Starship Asterisk*

Posted: **Mon Mar 27, 2023 4:06 am**

Aurora Over Arctic Henge

Explanation: Reports of powerful solar flares started a seven-hour quest north to capture modern monuments against an aurora-filled sky. The peaks of iconic Arctic Henge in Raufarhöfn in northern Iceland were already aligned with the stars: some are lined up toward the exact north from one side and toward exact south from the other. The featured image, taken after sunset late last month, looks directly south, but since the composite image covers so much of the sky, the north star Polaris is actually visible at the very top of the frame. Also visible are familiar constellations including the Great Bear (Ursa Major) on the left, and the Hunter (Orion) on the lower right. The quest was successful. The sky lit up dramatically with bright and memorable auroras that shimmered with amazing colors including red, pink, yellow, and green -- sometimes several at once.

<< Previous APOD

This Day in APOD

Next APOD >>

Posted: **Mon Mar 27, 2023 1:38 pm**

APOD Robot wrote: ↑Mon Mar 27, 2023 4:06 amThe featured image, taken after sunset late last month, looks directly south, ...

I get this configuration for February 27 at 12:30 a.m. GMT.

Posted: **Mon Mar 27, 2023 5:01 pm**

Strictly speaking a 'Henge' is an enclosed earthwork comprising a dyke surrounded by a ditch. (https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/vis ... s-a-henge/)

However, due to the popularity of 'Stonehenge' in the UK (https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/vis ... tonehenge/) and the unique arrangement of trilithons (two massive vertical stones supporting a lintel or third massive stone), the word 'henge' has come to be used for monuments of stone, or, in the case of 'Woodhenge', wood (https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/vis ... woodhenge/).

Posted: **Mon Mar 27, 2023 8:28 pm**

From the arctic henge link comes the fact that the stones in arctic henge (68 or 72 - I'm not sure) represent the Dwarfs mentioned in the Völuspá, the first poem of the Poetic Edda (I count 77 names from the text below). And it turns out that most of the Dwarf names from Tolkien's Hobbit and Lord of the Rings books come from that same poem! See https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/V%C3%B6lusp%C3%A1

Almost all of the names of the Dwarves of Middle-earth, as well as Gandalf's, are taken from a section of the Völuspá called the Dvergatal (the "Catalogue of Dwarves").[3][note 1] The Dvergatal is contained in stanzas 10–16:

Bellows translation

10. There was Motsognir | the mightiest made
Of all the dwarfs, | and Durin next;
Many a likeness | of men they made,
The dwarfs in the earth, | as Durin said.

11. Nyi and Nithi, | Northri and Suthri,
Austri and Vestri, | Althjof, Dvalin,
Nar and Nain, | Niping, Dain,
Bifur, Bofur, | Bombur, Nori,
An and Onar, | Óin, Mjothvitnir.

12. Vigg and Gandalf | Vindalf, Thorin,
Thror and Thrain | Thekk, Lit and Vit,
Nyr and Nyrath,-- | now have I told--
Regin and Rathsvith-- | the list aright.

13. Fili, Kili, | Fundin, Nali,
Hepti, Vili, | Hannar, Sviur,
(Billing, Bruni, | Bildr and Buri,)
Frar, Hornbori, | Fræg and Loni,
Aurvang, Jari, | Eikinskjaldi. [note 2]

14. The race of the dwarfs | in Dvalin's throng
Down to Lofar | the list must I tell;
The rocks they left, | and through wet lands
They sought a home | in the fields of sand.

15. There were Draupnir | and Dolgthrasir,
Hor, Haugspori, | Hlevang, Gloin,
Dori, Ori, | Duf, Andvari,
Skirfir, Virfir, | Skafith, Ai.

16. Alf and Yngvi, | Eikinskjaldi,
Fjalar and Frosti, | Finn and Ginnar;
So for all time | shall the tale be known,
The list of all | the forbears of Lofar.

Posted: **Mon Mar 27, 2023 11:42 pm**

Thank you Cousin Ricky, Eclectic Man, and johnnydeep. I enjoyed your posts and learned things I wasn't aware of before.

When looking at today's APOD I initially just assumed the view was toward the north. But then I thought, Polaris sure is high. Then I read the caption and realized that the view is actually to the south. I learned a long time ago to never just go with my initial assumptions.

Starship Asterisk*

APOD: Aurora Over Arctic Henge (2023 Mar 27)

APOD: Aurora Over Arctic Henge (2023 Mar 27)

Re: APOD: Aurora Over Arctic Henge (2023 Mar 27)

Re: APOD: Aurora Over Arctic Henge (2023 Mar 27)

Re: APOD: Aurora Over Arctic Henge (2023 Mar 27)

Re: APOD: Aurora Over Arctic Henge (2023 Mar 27)