partial lunar eclipse

Yet Again – Day 1104

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Partial Lunar Eclipse and the Pleiades – Photo: L. Weikel

Yet Again

Yet again we’re set back on our heels, reeling at what many believe to be a gross miscarriage of justice. It’s exhausting. And let’s face it: most of us, if we’re not people of color, are only just now starting to get even the tiniest hint of an idea how crushing it must feel like to be them – every day – in this country. In their own country.

I vowed I wouldn’t write about the Rittenhouse verdict tonight. What more can be said? The people who feel the verdict was a vindication of all that is right in our country are exultant. Those of us who feel otherwise? I don’t know…perhaps we’re seeing that the system has slowly been corrupted and is now a caricature of its former self. Or perhaps it’s always been more corrupt than any of us wanted to admit. For many, I fear this to be true.

Jury and Judge

I don’t necessarily disagree with President Biden’s statement that the jury did its job. Given what little I know of the details, I have a feeling the jury did its best to follow the law and apply the law – as written – to the facts of the case as they understood them. I do believe, however, that the judge went out of his way to make it clear to the jury the result he believed must be reached. And that pressure, while we wish it held no sway, is profoundly difficult to ignore – and harder to buck.

At the same time, I do not believe our justice system can survive without the citizenry’s inherent respect for its conclusions. And quite honestly, Judge Schroeder’s blatant bias and defiant refusal to provide and maintain a neutral forum blighted the entire system. The list of outrageous interim orders issued by this man began early and continued throughout. There was no way the truth could be discerned without fear of incurring the judge’s wrath. The fix was in.

And therein lies the most unforgivable facet of this tragedy: the judge himself was instrumental in corrupting our faith in the system he was sworn to uphold and protect.

Sound familiar?

Photo: L. Weikel

Turn to the Eclipse

I catnapped after posting my missive last night, managing to rouse myself every half hour or so to check on the moon’s progress as it entered the Earth’s shadow. The night sky was beyond vast and captivating. Every star seemed to shine its brightest, while the moon knew it held center stage, even as it grew dark and rusty-red.

A pang of utter delight shot through my heart as I witnessed a long-tailed meteor streak across the sky. A persistent rustling of leaves in the woods beside me caught my attention. Opossum, mouse, I’m not sure who was holding space with me. But I knew I wasn’t alone.

I suppose the eclipse, in revealing to us that which we may not want to see, did its work via the verdict today. The bigger question, I guess, is what we’ll do in response to what’s been revealed.

I recall the cards I chose at the beginning of this week. New Beginnings – built on a foundation of Truth. The truth right now is ugly for a vast number of our fellow Americans. What’s it going to take for us to see what’s right before our eyes, dismantle the institutions that no longer serve the greater good, and create systems that actually deliver the ideals we say our country represents?

So vast; so clear; and so revealing – Photo: L. Weikel

(T-7)

Update – Day 1103

Posted on by Lisa Weikel Leave a comment
Wall of Cold Front Approaching – Photo: L. Weikel

Update

Last night I wrote about tonight’s ‘special’ partial lunar eclipse and how it’s the longest lasting eclipse in 580 years. Well, I have an update with respect to just how unique this eclipse actually is. Not to put too fine a point on it, but the Earth won’t see another lunar eclipse that lasts as long as tonight’s until the year 2650. Seriously. That’s another 629 years. That means this is the longest lasting lunar eclipse for 1,209 years.

A mere blip on the geological and cosmic scales, but rather significant vis-à-vis humanity.

I’m planning on trying to stay awake at least until the eclipse process starts. I’d like to say I’ll stay up for the whole thing. And honestly, I’m a sucker for the prospect of witnessing a Full Blood Beaver Moon Eclipse, but I will almost assuredly fall asleep. The culmination of the eclipse will take place at 4:02 a.m. and it sounds like it will look amazing.

I wonder, though, if my iPhone would even be able to capture a fraction of its eerily stunning nature. Probably not.

OK.

Just as I wrote that sentence, my front door, usually dead-bolted shut, just blew open.

That happens rarely, but almost always on an evening of cosmic consequence.

Full Beaver Moon rising – Photo: L. Weikel

Current Status

Naturally, this caused me to rise from the couch to close the door. I walked outside and noticed that the entire hamlet is illuminated by a diffuse light emanating from behind the overcast that still obscures the moon and stars. This cold front barged into our area this evening after probably the last most exquisitely warm and nourishing days of 2021. I do believe it reached 70 degrees this afternoon.

Weather.com swears the clouds presently blanketing the sky will clear out by the time the eclipse begins. Technically, then, it appears the full passage of the moon into and through the shadow (umbra) caused by the Earth coming between it and the sun should be visible.

Nearly full Beaver Moon (last night) – Photo: L. Weikel

Last Night

I managed to snag a few photos of the moon blazing in nearly full reflected glory last night after I wrote my post for the evening. The rainbows in the halo surrounding the moon were visible to my naked eye, and I was pleased to see the iPhone’s camera captured them.

It’s interesting that some of my final posts in my 1111 Devotion are ‘devoted’ to looking upward. I don’t think we do that often enough.

(T-8)

Special Partial Lunar Eclipse – Day 1102

Posted on by Lisa Weikel Leave a comment
Tonight’s Moon – Photo: L.Weikel

Special Partial Lunar Eclipse

I’d probably be remiss if I didn’t at least mention the upcoming, actually very special, partial lunar eclipse that will occur during the wee hours of Friday morning, November 19th (2021). I’ve seen so many posts and articles about it, I sort of feel as though I’m just being redundant by writing about it here. But just in case this scintillating blog is your lone connection to the outside world, let me alert you now: 2021’s second set of eclipses is upon us, and the first in the series will occur a few hours after midnight Thursday night – also known as a few hours before dawn Friday morning. (The second, a solar eclipse, will take place on December 4th.)

Whether you decide to stay up late (ok, very late) or get up early to watch it (should you make that bold choice at all) depends upon whether you’re a night owl or a morning rooster.

What to Expect

While I’m still a bit unclear as to the astrological significance of eclipses, I understand how they occur astronomically. And when we watch them take place (obviously the lunar eclipses are the ones we can directly observe without burning our retinas), it’s hard not to feel overcome with a sense of existential awe. Every single time I’ve witnessed an eclipse I’ve imagined a visceral connection to my ancient, ancient ancestors who must have been blown away by the mystery unfolding before their eyes.

I think eclipses are thought to be revelatory in some way. I don’t know why, but as we approach this particular partial lunar eclipse I’m focusing more on how it is expected to be the longest lasting eclipse (three hours and 28 minutes) this century – but also the longest in the past 580 years. It seems like we’ve been experiencing a number of celestial events in the past couple years that have been significant in that way. Is it a coincidence that humanity seems to be going through some pretty significant shifts in these times?

Beam me up? – Photo: L. Weikel

Whoa

Every once in a while, especially when witnessing celestial events, I’m left with such a profound shift in perspective that it’s hard to even form words to describe the visceral effect. I mostly feel it in my chest. Is it my heart attempting to expand into the space above? Is it simply the enormity of All That Is that takes my breath away? Or is it the flip side of it all? Am I overcome by just how teeny tiny and insignificant everything is here – not the least being my solitary self but also all the struggles and worries of our entire planet?

Which leads me to ask: have you ever tried to imagine what existed before the Big Bang? Or what exists beyond…what? IS there a boundary to universes? Where does anything begin? Or end? Try to imagine it.

Yeah. Did you feel that weird sensation in your chest?

Whoa.

Cloud Winged Ones – Photo: L. Weikel

(T-9)