Category: Daily Posts

Astronomy Picture of the Day for Thursday, Feb. 9th

Astronomy Picture of the Day

Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest resolution version available.

Nobels for a Strange Universe
Image Credit: High-Z Supernova Search Team, HST, NASA

 

Explanation: Thirteen years ago results were first presented indicating that most of the energy in our universe is not in stars or galaxies but is tied to space itself. In the language of cosmologists, a large cosmological constant is directly implied by new distant supernova observations. Suggestions of a cosmological constant (lambda) were not new — they have existed since the advent of modern relativistic cosmology. Such claims were not usually popular with astronomers, though, because lambda is so unlike known universe components, because lambda’s value appeared limited by other observations, and because less-strange cosmologies without lambda had previously done well in explaining the data. What is noteworthy here is the seemingly direct and reliable method of the observations and the good reputations of the scientists conducting the investigations. Over the past thirteen years, independent teams of astronomers have continued to accumulate data that appears to confirm the existence of dark energy and the unsettling result of a presently accelerating universe. This year, the team leaders were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for their work. The above picture of a supernova that occurred in 1994 on the outskirts of a spiral galaxy was taken by one of these collaborations.

A Little Witchy Tip of the Day for Feb. 9th

Witchy Cat Graphics & Comments I am sure everyone already knows this. But just in case there are any new Witches visiting today…….The Full Moon this month was on the 7th. The powers of the Full Moon extends three days before till three days after. Right now is a fantastic time to do your house blessings and also wardings. The Full Moon gives your blessings, spells, rituals, wardings and etc., an extra boost. Personally I like doing my house blessing during the Full Moon. You can feel the energy inside your home and you feel nice, safe & cozy!

~Magickal Graphics~

Correspondences for Thursday, Feb. 9th

Fantasy Comments & Graphics

Correspondences for 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.

 
~Magickal Graphics~

Calendar of the Moon for Thursday, Feb. 9th

Calendar of the Moon

Rowan Tree Moon

Color: Orange-red
Element: Fire
Altar: Upon a cloth of orange-red set a row of red candles, Brigid’s cross, and a bell.
Offerings: Votive candles. Quicken a newborn idea into birth.
Daily Meal: Hot drinks with every meal. Keep food warm.

Luis/Gamelion Invocation

Call: Now is the quickening of the year.
Response: Now is the time of the first movement.
Call: Now the child stirs in the womb.
Response: Now the seed stirs in the earth.
Call: Now the plains flood and our fire is threatened.
Response: Now the cold water drowns our spark.
Call: Now is the time of the hard struggle.
Response: Now is the month of desperation.
Call: Now is the time of desperation to live.
Response: Now is the time of desperation to be born.
Call: We turn in our sleep as the earth turns.
Response: We dream with the sleeping earth.
Call: Each of our dreams is a lit candle in the dark.
Response: Each of our dreams is a single point of hope.
Call: They shine faint and alone in the night of struggle.
Response: They are alone as we are alone.
Call: Yet we are not alone in our dreams.
Response: We are not alone!
Call: We will keep our fires burning.
Response: We will burn against the night!
Call: We will warm our dreams with the force of life.
Response: We will not die alone in the cold!
Call: We will ward off all evil.
Response: Only good shall pass our gates.
Call: We will care for each other.
Response: We will never cease to care!
Call: We will survive the winter.
Response: We will survive!
(Repeat last two lines twice more.)

Chant:
Protect the flame that warms your dreams
And dreams shall never die.

Calendar of the Sun for Thursday, Feb 9th

Calendar of the Sun
9 Solmonath

Day of Nerthus and Wuldorfader

Colors: Green and blue
Elements: Earth and Air
Altar: Lay with a green cloth, and place upon it pots of earth in which has been drawn the runes Feoh, and Berkana, and Jera, and seeds to be planted, and a wooden tray of small cakes marked with the runes Sigil, and Tyr, and Ansuz, and a horn of mead, and a pitcher of rain or snow water.
Offerings: Planting seeds. Doing something to clean the earth or air.
Daily Meal: Vegetarian, with wholegrain bread and vegetables. Mead and honeyed tea to drink.

