Wow, this was really amazing! In fact, it still is. I caught these pics of tonight’s lunar eclipse right before the mighty fog rolled in right above my house. It was really magical, almost as if the fog and the earth were coordinating their obscuring efforts, leaving so much room for the imagination. Really, when it comes to the moon, less words are often more, so here are some pics to marvel at:
The last time a total lunar eclipse happened on a solstice was almost 500 years ago. I’ve also read on several forums that since tonight’s occurrence is more significant both astronomically and astrologically than 12/21/2012, that this really marks the end of the Mayan calendar. Whichever it is, I think we’re going through very transformational times, and my personal understanding of these larger, grander shifts of consciousness is that they ripen and happen over time, that we’re in a constant process of learning and evolving, that there really is no end and no beginning, just different locations in many cycles we find ourselves in. Ultimately, I don’t believe it’s something we can really grasp with our brains, however big and intelligent they seem to be, and especially with the moon, that wonderfully mysterious and irrational celestial body, I find it useful not to over-analyze.
What I told several friends who asked me what’s going on and how to respond to this remarkable event, is this:
My theory about lunar events is that I could never explain them anywhere near as good as you can feel them. If what you’re experiencing doesn’t make any sense you’re probably on the right path to the moon.
So happy mooning, everyone. Enjoy those wonderful waves!
Great pictures, Sven. Thanks for tweeting this link. I thought the moon was supposed to look red … was that only under certain atmospheric conditions?
Not sure about the redness, Jan, I’ve seen some pics where she looked really red, but around here she looked bright and shiny, like in those pics. It was sooo mesmerizing and magical, like out of 1001 nights.
I’m on the east coast so was up at 2:30 a.m. to witness this…here the eclipsed moon was a deep rusty brown color with just a sliver of paler orange. She was nestled between Orion and Taurus in a velvet black sky. It felt magical to be standing with my children witnessing/experiencing something that was last seen/felt in 1638!
the historical context is really amazing, Tracie, isn’t it. Thinking of the 17th Century feels almost like an out of body experience, like I’m floating through time and space and realizing that really, all and everything is happening at once. Enjoy the solstice today!
Happy Mooning to you too Sven! Thanks for sharing the photos and the wonderful advice about “feeling” the Moon. So much of what I’m experiencing now doesn’t make any sense at all, but there’s a sense of true and deep successful satisfaction here.
Much love w/comfort and joy to you dear brother.
Glenna, when I think of you I think of FULL moon, in the true sense of the word. Thank you for embodying the essence of sweet lunacy! 😉
Your pictures are great, Sven. My daughter and I went out to watch and I told her she’ll be able to tell her grandchildren she lived at a time to see this special ‘heavenly’ event. At first we saw a black shadow passing over the moon, like in your pictures. Then we could see it changing to light red; then my daughter left and I stayed to watch, and saw a golden ring around the moon and then the whole moon was gold. I stared at it so long, with my head bent back so far, that I swear I thought I saw the moon do a little dip or two. 🙂 Thanks for sharing your astrological insights, too.
Pam, so cool, you got to see the total eclipse! I heard it was supposed to be red and gold, but the San Francisco fog covered it all up for me. Ha yes, I think La Luna was doing a dance, and so were all of our hearts. : )