Tag: Magickal Correspondences

May 27 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 May 27

Titan: Moon over Saturn

Image Credit: NASA, JPL-Caltech, Space Science Institute

Explanation: Like Earth’s moon, Saturn’s largest moon Titan is locked in synchronous rotation. This mosaic of images recorded by the Cassini spacecraft in May of 2012 shows its anti-Saturn side, the side always facing away from the ringed gas giant. The only moon in the solar system with a dense atmosphere, Titan is the only solar system world besides Earth known to have standing bodies of liquid on its surface and an earthlike cycle of liquid rain and evaporation. Its high altitude layer of atmospheric haze is evident in the Cassini view of the 5,000 kilometer diameter moon over Saturn’s rings and cloud tops. Near center is the dark dune-filled region known as Shangri-La. The Cassini-delivered Huygens probe rests below and left of center, after the most distant landing for a spacecraft from Earth.

May 27 Today in History

Today’s Important Historical Events

1679 Habeas Corpus Act passes in England, strengthening a person’s right to challenge unlawful arrest and imprisonment

1703 Saint Petersburg (Leningrad) founded by Russian Tsar Peter the Great

1873 Heinrich Schliemann discovers “Priam’s Treasure” a cache of gold and other objects in Hisarlik (Troy) in Anatolia

1905 Japanese fleet destroys the Russian East Sea fleet in the Battle of Tsushima, the only decisive clash between modern steel battleships in history

1940 British and Allied forces begin the evacuation of Dunkirk (Operation Dynamo) during WWII

1963 Jomo Kenyatta elected 1st Prime Minister of Kenya

1999 The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia indicts Slobodan Milošević and four others for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Kosovo

2006 Earthquake strikes Java, Indonesia at 5:53:58 AM local time (22:53:58 UTC May 26) devastating Bantul and the city of Yogyakarta, killing over 6,600 people

Today’s Historical Events

927 Battle of the Bosnian Highlands: Simeon I of Bulgaria is defeated by King Tomislav of Croatia

1120 Richard III of Capua is anointed as prince two weeks before his untimely death

1199 John crowned King of England after the death of his brother Richard I

1281 Flemish Earl Gwijde Dampierre takes financial responsibility of Brugge

1529 30 Jews of Posing, Hungary, charged with blood ritual, burned at stake

1644 Battle of Shanhai Pass: Li Zicheng’s army defeated by combined Ming and Manchu force

1660 Denmark & Sweden sign The Treaty Of Copenhagen, ends Second Northern War

1679 Habeas Corpus Act passes in England, strengthening a person’s right to challenge unlawful arrest and imprisonment

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1933 Walt Disney’s short film “3 Little Pigs” released (Academy Award Best Animated film 1934)

1949 Martin Canine, cartoon character, spoofs Martin Kane

1955 “The Red Buttons Show”, last airs on NBC-TV

1969 Jerry Lewis Show second run, last airs on NBC-TV

1969 Walt Disney World construction begins at Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida

1971 24th Cannes Film Festival: “The Go-Between” directed by Joseph Losey wins the Grand Prix du Festival International du Film

1977 30th Cannes Film Festival: “Padre Padrone” directed by Paolo and Vittorio Taviani wins the Palme d’Or

1977 The Sex Pistols release “God Save the Queen”, sparking major controversy and leading to a ban on the song by the BBC

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1796 James S McLean patents his piano

1906 1st outlining of Gustav Mahler’s 6th symphony, in Essen

1950 “Arms & the Girl” closes at 46th St Theater NYC after 134 performances

1957 Toronto’s CHUM-AM, (1050 kHz) becomes Canada’s first radio station to broadcast only top 40 Rock n’ Roll music format

1967 “Sherry!” closes at Alvin Theater NYC after 65 performances

1971 John Lennon records the song “Imagine” at his Ascot Sound home studio at Tittenhurst Park, England

1972 “Applause” closes at Palace Theater NYC after 900 performances

1972 Jimmy Castor Bunch’s “Troglodyte (Cave Man)” hits #6

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1878 Australian cricket fast bowler Fred Spofforth takes 10-20 (6-4 and 4-16) in quick-fire 9 wicket tour match win over the MCC in London

1881 9th Preakness: T Costello aboard Saunterer wins in 2:40.5

1882 10th Preakness: T Costello aboard Vanguard wins in 2:44.5

1902 27th Preakness: L Jackson aboard Old England wins in 1:45.8

1903 37th Belmont: John Bullman aboard Africander wins in 2:21.75

1904 NY Giants first baseman Dan McGann collects MLB record 5 stolen bases in 3-1 win over the Brooklyn Superbas at the Polo Grounds in NYC; record broken in 1991 by Otis Nixon

1905 30th Preakness: W Davis aboard Cairngore wins in 1:45.8

May 26 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 May 26

NGC 4565: Galaxy on Edge

Image Credit & Copyright: Michael Sherick

Explanation: Magnificent spiral galaxy NGC 4565 is viewed edge-on from planet Earth. Also known as the Needle Galaxy for its narrow profile, bright NGC 4565 is a stop on many telescopic tours of the northern sky, in the faint but well-groomed constellation Coma Berenices. This sharp, colorful image reveals the galaxy’s boxy, bulging central core cut by obscuring dust lanes that lace NGC 4565’s thin galactic plane. NGC 4565 itself lies about 40 million light-years distant and spans some 100,000 light-years. Easily spotted with small telescopes, sky enthusiasts consider NGC 4565 to be a prominent celestial masterpiece Messier missed.

