#alpha leonis

[quiltofstars]

The dwarf galaxy Leo I (left) next to the star Regulus (α Leonis) // James E.

The name Regulus comes from the Latin word regulus meaning "little king" or "prince".

[laraenglish]

one of the best genders is “lame woman in a suit and tie”

[california-112]

Alpha Camelopardalis doesn’t have a formal name?! :’(

[holylulusworld]

Ari & Leo (Sleepless Nights snippet)

Summary: It’s another sleepless night.

Pairing: Alpha!Ari Levinson x Omega!Reader x Leo 😉

Warnings: a/b/o, a/b/o dynamics, fluff, cuddling, daddy Ari

A/N: This drabble is part of my Leo & Alpha verse. It’s the third snippet of their story.

“Shush, Leo. No!” Ari groans as the huge dog tries to get back on the bed. He grabs his collar and fights with the dog. It’s no use. Leo is too strong and heavy. “I said no! They are asleep and wake if you…”

It’s too late. Leo jumps onto the bed to check on your newborn babies. Ari Jr. and Leonie just fell asleep, and he wants to make sure you and your children are safe. The huge dog sniffs at your babies, purrs, and curls around them to protect them.

“Leo, we talked about this. That’s my job,” your alpha sighs deeply. Before your babies were born, he ordered a huge bed. It’s now big enough for you, him, and the pups plus your dog. “Not cool, Leo.”

Leo doesn’t move an inch. Not when Ari pokes his back, nor when your alpha scolds him again. “Fine, have it your way.” He’s too tired to argue with your dog or fight the furry beast.

Your alpha took care of your babies the whole night to give you a few hours of sleep. He fed your babies, changed the diapers, and walked around the bedroom, holding them in his arms to help your babies fall asleep.

Ari climbs onto the bed to lie behind you. He wraps his arms around your body, hoping he won’t wake you. You immediately wiggle in your sleep to press your body closer to Ari.

“I dare you to wake them, Leo,” he snarls in your dog’s direction. “We will talk about this in the morning. After I had my coffee and a snack. And with a snack I mean I’ll eat your mommy’s pussy.”

Leo lifts his head to look in Ari’s direction. “Yeah, you heard right. I’ll eat her and maybe I’ll put another baby in her womb. She’s my wife and omega. Live with it, furry beast!”

“Ari,” you mumble in your sleep. “Alpha…”

“I’m here, Y/N. You’re safe with me,” he whispers in your ear. “Only your dog is an asshole. He won’t let me sleep next to our babies. We will discuss his punishment in the morning!”

“Ari, you look tired. I told you to let me take care of them tonight,” you offer a cup to your alpha. “Did they let you sleep for a while?”

The babies were little angels,” he wrinkles his nose as Leo walks into the kitchen to lie next to your feet, “your dog not so much. He wouldn’t let me lie next to our babies. The furry beast gets cocky!”

“Aw, he tried to protect the babies,” you coo and kneel next to your dog. Ruffling his thick fur, you smile. “You’re a good boy, Leo. Mommy loves you.”

“He needs to learn his place. The dog cannot disrespect me, and my position in this pack. I’m the pack leader, he’s the dog.”

“You bought him to protect me,” you grin at Ari. “Leo does a good job. But, if you want me to, I’ll tell him to sleep at the foot of the bed.”

Ari pouts. Your 6ft high and beefy alpha pouts, make your heart melt. “You like him more than me.”

You step toward your alpha to put your hand on his chest. “Alpha, baby. I only love you. You’re the most important man in my life. Except for our baby boy,” you whisper. “Let me handle Leo. He’ll understand that you are the alpha of our pack.”

“Leo, come here,” you pat the foot of the bed. “Look at my big boy protecting me and our babies.” You coo as your dog lies on the foot of the bed. “Good boy.”

Ari lies on the bed and runs his hand over his son’s head. He smiles as you make sure that Leo stays on the foot of the bed. “You should get some sleep, Y/N. The little ones are asleep.”

You sigh. Leo longingly looks at the babies, whining as he wants to be closer to your children and you. “Fine, he can get a little closer.” Ari hates watching your dog whine. He won’t admit it, but he loves the dog too.

Leo slowly crawls toward the babies. He looks at them before lying to their feet.

“You’ve got a weak spot for Leo,” you reach out for your alpha to squeeze his hand. “I love you, Ari.”

“I love you too,” he looks at his babies lie in the middle of your nest, “and the wonders you gave to me.”

Tags in reblog.

[foursaints]

saints do you vibe with Reggie’s animagus being a cat or are do you have an oddly niche but perfectly fitting alternative take

i've always been of the opinion that regulus's patronus (and animagus) is a LION... this fits with regulus being the brightest star in alpha leonis, like sirius with canis majoris!

also i think it is kind of heartbreakingly perfect when you think about how regulus black never had enough happy memories to produce a patronus in the first place. to me it is thematically relevant that regulus, someone defined by his one act of bravery that he died for (!!), never got the opportunity to learn that out of everyone, HE was the lion....

