#solar eclipse 2022 effects

[rebeccalouisaferguson]

Dune: Part Two's opening fight scene between the Fremen and Harkonnen soldiers takes place during a solar eclipse, making for some instantly memorable orange-tinted visuals courtesy of cinematographer Greig Fraser. In an exciting twist of fate, the cast and crew of Dune: Part Two witnessed an actual partial solar eclipse on October 25, 2022. The camera crew was able to capture footage of the eclipse, which wound up in the final cut of the film. To stay true to the lore that Arrakis has two moons, visual effects supervisor Paul Lambert and his team added a second moon to the eclipse footage.

Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides and Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica in Dune: Part Two (2024) dir. Denis Villeneuve

[latenightbreezeinheaven]

Predicting my 2023 solar return chart because I couldn’t sleep😴

2023 solar return chart is looking too much scary and crazy for me. My birthday is in June and it’s 2 months ahead but I think the effects have already started to show up in some areas of my life at this moment.

•Scorpio rising at 18 degrees (Virgo deg)

-I think this year, I would be mainly focused on transformations for myself, emotionally and physically.

-I went through a very intense and messy breakup and I found myself reflecting these circumstances a lot lately.

-I’ve been watching videos about self-concept, psychology and manifestation on youtube because I actually want to transform myself and I have a feeling I would succeed.

-I want to transform myself into someone who’s powerful with a lil bit of mysterious aura.🤭

-I started to take interest in occult and metaphysical topics and witchy stuff.

-I bought my first tarot deck about two weeks ago just because my gut told me to do it.

-I started to rely a lot on my intuition and most of them are on point.

-I had some prophetic dreams which came true in real life. (thanks to my natal Neptune and Uranus in 8th house too) IT’S KINDA CRAZY. THAT DREAM HAPPENED EXACTLY IN MY REALITY.🤯

-I notice that I also tend to become more private on social media and I back away from people, even from my best friend who I used to talk with everyday because I feel so drained for literally no reason. (but maybe this solar eclipse and mercury retrograde are the hidden answer😏)

-I’ve been getting lots of compliments too. One of my guy friends told me that I look like a maneater in these days. (I just had leo rising in 2022 SR chart and my attention-seeking ass is enjoying this too much hehe🙊)

-The MAIN reason why I’m scared of scorpio rising in SR chart is because I was bullied at school, got slapped by my mom, sexually harassed and these all happened for the very first time in my life and also my biggest secret got exposed (which was kinda like receiving karma for what I had done) in the year I had scorpio rising.😃

-The rising degree was at 29 degrees and I was slut-shamed publicly. (❗️Tip: if you have 29 degrees on planets or points in your solar return chart, that might indicate the end of a chapter and a new beginning, for better or worse depends on what you have done and the planet shows in which area you’ll encounter these endings).

-All students knew my name but in a notorious way like “oh that girl? Ummm🙄 *shrugs*”. -These events brought major changes into my life. It changed my whole personality.

-I was scared and in the dark for the whole year. But to face my foes, I had to put on that “I’m fucking strong bitches don’t you dare touch me” mask the whole year. No one was on my side. But these events helped me become a girl who I am right now. I used to be a fun, outgoing, optimistic, free, flirty and giggling little girl but right now, I’m not that kind of girl anymore. I’ve become a brave and strong girl who had gone through a lot but still didn’t give up. However, I have never shown my vulnerable side to anyone up to this day since that year. That year is the year that I’ll NEVER forget. And that’s why I’m feeling a bit nervous to go through another year with scorpio rising.😰

-I might receive karma for what I had done. Good or bad.

-I might also attract a lot of unwanted attention from others since I also have Venus conjunct mars and Lilith conjunct MC this year. Main theme is transformation and shocking things might also happen. My secrets could be leaked maybe. Just don’t wanna assume things before anything happens.🥱

•Sun in Gemini in 8th house at 24 degrees (Pisces deg)

-This year is literally screaming “TIME TO TRANSFORM YOU BITCH” at my face lol😂. -My main focus is gonna be healing ofc and transformation I guess.

-I might have to face my shadow side and I think the universe will push me to deal with it to achieve my higher self.

-I also kinda observe things deeply a lot nowadays and it could go on for the whole year.

-I feel like I might go through my ego death or as I said, an old chapter could end and new beginnings would come.

-I’m a bit worried about me and my family’s health. I’ve been feeling ill for quite some time now due to low blood pressure. I’m also worried about my parents especially my dad because idk I just feel something weird but let’s not think about it because I don’t wanna manifest anything bad to him.🥺

-I’m not going to predict further about this because I’ve said enough above as this is quite similar to scorpio rising. My main focus is 8th house and scorpio themed.🖤

•Sun conjunct Juno

-People say this is like “meeting your soulmate” aspect of the year. I hope I would meet someone too whether it’s platonic or romantic because it’s fun to interact with new people.😺

•Sun square Neptune

-My creation skills could be kinda blocked. It’s happening even right now. In the past, when I started to write about something, the words just naturally flew out of my head but right now, I’m a bit stuck and delayed. My thoughts are delayed. I even forget how to structure sentences creatively.

•Moon in Taurus in 7th house at 21 degrees (Sag deg)

-My emotions could be mainly invested in relationships and partnerships.

-I could be thinking a lot about how to get better in relationships and any-ships.

-I just hope I won’t be lost in love again but I’m pretty sure I definitely won’t too.🤡

-Btw, I love having moon at sagittarius degree because it might mean I would feel optimistic and free like a little girl version of me before 2019!

•Moon conjunct Uranus

-Mood swings. URGH. I don’t even need to predict this because they’re already happening. I have daily mood swings but I notice that since about the start of April, I’ve become so much unstable and inconsistent in my emotions. One minute I’m on instagram and another minute, I’m on google. Another minute I’m on tumblr and I just keep jumping from one tab to another A LOT.

-I also feel quite chaotic and confused about some of my relationships. I love my best friend one minute and another minute, I kinda reconsider if she’s really good for me or not. And I just feel exhausted just by existing.😮‍💨

•Mercury in Gemini in 7th house at 6 degrees (Virgo deg)

-Idk how to interpret this. Please HELP kindly if you can. Thank you! Maybe share your experiences?❤️

•Venus in Leo in 9th house at 8 degrees (Scorpio deg)

-I love having Venus in 9th house when it comes to SR charts. I had this placement in 2022 and man, I had 3 trips in one year and all of those were amazing times for me. It’s pleasant and I felt so excited by those adventures.

-Needless to say, I also met my ex in college (actually the first time we ever met was in 2019, at a language school but we met again in college🙄) and somehow most of my relationships were based in college and they’re going to go more for another 7 years so you can say they’re quite significant.

-So, I think I might also get a boyfriend or boyfriendS from college this year. Or else it could be through traveling, education and religious places.

-I might find aesthetics in learning about spirituality and might be focused and might have fixated opinions on my belief system related to religion (as it is in leo).

-I started to become more religious in these days and I also started to stand firm in what I believe instead of being a people-pleaser and saying “oh I also believe that” to every opinion existing.👏🏻

•Venus conjunct mars

-Yayyy people say this is the year I’m getting most attention from both genders. I mean I don’t like attention that much because it’s draining but who doesn’t love being put in a spotlight if it’s for good? (at this point my natal sun in 12th house being indecisive if he likes attention or not)🤦🏻‍♀️

-I love receiving love from people so this is a great placement for me.

-And also, my sexual energy can be highly increased this year.😶

-I might have several options for romantic partners and might come out more charming and alluring than usual.

•Venus opposite Pluto

-Kinda scared again because my SR chart ruler is in hard aspect with SR Venus which is in 9th house.

-I hope communication between peers would go well and relationships won’t be destroyed because of misunderstandings in communication.

-Idk why but I have this gut feeling that I’m going to attract someone or be attracted to someone who’s manipulative, toxic and jealous. Or I might be the one who would be obsessed with someone having all of those plutonic qualities. My relationships could be pluto-themed and transformative I guess.

-Some people say that this is also an indicator of glow-up in SR chart and I find this pretty accurate because I’m going to the gym for the first time in July!🤩

•Venus conjunct vertex

-Fated love? Fated relationships? Can be through 9th house related places and the other person may have leo or taurus qualities. Or the meeting could be leo-themed I guess?

•Mars in Leo in 9th house at 14 degrees (Taurus deg)

-This can mean I would put a lot of effort into college and it can be true because I have my final exams in June and I have to sweat my ass off for that.😵

-I might be rethinking about my belief system and replanning about my education too.

-As I have my natal mars in natal 9th house, I kinda like this placement because it’s friendly to me.

-I might seek for freedom and would cancel anyone who’s blocking me from becoming confident and free.

-I might go under a sexual encounter which may be brief but transformative. Or maybe one-night stand LMAO (jk I don’t like one-night stands personally).

-I’m a virgin so I’m even a bit curious if I’m going to lose my virginity this year because I have a very strong gut feeling about having first sex with someone who’s important for me.😭👀

•Mars conjunct vertex

-Fated sexual encounter maybe. Maybe fated accidents? Lol I’m sorry I don’t wanna manifest accidents for myself haha😂 But personal planets in conjunction with vertex can also mean fated people might be brought to our life to teach us something, both karmic and non-karmic ones, eg like a teacher or a mentor.

•Mars conjunct Lilith

-I have a very strong gut feeling that I’m gonna gain lots of sexual attention or might attract aggressive partners who want to tame me (sorry guys but my Lilith in 1st house won’t let it happen🤗).

-I might become comfortable and have courage enough to express my sexuality.

-May have power struggles with authority figures.

-I notice that I’ve been feeling like “who are you to judge me bastards” towards controlling authority figures.🌝

•Mars conjunct MC

-I might work hard to reach my goals.

-I might also appear assertive, daring and competitive in public.

