Flashback 2018 – A Thought for Today – You’re On A Witchcraft Page(I Love This One)……………..The Witch Said What?

This comes to us thanks to Lady of the Abyss. Originally posted on WOTC on June 10, 2018.

Dear sisters, brothers, and honored guests may the Great Mother and Great Father, Lord and Lady, bless you and your family with all things positive!

Some of the Witchcraft/Magickal Correspondence for Sunday

Magickal Intentions: Growth, Advancements, Enlightenment, Rational Thought, Exorcism, Healing, Prosperity, Hope, Exorcism, Money

Incense: Lemon, Frankincense

Planet: Sun

Sign: Leo

Angel: Michael

Colors: Gold, Yellow, Orange and White

Herbs/Plants: Marigold, Heliotrope, Sunflower, Buttercup, Cedar, Beech, Oak

Stones: Carnelian, Citrine, Tiger’s Eye, Amber, Clear Quartz and Red Agate

Oil: (Sun) Cedar, Frankincense, Neroli, Rosemary

The first day of the week is ruled by the Sun. It is an excellent time to work efforts involving business partnerships, work promotions, business ventures, and professional success. Spells where friendships, mental or physical health, or bringing joy back into life are an issue work well on this day, too.

Some of the Witchcraft/Magickal Correspondence for Thursday

Thursday (Thor’s day)

Planet: Jupiter

Colors: Purple, Deep Blue

Crystals: Amethyst, Lepidolite, Sugilite, Tin

Aroma: Melissa, Clove, Oakmoss, Jupiter Oil, Cinnamon, Musk, Nutmeg, and Sage

Herb: Cinquefoil Ruled by the planet Jupiter and dedicated to Thor, god of thunder and agricultural work. His parallels in various European Traditions include Zeus, Taranis, Perun, and Perkunas.

Magical aspects: controlled optimism, energetic growth, physical well-being, material success, expansion, money/wealth, prosperity, leadership, and generosity.

Thursday is the day of Jupiter, the largest of the planets and said to be the most powerful. Spellcasters would be wise to use this day for attempting wealth, success and prosperity spells.

Thursday is also associated (in Greek mythology) to Thor – Thor’s day – and some even say that Jupiter and Thor are one in the same. Both are strong and powerful, yet wise and just. Try a small prayer to Jupiter before commencing any ritual on Thursday as a sign of respect. This is the proper day of the week to perform spells and rituals involving luck, happiness, health, legal matters, male fertility, treasure, wealth, honour, riches, clothing, money, desires, business, group pursuits, joy, laughter, and expansion.

 

Spell for Today – Memory – Printable

Use these spells wisely on yourself. Do not use them on anyone else without their permission. The reason you should not use them on someone else without permission is because you will be messing with their free will which takes these from gray to black magic spells. Unless of course your spiritual/magickal path follows the dark side of witchcraft.

Some of the Witchcraft/Magickal Correspondence for Monday

Day: Monday ( Moon-day)

Planet: Moon

Colors: Silver and White and Grey

Crystals: Moonstone, Pearl, Aquamarine, Silver, Selenite

Aroma: Jasmine, Lemon, Sandalwood, Moon Oil, African violet, Honeysuckle, Myrtle, Willow, and Wormwood
Herb: Moonwort

The sacred day of the Moon, personified by such goddesses as Selene, Luna, Diana, and Artemis. The Moon is ruler of flow affecting the changeable aspects of people. If a full moon falls on a Monday, its powers are at their most potent.

Magical aspects: peace, sleep, healing, compassion, friendships, psychic awareness, purification, and fertility

Monday is ruled by the moon – an ancient symbol of mystery and peace. Monday is a special day for mothers as the cycle of the moon has long been associated with the female menstrual cycle. Those wishing to conceive a baby would be wise to try on a Monday as the magic of motherhood is strong and pregnancy is in the air.

This is the proper day of the week to perform spells and rituals involving agriculture, animals, female fertility, messages, reconciliation’s, theft, voyages, dreams, emotions, clairvoyance, home, family, medicine, cooking, personality, merchandising, psychic work, Faerie magic, and Goddess rituals.

