release thoughts, worries, fears, attachments, relationships, situations, and all that doesn’t serve my Higher Purpose or Higher Self.

And so it is.

 

A Thought for Today

Blessed be dear Sisters, Brothers, and Honored Guests.

January 17 Today in History

Today’s Important Historical Events

1773 Captain James Cook becomes 1st to cross Antarctic Circle (66° 33′ S)

1873 A group of Modoc warriors defeats the United States Army in the First Battle of the Stronghold, a part of the Modoc War

1912 Captain Robert Scott‘s expedition arrives at the South Pole, one month after Roald Amundsen

1946 United Nations Security Council holds its 1st meeting

1991 Operation Desert Storm begins, with US-led coalition forces bombing Iraq, during the Gulf War

Today’s Historical Events

1287 King Alfonso III of Aragon invades Minorca

1377 Pope Gregory XI moves the Papacy back to Rome from Avignon

1501 Cesare Borgia returns in triumph to Rome from Romagna

1524 Beginning of Giovanni da Verrazzano‘s voyage to find a passage to China

1536 Francois Rabelais absolved of apostasy by Pope Paul III

1562 French regent Catherine de’ Medici issues the Edict of St Germain recognizing Huguenots in France

1584 Bohemia adopts Gregorian calendar

1595 King Henry IV of France declares war on Spain

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1949 Radio series “The Goldbergs” by Gertrude Berg premieres on US TV on CBS

1954 Jacques Cousteau‘s 1st network telecast airs on “Omnibus” (CBS)

1983 10th American Music Awards: John Cougar, Rick Springfield, and Olivia Newton-John win

1984 Supreme Court rules (5-4) that private use of home VCRs to tape TV programs for later viewing does not violate federal copyright laws

1986 2nd Sundance Film Festival: “Smooth Talk” wins Grand Jury Prize Dramatic

1991 Mountie Jacques Rougeau beats Hart for WWF intercontinental title

1993 14th ACE Cable Awards: Bravo! wins the Golden CableACE for its dedication to films, cultural arts and performing arts programming

1994 Actress Elizabeth Taylor released from the hospital after hip treatment

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1950 “Alive & Kicking” opens at Winter Garden Theater NYC for 46 performances

1959 “Say, Darling” closes at ANTA Theater NYC after 332 performances

1962 Roy Harris’ 8th Symphony, premieres in San Francisco

1972 “My Hang-Up Is You” single released by Freddie Hart (Billboard Song of the Year 1972)

1974 Styne, Comdem & Green’s musical “Lorelei” premieres in NYC

1974 Asylum Records releases “Court and Spark”, Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell‘s 6th studio album; features the songs “Help Me” and “Free Man In Paris”, it becomes her biggest seller

1976 “I Write the Songs” cover by Barry Manilow hits #1

1978 After a tumultuous final tour the Sex Pistols break up as a band, which is announced the following day

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1916 Rodman Wanamaker organises a lunch to discuss forming a golfers association (later the PGA) at the Taplow Club, Martinique Hotel, New York City

1933 Australian cricket batting champion Don Bradman takes only his 2nd Test wicket; bowls England’s Walter Hammond for 85 during 338-run 3rd Test defeat in Adelaide

1934 NY Giants reward NL MVP pitcher Carl Hubbell with a huge $18,000 contract

1937 LPGA Titleholders Championship Women’s Golf, Augusta CC: Patty Berg wins inaugural event by 3 strokes ahead of Dorothy Kirby

1939 Ed Barrow is elected Yankee president succeeding deceased J Ruppert

1952 1952 NFL Draft: Bill Wade from University of Vanderbilt first pick by Los Angeles Rams

1953 Australian Championships Women’s Tennis: In an all-American final Maureen Connolly wins 1st leg of her Grand Slam; beats Julia Sampson 6-3, 6-2

1953 Australian Championships Men’s Tennis: In an all-Australian final Ken Rosewall wins his first Grand Slam title; beats Mervyn Rose 6-0, 6-3, 6-4

Salute to Aningan – the Inuit God of the Moon

The northern sky is broad and flawless black, 

A vast expanse from which most look away,

But Aningan the Moon is on the track

Of caribou and seals, and will not stray.

His barking dogs work hard to pull his sleigh,

Weighted down with fur, and ivory tusks, and meat.

Watch over us, Brave Moon. We pass your way.

And come as brother hunters, on hushed feet.

We ask for your forbearance as we meet

The challenges laid out along the trail.