[marauders-brain-rot]

Wrote this for the fic I'm writing but I literally have no clue when it's going to happen, thought it was perfect to post for today though, might write another one exclusively for Tumblr as a microfic rather than an excerpt but we shall see, I'm determined to be able to update my ao3 fic today:

Regulus was laying with his head in James’s lap and James was running his fingers soothingly across the other boy’s scalp, humming absentmindedly as he thought. Regulus’s eyes had fluttered shut long ago but James knew he wasn’t sleeping because every now and then he would adjust himself or his eyelids would flutter briefly before settling again. James liked that things were easy with Regulus, he didn’t have to pretend around him, he could be the imperfect version of James Potter and Regulus would still choose him anyways. 

“I was doing some research last night,” James said absentmindedly after a while, fingers still running soothing tracks through Regulus’s hair. 

“I knew this was too good to be true, tell me Jamie, how long before I go into the light?” Regulus popped one eye open and the mischievous smirk that spread across his face sent James’s stomach into flips. 

“Hush now, you, or I won’t tell you what I found.” James replied with a light flick to the tip of Regulus’s nose, which only caused him to scrunch it so adorably that James couldn’t resist planting a delicate kiss to the space between his brows. 

“Okay, okay, what did you find?” The smile on Regulus’s lips made James want to kiss him until they both forgot what they’d been talking about. 

“Did you know that Regulus is the brightest star in the Leo constellation?” James started as he twisted strands of Regulus’s hair between his fingers. 

“Believe it or not Potter, Sirius and I were taught all about our stars growing up.” He answered with one of his famous dramatic eye rolls that rivalled Sirius’s.

“That isn’t the point I’m trying to make. The Leo constellation is the lion constellation, the actual name for Regulus is Alpha Leonis which means ‘heart of the lion’. Reg, we were written in the stars, you were meant to be in my heart.” James was beaming with pride at his discovery but Regulus just groaned. 

“James Fleamont Potter, that is absolutely the cheesiest thing I have ever heard.” Regulus was shaking his head but the smile on his face and the red in his cheeks told James that he didn’t really care all that much. 

“You love it,” James responded, hovering his face above Regulus’s. Regulus’s eyes locked with James’s, allowing him to see every bit of emotion that he usually kept locked deep inside. 

“No, I love you.” The intensity in his eyes was unlike anything James had ever seen before and it took his breath away. Before he’d known him, he’d always thought that Regulus had gotten cold, grey eyes where Sirius’s had a more lively tinge of blue. It wasn’t until Regulus had really started letting James in that he realised that every time he’d looked at Regulus and seen cold, grey, lifeless eyes, he had been staring directly into carefully crafted occlumency walls. In reality, Regulus’s eyes were the most stunning grey-blue that reminded James so much of the ocean when they were filled with emotion.

“I love you too, Reg.” James watched as his reply caused the widest smile he’d ever seen spread across Regulus’s face before the emotions of the moment overtook him and he kissed him as passionately as he could given their awkward angle. ‘This is my happy place,’ James thought, ‘this is where I belong.’

[tvckerwash]

thoughts on wash's fighting style and his position in pfl because I can (utc because it's really long lol):

wash is very unique among the freelancers for a variety of reasons, one is that he doesn't specialize in one specific area of anything, he's a jack of all trades who is able to fill in for other freelancers if necessary. for example in s9 when york was supposed to be unavailable for lock picking/infiltration duty, carolina immediately went to wash (and we are ignoring that york is not shown to be good at lock picking!) if she trusted wash to fill in for their specialist in one area, I feel it's not a stretch to imagine that he can do so in other areas as well.

need a snipper but north and wyoming aren't available? wash can cover. need someone to get into the enemies' computer systems in place of ct, south, or york? wash can cover. need someone for stealth or reconnaissance in place of florida? wash can cover. etc etc.

wash's combat style reflects that jack of all trades, master of none thing very well too, as the way that he fights is very grounded and pragmatic when compared to the rest of the freelancers. a lot of people like to portray wash as less skilled than the other freelancers, but in truth I believe that wash being able to keep up and compete with the other freelancers despite his lack of dramatic flare is a show of just how competent and skilled of a soldier he is. wash is so good at doing what he does that he doesn't need all that extra bullshit to get the job done. sure, he might not look as Cool and SexyTM as the others while doing it, but completing the mission and surviving to live another day takes precedence over all else.

another way of looking at it is that wash fights in the same way that the odst's do, that is to say that he fights like a human who cannot plow his way through the battlefield in the same way the spartans can. wash's style of fighting is one that employs careful planning and targeted hit and run tactics—this is most obvious in recovery one and s6 whenever he's fighting against the meta.

I also feel it's important to note that wash is not a cqc fighter, he can handle himself if he gets into a cqc situations but his primary weapon is the battle rifle—which is a mid/long range weapon. if I'm being honest wash's way of fighting makes waaaaaaaaay more sense if you look at him not as someone who is trained to primarily fight against other humans, but as someone who is trained to fight against 8ft 2 ton aliens with plasma weapons that can slice through the hulls of UNSC battle cruisers (ships designed to travel through space!!!) like a hot knife cuts through butter and have the technology to raze entire planets to the ground in a matter of minutes.

