Orion Archives - Owl Medicine: Shamanic Healing

Filmy Gauze

It’s only right that I give you an update on my effort to enjoy the Geminids last night. As I mentioned, when I took the pups out to be watered and saw how the moon was wrapped in a filmy gauze, I didn’t hold out a lot of hope. Nevertheless, I persisted.

I published my post and waited until the recommended witching hour (2:00 a.m.) to give myself the best chance of seeing these vaunted meteors. The moon, hanging even lower in the western sky than earlier, remained hazy. But looking directly up? Oh my. A crisp and pure December atmosphere only enhanced the brilliance of the stars above.

(l to r) Sirius, Orion, Betelgeuse (above Orion) and Rigel (below Orion) – Photo: L. Weikel

Clarity Rewarded

I drove to the former horse farm (one of my two favorite stargazing haunts) and, surrounded by fields, turned off the car and plunged myself into darkness. The chill wasn’t too bad – it was only 30 degrees. My Sky Guide app on my phone made it clear the Geminids would be emanating from directly overhead, so I just leaned back against my car and took it all in.

In the half hour I spent there, I saw about 12 meteors. They were zipping here and there – certainly not heading in a dominant direction, nor did they seem to originate from anywhere specific. The majority were sprite-like, similar to most meteoric displays, playfully catching my attention out of the corner of my eye.

But at least three times brilliant yellow arcs blazed across the sky. I felt such a sense of joy when those ‘big ones’ occurred – as if they were heavenly gifts just for me.

Of course, I had to give my other favorite spot a chance to dazzle me. I parked in the rutted dirt of the field’s tractor entrance for about ten minutes. And yet I was rewarded here, too, with a handful of little spritzers and one magnificent beauty. Every large meteor I saw last night all was left a lemon yellow tail, while the little ones were brilliant white.

Screen shot from Sky Guide app – Photo: L. Weikel

Other Sights

The most prominent sector of the night sky that caught my attention contained Sirius and the constellation Orion, which includes Rigel and Betelgeuse. I’m always surprised by how red Betelgeuse appears and how brilliant Sirius can be, although my photos didn’t seem to catch the red hue very well.

I’m including the star map from my Sky Guide for reference.

What a treat it was to converse with the stars. Contemplating the immensity of space always takes my breath away.

(T+7)

Aurora Borealis Nullius – Photo: L. Weikel

Aurora Borealis Nullius

For the past couple of days I’ve noticed the articles peppering Facebook, Huffpost, and other information outlets ginning up the prospect of seeing the aurora borealis play across the sky all the way down here in Pennsylvania. This expanded engagement was expected due to some more powerful than usual solar ejections from the sun’s surface. Alas, in spite of the breathtaking clarity of the night sky tonight, I have to declare my experience as aurora borealis nullius.

Nope. As can be seen from the photo above, there was some lightening at the northern horizon, but try as I might, I could not talk myself into thinking it was even the remotest form of the northern lights. But I took a photo anyway because, well…you guys!

I’ll admit it. I’m disappointed. I went out on my porch last night and gave a cursory glance toward the north, but there was some cloud cover, so I didn’t bother to trek to my favorite stargazing haunts. Tonight, though? Oh…I was psyched.

As soon as I stepped outside this evening, I could tell it was a perfect night for communing with the cosmos. Stars were everywhere and so clearly visible. I didn’t even put on my coat – I grabbed my keys, hopped in my car, and took off for my first favorite star-haunt. (The place I was when we heard the coyotes this summer.)

Constellations

Although the lightening of the atmosphere along the northern horizon was not, to my knowledge, related to the aurora borealis, I did managed to take some photos of the simply stunning array of celestial bodies splashed from one horizon to the other, arcing over my head.

Below you can see the Pleiades, a cluster of seven stars that look like a smudge in the sky.

The other shot, even further below, is of the constellation Orion, with the ‘Dog Star,’ Sirius, shining brightly to the lower left of the three obvious main stars of Orion’s belt.

Pleiades 1/4 from top, just left of center – Perseus and Alpha Persei Cluster to the right – Photo: L. Weikel

Unexpected Treat

While I was trying to capture the vast expanse of the night sky to share it with all of you, I was surprised by a meteor shooting across the expanse. What a delight! How many times have I traveled to that very same spot over the past several months to get a glimpse of some meteor shower or another, only to be disappointed?

After a few minutes, I decided to drive to my other favorite celestial appreciation spot. On my way, a rather substantial, clearly well-nourished raccoon swiftly trundled across the road in front of me. Only forty yards further down the road, a doe ambled across as well. I felt kissed by their presence and thanked them for allowing me to be in their domain at a time of night when humans just shouldn’t be trespassing.

Arriving at my ‘Other Favorite Spot,’ I again turned off my car and quenched all extraneous lights. With hope in my heart, I gazed all about, craning my neck in awe of the vastness all around me. Nope. Not a colorful wave in sight. (And I’ve seen them before, both when I lived in Sweden and when we lived in Buffalo, so I’d recognize their magical dance.)

But as consolation prize, I was treated to not one but two more shooting stars! They say good things arrive in threes, so I designate this a banner evening.

Once I got home, I checked online and discovered that, indeed, the likelihood of seeing the lights this far south had been downgraded earlier this evening. This definitely turned into an aurora borealis nullius!