The Moon and The Pleiades Sail Together Through the Starry Night

The Moon and the Pleiades sailed across the night sky all night last night, Oct 24, from moon rise to moon set. The moon lead the procession only slightly and they were separated by only 2-3 degrees or so, as they traveled from the eastern horizon to the west horizon.

They can be seen in close company again tonight, October 25, as the Pleiades leads the way, but they will be separated by about 7 degrees.

After tonight, they distance themselves from each other and won't be seen together in very close company until spring of next year at the beginning month of the biblical year. 

 

Here's an image from the Stellarium Astronomy program programmed for the night of October 25 shown from Apalachicola, Florida. You can download Stellarium from http://.sourceforge.net

Download Stellarium at http://.sourceforge.net

What About the Level Horned Crescent Theory?

What About the Beginning of Yahuwah’s Biblical Year

Is the Level Horned Crescent seen in the northern hemisphere the sign for the whole world for the beginning of the biblical year?

The Level Horned Crescent Theory

There is a theory circulating among some of those seeking the truth of Yahuwah, that the level horned crescent is the signal for the beginning of the biblical year in the spring. Is the level horned crescent the signal, and is it the truth? Let’s examine a little further.

What Causes the Level Horned Crescent?

In the northern hemisphere, in the latitudes that most of the populace resides, there is a point at which the days and nights become of approximate equal length. This point is generally around latitude 35 deg North or so. Above or below this latitude, the lengths of day and night will fluctuate by some minutes and hours, and eventually days.

Around this latitude of 35 deg North, March 16 is the day that the days and nights are about the same in length. This is the day that the first visible crescent (if it were seen on this day) would appear almost perfectly horizontal or level, with both horns pointing up. The equal day and night formula is the only thing that causes the horned crescent to appear level, meaning that the sun is directly under the moon at sunset. If the visible crescent moon were to appear on March 16, directly over the setting sun, it would for all intent and purpose, be exactly horizontal or level.

What does the Level Horned Crescent mean?

The only reason that this sign is taken to mean something, is that it generally coincides with the new moon nearest the vernal equinox, usually March 21/22. (This reckoning, nearest the vernal equinox, is used by many to determine the beginning of the year on Yahuwah’s calendar, but is it the correct method?)  It is not the proximity to the equinox that causes the moon to appear level or horizontal. It is the proximity to the day when the when the length of the day and night are equal, around March 16 at latitude 35 deg North.

Testing the theory by changing latitudes

What happens in the southern hemisphere when we have the beginning of the biblical year in spring in the northern hemisphere? Is the signal of the level horned crescent the same “down under?”

Since I reside in the USA and generally have my focus there, lets look at a latitude in the southern hemisphere that generally corresponds with my longitude. I chose Santiago, Chile, which is only generally similar in longitude, but more closely related in latitude, since it is located at 33 deg South approx. This puts it about the same position in the southern hemisphere corresponding to my latitude in the northern hemisphere. (Although I am actually just north of 29 deg North in Apalachicola Florida)

But the question is, what is happening in Santiago when we are having spring? If you remember your science from high school, you’ll remember that Santiago, i.e. the southern hemisphere, is experiencing the shifting into the fall season, as we are entering into the spring season. So what does this do to the theory of the level horned crescent.

Spring in northern hemisphere; fall in southern hemisphere

Santiago Chile March 18 2010

  

Here’s an image from the astronomy program Stellarium, a free download from http://sourceforge.net

As you can see, when we are entering the spring in the northern hemisphere and see a level horned crescent here, it is not the same in the southern hemisphere. In the fall in the southern hemisphere, the visible crescent at the new moon appears as it does in the 7^th month in the northern hemisphere. The only difference is that it is a “MIRROR IMAGE,” appearing in the reverse image of what it appears here in the 7^th month. You can tell as the moon is illuminated from the opposite side that it is in the northern hemisphere.

 

Fall in southern hemisphere; spring in northern hemisphere

Santiago, Chile Sep 9 2010

 

In the fall in the southern hemisphere, the visible crescent nearest the autumnal equinox appears as a level horned crescent, similar to how it appears in the spring in the northern hemisphere.

 

Is the “level horned crescent” the signal for the beginning of Yahuwah’s biblical year for the WHOLE world?

Given the variations and appearances in the astronomy between the northern and southern hemisphere, and the opposing scenarios of the visible crescent moon, the question has to be asked;

Is the visible crescent moon, nearest the vernal equinox, in the northern hemisphere, appearing as a level horned crescent, the signal for the WHOLE world to begin the biblical year as Yahuwah ordained?

Personally, I don’t believe this is the sign, but I will leave that for you to decide.