-This is also special because my natal MC ruler is mars and it is now highlighted in my SR chart.

-I’m going to the gym for the first time in July too so maybe people would see me athletic and confident this year.

•Jupiter in Taurus in 6th house at 6 degrees (Virgo deg)

-Jupiter is about expansion and luck so, I might gain luck and blessings through my health, my routines, my colleagues (but for me, friends).

-I just wish I won’t gain weight because Jupiter sometimes indicates weight gains and 6th house is health and physical house thank god I’m going to the gym.

-My health could become better BUT since both Venus and mars square Jupiter, love and sex might deteriorate my health in some way - idk how to interpret this.🧘🏻‍♀️

•Pluto in Capricorn in 3rd house at 29 degrees (Leo deg)

-Transformations could arise around siblings, neighborhood, education, short trips, knowledge and communication.

-I also have my natal chart ruler in my natal 3rd house so this energy is quite familiar for me but let’s see how Pluto energy would go this year. (i had Pluto in 6th house last year and I had eating disorder LMAO🤧)

•North node in Taurus in 6th house at 3 degrees (Gemini deg)

-My purpose might be to take care of myself- my health mainly as I said that my health is not so good in these days.

-Also it could be showing that I need to reconstruct my daily routines and abandon every bad habit that is no longer serving me. Maybe I might need to balance my studies and my relaxation time.

•Uranus-moon conjunction conjuncts descendant

-There could be unexpected and sudden changes, events occurring in my relationships. -I feel like I might go into a romantic relationship but that won’t be committed or at least, it would be weird and unusual. Not traditional and maybe shocking too. I might be the one who’s not willing to commit because right now, I have zero desire to start another relationship. Tbh, my ex is still in a part of me and I need to cut him off first. I might attract unconventional people too.

•Lilith conjunct MC

-I started to feel a bit outcasted since my breakup and it became worse. My ex has a new girlfriend now but she and her friends are gossiping about me. I heard it through one of my mutual friends and it’s so Lilith-themed in my opinion. They wanna slut-shame me for no reason. I don’t know why but when other girls kiss their boyfriends, they seem pretty normal. When I kiss my boyfriend, I suddenly become like a slut. I also kinda have to put on “Wtf you bitches, seriously!? Sorry but I’m unbothered” mask in college just to defend myself. As a result, I could be seen as someone who’s unapologetic, daring and untamed. Or maybe I might represent Lilith traits unconsciously in this year.🔫

•Part of fortune in libra 11th house at 15 degrees (Gemini deg)

-I might gain luck through friendships, connections with people, humanitarian work, beauty, social media.

•SR ascendant falls into natal 4th house (3 degrees away from 5th house cusp)

-Mainly focused areas - family, past lessons, roots and childhood. Could also be - romance, fun, flings, dates, creativity, children.

•Fixed dominant

-My mind can be fixated and I might stick to one decision only.

•Earth dominant

-I might be a bit stable but Idk how I feel about this one because I also have moon-Uranus conjunction haha

•Taurus stellium

-Love and beauty could be mainly focused? But I love having taurus stellium because I love taurus energy. They look so calm. In my opinion. At least.🌸

•7th house stellium

-Might be “Love is in the air” year for me but I’m closing my nose till my prince charming comes and commits to me fully and gives me princess treatment. Plus, I don’t wanna kiss froggos anymore. Yuck.💀

Anyways, this was a long ass post and I’m so freaking excited for the upcoming year. Afraid, nervous but at the same time, so curious about what might happen because placements in this year’s chart are a bit crazy and intense in my opinion. Also please bear with my grammar mistakes as I’m an ESL student. You can also share your experiences with me if you have had any of these placements in your previous years’ solar return charts. Thank you!❤️

[learnwithmearticles]

Moon Missions

What’s going on with the moon?

The United States recently had a solar eclipse on April 8th, 2024, and some might be surprised to learn that the moon is, in fact, affected by solar radiation. The charged particles emitted by the sun, called the solar wind, reach the moon with no interruption from its atmosphere, as it has none. It also has no global magnetic field, another layer of protection that Earth does have, in comparison.

The moon does, however, have small areas of magnetic fields. We can see this because these areas remain lighter in photos whereas chemical reactions from radiation darken the unprotected areas.

Fortunately, most of these charged particles cannot pass through the hulls of space stations, so astronauts are safe in orbit. Cosmic rays, made of stronger and faster-moving particles, are more dangerous. Even on Earth, under the atmosphere and magnetosphere, cosmic radiation reaches humans, though not enough to be considered damaging to our health.

A lander and rover launched in 2018 delivered the first measurements of radiation levels on the moon 4. Based on those data, astronauts on the moon can be exposed to up to 150 times higher radiation levels than on Earth.

Radiation is a leading reason for the pause in lunar landing missions. It raises risks of cataracts, heart diseases, radiation illness, cancer, and other ailments. Longer missions, of course, would heavily exacerbate these radiation doses.

Other Health Concerns

Cosmic rays contain High-Energy (HZE) ions. In different exposure such as from nuclear accidents or irradiation therapy, HZE ions have been found to cause dysregulation in the mitochondria and damage to DNA. Because of this, prolonged exposure is linked to health effects often associated with aging, such as hippocampus synapse loss and metabolic disruption caused by damage to mitochondrial DNA.

Long-duration space flights have also been linked to cardiovascular disorders. For astronauts on the Apollo missions, heart attack was “the second leading cause of death” 8. For additional space flights outside of Earth’s magnetosphere, astronauts also had a higher mortality rate due to cardiovascular diseases.

In a previous article, we discussed the relationship between circadian rhythms and health. These rhythms are another thing that space travel can impact, causing sleep and mental health disturbances in astronauts 9.

While various studies are investigating the conditions of these health risks, a current NASA mission is specifically investigating radiation protection.

Long-term Mission

NASA plans on eventually returning to human-manned missions to the moon.

First, they have to address the issues discussed above.

In November of 2022, Artemis I launched with two manikins bearing radiation detectors. From this mission, NASA was able to confirm the success of the intended trajectory, launch of ground systems, and the Orion spacecraft. The radiation results from this mission are still being analyzed.

The Artemis missions are intended to explore more of the moon than ever before, and lay groundwork for eventual missions to Mars.

Artemis II will not launch any earlier than September of 2025. It is planned to last ten days, consist of a 4-person crew, and be a lunar flyby to ensure the proper functioning of the spacecraft’s systems.

It has seemed for years that lunar exploration has halted. Manned missions have indeed been paused, for good reasons. Ensuring the safety of astronauts is a priority, and they face serious health risks even when missions go as expected. But NASA intends to continue exploring space, the moon, and Mars. The current Artemis missions are discovering improved, new ways to ensure the safety of astronauts while making scientific progress.

Additional Resources

1. https://science.nasa.gov/moon/solar-wind/

2. https://phys.org/news/2012-01-solar-flares-astronauts.html

3. https://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1211/1211.3962.pdf

4. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11214-020-00725-3

5.https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/orion/orion-passengers-on-artemis-i-to-test-radiation-vest-for-deep-space-missions/

6.https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/how-space-radiation-threatens-lunar-exploration-180981415/

7.https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/analysis-confirms-successful-artemis-i-moon-mission-reviews-continue-2/

8.https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2020.00955/full

9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9818606/

[thepastisalreadywritten]

2 September 2022

Fresh off its success at the moon, India is now headed for the sun.

The nation launched its first-ever solar observatory today (Sept. 2), sending the Aditya-L1 probe skyward atop a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at 2:20 a.m. EDT (0620 GMT; 11:50 a.m. local India time).

The PSLV deployed Aditya-L1 into low Earth orbit (LEO) as planned about 63 minutes after liftoff, sparking applause and high fives in mission control.

"Congratulations, India, and congratulations, ISRO [the Indian Space Research Organisation]," Jitendra Singh, India's Minister of State for Science and Technology, said shortly after deployment on ISRO's launch webcast.

"While the whole world watched this with bated breath, it is indeed a sunshine moment for India," Singh added.

The successful launch followed on the heels of another big milestone for India: On August 23, its Chandrayaan-3 mission became the first to land softly near the moon's south pole.

Chandrayaan-3's lander-rover duo are expected to conk out in a week or so, when the harsh lunar night falls at their touchdown site. But Aditya-L1's long journey has just begun.

A long road to a good sun-viewing spot

Aditya-L1 won't stay in LEO forever:

After a series of checkouts, it will use its onboard propulsion system to head toward Earth-sun Lagrange Point 1 (L1), a gravitationally stable spot about 1 million miles (1.5 million kilometers) from our planet in the direction of the sun.

That destination explains the latter part of the mission's name. And the first part is simple enough: "Aditya" translates to "sun" in Sanskrit.

The 3,260-pound (1,480 kilograms) observatory will arrive at L1 about four months from now, if all goes according to plan.

But the long trek will be worth it, according to the ISRO.

"A satellite placed in the halo orbit around the L1 point has the major advantage of continuously viewing the sun without any occultation/eclipses," ISRO officials wrote in an Aditya-L1 mission description.

"This will provide a greater advantage of observing the solar activities and its effect on space weather in real time."

Indeed, another sun-studying spacecraft is already at L1 — the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), a joint NASA-European Space Agency mission that launched in December 1995.

(Several other spacecraft, including NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, are at Earth-sun Lagrange Point 2, which is a million miles from Earth, in the direction away from the sun.)

Solar flares, the coronal heating mystery and more

Once it's settled in at L1, the solar probe will use four three science instruments to study the particles and magnetic fields in its immediate surroundings and four others to scrutinize the sun's surface (known as the photosphere) and its atmosphere.

This work will help scientists better understand solar activity, including the dynamics of solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs), ISRO officials say.

Flares are powerful flashes of high-energy radiation, and CMEs are huge eruptions of solar plasma.

