Alright, it's time to vent! I've been thinking about this all summer long. It occurred to me that when I was a kid, we called all the hype today about super moons, simply: "a harvest moon". Technically, it's not a harvest moon but our grandparents didn't have social media either.
This morning, I read a blog post by U.S. Naval Observatory astronomer, Geoff Chester. "For the most part it is a 'non-event' that is almost purely hype" he said in that post. What caught my eye and sparked this post was his earlier statement (which I fully agree with) when he said, "This is being touted as yet another 'Super-Moon' by popular and social media for reasons that I still can't fathom."
Well, Geoff, I can't fathom it either. In fact, I am so totally disappointed by what is coming out of journalism schools today. The graduated level of understanding has flat-lined. Sure, there is all the hype about how smart kids are today and how tech savvy they are or have become. Really. What is happening is that the wheel is not trying to be reinvented with the new generations--just renamed. Not only is it confusing. It's total disrespect. But, that seems to be a whole different topic while still being in the same category.
The moon is not 14% bigger. It is just closer to earth. Every one wants to put numbers to everything. And the number game is just that, a game. Numbers in percentages can be twisted so many ways, it even makes a rope get knots. A typical moon orbit is 238,885 miles from earth. At its closest perigee, it's 221,765 miles from earth. Another thing: it's not a super moon or a harvest moon, it's just a plain ole perigee moon. Pure and simple. It may LOOK 14 percent bigger, but it's purely an eye's perception. It's NOT 14 percent bigger.
If one wants too speak of the moon in Folk Lure, then use the terms set down by Daniel Carter Beard. He published in 1918 The American Boy's Book of Signs, Signals, Symbols. Also to be included in the reading list should be The Maine Farmer's Almanac. It was first published in the 1930s. It should not be confused with other Farmer's Almanacs that appear today.
Adapted from the Algonquin languages came the original list of moon names by months. Because the Algonquin languages include several tribes, the names will vary somewhat. The romantics of the languages can be seen in the list and should be cherished, not renamed by some disrespectful person who thinks the tech savvy world needs new names to get more hits on their social media page.
February Snow Moon, Hunger Moon, Raccoon Moon, Bare Spot on the Ground Moon
March Worm Moon, Crow Moon, Sap Moon, Lenten Moon, Wind Moon, Little Grass Moon,
Sore Eye Moon
April Seed Moon, Pink Moon, Sprouting Grass Moon, Egg Moon, Fish Moon
May Milk Moon, Flower Moon, Corn Planting Moon, Green Grass Moon, Root Food Moon
June Mead Moon, Strawberry Moon, Rose Moon, Thunder Moon ,Corn Planting Moon
July Hay Moon, Buck Moon, Thunder Moon, Buffalo (bull) Moon, Hot Sun Moon
August Harvest Moon, Buffalo (cow) Moon,Corn Moon, Sturgeon Moon, Red Moon, Green
Corn Moon, Grain Moon
September Harvest Moon, Field Corn Moon, Wild Rice Moon, Red Plum Moon
October Leaf-Falling Moon, Nuts Moon, Hunter's Moon, Blood Moon, Sanguine Moon
November Beaver Moon, Frosty Moon, Deer Mating Moon, Fur Pelts Moon
December Oak Moon, Cold Moon, Long Night's Moon, Wolves Moon, Big Moon
There seems to be some effort to remove all American Indian Folk Lure from the printed page. This is another disturbing element of modern day social media and Journalism Schools, Political Correct Pundits or all combined.
So, come September 9th, another almost perigee moon will occur. It's the last one of 2014. Already, the name changers are hyping that we won't have another one until 2034. WOW! Since the moon is on a 18-year cycle, if you add 18 to 2014 you get 2032. I guess this next cycle has been changed to 20 years by some social media because 20 years looks better than 18 in the numbers game. Or, they just like 20 better than 18 because it looks good albeit they can't tell you why 18 is the actual cycle based on calculations by the U.S. Naval Observatory. Bet they didn't even know that the U.S. has a Naval Observatory or that the Vice-President's House is on the grounds of the Naval Observatory or that it's located in Maryland and not Virginia or D.C.