Spell for Today – Full Moon Silver Coin Money Spell

Every Witch loves a good money spell, and nothing goes better with money magic than a full moon! This prosperity spell uses sympathetic magic, meaning that you’ll use your power of visualization and mimicking to symbolize the magic playing out. After all, the essence of all successful spells is the ability to see the final result happening!

This spell does not use candles, making it great for Water Witches, Wiccans in college, or magical practitioners who need to be discreet! Simply gather a bowl, a silver coin, some water, and the full moon and you’re ready to make magic!

Spell Timing: Full Moon, clear sky, night ( Can be done 2 days before or after the full Moon calendar date)

Spell Ingredients

Silver Coin, cleaned and sterilized

Bowl or clean Cauldron

Water

Sage

Spell instructions:

  1. Prepare sacred space: Outside, sweep dirt and harmful energy out of your space. Using your sage, cleanse your spell items. Set up your altar with any other prosperity or full moon items you’d like to pull energy from.
  2. Cast your protective circle: Using your favorite circle casting ritual, surround the working area with protection. Don’t know how to cast a circle? Try this simple circle casting ritual!
  3. Prepare the Spell: Place your coin in the bottom of the bowl. Fill the bowl with water and position it so that it reflects the full moon in the surface of the water.
  4. Cast the Spell: Visualize the coin being multiplied by the moon’s power until you see a bowl full of money. With both hands, scoop up your wealth by scooping the water into your hands. Drink the handful of water while seeing your life, bank account, and home being filled with wealth. When all of the wealth water has been transferred to you, say “And it harm none, so mote it be.”
  5. Release your protective circle: Pull up your circle and send the energy to the universe.
  6. Clean up: Keep your silver coin in your purse or on your altar.

Some of the Witchcraft/Magickal Correspondence for Thursday

Thursday (Thor’s day)

Planet: Jupiter

Colors: Purple, Deep Blue

Crystals: Amethyst, Lepidolite, Sugilite, Tin

Aroma: Melissa, Clove, Oakmoss, Jupiter Oil, Cinnamon, Musk, Nutmeg, and Sage

Herb: Cinquefoil

Ruled by the planet Jupiter and dedicated to Thor, god of thunder and agricultural work. His parallels in various European Traditions include Zeus, Taranis, Perun, and Perkunas.

Magical aspects: controlled optimism, energetic growth, physical well-being, material success, expansion, money/wealth, prosperity, leadership, and generosity.

Thursday is the day of Jupiter, the largest of the planets and said to be the most powerful. Spellcasters would be wise to use this day for attempting wealth, success and prosperity spells.

Thursday is also associated (in Greek mythology) to Thor – Thor’s day – and some even say that Jupiter and Thor are one in the same. Both are strong and powerful, yet wise and just. Try a small prayer to Jupiter before commencing any ritual on Thursday as a sign of respect.

This is the proper day of the week to perform spells and rituals involving luck, happiness, health, legal matters, male fertility, treasure, wealth, honour, riches, clothing, money, desires, business, group pursuits, joy, laughter, and expansion

Some of the Witchcraft/Magickal Correspondence for Wednesday

From learnreligions.com

Wednesday is named for Woden himself, although the Romans called it dies Mercurii. This is a day associated with the color purple, the planet Mercury, and the metal quicksilver—which is also called mercury. See a pattern here?

When it comes to deities… yes, Mercury! However, there are a few other gods associated with Wednesday, including Odin and Hermes, Athena, and Lugh. Gemstones like adventurine and agate come in handy as well, as do plants such as aspen trees, lilies, lavender, and even ferns.

Business and job-related issues, communication, loss and debt, traveling, and journeys are all tied into Wednesday. This is a good day to do a working to open up lines of communication—especially if your actions are preventing you from being an effective speaker or listener. Go someplace new or return to an old favorite stomping ground, step up your game, and settle up your accounts.

