The morning clears my head

kw: observations, astronomy

I awoke a couple hours earlier than usual, and fell right into one of those paranoid thought-spirals. It isn't worth trying to get back to sleep when that happens.

I got up, dressed and went outside. Our extraordinary weather along the mid-Atlantic is holding: cool and clear, very refreshing. As I walked about, I noted that the Summer triangle (Deneb-Altair-Vega) was almost right overhead. These stars are high in the early evening sky all Summer. Jupiter was near the past-full Moon, and I noted that Venus has now joined Mars as a morning star. Both were a few degrees above (Zenith-ward from) Aldebaran.

I missed the conjunction of Venus, Mars and the crescent Moon just over three weeks ago. Though I hope I sleep better this Thursday, that morning Venus and Aldebaran will rise together.

Such thoughts and the cool morning air were sufficient to "clear the air" inside my head also, and I was ready for an early breakfast.