Invocation to Nerthus and Wuldorfader

Great Mother Earth beneath our feet
Who gives forth all our sustenance,
Who feeds us from your breast,
Never let us forget
How much we owe
Your eternal fertility.
Father of Glory above us,
You who send the rain
To grow your bride’s crops
High enough to touch your hand,
May you be generous to us this year.
Earth and Rain, we beg you
To move in a joyful dance together
And never spend too long apart.

(Chant wordlessly as each person digs a hole in the pots of earth, places in a small cake, sprinkles seeds over it, tamps down the earth, waters it, and sends energy into the seeds. Then pass around the horn of mead, drink to Mother Nerthus and Wuldorfader, and pour out the remainder as a libation.)

Cosmic Calendar for Thursday, Feb. 9th

Even though Saturn is still virtually motionless since its station and shift into reverse two days ago, it is Uranus that keeps trying to run the celestial show. Every day so far this week, Uranus has been playing the game of interloper and shock-master by stirring up trouble as it tries to de-crystalize the blocks, limitations and restrictions that Saturn has made more entrenched on the world scene during the past few months. Following an inspirational, 72-degree link from Mercury to Jupiter this morning (3:51AM PST) – an alignment that provides a boost on the communication, literary and educational fronts – Venus forms a parallel to Uranus (5:16AM PST) some 13+ hours before these two planets make their annual union (6:30PM PST) – this year at 3 degrees of Aries. Yikes! Uncertainty, surprises and the unknown coming out of left field are up for grabs. Circumstances beyond your control can easily be in the cat-bird seat. Lunar parallels to Venus (2:37PM PST) and Uranus (3:29PM PST) act as stereo amplifiers whereby the unexpected takes charge, and you may have to temporarily function as a witness to events and experiences that are odd, bizarre and more in keeping with the Twilight Zone. It doesn’t help that the Moon makes its monthly union with the often feisty and volatile red planet Mars in Virgo (9:13PM PST) – simultaneously igniting a void lunar cycle that lasts until 11:55AM PST on Friday when the Moon enters sociable Libra. Escape the clutches of vampire-like associates who are more likely to drain you of life-giving energy than restore the innocent qualities of your heavenly soul. Say no to legal matters, key signings and long-term commitments during the void Moon mayhem happening for over 14 hours.

The Wiccan Book of Day for Feb. 9th – Child Of The Sun

Wiccan Book of Days for Thursday, February 9th

Child of the Sun 

The divine infant that, according to many systems of sacred belief, was born around the Winter Solstice in late December, is thought to have grown into childhood by this time of year. The stories associated with these Divine boys which include Christianity’s Jesus and ancient Egypt’s Horus are concerned with their growing strength-of mind, body and spirit-but also with their vulnerability, especially when pitted against the embodiment of evil. In Horus’s case, Set, the murderer of his father, Osiris, presented a hugely dangerous threat, one that could only be neutralized in an epic, coming of age struggle to the death, in which the heroic. Horus would emerge bloodied but victorious.

　

“The Artic Sun”

Light a yellow candle in a gesture of joyful fellowship with the people of Narvik in Norway, who are celebrating their first sight of the sun since early November around

 

Today’s Affirmation, Thought & Meditation for February 9th

Fantasy Pictures, Images, Comments, Graphics
Today’s Affirmation for Thursday, Feb. 9th

“I am a glorious, gifted creature, part of all creation yet unlike any other. I appreciate my special talent and singular voice.”

 

Thought of the Day for Thursday, Feb. 9th

“Genius means little more than the faculty of perceiving in an unhabitual way.”       

William James (1842-1910)

 

Meditation of the Day for Thursday, Feb. 9th

Focus On Inner Stillness

 In the eye of a storm there is stillness. However chaotic, difficult or painful things appear, there remains a still point, an emptiness, at the core of your being where you can find peace. To find this place, close your eyes and turn you attention inward. Initially, observe the myriad pinpricks of flickering light that penetrate through your eyelids. Withdrawing. Deeper into yourself, the light recedes as you enter the vast space at the heart of your being – a place darker than darkness yet rich with potental, the sacred womb from which all things are born. It is here that you will find peace.