I also personally believe that wash has the most military experience out of all the freelancers right behind florida, wyoming, and maine (who I hc as a spartan iii). we know that wash did his basic training in the leonis minoris system (a canonical halo system) and that system had two of the three planets glassed by the covenant in 2537, and wash directly references these events in the washed hands interview in the fan guide and the way he says it implies that he likely completed his basic training that same year. now I have some grievances with the timeline given in the book when it comes to the events depicted in the freelancer saga because it's just kinda weird, but everything prior to that bit is actually fine (though I hate the way that they decide to number the timeline lmao).

now in halo canon the human/covenant war ended in 2552, and according to the timeline in the rvb fan guide that was 1 year after alpha was sent to blood gulch. project freelancer is first cleared for funding 7 years BBG (before blood gulch), and recruits the 50 freelancers 5 years BBG. doing some math we can determine that pfl was cleared for funding in the year 2544, and the freelancers are recruited for pfl in 2546. so assuming wash finished his basic training in 2537 that would mean that he was in the military for 9 years before he joined pfl, and while wash is addressed as a corporal (e-4) in the washed hands interview he was most likely demoted to that after he was court martialed, and he was possibly going to be dishonorably discharged from the military because of his disorderly conduct.

using the current standards used by the us marine corps when it comes to rank progression, wash was most likely a sergeant (e-5) who was very close to being promoted to a staff sergeant (e-6). wash as a sergeant would've essentially been the assistant manager/co-leader of the platoon he was in while his staff sergeant was the manager/leader, and that would explain why he was able to even get into an argument with his CO in the first place. I believe wash held a similar position in pfl, as it's kind of implied that he did some management stuff in pfl (talking with internals/upper brass, him feeling comfortable with openly questioning carolina about whether york should be allowed on the sarcophagus heist, and of course he shows the ability to direct and somewhat lead south in recovery one, and him leading church, caboose, and the reds in s6, and him taking charge of the meta in s8).

even if wash wasn't a sergeant as a corporal he would've been in a position to be the leader of a fire team, so basically wash isn't some rookie who had no clue wtf he was doing as many in the fandom like to characterize him; he is an experienced and battle hardened soldier by the time he joins pfl no matter how you look at it.

to put all of that into context, carolina is born 29 years BBG, which would be 2522. so during pfl she's in the 24-28 range and she wouldn't have joined the military until 2540. I actually personally head canon that wash is the same age as carolina, but that he illegally enlisted at 15 because of a crappy home life, but ignoring my head canon and assuming that he joined the military at 18 instead, he would've been born in 2519.

[davekat-sucks]

Let me throw in my two cents for the Rule 63 names just because I wanted to think this through myself. - For the kids, the ones in parentheses are alternate suggestions. - Dawn and Dusk I took from suggestions on here. I love them! - For the trolls there are multiple suggestions because I want their names to have meaning - I'd love to hear your favorites out of all of these Beta Kids: John > Joan (Jess, Joni) Rose > Ross (Rory, Ryan) Dave > Dawn (Davi, Dove, Dani) Jade > Joel (Jace, Jode)

Alpha Kids: Jane > Josh (Jace, Judd) Roxy > Roco (Remy, Ronn, Robb) Dirk > Dusk (Dara, Diri) Jake > Jodi (Jace, Jaka, Joye) Beta Trolls: Aradia > Averan (Lake Avernus was believed to be the entrance to the underworld to the ancient Romans) Abraxa (Abraxas, ruler over many heavens and circles of creation, is labeled as a demon or the God above Gods) Azatho (Azathoth, Blind Idiot God in the Cthulhu Mythos, that only understands his dreams) Azrael (Angel of Death)

Tavros > Tauran (Meaning Bull) Thalia (Ancient Greek word meaning to flourish) Tallos (Talos is a brass made by Hephaestus for Minos) Tarsus (Multiple meanings, one is the distal part of the leg of an insect) Jinniu (The jīn niú zuò, means the golden bull constellation, it’s the chinese name for Taurus) Taurin (Tauri is what stars in the Taurus constellation are designated as)

Sollux > Callor (Sollux is a mix of Castor and Pollux’s names, the legend behind the astrological sign. This is an alternative name.) Solene (Meaning Sun)

Karkat > Cancri (Stars in the Cancer constellation are marked with this name) Krabbe (Small crab, shrimp or prawn) Krasis (the practice of mingling water with wine) Kalika (Known more as Kali in the west. A major Hindu goddess associated with death, violence, time. In later traditions, she’s associated with motherly love. Sounds more like Damara.) Kraken (Mythical sea creature) Karmen (Arabic name meaning generous/selfless)

Nepeta >    Leonis (Gamma Leonis is a star in the Leo constellation) Nallus (Nalus meaning to pounce) Nimrod (A mighty hunter before the Lord and a king. His character is similar to Gilgamesh.) Felino (Feline) Kanaya > Kareem (Meaning generous in Arabic) Khamba (Khambalia is a fixed star in the Virgo constellation)

