Practising mindfulness during the Leonids meteor shower

Tonight I will be practising mindfulness watching the Leonids meteor shower in my back garden under a warm blanket!

The Leonids meteors can be seen at their peak around the 16^th to the 18^th November. They are one of the most impressive showers to observe, with around 40 meteors per hour at their peak.  This year only a modest 10-15 have been predicted however. The shower itself has a cyclical peak year every 33 years where hundreds of meteors can be seen each year, the last of these was in 2001, lets look forward to 2034 then! Our crescent waning moon is at 25% of her brightness at the moment so that should make for fairly good viewing of this impressive meteor shower.

In order to locate the Leonids, look in the direction of the constellation Leo, the best time is just after midnight. The brightest object in the sky right now, the planet Jupiter is also near the radiant point which should make it easier to locate where the meteors will be originating.

 

earthsky.org

Here are some viewing tips from earthsky.org

“Here’s another tip regarding the radiant point. As darkness falls in mid-November, the radiant point of the shower is below your horizon, as seen from all parts of Earth. As the Earth turns, the constellation Leo the Lion – carrying the meteor shower radiant point – will rise over your eastern horizon. Expect to see the constellation Leo in the east around midnight. That’s why the Leonids begin to pick up steam after the midnight hour!

Just remember, you don’t have to locate a meteor shower radiant to watch the meteor shower.

But if the radiant isn’t in the sky, you won’t see as many meteors. That means you should watch the Leonid shower tonight, from late evening (November 17) until dawn (November 18).

As a general rule, the higher the meteor shower radiant climbs in your sky, the more meteors that you’re likely to see. The radiant for the Leonids is highest up during the dark hour before dawn, offering, perhaps, 10-15 meteors per hour. The moon may marginally interfere with the show, but not enough to worry about. You should see at least a sprinkling meteors, if you watch for an hour or so.

What else can you see on the night of the 2014 Leonids peak? The radiant for the Leonids is near the star Algieba in Leo. This is not Leo the Lion’s brightest star. That distinction goes to Leo’s star Regulus. Watch for both of these stars.

accuweather.com

Both Algieba and Regulus belong to a noticeable pattern on the sky’s dome, in the shape of a backwards question mark. This pattern is called “the Sickle.” The paths of Leonid meteors can be traced backwards to the Sickle pattern, which is a famous asterism – or noticeable star pattern – within the constellation Leo.”

Watching meteors fly through our night sky can be an intensely spiritual experience. The wonder of a shooting star is something that stirs a deep emotion within us. Spending an hour or two watching a shower is a wonderful way of really practicing a meditative mindfulness, try to really concentrate on the night sky and empty your mind of all other thoughts. Become completely absorbed in what is happening in the heavens above you and allow yourself to be almost transported to that other plane as if you yourself were in amongst the shooting stars. As you still your mind you will feel it is just you and the night sky and it is a wonderful feeling. Make sure you wrap up warm though and enjoy your wonderful mindful meteors!

Wishing on a shooting star! Blessings, Alison xxx

Supermoon in Aquarius August 10th 2014 and Perseid Meteor Shower. Feel the amazing energy.

This August we are blessed with the brightest Supermoon of 2014.  August’s supermoon will reach her fullness at 1.10pm CDT 18 10 UT on August 10^th 2014.  She will have reached her closest point to earth just a few minutes earlier at 12.44 CDT. The fact that these two phenomena co-incide means that this supermoon will be a particularly spectacuar event this August. At this point of perigree she will be just 221,765 miles away from earth, our supermoon won’t be as close as this again until September 2015.

 What is a Supermoon?

We have three supermoons this year, the first was in July, did any of you see it? I didn’t manage it as it was cloudy here! The third supermoon will be in September. August’s supermoon will be the most spectacular though, being closest to our earth of the three so will surely prove to be an event not to be missed. Supermoon’s are on average 14% larger and 30% brighter but I can’t find a statistic of how much brighter this August moon will be, she sure will however be a sight not to be missed!

 

Super mini moons astroblogger.com

The best time to view our wonderful moon will be just as she rises which will be just after sunset on Sunday.  The moon on the horizon always seems to look larger than when she is is high in the sky, this is because of what is known as the ‘Ponzo Illusion’

“Most supermoons appear larger than they really are because of what's called the "Ponzo Illusion." First put forth in 1913 by Italian psychologist Mario Ponzo, it holds that the human mind judges the size of an object based on its background.