Spell for Today – A Give me the Money! Spell

A Give me the Money! Spell

Fiona Horne

Witch, A Magickal Journey

Money is something everyone wants; and this is a spell not only for enough money, but also for lots of money! It requires strong powers of visualization and a firm belief that you deserve prosperity.

 

Do this spell on a Thursday at midday when the sun’s energy is peaking, and during a waxing moon phase.

 

You will need:

 

* Liquid Paper

*3 green candles;

*A colour photocopy of a blank recent personal bank statement (first photocopy, then *liquid paper out the balance amounts, then photocopy again so that you have a blank

statement);

*1 green ribbon;

*9 drops of bergamot oil;

*1 teaspoon of dried dill

*1 teaspoon of dried sage;

*A typewriter or word processor and printer.

 

Before you start your spell ritual, have a good think about money and your relationship with it – do you feel it is hard to get? Do you feel that the more you earn, the more you spend? Do you have enough to live comfortably, but you want to live more comfortably? Are all your friends not very well off, so you feel you can’t be either? Erase any thought processes that are limiting your prosperity.

 

Now, decide exactly what sort of money you want to have. When I did this spell I summed up my situation by realizing that I only ever dealt in $100s – I would earn $100 for a show with my old band; $200 for an article I wrote; $600 for an old guitar that I sold; my bank balance only ever had an amount in the hundreds (or less!) in it. I decided that I wanted to deal in $1000s. It’s worth pointing out that there’s no point in being greedy when doing this sort of spell, not just because it’s tacky but also because greed only exists in a mind that is constantly in a battle against poverty. And that attitude is going to undermine the belief that the spell will work; that is, it’s going to enormously lessen the chances of it working. Often money spells work best when they’re either for a special purpose (for example, a trip you feel you really need to take, or a car if you’re in genuine need of one) or as a continuing thing just to keep the income coming in. A clear attitude that acknowledges that resources can always be called in when needed, rather than a panicky, one-off “major Lotto win”kind of approach, is going to be more effective.

 

Bearing all this in mind, decide what your money goals are type up a new bank statement, like this,

 

Transaction CashCheque Current Balance

 

Deposit $2,000.00

Deposit $1,300.00 Withdrawal

Deposit $5,700.00

 

 

 

$2,000.00

 

 

$2,000.00

$4,000.00

$5,300.00

$3,300.00

$9,000.00

 

or however your statement is presented. Make it look real; use your typewriter or computer and printer, so that it convinces you that this is possible.

 

When you have completed this, get ready for your ritual by showering (wash away the past) and dressing in your favorite clothes and perfume or aftershave. You want to feel fantastic and capable of taking on the world!

 

Cast Circle and anoint each of the green candles with three drops of bergamot oil, then set them up in a triangle on your altar. Place your new bank balance statement in front of these and sprinkle the dill and sage in a deosil (sunwise) circle on it as you repeat until all the herbs are on the paper: ‘Prosperous is my rightful state, there is no limit to the money I make.’

 

Now, raise power in whatever way you choose, for example: chanting “money, come to me, money, come to me” over and over; sense your desire start as a burning sensation in your feet, and building through you until you feel you are going to explode. At the point where you can’t take it any more hold your hands over the triangle of candles, channeling the energy into their flames and the bank statement.

 

Say: ‘Fire, speed my wish to me.’

 

Now drip three drops of wax from each candle in the centre of the circle of herbs on the bank statement.

 

Fold the statement into a wallet shape, sealing the herbs within, and wrap the ribbon around it three times, tying it off with nine knots.

Keep the money charm where you file your bank statements and for the next two Wednesdays before you go to bed light the candles again, hold the charm and repeat the mantra, ‘Money come to me’ for three minutes or so.

 

As you do this visualize yourself going to the bank to deposit your desired sums of money. At the end of those two weeks leave the charm with your bank statements and go about your business.

 

When I did this spell I noticed a distinct turn-around in my financial situation within three months. All of a sudden I started getting offered more money for the same jobs. I found myself not being so tight, and realizing that the more I spent, secure in the knowledge that I was prosperous; the more money came my way.