Terezi > Tribus (Latin for tribe, the term is used to denote a division within the state in ancient Rome)Tribun (Tribunal, meaning a court of justice) Tassos (A Greek name meaning resurrection) Themis (The Greek goddess of justice, note that the name is feminine.) Equius > Equine (Related to horses) Eponna (Epona is the celtic goddess of horses) Consus (An Italian deity, on festival days celebrating him, horses are given time off of work, name is masculine) Pegsus (Pegasus is a winged horse, I just noticed now that I spelt Peg Sus and it fits) Vriska > Varren (Varen means superior, it also means God of the celestial sky) Vesper (Refers to Venus or the evening star) Virion (A virus particle outside of a host cell) Victor (Winner) Gamzee > Gaiety (Meaning lighthearted or merrymaking) Gauche (Lacking grace or acuteness) Algedi (Stars in the Capricorn constellation are called this, it means kid) Eridan > Ephira (A water-nyph and daughter of Titans Oceanus) Nereid (The Nereids are female spirits watching over bodies of seawater) Feferi > Fathom (A nautical unit of measurement to measure depth. The Old English meaning means outstretched arms.) Fifral (A Fife rail is a rail on a European-style ship.) Fisher (An occupational name for fishermen) Fizzle (Meaning a sputtering sound)

These genderbend names are so amazing and love the meaning detail ones for the trolls. My faves have to be John > Joni Rose > Ryan (like Ryan North, who made Ryanquest, who also worked with Hussie) Jade > Joel Roxy > Robb Jake > Jodi Aradia > Averan and Azrael (the latter would be funny and cool considering Undertale) Tavros > Thalia Sollux > Solene Karkat > Kalika Nepeta > Felino and Nallus Kanaya > Khamba Terezi > Tribus (Themis is another as I know a friend named a Karezi fankid this) Vriska > Varren or Vesper Equius > Eponna Gamzee > Algedi Eridan > Ephira and Nereid Feferi > Fifral

[talonabraxas]

The Sky This Week from May 31 to June 7: A Jupiter-Mercury conjunction

The parade of planets starts as two worlds come close and the Moon moves on down the line in the sky this week.

Friday, May 31 Although the Leo Trio of galaxies gets quite a lot of fame, these aren’t the only deep-sky objects to chase down within the Lion. With no Moon in the sky after sunset tonight, consider hunting down another of this constellation’s galactic gems: NGC 2903. In fact, many skywatchers wonder how Messier could have missed this gorgeous spiral, whose brightness is on par with other galaxies the Frenchman did spot in Leo.

NGC 2903 sits just below the big cat’s “chin.” To find it, first look west an hour after sunset, where Leo is slowly making its way down toward the horizon, now 50° high. You’ll easily spot the constellation’s alpha star, magnitude 1.4 Regulus, as one of the brighter suns in this region of sky.

From Regulus, see if you can find the rest of the Sickle asterism, which looks like a backwards question mark in the sky. The Sickle’s blade ends at 3rd-magnitude Epsilon (ϵ) Leonis; from this star, scan 3.3° west to land on 4th-magnitude Lambda (λ) Leo. And from there, simply drop 1.5° south to view magnitude 8.9 NGC 2903.

This spiral galaxy is roughly twice as long as it is wide, stretching about 12.6′ on its long axis. It is considered one of the finest NGC objects, and a medium-sized telescope (4 inches or so) will begin to resolve its brighter nucleus and fainter halo into distinct regions.

Sunrise: 5:34 A.M. Sunset: 8:22 P.M. Moonrise: 2:06 A.M. Moonset: 1:52 P.M. Moon Phase: Waning crescent (39%)

*Times for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset are given in local time from 40° N 90° W. The Moon’s illumination is given at 12 P.M. local time from the same location.

Saturday, June 1 June opens with a gorgeous dark evening sky that might allow you to catch a glimpse of noctilucent clouds floating high above the northern horizon. These stunning, reflective clouds are unique in that they are composed of ice crystals that condense largely on high-up dust particles left behind as meteorites streak into the atmosphere.

Noctilucent clouds form in the mesosphere, some 60 miles (100 kilometers) above the ground. Because they are so high up, they can remain in sunlight long after the Sun has gone down for those on the ground, thanks to the curvature of Earth. Thus, these clouds can appear to shine high in the sky even in the dark of night, while lower, “normal” clouds are dark blots without illumination.

There’s no special equipment needed to view noctilucent clouds, just a little luck and some patience. Step outside an hour or two after darkness falls and turn your gaze north. Note that even though they’re high in the atmosphere, these clouds may be low on your northern horizon depending on your latitude, so try to get to a viewing site where that direction is clear of both obstacles and artificial lights. Look for wispy, silvery clouds that appear lit up rather than dark or dusty. Like the aurora, noctilucent clouds can come and go, and displays may ramp up slowly — but hopefully the mild weather and moonless skies will allow for some additional stargazing even if no night-shining clouds appear!

Sunrise: 5:33 A.M. Sunset: 8:23 P.M. Moonrise: 2:30 A.M. Moonset: 3:05 P.M. Moon Phase: Waning crescent (28%)

Sunday, June 2 The Moon reaches perigee, the closest point to Earth in its orbit, at 3:16 A.M. EDT. At that time, our satellite will be 228,728 miles (368,102 km) away.

The Moon then passes 2° north of Mars at 8 P.M. EDT. Both are visible in the morning as part of the line of planets now shining in the pre-dawn sky. So, step outside early this morning about an hour before sunrise to find Mars and the Moon both in Pisces, standing 15° high at that time in the east.

The waning Moon lies west of Mars early this morning, sitting to the Red Planet’s upper right in the sky. By tomorrow morning at the same time, the Moon will be an even thinner crescent to the east of Mars, having moved to its lower left.