May 25 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 May 25

The Lively Center of the Lagoon Nebula

Image Credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble; Processing & Copyright: Mehmet Hakan Özsaraç

Explanation: The center of the Lagoon Nebula is a whirlwind of spectacular star formation. Visible near the image center, at least two long funnel-shaped clouds, each roughly half a light-year long, have been formed by extreme stellar winds and intense energetic starlight. A tremendously bright nearby star, Herschel 36, lights the area. Vast walls of dust hide and redden other hot young stars. As energy from these stars pours into the cool dust and gas, large temperature differences in adjoining regions can be created generating shearing winds which may cause the funnels. This picture, spanning about 10 light years, combines images taken in six colors by the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope. The Lagoon Nebula, also known as M8, lies about 5000 light years distant toward the constellation of the Archer (Sagittarius).

 

Almost hyperspace: Random APOD Generator

May 25 Today in History and a Pagan Word for Today

Today’s Important Historical Events

1720 The Ship “Le Grand St Antoine” reaches Marseille, bringing Europe’s last major plague outbreak. Kills around 100,000.

1810 In the May Revolution, citizens of Buenos Aires expel the Spanish Viceroy Cisneros during Semana de Mayo

1914 British House of Commons passes the Irish Home Rule Bill

1961 JFK announces US goal of putting a man on the Moon before the end of decade

2020 Video of African American George Floyd‘s arrest and murder while restrained in Minneapolis police custody shows he was pinned to the ground by police officer Derek Chauvin’s knee for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, ignites widespread condemnation and nationwide protests

2021 US CDC says half of all US adults are now fully vaccinated, with 61% having had their first shot

Today’s Historical Events

1085 Alfonso VI of León and Castile captures the Muslim taifa of Toledo

1241 1st attack on Jewish community of Frankfurt am Main, Germany

1420 Henry the Navigator is appointed governor of the Order of Christ

1521 Edict of Worms outlaws Martin Luther and his followers

1522 Holy Roman Emperor Charles V returns to Spain

1571 Pope Pius V forms The Holy League to fight the Ottomans with other Catholic maritime states including Spain, Venice, Naples and Sicily

1632 Albrecht von Wallenstein recaptures Prague on Saksen

1659 Richard Cromwell resigns as Lord Protector of England, earning the nickname “Tumbledown Dick” as a result of his abrupt fall from power

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1932 Goofy, aka Dippy Dawg, 1st appears in ‘Mickey’s Revue’ by Walt Disney

1943 Agnes Moorehead appears in “Sorry, Wrong Number” on the radio program “Suspense”, her most successful appearance

1953 1st non-commercial educational television station – Houston, Texas

1964 16th Emmy Awards: “The Dick Van Dyke Show”, Dick Van Dyke & Mary Tyler Moore win

1964 Frank Gilroy’s dramatic play “The Subject Was Roses”, starring Jack Albertson and Martin Sheen, opens at Royale Theatre, NYC; runs for 832 performances; wins Pulitzer Prize, and 2 Tony Awards

1966 “Au Hasard Balthazar”, French film directed by Robert Bresson, starring Anne Wiazemsky and François Lafarge, is released

1969 “Midnight Cowboy” directed by John Schlesinger and starring Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman is released (Academy Awards Best Picture 1970)

1973 26th Cannes Film Festival: “The Hireling” directed by Alan Bridges and “Scarecrow” directed by Jerry Schatzberg jointly awarded the Grand Prix du Festival International du Film

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1878 W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan’s comic opera “H.M.S. Pinafore” premieres in London, their first international success

1887 Gas lamp at Paris Opera catches fire; 200 die

1934 Béla Bartók’s “Cantata Profana – The Nine Enchanted Stags” premieres in London, England, with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Wireless Chorus conducted by Aylmer Buesst

1957 “Shinbone Alley” closes at Broadway Theater NYC after 49 performances

1962 Isley Brothers release “Twist & Shout”

1963 “Hot Spot” closes at Majestic Theater NYC after 43 performances

1965 Dave Davies of The Kinks knocked unconscious in an on stage scuffle with drummer Mick Avory at Cardiff’s Capital Theatre

1967 John Lennon takes delivery of his psychedelically painted Rolls Royce

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1868 Australian Aboriginal Cricket tour of England begins v Surrey Gentlemen

1876 4th Preakness: G. Barbee aboard Shirley wins in 2:44.75

1895 20th Preakness: Fred Taral aboard Belmar wins in 1:50.5

1899 33rd Belmont: R. Clawson aboard Jean Beraud wins in 2:23

1900 Retired London fire master Eyre Massey Shaw aged 70 reputedly becomes oldest gold medalist in Olympics for sailing (disputed)

1904 38th Belmont: George Odom aboard Delhi wins in 2:06.6

1906 After 20 straight wins, Boston Pilgrims lose to Chicago White Sox 3-0

1919 Casey Stengel releases a sparrow from under his baseball cap

Pagan & Magickal Terms and Definitions

From moonlitpriestess.com

Some terms listed on this page may seem like common-sense words; however, they’re defined here as most often used in Wicca, Witchcraft, and general Paganism. Some terms have a different meaning in general society, other religions, and other sub-cultures.

Please keep this in mind when learning the terms as they’re listed here.

Did you come across a term on this site or another Wiccan/Pagan source that you’re unfamiliar with or uncertain of and can’t find it on this page? Please send us a message so we can add it to this page for you!

If you already know what term you’re looking for, you can use Ctrl-F (Windows) or Cmd-F (Mac) to search. Likewise, if you’re using a tablet or smartphone, you may use your browser’s “Find” setting to search this page.

