Happy November Full Moon!
Welcome to Issue 11 of Volume VII of Earth, Moon and Stars!
IN THIS ISSUE
- What’s Cookin’ ~ Full moon Wednesday
- Moon name ~ Freezing Rivers Moon
- Seasonal Calendar ~ Moon dates and times | December Solstice
- Skywatch ~ Ophiuchus, the thirteenth zodiac constellation
- The Moon in Poesy ~ “Drinking Alone in the Moonlight” (Li Bai)
- The Moon in Song ~ “Carolina Moon”
- Astrology ~ Full Moon in Gemini: New realities | High anxiety
Please feel free to leave a comment (down at the bottom) if you like or dislike anything. I’ll keep your comment private if you ask me to.
WHAT’S COOKIN’
FULLNESS
The moon will become exact full Wednesday November 25 at 22:44 UT (Universal Time); correspondingly earlier in time zones west of the Prime Meridian, later in time zones to the east. (See Seasonal Calendar in my December 2014 issue for clarification about Universal Time.)
Because fullness will occur this time just before midnight at the Prime Meridian, most places on the globe will see closest to a full moon on Wednesday night. To the unaided eye she will appear in most places to be full Tuesday night, too. Folks in the far east (Hanoi, Perth and places east to the International Date line) are on the cusp and will see about equal fullness Wednesday and Thursday nights; Tuesday and Wednesday nights just to the east side of the Date Line. Check Seasonal Calendar below for exact times in some representative time zones.
FROZEN RIVERS
The Arapaho called this full moon the Freezing Rivers Moon.
OPHIUCHUS
In Skywatch we (finally!) reveal the mysterious thirteenth constellation in the zodiac.
MOON POETRY AND SONG
In the poetry section, we have “Drinking Alone in the Moonlight” ~ a famous poem involving the moon by a famous Chinese poet. Our song this time is “Carolina Moon”, chosen for reasons you will see in the section.
ASTROLOGY
And finally, our favorite astrologers, Molly and Emily, give us suggestions about what to be on the lookout for at this full moon.
Cold Moon (Strange Sounds)
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SEASONAL CALENDAR
Moon Dates and Times
November’s full moon: Wednesday November 25 22:44 UT; 12:44 pm HAST; 2:44 pm PST; 5:44 pm EST
. Thursday November 26 12:44 am IST; 6:44 am AWST/PHT
December’s new moon: Friday December 11 10:29 UT; 12:29 am HAST; 2:29 am PST; 5:29 am EST
. Friday December 11 12:29 pm IST; 6:29 pm AWST/PHT
December solstice: Tuesday December 22 4:49 UT; 6:49 am IST; 12:49 pm AWST/PHT
. Monday December 21 6:49 pm HAST; 8:49 pm PST; 11:49 pm EST
December’s full moon: Friday December 25 11:11 UT; 1:11 am HAST; 3:11 am PST; 6:11 am EST
. (Christmas Moon!) Friday December 25 1:11 pm IST; 7:11 pm AWST/PHT
[ref: Moon Phases]
December Solstice
As you are most likely aware (and can see in Seasonal Calendar above), solstice time will be upon us – just before the full moon in December. Daylight hours in the Northern Hemisphere have been waning ever since the June solstice. We in the North have paid our dues — it’s time for the return of the light.
If you would like a quick overview of the astronomy behind solstices ~ with some neat diagrams ~ check out my December 2014 issue.
Winter Solstice Moon (Gus DiZerega)
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MOON NAMES
Moon When Rivers Freeze
Just a quick look at the U.S. weather map right now is all that is needed to understand why the Arapaho – a tribe of Native Americans historically living on the plains of Colorado and Wyoming – named this full moon Moon When Rivers Freeze. Of course, this meant more than just pretty scenery to them, since the rivers were important for food and transportation.
Frozen River (desktopnexus)
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SKYWATCH
The Thirteenth Constellation of the Zodiac*
(Okay – the piece on Ophiuchus is taking me longer than I anticipated. It’s now January 2016 and I haven’t written this piece yet. But don’t give up hope. If you leave a comment, it may motivate me to get to it sooner rather than later. You can also see a teaser about Ophiuchus in the Starwatch section of my December 2014 post.)
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THE MOON IN POESY
“Drinking Alone in the Moonlight“ by Li Bai
I just discovered Li Bai (also known as Li Po). He was a Chinese poet who was acclaimed in his own day (Tang Dynasty, 701 – 762) as a genius and romantic figure who took traditional poetic forms to new heights. He is revered to this day.