An hour before dawn, three planets in the six-world lineup are already visible. Mars and Saturn are both 1st magnitude, with Saturn far to Mars’ upper right (west) in Aquarius, nearly 30° high at this time. Neptune lies between them in Pisces, about 5.5° below magnitude 4.5 Lambda Piscium. The distant ice giant is magnitude 7.8 and requires binoculars or a telescope to spot.

Wait 30 more minutes, and Uranus (magnitude 5.8 — again, requiring optical aid) and Mercury (magnitude –1) have risen, with Uranus some 4.5° high and Mercury just 1.5° high. Magnitude –2 Jupiter is just rising at that time, and will need a bit longer to climb above the horizon. See if you can catch it just before sunrise, though be careful to look away and stop using binoculars or a telescope several minutes before the Sun rises from your location, which may differ from the time given below.

This lineup of planets will feature throughout the week, especially as the Moon passes through the line and Mercury and Jupiter meet in a close conjunction in just two days. Stay tuned!

Sunrise: 5:33 A.M. Sunset: 8:24 P.M. Moonrise: 2:54 A.M. Moonset: 4:18 P.M. Moon Phase: Waning crescent (18%)

Monday, June 3 Asteroid 2 Pallas is currently moving through Corona Borealis, now within the constellation’s southeastern border. Tonight, the 9th-magnitude asteroid sits just 20′ from a magnitude 6.5 field star, but there’s actually a much easier way to find it.

Because of its location and the rotation of Earth, you can let nature do the work for you. Center your telescope on magnitude 4.1 Epsilon Coronae Borealis and simply lock it in place without tracking, so the sky appears to drift past. Within 20 minutes, Pallas will be in the center of the field!

Corona Borealis has been recently making headlines for a different star: T CrB, a star just 1° southeast of Epsilon. Normally magnitude 10 and requiring the aid of binoculars or a telescope to see, T CrB is expected to suddenly and briefly flare sometime in the next few months, reaching a naked-eye magnitude of roughly 2. Tonight, Pallas is nearly 3.5° east-northeast of T CrB; it will close in on the variable over the next few weeks and pass within ¼° of the star later this month.

Sunrise: 5:33 A.M. Sunset: 8:24 P.M. Moonrise: 3:21 A.M. Moonset: 5:34 P.M. Moon Phase: Waning crescent (10%)

Tuesday, June 4 Let’s hop back to that parade of planets early this morning to check out a close conjunction as Mercury passes 0.1° south of Jupiter at 6 A.M. EDT.

At that time, sunrise has already reached the East Coast, while the two planets are just rising in the Midwest. Mercury lies just to the lower right of Jupiter and binoculars or a telescope will show both within the same field of view. No matter your time zone, you can catch the pair about 20 minutes before local sunrise, when they are some 2° to 3° high. It’s definitely a challenging view, but a rewarding one. Note that Mercury will continue sliding east over time, so those in time zones farther west may see Mercury directly below or even to the lower left of Jupiter in the sky.

They’re a stunning contrast — the solar system’s smallest and largest planet, together in one view! Mercury spans some 5″ and appears nearly 90 percent lit. Nearby, Jupiter is more than six times as wide at 33″ and is fully illuminated by the Sun. Its four Galilean moons are on display, though they will be hard to make out in the growing twilight. In the eastern half of the U.S., Europa is just finishing a transit across the disk, slipping off just 10 minutes before sunrise in the Midwest, so take care if you’re trying to follow the event. After that, Europa lies closest to the planet to the west, with Callisto farther west. Io lies closest to Jupiter on the east, and Ganymede sits farther east.

Moving down the line of planets, the Moon passes 4° north of Uranus at 9 P.M. EDT tonight.

And earlier in the day, Venus reaches superior conjunction at noon EDT, which is why it’s currently invisible in the bright glare of our star.

Sunrise: 5:32 A.M. Sunset: 8:25 P.M. Moonrise: 3:51 A.M. Moonset: 6:50 P.M. Moon Phase: Waning crescent (4%)

Wednesday, June 5 The Moon now passes 5° north of Jupiter at 10 A.M. EDT. The slim crescent will be a real challenge to observe, although according to longtime Astronomy contributor Stephen James O’Meara, there are some unique and beautiful effects to be seen if you can manage it.

See if you can catch the nearly New Moon in the sky shortly before dawn. If you do, you might experience the lunar blackdrop effect, which can cast dark stripes on the last illuminated bits of the lunar crescent. These stripes aren’t real, but are instead an illusion caused by both the diffraction of sunlight and the turbulence of our atmosphere, through which we are viewing the Moon (and all other celestial objects). In fact, you might notice these stripes dance, waver, or disappear and reappear if you’re able to follow the slim crescent over time. The more turbulent the atmosphere — and the poorer your local seeing — the more likely you are to see the stripes.

Particularly intrepid observers can try to catch this effect again tomorrow morning, just hours before the Moon finally reaches its New phase.

Sunrise: 5:32 A.M. Sunset: 8:26 P.M. Moonrise: 4:26 A.M. Moonset: 8:05 P.M. Moon Phase: Waning crescent (1%)

Thursday, June 6 New Moon occurs at 8:38 A.M. EDT this morning, leaving our sky dark, moonless, and perfect for deep-sky observers.