We brave the winter’s cold, the summer’s heat,

But know that with your wisdom, none shall fail.

Though harsh the path, your patience will not pall;

You serve as an example to us all

By Elizabeth Barrette in Llewellyn’s Wiches’ Datebook 2004 Page 31

Full Moon January 17th! 5 Things to Know

Full Moon January 17th! 5 Things to Know

Wolf Moon Tarot Spread

Call on the spirit of the wolf with this tarot spread to find your pack. This could mean new friends, good coworkers, a soulmate, your found family or more!
Wolf Moon January Tarot Spread Find Pack
Finding Your Pack – Tarot for the Wolf Moon

🐺

Begin by placing a small token in the middle of where you will lay your cards (marked by the pawprint 🐾 on the picture of the tarot spread above).

This token will serve as a taglock to you– it could be a piece of jewelry you wear, a lock of your hair, a picture of yourself, etc. Choose something that you feel represents yourself!

When you are ready, shuffle and draw your tarot cards. Lay the cards in the order depicted in the tarot spread picture above.

——————————————————————————-

1. 🌕The moon rises– who am I looking for?

The card you draw in this spot is symbolic of who you are seeking. The card may reveal a trait or characteristic of the person or group or are looking for.

2. 🐺The hunt begins– how can I find them?

This card will advise you on what you need to do in order to locate what you are seeking. Keep an open mind here– the card may suggest something you have not thought of before.

3. 🐇 Catching your prey– how will I know it’s right?

This card will reveal a sign or symbol to look for to know that you’re on the right trail. It may represent something tangible or it could hint at an emotion you’ll feel when you’re with the right group or person.

4. 🎉Victory howl– when will I meet my pack?

This card points to when you can expect to meet your pack, should the current path you are on play out as expected. Time and dates can be tricky to read in tarot, so look for seasonal symbols or numbers and rely on your intuition to help you interpret.

From Spells8.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.

2022 January 16

A 3-section panorama of a retreating thunderstorm taken from my back deck, with the Canon 5D MkII and 14mm Samyang lens. The storm shows mammatiform clouds and virga from falling rain. The illumination at sunset was perfect. The waxing quarter Moon is at right.

A Retreating Thunderstorm at Sunset

Image Credit & Copyright: Alan Dyer (The Amazing Sky)

Explanation: What type of cloud is that? This retreating cumulonimbus cloud, more commonly called a thundercloud, is somewhat unusual as it contains the unusual bumpiness of a mammatus cloud on the near end, while simultaneously producing falling rain on the far end. Taken in mid-2013 in southern Alberta, Canada, the cloud is moving to the east, into the distance, as the sun sets in the west, behind the camera. In the featured image, graphic sunset colors cross the sky to give the already photogenic cloud striking orange and pink hues. A darkening blue sky covers the background. Further in the distance, a rising, waxing, gibbous moon is visible on the far right.

 

Weekly Horoscope Sunday, January 16 to Saturday, January 23, 2022

Click here for Georgia Nicols’ Daily Horoscopes 

All Signs

The Full Moon on Monday opposes Pluto, which indicates passive-aggressive resistance to authority. Oh yeah, we’ll dig in our heels and stick to our views. (This element of opposition will smolder throughout the week.) Fortunately, after Wednesday, suddenly, things are lighthearted and happy. There’s a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow! Meanwhile, in another part of the forest, a four-week window of Aquarian energy will be ushered in this week. Protesters will be emboldened. Networking will flourish and ideals will run high. Aquarius cares about protecting the rights of the underdog. Mother Nature, however, doesn’t care what economic bracket you’re in.

Aries (March 21-April 19)

Be patient with family members at the beginning of the week. Hey, family is forever. Whachagonna do? The big news is that this week, you enter a lovely four-week window where you will be more popular. Many of you will hang out more with younger people, especially younger people you haven’t seen for a while. You might be more involved with clubs, groups and associations either in person or on-line. You will make a lovely impression on bosses, parents and VIPs right now. In fact, a romance with a boss might begin for some of you. Grab every opportunity to travel because you want to get outta Dodge!