This poem caught my eye not only because it involves the moon (definitely a requirement for inclusion in this blog), but also because it is one of his best known poems (he penned over a thousand) and a good example of his writing. Beyond that, this poem speaks to a more hidden and tender part of the soul for many of us.
As you know, translating poetry from one language to another never exactly captures the flavor and essence embodied in the original. The Wikipedia article about him contains a beautiful rendition of this poem. Below I present another (of at least 40 other translations found at Clattery MacHinery on Poetry).
Li Bai Drinking Alone in the Moonlight
Three with the Moon and his Shadow
With a jar of wine I sit by the flowering trees.
I drink alone, and where are my friends?
Ah, the moon above looks down on me;
I call and lift my cup to his brightness.
And see, there goes my shadow before me.
Ho! We’re a party of three, I say:
Though the poor moon can’t drink,
And my shadow but dances around me,
We’re all friends tonight,
The drinker, the moon and the shadow.
Let our revelry be suited to the spring!
I sing, the wild moon wanders the sky.
I dance, my shadow goes tumbling about.
While we’re awake, let us join in carousal;
Only sweet drunkenness shall ever part us.
Let us pledge a friendship no mortals know,
And often hail each other at evening
Far across the vast and vaporous space!
translated by Shigeyoshi Obata, 1922
You may also be interested to learn that a well-known fable tells that Li drowned when he reached from his boat to grasp the moon’s reflection in the river. Ah – the moon and the river . . .
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THE MOON IN SONG
“Carolina Moon”
I was going to do “Carolina Moon” last month, wanting to commemorate the Carolinas for all the weather they were suffering through. But pumpkins took over the whole issue, including the song. Now my good friend Jennifer is leaving us and moving to the Raleigh-Durham area, so I am dedicating this song to her, too.
“Carolina Moon” is a popular song, written in 1924 by Joe Burke and Benny Davis and first recorded in 1928 by American crooner Gene Austin. (It appears that the moon was a popular subject of song in the 20’s.) Since then it was recorded by the likes of Connie Francis, Maureen McGovern, Perry Como, the Chordettes, Annette Hanshaw, Dean Martin, Jim Reeves, Ben Selvin, Kate Smith, and Slim Whitman. (ref: Wikipedia)
Carolina Moon (1924)
Carolina Moon (1924)
(by Joe Burke and Benny Davis)
(Click here for the 1928 hit version sung by Gene Austin)
(Click here for an amazing version sung by Trudbol)
(check this guy out…he sings all four barbershop quartet parts!)
The moon was shining bright in Carolina
The night we said goodbye, so tenderly
And now that I’m away from Carolina
Won’t somebody tell the moon for me?
Oh, Carolina Moon keep shining
Shining on the one who waits for me
Carolina Moon, I’m pining
Pining for the place I long to be
How I’m hopin’ tonight you’ll go
Go to the right window
Scatter your light
Say I’m alright, please do
Tell her that I’m blue and lonely
Dreamy Carolina Moon
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ASTROLOGY
Unlike the Earth – which takes 365+ days to make a complete circuit through the Zodiac – the Moon takes just a month to make her rounds. This means she spends on average only two and a half days in each zodiac sign. She is currently in Taurus — will move into Gemini on Wednesday, less than six hours before fullness. She will remain there while full, moving on into Cancer on Friday.
Emily Trinkaus ~ 
Gemini Full Moon ~ Shapeshifting, Dreaming and Dissolving
Head priestess at Virgo Magic, Emily is based in Portland, OR, and works with astrology as a tool for healing, empowerment, personal growth and collective evolution. In addition, she and energy healer Katie Todd run the Full Moon Priestess website where they conduct monthly Full Moon Galactivation teleclasses for women.
Collage by Emily
In Emily’s post this time: Shapeshifting, Dreaming and Dissolving, she tells us that this full moon …reveals what needs to shapeshift, especially in our MINDS, in order to effectively anchor in the transformation.
In this post Emily gets a bit further “out there” than she usually does, and definitely a lot more astrologically technical. Still, if you’re open to this kind of perspective, her offering contains much helpful insight and fascinating invitation.
For a lot more details – including the astrological underpinnings if you’re so inclined – check out her full article Shapeshifting, Dreaming and Dissolving – Gemini Full Moon + Saturn-Neptune Square.
Molly Hall ~ 
Gemini Full Moon ~ Long Nights Moon
Molly Hall is chief astrologer at about.com, where she provides both technical and practical insights derived from the positions of the stars and planets. For this full moon, Molly says …the kaleidoscope comes to mind. Full Moons are often revelatory and this is a holy mess of angles that could bring surprises to do with awareness. This Gemini peak makes for a busy mind taking it all in.