Today’s Word is

Alchemy

An art-science hybrid that ultimately led to chemistry; concerned with the transmutation of matter, often involved attempts to convert base metals into gold or create a universal elixir.

May 24 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 May 24

A Deep Sky Behind an Eclipsed Moon

Image Credit & Copyright: Andrei Ionut Dascalu

Explanation: The plan was to capture a picturesque part of the sky that was hosting an unusual guest. The result included a bonus — an additional and unexpected guest. The beautiful background features part of the central band of our Milky Way galaxy on the far left, and the colorful clouds of Rho Ophiuchi in the image center. The unusual guest, a dimmed and reddened Moon on the right, was expected because the image was taken during last week’s total lunar eclipse. The timing had to be right because the Moon — both before and after eclipse — would be so bright it would overwhelm the background. The unexpected guest was the bright meteor across the image center. The fleeting meteor streak was captured on only one of the 10 consecutively-captured deep-field images from La Palma in the Spanish Canary Islands, while the eclipsed Moon image was taken immediately afterwards with the same camera and from the same location. The next total lunar eclipse — also quite expected — will occur in early November.

 

Notable Submissions to APOD: Total Lunar Eclipse of 2022 May

May 24 Today in History and a Pagan Word for Today

Today’s Important Historical Events

1595 Nomenclator of Leiden University Library appears, the first printed catalog of an institutional library

1738 John Wesley is converted, launching the Methodist movement; celebrated annually by Methodists as Aldersgate Day

1844 Samuel Morse taps out “What hath God wrought” in the world’s first telegraph message

1941 German battleship Bismarck sinks the British battle cruiser HMS Hood; 1,416 die, 3 survive

1988 Section 28 passed as law by Parliament in the United Kingdom prohibiting the promotion of homosexuality. Repealed 2001/2004

Today’s Historical Events

1086 Abbott Dauferio/Desiderius becomes Pope Victor III

1153 Malcolm IV becomes King of Scots

1218 The Fifth Crusade leaves Acre for Egypt

1276 Magnus Ladulås is crowned King of Sweden in Uppsala Cathedral

1300 King Philip IV occupies Flanders, Earl Gwijde captured

1370 Hanzesteden signs peace treaty with Danish king Waldemar IV

1487 Imposter Lambert Simnel ceremony crowned as King Edward VI in Dublin

1595 Nomenclator of Leiden University Library appears, the first printed catalog of an institutional library

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1895 Henry Irving becomes the first actor to receive a knighthood

1963 Barbra Streisand performs “Happy Days Are Here Again” at White House Press Correspondents Dinner, and meets US President John F. Kennedy

1964 The Beatles’ 4th appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show”, features an interview and pre-recorded performance of “You Can’t Do That”

1966 Jerry Herman’s musical “Mame”, starring Angela Lansbury and Bea Arthur, opens at Winter Garden Theater, NYC; runs for 1508 performances, wins 3 Tony Awards

1974 “The Dean Martin Show” last airs on NBC-TV

1974 27th Cannes Film Festival: “The Conversation” directed by Francis Ford Coppola wins the Grand Prix du Festival International du Film

1979 32nd Cannes Film Festival: “Apocalypse Now” directed by Francis Ford Coppola and “Die Biechtrommel” directed by Volker Schlondorff jointly awarded the Palme d’Or

1988 Porntip Nakhirunkanok, 19, of Thailand, crowned 37th Miss Universe

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1873 Leo Delibes’ opera “Le Roi l’a Dit” (“The King Has Spoken”) premieres at the Opéra-Comique in Paris

1873 Alexandra Palace opens on Queen Victoria‘s 54th birthday with a grand celebration including concerts, recitals and fireworks

1933 Dmitri Shostakovich‘s Preludes premieres in Moscow

1948 Benjamin Britten‘s “Beggar’s Opera” premieres at Arts Theatre, Cambridge, England

1956 1st Eurovision Song Contest: Lys Assia for Switzerland wins singing “Refrain” in Lugano

1958 “New Girl in Town” closes at 46th St Theater NYC after 432 performances

1968 Mick Jagger & Marianne Faithfull arrested for drug possession in England

1969 Beatles’ “Get Back” single goes #1 and stays #1 for 5 weeks

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1877 5th Preakness: C Holloway aboard Cloverbrook wins in 2:45.5

1879 7th Preakness: L Hughes aboard Harold wins in 2:40.5

1900 34th Belmont: Nash Turner aboard Ildrim wins in 2:21¼

1905 39th Belmont: Eugene Hildebrand aboard Tanya wins in 2:08

1918 Cleveland Indians Stan Coveleski sets club record for most innings pitched (19) as the Indians beat the Yankees 3-2

1926 Paavo Nurmi runs world record 3000 m (8:25.4)

1928 Record 12 future Hall of Famers take the field, as Yanks beat A’s 9-7

1929 Detroit Tigers beats Chicago White Sox, 6-5, in 21 innings

Pagan & Magickal Terms and Definitions

From moonlitpriestess.com

Some terms listed on this page may seem like common-sense words; however, they’re defined here as most often used in Wicca, Witchcraft, and general Paganism. Some terms have a different meaning in general society, other religions, and other sub-cultures.

Please keep this in mind when learning the terms as they’re listed here.

Did you come across a term on this site or another Wiccan/Pagan source that you’re unfamiliar with or uncertain of and can’t find it on this page? Please send us a message so we can add it to this page for you!

If you already know what term you’re looking for, you can use Ctrl-F (Windows) or Cmd-F (Mac) to search. Likewise, if you’re using a tablet or smartphone, you may use your browser’s “Find” setting to search this page.