Most people perceive the horizon as being farther away than the point straight above their heads. "When the moon is on the horizon, your brain thinks it’s far away, much farther than when it’s overhead," writes Phil Plait in his Bad Astronomy blog. "So the Ponzo Illusion kicks in: Your brain sees the moon as being huge, and it looks like you could fall into it." http://www.al.com

Why do super moons occur?

How will the super moon affect me?

August’s Supermoon also coincides with the Perseids meteor shower, her super brightness will mean that the Perseids may be a little harder to view this year. There will be a lot of energy however happening in the skies above us. This will be quite a turbulent and power fuelled time for all of us!

 

Perseids from VEoz.com

This Supermoon will be in Aquarius. Although the time of the full moon will be a turbulent one it will bring about a breaking down of barriers and a releasing of any pent up emotion that needs to be let go of. Aquarius is an air sign known for shattering perceptions and breaking rules. You will emerge feeling cleansed and refreshed. Let go of all that you do not need, break down those walls, you will feel so much better for it.

The August Supermoon is also the Lunar Lammas falling midway between the summer and Autumn Equinoxes. Lammas or Lughnasadh is a celebration of the first harvest, of giving thanks for the fruits of our labour and looking forward to the months ahead.

Our supermoon this August has many names given to it, it has been called the Grain Moon, Mating Moon, Chokeberry Moon, Summertime Moon, Corn Moon , Moon when Cherries Turn Black and the Barley Moon.

One interesting name is the Dog Day’s moon which refers to the hot days of the late summer in the northern hemisphere that occur in late July and August. The Old Farmer’s Almanac lists the traditional period of the Dog days as the 40 days beginning July 3^rd and ending august 11^th.  The name Dog Days was believed to originate from the ancient Romans and Greeks who named these days after the star Sirius, the Dog Star, brightest star in the sky. The Dog Days originally were the days when Sirius rose just before or at the same time as sunrise, this was known as a heliacal rising.

Enjoy this Aquarius Supermoon. Pass through this time of turbulence and emerge refreshed at the other end. Hopefully you will have caught a glimpse of some of the wonderful Perseid meteors to light your path along the way!

Supermoon blessings to you, AstarteAlison xxx

Perseid Meteor Shower Supermoon August 2014

The Perseid meteor shower is happening now with the peak viewing night on the 12 th August 2014. Meteors from the Perseid shower may be visible right until 22nd August so you will have plenty of time to try and spot a meteor or two. The nearly full moon will present a bit of a problem this year throwing out a lot of light thus hiding a lot of the meteors in her glare but you should still be able to spot some fabulous meteors. In addition this full moon is a supermoon thus her light will shine even more brightly to obscure some of those meteors. The best thing that you can do is get as far away as you can from urban light, lie down on a blanket and enjoy the show, even if you don't see many meteors you can still enjoy being out in the darkness and enjoy the strength and energy emanating from our August supermoon

The perseids are named because they radiate from the Perseus constellation. The best time to observe them is after midnight, if you look into the sky towards the north east at this time hopefully you will see a few. The Perseids produce up to 60 meteors per hour at their peak so you should have a good chance of spotting a few.

In Greek mythology Perseus was the son of Zeus who married Andromeda. It is these two characters plus several others from the mythology that make up the constellation of Perseus. 

Meteor showers have always held a spiritual significance and have been held in awe over time. They were at times thought to be signs of luck or signs that the gods were angry. Not knowing the scientific reasons for why these meteors were occurring you can understand that it was easy to give a spiritual significance to these occurrences. More can be found on this subject here. Spiritual significance meteor showers

This August Perseid meteor shower is bound to be a very spiritual one combined with a wonderful super moon. Be sure to try and take some time for some wonderful super moon/ perseids viewing. Lie back, relax, connect with the wonderful wild elements of nature and feel at one with the universe, there is nothing like that feeling.

Blessings to you, Alison

Supermoon times 2014 July August September. Supermoon meditation. What is a Supermoon? How will the Supermoon affect me?

What are the times for the next Supermoon?

