The ancient house we now live in has evolved and knitted itself into the adjoining structures of the ancient street in such a way that it has many roofs sloping in different directions. One of these bits of roof slopes southeast, but in it is a skylight situated so that it is south from, and at an upward angle from, the head of our bed.
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The result is that the Moon when it’s Full shines down onto our pillow around midnight. When the moonlight isn’t softened by clouds its splash on us can wake us. Bright stars show in their seasons – Vega in June, Capella in December – and planets when at their nearest and brightest, such as Jupiter at its opposition in October 2011. Raindrops on the glass, sparkling with moonlight, pretend to be stars – they remind me of Huckleberry Finn and Jim drifting downriver and speculating on the stars and Jim allowing that “the moon could ‘a laid ’em.”
The Moon will be Full this evening at 23 hours Universal Time (11 PM in Britain, 6 PM in the eastern US, 3 PM on the west coast) – not really appearing as huge as the mind sees it. I made this picture a month ago, placed Moon and Jupiter arbitrarily but, as it turns out, luckily.
Jupiter is up-left from the Moon, and seven hours later they will be closest (Jupiter above Moon). The Moon will travel on eastward, and on Feb. 6 Jupiter will be at opposition, shining down through the midnight window alone.
Just as a full moon, shining through his skylight, might awaken Guy, so it seems that I’m always awake and aware of the rising moon, just about any phase, particularly its waxing, as I’m blessed with eastern windows on the top floor of a 6-story building in the Bronx, NYC. I’m watching the full moon rise now as a matter of fact.
I found this really cool website giving the moon’s very precise altitude, ie degrees below or above the horizon and the percentage of its lit side facing us. It’s an interactive site so you can adjust the location to fit yours. Here it is – http://www.timeanddate.com/moon/usa/
The Old Farmer’s Almanac also calls the full moon of February the Snow Moon, and Whew! Are we sure getting our share of that!
So, Jack, you are always awake and aware of the rising moon. That’s something that should be reserved for the sisters of the Goddess, not hairy husky fellows like you.
There is a certain sexy novel, whose title I won’t mention, whose heroine is a sort of protegee of the Moon goddess and is always awake and aware of the moon.
Incidentally I only learned from a past girlfriend that I am a Moonchild; that is, this euphemistic title is given to those born under the sign of Cancer.
We enjoyed a clear sky last night here in Virginia. As to your last post, Guy, Tor in fact did see his shadow, but from the moon; will need to check groundhog day rule book.
Maybe that means the next forty nights will be wintry but the days summery.
According to folklore, if it is cloudy when a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day, then spring will come early; if it is sunny, the groundhog will supposedly see its shadow and retreat back into its burrow, and the winter weather will persist for six more weeks
As Cat Stevens once sang: I am being followed by a moon shadow, Moon shadow, moon shadow.
That’s nice! There was a beautiful full moon here in North Carolina last night.