Mongolia | Zaisan Tolgoi | Wolf Moon

The Wolf Moon of Mid-Winter will be Supersized Tonight:

The 2010 Wolf Moon will appear 30 percent brighter and 14 percent larger than any other full moon this year, because our cosmic neighbor will actually be closer to Earth than usual. The moon will be at its closest perigee—the nearest it gets to our planet during its egg-shaped orbit—for 2010 at 4:04 a.m. ET Saturday, reaching a distance of 221,577 miles (356,593 kilometers) from Earth.

 

Wolf Moon Tonight! Beware of Earthquakes!

And as if that were not enough Mars will be Right Next to the Wolf Moon:

Look into the eastern sky about 7 p.m. Friday or 8 p.m. Saturday and you may ask, “What’s that bright, red star next to the full moon?” That’s no star, it’s the planet Mars, and it happens to be a mere 61.7 million miles from Earth, according to Jon U. Bell, director of the Hallstrom Planetarium at Indian River State College in Fort Pierce.  “That’s actually pretty close for Mars,” Bell said.

 Photo Courtesy of Sky&Telescope

I will be observing the Wolf Moon from Zaisan Tolgoi.

 

Zaisan Tolgoi. If you hear someone howling at the Moon it will probably be me.

Mongolia | Zaisan Tolgoi | Balsamic Moon

The Balsamic Moon begins today, December 13. As you probably know, the Balsamic Moon is the Moon phase starting three, or sometimes four, days before a New Moon. The New Moon this month occurs on the 16th at 8:02 p.m. local time.

The Balsamic Moon is the perfect time to stir out uncertainty and confusion because it is the time for psychic clearing. Wishes are more readily fulfilled as the way is cleared to feeling core need. A wish made at the Balsamic Moon is more likely to come true because needs are felt more deeply now. The more deeply a need is felt, the more invocative energy goes into the Moon cycle and the more likely this need will be met. Fulfillment comes at Full Moon in response to what is seeded at the New. Seed intentions may be more consciously sown when the Crescent Moon appears to be beginning.

The Balsamic Moon Rises today at 5:18 a.m. local time (check for Moon Rise In Your Area), just at the time I am usually completing my morning orisons, which is especially auspicious.

As I predicted, the Last Moon Cycle Was A Dilly. This Moon Cycle, with the Full Moon falling, by coincidence, on January 1 this year, should be a Doozie, which is an upgrade from a Dilly. Expect a lot of weird stuff to happen on New Year’s Eve and the next day! (I mean, of course, weirder than usual for New Year’s Eve and Day.)

By the way, Orion, the Hunter, is currently presenting a spectacular sight in the evening sky to the southeast. Before slouching off into the drinking dens and Louche Coffee Houses where most of you (you know who you are, so it’s no use trying to deny it!) spend your evenings in dissipation take a moment to glance up and enjoy this awesome display.

Constellation of Orion

Mongolia | Zaisan Tolgoi | Moon Cycles

The Waxing Sickle Moon has been presenting an absolutely gorgeous spectacle as it slides by Jupiter each evening before sinking behind Öndör Gegeenii Uul just south of my hovel in Zaisan Tolgoi. The Full Cold Moon, or Unduvap Poya Moon, as it is known to Buddhists, is coming up on December 2, and I predict it will be a dilly. We are in the midst of an extremely auspicious lunar cycle. At such times Portals to Shambhala have been known to appear in the strangest places . . .

Graphic courtesy of Sky & Telescope

Mongolia | Ulaan Baatar | New Moon

The New Moon will occur in Ulaan Baatar on Sunday, the 18th, at 1:33 PM. Set your internal clocks according. Also see Moon Rising and Setting. Just to remind you, the Hunter’s Moon is coming up on November 3rd. Don’t miss this one!

The Hunter’s Moon, also known as the Blood Moon, often appears to be the largest moon of the year

Mongolia | Zaisan Tolgoi | Harvest Moon

Update: see Tang Dynasty Times for more on the Harvest Moon.