Both types of outburst can affect us here on Earth. Intense CMEs that hit our planet, for example, trigger geomagnetic storms that can disrupt satellite navigation and power grids.

(As a side benefit, such storms also supercharge the gorgeous light shows known as auroras.)

Aditya-L1 will also tackle the "coronal heating problem," one of the biggest mysteries in heliophysics.

The corona — the sun's wispy outer atmosphere — is incredibly hot, reaching temperatures around 2 million degrees Fahrenheit (1.1 million degrees Celsius), according to NASA.

That's about 200 times hotter than the solar surface, which is "only" 10,000 degrees F (5,500 degrees C) or so.

It's still unclear what is responsible for this startling and counterintuitive discrepancy.

(Why would it be hotter away from the sun's core, where the energy-producing nuclear fusion reactions are occurring?)

Aditya-L1 has other science goals as well. For instance, the mission also aims to more fully flesh out the solar wind, the stream of charged particles flowing constantly from the sun, ISRO officials said.

Aditya-L1 will measure the composition of the solar wind and attempt to determine how it is accelerated.

And Aditya-L1 will do all this work on the cheap:

The mission's price tag is about 3.8 billion rupees, or $46 million US at current exchange rates.

That's in the same ballpark as Chandrayaan-3

India's first successful moon-landing mission costs about 6.15 billion rupees, or $74 million US.

For comparison, NASA's most recent big-ticket sun mission, the record-setting Parker Solar Probe, costs roughly $1.5 billion.

This disparity should not be viewed as an indictment of NASA, however; labor costs are much higher in the United States than in India, among other differences between the two nations' economies.

Aditya-L1 is a coronagraphy spacecraft to study the solar atmosphere, designed and developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and various other Indian research institutes.

[mysticstronomy]

HOW LOW-MASS BLACK HOLE BEND SPACE THE MOST??

Blog#250

Saturday, December 3rd, 2022

Welcome back,

one of the most mind-bending concepts about the universe itself is that gravity isn’t due to some unseen, invisible force, but comes about because the matter and energy in the universe bends and distorts the very fabric of space itself. matter and energy tell space how to curve, and that curved space lays out the path upon which matter and energy move. the distance between two points isn’t a straight line, but a curve determined by the fabric of space itself.

so where would you go if you wanted to find the regions of space that had the greatest amount of curvature? you’d pick the locations where you had the most mass concentrated into the smallest volumes: black holes. but not all black holes are created equal. paradoxically, it’s the smallest, lowest-mass black holes that create the most severely curved space of all. here’s the surprising science behind why.

When we look out at the Universe, particularly on large cosmic scales, it behaves as though space were virtually indistinguishable from flat. Masses curve space, and that curved space deflects light, but the amount of deflection is minuscule even for the most concentrated amounts of mass we know of.

The solar eclipse of 1919, where the light from distant stars was deflected by the Sun, caused the path of light to bend by less than a thousandth-of-a-degree. This was the first observational confirmation of General Relativity, caused by the largest mass in our Solar System.

Gravitational lensing goes a step beyond that, where a very large mass (like a quasar or galaxy cluster) bends space so severely that the background light gets distorted, magnified, and stretched into multiple images. Yet even trillions of solar masses cause effects on scales of tiny fractions-of-a-degree.

But it’s neither our proximity to a mass nor the total amount of mass that determines how severely space is curved. Rather, it’s the total amount of mass that’s present within a given volume of space. The best way to visualize this is to think about our Sun: a 1 solar-mass object with a radius of about 700,000 kilometers. At the very limb of the Sun, 700,000 km from its center, light deflects by about 0.0005 degrees.

Originally published on bigthink.com

COMING UP!!

(Wednesday, December 7th, 2022)

"WHAT CAN DEFEAT A BLACK HOLE??"

[saturniandevil]

December 2022 Important Dates

AKA my notes on The Astrology Podcast's December forecast. Today’s episode is hosted by Chris Brennan, Austin Coppock, and Aerin Fogel.

November Recap: Elon Musk's acquiring of Twitter happened in the aftermath of the October eclipse in Scorpio, with some of the biggest chaos bookended by the eclipses. The blue checkmark impersonations are fit with the Mars retrograde in Gemini, where we expect to see mischievous doppelgangers. Our hosts also connect deceptions to the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction in April casting political confusion and spreading illusions throughout the year. The Taurus eclipse in November coincided with the US midterm election, with results that may have wide-reaching effects. The collapse of the FTX cryptocurrency exchange also coincided exactly with the lunar eclipse in Taurus, a follow-up to the Taurus solar eclipse earlier this year, when the Luna cryptocurrency (which had some of the same shareholders) collapsed. This is also part of the larger Uranus in Taurus story, where currency and banking have seen abrupt and dramatic changes. Austin points out that the Taurus-Scorpio eclipses this year have highlighted differences in material (earth) and liquid (water) assets--inflation is when material goods are much more valuable compared to the liquid asset of money.

December 1st - Venus (♐) opposes Mars (♊Rx) All the inner planets will oppose retrograde Mars as they transit Sagittarius, though Mercury has cleared this aspect by the first of the month. The Sun’s opposition to Mars a week later represents the culmination and halfway point of the retrograde. Our broader knowledge is being funneled into something specific. Here’s the Mars retrograde graphic from Stella on Reddit:

Mars retrograde in general connotes a bit of wild energy, and in Gemini may indicate shoulder/neck/upper back injuries specifically. This is also a time of harsh words, which can sometimes play out cathartically. Find the house(s) of your chart where Gemini falls to see which areas of life is affected for you personally. More about this in the December 7th Full Moon section.

December 3rd - Neptune (♓) stations direct This means an intensification of Neptune’s significations in Pisces. (A/N: think dissolution of the self, sacrifice, and idealistic dreams.)

December 6th - Mercury enters Capricorn Mercury has more impact that usual right now because he rules Mars in Gemini. In strategic, pessimistic Capricorn, Mercury prompts us to consider how the terrain has changed. He’s also going to retrograde in this sign at the end of the month and through much of January, prompting us to take stock of the game board and make a plan for success in the next round. More on this under Venus’s ingress and Mercury retrograde sections.

December 7th - Full Moon at 15 degrees of Gemini

Mars is conjunct this lunation at 16♊, with the lights are moving immediately towards their own aspects with him. In fact, Mars opposes the Sun within hours of the lunation. One signification is the “duderang”/men returning to people’s lives, and Aerin says to expect revelations as the lights illuminate Mars, whose conflicts may have been fuzzy from his square to Neptune.

Mars, especially in this sign, can be a contrarian: either playing devil’s advocate or a warrior refusing to enter the conflict. There’s an explosive berserker side and a side that leaves conflicts that aren’t serving us. Mars rx in Gemini also foreshadows the upcoming Uranus return of the USA, which enters large wars every time Uranus enters Gemini due to its own Gemini Mars. There have been significant tech layoffs as well; Mars is great for cutting things out. Physical associations with Mars include piercing or impact injuries and inflammation.

An idle Mars is a restless and destructive Mars, so it serves us well to channel Martial energy into something productive during his long trek through Gemini. Stagnant Mars is a fire waiting to happen, but at the same time we should be careful not to let the fire spread out of control. Get active, but don’t work out so hard you get injured. Children learn to say “No!” under their first Mars return--we may need to learn how and when to refuse. Is there even a prize if you win this fight? Be sure to consider tactics and strategy if you choose to engage. Gemini Mars can also manifest as being pulled in so many directions at once that we can’t move. Protests are another an outlet for Mars energy, which we’ve been seeing in the news.

December 8th - Sun opposes retrograde Mars Depending on your time zone, the Full Moon and Mars-Sun opposition likely occur on the same calendar day.

December 9th - Venus enters Capricorn Following Mercury’s ingress, Venus wants us to have value in the actions we take. We’re also now in the second half of the Mars retrograde, which makes it easier for us to take action. Most of Mars’s cards have been played already, so though the game continues, we can plan now that we know what we’re dealing with. See Mercury’s retrograde for details on Venus’s conjunction to Pluto later this month.

December 10th - Auspicious election of the month (not pictured)

This occurs around 12:35PM local time. Adjust until the Ascendant is at about 27 degrees of Pisces, with Jupiter nearby at 29 degrees. This day chart takes advantage of Jupiter’s last days in Pisces for the next ~11 years. The Moon is in domicile in Cancer and resides in the 5th (whole sign) house--known as the Place of Good Fortune in Hellenistic astrology--and trines Jupiter. The Moon has long since left her conjunction to Mars and the Sun is separating from an opposition with Mars. Unfortunately Mars is angular in the 4th house of this chart, though he’s not directly on Imum Coeli, and he squares Jupiter, who’s in the superior position/overcoming him. Venus in the 11th house bodes well for friends and groups, and she’s close to the Midheaven as well.

Jupiter in a strong position says “Yes” to our endeavors, and this chart specifically is good for starting new classes and winning contests. Jupiter also rules the 10th house and the Sun in this chart, helping not just careers but any of our outwardly-visible pursuits.

December 14th - Sun square Neptune

December 20th - Jupiter reenters Aries He’ll revisit territory he already covered this year (early May to October). Think bold. Aries Jupiter facilitates us to take decisive action, although with Mars retrograde acting on impulse isn’t always the best choice. Overall this transit will give us energy and focus that we didn’t have while Mars was in Pisces (and near Neptune). Jupiter in Aries teaches us like a sports coach rather than the compassionate wisdom of Pisces. Look to the Aries house of your chart for where this emerges. Although we have an impulse to action, our shots may not be on target and require revision; the chain of rulership is: Jupiter in Aries ruled by a retrograde Mars, who in turn is ruled by a retrograde Mercury. We’ll be learning by trial and error. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t act--sometimes we have to make mistakes in order to get it right.