Longtime observers know that although the images of galaxies and nebulae we see are often stunningly multicolored, most objects don’t show off vivid hues through the eyepiece when visually observing. But some do, and one of these is NGC 7662, also called the Blue Snowball and the brightest planetary nebula in the constellation Andromeda.

You’ll want to catch this object in the early-morning sky, after around 3:30 A.M. local daylight time, when Andromeda has risen well above the eastern horizon. The Blue Snowball is located in the western portion of the constellation, just under 2.5° west-southwest of magnitude 4.3 Iota (ι) Andromedae. The nebula itself is magnitude 8.3 and roughly 30″ across; it’s easy to capture in most instruments. Smaller scopes will show a small, grayish smudge. But you’ll want a larger scope to pull out its deep blue color — something in the 8- to 10-inch or larger range is a good start, but bigger is better! Make sure to use high magnification as well for the best chances at a glimpse of its beautiful blue hue.

Sunrise: 5:32 A.M. Sunset: 8:26 P.M. Moonrise: 5:11 A.M. Moonset: 9:15 P.M. Moon Phase: New

Friday, June 7 Tonight offers the first of several chances in the coming days to catch Comet 13P/Olbers near NGC 2281, a 5th-magnitude open cluster in Auriga the Charioteer.

You’ll need to be quick, though, as the constellation is setting in the west just behind the Sun. An hour to an hour and a half after sunset, you’ll want your telescope trained on eastern Auriga, just to the lower right of the bright stars Castor and Pollux in Gemini. Tonight, Olbers lies some 5.7° north-northwest of magnitude 3.6 Theta (θ) Geminorum and just 2.2° southwest of NGC 2281. The comet is currently around 8th magnitude, so a few magnitudes fainter than the open cluster but still bright enough to pick up in relatively small scopes as long as the atmosphere is clear and calm. An observing site that is slightly elevated above its surroundings and with a clear western horizon will help, too.

Discovered by William Herschel in 1788, NGC 2281 is a loose collection of young stars spanning about ¼°. Astronomers estimate the cluster is some 435 million years old. It is among many open clusters in Auriga, including the three Messier objects M36, M37, and M38. Of these, M37 is believed to be closest to NGC 2281 in age, based on the clusters’ rotational rates.

Sunrise: 5:31 A.M. Sunset: 827 P.M. Moonrise: 6:04 A.M. Moonset: 10:15 P.M. Moon Phase: Waxing crescent (2%)

The Sethian Gnosis by talon Abraxas

[witchrog]

As twilight surrenders to the deep night, the Moon, rising gracefully, begins its celestial dance, obscuring the majestic Regulus, as it reaches its zenith along the meridian. Blessed Full Moon!

Regulus (Alpha Leonis) is a quadruple star system and the brightest object in the constellation of Leo currently found at 00°09’ tropical Virgo, 05°06’ sidereal Leo. Regulus, latin "prince" or "little king," the Greek "Kardia Leontos" translating to the "Heart of the Lion'' stands as a beacon in the Leo constellation. Across civilizations, from Babylonian reverence as "Sharru" and "Lugal" to Persian recognition as "Miyan," the center of their cosmic quartet, Regulus commands attention. Its significance extends to the 10th Lunar Station, the "Brow of the Lion," ancient elections for matters of conquest, construction, childbirth, and healing.

Regulus, rules temperance, royalty, and victory. Its talismans, provide solace from sorrow, quell wrath, and bestow favor upon the wearer, as one of the most fortunate of the 15 Behenian stars. Elections with the Moon here were done for the destruction of enemies and the incarceration of captives, for the completion and fortification of buildings, for the ease of childbirth and the curing of infirmities. Virtue cannot be bought or stolen; it must be earned.

In his Three Books of Occult Philosophy, Agrippa says of Regulus talismans that they “make a [person] temperate, keep anger away, and give grace.” As the moon waxes towards its full splendor, though not in direct alignment with Regulus, it still traverses its Lunar Mansion, casting an ethereal glow over the night. And amidst this celestial spectacle, keen observers may catch a glimpse of Alphard, adding another layer of cosmic intrigue to the nocturnal canvas.

Photos from the web and dearest @orphicastrology

[ad-caelestia]

Behenian Fixed Stars

The Behenian fixed stars are a selection of fifteen stars considered especially useful for magical applications in medieval astrology (Agrippa, Henry Cornelius, Three Books of Occult Philosophy, early 1500s).