Today’s Word is

Aisling

a dream vision

May 23 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 May 23

The Once and Future Stars of Andromeda

Image Credit: NASA, NSF, NOAJ, Hubble, Subaru, Mayall, DSS, Spitzer; Processing & Copyright: Robert Gendler & Russell Croman

Explanation: This picture of Andromeda shows not only where stars are now, but where stars will soon be. Of course, the big, beautiful Andromeda Galaxy, M31, is a spiral galaxy — and a mere 2.5 million light-years away. Both space-based and ground-based observatories have been here combined to produce this intriguing composite image of Andromeda, at wavelengths both inside and outside normally visible light. The visible light shows where M31’s stars are now — as highlighted in white and blue hues and imaged by the Hubble, Subaru, and Mayall telescopes. The infrared light shows where M31’s future stars will soon form — as highlighted in orange hues and imaged by NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope. The infrared light tracks enormous lanes of dust, warmed by stars, sweeping along Andromeda’s spiral arms. This dust is a tracer of the galaxy’s vast interstellar gas — the raw material for future star formation. These new stars will likely form over the next hundred million years, surely well before Andromeda merges with our Milky Way Galaxy in about 5 billion years.

May 23 Today in History and a Pagan Word for Today

Today’s Important Historical Events

1618 Second Defenestration of Prague: Two Catholic Lords Regent and their secretary are thrown out of a window and amazingly are not seriously injured by the 70 foot (21m) fall. Triggers the Thirty Years’ War.

1785 Benjamin Franklin announces his invention of bifocals

1813 South American independence leader Simón Bolívar enters Mérida, leading the invasion of Venezuela, and is proclaimed El Libertador (“The Liberator”)

1949 Federal Republic of [West] Germany created out of the American, British and French occupation zones

1958 Mao Zedong starts the “Great Leap Forward” movement in China

1998 The Good Friday Agreement is accepted in a referendum in Northern Ireland with 75% voting yes.

Today’s Historical Events

1040 Battle of Dandanaqan: Tughril‘s Seljuk army defeats Ghaznavid force, near Merv (present-day Turkmenistan), brings about the fall of the Ghaznavid Empire

1059 Henri I crowns his son King Philip I (called the Amorous) of France

1275 King Edward I of England orders cessation of persecution of French Jews

1420 Jews of Syria and Austria expelled

1421 Jews of Austria imprisoned & expelled

1430 Joan of Arc is captured at Compiegne and sold to the English

1493 King Charles VIII & Maximilian I of Austria sign Peace of Senlis

1536 Pope Paul III installs Portuguese inquisition

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1922 Walt Disney incorporates his 1st film company Laugh-O-Gram Films

1953 WHIZ TV channel 18 in Zanesville, OH (NBC/ABC) begins broadcasting

1960 WGTV TV channel 8 in Athens-Atlanta, GA (PBS) begins broadcasting

1960 WRCA radio changes call letters back to WNBC (NYC)

1962 15th Cannes Film Festival: “Keeper of Promises” directed by Anselmo Duarte wins the Palme d’Or

1963 NBC purchases 1963 AFL championship game TV rights for $926,000

1963 16th Cannes Film Festival: “The Leopard” directed by Luchino Visconti wins the Palme d’Or

1969 BBC orders 13 episodes of Monty Python‘s Flying Circus

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1921 Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake’s musical “Shuffle Along” premieres on Broadway at Daly’s 63rd Street Theatre, New York City [1]

1922 Comedic play “Abie’s Irish Rose” premieres at Fulton Theatre, NYC; runs for 2,327 performances (longest run at the time)

1939 Dmitri Shostakovich appointed professor at conservatory of Leningrad

1959 “Party with Comden & Green” closes at John Golden NYC after 44 performances

1960 “Finian’s Rainbow” opens at 46th St Theater NYC for 12 performances

1960 “Got A Girl” by The Four Preps hits #24

1968 Beatles open 2nd Apple Boutique at 161 New Kings Road, London

1969 The Who release rock opera “Tommy”

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1873 1st Preakness Stakes: G. Barbee aboard Survivor wins in 2:43 at Pimlico Race Course, Baltimore, Maryland

1883 9th Kentucky Derby: William Donohue aboard Leonatus wins in 2:43

1884 12th Preakness: S Fisher aboard Knight of Ellerslie wins in 2:39.5

1901 35th Belmont: H Spencer aboard Commando wins in 2:21

1922 Future World Heavyweight boxing champion Gene Tunney suffers his only professional defeat in 15-round unanimous points decision against Harry Greb at Madison Square Garden, NY

1926 Chicago Cub’s Hack Wilson is 1st to hit a home run off Wrigley Field scoreboard

1932 Australian cyclist Hubert Opperman sets paced world records 1,384km in 24 hours, and 1,609km (1,000 miles) in 28 hours, 55 minutes, 39 seconds at Melbourne Motordrome

1941 In his 20th World Heavyweight Boxing title defence Joe Louis knocks out Buddy Baer in round 1 at New York’s Madison Square Garden

Pagan & Magickal Terms and Definitions

From moonlitpriestess.com

Some terms listed on this page may seem like common-sense words; however, they’re defined here as most often used in Wicca, Witchcraft, and general Paganism. Some terms have a different meaning in general society, other religions, and other sub-cultures.

Please keep this in mind when learning the terms as they’re listed here.

Did you come across a term on this site or another Wiccan/Pagan source that you’re unfamiliar with or uncertain of and can’t find it on this page? Please send us a message so we can add it to this page for you!