Some Pet Tips For This Holiday Season

Lady Beltane has worked with canines for 50 years as a groomer, obedience and law enforcement trainers, show dog handler and mom to many temporary but only a few permanent ones. She also had a cat for 18 years. Lady Beltane got certified veterinarian assistant in 2008. She specialized in canine nutrition and midwifery. Lady Beltane learned to train dogs the old fashion way of being an apprentice for 3 years than was over seen for another 2 years. So, she is not just pulling ideas out of thin air she has done the legwork to be able to bring you these tips. She will be posting some tips every Sunday until after the mainstream New Year.

  1. Do not feed any 4-legged pet grapes pealed or not
  2. Do not feed a pet any citrus fruit whether you take the membrane off or not
  3.  Do not let the eat onions or chocolate as both can be deadly to our beloved pets
  4. Do not let the dog in the room when decorating your Yule tree as they may try to chase and bite the lights as you put them up, eat garland or tinsels both of these usually get caught in the intestines and have to be surgically removed.
  5. Do not leave a Poinsettia plant where a human child or any pets can reach it as both the leaves and the little white balls are very poison.
  6. While unwrapping gifts again make sure all pets are safely out of the room as cats will stalk and try to eat the paper and even some of the toys, this goes for dogs also, but they will also try to eat those pesky plastic or wire things that hold a toy in place in its box.
  7. If you are going to get someone a puppy, kitten, or another type of mammal for Yule I suggest you get it a couple of days after the extended family has left, all garbage from presents and food are safely in the trash bin outside. A new animal is a lot of work, and they can be scared easily and it doesn’t need to many different people outside of the nuclear family handling it for a few weeks. The reason for not getting the new pet a head of all the commotion of celebrating Yule is the animal may get forgotten or accidentally injured while their humans celebrate.

Some of the Witchcraft/Magickal Correspondence for Friday – Printable

 

Some of the Witchcraft/Magickal Correspondence for Friday – Printable

Some of the Witchcraft/Magickal Correspondence Digest Thursday

Magickal Intentions: Luck, Happiness, Health, Legal Matters, Male Fertility, Treasure and Wealth, Honor, Riches, Clothing Desires, Leadership, Public Activity, Power and Success

Incense: Cinnamon, Must, Nutmeg and Sage

Planet: Jupiter

Sign: Sagittarius and Pisces

Angel: Sachiel

Colors: Purple, Royal Blue and Indigo

Herbs/Plants: Cinnamon, Beech, Buttercup, Coltsfoot, Oak

Stones: Sugilite, Amethyst, Turquoise, Lapis Lazuli and Sapphire

Oil: (Jupiter) Clove, Lemon Balm, Oakmoss, Star Anise

Jupiter presides over Thursday. The vibrations of this day attune well to all matters involving material gain. Use them for working rituals that entail general success, accomplishment, honors and awards, or legal issues. These energies are also helpful in matters of luck, gambling, and prosperity.

 

Some of the Witchcraft/Magickal Correspondence Digest for Saturday

Magickal Intentions: Spirit Communications, Meditation, Psychic Attack or Defense, Locating Lost Things and Missing Persons, Building, Life, Doctrine, Protection, Knowledge, Authority, Limitations, Boundries, Time and Death
Incense: Black Poppy Seed and Myrrh
Planet: Saturn
Sign: Capricorn and Aquarius
Angel: Cassiel
Colors: Black, Grey and Indigo
Herbs/Plants: Myrrh, Moss, Hemlock, Wolfsbane, Coltsfoot, Nightshade and Fir
Stones: Jet, Smokey Quartz, Amethyst, Black Onyx, Snowflake Obsidian, Lava, Pumice
Oil: (Saturn) Cypress, Mimosa, Myrrh, Patchouly
Saturn lends its energies to the last day of the week. Because Saturn is the planet of karma, this day is an excellent time for spellwork involving reincarnation, karmic lessons, the Mysteries, wisdom, and long-term projects. It is also a good time to being efforts that deal with the elderly, death, or the eradication of pests and disease.

