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.
2021 October 17
The Einstein Cross Gravitational Lens
Image Credit & License: J. Rhoads (Arizona State U.) et al., WIYN, AURA, NOIRLab, NSFExplanation: Most galaxies have a single nucleus — does this galaxy have four? The strange answer leads astronomers to conclude that the nucleus of the surrounding galaxy is not even visible in this image. The central cloverleaf is rather light emitted from a background quasar. The gravitational field of the visible foreground galaxy breaks light from this distant quasar into four distinct images. The quasar must be properly aligned behind the center of a massive galaxy for a mirage like this to be evident. The general effect is known as gravitational lensing, and this specific case is known as the Einstein Cross. Stranger still, the images of the Einstein Cross vary in relative brightness, enhanced occasionally by the additional gravitational microlensing effect of specific stars in the foreground galaxy.
What do that stars have to tell us for the upcoming week?
All Signs
The Sun is the energy source of the solar system, and likewise, it is also the energy source of the horoscope. When the Sun changes signs each month, it energizes a different part of our chart. This is why sometimes, we’re keen to do home improvements and redecorating projects, and at other times, we can barely sweep the kitchen floor. The Sun energizes everything — from jogging to taking a nap. Speaking of which, Yogi Berra said, “I usually take a two-hour nap from one to four.” And one time, when a bunch of naked people ran across the ballfield, he said, “I don’t know if they were men or women fans cuz they had bags over their heads.”
Aries (March 21-April 19)
You are high-energy, active and competitive. (You hate to lose.) Believe it or not, for the next four weeks, you will be even more high-energy and more passionate! (I kid you not.) This passion will apply to your sex drive as well as every aspect of your life. Issues will be more black and white. You will be “for” something or “against” it. You will have strong opinions that you insist on defending, especially anything related to shared property, shared ownership and shared responsibilities. You might dispute an inheritance or your fair share of something. The good news is you will also have a strong desire to be the best that you can be. This is great! You like to be the best that you can be.
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
For the next four weeks, the Sun will be opposite your sign. (This occurs only once a year.) It will pose the question: How well are you doing at the art of living? (Especially since your birthday.) What were your goals for this year and how are they unfolding? Because the Sun is opposite your sign, you will have more focus on your partner or a close friend. You will also have more objectivity, which will help you see your style of relating to those who are closest to you because the Sun will cast “a light” on these relationships. This will help you see how you can improve your style of relating to others. Hey, this is a gift! Knowing how to relate to others is one of the most important skills in life.
Gemini (May 21-June 20)
This week as the Sun changes signs, it will make you want to be efficient, effective and productive in the following four weeks. You will set high standards for yourself, which will include other aspects of your life as well. For example, you might explore exercise, dance classes or an improved diet because you want to be healthier. (Excellent choices.) All of this is because you sense that this is the time to pull your act together. Many of you will also become more involved with a pet. Meanwhile, relations with partners and close friends will be cozy and supportive, which is a lovely influence. Enjoy fun times with loved ones.
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
Different parts of our chart describe different aspects of our lives. Some parts focus on career, some focus on home and family. But there is one part of our chart that represents fun, pleasure, romance, creativity and having a good time! And this is exactly where the Sun will shine for you for the next four weeks! It will give you the freedom to express yourself and be who you are. Amusing diversions, parties, sports events and social outings will be your first priority. You will feel lighter and happier! Romance will be more fun-loving. You might be more involved with children. It’s the perfect time for a vacation. Enjoy your good fortune!
