"What an extraordinary view," says Lika Guhathakurta, STEREO Program Scientist at NASA headquarters. The fantastically-colored star is our own sun as STEREO sees it in four wavelengths of extreme ultraviolet light. The black disk is the Moon. "We caught a lunar transit of the sun," she explains.

The purpose of the experiment was to measure the 'dark current' of STEREO-B's CCD detectors. The idea is familiar to amateur astronomers: Point your telescope at something black and see how much 'dark current' trickles out of the CCD. Later, when real astrophotography is taking place, the dark current is subtracted to improve the image.

Right: STEREO A and B orbit the sun on either side of Earth. [animation]

STEREO-B has a sister ship named STEREO-A. Both are on a mission to study the sun. While STEREO-B lags behind Earth, STEREO-A orbits one million miles ahead ("B" for behind, "A" for ahead). The gap is deliberate: it allows the two spacecraft to capture offset views of the sun. Researchers can then combine the images to produce 3D stereo movies of solar storms.

Disney does Voodoo?

This is the first time that Disney has tried to incorporate the practices of a real religion into one of its movies. There's a positive "Voodoo priestess" character as well, but the presence of alligator who sells his soul for a good singing voice echoes the usual misconception that practitioners of this ancient faith are in fact little more than dressed-up devil worshipers. Voodoo theology of course has no hell and no devil, so selling one's soul would be be a tricky proposition.

Empty Tomb and Strange Glyphs Point to a Cover-Up in Egypt
In 1999, a team of archaeologists, while excavating a burial chamber on the Giza plateau, discovered a tunnel that led to a small causeway, at the end of which was a solid granite capstone sealing off an apparent tomb.

The Lost Civilisation of Antarctica
Could it be that long before it was claimed by the ice and snow, Antarctica was once a temperate land filled with rivers and mountains, and where one of the earliest advanced civilisations once thrived?

Scrying Procedures
The author offers his version of procedures for scrying with crystals (and other things): the tools you need and how to use them.

"Glassy Tubes" on Mars are Sand Dunes?
Scientists say that these weird looking structures on Mars are just sand dunes, but they look like glassy tubes. This article examines the photos and tries to figure it out.

The End of Time
A stupendous event started in April 2004, this article says, where the old Matrix which had been our Thought and Reality construct is being dismantled. Many of its old rigid structures are moving within very fluid and bendable systems.

Ancient Greek Computer
In 1901 divers working off the isle of Antikythera found the remains of a clocklike mechanism 2,000 years old. The mechanism now appears to have been a device for calculating the motions of stars and planets.

Ghosts: Tips on How to Confirm Paranormal Activity
Trying to decipher things to determine if there is possibly a ghost in your presence is hard. Here are some ways that you can determine if there is a ghostly visitor without the use of equipment.

Kokopelli

Kokopelli is an ancient character- a hunchbacked, dancing fluteplayer depicted on prehistoric American rock carvings. The origins of the figure are a mystery, and he figures in many Native American stories, where his age and role vary. He is generally believed to have been a fertility symbol, often depicted as a phallic character, carrying a pouch of seeds, or wearing antlers. Kokopelli symbols often appear in the context of rain, pregnancy, prosperity, and marriage. Kokopelli is a Hopi word meaning (roughly) wooden-backed; most of the familiar depictions of Kokopelli are copied from Hopi art, which in turn is derived from ancient Anasazi glyphs.

Masonic Square and Compass

One of the most common symbols of Freemasonry is the symbol of the crossed compass and set-square. The compass and square are architect's tools, and symbolize God as the architect of the universe, among other things.

As measuring instruments, the tools represent judgement and discernment.

The compass, which is used to draw circles, represents the realm of the spiritual- eternity. It is symbolic of the defining and limiting principle, and also of infinite boundaries.

The angle measures the square, the symbol of earth and the realm of the material. The square represents fairness, balance and firmness, which is reflected in phrases such as "on the square" and "squared away." Something that is squared is something that is stable, a foundation for building upon.

Together, the compass and square represent the convergence of matter and spirit, and the convergence of earthly and spiritual responsibilities. The two symbols together form a hexagram, the union of earth with the heavens, matter and mind.

Chi-Ro

The Chi-Rho emblem can be viewed as the first Christian Cross.

As a pre-Christian symbol, the Chi-ro signified good fortune. The Chi ro became an important Christian symbol when adopted by the Roman Emperor Constantine, representing the first two letters in the name of Christ- the Chi, or 'ch,' and Rho, or 'r.' According to Church Father Eusebius, on the eve of the Battle of the Milvan Bridge, the Emperor saw the emblem in a dream, with the inscription, "By this sign, you shall conquer." According to the story, the battle was won. In return for the victory, Constantine erected Christian churches. Unfortunately, this story is very unlikely, as Constantine's conversion occured on his deathbed, if at all. In any case, the symbol was the standard of the Emperor's army, prominently displayed on the Emperor's labarum, or battle standard.

Before it became the monogram of Christ, the chi rho was the monogram of Chronos, the god of time, and an emblem of several solar deities.

The Chi-ro is also the origin of the tradition of abbreviating "Christ" in "christian" or "Christmas" to "X."

In Hebrew, Chi-Rho equates to Tav-Resh. The chi rho was used in hermetic alchemical texts to denote time.

Thanks for coming by and I wish everyone a Blessed Ostara and Happy Easter.

See you in the ether !