Some of the Witchcraft/Magickal Correspondence for Thursday

From Ancient Pathway

Magickal Intentions:
Luck, Happiness, Health, Legal Matters, Male Fertility, Treasure and Wealth, Honor, Riches, Clothing Desires, Leadership, Public Activity, Power, Success

Incense:
Cinnamon
Musk
Nutmeg
Sage

Planet:
Jupiter

Sign:
Sagittarius
Pisces

Angel:
Sachiel

Colors:
Purple
Royal Blue
Indigo

Herbs/Plants:
Cinnamon
Beech
Buttercup
Coltsfoot
Oak

Stones:
Sugilite
Amethyst
Turquoise
Lapis Lazuli
Sapphire

A Magickal Rite for Mabon: Honor the Dark Mother

A Magickal Rite for Mabon

Honor the Dark Mother at Mabon

Demeter and Persephone are strongly connected to the time of the Autumn Equinox. When Hades abducted Persephone, it set in motion a chain of events that eventually led to the earth falling into darkness each winter. This is the time of the Dark Mother, the Crone aspect of the triple goddess. The goddess is bearing this time not a basket of flowers, but a sickle and scythe. She is prepared to reap what has been sown.

The earth dies a little each day, and we must embrace this slow descent into dark before we can truly appreciate the light that will return in a few months.

This ritual welcomes the archetype of the Dark Mother and celebrates that aspect of the Goddess which we may not always find comforting or appealing, but which we must always be willing to acknowledge. Decorate your altar with symbols of Demeter and her daughter — flowers in red and yellow for Demeter, purple or black for Persephone, stalks of wheat, Indian corn, sickles, baskets. Have a candle on hand to represent each of them — harvest colors for Demeter, black for Persephone. You’ll also need a chalice of wine, or grape juice if you prefer, and a pomegranate.

If you normally cast a circle, or call the quarters, do so now. Turn to the altar, and light the Persephone candle. Say:

The land is beginning to die, and the soil grows cold.
The fertile womb of the earth has gone barren.
As Persephone descended into the Underworld,
So the earth continues its descent into night.
As Demeter mourns the loss of her daughter,
So we mourn the days drawing shorter.
The winter will soon be here.

Light the Demeter candle, and say:

In her anger and sorrow, Demeter roamed the earth,
And the crops died, and life withered and the soil went dormant.
In grief, she traveled looking for her lost child,
Leaving darkness behind in her wake.
We feel the mother’s pain, and our hearts break for her,
As she searches for the child she gave birth to.
We welcome the darkness, in her honor.

Break open the pomegranate (it’s a good idea to have a bowl to catch the drippings), and take out six seeds. Place them on the altar. Say:

Six months of light, and six months of dark.
The earth goes to sleep, and later wakes again.
O dark mother, we honor you this night,
And dance in your shadows.
We embrace that which is the darkness,
And celebrate the life of the Crone. Blessings to the dark goddess on this night, and every other.

As the wine is replaced upon the altar, hold your arms out in the Goddess position, and take a moment to reflect on the darker aspects of the human experience. Think of all the goddesses who evoke the night, and call out:

Demeter, Inanna, Kali, Tiamet, Hecate, Nemesis, Morrighan.
Bringers of destruction and darkness,
I embrace you tonight.
Without rage, we cannot feel love,
Without pain, we cannot feel happiness,
Without the night, there is no day,
Without death, there is no life.
Great goddesses of the night, I thank you.

Take a few moments to meditate on the darker aspects of your own soul. Is there a pain you’ve been longing to get rid of? Is there anger and frustration that you’ve been unable to move past? Is there someone who’s hurt you, but you haven’t told them how you feel? Now is the time to take this energy and turn it to your own purposes. Take any pain inside you, and reverse it so that it becomes a positive experience. If you’re not suffering from anything hurtful, count your blessings, and reflect on a time in your life when you weren’t so fortunate.

When you are ready, end the ritual.