This morning, I read a blog post by U.S. Naval Observatory astronomer, Geoff Chester. "For the most part it is a 'non-event' that is almost purely hype" he said in that post. What caught my eye and sparked this post was his earlier statement (which I fully agree with) when he said, "This is being touted as yet another 'Super-Moon' by popular and social media for reasons that I still can't fathom."
Well, Geoff, I can't fathom it either. In fact, I am so totally disappointed by what is coming out of journalism schools today. The graduated level of understanding has flat-lined. Sure, there is all the hype about how smart kids are today and how tech savvy they are or have become. Really. What is happening is that the wheel is not trying to be reinvented with the new generations--just renamed. Not only is it confusing. It's total disrespect. But, that seems to be a whole different topic while still being in the same category.
The moon is not 14% bigger. It is just closer to earth. Every one wants to put numbers to everything. And the number game is just that, a game. Numbers in percentages can be twisted so many ways, it even makes a rope get knots. A typical moon orbit is 238,885 miles from earth. At its closest perigee, it's 221,765 miles from earth. Another thing: it's not a super moon or a harvest moon, it's just a plain ole perigee moon. Pure and simple. It may LOOK 14 percent bigger, but it's purely an eye's perception. It's NOT 14 percent bigger.
If one wants too speak of the moon in Folk Lure, then use the terms set down by Daniel Carter Beard. He published in 1918 The American Boy's Book of Signs, Signals, Symbols. Also to be included in the reading list should be The Maine Farmer's Almanac. It was first published in the 1930s. It should not be confused with other Farmer's Almanacs that appear today.
Adapted from the Algonquin languages came the original list of moon names by months. Because the Algonquin languages include several tribes, the names will vary somewhat. The romantics of the languages can be seen in the list and should be cherished, not renamed by some disrespectful person who thinks the tech savvy world needs new names to get more hits on their social media page.
ALGONQUIN TRIBES NAMES OF MOONS
January Wolf Moon, Old Moon, Difficult Moon, Black Smoke MoonFebruary Snow Moon, Hunger Moon, Raccoon Moon, Bare Spot on the Ground Moon
March Worm Moon, Crow Moon, Sap Moon, Lenten Moon, Wind Moon, Little Grass Moon,
Sore Eye Moon
April Seed Moon, Pink Moon, Sprouting Grass Moon, Egg Moon, Fish Moon
May Milk Moon, Flower Moon, Corn Planting Moon, Green Grass Moon, Root Food Moon
June Mead Moon, Strawberry Moon, Rose Moon, Thunder Moon ,Corn Planting Moon
July Hay Moon, Buck Moon, Thunder Moon, Buffalo (bull) Moon, Hot Sun Moon
August Harvest Moon, Buffalo (cow) Moon,Corn Moon, Sturgeon Moon, Red Moon, Green
Corn Moon, Grain Moon
September Harvest Moon, Field Corn Moon, Wild Rice Moon, Red Plum Moon
October Leaf-Falling Moon, Nuts Moon, Hunter's Moon, Blood Moon, Sanguine Moon
November Beaver Moon, Frosty Moon, Deer Mating Moon, Fur Pelts Moon
December Oak Moon, Cold Moon, Long Night's Moon, Wolves Moon, Big Moon
There seems to be some effort to remove all American Indian Folk Lure from the printed page. This is another disturbing element of modern day social media and Journalism Schools, Political Correct Pundits or all combined.
So, come September 9th, another almost perigee moon will occur. It's the last one of 2014. Already, the name changers are hyping that we won't have another one until 2034. WOW! Since the moon is on a 18-year cycle, if you add 18 to 2014 you get 2032. I guess this next cycle has been changed to 20 years by some social media because 20 years looks better than 18 in the numbers game. Or, they just like 20 better than 18 because it looks good albeit they can't tell you why 18 is the actual cycle based on calculations by the U.S. Naval Observatory. Bet they didn't even know that the U.S. has a Naval Observatory or that the Vice-President's House is on the grounds of the Naval Observatory or that it's located in Maryland and not Virginia or D.C.