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)
This week as the Sun changes signs, it will draw your focus to home, family and your private life. You’ll be happy to cocoon at home and enjoy the privacy and comfort of familiar surroundings. You might be more involved with family, especially a parent. You will enjoy solitude and time by yourself. This increased focus on home and family will also trigger memories of the past for you. Because of this, the next four weeks are the perfect time to confide in another person, perhaps a professional counsellor or someone who can help you to do some self-evaluation. It will be a pleasant time with rich benefits.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
The pace of your days will accelerate in the next four weeks because the Sun is changing signs. Suddenly, you have things to do, places to go and people to see! You will be more involved with friends, neighbours, siblings and relatives. It will be an excellent time to take short trips and enjoy a busy schedule of appointments and errands. During this window of a faster, busier pace, you will read, write and study more than usual as well. In fact, the next four weeks are an excellent time to take up a new study or learn a new skill. You will also feel comfortable telling someone your views and ideas about something important.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
When the Sun changes signs this week, it will draw your attention to earnings, cash flow and financial matters for the next four weeks. You might look for a better paying job or ways to make money on the side. You will be more interested in your earnings and assets. You will have a stronger focus on your own possessions – maintaining them, cleaning them and storing them. Likewise, many of you will shop for beautiful things. When you buy beautiful things, it is not as frivolous as some might think because you are the one sign in the zodiac who is strongly affected by your immediate environment. Colours, smells, lighting and furnishings literally uplift you or vice versa.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
This week the Sun enters your sign where it will stay for the next four weeks. This happens only once a year and when it occurs, it’s a blessing for you! The Sun is your source of energy. Therefore, this is now your chance to recharge your batteries for the rest of the year! Furthermore, the Sun will attract favourable situations to you as well as important people. Obviously, this means the next four weeks are a time of opportunity for you, so make the most of it! Meanwhile, Venus will attract money to you and encourage you to buy beautiful things for yourself and loved ones. Ka-ching!
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
In the next four weeks, the Sun will be hiding in the wings as your personal year draws to an end, and before your new personal year is ready to begin. Therefore, this four-week interval is a bit like a time of limbo for you. It’s the perfect time to seek out some solitude so that you can reflect and think about where you have been and where you want to go. What do you want for yourself in your new year ahead? This is the perfect time to set some goals because goals give you focus, they define your direction, and they certainly make future decision-making easier. Think about this.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
Your popularity will increase in the next four weeks because you will be more interested in friends and more involved in groups, clubs and organizations. Because of this, it’s the best time of year for you to examine friendships and your relationships to groups to see what role they play in your life. There is no question that the people you hang out with influence your mind; and in turn, your mind is what makes the decisions that creates your future. (Think about this because what is true of your friends is also true of you, for the most part.) It’s important to establish who you really are and be yourself without fear or apology. This is the true freedom.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
You’re entering a favourable four-week window where the Sun is at the top of your chart. (This is the only time all year this happens.) It symbolizes that the Sun is shining down on you and casting you in a spotlight that is flattering to you. What this means is that without doing anything special on your part, you will impress everyone, especially bosses, parents, VIPs and teachers! Since this is almost like a blessing from a “magic wand” – make the most of it! The next four weeks are the best time for you to make your pitch and do what you can to advance your agenda. Because people are impressed with you, they will be receptive to your ideas.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
Your desire to travel and explore more of the world will be very strong in the next four weeks. You will want to break free of routine and do something exciting! You want to learn more about your world. In fact, this is an excellent time to take a course or study at school. It’s also a wonderful time to explore writing and opportunities in medicine, the law, publishing and the media. Be open to making even the most trivial encounter a positive learning experience. Be ready to learn about exotic subjects that are metaphysical, religious or spiritual, perhaps mind-expanding explorations. Some might be involved with the law directly or indirectly. It’s an exciting time ahead!
Earth, fire, water and air. the four elements and how they are used for ritual.
Not all witches use elemental correspondences, and among those who do, there is a great deal of variation. The most common elements used in Wicca and witchcraft are earth, air, fire, and water. Spirit is often added to acknowledge the spiritual component of them all. You will have to experiment to find what works best for you.
When invoking the elements, they are often associated with the cardinal directions, often with Air in the East, Fire in the South, Water in the West, and Earth in the North. However, this is by no means the only possibility. The elements themselves may vary as well. For example, some Celtic traditions use earth, sky, and water, and others use the cosmological realms of Underworld, Earth and Sky.
Thus, the correspondences listed within this page provide only one possibility among many. The sources for these correspondences include Scott Cunningham, Silver Ravenwolf, Amber Wolfe, Yasmine Galenorn, and Branwen’s Book of Shadows which undoubtedly owes credit to dozens of unnamed sources. Books by these renowned authors can be purchased though out online shop for further study.