I just thought I would do a very quick post as we have woken up to very rainy weather here in England and it looks as though it is set in throughout tomorrow too. So just to remind you that the next Supermoon in August is going to be closer than Saturday's and then we still have one to follow in September. I just thought I would draw up a quick table to remind ourselves of the times of the full super moon for July August and September. 

What is the Supermoon time July 2014 for my time zone?

Enclosed is the Supermoon times for various timezones around the world

I've included some useful links to previous posts I've written for explanations about general Supermoon information. 

Why do Supermoons Occur?

What is a Supermoon?

Can I still enjoy the super moon if it is cloudy?

Remember the moon stays approximately full for about three days so although she reaches fullness about midday tomorrow, Saturday we still have quite a while to enjoy her fullness even if there are cloudy skies on Saturday night. Even if there are cloudy skies and we cannot see her we can still feel the amazing energy. 

How close is the July Super Moon?

Does the Supermoon really look bigger?

Why does the supermoon affect me?

eye4weather.info

How will the supermoon affect me?

The Moon has been shown to affect us in various ways. One study has looked in depth into how the moon affects our sleep. The study was conducted at Basel university in Switzerland and looked at how the full moon affects the quality and quantity of the sleep we get at the time of the full moon. At the time of the Supermoon these effects will be heightened because our moon is nearer to us and therefore if you are affected you will feel these affects to a greater extent. You can read more about the study here How does the Supermoon affect my sleep

Supermoon Water

I have often made some wonderful moon water on fabulous stormy nights. It has been filled with incredible moon energy even though the light of the moon hasn't been able to shine on it, her energy has been all around and has been absorbed by the water. I have used the water made on nights like that for situations that I feel really need that boost of stormy strong energy!

You can find out how to make Supermoon water here moon water

What is a Supermoon?

Supermoon Meditation

So if you can't see the super moon just stand somewhere where you can feel the direction her rays will be coming from, preferably bare footed on the earth.  Imagine her wonderful super moon energy beaming down on you and filling you with that wonderful silvery light. Your feel are rooted deep into the ground and your crown chakra is open to receiving her amazing love. Stand meditating in the darkness of the night for as long as you need to. Remember that feeling and draw upon it as often as you need to at times during the month when you feel under stress or pressure. Remember the feeling of your feet firmly rooted to the ground whilst your spirit soars as high as it wants to. It is a feeling you can always come back to, it is always there when you need it.

July Capricorn Supermoon


Enjoy the amazing super moon energy that is building at the moment. How is it affecting you? Personally I do struggle with it a little, the moon energy always gives me a migraine and that is building at the moment but trying to rise above it!
Supermoon blessings to you, Alison

Spiritual Events for January 2014

We have an amazingly spiritual January on the way.

We start out of course with our wonderful new moon on 1st January. As I explained in my previous post this is a supermoon which means it is closer to our earth and therefore we can benefit from it’s effects more deeply. This new moon is a wonderful time to start projects and changes that may last throughout the whole of 2014

On the 3rd and 4th January we have the wonderful meteor display, the Quadrantids.

“The annual Quadrantid meteor shower is expected to produce the greatest number of meteors in the wee hours before dawn in early January. Best yet, there will be no moonlight to ruin the show in 2014. In fact, it’ll be a big challenge to catch the young moon and the planet Venus low in the western sky at dusk on January 2. The moon will set at early evening for the next couple of nights, providing us with moon-free darkness for meteor watching.

The Quadrantid meteor shower is capable of matching the meteor rates of the better known August Perseid and December Geminid showers. It has been known to produce up to 50-100 or more meteors per hour in a dark sky. This shower favors the Northern Hemisphere. That’s because its radiant point – the point in the sky from which the meteors appear to radiate – is far to the north on the sky’s dome.” Earthsky.org

On 4th January the sun will reach it’s Perihelion with our earth, this means it is much closer to us than normal. This will be a fabulous day to make some energizing sun water; or just to get out there and enjoy the wonderful warming and power giving rays of our amazing sun.

On 16th January we will have a full moon. This is time of increased energy all around us, a great time to be active and creative.

On 21st January we start the Celtic tree month of Rowan. The Rowan tree shows us strength and power to see us through the cold winter months.

The 28th January sees the fire festival of Up Helly Aa. This is a festival marking the end of Yule and has it’s roots in Norse traditions.

