Luna Amas Veritas

It’s Full Super Flower Blood Moon Total Lunar Eclipse time! Say that ten times. Didn’t see this one coming, so better get out there tonight … another one is expected round the bend in 2029. I’m not one to “test” fate, so “forecasting” in today’s climate sounds like one giant jinx. Sadly, I placed second in the spelling bee, so many blue moons ago.

Ya know how superstitious I am; emphasis on the super? Me cognoscis, ergo me amas means, “To know me is to love me”, and Vincit omnia veritas means, “Truth conquers all,” in Latin, of course. Amas Veritas translated means True Love. But, if you’re into “practical” magic, then the soundtrack is for you and me this very Sunday. Where’s my “bloody” camera?

“Blood moon” is the term to describe the part of the total lunar eclipse in which all the Earth’s sunrises and sunsets project onto the moon’s surface as it passes through Earth’s shadow, darkening it and giving it its crimson color.” Ooh! Sounds pretty “wicked”, I mean that visually, spiritually, and astrologically. Better to “see it to believe it”.

A perfect night awaits us this “May Day” and by nightfall (May Eve), we’ll enjoy mild temperatures in the seventies. A clear, wonderous, and spooky night awaits. Travel light, pack up your curiosity and essentials (snack-bar, cell, keys, broom), grab those sketchers, and we’re off! Keep a watchful eye-out for werewolves, jaguars, frogs, fairies, the witches of Eastwick or witches in general. Oh, and dragons, least I forget!

“A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth’s shadow. This can occur only when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are exactly or very closely aligned (in syzygy) with Earth between the other two, which can happen only on the night of a full moon when the moon is near lunar node. The type and length of a lunar eclipse depend on the Moon’s proximity to the lunar node.” (Source Wikipedia, and my Astrology class so many blue and bloody community college moons ago)

“The reddish color of a totally eclipsed Moon is caused by Earth completely blocking direct sunlight from reaching the Moon, with the only light reflected from the lunar surface has been refracted by Earth’s atmosphere. This light appears reddish for the same reason that a sunset or sunrise does: the Rayleigh scattering of blue light.”

“Rayleigh scattering, named after the 19th-century British physicist Lord Rayleigh (John William Strutt), is the predominantly elastic scattering of light or other electromagnetic radiation by particles much smaller than the wavelength of the radiation. For light frequencies well below the resonance frequency of the scattering particle (normal dispersion regime), the amount of scattering is inversely proportional to the fourth power of the wavelength.” Stay with me ….

“Rayleigh scattering results from the electric polarizability of the particles. The oscillating electric field of a light wave acts on the charges within a particle, causing them to move at the same frequency. The particle, therefore, becomes a small radiating dipole whose radiation we see as scattered light. The particles may be individual atoms or molecules; it can occur when light travels through transparent solids and liquids but is most prominently seen in gases.”

“No!” A dipole is not a name you call your brother, research electric and magnetic fields for positive and negative descriptions. There’re entire fields of study dedicated to pulsating, harmonic, magnetic, polarizing, spherical matter for eons and since matter, (“existed”) mattered.

“Eclipse scientist Fred Espenak has listed May 15th’s full moon as a so-called supermoon, making this event extra special. The full moon is at its perigee (the closest approach to Earth of the month, in its orbit). So, we’ll be seeing a slightly larger moon experience the Super Flower Blood Moon eclipse.” (Source space.com)

So, why do we feel like howling or barking at the moon, you ask? “Several cultures have myths related to lunar eclipses or allude to the lunar eclipse as being a good or bad omen. The Egyptians saw the eclipse as a sow swallowing the Moon for a short time; other cultures view the eclipse as the Moon being swallowed by other animals, such as a jaguar in Mayan tradition, or a mythical three-legged toad known as Chan Chu in China.” Leaping lizards, let’s get a move on.

“Some societies thought it was a demon swallowing the Moon, and that they could chase it away by throwing stones and curses at it. The Ancient Greeks correctly believed the Earth was round and used the shadow from the lunar eclipse as evidence. Some Hindus believe in the importance of bathing in the Ganges River following an eclipse because it will help to achieve salvation.”

“In Ireland, people used to put flowers on the doorstep or windowsills of their houses on May morning to bring good luck and offer protection against the fairies.” Might be a good plan for a day “like” today or stay home and watch the movie Practical Magic with me. If you do feel the need to dance around the Maypole or bonfire, I suggest smores. The Maypole once thought to be symbolic for the tree of life (Yggdrasil). Just be careful not to fall into a different realm, there’s nine in this folklore and only one to get me lost forever. GPS can’t seem to lock in those coordinates or I’m using the wrong wi-fi password. So many software and hardware “updates”, so little time.

A bouquet of lilacs and mug wort flowers a must for good luck; place in baskets along with your darkest of red wines. “Also known as Artemisia vulgaris, mug wort is a flowering plant native to Asia and Europe. It produces yellow or reddish flowers and dark green leaves with silver fuzz. Although it’s classified as a weed and typically removed from gardens and lawns, it has a long history as a medicinal herb,” and can be turned into wine! (Source healthline.com) Sounds like a potion or home brew of epic proportions. However, I will not be partaking in “Moonshine” by the moonlight this very night.

“Moonshine is high-proof liquor that is usually produced illegally. The name was derived from a tradition of creating the alcohol during the nighttime, thereby avoiding detection.” If you’ve, unfortunately, thrown back too many, got turned into a werewolf, hexed, or experience foggy, cloudy skies; you can watch, upload, download, webcast, stream, or scream all from the comforts of a strong internet connection, NASA, Griffith Observatory of Los Angelos, YouTube, or online everywhere in this galaxy. Can’t “speak” for the rest, yet!

Thank you for flying through this literary nebula with me and however the moon “affects” you, I see amazement and wonderment in all its awesome galactic power and glory. “Crazy way to travel, spreading a man’s molecules all over the universe.” By the strike of the Moonlite sonata, may your magic produce love so true. Live long and prosperous, Moonbeams! A blood moon by night means a sailor’s delight; oh, let’s go sailing … Godspeed!