Planetary Movements, Spring Tides and Equinox

Joseph Proskauer gives us an equinoctial update on the movements and visibility of the planets and the effects of full Moon and spring tides.

March brings Mercury's best evening apparition of the year (worthwhile, as few of us have knowingly seen Mercury):

Mercury also happens to spend the week through Friday March 18th within 5° of Jupiter. (That's half the width of your fist at arm's length.)

All you need is a clear evening and a viewing site with an good view down to the west horizon. Note the spot where the Sun sets, and then start scanning above (and slightly to the left) of there for Jupiter. Jupiter may be visible immediately if the air is very clear, but it will be more obvious 15 or 30 minutes later when the sky is darker (though Jupiter will also be lower).

Once you've found Jupiter, look for Mercury near it. These are by far the brightest objects in that part of the sky, so there's no chance of mistake. (The only possible confusion would be from airplanes; but airplanes will shift within a minute or two, while Jupiter and Mercury stay put except for their gradual descent toward the horizon.)

In a remarkable coincidence, both planets pass through perihelion this week (closest to the Sun in their orbits). Mercury has a perihelion every 88 days, but Jupiter has one only every 12 years.

Mercury appears higher each evening in March until the 22nd, while Jupiter appears ever lower. So by the end of that period, Mercury may actually be the more obvious of the pair, despite the fact that it's slowly fading. Starting around March 25th, Mercury plunges back toward the Sun, fades rapidly, and soon becomes hard to locate with the unaided eye.

Equinox -- March 20th:

One of the two days each year when the sun rises truly in the east, and sets truly west.

What shape does the tip of a shadow trace on the Equinox? Try marking the tip of any shadow (post, roof, tree, or standing stone) every hour or two during the day.

Equinoctial events at Cairn Holy:

Full-moon rise: Around sunset Friday March 18 (before 5:30 PM at Cairn Holy).

Equinoctial sunrise -- the heart of the year at Cairn Holy:

Closest (most perfect) sunrise is Sunday March 20th (shortly after 6:30 AM at Cairn Holy -- allowing for eastern ridge). But all sunrises that week (e.g. Friday, Saturday, Monday, Tuesday) will show the general phenomenon. There are further interesting events which follow throughout the morning.

Midday: Cairn Holy's midday alignment is visible any sunny day; local noon is currently 12:28 -- progressing to 12:26 for the equinox weekend.

Equinoctial sunset: before 5:30 PM (at Cairn Holy).

World Water Day Coincides with the Equinox

22nd MARCH IS WORLD WATER DAY

Dr. Masaru Emoto has carried out extensive research on water including the effects of thoughts and feelings on water crystals, demonstrated by photography.

An internationally known speaker at various conferences including the UN he is also the author of several books. There is more information about him on his website, and this link will take you to a page which has an image of a very lovely water crystal.

In Japan on 22^nd March, he will be conducting a water ceremony near the Samida River in Tokyo. He asks that we take a few minutes on this day to look at water – any water at all - and send love and gratitude to it.

Two Poems for Spring

that other March

my star magnolia in bud

presides in fisted beauty by the wall

bulbs in my garden spiking through the mud

as black birds call.

reminders of that other March

my young son packed to leave

burdened with desert camouflage

the garden bursting into leaf

my star magnolia in bud

bulbs in my garden spiking through the mud.

Spring

The street is sudden pink blossom;

the pavement a hopscotch of sun

that glitters and skitters down

railings and dances on bumper and pram

in a street of sudden pink blossom

the trumpet of car horn and drum

of the feet of early commuters

has a beat less wearisome

down a street of sudden pink blossom

(surely yesterday’s branches were bare?)

Spring arrived overnight with a blush on

and flowers in her hair.

Chrys Salt

Fasting

FASTING

by Iyad Hayatleh

From dawn to dusk

I go without food and water

and have no sense of hunger

for hunger is not the hunger of stomachs;

it is the longing

longing of lovers to be with their beloved;

it’s the yearning

yearning of the homeless to return to the land

where memories for six decades

fall asleep on a promise,

the promised return of the dream

on the wings of the nightingale.

Years rush behind years

like clouds hiding days of deep grief

of exile

in waving layers

to leave only the evening of life

and tears of the stranger

with few remaining wishes.

O powerful night

please lift the veil of the sky

and bring glad tidings to the flood of worshippers,

to my family and my people,

tidings of the bright morning coming soon

with blessing for the whole world.

My love

my God, the Lord of heaven and earth

knower of things unseen

the affectionate, the merciful, the gracious, the greatest,

for you I fast my long day

to you I pray my solemn night.

May I win some approval from you

and may you remove from my shoulders the burden of sin.

Cleanse my soul for thirty days with the beauty of forbearance

and let me reach the day of Eid

a new person, with a new dress.

Translated by Tessa Ransford with the poet, Iyad Hayatleh

Poems for the Equinox

2 quintas

1)

at sundown

first the snow capped mountains

then the sky and sea

turn smoky pink -

people linger on the Esplanade

2)

The woman walks with crutches -

her donkey, close behind her

carries olive branches in his pannier

carries her pace, her rhythm -

the first drops of rain begin to fall

Light Flurry of Snow

Grey sky – of an even dullness

so it looks flat

as a well-painted tin plate.

Like winter again I say to the bus driver -

oh – the last flurry before spring he says

as if he was announcing the name

of a stop on the way -

even a destination -

a ticket for Last Flurry please -

if that's as far as you are going

though I'd really rather alight at Spring.

He has light blue, sky-keeper eyes.

Snow turns to sleet

as we ride on the tail-end

of Last Flurry.

Morelle Smith