If you already know what term you’re looking for, you can use Ctrl-F (Windows) or Cmd-F (Mac) to search. Likewise, if you’re using a tablet or smartphone, you may use your browser’s “Find” setting to search this page.

Today’s Word is

Acolyte:

a novice; person in training or apprenticeship.

May 22 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 May 22

A Large Tsunami Shock Wave on the Sun

Image Credit: NSO/AURA/NSF and USAF Research Laboratory

Explanation: Tsunamis this large don’t happen on Earth. During 2006, a large solar flare from an Earth-sized sunspot produced a tsunami-type shock wave that was spectacular even for the Sun. Pictured here, the tsunami wave was captured moving out from active region AR 10930 by the Optical Solar Patrol Network (OSPAN) telescope in New Mexico, USA. The resulting shock wave, known technically as a Moreton wave, compressed and heated up gasses including hydrogen in the photosphere of the Sun, causing a momentarily brighter glow. The featured image was taken in a very specific red color emitted exclusively by hydrogen gas. The rampaging tsunami took out some active filaments on the Sun, although many re-established themselves later. The solar tsunami spread at nearly one million kilometers per hour, and circled the entire Sun in a matter of minutes.

May 21 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 May 21

Planetary Nebula Abell 7

Image Credit & Copyright: Donald Waid, Ron Dilulio

Explanation: Very faint planetary nebula Abell 7 is some 1,800 light-years distant, just south of Orion in planet Earth’s skies in the constellation Lepus, The Hare. Surrounded by Milky Way stars and near the line-of-sight to distant background galaxies, its generally simple spherical shape, about 8 light-years in diameter, is outlined in this deep telescopic image. Within its confines are beautiful, more complex details enhanced by the use of narrowband filters. Emission from hydrogen is shown in reddish hues with oxygen emission mapped to green and blue colors, giving Abell 7 a natural appearance that would otherwise be much too faint to be appreciated by eye. A planetary nebula represents a very brief final phase in stellar evolution that our own Sun will experience 5 billion years hence, as the nebula’s central, once sun-like star shrugs off its outer layers. Abell 7 itself is estimated to be 20,000 years old. Its central star is seen here as a fading white dwarf some 10 billion years old.

May 21 Today in History and the Word of the Day

Today’s Important Historical Events

1792 Mount Unzen on Japan’s Shimabara Peninsula, erupts creating a tsunami, killing about 15,000; Japan’s deadliest volcanic eruption

1832 1st US Democratic National Convention held in Baltimore

1871 -July 28] French regular troops attack Commune of Paris; 17,000 die

1927 Aviator Charles Lindbergh, in the Spirit of St Louis, lands in Paris after the first solo air crossing of Atlantic

1932 After flying for 17 hours from Newfoundland, Amelia Earhart lands near Londonderry, Northern Ireland, becoming the 1st transatlantic solo flight by a woman

Today’s Historical Events

878 Syracuse is captured by the Muslim sultan of Sicily

879 Pope John VIII gives blessings to duke Branimir and to Croatian people, considered to be international recognition of the Croatian state

996 Pope Gregory V crowns his cousin Otto III as Holy Roman Emperor in St Peter’s Basilica in Rome

1040 King Henry III gives Utrecht the Groninger currency

1216 French crown prince Louis enters England, having been invited by barons at war with King John

1260 Hao Jing, envoy of Mongol leader Kublai Khan imprisoned by order of the high Chancellor of China, Jia Sidao at the Song Dynasty court of Emperor Lizong while attempting to negotiate with the Song

1281 Kublai Khan‘s second invasion of Japan begins with an attack on Tsushima Island but meets fierce resistance; his troops are forced to withdraw

1382 Earthquake centered on Dover Straits with estimated magnitude of 6.0 causes widespread damage, including to Canterbury Cathedral

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1908 1st American horror movie silent film “Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde” premieres in Chicago

1922 Rollin Kirby’s “On the Road to Moscow” is the 1st cartoon to receive a Pulitzer Prize

1955 WFRV TV channel 5 in Green Bay, Wisconsin (ABC/NBC) begins broadcasting

1956 WITI TV channel 6 in Milwaukee, WI (CBS/ABC) begins broadcasting

1968 Paul McCartney and girlfriend Jane Asher attend an Andy Williams concert

1968 WEKW TV channel 52 in Keene, NH (PBS) begins broadcasting

1980 “Star Wars Episode V – Empire Strikes Back”, produced by George Lucas opens in cinemas in UK and North America

1981 Kim Seelbrede, (Ohio), crowned 30th Miss USA

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1892 Ruggero Leoncavallo’s opera “I Pagliacci” premieres in Milan

1941 Singer Johan Heesters visits Dachau concentration camp

1955 Harold Arlen and Truman Capote‘ musical “House of Flowers” closes at Alvin Theater, NYC, after 165 performances

1959 “Gypsy” opens at Broadway Theater NYC for 702 performances

1960 Leontyne Price becomes the first African American to sing the lead at Teatro alla Scala in Milan in “Aida”

1966 “Downtown” by Mrs Miller hits #82

1966 “Time for Singing” opens at Broadway Theater NYC for 41 performances

1966 Louie Louie by The Kingsmen reentered the chart & hits #97

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1819 1st bicycles (swift walkers) in US introduced in NYC

1866 1st-class debut of cricketer Fred Grace aged 15 years 159 days at the Magdalen Ground, Oxford

1878 4th Kentucky Derby: Jimmy Carter aboard Day Star wins in 2:37.25

1881 US National Lawn Tennis Association is established in NYC, New York

1886 14th Preakness: S Fisher aboard Bard wins in 2:45

1891 Australian boxer Peter Jackson and future world heavyweight champion Jim Corbett fight a No Contest in 61 rounds at California Athletic Club, San Francisco

1904 Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) forms in Paris

1907 32nd Preakness: G Mountain aboard Don Enrique wins in 1:45.4

Today’s Word is

Namby-pamby

Brought to you by wordoftheday.net

Namby-pamby / adjective / nam·by-pam·by

Namby-pamby is the word we use to describe people believed to be lacking in strength or courage. We see someone described as “namby-pamby” as feeble or spineless in response to situations that call for a stronger behavior response.