And here’s one more question for you to ponder. Does the biblical year begin in the southern hemisphere when we begin it in the northern hemisphere? Or does it begin in their spring? This question rises of course, because the level horned crescent sign is not the same for them.

Please feel free to email me with comments, feedback or questions.

The Pleiades: What Are The Odds?

Job 38:31  Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades

Introduction

This article discusses the possible involvement of the Pleiades in the determination of Yahuwah’s calendar of scripture for the beginning of the biblical year in the spring. It also questions the astronomical odds of this event happening not once, but twice each year.

Astronomical Odds

What are the odds of the moon and the Pleiades appearing near each other, not once, but twice a year, exactly six months apart?

And if that is not enough to boggle your thinking, what are the odds of it happening twice a year, then a third time in the second or third year to indicate the need for a 13^th month? Let’s have a closer look. There are some very remarkable characteristics about the Pleiades, considering the astronomy, but first some background.

The Pleiades in the Holy Bible

We find the Pleiades mentioned only twice in Yahuwah’s Holy Scriptures in the book of Job. It makes it seem almost insignificant, considering it’s lack of notoriety. So, with barely a mention, does the Pleiades have any significance to us today.

A Connection between Moses and the Pleiades

Earlier this year, I uncovered some interesting information about the Pleiades and wrote a paper that possibly connects some dots between Moses and the Pleaides and Yahuwah’s calendar. You can see that article, as well as a related article here:

http://yahwehstruelunarsabbathcalendar.blogspot.com/2010/03/moses-pleiades-and-nebra-sky-disk-what.html

http://yahwehstruelunarsabbathcalendar.blogspot.com/2010/07/german-astronomer-confirms-possible_4400.html

Astronomy of the moon and the Pleiades

The astronomy of the Pleiades confirms a particular aspect that seems more than just coincidental to Yah’s Calendar in the heavens. Our moon and the Pleiades make an appearance together, that is in close proximity to each other, twice a year. This happens once in the spring and again in the fall, 6 months apart.

Pleiades and the visible crescent moon in the spring

In the spring, the new visible crescent moon is seen in conjunction or close proximity to the Pleiades in what strongly suggests the first month of the biblical year. They are seen traveling, seemingly together, shortly after the appearance of the first visible crescent, usually 2-3 days following the conjunction, as the moon is setting in the western sky, just after sunset. This is true whether you are in the northern, or southern, hemispheres.

Pleiades and the full Moon in the fall

In the fall, the full moon is seen in conjunction or close proximity to the Pleiades, exactly 6 months later, or in the 7^th month of the biblical  calendar. This is a confirmation that the year was begun at the correct time. If you see this event, and you are not in the 7^th month of the biblical calendar, you may have begun the year prematurely, placing you in the 6^th month in your calculated calendar. Appearance of the moon and the Pleiades together in the fall of the year also gives you a reckoning point to know when the 1^st month of the next year will begin. It’s a win-win situation in both cases.

Pleiades confirms beginning and middle of Yah’s calendar year

If you begin the biblical year a month too early, you will find that by the time you reach the 7^th month on your calendar, you will not see the moon and the Pleaides rise together in alignment. This is because you are probably in the 6^th month of the year and not the 7^th.

When the full moon rises near and in alignment with the Pleiades, it confirms and signals two events. First, it confirms that your calendar is in the correct 7^th month of the calendar.

Second, it should give you the signal for the beginning of the 1^st month of the next year, 177 days from the new moon of the 7^th month. Either way, the appearance of the Pleiades in close alignment with the moon signals and confirms the beginning and middle of the year on Yah’s calendar. And it does that from any place on earth. It is not location specific or limiting.

You can read more about the background on the Pleiades in the articles linked above.

Astronomical Odds of the moon and the Pleiades appearing together

Now for some astronomical odds about the Pleiades. Science tell us that the Pleiades is approximately 379 light years from earth. In other words, IF we could travel at the speed of light, it would take 379 years to get there. A little too far to begin a journey considering our short lifespan. The website www.wolframalpha.com puts the distance at 2.2 quadrillion miles.

Here’s some excerpted text (with slight editing) about our galaxy and the Pleiades from a paper by Clifton Emahiser:

Our Galaxy

“There are at least thirty billion stars in this one galaxy, which is shaped like a biconvex lens. Our own sun is one of the minor stars in this system, and its position is about 2/3rds of the way out toward one edge of the galaxy. We are some 30,000 light years away from the center of the galaxy.

Since  one  light  year  is  about  5,870,000,000,000  miles,  our  distance  from  the center  of  the  galaxy,  being  30,000  times  farther,  is  more  than  one  sextillion  miles.  In numerals it is 1,761 followed by 15 zeros. The entire galaxy, this vast lens shaped mass of  stars,  rotates  around  its  collective  center  of  gravity,  the  whole  galaxy  making  one rotation in about 200 million years.

