Solstice-eclipse overlap first in 456 years

[Harvey Wallbanger]

This year's winter solstice — an event that will occur next Tuesday — will coincide with a full lunar eclipse in a union that hasn't been seen in 456 years. File photo.
Photograph by: Bruce Edwards,The Journal, file, CanWest News Service

OTTAWA — This year's winter solstice — an event that will occur next Tuesday — will coincide with a full lunar eclipse in a union that hasn't been seen in 456 years.

The celestial eccentricity holds special significance for spiritualities that tap into the energy of the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year and a time that is associated with the rebirth of the sun.

"It's a ritual of transformation from darkness into light," says Nicole Cooper, a high priestess at Toronto's Wiccan Church of Canada. "It's the idea that when things seem really bleak, (it) is often our biggest opportunity for personal transformation.

"The idea that the sun and the moon are almost at their darkest at this point in time really only further goes to hammer that home."

Cooper said Wiccans also see great significance in the unique coupling of the masculine energy of the sun and the feminine energy of the moon — transformative energies that she plans to incorporate into the church's winter-solstice rituals.

Since the last time an eclipse and the winter solstice happened simultaneously was just under five centuries years ago, Cooper said she wasn't familiar with any superstitions or mythologies associated with it.

Instead, she said, they can only be interpreted personally.

"Wiccans don't think of things as being good or evil — they just are. Our experience of them makes them positive or negative for us."

The winter solstice also played an important role in Greco-Roman rituals.

"It's seen as a time of rebirth or renewal because, astrologically, it's a time where the light comes back," said Shane Hawkins, a professor of Greek and Roman studies at Carleton University in Ottawa.

For the ancient Romans, it was also a time of great feasting and debauchery.

"If (the eclipse) happened on the 21st, they might well have been drunk," he said.

A lunar eclipse taking place during the solstice is not an event Hawkins has seen in research, but he said it would have been viewed as something special.

"Eclipses could be taken either way," he said. "Certainly it would have been an omen, but it would have been up to the interpretation of specialists of whether it was good or bad."

And that interpretation would likely be based on whatever was happening at the time.

The last time the two celestial events happened at the same time was in AD 1554, according to NASA.

An otherwise seemingly unexceptionable year in recorded history, the darkened moon happened during a bleak year for Tudor England.

Lady Jane Grey was beheaded for treason that year, while Princess Elizabeth was imprisoned in the Tower of London. Mary of Guise — the mother of Mary, Queen of Scots — became regent of Scotland.

Scientifically, however, it's just a coincidence of natural cycles.

"It's quite rare, but there's no profound significance. It's luck of the draw; you got dealt four aces," said Robert Dick, an astronomy instructor at Carleton.

The eclipse will start just after midnight Eastern Time on Tuesday, with the main event starting at 1:30 a.m. ET and lasting until 5:30 a.m., when the moon reappears.


Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/Sol ... z18hvZ3y18


This year's winter solstice — an event that will occur next Tuesday — will coincide with a full lunar eclipse in a union that hasn't been seen in 456 years. File photo.
Photograph by: Bruce Edwards,The Journal, file, CanWest News Service

OTTAWA — This year's winter solstice — an event that will occur next Tuesday — will coincide with a full lunar eclipse in a union that hasn't been seen in 456 years.

The celestial eccentricity holds special significance for spiritualities that tap into the energy of the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year and a time that is associated with the rebirth of the sun.

"It's a ritual of transformation from darkness into light," says Nicole Cooper, a high priestess at Toronto's Wiccan Church of Canada. "It's the idea that when things seem really bleak, (it) is often our biggest opportunity for personal transformation.

"The idea that the sun and the moon are almost at their darkest at this point in time really only further goes to hammer that home."

Cooper said Wiccans also see great significance in the unique coupling of the masculine energy of the sun and the feminine energy of the moon — transformative energies that she plans to incorporate into the church's winter-solstice rituals.

Since the last time an eclipse and the winter solstice happened simultaneously was just under five centuries years ago, Cooper said she wasn't familiar with any superstitions or mythologies associated with it.

Instead, she said, they can only be interpreted personally.