By Patti Wigington,Paganism/Wicca Expert
Article found on & owned by ThoughtCo

Flashback 2000 Imbolc

Daylight hours are gradually lengthening, and the Earth is beginning to stir. Although she is still in the middle of her winter’s rest, our planet subtly begins to plan. It’s appropriate that this period is represented by Aquarius, an air sign, since all change begins first in the mind. Every new thought or idea is full of raw potential as the Earth is now,nailing for the touch of fire to ignite her new growth period. Uranus is the ruler of Aquarius, and the planet best known for its jurisdiction over the future. This electric energy only looks forward, never back. It is during Imbolc, in fact, as the Sun is passing through Aquarius, that many ideas are born. As we prepare for the upcoming Equinox, then, it’s important to be sure that we’re looking ahead, as Uranus does, with all the electric enthusiasm and genius of Aquarius. Honor the potential of the coming spring by uncovering your gift of prophecy. Whether you use a crystal ball, a dream journal, or another type of predictive tool, prepare for the Equinox in your heart, by understanding how much is possible now.

©️ By Kim Rogers-Gallagher Llewellyn’s Witches’ Datebook 2000 Page 95

Flashback 2000 Lammas

At Lammas, the Sun is at the very peak of Leo, the sign this planet loves above all others. Our star’s warmth is at its most powerful now in the Northern Hemisphere, as it appears directly overhead. At this time, life too, ia at its peak—as are the crops. The ancients celebrated this festival by giving thanks for their first harvest, most especially the grain harvest, even as they accepted the beginning of the God’s descent into the underworld. The myth of the asteroid-Goddess Ceres (Demeter), giver of the grain, also relates to this season. It was now when she would bid her daughter Farwell, since Persephone was obligated to return to the Underworld to rejoin Hades (Pluto). So bereaved was Ceres to see her daughter leave her, she refused to all the Earth to produce grain until her return. At this time,nothing, modern practitioners should be remind of both astrological principles: the fullness of life the Sun brings, and the necessity for rest, as signified by the coming fall.

©️ By Kim Rogers-Gallagher Llewellyn’s Witches’ Datebook 2000 Page 95

Global Moon Party Saturday, 10/9/2021

Join us on Saturday, October 9 to kick off the International Observe the Moon Night week of observing with a Global Moon Party. There will be live streams of the Moon and cultural lunar stories from around the world, NASA scientists, and amazing images, plus much more.
3-6pm PT/6-9pm ET

International Observe the Moon Night is a worldwide public engagement program that has been held annually since 2010. Every autumn, we ask people to observe the Moon in whatever way makes sense to them (via binoculars, telescopes, naked eye, images, artwork, songs, stories, etc.).

Join the party and find the latest schedule here: https://youtu.be/v61JyMG_zMs
Learn more about the International Observe the Moon Night: moon.nasa.gov/observe-the-moon-night/
Date: Saturday, 10/9/2021

Time: 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Phase Details

From MoonGiant.com

Phase: Waxing Crescent
Illumination: 13%
Moon Age: 3.40 days
Moon Angle: 0.55
Moon Distance: 363,679.30 km
Sun Angle: 0.53
Sun Distance: 149,389,987.53 km

International Observe The Moon Night – Global Moon Party

From NASA.gov (USA) National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Plan Your Event and Celebrate with Us

View our recorded Event Planning Webinar, and join the virtual Global Moon Party on October 9, for resources and activities that can take your International Observe the Moon Night to the next level.

Capture the moment like a pro! Check out our Moon photography tips for cell phones, professional cameras, and more.

The Moon is Earth’s constant companion, the first skywatching target pointed out to us as children. We watch its face change as the month progresses, and see patterns and pictures in its geological features.

It’s the object in the night sky that humanity knows best ― and the one that’s easiest to study. Whether your tools are a telescope, a pair of binoculars, or just your eyes, you can find plenty of features on the Moon.

We only ever see one side of the Moon from Earth. That’s because the interplay of gravity between Earth and Moon slows the Moon into a rotation that paces its own. The Moon rotates, but it rotates at the same speed that it orbits around Earth. This keeps the same side always turned toward us. We call this being “tidally locked.