“Originating in the 1880s Up-Helly-Aa in the Shetland town of Lerwick,  has been an annual occurrence for centuries, taking place on the last Tuesday of January every year.  Marking the end of yule, this northern Mardi Gras is a celebration of Shetland history, a triumphant demonstration of the islanders’ spirit and a superb spectacle which his gained worldwide recognition as Europe’s biggest fire festival” http://www.scotland.org/features/up-helly-aa-europes-biggest-fire-festival

On 30th January we are blessed with a second new moon. As it is the second new moon or sometimes referred to as dark moon in the month it is called a black moon. Again this new moon is a supermoon being very close to our earth.

There are lots of spiritual events happening in January 2014. This website has a few details of events happening in the US http://www.examiner.com

The Holistice Directory has details of spiritual events happening in England during January https://www.theholisticdirectory.co.uk/events/month/2014/01

However you spend your January 2014 I hope you have a tranquil and loving one, blessings, Alison

Super New moon January 1st and 30th 2014, how will this affect us?

This January we are promised a lot of wonderful activity in the skies above us, which may have an impact on what we do and how we are feeling.

Firstly we have a New Moon occurring on New Year’s day. This will make the 1^st January 2014 a particularly auspicious time to plan any changes you want to take place in your life. A New Moon is all about new beginnings and this coupled with it being the start of a new Calendar year means many of us will be looking toward changes we wish to make and projects we wish to start. Try and make any promises to yourself easily achievable, it is not good for our soul to promise to do something that we only stick to for January. Try and word your goals in a positive manner, for example rather than ‘I want to lose weight’ try ‘I am going to eat a healthier diet this January New Moon’ Any New Years resolutions that you do set in motion will be much more likely to reach fruition than previous years due to the added advantage of the New Moon.

This January New Moon will have even more impact in our lives due to the fact that it is a Supermoon or Perigree Moon. A Supermoon or Perigree Moon occurs when the moon is closer to our earth than usual. The moon appears bigger to us at the time of a supermoon. Obviously this is much more prominent at the time of a full moon as we will be more able to see the increase in size. However we will be affected at this New Moon by the fact that it is a super new moon! Super moons are known to bring higher tides than usual and the effect that they have on human and animal behaviour is heightened at the time of a Supermoon.

“The moon may seem bigger although the difference in its distance from Earth is only a few percent at such times,” says Dr. James Garvin, chief scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center on the space agency’s website. “It is called a supermoon because this is a very noticeable alignment that at first glance would seem to have an effect. The ‘super’ in supermoon is really just the appearance of being closer.”

Supermoons can appear as much as 14% larger in the sky and 30% brighter to our eyes than at their smallest size and brightness.

Diagram from earth sky.org

Richard Nolle, the astrologer, is credited with coining the term supermoon. He defines them as:

“a new or full moon which occurs with the moon at or near (within 90% of) its closest approach to Earth.

“By this definition, a new moon or full moon has to come within 361,863 kilometers (224,851 miles) of our planet, as measured from the centers of the moon and Earth, in order to be a super moon”

“Each month, on the day of the new moon, the Earth, moon and sun are aligned, with the moon in between. This line-up creates wide-ranging tides, known as spring tides. High spring tides climb up especially high, and on the same day low tides plunge especially low.

The January 1 and 30 extra-close new moons will accentuate the spring tide, giving rise to what’s called a perigean spring tide. If you live along an ocean coastline, watch for high tides caused by the two January 2014 new moons – or supermoons.” Earthsky.org

With the amount of rain we are having at the moment it is worth keeping an eye on the weather in case of flooding at the perigrean high tide.

Around each new moon (left) and full moon (right) – when the sun, Earth, and moon are located more or less on a line in space – the range between high and low tides is greatest. These are called spring tides. Earthsky.org

You won’t be able to see the new super moon on January 1 or January 30. At the time of the new moon, the moon hides in the glare of the sun all day long, rising with the sun at sunrise and setting with the sun at sunset. Just because you can’t see this new supermoon doesn’t mean you won’t be able to feel the effects. However in the days following the new moon you will be able to see a small sliver of the moon at dusk in the Western sky.

We have actually got two Supermoons in January as the next new moon will be a supermoon too. This makes January 2014 the only month with two supermoons until January 2018! The second new supermoon occurs on 30^th January, only just making it into the month of January! In addition to having super moons in July, two weeks after the year’s nearest new moon on January 1, it’ll be the year’s farthest and smallest full moon on January 16, 2014. This sort of moon is often termed a micro moon.

