Monday 1 December 2008

A smile that lit up the night sky


I feel better already!

The world may be facing its worst economic turmoil in decades & my house may be a mess, but the heavens smiled on Australia tonight. A rare cosmic alignment tonight produced a smiling face - or an emoticon, depending on your generation - high over the country. Technically, it was called a conjunction. From soon after 7pm until just before 10pm (AET) the planets Venus and Jupiter stared down from the western sky like two brilliant eyes. Directly below, the crescent moon formed a happy mouth.

It was very spectacular! The Crown Prince, dogs & I went out for a walk in Brookfield park to get a good look at it. I felt like the gods were smiling upon us!

Apparently, there was an upside-down sad face visible on the morning of April 23, 1998 (my 38th birthday). I don’t remember it.

Tonight's heavenly show was a fleeting Aussie event (there was no smile on the US or Europe) that will not happen again until the early hours of July 21, 2036 in Australia or until Nov. 18, 2052 in the Northern Hemisphere.

1 comment:

Daughter of the Midwest said...

Astronomy effects like that are just too awesome!
I am so sorry about your house! And after all the work you've been doing! Hugs, lots of hugs for you all. I understand about just wanting to get it done and back into the normal run of things. I wish I had a magic wand to wave for you.