The Pleiades

The center of gravity of the galaxy is marked by the star Alcyone, which is the brightest star in the star cluster known as the Pleiades. Considering that this is nearly two sextillion miles  away  from  us,  it  isn’t  easy  to  get  acquainted  with  it.  Our  knowledge  on  the subject  came  within  the  lifetime  of  men  still  alive.  It  is  amazing,  but  in  Job  38:31  Yahweh asks Job, ‘ Canst thou bind the sweet influence of Pleiades?' Yes, it is a sweet influence, for it keeps us on our course so we don't wander aimlessly through space until we collide with some mighty solar system. It is also worth noting that the Hebrew word for Pleiades, is kee-maw, which also means pivot or hinge.

http://emahiser.christogenea.org/site/

Scientists indicate that the Pleiades appear to be moving through space, yet never going anywhere. Moving, but not going anywhere. How could that happen?  Recently I questioned how this could occur and believe I may have stumbled on an answer.

Imagine a line from your eyes, looking not just at, but straight through and past the Pleiades, to the far side of the visible galaxy or universe, which science also tells us is rotating.

If the Pleaides is stationary (for purposes of demonstration) then the backdrop of the visible universe would not only appear to be moving, it would make the Pleiades appear to be moving against the backdrop. Hence the effect of the Pleiades seeming to move, but never going anywhere. It may be a little difficult at first to wrap your mind around that, but it does make sense.

Summary and conclusion

The distance between earth and the Pleiades is approximately 379 light years, or about 2 sextillion miles.

The Pleiades appears to be moving through space, turning as it would seem, as the hub of our known universe.

Yet, twice a year, our moon, a little over 2 quadrillion miles from the Pleiades mysteriously lines up with the Pleiades twice a year, six months apart.

This alignment of the moon and the Pleiades simply has to be more than coincidental, as it happens not once, but twice a year.

And now it appears that it also lines up a third time in alternate second and third years to signal the need to adjust the lunisolar year with an extra month.

What Are The Odds?

Given the astronomical facts of vast proportions and distances, what are the odds of this alignment happening right on schedule with Yahuwah’s calendar?

I’ll leave that for you to ponder. It certainly is a testament to the grandeur and order of Yahuwah.

Please feel free to email me with your thoughts or comments about this developing idea.

Paul W Puckett

October 23 2010

The Pleiades Confirms Yahuwah's Calendar of the Heavens

When the full moon rises in the evenings of Oct 24th and 25th, the 17th and 18th days of the 7th month on Yah's calendar this year, it will be in close proximity to the Pleaides, signaling confirmation of the 7th month.  This closeness of the full moon and the Pleiades did not occur in Sept-Oct, the 6th month of the biblical year, although some calendar followers celebrated the 7th month at that time.

The Pleaides signaled that a 13th month needed to be inserted in March-April of 2010,... thus confirming that April-May would be the first month of this year. If the year began in April-May, then Oct-Nov would be the 7th month, which we are in now. 

The moon will rise about 15 minutes slightly ahead and to the upper right of the Pleiades on the evening of the 24th , and slightly behind and to the lower left of the Pleiades by about 15 minutes on the evening of the 25th. 

It will take your eyes awhile to adjust to the night sky and you may not be able to see the Pleiades immediately upon rising, but you should be able to see it by about 9PM Eastern Time. Binoculars may be effective in helping to locate the Pleaides before you actually see the star cluster.

Feel free to drop me a note in an email if you are successful in spotting the Pleiades.

Here's a link to a more in-depth article on the Moses-Pleiades connection:
http://yahwehstruelunarsabbathcalendar.blogspot.com/2010/03/moses-pleiades-and-nebra-sky-disk-what.html
And here's another link to an article by an astronomer working on the Nebra Sky Disk project;
http://yahwehstruelunarsabbathcalendar.blogspot.com/2010/07/german-astronomer-confirms-possible_4400.html

Fasting and the Day of Atonement: It May Not Be What You Think!

If you believe fasting from food is the only command regarding the Day of Atonement, the linked study will open your eyes. Yahuwah desires so much more for us. As the Day of Atonement draws closer this year, I anticipate learning more about what Yahuwah desires for us in our relationship with Him. He is ever faithful to bring new insights when I am open and receptive to them.
Over the last couple of days, He has brought a study before me that caused me to reexamine my preconceived ideas and opinions of what I thought was meant by the Day of Atonement and particularly fasting on that day, which scripture appears to command. I quickly learned it was not what is presented and what I thought at all. In addition to overturning my thinking and believing, it is about so much more.

