The Moon
Basic Lunar Facts
Basic Lunar Facts
Basic Lunar Facts
The Moon’s presence helps stabilize Earth's wobble, which helps stabilize our climate.
There is still no official definition of a moon. Earth's only natural satellite is simply called "the Moon" because people didn't know other moons existed until Galileo discovered four moons orbiting Jupiter in 1610.
Is tiny Cruithne a moon or a "Near Earth Asteroid"?
Does it matter?
According to a leading theory, the moon was created when a rock the size of Mars slammed into Earth. This happened shortly after the solar system began forming about 4.5 billion years ago.
As you read this, our moon is moving away from us.
Each year, the moon uses some of Earth's rotational energy, and uses it to propel itself about 3.8 centimeters higher in its orbit. Researchers say that when it formed, the moon was about 14,000 miles from Earth. It's now an average of 239,000 miles, or 385,000 kilometers away.
Moon's phases
Basic Lunar Facts
Basic Lunar Facts
It triggers tides, creating a rhythm that has guided humans for thousands of years. The moon’s phases correspond with the stages of the planting cycle beginning with the potential represented by the seed planted in the ground. This unfolds as the seed takes root and grows. (See Farmer’s Almanac.)
Have you tried daily aligning with the phases?
New Moon: This is a time for new beginnings: starting new projects, anything that creates a new direction in your life.
Waxing Moon: This is a good time for attracting what you want, keeping the flow alive.
Full Moon: The Moon is most powerful during this phase to align your spirit.
Waning Moon: Now it is time to put things in the past, removing obstacles, releasing fears, letting go of bad relationships, weight loss, putting things to a stop and or a close.
Dark of the Moon: As the dark of the moon represents the seed in the ground, this is a good time to contemplate one’s beliefs and values.
The Earth and Moon are tidally locked. Their rotations are so in sync we generally only see one side of the Moon. Humans didn't see the lunar far side until a Soviet spacecraft flew past in 1959.
Astrologically: Cancer, the Crab
Astrologically: Cancer, the Crab
Astrologically: Cancer, the Crab
Astrologically the Moon rules Cancer which starts with our Summer Solstice. In ancient Egypt, the sign of Cancer was conceived as a scarab beetle who carries a ball of dung, of recycled material, to make its home. In Mesopotamia it was represented by a turtle. In each case, the animal representative of the sign was perceived as "pushing" the sun across the heavens, initiating our summer solstice. Just as crabs scuttle sideways, and backward to move forward, at the Summer Solstice, the Sun begins to move backward (southward)..
Cancer Dates: June 22 and July 22.
Symbol: The Crab
Mode + Element: Active Water
House: Fourth
Mantra: I Feel
Celestial Longitude: 90-120
Tarot Card: The Chariot, Moon, and Princess
Number: 2
The Constellation Cancer is an example of creatures being rewarded or recognized by being placed in the sky. Cancer was a crab sent by Hera to destroy Heracles as he was battling the Hydra, the multi-headed serpent. The crab latched onto Hercules foot and Hercules crushed it. As a reward for the crab's obedience and sacrifice, Hera placed its image among the stars.
The crab seems a strange symbol, yet the crab suggests the idea of life’s first emergence from the oceans. In Babylonian astrology, Cancer was seen as unfortunate because Cancer stands at the gateway between the worlds. It marked the point of entry into the physical realm. An unfortunate part of this process may have been shown in the evolution of mythology where the ancient Mothers were overthrown by Sun gods and heroes. In Babylonia, the Great Mother of the Gods was Tiamat and her body was chopped up and used to create the physical universe.
Moon Exploration
Astrologically: Cancer, the Crab
Astrologically: Cancer, the Crab
Robotic orbital missions mapped the entire moon for the first time and obtained high resolution pictures of potential landing sites, certifying their safety for the Apollo missions to follow. The surface was powdery dust but strong enough to support the weight of people and machines. The Moon has no global magnetic field or atmosphere and is made up of common rock types, similar to those found on Earth.
