Singing stars and Mars

‘Tis that time of year when carolers begin to roam the neighborhood, looking for a little Wassail or Figgy Pudding. I believe this group was performing O Holy Night…

And according to astronomers, Mars will outshine Rudolph’s nose this Christmas Eve. Mars is orbiting close to earth right now and will be directly opposite of the sun, which greatly increases its luminosity. "It will outshine the brightest star, and won’t be this noticeable again for nine years," says Jack Horkheimer (the "Star Gazer" guy on PBS).

So, now that the clouds have cleared from our recent rain, we’ll have to go out and look upwards, to the heavens on Christmas Eve, search for a familiar red glow…

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Mars is a red-tinged planet
With a very shiny glow
And if you look to see it
You will find the moon in tow.

All of the other Yuletides
Santa would have at his side
The shiny nose of Rudolph
Acting as his big sleigh's guide

But this very Christmas Eve
Santa came to say:
"Rudolph, now with Mars so bright,
You can stay at home tonight."

Then all the reindeer teased him.
And they shouted out with glee:
"Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer
Outsourced to astronomy."
--Jack Horkheimer

Celestial beings

A total lunar eclipse will take place today (Saturday) in the early evening (in the US). In some parts of the world, the moon will be in eclipse when it rises. Maybe the weather will clear enough so that we can see it.

http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/lunar.html

But most exciting are the new photos of Saturn and its rings received from the Cassini spacecraft. Taken at acute angles from above and below the planet, the images are stunning, magnificent, and fill me with quiet awe…

Photos from Cassini: http://tinyurl.com/2uj6m

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The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science.
– Albert Einstein

When I admire the wonder of a sunset or the beauty of the moon, my soul expands in worship of the Creator.
– Mahatma Gandhi