December 21st - Sun enters Capricorn, squares Jupiter

December 23rd - New Moon in Capricorn This occurs soon after Jupiter’s ingress into Aries and emphasizes the Capricorn transits. (A/N: No chart and not much analysis from our hosts this time? So here is from astro-seek:)

December 29th - Mercury retrograde This station happens right on top of Pluto and with Venus nearby. Mercury’s station is also very close to the degrees of Venus’s station last December and the Pluto/Saturn/Jupiter mega-conjunction in 2020. Thus Mercury’s retrograde will likely reintroduce discussions and re-litigate issues from those times.  We’ll likely discuss the secrets of those in power again, as well as scandals around women and sex, events like Ghislaine Maxwell’s trial during Venus’s rx last year. Venus-Pluto signifies intense power plays, manipulation and control in relationship, and the inverse of feeling completely isolated relationally. It’s going to be a heavy New Year’s Eve. Venus is often dragged to the underworld against her will, and we may go through difficult transformations. But remember, this intensification is temporary and ends soon after! Back to Mercury, you may want to delay your New Years’ resolutions until after he stations direct mid-January; Capricorn is a great place to write things in stone...once we get past all the revisions.

We’re also finally reaching the end of the Saturn-Uranus square that has been plaguing us since 2020--nearly three years! The fixed signs will get some relief next year as Saturn enters Pisces and the eclipses begin shifting to the Aries-Libra axis. But we’ll get more on that in the 2023 year ahead forecast...

[spacenutspod]

Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS may be one to watch for at dawn late next month. If predictions and prognostications hold true, a decent comet could grace dawn skies in late September into early October. We’re talking about Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, discovered early last year. Early signs suggest it could be the best comet of 2024… if it survives until perihelion. The Discovery The comet was discovered jointly by the Tsuchinshan (Purple Mountain) observatory in China and the ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) sky survey on January 9th, 2023. Later ‘pre-discovery’ images date back to 2022. The comet was discovered 7.2 Astronomical Units (AU) out in the outer solar system, beyond the orbit of Jupiter. This always a good sign in terms of how the comet will behave on approach. The orbit of Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS. Credit: NASA/JPL. Early estimates put the orbital period for the comet at 80,000 years. Later refinements on the orbit now puts it at millions of years, possibly due for ejection post perihelion. This means that C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is likely a first-time visitor from the Oort Cloud, and should be dynamically new. This another plus and always a good thing in terms of activity. Following the Comet Through Fall The path of the comet seems to hang stationary in the constellation Sextans through September, as it is headed towards us as seen from our vantage point in space. The comet is on a high 139º inclination retrograde orbit about the Sun. Perihelion 0.39 AU from the Sun interior to the orbital aphelion distance of Mercury occurs on September 27th, and the closest Earth approach for the comet occurs on October 12th, at 0.472 AU (70.6 million kilometers) distant. Southern hemisphere observers may get a short look at the comet starting in mid-September. The best show for folks up north begins in the last week of September into the first week of October, when the comet sits about 10 degrees above the eastern horizon in the dawn. The slim waning crescent Moon will pair with the comet on the mornings of September 30th and October 1st. Looking to the southwest on the morning of October 1st. Credit: Starry Night. Said Moon is headed towards an annular solar eclipse on October 2nd. Lucky observers along the path crossing the southern tip of South America might just see the comet along with Venus during annular phases, if (a big ‘if’ to be sure) it exceeds expectations and reaches negative magnitudes. The comet versus the October 2nd annular eclipse. Credit: Starry Night. We’ll also get a look at Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS courtesy of the joint solar observing SOHO mission, as it transits the LASCO C3 field of view from October 7th to the 10th. From there, the comet will transition to the evening sky in late October, as it fades back down into binocular visibility range and heads back out of the solar system, perhaps to never return again. The comet versus SOHO’s LASCO C3 imager. Credit: Starry Night. Dazzle, or Fizzle? It has been a roller coaster ride for the comet in 2024. How bright will Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS be at perihelion? The comet seemed to be under-performing in terms of brightness in early 2024, suggesting a breakup and a ‘fizzle’ could be imminent. As of writing this, the comet is back up on the expected light curve at magnitude +8. Comets often neglect to read predictions, and can fail to measure up to expectations… we all remember ISON in 2013. On the plus side, remember F3 NEOWISE in 2020, which actually exceeded anticipations? One factor will aid the visibility of comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS right around Earth approach: its brightness may be helped a bit by an effect known as forward scattering. And of course, all bets are off in terms of brightness in the event of a well-placed outburst. “A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) is now sort of on the brightening line to get mostly as bright like predicted, although my own projection shows it peaking more like magnitude +4 to +5 because the trend line is a bit south of the optimum line…” astrophotographer Eliot Herman told Universe Today. “So it will not be (naked eye) visible at brightest, but…it will be a fine telescopic comet (or ‘camera comet’) kind of like P1 Nishimura. That is what I am thinking unless it shatters or splits. I think it is going to fall short of imagination, which is about the norm for comets.” Here’s a Month-by-Month look at Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS: September 7-Flips over to the dawn sky 27-Reaches perihelion 28-Crosses into the constellation Leo The projected and observed (black dots) light curve for Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS. Credit: Seiichi Yoshida’s Weekly Information About Bright Comets. October 1-The waning crescent Moon sits 11º from the comet 2-The Comet is 18º from the Sun during an annular solar eclipse 4-Crosses into the constellation Virgo 7-Crosses into SOHO’s LASCO C3 field of view 8-Crosses the ecliptic plane northward 9-Passes 3º from the Sun 10-Exits SOHO’s LASCO C3 field of view 11-Flips over to the dusk sky 12-Passes closest to the Earth 14-Crosses the celestial equator northward, and makes an edge-on, orbital plane crossing 15-Photo-Op: Passes 1º from +9th magnitude Comet 13 Olbers 15-Crosses into the constellation Serpens Caput 16-Passes just over 1º from the globular cluster Messier 5 19-Crosses into the constellation Ophiuchus 20-Passes near the +3.8 magnitude star Lambda Ophiuchi (Marfik) 29-Passes between the +3rd magnitude stars Cebalrai and Gamma Ophiuchi November 1- Passes near the +3.9 magnitude star 67 Ophiuchi 10-Passes into the constellation Serpens Cauda 20-Passes very near (occults) the +4.6 magnitude star Alya 25-Passes into the constellation Aquila 26-Crosses the Celestial Equator southward In December into early 2025, the comet drops back below +10th magnitude. Comet A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS from July 25th. Image credit: Eliot Herman. Keep in mind, like deep-sky targets, all of that precious quoted magnitude for a comet is ‘smeared out’ over an apparent surface area. We usually think of the naked eye cutoff for stars under a good dark sky is +6, but a comet generally won’t reach naked eye visibility until about +3 magnitude or so. This is also usually the point at which a given comet becomes bright enough to capture along with foreground objects, always a photogenic sight. Good luck and clear skies on your quest to see comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, on what is very probably its one-time only visit to the inner solar system. The post Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS Set to Perform This Fall appeared first on Universe Today.

[xtruss]

Illustration by Nicholas Konrad / The New Yorker

2022 in Review: Eight Times Science Exceeded Expectations in 2022! From Asteroids to A.I., This Was a Year of Scientific Superlatives.

— By Matthew Hutson | December 28, 2022

It’s no surprise that we keep finding and building cool things. But the things that we find and build can still surprise us. 2022 was another year full of science and technology advances. It’s too soon to identify the most important developments of the year; science takes time to mature. But here are eight moments that were remarkable to me, to experts in their respective fields, and even to those doing the work.

We Nudged an Asteroid

Our solar system is something of a minefield. Between the sun, the asteroid belt, and the planets and their rings and moons lies a sprinkling of smaller rocks, some of which cross paths with Earth. We’d like to avoid sharing the fate of the dinosaurs, and so have endeavored to spot potentially troublesome intruders; currently, we know of no asteroid larger than a hundred and forty metres across that poses a serious risk of collision in the next century. But what we don’t know can still hurt us, and we must prepare for the unexpected.

Last year, SpaceX launched a nasa mission, led by Johns Hopkins University, called dart—the Double Asteroid Redirection Test. As David W. Brown explains, in his blow-by-blow recounting of the mission, its target was an unassuming pair of asteroids, seven million miles away, dubbed Didymos (measured at nearly half a mile across) and Dimorphos (a bit more than five hundred feet across). At the time, Dimorphos orbited Didymos every eleven hours and fifty-five minutes. The dart spacecraft, whose mass at launch exceeded half a ton, was not meant to obliterate either object. But it could nudge one or both of the bodies off course—a proof of concept for the idea that humanity could change an incoming asteroid’s trajectory, averting a collision with Earth.

Success was defined as a head-on collision with Dimorphos that would alter its orbital period by at least seventy-three seconds. On September 26th, dart hit its mark at roughly fourteen thousand miles an hour, reducing the orbit by a full thirty-two minutes. (Earth-based observations measured the effect by tracking how often the two bodies eclipsed each other.) It might have been a shot heard round the solar system, if not for space’s deafening silence. Scientists are still analyzing data on the aftermath.

In the movie “Armageddon,” from 1998, Bruce Willis’s character detonates a bomb on an Earth-bound asteroid, preventing the movie’s titular event. A quarter century later, we have the technology to achieve a similar aim more elegantly. dart-like spacecraft, teamed with careful observation and early detection, now gives us the ability to defend the planet we’re otherwise doing so much to despoil.

Magic Mushrooms Reduced Depression

Many people who’ve taken psychedelics understand their healing powers. I’m one of them: twenty-seven years ago, I profitably enlisted acid and ecstasy in my battle with depression. Because of long-standing laws restricting recreational, therapeutic, and even scientific use of the drugs, research is still catching up. But, this year, findings on the efficacy of psilocybin—the magic in magic mushrooms—against depression have left even some scientists dazed.