If you desire to be in closer relationship to Him, and desire to do His will, then this linked study (pdf download) is a must read.

Be blessed.

http://www.onetorahforall.com/Studies2010/Yom%20HaKippurim%20-%20updated%209-27-10.pdf

The Very Last Deception of Satan

Tossing out the Writings of Ellen White: Returning to Egypt

If you are a Seventh Day Adventist, or former SDA, and you have adopted the sunrise reckoning of the day, and daylight hours only for the Sabbath, you may have essentially fulfilled some of the end time prophecies of Ellen White. Ellen White told us that in the last days, near the end, that her writings, for all practical purposes, would be made void. The description of that fulfillment is found in the following quotes:

The very last deception of Satan will be to make of none effect the testimony of the Spirit of God. "Where there is no vision, the people perish" (Proverbs 29:18). Satan will work ingeniously, in different ways and through different agencies, to unsettle the confidence of God's remnant people in the true testimony. He will bring in spurious visions to mislead, and will mingle the false with the true, and so disgust people that they will regard everything that bears the name of visions as a species of fanaticism; but honest souls, by contrasting false and true, will be enabled to distinguish between them.  {10MR 311.1}  (Ellen White's writings are often referred to as the Testimony of the Spirit of God. They are meant to enhance or confirm the words of scripture.)

One of the most blatant references in the writings of Ellen White that show this distinction and fulfillment, has to do with the events surrounding the crucifixion of our saviour Yahushua. It is found in the following quote:

"That was a never-to-be-forgotten Sabbath to the sorrowing disciples, and also to the priests, rulers, scribes, and people. At the setting of the sun on the evening of the preparation day the trumpets sounded, signifying that the Sabbath had begun."  (Desire of Ages 775)


"From even unto even, shall ye celebrate your Sabbath." Said the angel: "Take the word of God, read it, understand, and ye cannot err. Read carefully, and ye shall there find what even is, and when it is. I asked the angel if the frown of God had been upon His people for commencing the Sabbath as they had. I was directed back to the first rise of the Sabbath, and followed the people of God up to this time, but did not see that the Lord was displeased, or frowned upon them. I inquired why it had been thus, that at this late day we must change the time of commencing the Sabbath. Said the angel: "Ye shall understand, but not yet, not yet." Said the angel: "If light come, and that light is set aside or rejected, then comes condemnation and the frown of God; but before the light comes, there is no sin, for there is no light for them to reject." I saw that it was in the minds of some that the Lord had shown that the Sabbath commenced at six o'clock, when I had only seen that it commenced at "even," and it was inferred that even was at six. I saw that the servants of God must draw together, press together. 


It is clear in the above statements, that the Sabbath (as well as all other days) begins at sunset. The statements support what has been observed for centuries by the Hebrews, albeit intermittent at times.

There are several implications, or problems when dealing with the statements above.

1. Sabbath, and all other biblical days begin at sunset, or Ellen White is wrong.

2. If Ellen White is wrong, and it's possible, then does this make her invalid as a prophet?

3. In any case, if she was accurate in this statement, and we disregard it's intended meaning, what have we done to her stature as a prophet? What have we done to the meanings of her words? And to the words of scripture? We may be on unholy or dangerous ground if we disregard, or even slightly twist the words and meanings to make them fit what we believe or want to believe.

In order to reckon the day by the rising of the sun, and observe the sabbath for only the daylight hours, we have to have TOTAL DISREGARD for the writings of Ellen White. We cannot pick and choose, using one principle here, another there, and tossing out what we don't like because it doesn't fit our framework of belief or thinking.

The Egyptians appear to have historically swapped the halves of the day, daylight, then darkness, instead of what appears to be the biblical reckoning of the day; darkness then daylight. So one has to ask; by using the sunrise reckoning of the day, beginning the day at sunrise, and observing the daylight hours only for the Sabbath, have we returned to EGYPT?

I admit the possibility that I could be wrong about this. If that proves to be the case, I will stand immediately corrected. In the meantime, Unless something absolutely concrete and without question surfaces, I will choose the path of least error. I will keep the hours that appear to be bibilically correct, sunset to sunset for the sabbath. I will observe the full 24 hour day as the sabbath until clear correction is made.

I'm keeping the part of the day sunrisers are anyhow, and one thing that I don't want to do, is to shortchange God on time and not be present when He has arranged to meet with me at a specifically appointed time.

(NOTE: Many verses in scripture are presented to "prove" the sunrise reckoning of the day. Most, if not all, are verses that can be interpreted in both ways; either sunrise reckoning or sunset reckoning. Because a verse can be interpreted in both ways, it does not make one position or the other valid unless the position can be supported by corroborating evidence.)