Today the Moon will be in a Waxing Gibbous phase. This phase is when the moon is more than 50% illuminated but not yet a Full Moon. The phase lasts about 7 days with the moon becoming more illuminated each day until the Full Moon. During a Waxing Gibbous the moon rises in the east in mid-afternoon and is high in the eastern sky at sunset. The moon is then visible through most of the night sky setting a few hours before sunrise. The word Gibbous first appeared in the 14th century and has its roots in the Latin word “gibbosus” meaning humpbacked.
The Waxing Gibbous on October 16 has an illumination of 83%. This is the percentage of the Moon illuminated by the Sun. The illumination is constantly changing and can vary up to 10% a day. On October 16 the Moon is 10.82 days old. This refers to how many days it has been since the last New Moon. It takes 29.53 days for the Moon to orbit the Earth and go through the lunar cycle of all 8 Moon phases.
The 8 Lunar Phases
There are 8 lunar phases the Moon goes through in its 29.53 days lunar cycle. The 4 major Moon phases are Full Moon, New Moon, First Quarter and Last Quarter. Between these major phases, there are 4 minor ones: the Waxing Crescent, Waxing Gibbous, Waning Gibbous and Waning Crescent. For more info on the Moon Cycle and on each phase check out Wikipedia Lunar Phase page.
Phase Details
Phase: Waxing Gibbous
Illumination: 83%
Moon Age: 10.82 days
Moon Angle: 0.52
Moon Distance: 381,829.22 km
Sun Angle: 0.53
Sun Distance: 149,091,395.10 km
Useful Moon Resources
Check the weather before a night of Moon gazing at weather.com
The Moon’s current phase for today and tonight is a Waxing Gibbous phase. This phase is when the moon is more than 50% illuminated but not yet a Full Moon. The phase lasts about 7 days with the moon becoming more illuminated each day until the Full Moon. During a Waxing Gibbous the moon rises in the east in mid-afternoon and is high in the eastern sky at sunset. The moon is then visible through most of the night sky setting a few hours before sunrise. The word Gibbous first appeared in the 14th century and has its roots in the Latin word “gibbosus” meaning humpbacked.
The Waxing Gibbous on October 15 has an illumination of 75%. This is the percentage of the Moon illuminated by the Sun. The illumination is constantly changing and can vary up to 10% a day. On October 15 the Moon is 9.82 days old. This refers to how many days it has been since the last New Moon. It takes 29.53 days for the Moon to orbit the Earth and go through the lunar cycle of all 8 Moon phases.
The 8 Lunar Phases
There are 8 lunar phases the Moon goes through in its 29.53 days lunar cycle. The 4 major Moon phases are Full Moon, New Moon, First Quarter and Last Quarter. Between these major phases, there are 4 minor ones: the Waxing Crescent, Waxing Gibbous, Waning Gibbous and Waning Crescent. For more info on the Moon Cycle and on each phase check out Wikipedia Lunar Phase page.
Phase Details For – October 15
Phase: Waxing Gibbous
Illumination: 75%
Moon Age: 9.82 days
Moon Angle: 0.53
Moon Distance: 377,160.17 km
Sun Angle: 0.53
Sun Distance: 149,133,736.11 km
Useful Moon Resources
Check the weather before a night of Moon gazing at weather.com
The date for the Southern Hemispheric Beltane is October 31st and ‘May Day’ is November 1st. The climax of Spring!
Beltane is the peak of Spring, a celebration of fertility. In ancient times it was the Beltane Rites that recon- nected each year the King to the Goddess, the masculine to the feminine. It is a time for us to give thanks for our fertile lives, our creativity and our gender specific gifts and roles. Its a time to notice and honour the difference in the masculine and feminine. It is a time of increasing growth, building to almost full potential, of beauty and heightened passion.
Beltane Spiritual Practice
Your being, as part of the Earth, part of the cycle of the seasons, will be influenced by this energy whether you’re paying attention to it or not. If you pay some attention, you will feel it, and you can be in flow with it.