Though antidepressants are often a first line of defense in treating depression, they frequently fail to provide relief. More than a quarter of a billion people worldwide face what’s known as major depressive disorder, according to estimates, and some studies indicate that at least thirty per cent of them contend with so-called treatment-resistant depression. This past month, The New England Journal of Medicine published the results of the largest-ever clinical trial of psilocybin, in which two hundred and thirty-three people with treatment-resistant depression took part. They each received just a single dose—one, ten, or twenty-five milligrams—under professional guidance. Three weeks later, those who’d received the largest dose rated significantly lower on depression than those in the lowest-dose group.

Another study, published in Nature Medicine, demonstrated the benefits of psilocybin over the antidepressant escitalopram (whose brand name is Lexapro). Using neuroimaging, the researchers also explored some possible mechanisms for the treatment: they found that the patients who received psilocybin experienced an increase in the integration of activity across the networks in their brains. Perhaps psilocybin, by increasing cognitive flexibility, allows people to escape ruts of thought. Another study, published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, looked at patients with major depressive disorder who’d received two psychedelic sessions. A full year later, seventy-five per cent maintained at least a fifty-per-cent reduction in their depression scores.

Authors of all three studies told me that they were surprised by the treatment’s durability. Work remains to be done—but these findings suggest that some people may be able to find a way out from under a disease that was previously immovable.

Earth Got Hotter—and Hotter

In an era of global warming, we expect temperature records to be broken. But they are now being broken with surprising frequency, and by surprising amounts. In July, the United Kingdom suffered a historic heat wave: the previous high had been 101.7 degrees Fahrenheit, but at least forty-six weather stations met or exceeded that temperature, the hottest by 2.9 degrees. Of more than a hundred weather stations that had been collecting data for at least half a century, the majority broke ceilings. One village cleared its hurdle by a hold-my-(warm-)beer 11.3 degrees.

The U.K. wasn’t alone. Other countries in Europe saw records topple, and the continent as a whole experienced its hottest-ever June-through-August, on average. Huge wildfires spread across the continent. Meanwhile, India suffered an apocalyptic heat wave this spring; several continents experienced drought; and China weathered its hottest and longest heat wave on record.

In August, an international team of eleven scientists published an analysis in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences titled “Climate Endgame: Exploring catastrophic climate change scenarios.” They argue that the international target of maintaining temperature increases well below two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) has led research to focus on lower-end warming scenarios, leaving us unprepared for more drastic changes. Carbon-dioxide-caused loss of stratocumulus cloud decks could heat the planet by an additional eight degrees Celsius by the end of the century. “Particularly worrying is a ‘tipping cascade,’ ” they write. Damages to the environment are likely to be nonlinear, leading to low-likelihood outcomes that should be looked into. The article notes that climate change might trigger or exacerbate blackouts, famine, pandemics, mass extinction, nuclear war. In short, we should expect the unexpected.

Brain Cells in a Dish Played Pong

A staple of science fiction (and philosophy) is the notion that you’re just a brain in vat, connected to the real world through wires. Another is that you’re just a simulated being in a virtual universe. An experiment reported this year in Neuron combined elements of both tropes. Layers of brain cells wired up to a computer experienced a world consisting of a variant of the video game Pong, and learned to play.

The researchers grew some brain cells out of human stem cells, and collected others from mouse embryos, then placed about eight hundred thousand mouse or human cells onto arrays of electrodes in dishes. (A human brain has roughly a hundred thousand times more neurons than that.) The electrical activity of two regions of neurons on each array were translated into the up-and-down movement of a paddle on a video screen. The position of the bouncing ball was fed back to a different set of neurons in the network; when the paddle connected with the ball, all the electrodes delivered a series of zaps, reinforcing the neurons’ behavior. Within a few minutes, the system could handle rallies of a few hits.

Karl J. Friston, a neuroscientist at University College London who is one of the paper’s co-authors, told me that, although the team had hypothesized that the neurons and silicon would be able to speak the same language and learn in this way, they weren’t at all sure that their “DishBrain” would work. “It was the same kind of surprise one might have if you came across a talking dog, ” he said. “Moreover, the fact that human neurons were able to sustain play longer than mouse neurons was a bit like discovering that dogs are better at talking than cats.”

The setup is more than a party trick. It allows for exploration of weighty questions: how cells communicate, how biological and synthetic intelligence combine, what happens in brain disorders such as epilepsy and dementia, and how drugs affect the brain. The group now plans to test the effects of alcohol on their system. “How would a ‘drunken DishBrain’ cope with playing Pong?” Friston asked, in a recent press release. Beer pong just got serious.

A Blockchain Reduced Its Energy Use by 99.95 Per Cent

Few mortals understand blockchains. What you may have heard is that they’re somehow related to cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, and that they use prodigious amounts of energy. Crypto assets consume more energy than many countries—a big problem.

In September, an important blockchain altered the way it verifies transactions, drastically cutting its energy use. Bitcoin, the first blockchain-based cryptocurrency, verifies transactions through a system called “proof of work”: computers around the world race to solve complex puzzles, and the winners get some cryptocurrency and the ability to add blocks of transactions to the ledger. It’s all the problem-solving that’s so energy intensive. By contrast, the Ethereum blockchain, launched in 2015, was meant to use “proof of stake.” Would-be validators would place their own cryptocurrency into a kind of escrow; when a block is added, they’re rewarded in proportion with their stake. (If the block’s contents are fraudulent, you lose a portion of your stake.) Proof of stake is far more energy-efficient—but it was so devilishly difficult to develop that Ethereum launched using proof of work instead.

In 2020, the Ethereum developer community created a parallel ledger called Beacon Chain that used proof of stake. After nearly two years of testing, they set a date for the Merge, which would combine the two chains into one that used proof of stake. Many people worried the Merge would overturn crypto markets; some experts compared the procedure to swapping plane engines mid-flight. But, on September 15th, the Merge succeeded with hardly a hitch. A developer named Tim Beiko told me that the blockchain looked so surprisingly stable afterward that he “had to double-check” the performance graph.

Ethereum was already more important than Bitcoin in many ways. It undergirds not only a cryptocurrency but, also, one-of-a-kind digital art works called N.F.T.s, automatically executing “smart contracts,” and many computer applications for finance, entertainment, and communications. The Merge now makes Ethereum transactions faster, cheaper, and more energy-efficient, by an estimated 99.95 per cent. In a Merge viewing party hosted by the Ethereum Foundation, one developer commented, “This is just an incredible feat. . . . People using the network will have no idea that anything has changed. But everything has changed.”

We Found Two-Million-Year-Old Mastodon DNA

DNA is fragile, geologically speaking. The double-helical molecule that gives cells their marching orders starts disintegrating as soon as we die—and even while we live—as our own enzymes cut it up. It’s also not immune to water, air, or microbes. One study estimated that its chemical bonds have a half-life of around five hundred years. Discover a very old specimen of DNA, and you have to assemble especially tiny puzzle pieces if you want to put the genome back together.

Last year, however, researchers managed to reconstruct DNA from two Siberian mammoths that were more than a million years old, using material extracted from their molars. That work nearly doubled the record for oldest DNA sequence. This year, a second group of researchers nearly doubled the record again. As they reported in Nature, they found their DNA not in a long-in-the-tooth tooth but in sediment deposits at the mouth of a fjord in northern Greenland, where, around two million years ago, plant and animal remains had washed up. The researchers found DNA in forty-one soil samples at five sites. Much of it had adhered to quartz or clay, which may have protected the delicate strands from the ravages of enzymes. “The preservation of the DNA and our ability to extract and sequence it has been a major leap for us,” Kurt H. Kjær, a geologist at the University of Copenhagen and one of the paper’s lead authors, told me.

The team was able to gather genetic material not just from one or two species but from more than a hundred types of plants, as well as animals including mastodons, reindeer, and horseshoe crabs. The researchers figure that the landscape, which is now a frozen wasteland, must once have been about twenty degrees warmer. The work provides clues to an earlier way of life, and demonstrates what’s possible going forward. Scientists have a hope of reconstructing biological lineages and pictures of entire historical ecosystems. They may even extract genes to help today’s plants and animals cope with a changing world.

Artificial Intelligence Learned Diplomacy

You’d think we’d learn our lesson: we set challenges for artificial intelligence, say it won’t meet them anytime soon, and then find that A.I. has vanquished us before we expect. It’s happened with chess, Go, poker, and StarCraft II. In 2019, Noam Brown, a computer scientist at Meta, had wrapped up his work on A.I. for multiplayer poker and was casting about for a new challenge; he chose one that he thought would safely keep him occupied for at least a decade.

The task was Diplomacy, a board game in which seven players controlling army and navy units vie for control over a map of Europe. Players can attack or support each other, and each turn begins with a round of nonbinding negotiation. You might propose back-scratching, then deliver backstabbing. It’s a game of trust and deceit, hammered out through the placement of pieces and the crafting of language.

As Brown told me, a bot for Diplomacy sounded like sci-fi. A.I. can strategize (see AlphaGo) and it can speak (see ChatGPT). But most language-spewing A.I.s have no notion of truth or falsehood. Meta, however, developed a system, called cicero, that learned to ground its utterances in context and goals. After observing human Diplomacy games and playing copies of itself, cicero joined an online community and played forty games. In a paper published in Science, Brown and his team reported that it outperformed nine out of ten players. Moreover, its written speech was so slick that only one player noted his suspicion of its silicon insides. On one occasion, the system, playing as France, went down for ten minutes due to a technical fault. When it came back online, it replied to England’s appeals—“Would really love to hear from you!”—with a made-up excuse: “i am on the phone with my gf.” Humanity is not ready.

We Generated Fusion Power (Finally, Sorta)

What counts as an expectation? In fusion power—the shotgun marriage of atoms to create electricity—progress is perpetually (and paradoxically) expected to underwhelm. An old joke holds that fusion is always thirty years away.

