From: Larry Charles Sessions <ab027@Freenet.HSC.Colorado.EDU>
Subject: North American Skies for June 1995
HONEYMOONS AND OPPOSITION
[Having recently become engaged to be married next June (Good Lord that
is now just about one year away now!) I though the first story here was
particularly salient. -Ed.]
HONEY MOON. As suggested by Guy Ottewell, the origin of the term
"Honeymoon," and the tradition of getting married in June may be
connected. The Full Moon in June is low in the sky, thus giving it a
more yellow or honey golden appearance due to the thicker layers of
air through which its light must pass. This may have been seen as a
reminder of the honey wine (mead) that newlyweds drank each day for
a month in some countries of Europe. Maybe, maybe not, but it makes
a nice connection.
"FULL JUPITER". In May it was Pluto, but in June it is Jupiter that
is in "opposition" (at 5:00 a.m. MDT on Thursday, June 1). This
means that the planet will be roughly opposite the sun in the sky,
rising at sunset and setting at sunrise. This is analogous to the
situation with a Full Moon. Unlike tiny, faint Pluto, Jupiter is a
marvelous sight in even a small telescope. Its four largest moons
are visible in even a good pair of binoculars (although not always
at the same time).
For subscription information on North American Skies, contact
ab027@freenet.hsc.colorado.edu or explorer@filebank.com.
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- T o d d E. V a n H o o s e a r -
``'''vanhoose@lalaland.cl.msu.edu - vanhoose@msu.edu - vanhoose@lalaland.cl.msu.edu
(._.) Michigan State University - East Lansing, MI USA
(_) Computer Laboratory - Department of Communication
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