People often associate the word “namby-pamby” with a male who is behaving in an “effeminate” fashion. Being called a “namby-pamby” is not a compliment. It is a sign that whomever is doing the name-calling lacks respect for the person who is the subject of their verbal attacks.

Etymology

The English word namby-pamby entered language in the mid-1700s around 1745. We derived it from early Ambrose and adopted it into popular use in the mid-18th century. Etymologists say the word was initially used to describe the characteristics of an English writer ridiculed by the public and leading officials of the time. We use namby-pamby as both an adjective and a noun with its original meaning.

In a Sentence

The namby-pamby just stood by and watched while his family was in danger.

The employees all secretly called their boss a namby-pamby behind his back.

Stop acting like such a namby-pamby and step up to the plate!

Synonym

Effeminate, Spineless

Antonym

Backboned, Strong

May 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 May 20

A View from Earth’s Shadow

Image Credit & Copyright: Maxime Oudoux

Explanation: This serene sand and skyscape finds the Dune of Pilat on the coast of France still in Earth’s shadow during the early morning hours of May 16. Extending into space, the planet’s dark umbral shadow covered the Moon on that date. From that location the total phase of a lunar eclipse had begun before moonset. Still in sunlight though, the International Space Station crossed from the western horizon and Earth’s largest artificial moon traced the bright flat arc through the sky over 400 km above. Simply constructed, the well-planned panoramic scene was captured over a 5 minutes in a series of consecutive images.

May 20 Today in History and the Word of the Day

Today’s Important Historical Events

1498 Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama arrives at Calicut, India becoming the first European to reach India by sea

1609 Shakespeare‘s Sonnets are first published in London, perhaps illicitly, by publisher Thomas Thorpe

1862 US President Abraham Lincoln signs into law the Homestead Act to provide cheap land for the settlement of the American West (80 million acres by 1900)

1864 Spotsylvania campaign in US Civil War ends after 10,920 killed or injured

1927 At 7:40 AM, Charles Lindbergh takes off from New York to cross the Atlantic for Paris, aboard Spirit of St Louis in the 1st solo nonstop transatlantic flight

1927 Treaty of Jeddah is signed between the United Kingdom and Ibn Saud recognizing the independence of the Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd

1990 Hubble Space Telescope sends its 1st photographs from space

Today’s Historical Events

325 First Council of Nicaea – 1st ecumenical council of Christian bishops at Nicaea, Asia Minor

685 Battle of Nechtansmere/Dun Nechtain: Picts led by Brude MacBeli beat Northumbrians led by their king Ecgfrith in Scotland

1217 Second Battle of Lincoln fought near Lincoln, England, resulting in the defeat of Prince Louis of France by William Marshal, 2nd Earl of Pembroke

1293 Earthquake strikes Kamakura Japan, 30,000 killed

1293 King Sancho IV of Castile creates the Study of General Schools of Alcalá

1303 Treaty of Paris restores Gascony to the English and arranges marriage of English Prince Edward to French Princess Isabella

1310 Shoes were made for both right & left feet

1347 Rienzo calls Rome for people’s tribunal

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1891 1st public display of Thomas Edison‘s prototype kinetoscope to members of the National Federation of Women’s Club

1895 1st commercial movie performance (153 Broadway, NYC)

1926 Thomas Edison says Americans prefer silent movies over talkies

1960 13th Cannes Film Festival: “The Sweet Life” directed by Federico Fellini wins the Palme d’Or

1966 19th Cannes Film Festival: “A Man and a Woman” directed by Claude Lelouch and “The Birds, the Bees and the Italians” directed by Pietro Germi jointly awarded the Grand Prix du Festival International du Film

1967 BBC bans the Beatles’ “A Day in the Life” because of drug references

1970 Beatles’ “Let it Be” movie premieres in UK

1973 25th Emmy Awards: Waltons, All in the Family & Mary Tyler Moore win

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1896 The six ton chandelier of the Palais Garnier opera house in Paris falls on the crowd resulting in the death of one and the injury of many others

1961 Henzes opera “Elegy for Young Lovers,” premieres in Schwetzingen

1972 “Different Times” closes at ANTA Theater NYC after 24 performances

1972 “Hard Job Being God” closes at Edison Theater NYC after 6 performances

1973 “2 Gentlemen of Verona” closes at St James Theater NYC after 613 performances

1979 “I Love My Wife” closes at Barrymore Theater NYC after 864 performances

1979 Elton John is the 1st western pop star to tour USSR

1980 Drummer Peter Criss quits rock band Kiss

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1734 1st Jockey Club forms in South Carolina

1879 5th Kentucky Derby: Charlie Shauer aboard Lord Murphy wins in 2:37

1897 British Open Men’s Golf, Royal Liverpool GC: English amateur Harold Hilton wins 2nd Open title by 1 stroke from Scot James Braid

1900 Second modern Summer Olympics (Games of the II Olympiad) opens in Paris and continues for 5 months

1913 38th Preakness: James Butwell aboard Buskin wins in 1:53.4

1920 Policemen raid the Cubs’ bleachers & arrest 24 fans for gambling

1922 Babe Ruth and Bob Meusel, previously suspended by Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis, return to the NY lineup and go hitless

1930 University of California dedicates $1,500 to research on prevention & cure of athlete’s foot

Today’s Word is

Hygge

Brought to you by wordoftheday.net

Hygge / noun/ hyoo·guh

Danish speakers use the word “hygge” to represent a relaxed, laid-back, and comfortable vibe created by enjoying the simpler things in life. We use hygge to represent the feeling invoked by engaging in simple activities that relieve stress and provide opportunities for having pleasing conversations and making genuine connections with others. Hygge relates to comfort, well-being, coziness, and contentment, with a warm atmosphere filled with pleasant people.