Think like the gardener, and align with the Earth energy of now, contemplate the growth that is peaking in your life, that is getting all the attention…
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.
NGC 7822: Cosmic Question Mark
Image Credit & Copyright: Yizhou ZhangExplanation: It may look like a huge cosmic question mark, but the big question really is how does the bright gas and dark dust tell this nebula’s history of star formation. At the edge of a giant molecular cloud toward the northern constellation Cepheus, the glowing star forming region NGC 7822 lies about 3,000 light-years away. Within the nebula, bright edges and dark shapes stand out in this colorful and detailed skyscape. The 9-panel mosaic, taken over 28 nights with a small telescope in Texas, 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 cut off from their reservoir of star stuff. This field of view spans over 40 light-years across at the estimated distance of NGC 7822.
Herbs have many correspondences that can help you use them in spells, including astrological correspondences. For instance, an herb may correspond with one of the 4 elements (Earth, Air, Fire, or Water), one of the planets, or one of the astrological signs.
Knowing the correspondences of plants can tell you how and when to use them in a spell. For instance, an herb that corresponds to Sagittarius can help you bind the spell to a Sagittarius person you are trying to influence. Or, an Aries herb may help you to add a bit of enthusiasm and strength to a spell because that is what that sign represents.
Having the knowledge of herbal correspondences also helps you to wing it when making a spell. If you know instinctively that an herb has a specific association, you don’t have to check a book before completing a spell.
What Is Herbal Astrology?
When applying astrology to herbalism, we are usually looking at each astrological sign’s unique energies and powers.
These unique characteristics can be used with the…
The Moon’s current phase for today and tonight is a First Quarter phase. This phase occurs roughly 7 days after the New Moon when the moon is one quarter of the way through its orbit around the earth. Exactly half the moon will be illuminated and half dark. On the day of the First Quarter phase the moon is high overhead at sunset and is visible until mid-night when it sets in the west. The First Quarter phase is a one-day event and in the following days enters a Waxing Gibbous phase becoming more illuminated each day until the Full Moon.
The First Quarter on October 13 has an illumination of 54%. This is the percentage of the Moon illuminated by the Sun. The illumination is constantly changing and can vary up to 10% a day. On October 13 the Moon is 7.76 days old. This refers to how many days it has been since the last New Moon. It takes 29.53 days for the Moon to orbit the Earth and go through the lunar cycle of all 8 Moon phases.
The 8 Lunar Phases
There are 8 lunar phases the Moon goes through in its 29.53 days lunar cycle. The 4 major Moon phases are Full Moon, New Moon, First Quarter and Last Quarter. Between these major phases, there are 4 minor ones: the Waxing Crescent, Waxing Gibbous, Waning Gibbous and Waning Crescent. For more info on the Moon Cycle and on each phase check out Wikipedia Lunar Phase page.
Phase Details
Phase: First Quarter
Illumination: 54%
Moon Age: 7.76 days
Moon Angle: 0.54
Moon Distance: 369,063.85 km
Sun Angle: 0.53
Sun Distance: 149,218,784.35 km
Useful Moon Resources
Check the weather before a night of Moon gazing at weather.com
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.).
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
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.
Explanation: This pretty starfield spans about three full moons (1.5 degrees) across the heroic northern constellation of Perseus. It holds the famous pair of open star clusters, h and Chi Persei. Also cataloged as NGC 869 (top) and NGC 884, both clusters are about 7,000 light-years away and contain stars much younger and hotter than the Sun. Separated by only a few hundred light-years, the clusters are both 13 million years young based on the ages of their individual stars, evidence that they were likely a product of the same star-forming region. Always a rewarding sight in binoculars, the Double Cluster is even visible to the unaided eye from dark locations. But a shroud of guitar strings was used to produce diffraction spikes on the colorful stars imaged in this
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.
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.