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

This week the Sun moves to the top of your chart where it will stay for the next four weeks. This happens only once a year, and when it does, it symbolizes that a flattering spotlight is shining down on you. This is why everyone (especially people in authority) will admire you, even if you don’t do anything special. (Good lighting is everything.) Obviously, because you have this advantage, you must use it! In the next four weeks, you are perfectly positioned to advance your agenda and go after what you want. Make your pitch! Travel will also appeal. Romance with someone from afar or from another culture is likely. Be patient in disputes about inheritances, shared property and insurance issues.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

Your world will change in the next four weeks. Many of you will travel; certainly, all of you will learn more and be eager to study or experience new environments and new ways of doing things. This window of time is also the perfect time to finish a book, a manuscript or an important paper. Romance will be particularly affectionate at this time. (Which is a good thing because with Mars opposite your sign, it’s easy to fall into disputes with those who are closest to you.) Be nice. Be patient with others on Monday when the Full Moon could trigger arguments about shared possessions or money. Steady as she goes.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

The Moon is your ruler, and on Monday, the only Full Moon in your sign all year occurs. Naturally, you will feel this! It will heighten your feelings and possibly create friction between you and loved ones. Fortunately, this is a 48-hour influence, which is not too long to be patient. Plus, fair Venus will be opposite your sign and this softens your responses to others. Meanwhile, Mars will pump your energy to work and be productive. For the next four weeks, you’re on a self-improvement kick because you want to be the best that you can be! You can use this same window of time to finish up red-tape details about inheritances, shared property, taxes and debt. (All that fun stuff.)

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)

Heads up! This week, the Sun moves opposite your sign to stay for four weeks. This happens only once a year, and when it does, it indicates that something is coming to a head or that there is a culmination of something. Naturally, you might encounter opposition from others. (Don’t provoke them.) This is the classic time when life is giving you a report card. You see what works; you see what doesn’t work. It’s humbling when you realize that even the King of the Jungle makes mistakes. Fortunately, you are never petty. You own your mistakes and admit them. You have lots of energy to play, have fun and enjoy competitive sports. Yay! Meanwhile, work colleagues are friendly and supportive.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

The energy of the Full Moon at the beginning of the week could put you at odds with your kids, as well as create problems with romantic partners. Fortunately, this is brief! This week, you enter a four-week window where you will want to get better organized. You want to get on top of your game. You want to feel that you are flourishing in a productive, efficient way. You want to feel proud about your accomplishments. By extension, you want to improve your health. You might slightly change what you’re eating. You will try to exercise more. (The whole enchilada.) Your home life is still busy and in relative disarray. Fortunately, fair Venus wants you to party, socialize and enjoy loving times with kids. That will feel nice.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

The Full Moon energy on Monday might stir up trouble with family (especially parents) because you feel pulled between your responsibilities for home and family versus your responsibilities for your career and public reputation. This tension will be brief because the Full Moon is roughly for 48-hours. After that, the good news is you begin a four-week window where fun, pleasure, enjoyment and even vacations will be a top priority! Yay! (It might be difficult to go on vacation with all the restrictions there are in the world at present.) But you certainly can enjoy yourself with some imagination. Romance will flourish! You will enjoy playful times with kids. Welcome opportunities to express your creative talents.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

Pay attention to everything you say and do today and tomorrow because the Full Moon energy could create an accident-prone situation for you. (Verbal as well as physical). “Did I just say that?” Fortunately, Venus is in your House of Communications, which means your words are sweet and charming. This week a new influence begins that energizes everything to do with home and family for the next four weeks. You might be more involved than usual with a parent. You might stay at home more. You might focus on home repairs. Certainly, there will be family discussions. You will also work hard to boost your earnings although, many of you will be spending a lot as well. A lovely blessing at this time is that Venus promotes warm, everyday contacts with everyone. Major bonus!

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

Expect disputes about money and possessions at the beginning of the week. Fiery Mars in your sign might make you come on too heavy. (Oops!) Remember what your long-term objective is. Meanwhile, for the next four weeks, your life will be busy! Suddenly, you’ve got things to do, places to go and people to see! Short trips, increased reading and studying plus more contact with siblings and relatives will be on your menu. You will attract money to you. This same influence will encourage you to spend on beautiful things. Get more physical exercise (especially outdoors) because exercise will help you blow off pent-up steam that could be building up within you. You’re revved!

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

On Monday, the only Full Moon opposite your sign all year occurs, which encourages tension with partners and close friends. Rise above this. Demonstrate grace under pressure. Venus is in your sign, which makes you charming and diplomatic. (Admittedly, some kind of energy behind the scenes might not be in your best interests. If you think something fishy is going on – it is!) This week you enter a four-week window that makes you focus on money, earnings and cash flow. You will be more interested in your possessions – taking care of them and organizing things. Respect your moneymaking ideas. Ponder deeper values: What really matters in life? Do you know?

