Saturday, July 04, 2009

this lunar cycle

Dietmar was driving. We were heading up to the David Dunlap Observatory. As he exited Highway 400 northbound for Highway 7 eastbound, I spotted the Moon. It was about 5° above the horizon. Very pale against the blue sky. Fat. Gibbous. Not quite full, we all agreed.

Soon it will be full. And then it will begin the slow loop around in front of the Earth. Soon to block out the Sun. It is this Moon, this cycle, that will cause the longest solar eclipse (ur, occultation) in years.

And I know a bunch of people heading off to China soon to see it.

Must be exciting for them!

Just a short time to go...

The word inexorable came to mind. Although I didn't like the negative connotations. There's just this feeling that it is moving, moving along, unstoppable. Slowly gracefully silently moving. Whether humans watch or not. They must go to it. It will not wait. They must begin their journeys.

I saw the Moon differently, somehow, tonight.

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