Supermoon on 23 June 2013

 

2013 largest and closest "Super Moon" occured on June 23, 2013. This Super full moon is not only the closest and largest full moon of the year, it also presents the moon's closest encounter with Earth in a long time.

The moon will not be so close again until August 10, 2014. The Moon's distance varies each month between approximately 357,000 kilometers (222,000 mi) and 406,000 km (252,000 mi) due to its elliptical orbit around the Earth (distances given are center-to-center).
According to NASA, a full moon at perigee is up to 14% larger and 30% brighter than one at its furthest point, or apogee.

What is a Supermoon? 

The word supermoon didn’t come from astronomy. Instead, it came from astrology. Astrologer Richard Nolle of the website astropro.com takes credit for coining the term supermoon. In 1979, he defined it as: "a new or full moon which occurs with the moon at or near (within 90% of) its closest approach to Earth in a given orbit (perigee). In short, Earth, moon and sun are all in a line, with moon in its nearest approach to Earth."

By this definition, according to Nolle: There are 4-6 supermoons a year on average. 

That doesn’t sound very special, does it? In fact, the June 2013 full moon lines up much more closely with perigee – the moon’s closest point to Earth – than Nolle’s original definition. According to Guy Ottewell’s Astronomical Calendar 2013, the 2013 June full moon falls only 22 minutes after the moon reaches perigee, the moon’s closest point to Earth for this month and year. At perigee, the moon lies only 356,991 kilometers (221,824 miles) away. Two weeks later, on July 7, the moon will swing out to apogee – its farthest point for the month and year – at 406,490 kilometers (252,581 miles) distant.

 

Full moon falls on June 23, 2013 at 11:32 UTC (6:32 a.m. CDT in the U.S.). Thus, for many, the moon appears about as full in the June 22 evening sky as it does on the evening of June 23. This full moon is not only the closest and largest full moon of the year. It also presents the moon’s closest encounter with Earth for all of 2013. The moon will not be so close again until August, 2014. In other words, it’s not just a supermoon. It’s the closest supermoon of 2013.

A merge of two images: moon from Wikimedia Commons and Superman emblem came from layoutsparks.com

Day and night sides of Earth at instant of June 22-23 full moon

Day and night sides of Earth at instant of full moon (2013 June 23 at 11:32 Universal Time). In North America, the full moon is setting in the west at sunrise on June 23. From eastern Asia, it’s rising in the east at sunset. The full moon resides close to zenith – straight overhead – as seen from the Samoan islands in the central South Pacific Ocean. Image credit: Earth and Moon Viewer

View larger. | Astronomers say it’s tough to notice the difference in size between a supermoon and any other full moon. But photographs show it. Check out this size comparison from our friend Alec Jones in the UK.

 

Infographic by Jan Diehm for The Huffington Post.

Supermoon on 23 June 2013 Photos from different places of the world.

“That’s how our SuperMoon looked like. In the Sultanate of Oman .. Soft n Delicate against the rugged n craggy mountains of this desert region.” Photo credit: Priya Kumar

“Super moon over Chester, SC last night.” Photo credit: Ann Thomas Grant

“2013 SuperMoon and the Basilica of Superga (Turin, Italy)” Photo credit: Stefano de Rosa

Photo credit: Greg Diesel. He writes, “As close and big as it will get for the east coast of the US – 545am moon sets in coastal North Carolina.”

“Last night SUPERMOON JUNE 23 2013 rising behind the old abandoned pizza house at Oton Iloilo City Philippines.” Photo credit: Zhean Peter Nacionales

“Supermoon taken at Zaton Mali, Croatia 23:00 Saturday 22nd June” Photo credit: Kathy Andrew

“Good-bye Super Moon. Last night’s Full Moon sets in the West early this morning just before the Sunrise. Schoharie County, New York” Photo credit: Pat Quinn

“The supermoon last night – it made the coolest design with the leaves of the Jerusalem thorn tree.” Photo credit: Kathy Carson Newman

“Super Moon (Waxing gibbous 96.7%) over Punta Manara, Sestri Levante Italy.”
Photo credit: Maranathi.it Photograpy

Mother and sons watch the 2013 Supermoon rise through the cloud cover at Tempe Town Lake. Photo credit: Kathleen Kingma

“Taken in Portugal, near my house in a village called Coja in Coimbra region.” Photo credit: Rui Lopes

“Supermoon rising over Annapolis, MD. 6/22/13.” Photo credit: Kathi D Overton

“Super Moon Jun. 22 2013 P. Dos Recifes V.V ES Brazil” Photo credit: Irenilda Mota

“Tonights Super Moon rising over Highland Ca. 6/22/13″ Photo credit: Lyle Evans

“This picture wws taken from my home at Singapore this evening at 8.00 pm Singapore time. it was a spectacular scene.” Photo credit: kannan A

“The Perigee Full Moon rising over Oakhurst, CA last night.” Photo credit: Steve Montalto

“An Arizona classic! Supermoon and saguaro silhouettes.” Photo Credit Evelyn D. Harrison

Supermoon coming up over Lake Michigan. Credit: Robert Shannon

Source: earthsky.org

Lord Shiva on the bank of the Ganges in Rishikesh was flown away by tides river

Lord Shiva on the bank of the Ganges in Rishikesh was flown away by tides river
Monsoon rains wreaked fresh havoc in northern India leading to flash floods, cloudbursts and landslips as the toll climbed to 81. Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, the two northern states, have been the worst affected. India is a large country, Natural Hazards occur almost every year & when it does - mobilizing resources & transporting same to people affected becomes extremely difficult due to weather, communication, transportation, & logistical concerns.

