Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean--
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down,
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don't know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?
Mary Oliver
(New and Selected Poems, Volume I)
Did you know that this year, 2009, is International Year of Astronomy?
On Wednesday, July 8th from 9:58 to 10:02 p.m., my daughter and I watched the Space Station glide quickly by in the clear night sky. It was the brightest object in the sky moving from west to east. What an amazing treat!
Until Monday, July 20th, we can see the Space Station move at 29,000 Km per minute overhead usually around 10:00 p.m. It’s hard to confuse it with any other object in the sky because of its brightness and speed. There are 13 astronauts on board, two of whom are Canadian.
Here are some wonderful Websites to help you discover the mysteries of the night sky.
The Astronomy Calendar of Celestial Events
http://www.seasky.org/astronomy/astronomy_calendar_2009.html
Discover the night sky. Go to:
http://www.thenightskyguy.com/
I find this website very helpful. For free monthly night sky maps, whether you live in the northern or southern hemisphere or along the equator, go to:
http://www.skymaps.com/downloads.html
In the last posting, I suggested that we try to locate the Summer Triangle in the night sky.
The Triangle is easily seen with the naked eye as it is the most distinctive group of stars in the summer sky. It is made up from the brightest stars, Vega, Deneb and Altair, in three constellations. Vega is part of Lyra, Deneb is at the tail of Cygnus, the Swan, (also known as the Northern Cross) and Altair is at the head of Aquila, the Eagle.
Try looking up into the sky between 9:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. Look straight up to the zenith and move your eyes slightly to the east and slightly to the south. We are looking for three very bright stars. Once you have the very large Triangle in view, you will be able to see Cygnus, as well.
Gail, from our Whole Earth Care Community sent us this information.
“Mars The Red Planet is about to be spectacular!
This month and next, Earth is catching up with Mars in an encounter that
will culminate in the closest approach between the two planets in recorded history.
The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287.
Due to the way Jupiter's gravity tugs on Mars and perturbs its orbit, astronomers can only be certain that Mars has not come this close to Earth
in the last 5,000 years, but it may be as long as 60,000 years before it happens again.
The encounter will culminate on August 27th when Mars comes to within 34,649,589 miles of Earth and will be (next to the moon) the brightest object in
the night sky.
It will attain a magnitude of -2.9 and will appear 25.11 arc seconds wide. At a modest 75-power magnification.
Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye.
Mars will be easy to spot. At the beginning of August it will rise in the east at 10 p.m. and reach its azimuth at about 3 a.m.
By the end of August when the two planets are closest, Mars will rise at nightfall and reach its highest point in the sky at 12:30a.m. That's pretty
convenient to see something that no human being has seen in recorded history.
So, mark your calendar at the beginning of August to see Mars grow
progressively brighter and brighter throughout the month. And be sure to circle Thursday, August 27th so that you will be out in a clearing to see Mars so close to our Earth and her Moon.
Share this with your children and grandchildren.”
“If astronomy is good for the soul, then a summer night is the time for meditation.” Author unknown
Happy star gazing.
Earth Family First,
maureen
(Photos by Google Images)
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