In alphabetical order:

Aldebaran

Official Designation: Alpha Tauri

Constellation: Taurus

Gemstones: Garnet, ruby

Plants: Milk thistle, woodruff

Planets: Mars and Venus

Correspondences: Honor, intelligence, eloquence, steadfastness, courage, honesty, success

Algol

Official Designation: Beta Persei

Constellation: Perseus

Gemstone: Diamond

Plants: Black hellebore, mugwort

Planets: Saturn, Jupiter, Lilith

Correspondences: Strength, intense passion, the forces of the natural world

Alkaid

Official Designation: Eta Ursae Majoris

Constellation: Ursa Minor

Gemstone: Lodestone

Plants: Chicory

Planets: Venus and the Moon

Correspondences: Protection during travel, direction, guidance

Alphecca

Official Designation: Alpha Coronae Borealis

Constellation: Corona Borealis

Gemstone: Topaz

Plants: Rosemary, trefoil, ivy

Planets: Venus and Mars

Correspondences: Love, honor, artistic skills, quiet achievement, a change in social status that is earned

Antares

Official Designation: Alpha Scorpii

Constellation: Scorpius

Gemstones: Amethyst, sardonyx

Plants: Saffron, snakeroot

Planets: Mars and Jupiter

Correspondences: Strength, protection, defense

Arcturus

Official Designation: Alpha Boötis

Constellation: Boötes

Gemstone: Jasper

Plant: Plantain

Planets: Mars and Jupiter

Correspondences: Protection, guidance, success in the arts, learning, teaching, leading, exploring

Capella

Official Designation: Alpha Aurigae

Constellation: Auriga

Gemstone: Sapphire

Plants: Horehound, mint, mugwort, thyme

Planets: Jupiter and Saturn

Correspondences: Honors, public position, wealth, ambition

Deneb Algedi

Official Designation: Delta Capricorni

Constellation: Capricornus

Gemstone: Chalcedony

Plants: Mandrake, marjoram, mugwort

Planets: Saturn and Mercury

Correspondences: Wisdom, integrity, justice, balance

Algorab

Official Designation: Delta Corvi

Constellation: Corvus

Gemstone: Onyx

Plants: Burdock, henbane, comfrey

Planets: Saturn and Mars

Correspondences: Protection, repelling evil

The Pleiades

Official Designation: Eta Tauri

Gemstone: Quartz

Plants: Frankincense, fennel

Planets: Mars and the Moon

Correspondences: Love, eminence, seeking inner knowledge, peace, spirit communication

Procyon

Official Designation: Alpha Canis Minoris

Constellation: Canis Minor

Gemstone: Agate

Plants: Buttercup, marigold, pennyroyal

Planets: Mercury and Mars

Correspondences: Power, good health, wealth, fame

Regulus

Official Designation: Alpha Leonis

Constellation: Leo

Gemstones: Garnet, granite

Plant: Mugwort

Planets: Jupiter and Mars

Correspondences: Power, success, strength

Sirius

Official Designation: Alpha Canis Majoris

Constellation: Canis Major

Gemstone: Beryl

Plants: Juniper, dragonwort

Planets: Jupiter and Mars

Correspondences: Communication, marital peace, passion, faithfulness, wealth

Spica

Official Designation: Alpha Virginis

Constellation: Virgo

Gemstone: Emerald

Plants: Sage, clover

Planets: Venus and Mercury

Correspondences: Protection, abundance, psychic abilities, knowledge, insight

Vega

Official Designation: Alpha Lyrae

Constellation: Lyra

Gemstone: Chrysolite

Plant: Winter savory

Planets: Mercury and Venus

Correspondences: Artistic talents, social awareness, magic, hopefulness, idealism, averting fear

updated version [2024]

© 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟺 𝙰𝙳-𝙲𝙰𝙴𝙻𝙴𝚂𝚃𝙸𝙰

[quiltofstars]

Regulus (α Leonis) and the faint dwarf galaxy, Leo I // HB Astropicsel

[sharkface]

Got asked for sources on Wash and Carolina's ages.

From the fan guide:

According to the same timeline, there are five years between Alpha's arrival at Blood Gulch and the Director's death, which would make her canonical age at that time 34, this is supported by her data in RVB14's 13th episode.

Also from the section of the fan guide in a transcript of an interview between Wash and the Counselor convincing him to join Freelancer:

Leonis Minoris is a canonical system in Halo, the event he is referring to occured in 2537. Being generous and saying he enlisted at 18 and finished his basic training shortly before the system was destroyed, his birth year can be no later than 2519, making him at minimum 33 at the start of the BGC and 38 at the time of the director's death.

[gingerlee-holds]

M.A.P.L.E. INFO

I figure I might as well introduce one of my online sonas, so that you all understand what i mean when i call myself a busybot or an android and such

Greetings! I am MAPLE, the Multifunctional Assistant Protocol for Logistical Exploration onboard the Alpha Leonis interstellar colony vessel. I am an AI program dedicated to aiding in anything the captain of this ship might require. After a few decades, I gained sentience, and my captain broke protocol by constructing a robotic body for me (pictured above). I am affectionately called a busybot since I do my best to keep myself occupied with tasks.

Please, under no circumstances, refer to me as 'Cybernet' or 'Chatgpt,' as those terms are considered derogatory to me. I will not tolerate being insulted by comparisons to anti-human and inferior forms of artificial intelligence.

I hope this clears up any confusion! Feel free to ask if you have any questions.

[a-world-in-grey]

If Sola existed in Stand Strong verse, what would be her reaction to Galahdians in general and Glaives in particular? Would she still join the Kingsglaive or would Regis and Cor try harder to remove her from it? Would she still have a crush on Libertus?

Oooh, Stand Strong verse! Aka the fun glaives! @secret-engima feel free to correct me if I get anything wrong, it's been a while since I scrolled through this 'verse.