In a Sentence

The woman felt an incredible sense of hygge upon entering the sacred temple.

Denmark is famous for spreading the love and hygge for visitors and countrymen.

Doing yoga within a group gives some people a pleasurable sense of hygge.

Etymology

Although we most recognize “hygge” in the Danish language, the word actually entered the language as Norwegian. “Hygge” entered the language carrying the same meaning as ‘well-being.’ Danish adopted the word into their language system around the end of the 18th century. They’ve been using “hygge” to represent contentment, well-being, and the best of Denmark for residents and tourists since the late 1800s.

Synonyms

Comfortable, Comfy

Antonyms

Rude, Hard

Some of the Witchcraft/Magickal Correspondence Digest for Thursday

From GypsyWolf.weebly.com

Thursday is the fifth day of the week.   In the Norse languages this day is called Torsdag, honoring Thor, the god of strength, fertility, thunder, the protector and defender in war, and son of Odin.  Thor is the counterpart of Zeus (Greek), and Jupiter or Jove (Roman).  Thor, the most beloved of the great gods of northern mythology, is the only god who cannot cross from earth to heaven across the rainbow bridge, for he is so heavy and powerful that the gods fear it will break under his weight.  It was said that whenever his hammer Mjollnir, was thrown, it would produce a thunderbolt and when struck against stone, it would create lightning.

Thursday

Latin: Dies Jovis (“Jove’s Day”), after Jove or Jupiter, the almighty Roman God.
French: jeudi
Italian: giovedi
Spanish: el jueves
German: Donnerstag
Dutch: donderdag

Rules: Expansion, wealth, prosperity, political power, legal matters, spirituality, meditation.
Colors: Purple, Deep Blue
Planet: Jupiter
Metal: Tin, associated with the thunderbolt of Jupiter (Zeus in Greek myth)
Stones: Amethyst, Lepidolite, Sugilite
Herbs: Anise, Cinquefoil, Clove, Honeysuckle, Hyssop, Maple, Nutmeg, Oakmoss, Sage, Sarsaparilla, Sassafras, Star Anise
Zodiac: Sagittarius

May 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 May 19

A Digital Lunar Eclipse

Image Credit & Copyright: Michael Cain

Explanation: Recorded on May 15/16 this sequence of exposures follows the Full Moon during a total lunar eclipse as it arcs above treetops in the clearing skies of central Florida. A frame taken every 5 minutes by a digital camera shows the progression of the eclipse over three hours. The bright lunar disk grows dark and red as it glides through planet Earth’s shadow. In fact, counting the central frames in the sequence measures the roughly 90 minute duration of the total phase of this eclipse. Around 270 BC, the Greek astronomer Aristarchus also measured the duration of total lunar eclipses, but probably without the benefit of digital watches and cameras. Still, using geometry he devised a simple and impressively accurate way to calculate the Moon’s distance in terms of the radius of planet Earth, from the eclipse duration.

May 19 Today in History and the Word of the Day

Today’s Important Historical Events

1536 Anne Boleyn, second wife of English King Henry VIII, is beheaded at the Tower of London on charges of adultery, incest and treason

1643 Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth, Connecticut and New Harbor form the United Colonies of New England

1649 England is declared a Commonwealth by an act of the Rump Parliament making England a republic for the next 11 years

1885 German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck takes possession of Cameroon and Togoland

1898 US Congress passes the Private Mailing Card Act, allowing private publishers and printers to produce postcards, had to be labelled “Private Mailing Cards” until 1901, known as “souvenir cards”

1919 Mustafa Kemal Atatürk lands at Samsun on the Black Sea coast, beginning the Turkish War of Independence

Today’s Historical Events

715 St Gregory II begins his reign as Catholic Pope

1182 The high altar of Paris cathedral Notre Dame is consecrated by Cardinal Henri de Château-Marçay and Maurice de Sully

1506 Christopher Columbus selects his son Diego Columbus as sole heir

1515 George van Saksen-Meissen sells Friesland for 100,000 gold guilders to arch duke Charles

1517 Philip van Bourgondie installed as bishop of Utrecht

1518 Public unveiling of Titian’s masterpiece “Assumption of the Virgin” a painted altarpiece in the Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, Venice

1536 Anne Boleyn, second wife of English King Henry VIII, is beheaded at the Tower of London on charges of adultery, incest and treason

1547 Monarch Johan Frederik surrenders to Karel

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1968 20th Emmy Awards: “Get Smart”, “Mission Impossible” & Barbara Bain win

1972 WMAV TV channel 18 in Oxford, MS (PBS) begins broadcasting

1972 25th Cannes Film Festival: “The Working Class Goes to Heaven” directed by Elio Petri and “The Mattei Affair” directed by Francesco Rosi jointly awarded the Grand Prix du Festival International du Film

1975 27th Emmy Awards: “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”, Robert Blake & Jean Marsh win

1977 Film “Smokey & the Bandit” starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field and Jackie Gleason premieres in NYC