We will have five supermoons in total during 2014, the latter three moons will be full moons so we will enjoy their full ‘super’ effect! The other supermoons in 2014 will be on July 12, on August 10, and on September 9. The full moon on August 10, 2014, will be the closest supermoon of the year (356,896 kilometers or 221,765 miles from our earth to the moon). The  two super new moons on January 1 and January 30 will not be all that far behind, featuring the year’s second-closest and third-closest supermoons, respectively.

The New Moon on 1^st January will be at 10degrees in Capricorn. It will line up with Pluto and Mercury (in Capricorn) whilst squaring Mars in Libra, and Uranus in Aries.

The New Moon in Capricorn may cause feelings to run pretty high and emotions to be a little on the turbulent side. This will be an an energetic new moon, a perfect time for taking action on things that have been lying dormant for a while!

The fabulous Simone Butler from Mooncircles.com has the following to say regarding our Capricorn new super moon.

“The Capricorn New Moon (Jan. 1, 3:14 a.m. PST) catalyzes a grand cross between Mars in Libra, Jupiter in Cancer, Uranus in Aries and Pluto in Capricorn.

“The planets involved represent strong yang forces, intensified by their presence in action-oriented cardinal signs. Do-or-die Pluto conjuncts the Sun, Moon and Mercury and exactly squares headstrong Mars. This forceful call for evolutionary change can prompt a fresh start, but it can also trigger antagonism and impatience if we’re not careful to channel it wisely.

“Because this powerful energy colors the entire year ahead, we can expect 2014 to be a magnificent, make-it-or-break-it year. 

“The good news is, if you’re inclined to cut ties with the past, launch new projects or begin running marathons, this alignment will give you the push you need. The bad news is, if you persist in clinging to old patterns or being less than your authentic self, you’re apt to suffer.

“Complicating the planetary picture, Venus is currently retrograde in Capricorn (Dec. 21 – Jan. 31). Pleasure-loving Venus can feel weighed down in that serious earth sign, but she’s also able to devise effective plans for change, and cement healthy habits in existing relationships (not a great time to start new ones, though).

“Don’t rely overmuch on others’ financial or emotional support during this retrograde, as it’s meant to guide you into your own depths to reclaim your talents, power and self-esteem (although it is a good time to recoup losses or receive money owed to you).

“Through the end of January, you may have to dig deep to find the softer side of love, to unconditionally accept yourself and others—but your efforts will be richly rewarded.”

© Copyright 2013-2014 ~ Simone Butler  All Rights Reserved

www.yourdictionary.com

The new supermoon isn’t all that is happening in our skies during January 2014. Our earth will come the closest to the sun for the year on Jan 4^th. At this point we willl be about 91.4 million miles away, this is called perihelion. On average, the distance between the sun and ourselves is about 93 million miles. During this time therefore we may find ourselves more influenced by the male Sun energy. This would be a fabulous time to make some super charged sun water.  Earth reaches aphelion (the farthest distance from the sun) in July.

We will also experience the wonder of a meteor shower in January. The quadrantid meteors reach their peak on January 3^rd and will be easily visible as our moon will still be relatively new at this point. At their peak the quadrantids are expected to reach 120 shooting stars an hours so they should make an amazing spectacle.

All in all then January 2014 should be an amazing time. There will be a lot of high energy around so it’s important to channel that energy in ways that are useful to us. As the moon waxes during January we can tune into the energy that is emanating from this source and use it to ensure our thoughts and inspirations started at the new super moon in January reach their fruition.

There are a number of really good books around you can get to find out more information about moon cycles and living in harmony with the moon. One I like is Thomas Poppe:

Moon Time: The Art of Harmony with Nature and Lunar Cycles

Another great guide is Raising With the Moon -- The Complete Guide to Gardening--and Living--by the Signs of the Moon Planting "by the signs" is an ancient tradition carried on by millions of people. This book explains the logic of gardening by the signs of the moon and shows how it works, giving clear and complete instructions for calculating the moon's effect on every aspect of gardening--preparing the soil, cultivating, planting, fertilizing, transplanting, pruning, crafting, controlling weeds and pests, and harvesting. It also explains how the moon effects many other areas of life. No almanac user should be without this comprehensive one-source reference. 