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

This week the Sun enters your sign to stay for four weeks. (This blessing happens only once a year.) This will empower you! It’s your chance to recharge your batteries! It will boost your confidence and attract important people and favourable situations to you. You’re in charge! With Mercury retrograde in your sign, you’re in contact with people from your past. Many of you are putting energy into groups or organizations because you want to make a difference in the world. Obviously, you will have countless opportunities to do this because there are so many global challenges. You have many chances to practice your magic. This is your hour!

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)

As this week begins, be patient with kids and romantic partners because the Full Moon energy could stir up trouble. People will be entrenched in their ways. (They’re just being human.) Meanwhile, your personal year is coming to an end, but your new year won’t begin until your birthday arrives. That means the next four weeks are a time of limbo to cocoon and take it easy. Start to think about what you want for your new year ahead, which will begin with your birthday. Make some goals because goals keep you on track. They make future decision-making easier. They give you a sense of purpose. With Mars high in your chart, your ambition is aroused. Make this work for 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 15

Galileo’s Europa

Image Credit: NASA, JPL-Caltech, SETI Institute, Cynthia Phillips, Marty Valenti

Explanation: Looping through the Jovian system in the late 1990s, the Galileo spacecraft recorded stunning views of Europa and uncovered evidence that the moon’s icy surface likely hides a deep, global ocean. Galileo’s Europa image data has been remastered here, with improved calibrations to produce a color image approximating what the human eye might see. Europa’s long curving fractures hint at the subsurface liquid water. The tidal flexing the large moon experiences in its elliptical orbit around Jupiter supplies the energy to keep the ocean liquid. But more tantalizing is the possibility that even in the absence of sunlight that process could also supply the energy to support life, making Europa one of the best places to look for life beyond Earth. What kind of life could thrive in a deep, dark, subsurface ocean? Consider planet Earth’s own extreme shrimp.

A SPELL TO HELP LIFT HARD FEELINGS AND HEAL EMOTIONAL RIFTS

 A SPELL TO HELP LIFT HARD FEELINGS AND HEAL EMOTIONAL RIFTS

Item needed: 1 Quartz crystal
Find a nice quiet place where you can lay down, place the quartz crystal on you third eye and say:
“I call upon Gula, great goddess of Healing,
Guide the help to direct any bad feelings,
See this dark specters reeling.
By the grace of your power I ask you to heal them.
Teach each to feel what the other feels,
By the power of three, I wish it to be.”
If you focus on one person the spell will affect that person a little better than just doing in general.

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 14

NGC 1566: The Spanish Dancer Spiral Galaxy

Image Credit & Copyright: Mark Hanson and Mike Selby

Explanation: An island universe of billions of stars, NGC 1566 lies about 60 million light-years away in the southern constellation Dorado. Popularly known as the Spanish Dancer galaxy, it’s seen face-on from our Milky Way perspective. A gorgeous grand design spiral, this galaxy’s two graceful spiral arms span over 100,000 light-years, traced by bright blue star clusters, pinkish starforming regions, and swirling cosmic dust lanes. NGC 1566’s flaring center makes the spiral one of the closest and brightest Seyfert galaxies. It likely houses a central supermassive black hole wreaking havoc on surrounding stars, gas, and dust. In this sharp southern galaxy portrait, the spiky stars lie well within the Milky Way.

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 13

Supernova Remnant Simeis 147

Image Credit & Copyright: Jason Dain

Explanation: It’s easy to get lost following the intricate, looping, twisting filaments in this detailed image of supernova remnant Simeis 147. Also cataloged as Sharpless 2-240 it goes by the popular nickname, the Spaghetti Nebula. Seen toward the boundary of the constellations Taurus and Auriga, it covers nearly 3 degrees or 6 full moons on the sky. That’s about 150 light-years at the stellar debris cloud’s estimated distance of 3,000 light-years. This composite includes image data taken through narrow-band filters where reddish emission from ionized hydrogen atoms and doubly ionized oxygen atoms in faint blue-green hues trace the shocked, glowing gas. The supernova remnant has an estimated age of about 40,000 years, meaning light from the massive stellar explosion first reached Earth 40,000 years ago. But the expanding remnant is not the only aftermath. The cosmic catastrophe also left behind a spinning neutron star or pulsar, all that remains of the original star’s core.

