MABALACAT, Pampanga – Local folk in this town witnessed Sunday night a strange moon with a diamond-like dot clinging to its side, as they shared the astrological view it augurs well for the presidency of Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.
Astronomer Dr. Armando Lee, the country’s first local graduate of astronomy course at the Rizal Technological Institute and founder of the Philippine’s first commercial astronomical observatory, confirmed to Punto the phenomenon which he even photographed using his powerful telescope.
He described the event as rarely observed and that it lasted only about five seconds.
At about 7:36 p.m. Sunday, residents of Barangay Lakandula here outside their homes witnessed the night sky event and exchanged views, all in the shade of Aquino’s pending presidency.
“It was a crescent moon and at the farthest rim of its dark side was a brilliant object that made the moon resemble ring with a large solitary diamond,” said resident Daniel Cabrera, an employee of the municipal government. He noted, however, that the moon’s “diamond” vanished after a few minutes.
He cited neighbors as agreeing that the phenomenon was hinting on political developments in the country, particularly on the outcome of the last elections.
“Some say it augurs well for an Aquino administration,” he said.
Dr. Lee, however, said that the occurrence was a “lunar occultation of (the planet) Venus.”
“It was a thin, young crescent moon in the process of covering the planet Venus as seen from the earth,” he said.
He added that the event was expected by local astronomers who had been gathering at his Astrocamp Observatory Services based at the SM Mall of Asia since early this month to observe and document the phenomenon.
Astronomers define occultation as an event wherein one astronomical object is hidden by another that passes between it and the observer. Lunar occultations could also involve other planets or even stars, although occultations with planets create “narrow zones” where observers could see the planet’s disk partly blocked by the slowly moving moon.
Dr. Lee said, however, that while moon-Venus occultation is not unusual, it is rarely observed by people as its visibility often occurs beyond populated areas, often over bodies of water.
He said that the vision of the moon seemingly having a diamond ring occurred at 7:36 p.m. Sunday and lasted about five seconds as the moon slowly covered Venus.
He used 1,540 focal length Moksotov telescope to observe and take photos of the astronomical event.
“Another spectacular photo we took as at 8:16 p.m. when Venus finished its path behind the moon to show up at the lighted side of the moon crescent. It was like the moon crescent having some explosion,” he noted.
Through centuries, however, astrologers have maintained their interpretations of such astronomical phenomena.
Astrologers associate the planet Venus with the principles of harmony, beauty, balance and the urge to sympathize and unite with others, said Wikipedia.org.
In Chinese astrology, Venus is associated with the element metal or gold which is “unyielding, strong and persistent”, while in Indian astrology, the planet is known to represent wealth, pleasure and reproduction.
The moon, on the other hand, is associated by astrologers with a person’s ability to react and adapt to those around them and the urge to nurture others.
The website cafeastrology.com notes that those born during moon-Venus occultations “are highly sensitive to criticism and rejection.”
“They usually spend a lot of time and energy finding ways to avoid both,” the website said, as it noted that they also have “an air of accessibility surrounding them, an unmistakable charm.”
Astronomer Dr. Armando Lee, the country’s first local graduate of astronomy course at the Rizal Technological Institute and founder of the Philippine’s first commercial astronomical observatory, confirmed to Punto the phenomenon which he even photographed using his powerful telescope.
He described the event as rarely observed and that it lasted only about five seconds.
At about 7:36 p.m. Sunday, residents of Barangay Lakandula here outside their homes witnessed the night sky event and exchanged views, all in the shade of Aquino’s pending presidency.
“It was a crescent moon and at the farthest rim of its dark side was a brilliant object that made the moon resemble ring with a large solitary diamond,” said resident Daniel Cabrera, an employee of the municipal government. He noted, however, that the moon’s “diamond” vanished after a few minutes.
He cited neighbors as agreeing that the phenomenon was hinting on political developments in the country, particularly on the outcome of the last elections.
“Some say it augurs well for an Aquino administration,” he said.
Dr. Lee, however, said that the occurrence was a “lunar occultation of (the planet) Venus.”
“It was a thin, young crescent moon in the process of covering the planet Venus as seen from the earth,” he said.
He added that the event was expected by local astronomers who had been gathering at his Astrocamp Observatory Services based at the SM Mall of Asia since early this month to observe and document the phenomenon.
Astronomers define occultation as an event wherein one astronomical object is hidden by another that passes between it and the observer. Lunar occultations could also involve other planets or even stars, although occultations with planets create “narrow zones” where observers could see the planet’s disk partly blocked by the slowly moving moon.
Dr. Lee said, however, that while moon-Venus occultation is not unusual, it is rarely observed by people as its visibility often occurs beyond populated areas, often over bodies of water.
He said that the vision of the moon seemingly having a diamond ring occurred at 7:36 p.m. Sunday and lasted about five seconds as the moon slowly covered Venus.
He used 1,540 focal length Moksotov telescope to observe and take photos of the astronomical event.
“Another spectacular photo we took as at 8:16 p.m. when Venus finished its path behind the moon to show up at the lighted side of the moon crescent. It was like the moon crescent having some explosion,” he noted.
Through centuries, however, astrologers have maintained their interpretations of such astronomical phenomena.
Astrologers associate the planet Venus with the principles of harmony, beauty, balance and the urge to sympathize and unite with others, said Wikipedia.org.
In Chinese astrology, Venus is associated with the element metal or gold which is “unyielding, strong and persistent”, while in Indian astrology, the planet is known to represent wealth, pleasure and reproduction.
The moon, on the other hand, is associated by astrologers with a person’s ability to react and adapt to those around them and the urge to nurture others.
The website cafeastrology.com notes that those born during moon-Venus occultations “are highly sensitive to criticism and rejection.”
“They usually spend a lot of time and energy finding ways to avoid both,” the website said, as it noted that they also have “an air of accessibility surrounding them, an unmistakable charm.”