Super Comet ISON, how to view and spiritually experience this fabulous event!

Are you ready for the once in a lifetime experience of viewing Comet ISON, the 'Super Comet? Comet ISON will be the brightest we have seen in a long time as it heads closer to the sun, reaching the closest point on 28^th November. This is a deeply spiritual time as the comet cause emotions to come to the surface and disrupts everyday life. Listen to any signs the universe may be giving you at this tumultuous time. 

Comets as bright as the Super Comet ISON are rare experiences indeed so this will be a fabulous spectacle to have the privilege to be able to see. For the past three months the Comet has been obscured by the sun but now it has come out of the Sun’s shadow and is visible to us here on earth. When it arrived many astronomers around the globe were very excited at it’s brightness. Some astronomers are even claiming that its brightness will out-shine that of our full moon! It is getting brighter and brighter as the days progress. Comet ISON’s tail stretched across 57,000 miles (92,000 km) in images snapped by the Hubble Space Telescope in April.  Now it is estimated that the tail length of Comet ISON is 16 million kilometers. The tail of the comet stretches more than 7 degrees across the sky making it almost as wide as the bowl of the Big Dipper.

 

Super Comet ISON

Robin Scagell, vice-president of the Society for Popular Astronomy, says "This is a very exciting discovery. The comet looks like it could become a very spectacular sight in the evening sky after sunset from the UK in late November and early December next year.

"Our members will be eagerly following it as it makes its first trip around the Sun and hoping to see it shining brilliantly and displaying a magnificent tail as it releases powerful jets of gas and dust."

Comets are relics of an ancient time, and help us understand more about the universe in which we live.  They are relics of the time when our solar system first formed so they have a lot to tell us. At the beginning of their journey, comets see our Sun as a distant prick of light and it looks no different to any other star in the sky.

“This will be its first trip to the inner solar system, so ISON could contain volatile gases that other comets, making their umpteenth lap around the sun, have lost. That will give us a pristine glimpse of the material in the outer solar system 4.6 billion years ago, when ISON formed.” www.newscientist.com

Comet ISON is so important because it is a pristine comet as well as being a super comet. It has not been damaged by many trips close to our Sun and it is unchanged since it’s creation. It is hoped therefore that it will have much to tell us. On November 24^th Scientists observed that some chunks of the comet may have broken off but it still remains relatively un-damaged by its travels.

 

Comet ISON taken from Namibia, Africa

Comet ISON is so named because it was first spotted on photos taken by Vitali Nevski and Artyom Novichonok from Russia using the International Scientific Optical Network telescope. It’s official label is comet C/2012S1. ISON originates in the Ooort cloud. The Oort cloud is the vast swarm of potential comet nuclei extending up to almost a light year from the Sun. Comet ISON was deflected out of the Oort cloud by a star and since then it has been travelling towards us. We know that the sun formed 4.6 billion years ago but we still have much to learn about how the planets were formed.

Comets are often thought of as ‘dirty snowballs’! They are basically big balls of dust and ice. They appear to us as stationery when they are actually moving very fast. Thousands fly through our solar system every year but most we cannot see with the naked eye.  The tail of a comet is caused by gas and dust streaming off the icy nucleus. NASA officials say “The pressure of the solar wind sweeps the material into a tail, like a breeze blowing a windsock.” Comet ISON’s tail stretched across 57,000 miles (92,000 km) in images snapped by the Hubble Space Telescope in April.

Many comets such as Halley’s comet have long elliptical orbits so we see them again and again as they pass our earth. Because of the nature of super comet ISON’s orbit however this is a one off for us, it won’t be coming back. It is on a hyperbolic orbit which will take it back out of our solar system for good.

 

Viewing of the Super Comet in December 2013

The Comet ISON is called a ‘sun-grazer’ because it passes so close to the sun. The danger of being a sun grazer may be that as it does this it will in fact break up and so we won’t be able to see it because the sun's heat, radiation and gravity could cause it to disintegrate. It could totally combust and explode at this point or illuminate in a dazzling light show for us all here on Earth. Scientists seem to be divided 50/50 as to whether it will survive or not. 