She goes on to say that this is a good time to:
- Soothe your nerves, since anxiety spikes at this Full Moon.
- Absorb lots of tidbits of information, and distill the essence.
- Talk to brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.
- Keep the social vibe light and merry
- Watch comedies, especially ones with word play.
- Play Scrabble or charades.
- Go to the library or bookstore just to browse.
- Catch up with email, phone calls or letters.
As is her style, Molly has much more to offer. If this has you wanting more, check out her article Gemini Full Moon ~ Long Nights Moon for the full treatment.
Full Moon in Gemini (by Ellanita)
In addition to her insights around this full moon, Molly offers the following helpful articles:
- The Eclipses of 2015
- Zodiac Sign Compatibility
- Introduction to Zodiac Signs
- The Moon in the Astrological Houses
Also visit Molly’s front page for lots more interesting astrology.
Full moon in Gemini
My Personal Take on Astrology
Some folks have wondered why I have an astrology section in a blog that purports to be “science” oriented. I suppose I could cite ancient cultures in which astronomy and astrology were the domain of the same person. And that a broader way of understanding the aim of science is to expand knowledge (the word science being derived from the Latin word scīre “to know”). My own sense is that while we humans live in a material world that runs by certain rules of physics, we each experience our lives in this world subjectively. It’s what makes us similar and at the same time unique.
How much do celestial bodies influence our lives? Certainly the Sun and the Moon have noticeable gravitational effects on water and even rocks. Electromagnetic and particle radiation from the Sun has both obvious and subtle effects on just about everything on this planet. Even moonlight affects plants and animals. I do not claim to know if or how much these and other celestial bodies affect us directly, but I like the wisdom, warmth and humanness that Molly and Emily express in their writing, and believe that including them not only expands my potential audience, but also exposes folks to ways of thinking about their own lives that they might not have otherwise considered. Let me know your take on this. I won’t make your comment public if you ask me not to.
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If you especially like (or dislike) something you see here, or would like to see something in particular covered in a future issue, or you have something interesting about the Earth, Moon, or Stars you would like to share, please feel free to leave a comment. I’m always interested in how folks who stop by here are moved/influenced/affected by what they encounter here.
Until the full moon in December, here’s wishing all of us a month of calm and transformation!
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A NOTE ON WRITING STYLE
A few detail-oriented folks have inquired about my use (or mis-use) of Initial Caps in words like earth, moon, and sun. In the long run, it doesn’t affect understanding; Whether I write ”the President” or “the president”, you still know who I’m referring to. I write “the Northern Hemisphere”, just as you would (correctly) write “the West Coast”; it’s a proper name, and in English we capitalize proper names.
When it comes to suns and moons it can get confusing. There are billions of suns out there; we have given names to more than 40 million of them, ranging from names given in other languages (e.g., Aldebaran), to less fanciful but more utilitarian names, such as HD 140913. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has decreed that our sun is the only one without such a proper name, although historically and in poesy it’s been called by quite a few.
Similarly for our moon. We’ve christened all of the other 182 moons in our solar system with names – ours is the only one we call the Moon.
Since we capitalize the names of all the other heavenly bodies (even asteroids and comets, for pity’s sake), I feel we ought to show at least as much respect for the ones most important to us. The IAU agrees.
So does Wikipedia. Their Manual of Style says: “The words sun, earth, moon and solar system are capitalized (as proper names) when used in an astronomical context to refer to a specific celestial body (our Sun, Earth, Moon and Solar System): The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System; The Moon orbits the Earth. They are not capitalized when used outside an astronomical context (The sky was clear and the sun felt warm), or when used in a general sense (Io is a moon of Jupiter).”
Sometimes it’s a fine line. If I write “by the light of the silvery moon”, I won’t capitalize it, because I’m referring to an image of the celestial body, not the body itself. By contrast, if I write, “the light from the Sun reflects off the surface of the Moon,” I capitalize both, because I’m referring directly to the celestial bodies.
If you inspect the archives of this blog, you will likely see many instances where I departed from this rule. We’ll call these oversights, and eventually I will correct them. Meanwhile, it’s an interesting challenge just to follow it in new writings. Are we having fun, yet?
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INTENTION FOR THIS EARTH, MOON AND STARS BLOG
The Earth, Moon and Stars blog is published once each Full Moon with (hopefully interesting) facts and lore about our moon and other sky phenomena. My wish is that you will have fun learning a bit more about our one and only natural satellite and how all of us — people, animals, plants, water, even rocks — are affected and connected by her.
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COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER
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