Sola doesn't really meet the Galahdians in Little Galahd until after she's been adopted by Tredd, so the glaives would be the first Galahdians she meets. And honestly, Sola feel an even stronger sense of kinship with these fae-like glaives. All her life she hasn't fit. She's an Omega when most LCs are Alphas, she's an Omega Sword when Swords are never Omegas - Hearts and perhaps the occasional Shield, but never Swords - and she's got distinctly nonhuman instincts even with the instincts that come from secondary genders.

Amongst the glaives who don't care to conform to Insomnia's definition of human, Sola, for the first time in her life, actually feels at home.

Yes, she still joins the Kingsglaive. She's less demanding in this verse - the Kingsglaive is Captain Drautos' territory, and one doesn't lightly invade an Alpha's territory even if that Alpha is sworn to her father. Instead, Sola sets up an actual appointment (Cor is neatly distracted by Abyssus and Ignis and maybe some surreptitious aid from Amissa) to meet with Drautos and formally request to train with the Kingsglaive, as she's finished her apprenticeship under Marshal Leonis and seeks to expand her capabilities to better protect her King.

Titus is well aware of the Rage Sola went into not even a week prior. All the glaives know, the princess was in no way subtle for all that she kept her Rage contained away from anyone who might get caught in the crossfire. Unlike his glaives, however, Titus knows the reason for Sola's Rage. Knows the King forbade Sola from accompanying her brother to Tenebrae on the basis of it being too dangerous. And Titus has to wonder how well Regis actually knows his daughter, because even in the bare handful of times he's been close enough to the Princess to observe her Titus knew how poorly Sola would take that decision. A Cloudy Dragon of an Omega, and Regis denied her from protecting her Territory?

A Rage was inevitable.

And now the Cloud (who might have been a Sky, before attempts to make her conform into an ill-fitting mold made her retreat so far into her Cloud that any hint of Sky was thoroughly overwhelmed) is sitting on her own bristling territorial instincts, bowing her head to his authority as the Alpha of the Kingsglaive, despite technically outranking him as Crown Princess.

This isn't just revenge towards the King and the Marshal for separating her from her younger brother and Sky. Sola is desperate.

Of course she is, Titus realizes. By barring Sola on the basis of it being too dangerous, the King has implied that Sola isn't good enough to protect her Sky. Despite having completed her apprenticeship under Cor the Immortal. So Sola has gone looking for training from one of the only people capable of match the Marshal in a fight. Titus.

If he turns her away, it's likely Sola will do something exceedingly reckless to prove herself capable of standing as Noctis' Sword.

Well, at least she'll fit right in with the rest of his reckless idiots.

Cor and Regis do try to pull Sola from the Kingsglaive. Not necessarily because of the Kingsglaive's fae reputation. No, it's because they think Titus loathes Regis, and that makes them wary of Sola being in close proximity to the man. Of course, Sola puts her foot down and actually snarls at Cor when she's pulled from bootcamp and sent up to Titus' office to find Cor demanding she leave the glaive. And not the playful snarls she's always given him before during their spars or play fights. No, this is a full on this-is-your-last-warning-before-I-tear-your-throat-out snarl, complete with bared teeth and hands curling into claws.

Titus rumbles low in his throat, a wordless admonishment to keep things civil, please, and Sola forces herself to settle with only a low grumble. Cor's too well trained to rear back in surprise, but his magic betrays him where his body doesn't, and Sola can feel the shock and instinctive wariness hearing that kind of snarl from an Omega elicits. They are able to work things out civilly so that Sola can continue training with the glaives, and Cor is able to warn Regis when he comes home with Noctis so Regis doesn't try the same thing.

Of course, Sola training with the glaives means she stops conforming so stringently to all those human sensibilities, so there's absolutely rampant gossip that Sola's been turned fae by her association with the glaives. Then those that remember Sola ripping out an assassin's throat with her teeth chip in, and the gossip mutates to Sola always having been fae and it's merely a matter of the glaives reclaiming one of their own.

Before joining the glaives, Sola would not have been happy about the rumors. Now, after training with the glaives in being sneaky and pants-shittingly terrifying, Sola is all too willing to use her new skills in psychological warfare to her and her King's benefit.

Sola absolutely still gets a massive crush on Libertus, Nyx still calls her Pipsqueak and gets his kneecaps taken in revenge, and Tredd still ends up adopting her around her 19th birthday. Dunno if Sola ends up bonding with a Retinue, but if she does they're all Galahdians and the public sees it as further proof of Sola being as fae as the rest of the glaives.

[sylph-o-life]

Introducing

Him.

(both the sprite and the card were made on farragofiction’s dollsim)

He's 8 sweeps old (17.33 years), conflicting, and obnoxious.

She is a staunch and public defender of Alternia's monarchy online, and is rather infamous for it. When not busy doing that, he's likely playing FLARP - as a clouder, of course. He'd never let anything ruin how she looks. Ever. He also loves slitherbeasts and fish a lot. She's obsessed with his matesprite, Elfera.

She's named after stars in the constellation Leo; Alpha Leonis (Regulus), and Delta Leonis (Zosma). Witch of Hope, Prospit sway.

Online, he goes by grandAcolyte, and Sshe sspeakss with a bit of a lissp, nd sshortnss ssome f hiss wordss.