On Nov. 28, Comet ISON will swing within 800,000 miles (1.2 million km) of the sun’s surface. This is called it’s perihelion, the closest point to the sun. If it survives it will be then be seen in our skies again in December. Assuming it survives perihelion, in January 2014, Comet ISON will be at its closest to Earth, passing our planet by just 0.4 AU (about 60 million km) Don’t worry though it is not on course to collide with us or anything! Despite what doomsday predictions you may read!

Once we have seen whether the Comet ISON explodes near to the sun or not this will give us more information about how the planets formed at the dawn of time.  Analysis of the gases that are produced by the comets will give us more information about the temperature in which planets were formed and further ideas on how this happened. We will also be able to further examine the theory as to whether our water here on earth was brought to us from the comets. This will in turn helps us get nearer to the constant question we ask ourselves- are we alone in this universe?

Shared from thedialog.com

Comets contain all the essential ingredients for amino acids, the building blocks of life. However with the extreme conditions these comets go through the combination doesn’t always work to ensure life may begin. In these hostile conditions can the chemicals combine to provide these building blocks of life? Scientists have looked at comets in the lab and think that possibly the destructive impact of comets when they hit a planet may actually cause the chemical reaction required to create amino acids. This would mean that this could happen throughout our solar system and indeed the universe. We won’t be able to sample comet ISON itself to find a lot of the information we need so will have to rely on it’s gases and how it behaves near to the sun. However a mission has been launched towards a comet that will pass near Jupiter in November 2014, comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko. This comet will reach perhilion in April 2015. This mission was launched in 2004 and is called the Rosetta Stone, it will provide the most detailed investigation of a comet ever.

Comet ISON is predicted if it survives it’s journey to be brighter than has been seen in a long time. It could even be brighter than the Comet Ikeya-Seki in 1965; this was the last ‘super comet’. Since then we had a good showing with Comet McNaught in 2007 and comet Lovejoy in 2011 but this comet in November 2013 should be much more spectacular! It is said that ISON is one hundred times brighter than Comet Lovejoy. One famous comet in 1066 made its way onto the Bayeux tapestry!

The best time to see the comet is in the pre-dawn sky, looking east just before the sun rises. You will need to have dark sky and a clear horizon. Once the sun rises the light will be too bright and will obscure the light from the planet. As the days continue in November the comet will get lower in the sky making it harder to be seen but it will actually be getting brighter as well as the days progress. The best viewing will be if the Comet survives its graze with the sun, in early December as it climbs up again in our sky.

 

Comet ISON in our Eastern sky

Comets like many astrological events such as meteor showers have the reputation of ‘shaking things up’ a little. We may therefore be experiencing a certain amount of turmoil in our lives at the moment. Comets together with meteorites used to be a quite a frightening occurrence. Some thought that they were sent as a message from the Gods who were possibly not pleased! Luckily today we know so much more about our universe we know not to be scared by this occurrence but to be in awe at the wonder of our universe! Some interpretations of the Bible claim that a bright comet heralds the second coming of Christ.

Jonathan Cainer has written that “we can expect the comet to raise awareness, promote healing, foster hope, inspire a quest for peace and help us wake up to the potential for higher consciousness.”

In terms of astrology the comet will be in Virgo in the first week of November, Libra from the 9th of November to the 19th and then Scorpio from 20th November for one week. From the 28th November it is in Sagittarius and there we have the really big news since it then sling shots round the Sun in Sagittarius and appears to go retrograde, moving back through the zodiac from then on. More information on the astrological details of the super comet can be found here: http://www.midlandsschoolofastrology.co.uk

So this wonderful celestial experience may make your life go into free fall for a little while but be assured this will be for a reason. Enjoy the viewing experience and listen to your own heart as to what message this comet might be bringing with it.

If you miss this one then there is another comet due next year. Hopefully though the site of comet ISON will be a fabulous pre-Yule treat!

“Another comet is also set to put on a reasonable show in the night sky next year.

Comet Pan-STARRS (C/2011 L4) which was discovered by an automatic survey from Hawaii in June last year is expected to be bright in the evening sky after sunset next March and as bright as the brightest stars.” www.telegraph.co.uk

Happy Super Comet viewing, enjoy this wonderful celestial adventure!

Celestial blessings, Alison xxx

Hybrid Solar Eclipse November 2013 Africa,Europe,America. Will you see this amazing event?