This month, though, researchers inched closer to controlled fusion power. Nuclear fusion, which occurs inside stars, requires intense heat and pressure; most fusion-power experiments heat hydrogen and confine it using magnetic fields, while others blast pellets of hydrogen with lasers. The National Ignition Facility, at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, in California, takes the second approach. The facility’s main aim is to contribute to nuclear-weapons research, with sustainable energy as a kind of by-product. Completed in 2009, at triple its initial budget, it was originally expected to achieve “ignition”—in which the energy emitted from the fusion reaction exceeds that imparted by the lasers—by 2012.

Progress was slower than expected: ignition finally occurred on December 5, 2022. A hundred and ninety-two lasers briefly blasted a cylinder the size of a pencil eraser, which emitted X-rays, which compressed a contained pellet of frozen hydrogen atoms, some of which fused into helium, releasing energetic neutrons. All told, the target received about two megajoules of energy (enough to light a hundred-watt bulb for five hours, but condensed into a flash) and released more than three—a little more energy than the scientists expected. The outcome both missed and surpassed predictions.

Science moves in fits and starts. Don’t expect the stadium-size National Ignition Facility to lead to a neighborhood fusion reactor anytime soon. For one thing, while the lasers conveyed two megajoules of energy, powering them required three hundred. So much for net gain. And any reactor made using this design would require rapid-fire lasers that blast multiple targets per second. The new fusion results are exceptional—and yet everyday fusion is still, probably, at least thirty years away. We’ll just have to manage our expectations. ♦

[moshpitwallflower]

I posted 18,324 times in 2022

That's 6,471 more posts than 2021!

11 posts created (0%)

18,313 posts reblogged (100%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@techturncoat

@terezisexbuttpyrope

@vaspider

@rockpapertheodore

@thisiswhymomworries

I tagged 283 of my posts in 2022

#finland - 5 posts

#if you will - 4 posts

#yeah - 4 posts

#what - 4 posts

#finnish - 4 posts

#omfg - 3 posts

#okay - 3 posts

#it's me - 3 posts

#thanks i hate it - 3 posts

#and i cannot stress this enough - 3 posts

Longest Tag: 137 characters

#& i'm not counting the moves back and forth from college to my parents house (since i lived in the same college apartment all four years)

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Got a hot new hyperfocus for the first time in what feels like a thousand years. My brain is buzzing and I can't focus on class and I don't even care because it feels so good.

I've written like 10k words in two days on one story and have two other ideas that are clambering for attention.

0 notes - Posted February 9, 2022

#4

Saw a friend when I was in the forest picking berries today 🐸

9 notes - Posted August 28, 2022

#3

It has been a good couple of weeks for mushroom hunting! Lots of vaaleaorakas/hedgehog, a pile of mustatorvisieni/black chanterelles, and a smattering of kantarelli/chanterelles (one of these years I'll find a reliable and productive spot to harvest chanterelles, or I'll go mad trying). Can't wait for it to get a little cooler so that the porcini and suppilovahvero start showing up.

10 notes - Posted August 21, 2022

#2

Syksyn Mökki // Fall Cabin, 2022

39 notes - Posted October 17, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

That's no moon . . .

Gotta say, it's a pretty special feeling, seeing a celestial event (in this case, a partial solar eclipse) just happening without any foreknowledge. You better believe I pulled off the road immediately and then hoofed it up a hillside to snap this photo ASAP (I didn't know how long it would last!). And it was the ideal weather for viewing; light-to-heavy cloud cover that diffused the eclipse effect perfectly.

44 notes - Posted October 26, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[ms-m-astrologer]

Transiting Sun enters Scorpio

Sunday, October 23 - Tuesday, November 22, 2022

Scorpio season combined with eclipse season - ugh. Even if the eclipses don’t affect you personally*, they still have a general effect on the planet, and we all must get through whatever that is.

*-it has been my experience that you have to have a placement in the same degree as the eclipse, for it to affect you. The imminent solar eclipse occurs at 2°00’06” Scorpio - if you have something at 1°59’ Scorpio, you’re off the hook this time. And even though a placement at 2°59’ Scorpio is technically further away from 2°00’06”, it still will get the brunt of it.

Eclipses aside, Scorpio season is a time to Get Serious. We’re “invited” to take a long, hard, unblinking and honest look at our lives. Not everybody is up for that sort of intensity, of course. This is a hard time of year for the relentlessly positive, and for the superficial. If the planet Jupiter, and the three fire signs too, are all about “Go big or go home,” then Scorpio is “Go deep or and go home.”

It may not feel like we have a lot of choices during eclipse season. Well, we do have the choice in how we respond to the challenge. That is something we can control.

[cosmoss-express]

Can you please make a post about the pluto retrograde and the solar eclipse?

Hello anon!! 💕💕 I’m actually really excited for these two events so let’s get into it 

April 30th Solar Eclipse

The Solar Eclipse in Taurus is actually a positive omen since we have the contrasting energy of Pluto in retrograde. Although this eclipse is short lived, it is the beginning of a period of a beautiful period of abundance in your life based on the house this Sun-Moon conjunction falls in. (ex. if you have a Taurus MC, this eclipse will bring more work opportunities and/or more sources of income). 

Remember to take a step back and notice your progress and the results or your labour, express gratitude for everything you have. Use your results to motivate you to stick to your final goal, don’t compromise on what you want and be consistent. Buy yourself something nice as a reward. 

Pluto retrograde in Capricorn

Pluto just the retrograde phase and will stay in this position until October 8th 2022.

Pluto Rx usually brings chaos and it being in Capricorn will make you question the things that you thought were part of your structure, aka you thought you had your shit together but oooh boy Pluto is gonna prove you wrong. You will question your sense of structure and, since it’s at 28°- cancer degree- when it turns retrograde, you will question your emotional security as well.  People have to look at their Capricorn placements and where Capricorn is in their chart. This is where you need to focus your attention towards.

You might be at conflict with yourself internally, not knowing how to feel. You will want to hide this inner turmoil in fear of being perceived as weak. But it will backfire and it will feel worse. 

Try asking yourself these questions:

- What am I afraid of? What fears stand between me, and my goals?

- What are my triggers? 

- What can I cut off out of my life that doesn’t help me reach my goals?

- Do I have a personality outside of my career or am I letting it define me?

- How much is my childhood defining who I am and my relationships today?

- Do I see myself working this job for the next 5-10 years? 

- How do I see men and authority figures? How do they perceive me and how can I use that in my favour?

- What negative habits did I learn in childhood that I’m projecting onto others?

- If you needed a sign to start doing Shadow Work, this is it

This is the best period for people to reflect on their sense of security and how you can build a better sense of stability. The best period for you to realise what actually matters to you and what your long term goals actually are, especially in your career. Use these months to become more practical in your approach, to understand your priorities, use logic and don't lash out on others because we're all in the same boat . 

It's also a great period to reflect on the relationship you have with your father and how much he's influenced you (for better or for worse) . 

Don't try to avoid Pluto Rx by doing nothing, it's effects will make you feel worse as it is an extremely powerful planet. It’s best that you look at your dark side and give it a tight hug, to forgive yourself and let go of resentment and emotional baggage. Pluto Rx is giving you the final push to love yourself at a deeper level.

If Pluto is currently transiting through an angle in your chart (aka 1st, 4th, 7th, 10th house), or you’re Cardinal dominant; you will be asked to acknowledge and heal karmic wounds related to the house it is in. Accept those wounds and let them go. Capricorns constantly feel the weight of the world on their shoulders, so you’ll need to let this heavy energy go because Pluto will remind you that you can’t carry something so heavy in your new life once the retrograde period ends.

Me once Pluto RX goes direct:

©️ Cosmoss-express

[makingspiritualityreal]

Eclipse Season April - November 2022 The Karmic Cleansing

This year's Eclipse Season is marked by two Eclipse cycles, first a Partial Solar Eclipse (New Moon), then a Total Lunar Eclipse (Full Moon). Eclipse Season is starting April 30th with its first phase, a partial Solar Eclipse in 16 degrees Aries, Bharani Nakshatra. The second phase takes place on May 16th, with a Total Lunar eclipse, with Sun 1 degrees Taurus in Krittika Nakshatra and Moon 1 degrees Scorpio, Vishakha Nakshatra. The second Eclipse Cycle starts on October 25th with a Partial Solar Eclipse (New Moon) in 7 degrees Libra, Swati Nakshatra. We finish up Eclipse Season with a Total Lunar Eclipse on November 8th (Full Moon), with Sun in 21 degrees Libra, Vishakha Nakshatra, and the Moon in 21 degrees Aries, Bharani Nakshatra.

The significant thing about this Eclipse Season is its interplay with the Rahu-Ketu-Saturn square, and the fact that Saturn Retrograde is sandwiched right in the middle of it. Which means that these celestial events will be activating each other. In fact, the last Full Moon in Eclipse Season is relatively closely conjunct with Rahu in Bharani (3 degree distance). So you may feel the energy of the first half of Eclipse Season amplified on June 5th, when Saturn goes Retrograde, and feel significant energies close out on October 23rd when Saturn turns Direct, Eclipse following only a few days after.

The other interesting thing to pay attention to is the presence of repeating Nakshatras, both in the Nodal-Saturn square and in these eclipses. These Nakshatras are Vishakha, Swati, Bharani and Krittika. So having any of these Nakshatras in your natal chart will make you experience the effect of these transits particularly strong and may result in your actual physical reality shifting. In my Nodal-Saturn square post, you will also find a breakdown of houses influenced by these celestial events for each Ascendant Sign.

Given the strong Rahu influence, that can be felt during this entire Eclipse Season, expect changes progress reflecting directly in your material reality. Rahu rules the mental construction of physical spaces, and with its energy in fiery Aries strongly present in this Eclipse Season, you will be motivated to push forward in the area that Aries rules in your chart. That is the area on the mundane level, which you can more or less influence through your efforts, as you can experience higher levels of motivation. It is also the easier, more pleasant interpretation.