The Harvest Moon will grace the skies over Zaisan Tolgoi on October 4, rising at 5:58 pm and setting at 8:04 am on the 5th, This year I intend to view the entire transit of the Full Moon across the skies from my perch on the mountain in front of my hovel in Zaisan Tolgoi. Obviously this will require staying up all night. I will build a small fire, so if you night owls in Ulaan Baatar stumbling out of your lowly drinking dens see a glowing light on the top of the mountain behind Zaisan Tolgoi do not be alarmed. It is not the return of Baron Ungern-Sternberg.

My mountain, top center

As you probably already know the Harvest Moon is the Full Moon closest to the Autumn Equinox, which usually occurs around September 23th. Three years out of four, roughly speaking, the Harvest Moon will be in September, but this year it occurs in October, eleven days after the Autumn Equinox. The previous Full Moon was on September 5, 18 days before the Autumn Equinox.

The Harvest Moon was memorialized in the song “Shine On, Harvest Moon” by the immortal Ruth Etting, American’s Sweetheart of Song:

Shine on, shine on harvest moon up in the sky
I ain't had no lovin' since January, February, June, or July
Snow time ain't no time to sit outdoors and spoon
Shine on, shine on harvest moon for me 'n' my gal

C'mon, shine on harvest moon way up there in the sky. Don'tcha
know I ain't had no lovin' since January, February, June, AND July? Now, looka
here—don't you know better than to set out there in the snow 'n' spoon?
C'mon, I don't want no half moon, I want a full moon.

Oh, won't you shine on, shine on harvest moon (shine on, shine on)
Up in the sky? (shine on)
I ain't had no lovin' since January, February, June, or July
(ah-ooba, ah-ooba, ah-ooba , ah-ooh)
Don't you know you're gonna freeze to death
Settin' out there in the snow tryin' to spoon?
So shine on, shine on harvest moon for me 'n' my gal

Ruthie, America’s Sweetheart, baring her gams, which was pretty daring back in 1935.

The Hunter’s Moon, defined simply as the next Full Moon after the Harvest Moon, is my personal favorite. This year it will occur on November 3. Mark your calendars now.

Mongolia | Zaisan Tolgoi | Venus-Jupiter | Monster Full Moon

Images have been pouring in from the Venus-Jupiter-Sickle Moon Alignment back on December 1.

View from India

View from USA

Our correspondent in New York City, Storied Adventuress-Temptress Gunj, who apparently spotted the alignment from her fabulous penthouse apartment near Union Square, also filed a report:

. . . up in the beautiful sky tonite: venus & jupiter and crescent moon-facing upwards—making a spectacular triangle . . . a fiesta to my eyes and my spirit, can't stop myself to send kisses to sky . . .

Forgive her if her emotions got the better of her grammar.

As if the Venus-Jupiter-Sickle Moon Alignments weren’t enough to palpitate the hearts of heaven gazers, on the night of December 12-13 we will be treated to yet another jaw-dropper. The Full Moon, which occurs at 12:37 am (Ulaan Baatar time) on the morning of the 13th will be the biggest and brightest Full Moon since 1993! There are several UB New Year’s office parties scheduled for that night. Katy bar the door!

Graphic courtesy of Sky&Telescope

Ulugh Beg must be spinning in his grave, to say nothing of Nasir al-Din Tusi.

Mongolia | Töv Aimag | Horse Trip #4

I planned the trip so that we would be at the lake for the Full Moon. The night before had been overcast, but we were hoping for clear skies tonight. The moon was scheduled to rise at 7:41 pm.

Somber reflections by the campfire as we wait for the moon to rise

We were not disappointed. It was a perfectly clear night and the moon rose right over the lake.

Saraa with the Full Moon behind her. This photo is particularly fitting since her full name is Sarantuya, which means “Moonbeam.”