The solar eclipse on Sunday, November 3, 2013, will be visible from far-eastern North America, the Caribbean, northern South America, southern Greenland, the Atlantic Ocean, southern Europe, Africa, Madagascar and the Middle East.

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon is between the sun and earth, thus blocking out some or all of it’s light to us. We were blessed to see a solar eclipse in England, quite some years back now but it was a truly amazing sight! The Sun has a diamater 400 times greater than our moon but our moon is 400 times closer to the sun than the moon. (the ratio varies as both orbits are elliptical) Thus it happens that our small moon can totally block out the light from the Sun. How amazing is it that these figures cause this incredible event to occur?!

Map of the eclipse Nov 2013

This year in 2013, many parts of Africa, America and Europe will see a partial solar eclipse. Only those living in equatorial Africa will have the joy of seeing a full solar eclipse in the afternoon of November 3^rd 2013. It will be short lived, at best, the total eclipse will last somewhat more than one minute (in western Gabon) This eclipse is  part of Saros cycle 143, repeating every 18 years, 11 days, containing 72 events. The series started with partial solar eclipse on March 7, 1617.

 

Map of the eclipse Nov 2013

This particular eclipse is a special type of eclipse known as a hybrid eclipse. This is a special eclipse in that the eclipse path starts as an annular eclipse (mean lunar diameter less than mean solar diameter as viewed from Earth) but then turns into a very short duration total eclipse (mean lunar diameter is greater than the mean solar diameter). During a previous hybrid solar eclipse, in April 2005, a stretch of totality was sandwiched between annular views at the beginning and end. This year's edition is especially rare because it begins with annularity and ends with totality.

The special nature of this eclipse is that along the areas where the annular eclipse is visible mountains along the lunar profile will create a broken ring. The same will apply along the areas where totality is expected but in reverse, lunar valleys along the profile might let bright sections of the chromosphere and photosphere through creating a multiple diamond ring effect.

In the US this November the partial eclipse is already at maximum as the Sun rises, this is the view that you might get if skies are clear.

This solar eclipse is occurring at the same time as we are experiencing Mercury in Retrograde, an event that often causes emotions to be a little unsettled. The Solar eclipse, unique as it is will further stir emotions so we are in for a very up and down time! This is a perfect time to look within and maybe see what you would like to change in your life.

The eclipse point will be in the second decanate of Scorpio. People with Scorpio rising, either in their birth chart or in their solar return chart for 2013/14, will feel the influence stronger than others.

How amazing would an eclipse have been for our ancestors! We now know the science behind the event but in my book that makes it even more special! Science and nature, an awesome combination Mother Earth!

I won't be able to see the eclipse here in England but would love to hear from any of you that will!

Solar blessings, Alison xxx

For further info see the great websites listed.

Eclipse times:

Canada:

Montreal, Quebec
Sunrise: 6:35 a.m. EST
Partial eclipse ends: 7:12 a.m. EST

United States:

New York City, NY
Sunrise: 6:29 a.m. EST
Partial eclipse ends: 7:11 a.m. EST

Raleigh, North Carolina
Sunrise: 6:39 a.m. EST
Partial eclipse ends: 7:08 a.m. EST

Miami, Florida
Sunrise: 6:31 a.m. EST
Partial eclipse ends: 7:02 a.m. EST

Caribbean:

Havana, Cuba
Sunrise: 6:34 a.m. EST
Partial eclipse ends: 7:00 a.m. EST

South America:

Cartagena, Columbia
Sunrise: 5:52 a.m. local time
Partial eclipse ends: 6:52 a.m. local time

Local eclipse times:

Madrid, Spain
Partial eclipse begins: 1:00 p.m. local time
Greatest eclipse: 1:35 p.m. local time
Partial eclipse ends: 2:10 p.m. local time

Algiers, Algeria
Partial eclipse begins: 1:15 p.m. local time
Greatest eclipse: 1:56 p.m. local time
Partial eclipse ends: 2:36 p.m. local time

Jerusalem, Israel
Partial eclipse begins: 3:12 p.m. local time
Greatest eclipse: 4:00 p.m. local time
Partial eclipse ends: 4:43 p.m. local time

Sources and further info:

Earthsky.org

http://www.eclipse-chasers.com

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/highlights/227679011.html

http://starsandstones.wordpress.com