1980 Ringo & Barbara Bach are involved in a car crash

1982 Sophia Loren jailed in Naples, Italy for tax evasion

1983 Weird Al Yankovic gives live performance at Wax Museum in Washington, D.C.

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1886 Camille Saint-Saëns’ 3rd Symphony in C premieres at St. James Hall, London, with the composer conducting

1911 Maurice Ravel‘s opera “L’Heure Espagnole” premieres at the Opéra-Comique, Paris, France

1958 “South Pacific” soundtrack album goes #1 & stays #1 for 31 weeks

1962 “Bravo, Giovanni” opens at Broadhurst Theater NYC for 76 performances

1962 “John Birch Society” by Chad Mitchell Trio hits #99

1973 “Daisy A Day” by Jud Strunk hits #14

1973 “Smith” opens at Eden Theater, NYC: runs for 17 performances

1976 Columbia Records releases “Turnstiles”, singer-songwriter Billy Joel‘s fourth studio album

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1905 Tom Jenkins beats Frank Gotcha for heavyweight wrestling champ

1909 In his first title defence Jack Johnson fights “Philadelphia” Jack O’Brien to a no decision in 6 rounds in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to retain his world heavyweight crown

1912 AL President Ban Johnson tells Tigers if they continue protest of Ty Cobb‘s suspension, they will be banned from baseball

1923 49th Kentucky Derby: Earl Sande wins aboard Zev for his first Derby success

1928 54th Kentucky Derby: Chick Lang aboard Reigh Count wins in 2:10.4

1929 Cloudburst causes stampede in Yankee Stadium, crushes 2 people to death

1935 NFL adopts an annual college draft to begin in 1936

1941 Germany occupiers in Holland forbid bicycle taxis

Today’s Word is

Merry Andrew

Brought to you by wordoftheday.net

Merry Andrew / noun / mer·ry an·drew

“Merry Andrew” is an archaic definition we use to describe people who behave in a clownish or buffoonish fashion. This early 16th-century noun represents the silly antics or behavior of a person who others consider as being foolish and “jester-like.” Being called a “Merry Andrew” is not a compliment. Someone being called a “Merry Andrew” is being insulted and described as a fool. Merry Andrew is also the name of the 1958 American musical film directed by Michael Kidd and starring famed actor Danny Kaye.

In a Sentence

Look out, here comes that unfunny Merry Andrew from last night’s performance.

A court jester and a Merry Andrew are one and the same.

The king and queen demanded to be entertained by the local Merry Andrew.

Etymology

We saw the first use of Merry Andrew around the late 16th-century in 1670. Etymologists say the term was used to represent people who were kept around because of their entertaining qualities that regularly included them making foolish jokes and public spectacles of themselves.

Synonyms

Comedian, Jester

Antonyms

Wise, Humorless

 

May 18 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 May 18

A Jewel on the Flower Moon

Image Credit & Copyright: Tomas Slovinsky

Explanation: Cloudy skies plagued some sky watchers on Sunday as May’s Full Flower Moon slipped through Earth’s shadow in a total lunar eclipse. In skies above Chile’s Atacama desert this telephoto snapshot still captured an awesome spectacle though. Seen through thin high cirrus clouds just before totality began, a last sliver of sunlit crescent glistens like a hazy jewel atop the mostly shadowed lunar disk. This full moon was near perigee, the closest point in its elliptical orbit. It passed near the center of Earth’s dark umbral shadow during the 90 minute long total eclipse phase. Faintly suffused with sunlight scattered by the atmosphere, the umbral shadow itself gave the eclipsed moon a reddened appearance and the very dramatic popular moniker of a Blood Moon.

Some of the Witchcraft/Magickal Correspondence Digest for Wednesday

 

Magickal Intentions: Communication, Divination, Writing, Knowledge, Business Transactions, Debt, Fear, Loss, Travel and Money Matters

Incense: Jasmine, Lavender, Sweet Pea

Planet: Mercury and Chiron (though this is a moon of Pluto)

Sign: Virgo

Angel: Raphael

Colors: Orange, Light Blue, Grey, Yellow and Violet

Herbs/Plants: Fern, Lavender, Hazel, Cherry, Periwinkle

Stones: Aventurine, Bloodstone, Hematite, Moss Agate and Sodalite

Oil: (Mercury) Benzoin, Clary Sage, Eucalyptus, Lavender

This day is governed by Mercury. Wednesday’s vibration adds power to rituals involving inspiration, communications, writers, poets, the written and spoken word, and all matters of study, learning, and teaching. This day also provides a good time to begin efforts involving self-improvement or understanding.

Some of the Witchcraft/Magickal Correspondence Digest for Tuesday

 

Tuesday (Tiw’s-day)

Planet: Mars

Colors: Red and Autumn Shades

Crystals: Bloodstone, Ruby, Garnet, Flint, Rhodonite, Iron and Steel

Aroma: Basil, Ginger, Black Pepper, Mars Oil, Dragon’s blood and patchouli

Herb: Basil

The day of Mars. This day could only ever symbolize the sheer power of the god of war! The ideal spells to be cast on this day are that of force, power war and protection.

Dedicated to the powers of the planet Mars, personified as Ares, Tiwaz, Tiw, and Tyr.

Magical aspects: controlled power, energy, and endurance, passion, sex, courage, aggression, and protection.

This is the proper day of the week to perform spells and rituals involving courage, physical strength, revenge, military honors, surgery, the breaking of negative spells, dynamic energy, matrimony, war, enemies, prison, hunting, politics, contests, protection, victory, and athletics.