The Moon has no glow of its own, but shines with the reflected light of the Sun. During its crescent phase in the twilight or dawn, you can also sometimes see the dark portion of the Moon glowing faintly in the sunlight that reflects off Earth, an effect called earthshine.

You can look at the Moon during any of its illuminated phases, but for better viewing of craters and mountains, try phases other than the full Moon. The shadows on the surface will be more pronounced, and help distinguish features you might otherwise miss.

Eyeballing the Moon

Looking at the Moon with only your eyes, you see mostly areas of white and gray. These gray patches are solidified volcanic lava flows. In the Moon’s youth, its interior was still molten, and magma would erupt onto its surface. These dark areas formed when massive asteroid or meteorite impacts on the Moon’s surface created basins. Because the impact basins were often the lowest places on the Moon’s surface, they would begin to fill with erupting lava. The lava was similar to the basalt that erupts on Earth and, like on Earth, cooled to form a relatively dark-colored rock. We call these areas the lunar seas, or maria.

The lighter-colored areas are called the highlands, and show the earliest crust on the Moon, dominated by a type of rock called anorthosite, which is primarily made up of the white mineral anorthite or plagioclase.

What you see on the Moon with your eyes only will vary depending on your eyesight. Give yourself plenty of time for your eyes to adjust and look carefully. You may be able to see some of the larger impact craters on the Moon’s surface if your vision is sharp enough, including Copernicus, Kepler, and Aristarchus and Tycho. You may even be able to see some of the bright streaks that are ray systems emanating from the Copernicus or Tycho craters, created when material was thrown outward by the force of the original impacts.

Lunar Sightseeing

Pick up a pair of binoculars, and the Moon transforms.

With binoculars, you’ll still see the entire Moon at once, but now it’ll have terrain. Smooth-looking patterns of gray and white resolve into craters and large mountain ridges. You’ll be able to tell where the Moon is relatively undisturbed and where it’s been pockmarked by impacts. Binoculars introduce texture, especially when you look at the Moon when it’s in any other phase other than full. Focus particularly along the terminator line between light and dark, where features will cast long shadows that make them clearer. Choose binoculars with a magnification of 7 at a minimum. Though a magnification of 10 or 15 will provide more detail, you may need a tripod to steady them.

Under the gaze of a telescope, the Moon becomes too big to take in at once. Now you’ll see real mountains, and not just craters but the crater chains created when impact debris splashes around the main craters. You’ll see valleys, and the cracks in the Moon’s surface called rilles, formed when the lava that once filled a basin cooled and contracted. If this is your first time looking at the Moon through a telescope, you may feel the same wonder Galileo felt seeing that familiar orb in the sky transform into another world. Be sure to examine the Moon at many different phases and on different days. Parts of the Moon near the edge of the disk come into view at some times but not others, a wobbling phenomenon known as libration. Experienced observers can take advantage of favorable librations to see about 59 percent of the lunar surface.

Published: September 20, 2021

Take on a Moon Observing Challenge from the Astronomical League. This activity challenges you to complete each of the following tasks:

  • Do an outreach activity. This could be an International Observe the Moon Night event or any activity that encourages observing the Moon in general.
  • Observe the Moon with just your eyes. No equipment is required.
  • Estimate the Moon’s percent illumination. Not illuminated at all would be 0%, half-illuminated would be 50%, and completely illuminated would be 100%.
  • Make a sketch or capture an image of the Moon that includes at least ten of the features below. Indicate your chosen features on your sketch or image:
    • Mare Crisium
    • Mare Fecunditatis
    • Mare Frigoris
    • Mare Imbrium
    • Mare Nectaris
    • Mare Nubium
    • Mare Serenitatis
    • Mare Tranquillitatis
    • Crater Copernicus
    • Crater Tycho
    • Crater Rays from Crater Copernicus
    • The Woman in the Moon

For more information about this challenge, and to learn how to submit your sketch or image, visit the Astronomical League website.

Note: You may make your observation any time between October 15, 2021 and October 22, 2021. The deadline for submission is November 22, 2021. You do not need to be a member of the Astronomical League to participate in this challenge.

A lot more Activities to do with People and Our Moon Goddess