The spiritual and psychological impact of this Eclipse Season runs much deeper, and may not be as pleasant, if you find yourself a person resistant to change. Literally every single Nakshatra involved in this Eclipse Season is about cleansing, cutting, moving forward and making choices. This year, we will all be collectively and personally pushed to make significant choices about our lives. Life is moving on with or without you, and if you don't go willingly, you will be shoved forward anyway, only you may not like where you're ending up.

A little background on the Nakshatras, so that you can understand where my conclusions come from. Swati is the mildest of the lot, and we will experience it at the end of Eclipse Season. Swati rules movement, uprooting yourself from one energetic place to another, based on your individual preference. So if you make the right choices throughout Eclipse Season, by the end of it you will experience the wind of change taking you on a favourable current, in alignment with your personal destiny. But for that to happen, you need to clear the path first. Just like a garden needs to be pruned before you plant new seeds, you need to be aligned energetically with your best outcome for it to enter your life. So throughout this year, everything that needs to be cleared from your path will be put into sharp focus, as it needs to be examined for its usefulness in contributing to your life vision. Bharani Nakshatra is ruled with cosmic judgment and associated with Yama, the God of Death and trusting in the righteousness of Divine Judgment. Krittika is a Nakshatra of ceremonial sacrifices, that seek to cut off and give away excess and reduce waste, in order to transmute energy into something productive instead. Vishakha is the Nakshatra of choices and absolute focus on one's desired path.

These are all extremely turbulent, intense cosmic energies, that can take our head for a spin if we lived in denial in any way. You will see what is not working in your life with a clearer vision than ever before, and you may not like what you see. However, if you were looking for clarity when it comes to your life direction and were eager for practical solutions, these transits will literally guide you step by step, assuring that you end up in your desired place.

One way or another, we will enter 2023 cleansed, set in our tracks, our life put on a specific trajectory. We will not experience such energies again for years to come. So if you don't like how you life is right now, this year is the time to change it. Set your intentions now, and take necessary actions to manifest the shifts you desire within your life. This is not the moment to be lax about the progress you want to make in life, and you will pay double for any resistance on your part.

Remember, that all transits happen in our favour. This energy is very much cosmically needed, so that you have a strong foundation, which you will build upon for the rest of your human life. You can't enter Saturn in Aquarius and move forwards lacking clarity on what you're creating, because exalted Saturn is not delivering its boons in such circumstances. Embrace the violent energies, and let them carry you towards meeting your best self, the version of you that you always dreamed of, but never imagined was possible. This is the person this Eclipse Season wants to bring forward - a New and Improved You, that you can be proud of.

[snarkywrites]

June Horoscopes: Deep Dive

June Horoscopes: Things kick off with Venus in the sign of Cancer on the 2nd, where we evaluate our devotion to the concept of love. We can feel more connected to friends and family during this transit which lasts for several weeks. On the 10th, the New Moon, Solar Eclipse in the sign of Gemini will amp up the way we communicate and might even have us multitasking. Since it is retrograde season, a reminder to be careful before hitting send and to think before you speak. The next day, on the 11th, Mars enters the sign of Leo. This can be an exciting and stimulating transit for Fixed and Fire signs, however, when Mars begins to square off with Uranus and Oppose Saturn, it can make us all wondering whether to take baby steps or giant leaps in our lives. On the 14th, Saturn will square off with Uranus, making us want to break free from what is holding us back but adding a lot of worry while we do it. Take things slow during the next few weeks so you do not stumble and fall. The magic of Jupiter in Pisces will come to a close soon as Jupiter begins retrograde motion on the 20th, as it heads back into Aquarius. Don’t fret, Jupiter will return later this year to repeat some themes during its brief 2021 transit. On the same day, the Sun enters the sign of Cancer, bringing us more emotional depth from an exciting Gemini season. Things get dramatic on the 24th with the Full Moon in Capricorn; taking us down memory lane as we plan the steps to our next evolution. Finally, the month closes with Venus entering the sign of Leo, making us more in command and loving ourselves. This energy will have us connecting with others and building our own esteems.

Aries – Viewpoints shift this month as you settle for peace and not war. The month begins with Venus entering the sign of Cancer on the 2nd allowing you to settle tensions at home and with those at work. A New Moon/Solar Eclipse in Gemini is going to spark up your communication. When Mars enters Leo on the 11th, this will be a very exciting time for you. Motivation will increase with the positive trine this energy will make with your sign is going to make things memorable. A great time to get things done. Mercury will finally go direct on the 22nd, this will allow you to have a better experience with traveling and communication. Mercury Retrograde might have made short distance traveling frustrating during this transit. The Full Moon in Capricorn on the 24th brings back some topics you had to deal with six months ago regarding your career and independence. You might have started some major career goals that might have brought some powerful shifts and transformations. Results will appear now. When Venus joins Mars in Leo on the 27th, expect to see the world with different eyes. If you had shunned the prospect of love, you might be open to diving in now.

Taurus – This month will have most of your energy focused on the home and career front. You might even expect a powerful change in your philosophy. Venus enters Cancer on the 2nd, adding a lovely water flow that brings some calm especially when Venus makes a trine to Jupiter for the first couple days. Mars will be in the sign of Leo on the 11th, and this is your time to keep the peace at home. If you are feeling frustrated, this transit is perfect to channel your energy to making changes around the house and redecorating. On the 14th, Saturn is going to square off with Uranus, adding more to the level of frustration and stress you might be feeling. A reminder to relax, go slow and be patient. You might want to break free and be spontaneous, but Saturn might remind you of your limits. Stay grounded during this time. Mercury will be direct on the 22nd, providing awareness to make any changes to your spending habits. The Full Moon in Capricorn on the 24th will make you plan if you have felt afraid of your next career moves. Abandon those fears and use that planner.

Gemini – A New Moon, Solar Eclipse in your sign on the 10th is going to have us more communicative and a little anxious. This is your period to embark on a new set of goals and intentions for the next six months. This is your transitional phase into major success if you keep going with planning and focus. Venus brings you love and abundance on the 2nd when it enters the sign of Cancer. A Reminder to be patient when you are trying to build an empire. Mercury will finally be direct on the 22nd and this will allow you to move forward with your plans and goals. Keep your head up and do not let any limits stop you because you have the power to create success. On the 11th, Mars enters Leo, giving you a nice verbal punch to go with your sass. This transit will make you feel confident and when Venus joins Mars on the 27th, things get spicy with your words having the power to make anyone feel more enamored. The Full Moon in Capricorn on the 24th will bring you insights and serves as a reminder of your own sense of power and strength.

Cancer – Lots of flow of energy that will be blessings for you beginning when Venus enters your sign on the 2nd, a good and relaxing period for you. It is also a great opportunity to dive into a relationship or to find yourself. If you have been thinking of ways to find and build more stability, the Mars in Leo transit on the 11th and the Venus in Leo transit on the 27th are guiding transits that will allow you to set reachable and powerful goals that can be transformative. However, make sure not to overindulge with Venus in Leo. On the 20th, Jupiter begins retrograde motion headed back into the sign of Aquarius. As a water sign, it now means you have just a few more weeks to enjoy and indulge with this beautiful transit. On the same day, the Sun enters your sign, adding more of the element of joy and awareness. As Jupiter trines with the Sun, it can feel like an awakening and an expansive/optimistic time. Mercury will finally be direct on the 22nd, a time for you to let go of the past and get ready to move forward. Finally, the month has a Full Moon in Capricorn on the 24th that is going to impact your relationship house. Remember those power dynamics because this Moon can have you transform the way you engage in partnerships for the next several months.

Leo – Things lighten up with Venus in Cancer on the 2nd, bringing calm and enlightening moments to you through dreams. If you needed a moment to cool off and meditate, this transit will serve wonders. It will also rekindle that love of self you might have needed. A heavy month with Leo transits as Mars enters your sign on the 11th and Venus follows suit on the 27th.  You are going to feel driven and more confident during this time. It will be an awakening for you, even if it is not your season yet. Saturn will Square Uranus on the 14th, a reminder of your limits and how to be patient to get what you want. Relationships might feel harder to conserve right now but forgiving and communicating can be the medicine needed. Jupiter will go retrograde on the 20th, adding an element of karmic lessons as you once again rediscover yourself and what makes you happy. Mercury goes direct on the 22nd, your friendships will be tested now, so another reminder to be patient. The Full Moon on the 24th is going to evaluate your work and routines, so this is a great time to focus on planning ahead and taking care of yourself. Listen to your body if you need to rest.

Virgo – Jupiter will be going retrograde on the 20th and this means that the opposition this transit is having on your sign is coming to an end until 2022. Evaluate just how much this transit has changed a part of you as well as your relationships. Did you discover what you are seeking in a partner? Venus enters Cancer on the 2nd, a lovely time to feel enchanted by those around you and meeting new people. On June 11th, Mars enters Leo and on the 27th, Venus enters Leo, two transits that are going to keep you more secluded as you opt to recharge before interacting with many people. Focus on completing projects and getting yourself prepared for school/work. Mercury, your ruler goes direct on the 22nd, so these retrograde mishaps will conclude (for now) as you begin to rebuild and patch up the effects of the transit. The Full Moon in Capricorn on the 24th is a time you receive more insights on your love life and relationship goals. If you are partnered, you will experience an eye opening and fulfilling time, if you are single, this transit can provide the motivation needed to consider falling in love once again.