"Wiccans don't think of things as being good or evil — they just are. Our experience of them makes them positive or negative for us."

The winter solstice also played an important role in Greco-Roman rituals.

"It's seen as a time of rebirth or renewal because, astrologically, it's a time where the light comes back," said Shane Hawkins, a professor of Greek and Roman studies at Carleton University in Ottawa.

For the ancient Romans, it was also a time of great feasting and debauchery.

"If (the eclipse) happened on the 21st, they might well have been drunk," he said.

A lunar eclipse taking place during the solstice is not an event Hawkins has seen in research, but he said it would have been viewed as something special.

"Eclipses could be taken either way," he said. "Certainly it would have been an omen, but it would have been up to the interpretation of specialists of whether it was good or bad."

And that interpretation would likely be based on whatever was happening at the time.

The last time the two celestial events happened at the same time was in AD 1554, according to NASA.

An otherwise seemingly unexceptionable year in recorded history, the darkened moon happened during a bleak year for Tudor England.

Lady Jane Grey was beheaded for treason that year, while Princess Elizabeth was imprisoned in the Tower of London. Mary of Guise — the mother of Mary, Queen of Scots — became regent of Scotland.

Scientifically, however, it's just a coincidence of natural cycles.

"It's quite rare, but there's no profound significance. It's luck of the draw; you got dealt four aces," said Robert Dick, an astronomy instructor at Carleton.

The eclipse will start just after midnight Eastern Time on Tuesday, with the main event starting at 1:30 a.m. ET and lasting until 5:30 a.m., when the moon reappears.


Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/Sol ... z18hvZ3y18

[katied]

Gah, I wanted to see it but the weather is really bad here so nope.

[Thunderpussy]

Missed it due to weather, But several years ago I heard on the radio that the space shuttle could be seen over the uk (at night obviously ) so on arriving at my girlfriends house i stood out in the garden staring up at the night sky and sure enough after several minutes you could make out a small light ( like a small star ) moving across the sky. It's not an amazing story but for a few seconds I felt a bonding with NASA,a personal feeling of " How far the human race has come in a relativley short time ", I waved but you know Astronauts,Probabley didn't wave back.

[Kristatos]

Like, cosmic, man.

[katied]

I saw pictures of the eclipse on the Yahoo homepage this morning.It had to suffice. They were really impressive.

[Capt. Sir Dominic Flandry]

There was an eclipse of the Moon yesterday evening - along with a big bank of dark cloud.

[carl stromberg]

There was an eclipse of the Moon yesterday evening - along with a big bank of dark cloud.

Cloud here as well.

[007]

I saw bugger all.

[katied]

D@mn you Bonnie Tyler! I hear the word "Eclipse" and immediately start singing "Turn around briiiight eyes".

[Dr. No]

Saw it on Google but I was totally unaware of it.

[carl stromberg]

Saw it on Google but I was totally unaware of it.

I'm sure the eclipse bypassed North America (Canada and that country below it ).

[katied]

We didn't get to see it this time(missed the lunar eclipse last year because of weather, darn it!)

[Dr. No]

Saw it on Google but I was totally unaware of it.

I'm sure the eclipse bypassed North America (Canada and that country below it ).

OK that explains why I didn't hear about it. Those Canadians were keeping it form us ! We shoudl invade them (after all we invade everybody now) just for the oil and cheap meds!

[mcbride007]

I did not see the eclipse but I did have a really good sight of the Intentional Space Station last night.

[carl stromberg]

I did not see the eclipse but I did have a really good sight of the Intentional Space Station last night.

I have had some good sightings of the ISS recently - it passes over my house. http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/

p.s. We need an astronomy thread.

[Bond77]

I did not see the eclipse but I did have a really good sight of the Intentional Space Station last night.

I have had some good sightings of the ISS recently - it passes over my house. http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/

p.s. We need an astronomy thread.

If you make one I'll will participate in it.

[bjmdds]

They should do a Bond plot involving the ISS.

[Capt. Sir Dominic Flandry]

They should do a Bond plot involving the ISS.

How about Craig's Bond is in it and it gets blown up with him on it: I'd watch that one.

[katied]

James Bond is "dead"? I like it. Then they can reboot the series with a new actor.