Tulsi Thulasi Holy Basil Ocimum Tenuiflorum a sacred plant

Tulsi, Thulasi, Holy Basil,  Ocimum Tenuiflorum is a aromatic plant or potent herb, that has been used in India for thousands of years to treat colds, coughs, and flu. According to Ayurveda, tulsi promotes purity and lightness in the body, cleansing the respiratory tract of toxins and relieving digestive gas and bloating. Tulsi leaves offer a rich source of essential oil, containing eugenol, nerol, camphor, and a variety of terpenes and flavonoids. The oil is a strong antiseptic against many kinds of disease-causing organisms, including bacteria, fungi, and parasites.

Tulsi has spiritual as well as medicinal significance in Ayurveda. In Hindu mythology, the plant is an incarnation of the goddess Tulsi, offering divine protection. Many Indian families keep a living Tulsi plant in their homes tending to it with great care and reverence. The plant’s woody stalks are often made into beads used in meditation malas or rosaries.

Tulsi or tulasi is a sacred plant for Hindus and is worshiped by Hindus as the avatar of goddess Lakshmi. Water mixed with the petals is given to the dying to raise their departing souls to heaven. Tulsi, which is Sanskrit for "the incomparable one", is most often regarded as a consort of Krishna in the form of Lakshmi. According to the Brahma Vaivarta Purana, tulsi is an expression of Sita. There are two types of tulsi worshiped in Hinduism: "Rama tulsi" has light green leaves and is larger in size; "Shyama tulsi" has dark green leaves and is important for the worship of Hanuman. Many Hindus have tulsi plants growing in front of or near their home, often in special pots. Traditionally, tulsi is planted in the center of the central courtyard of Hindu houses. It is also frequently grown next to Hanuman temples, especially in Varanasi

According to Vaishnavas, it is believed in Puranas that during Samudra Manthana when the gods win the ocean-churning against asuras, Dhanvantari comes up from the ocean with Amrita in hand for the gods. Dhanvantari (the divine medico) sheds happy tears and when the first drop falls in Amrita it forms Tulasi. In the ceremony of Tulsi Vivah, tulsi is ceremonially married to Krishna annually on the eleventh day of the waxing moon or twelfth of the month of Kartika in the lunar calendar. This day also marks the end of the four-month Cāturmāsya period, which is considered inauspicious for weddings and other rituals, so the day inaugurates the annual marriage season in India. The ritual lighting of lamps each evening during Kartika includes the worship of the tulsi plant, which is held to be auspicious for the home. Vaishnavas especially follow the daily worship of tulsi during Kartika.

Vaishnavs traditionally use japa malas made from tulsi stems or roots, which are an important symbol of initiation. Tulsi malas are considered to be auspicious for the wearer, and believed to put them under the protection of Hanuman. They have such a strong association with Vaishnavas, that followers of Hanuman are known as "those who bear the tulasi round the neck".  Sabarimla pilgrims are wearing Tulsi Mala when they starts their fasting and up to the end of the pilgrim day.

Thulsi in Ayurveda

Tulsi has been used for thousands of years in Ayurveda for its diverse healing properties. It is mentioned in the Charaka Samhita, an ancient Ayurvedic text. Tulsi is considered to be an adaptogen, balancing different processes in the body, and helpful for adapting to stress. Marked by its strong aroma and astringent taste, it is regarded in Ayurveda as a kind of "elixir of life" and believed to promote longevity.  Tulsi extracts are used in ayurvedic remedies for a variety of ailments.

Traditionally, tulsi is taken in many forms: as herbal tea, dried powder, fresh leaf or mixed with ghee. Essential oil extracted from Karpoora tulsi is mostly used for medicinal purposes and in herbal cosmetics, and is widely used in skin preparations.  For centuries, the dried leaves of Tulsi have been mixed with stored grains to repel insects.

Tulsi Cuisine

The variety of Tulsi used in Thai cuisine is referred to as Thai holy basil (กะเพรา kaphrao); it is not to be confused with Thai basil, which is a variety of Ocimum basilicum. The leaves of holy basil, known as kaphrao in the Thai language (กะเพรา), are commonly used in Thai cuisine. Kaphrao should not be confused with horapha (โหระพา), which is normally known as Thai basil, or with Thai lemon basil (maenglak; แมงลัก).

Health Benefit of Tulsi

Tulsi oil has antioxidant properties that may explain its effectiveness in reducing the damaging effects of stress on the body. To benefit from their health promoting effects of Tulsi, nibble on a few leaves every day. You can also use holy basil freely in your cooking and in making freshly brewed tea.  

Grow your own Tulsi plant

Grow your own plant from seeds or cuttings. Place the seeds between warm, moist paper towels for a day, and then plant them a half-inch below the surface in rich potting soil. A sprout will start to break through in 10 days. Once the plant reaches a height of about 12 inches, you can 1) pinch back any flowers to keep it from going to seed; or 2) allow the plant to seed and start a new generation.