NGC 6559: East of the Lagoon
Image Credit & Copyright:Roberto SartoriExplanation: Slide your telescope just east of the Lagoon Nebula to find this alluring field of view in the rich starfields of the constellation Sagittarius toward the central Milky Way. Of course the Lagoon nebula is also known as M8, the eighth object listed in Charles Messier’s famous catalog of bright nebulae and star clusters. Close on the sky but slightly fainter than M8, this complex of nebulae was left out of Messier’s list though. It contains obscuring dust, striking red emission and blue reflection nebulae of star-forming region NGC 6559 at right. Like M8, NGC 6559 is located about 5,000 light-years away along the edge of a large molecular cloud. At that distance, this telescopic frame nearly 3 full moons wide would span about 130 light-years.
You can use this link to go forward or backward in time for Moon phase information. If you are curious you can even find out what phase the Moon was in when you or anyone else, you know was on the date the person was born.
Today the Moon will be in a Waxing Crescent Phase. A Waxing Crescent is the first Phase after the New Moon and is a great time to see the features of the moon’s surface. During this phase the Moon can be seen in the wester sky after the sun dips below the horizon at sunset. The moon is close to the sun in the sky and mostly dark except for the right edge of the moon which becomes brighter as the days get closer to the next phase which is a First Quarter with a 50% illumination.
The Waxing Crescent on October 7 has an illumination of 1%. This is the percentage of the Moon illuminated by the Sun. The illumination is constantly changing and can vary up to 10% a day. On October 7 the Moon is 1.15 days old. This refers to how many days it has been since the last New Moon. It takes 29.53 days for the Moon to orbit the Earth and go through the lunar cycle of all 8 Moon phases.
Phase Details
Phase: Waxing Crescent
Illumination: 1%
Moon Age: 1.15 days
Moon Angle: 0.54
Moon Distance: 367,849.63 km
Sun Angle: 0.53
Sun Distance: 149,475,937.59 km
Useful Moon Resources
Check the weather before a night of Moon gazing at weather.com
Angel is Raphael, ruler of Mercury. Raphael is the patron of healers and travellers. He will keep you safe on all of life’s journeys and help you to communicate in a way that promotes healing and peace.
The colours are green and yellow. Yellow calcite and green agate are crystals that can help you connect with this gentle angel. Some scents used to invoke archangel Raphael are chamomile, lemongrass and sandalwood.
You can use this link to go forward or backward in time for Moon phase information. If you are curious you can even find out what phase the Moon was in when you or anyone else, you know was on the date the person was born.
The Moon’s current phase for today and tonight is a New Moon phase. During this phase the Moon is too close to the sun in the sky to be visible. The moon rises and sets with the sun and is not present in the night sky. Because of this the night sky is darker and an excellent time to view other celestial objects. Like the Full Moon, a New Moon happens at a very specific time when the sun and moon have the same ecliptic longitude and it can be measured down to the second it occurs.
The New Moon on October 6 has an illumination of 0%. This is the percentage of the Moon illuminated by the Sun. The illumination is constantly changing and can vary up to 10% a day. On October 6 the Moon is 0.03 days old. This refers to how many days it has been since the last New Moon. It takes 29.53 days for the Moon to orbit the Earth and go through the lunar cycle of all 8 Moon phases.
The 8 Lunar Phases
There are 8 lunar phases the Moon goes through in its 29.53 days lunar cycle. The 4 major Moon phases are Full Moon, New Moon, First Quarter and Last Quarter. Between these major phases, there are 4 minor ones: the Waxing Crescent, Waxing Gibbous, Waning Gibbous and Waning Crescent. For more info on the Moon Cycle and on each phase check out Wikipedia Lunar Phase page.
Phase Details
Phase: New Moon
Illumination: 0%
Moon Age: 0.03 days
Moon Angle: 0.54
Moon Distance: 371,419.45 km
Sun Angle: 0.53
Sun Distance: 149,518,954.95 km
Useful Moon Resources
Check the weather before a night of Moon gazing at weather.com
I am sorry a few posts are missing that I started doing daily but with my fibromyalgia flare it hurts to type or even copy and paste. See you again tomorrow.
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.).
Witches Of The Craft® 
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