January 12 Today in History

Today’s Important Historical Events

1528 Gustav I of Sweden crowned King of Sweden, rules for 37 years and becomes known as the “father of the nation”

1554 Bayinnaung crowned King of Burma, goes on to assemble the largest empire in the history of Southeast Asia

1872 Yohannes IV is crowned Emperor of Ethiopia in Axum, 1st imperial coronation in Axum in over 200 years

1948 Mahatma Gandhi begins his final fast

2010 Earthquake Devastates Haiti, killing approximately 160,000 and destroying the majority of the capital Port-au-Prince

Today’s Historical Events

475 Basiliscus becomes Byzantine Emperor, with a coronation ceremony in the Hebdomon palace in Constantinople.

1493 Last day for all Jews to leave Sicily

1528 Gustav I of Sweden crowned King of Sweden, rules for 37 years and becomes known as the “father of the nation”

1552 Dutch west coast hit by heavy storm, hundreds killed

1554 Bayinnaung crowned King of Burma, goes on to assemble the largest empire in the history of Southeast Asia

1583 Holland begins use of Gregorian calendar (yesterday was 1/1/1583)

1598 Pope Clement VIII seizes duchy of Ferrara on death of Alfonso

1616 Brazilian city Belem (the entrance gate to the Amazon) founded by Captain Major Francisco Branco

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1949 “Arthur Godfrey & his Friends” premieres on CBS TV

1959 KOED TV channel 11 in Tulsa, OK (PBS) begins broadcasting

1965 “Hullabaloo” premieres on NBC-TV

1966 “Batman”, starring Adam West as Batman, Burt Ward as Robin, and Cesar Romero as The Joker, debuts on ABC

1967 NBC premiers the colorized remake of “Dragnet”

1968 Nighttime version of “Hollywood Squares” premieres on NBC TV

1971 “All in the Family” premieres on CBS featuring 1st toilet flush on TV

1979 6th American Music Awards: Barry Manilow, Linda Ronstadt win

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1723 George Frideric Handel‘s opera “Ottone” premieres at the King’s Theatre London

1946 “Polonaise” closes at Alvin Theater NYC after 113 performances

1959 American record company Motown is founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records

1961 “Show Girl” opens at Eugene O’Neill Theater NYC for 100 performances

1963 “Go Away Little Girl” by Steve Lawrence peaks at #1

1968 Beatles Film Production Ltd changes name to Apple Film Production Ltd

1969 “Golden Rainbow” closes at Shubert Theater NYC after 355 performances

1969 Atlantic Records releases eponymous debut album of Led Zeppelin in US

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1918 Montreal Canadien’s center Joe Malone scores 5 goals in a 9-4 win over Ottawa to become the first 20 goal scorer in NHL history; goes on to score 44 regular season goals

1920 Annual drafting of baseball players from minor leagues to be done in inverse order of the final standings, agreed to

1946 NFL champs Cleveland Rams given permission to move to LA

1951 Ezzard Charles TKOs Lee Oma in 10 for heavyweight boxing title

1952 2nd NFL Pro Bowl, Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum: National Conference beats American Conference, 30-13; MVP: Dan Towler, LA Rams, FB

1958 NCAA adds 2 point conversion to football scoring

1958 8th NFL Pro Bowl, LA Memorial Coliseum: Western Conference beats Eastern Conference, 26-7; MVPs: Hugh McElhenny, SF 49ers, HB; Gene Brito, Washington Redskins, DE

1958 Syracuse National Dolph Schayes sets NBA record at 11,770 points

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 12

Comet Leonard Closeup from Australia

Image Credit & Copyright: Blake Estes (itelescope.net)

Explanation: What does Comet Leonard look like up close? Although we can’t go there, imaging the comet’s coma and inner tails through a small telescope gives us a good idea. As the name implies, the ion tail is made of ionized gas — gas energized by ultraviolet light from the Sun and pushed outward by the solar wind. The solar wind is quite structured and sculpted by the Sun’s complex and ever changing magnetic field. The effect of the variable solar wind combined with different gas jets venting from the comet’s nucleus accounts for the tail’s complex structure. Following the wind, structure in Comet Leonard’s tail can be seen to move outward from the Sun even alter its wavy appearance over time. The blue color of the ion tail is dominated by recombining carbon monoxide molecules, while the green color of the coma surrounding the head of the comet is created mostly by a slight amount of recombining diatomic carbon molecules. Diatomic carbon is destroyed by sunlight in about 50 hours — which is why its green glow does not make it far into the ion tail. The featured imagae was taken on January 2 from Siding Spring Observatory in Australia. Comet Leonard, presently best viewed from Earth’s Southern Hemisphere, has rounded the Sun and is now headed out of the Solar System.