Libra – Venus, your ruler will be in the sign of Cancer on the 2nd, adding a powerful moment in your life as you evaluate where you are headed in the future regarding career. You are confident, charming, and capturing everyone’s attention in a positive way. If you want to aim for the top leadership goal, you can do it. The Sun’s entry in Cancer on the 20th can provide some tough moments but you will be motivated to show others what you are made of. On the 10th, the New Moon/Solar Eclipse in Gemini is going to help you build, plan, and focus on getting to the top. Mars enters Leo the following way, adding some more fuel since this transit will add a nice sextile to your sign, allowing you to be supported by friends and family during this time of success and achievement. Venus will be in Leo later this month on the 27th, once again giving you the motivation if you are burnt out. Mercury will be direct on the 22nd, making this a good time for rescheduling some missed plans. An important transit for you will be the Full Moon in Capricorn on the 24th, a time of evaluating and flowing with the potential changes happening around you.

Scorpio – Magic will infuse your life when Venus enters the sign of Cancer on the 2nd. You can visualize where you are headed and have the optimism needed to get there thanks to Jupiter’s impact. The New Moon/Solar eclipse on the 10th will be a powerful transit for you, as it activates your subconscious. An analysis of power and control dynamics in your life might overwhelm you. Be patient with yourself and you will see how this can be a learning experience that will make you feel more powerful in the next 6 months. On the 11th, Mars enters Leo, and this will have some challenges, but you are still going to be victorious either in school and/or work. If you have a game plan and motivation, you are undefeated. Saturn and Uranus square off on the 14th. This can add some challenges at home, but you will have the blessing of Jupiter in Pisces to keep the tension down. On the 20th, Jupiter begins retrograde motion, so remember the lessons you learned during this transit since you will experience it again in 2022. The Full Moon in Capricorn on the 24th will allow you to connect with family, travel and experience some fun. Enjoy.

Sagittarius – The New Moon/Solar Eclipse in Gemini on the 10th is going to transform you once more, a reminder of that Venus retrograde transit of 2020. This period will have you churning through your past romantic successes and failures as you figure out whether you want a relationship or not. Fire signs will be excited with Mars entering the sign of Leo on the 11th. If you have felt unmotivated, this transit will keep you active and engaged. If you wanted to join a course or a workshop, do it. Jupiter, your ruler will go retrograde on the 20th and this will have an impact in your career and home. Learn more about achieving balance and learn how to perfect it since you will repeat this energy in 2022. Mercury will be direct on the 22nd, you see yourself forgiving and letting go of the past with ease. A reminder to keep your finances in check will appear on the 24th with the Full Moon in Capricorn. Confidence boosters galore with the Venus in Leo transit on the 27th, making this a great period to learn about things you have been curious about or just read up on something that makes you happy.

Capricorn – Relationship matters become center stage on June 2nd when Venus enters Cancer, lighting up your house of partnerships. If you are single now, you can attract someone with ease and if you are in a relationship, this can bring some harmony at home. The New Moon/Solar eclipse on the 10th, is a great time to begin a new era when it comes to your approach at work or home. This eclipse is a powerful one, so make sure to appreciate the lessons that it will bring since it will allow you to be more successful for career endeavors. Mars enters the sign of Leo on the 11th, a great time to focus on diplomacy since it can spark up some challenges with intimate partners. Take things slowly now and if people annoy you, try and think before acting. On the 20th, Jupiter will be retrograde and once again, you will need to evaluate your financial goals before it moves back to Aquarius. A major transit for you is the Full Moon in your sign on the 24th, a time where you evaluate your motives, your goals, and your dreams. 2020 was your period of transformation and right now, you are going to think back to all you have accomplished and where you are now compared to six months ago.

Aquarius – Saturn and Uranus will square off on the 14th. This could make you feel blocked but be patient. Mercury is having us repeat some processes and Saturn wants us to shape up. The New Moon/Solar Eclipse in Gemini on the 10th is going to rock your romantic world. If you are single, this can be the beginning of something fun and exciting for the next six months. Mars will enter Leo the following day, adding more of that excitement to your house of partnerships. However, you must remember to be diplomatic when it is required. Jupiter will start its journey back into your sign starting on the 20th. This is going to be a time where you are going to challenge your philosophies and anything relating to your motivations as well as image. While Saturn gives you more challenges to make you evolve, Jupiter is reminding you of what it is that you are seeking since this cycle happens once every 12 years. Mercury goes direct on the 22nd, perhaps an ex might make their way back in your life or you both have forgiven one another and moved on. The Full Moon in Capricorn on the 24th, is a peaceful and reflective transit. Find yourself during this time and make sure to relax.

Pisces – Jupiter will begin retrograde motion on the 20th, an enlightening, optimistic and emotionally fulfilling. Now Jupiter heads back into Aquarius until its return later this year. As a water sign, you will rejoice with Venus’ entry in Cancer on the 2nd. A time of romance and inspiration begins for you and it will last until the end of the month. The New Moon/Solar Eclipse in Gemini on the 10th is going to impact your home and career. With this Moon, you will find what motivates and inspires you for the next six months. When Mars is in Leo beginning on the 11th, you are going to be impressive at work and when Venus enters Leo on the 27th, you are going to charm everyone with ease but be cautions when Venus squares off with Uranus and opposes Saturn in July. The energy will allow you to tackle any challenge and succeed in the process. But watch out for drama with colleagues or classmates. The Sun enters the sign of Cancer on the 20th, another good aspect for water signs. This season is going to make you more intuitive, and it will bring creative inspiration. Mercury will go direct on the 22nd, as a mutable sign this will bring you joy and relief. Mercury will ease things at home since you will be able to collaborate and communicate more efficiently. The Full Moon in Capricorn on the 24th is a lovely transit for you, making the theme of connecting more prominent as you enjoy the time spent with friends and family.

[primordialsoundmeditation]

SHAMANIC WEATHER

Scorpio New Moon 2022

HEART OPENING SOLAR ECLIPSE

The New Moon Partial Solar Eclipse in Water Sign Scorpio inspires (or instigates) an intense heart opening as we enter the Eclipse Transformation Tunnel on October 25, 2022.

At the other end of the tunnel is the Full Moon Total Lunar Eclipse on November 8, 2022 . But it ain’t over there - you’ll continue to feel the effects for up to six months after!

Any eclipse cycle offers you abundant opportunities for radical change, healing and growth. This time it’s all about what, how much, and how deeply you feel when Outer You Sun, Inner You Moon, and Love Goddess Venus all align at 2° Scorpio.

HEART OPENING PROCESS

One of the “secrets” of “Super Sleuth” Scorpio is that it has three archetypes: Scorpion, Eagle and Phoenix.

Think of this as a trio of Power Animals, each holding different medicine for you and your feelings.

And remember Love Goddess Venus conjuncts (aligns with) this New Moon! She’s ready to help you access your desires and review your values around love.

As the next two weeks unfold, flow through your own Heart Opening process with the aid of these powerful allies:

SCORPION:

A sudden trigger strikes and In the blink of an eye a sharp sting penetrates your locked up shadow emotions. You may be surprised at the power of your own feelings. What does this rapid descent into the murky waters of your heart reveal to you?

EAGLE:

When the subsequent emotional eruptions crack open your heart, ask your Witness self to take the Eagle Eye view high above the entangling situation. How can you transcend the local storm to see the bigger picture? What do you want, and is it available here and now?

Receive divine assistance with Warrior God Mars in “Excellent Question” Gemini squares (challenges) Ascension or Addiction Neptune to help you perceive your options and make aware and evolved choices.

PHOENIX

Your heart opening journey into Scorpionic Shadows ends with a shamanic death of something emotional previously woven into your identity.

This belief, relationship, or other emotion-based aspect limited you, and it now is changed forever. Like the Phoenix, you attain a new mastery of heart opening and self creation to rise from the ashes.

The overall theme of this Eclipse Transformation Tunnel revolves around what, how much, and how deeply you feel, and what happens when we are all intensely charged emotionally at the same time!

Be gentle with your heart even as you practice some tough love with yourself and possibly others.

Make this a New Moon to roar about!

Namaste ~ Mara

Maraclearspring.com

#maraclearspring #shamanichealingg #soulretrieval #shamanicweather #newmoon

Start your healing Journey with First Session. https://maraclearspring.com/healing/

Compelling Art: Phoenix by Micapapillon on Pixabay

Shamanic Weather Disclaimer

This is a general interpretation not meant to address individual natal charts, soul journeys or destiny paths. Take what works for you and leave the rest behind! Love!

Mars Clear Spring Cook

[bitesize-astrology]

Coming Apart / Coming Together

Tuesday - October 25, 2022

A Sculptor begins with a large and misshapen piece of stone. In order to release the masterpiece within the stone, s/he must dig the hammer in deep and remove large pieces at a time. As the creation comes more into view, such drastic cuts aren't necessary, but rather smaller, more detailed shaping begins. Before the masterpiece is ready for unveiling, there are hours of sanding and polishing, and last looks for flaws or imperfections.

And such is the nature of how humans grow and expand in their consciousness and awareness of Self. Some are blocks of stone still having massive cuts being made, while others are more in the refining or polishing stages. This process is one that every human goes thru, and no part of that process can be avoided or bypassed.

Please remember this as we navigate thru today's New Moon Solar Eclipse at 2° Scorpio, which occurred at 6:48am ET this morning. The effect of an eclipse hangs around for six months. This New Moon Solar Eclipse is going to go deep to remove old feelings and emotions that have been rotting in your soul for a long time now. But not everyone is going to be tapping into these places in the same way.

For many it will be like the first cut into the stone ... rough and jarring, and will cut away large amounts of emotional nastiness. Others will release more manageable chunks of emotional crap, but it will still have an impact. And others will do more refining of their emotional consciousness, and it may appear as though they aren't impacted at all.

Engaging with life in a more chaotic way is, unfortunately, on the horizon for many of our brothers and sisters, while refinement and polishing awaits many of you. Understanding this will help you keep this in perspective as the days and months unfold. It will help you find your place, and keep you grounded.

New Moon Solar Eclipse blessings to you all.