Our Moon is like a desert with plains, mountains, and valleys. It also has many craters, holes created when space rocks hit the surface at a high speed. The moon is not very geologically active, so earthquakes, volcanoes and mountain-building do not destroy the landscape as they do on Earth. With virtually no atmosphere there is no wind or rain, so little surface erosion occurs. Crater scars remain for a long time. Lava rocks are over 3.6 billion years old, documenting at least a 700-million-year span of lava flowing on the moon.
While we have learned many unexpected facts about the Sun and some other planets, that does not seem as true for the moon. Perhaps this is to be expected.
The most prevalent hypothesis of the Moon's origin has been that the Moon was spun off from Earth's crust because of a massive collision with a third body. Our planet's crust has less iron oxide in it than the Moon does – something that scientists have been trying to explain for some time. New research posits that there's more metal material lurking just below the lunar surface, which wouldn't make sense if it had spun off from the relatively metal-poor Earth crust.
Doubt is cast on the preferred origin of Moon speculation/theory/story.
The Face we see in the moon.
Lunar Energy reflected in Myth
Diana (associated with the moon) represented one of the most complex figures in Roman mythology.She juxtaposed ideas of remoteness, chastity, and protection with themes of hunting, fertility, and the propagation of lineages. She was the protector of women and the lower classes.
In many ways the moon’s energy is opposite of the Sun that the moon reflects. The moon represents our inner, hidden, or 'shadow self', our changeable moods, and feelings.
The moon is typically identified with the feminine principle, the yin. This may be because a woman's menstrual cycle roughly corresponds to one lunar month (that is of 29 or 30 days). Perhaps it is because the Moon symbolizes emotions, feelings, instincts and day to day habit patterns and routine. The moon is also associated with the Mother, unconscious habits, home, family, and the past.
In Western astrology The Moon is said to represent the feeling nature of the individual.
Dan Craig creates pictures redolent with culture, symbolism, and emotion. The painting is by Dan Craig
Visiting and exploring the Moon have not changed the way most people and astrologers respond to the Moon.
Moon's Glyph
The shape and form of a semicircle represents the soul and mind, a half perfect, half divine. The figure is broken and has a visible and an invisible portion. It represents something that is conscious, unconscious, and reflects the changing nature of humans.
The visible half makes room for receptiveness, reflections, feelings, memory, and mental facilities. The empty half opens up for the unknown, the irrational, imagination, emotion, insecurity, and instinct. The continuing change from visible and invisible portions of the symbol brings forth an equal division of tone and pause, causing a pulsating rhythm and concept of time.
The half-circle is sensitive, vulnerable, and easily influenced. It represents things that are under change or going through a phase.
Archetypal Concept Keys for Associations
When astrologers think of the Moon we may think of many words or phrases. Some associated with the Moon might include:
The Nurturer, Feelings, Instinctual, Domestic, Sensitive, Mother, Nurturing, Fluctuation, Smothering, Dreaming, Romance, Childhood, Moods, Instinct, Emotions, Childbirth, Embrace, Children, Protected, Responsiveness, Keeper of the Hearth, Chicken Soup, Nighttime, Breasts, Home, Milk, Looney, Memories and Unstable, Memory, Roots, Nourishing Foods, Sensitivity, Reflection, Holding, Conserving, Storage, Night, Changeable, Moody, The Flow of Rhythm.
These concept keys can also be used when thinking of multiple planets or people. For example take the concept keys for Sun: The Sovereign Identity, King, Hero, Self-expression, I Am, Ruler, Pompous, Vitality, Wants, Ego, Creativity, Desire, Generosity, Grandeur, Daytime, Heart, Center, Me, Father, Ambition, Loyalty, Vigor, Royal, Sovereign, Narcissist, Creativity, Childish, Radiant, Generous, Playful, Selfish, Generate, Overpower, Childlike, Energy Source, Life, and Irreverent.
When you combine any of these Sun/Moon concept keys together. and let them blend, an enriched understanding can occur.
