Strange Days and Starry Nights
06/06/2008 09:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
izmeinaAfter a week of clouds and last Saturday's deluge, this has been followed by the crispest crunchiest most glorious days and nights imaginable. The sort of cold that makes Izzie feel all alive and happy and full of beans. And then of course there is the light. At this time of year in Oz - it is very reminiscent of October in Europe - very delicate and indescribably beautiful
So it's time to make hay while the sun's not shining and the moon is on part time duties
The last Tuesday of May was sitting outside in the garden around 10pm gazing at the stars and trying to find something other than the Southern Cross and Scorpio. Used to call that one The Cobra until realising that it was part of a bigger picture
Kept looking just below the tail of the scorpion and a strange phrase kept going through this serpent's mind "Tzaddi is not the star"
Tzaddi is one of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet and this bunch of stars just looked so much like it.
Our stars and planets book bought way back in January 2002 has gone missing in action. It's one of a handful that show the proper constellations with none of the total over the top silly pictures of rams, bulls, boars, lions and virgins - stuff that you'd really need to be on some acid trip to see
But in the strange way the mind works when detached and in the present and not all panicked and neurotic - visions of a 2002 star wheel bought from the bargain bin of an ABC shop came to mind. Did not take long to locate at all.
Turns out that Tzaddi is the Teapot of Saggitarius. Did not get to confirm those suspicions until a week later due to all those cloudy days. But did then notice just below it a star where no star is supposed to be. This one is so so bright that it should be on the map so a bit strange that it wasn't. Unless of course it was something else
So had the inspired idea of consulting the oracle of Astrodienst to discover what the planets were doing. So Jupiter is supposed to be in Capricorn which just happens to be the nearest next door neighbour but still too low in the sky at that time to be properly visible. And of course - the light pollution sucks. Not as bad as most places but enough to make star spotting a bit tricky
This also solved the mystery of the dazzlingly bright Big Dipper seen down near Donnelly River when visiting with the Izzie sister at the end of March. It was simply the most amazing place for star gazing - the sky was simply pitch black and dripping with twinklies and there was a big dipper where no big dipper is supposed to be. Had always thought that this thing was strictly for northern eyes only and had never been able to spot it since until a week ago
Was pleased to be finally making some progress on the astronomy front. So pottered off bright and early to the bus stop this morning at 6.15am in order to go to our Friday morning speaking group. Was rostered to give a 6 minute speech on the topic of "Dream on" and due to a total lack of inspiration had already decided to ask to do a 3 minute impromptu speech instead
On the way to the bus stop - it was still dark and very slowly brightening. Could see a bright star high in the west and figures that it must be Jupiter after a long night on the road. Right next to it was a little saucepan and lid - or teapot if you will. How they ever turned this critter into an archer - the Izzie will never know
So then seeing this stuff gave Izzie the inspired idea of using the 101 list as the subject of this speech.
That's exactly what the Izzie did concluding by saying that by aiming for the stars - you may miss and only get the moon but that's on the list too.
Also mentioned that the ma knows nothing about this list at all. She would have suggested 101 kilos in 1001 days.
Got the sneaking suspicion that a few of these folks might also want to join in the fun.
Well - tonight was some more star gazing. Still sticking to the same segment of the zodiac and added the rather boring Libra to the list.
Slinking around lunatic asylums and graveyards by day and spotting stars by night, been having a most delightful last few days of freedom before returning to house elf slavery on Sunday
But confirmed beyond all reasonable doubt that the Izzie moods are infinitely more influenced by the sun than the moon.
Bright but cold and crisp crunchy days are a delight but muggy heavy days with or without the sun make the Izzie all cranky and miserable.
Must be slinking off. There's a list to be ticked. Such a beautiful beastly day
So it's time to make hay while the sun's not shining and the moon is on part time duties
The last Tuesday of May was sitting outside in the garden around 10pm gazing at the stars and trying to find something other than the Southern Cross and Scorpio. Used to call that one The Cobra until realising that it was part of a bigger picture
Kept looking just below the tail of the scorpion and a strange phrase kept going through this serpent's mind "Tzaddi is not the star"
Tzaddi is one of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet and this bunch of stars just looked so much like it.
Our stars and planets book bought way back in January 2002 has gone missing in action. It's one of a handful that show the proper constellations with none of the total over the top silly pictures of rams, bulls, boars, lions and virgins - stuff that you'd really need to be on some acid trip to see
But in the strange way the mind works when detached and in the present and not all panicked and neurotic - visions of a 2002 star wheel bought from the bargain bin of an ABC shop came to mind. Did not take long to locate at all.
Turns out that Tzaddi is the Teapot of Saggitarius. Did not get to confirm those suspicions until a week later due to all those cloudy days. But did then notice just below it a star where no star is supposed to be. This one is so so bright that it should be on the map so a bit strange that it wasn't. Unless of course it was something else
So had the inspired idea of consulting the oracle of Astrodienst to discover what the planets were doing. So Jupiter is supposed to be in Capricorn which just happens to be the nearest next door neighbour but still too low in the sky at that time to be properly visible. And of course - the light pollution sucks. Not as bad as most places but enough to make star spotting a bit tricky
This also solved the mystery of the dazzlingly bright Big Dipper seen down near Donnelly River when visiting with the Izzie sister at the end of March. It was simply the most amazing place for star gazing - the sky was simply pitch black and dripping with twinklies and there was a big dipper where no big dipper is supposed to be. Had always thought that this thing was strictly for northern eyes only and had never been able to spot it since until a week ago
Was pleased to be finally making some progress on the astronomy front. So pottered off bright and early to the bus stop this morning at 6.15am in order to go to our Friday morning speaking group. Was rostered to give a 6 minute speech on the topic of "Dream on" and due to a total lack of inspiration had already decided to ask to do a 3 minute impromptu speech instead
On the way to the bus stop - it was still dark and very slowly brightening. Could see a bright star high in the west and figures that it must be Jupiter after a long night on the road. Right next to it was a little saucepan and lid - or teapot if you will. How they ever turned this critter into an archer - the Izzie will never know
So then seeing this stuff gave Izzie the inspired idea of using the 101 list as the subject of this speech.
That's exactly what the Izzie did concluding by saying that by aiming for the stars - you may miss and only get the moon but that's on the list too.
Also mentioned that the ma knows nothing about this list at all. She would have suggested 101 kilos in 1001 days.
Got the sneaking suspicion that a few of these folks might also want to join in the fun.
Well - tonight was some more star gazing. Still sticking to the same segment of the zodiac and added the rather boring Libra to the list.
Slinking around lunatic asylums and graveyards by day and spotting stars by night, been having a most delightful last few days of freedom before returning to house elf slavery on Sunday
But confirmed beyond all reasonable doubt that the Izzie moods are infinitely more influenced by the sun than the moon.
Bright but cold and crisp crunchy days are a delight but muggy heavy days with or without the sun make the Izzie all cranky and miserable.
Must be slinking off. There's a list to be ticked. Such a beautiful beastly day
