With all of our meteorologists and climatologists working round the clock, and our satellites keeping track of all of the patterns, it's nice to know that when the going gets tough, the tough go to Punxsutawney, Pa. to find out what's really going to happen.
Thousands of media folk from all over the country have stormed into the small town in Pennsylvania to watch a furry rodent look for his shadow, while thousands of humans party for days waiting for the critter to appear.
Feb. 2 is the day that the Marmota Monax will reign as king, as of course, it is Groundhog Day.
The infamous "Punxsutawney Phil" down in Pennsylvania probably couldn't care less about the stories surrounding this famous day, but most people recognize it as a holiday of sorts.
The word, woodchuck, comes from the Choctaw Indian word "shukka," meaning "hog." This word was changed to "chuck" with the arrival of the Europeans to North America, and the word "wood" described the place where the Indian hog was usually found. Some of these animals live in burrows in the ground, so the term "ground hog" soon came about.
Surprisingly, in reality, Ground Hog Day is astronomical in its roots.
Feb. 2 is what astronomers refer to as a "cross quarter" day. It's the day of the year when the earth is midway between the Winter Solstice and the Vernal or Spring Equinox. So this means that winter is half over. Back in the days when the sun was the only clock and calendar available, the early Celts referred to this holiday as Imbolog, while the Medieval Church called the holiday, Candlemas. During this church holiday, people brought candles to the church to be blessed, and this in turn determined the weather.
According to the blessing: "If Candlemas be fair and bright, come winter, have another flight! If Candlemas bring clouds and rain, go winter, and come not again." Exactly what this means, I'm not sure, but the second part of their holiday leads us to the ground hog, and in order to understand the "ground hog-as-meteorologist," one must dig (no pun intended) into the legends.
Early peoples kept a close eye on animals that hibernate. If they awoke from their sleep and stayed up, spring would begin early, and the people could get ready for an early planting season. If the animals would go back to their sleep, then winter would last a bit longer. Also, if the animal saw his shadow in the bright snow, then winter was still here, and he would go back to sleep for six more weeks.
When the German immigrants came here from Europe and settled in Pennsylvania, they brought with them many traditions and customs, including the one involving the animals. Since ground hogs were abundant in this region, it was this animal that was given the job to predict the coming of spring.
In reality, the ground hog is a true hibernator and does NOT wake up on Feb. 2, unless his burrow is heated or he is pulled out. The woodchuck usually sleeps from early October through early March. While in hibernation, the heart beats only about five times a minute, he takes one breath every few minutes, and the body temperature sinks into the 30s from a normal temperature in the mid 90s.
And don#'t let folks tell you that Groundhogs are responsible for the farmers horses breaking their legs while falling into holes in the field. Groundhogs usually dig their burrows on a slope, for a good vantage point, and the rodents are responsible for aerating literally thousands of tons of soil every year.
Yours truly had the chance to visit with "Phil" a few years ago.
Actually, there were three "Phils," and one "Phyllis," and depending on which one was not camera shy, one would be taken from the Punxsutawney Library, where they spend most of the year, out to Gobblers Knob a few miles out of town, to perform the annual ritual that we see on television. You can visit "Phil" any time of the year, in the library in a town that is totally "Groundhog Crazy." There are statues of groundhogs, the Groundhog Shopping Center, and Groundhog souvenir stores, where yours truly lost control of his wallet and bought everything from Groundhog refrigerator magnets to groundhog shaped cookie cutters. Even the police cars have the furry rodent painted on the side. It is definitely worth the trip.
Quite frankly, it doesn't really matter, whether old "Phil" sees his shadow or not of course, since here in central New York, snow can fall in May, regardless of what the ground hog says. Regardless, to celebrate this strange holiday, grab yourself a bottle of Woodchuck Cider (available at any local supermarket), rent the movie "Groundhog Day," and enjoy it; we're halfway to Spring.
And for those of you who have wondered about him, Aurelius Artie, "Cayuga County#'s Only Professional Groundhog," who lived in my house for three years, is buried in my old back yard in Cayuga.
Until next time, "Look to the Skies!"
February planet
visibility
Venus: Very bright and in the southwest after Sunset.
Mars: High in the southwest after Sunset.
Saturn: High in the south after it gets dark.
Jupiter: Low in the northeast after darkness.
February lunar phases
Phase Date Rises Sets
Full Moon Feb. 6 5:48 p.m. 7:51 a.m.
Last Quarter Feb. 13 12:56 a.m. 10:49 a.m.
New Moon Feb. 20 7:31 a.m. 6:10 p.m.
First Quarter Feb. 27 10:16 a.m. 12:47 a.m.
These times are for Auburn. Your times may vary slightly.
Stardates
Feb 1, 2003: Columbia breakup kills 7.
2nd: It's Groundhog Day!
3rd, 1966: First Lunar Landing, Luna I.
3rd: Moon Near Saturn.
6th: Full "snow moon."
8th: Moon Near Jupiter.
18th, 1930: Pluto discovered.
20th, 1962: John Glenn in orbit.
23rd: Moon near Venus.
26th: Moon Near Mars.
Steven LJ Russo, formerly of Cayuga, is the Planetarium Manager of the Suits-Bueche Planetarium at the Schenectady Museum. He can be contacted through his web site at http://www.look-to-the-skies.com
Feb. 2 is the day that the Marmota Monax will reign as king, as of course, it is Groundhog Day.
The infamous "Punxsutawney Phil" down in Pennsylvania probably couldn't care less about the stories surrounding this famous day, but most people recognize it as a holiday of sorts.
The word, woodchuck, comes from the Choctaw Indian word "shukka," meaning "hog." This word was changed to "chuck" with the arrival of the Europeans to North America, and the word "wood" described the place where the Indian hog was usually found. Some of these animals live in burrows in the ground, so the term "ground hog" soon came about.
Surprisingly, in reality, Ground Hog Day is astronomical in its roots.
Feb. 2 is what astronomers refer to as a "cross quarter" day. It's the day of the year when the earth is midway between the Winter Solstice and the Vernal or Spring Equinox. So this means that winter is half over. Back in the days when the sun was the only clock and calendar available, the early Celts referred to this holiday as Imbolog, while the Medieval Church called the holiday, Candlemas. During this church holiday, people brought candles to the church to be blessed, and this in turn determined the weather.
According to the blessing: "If Candlemas be fair and bright, come winter, have another flight! If Candlemas bring clouds and rain, go winter, and come not again." Exactly what this means, I'm not sure, but the second part of their holiday leads us to the ground hog, and in order to understand the "ground hog-as-meteorologist," one must dig (no pun intended) into the legends.
Early peoples kept a close eye on animals that hibernate. If they awoke from their sleep and stayed up, spring would begin early, and the people could get ready for an early planting season. If the animals would go back to their sleep, then winter would last a bit longer. Also, if the animal saw his shadow in the bright snow, then winter was still here, and he would go back to sleep for six more weeks.
When the German immigrants came here from Europe and settled in Pennsylvania, they brought with them many traditions and customs, including the one involving the animals. Since ground hogs were abundant in this region, it was this animal that was given the job to predict the coming of spring.
In reality, the ground hog is a true hibernator and does NOT wake up on Feb. 2, unless his burrow is heated or he is pulled out. The woodchuck usually sleeps from early October through early March. While in hibernation, the heart beats only about five times a minute, he takes one breath every few minutes, and the body temperature sinks into the 30s from a normal temperature in the mid 90s.
And don#'t let folks tell you that Groundhogs are responsible for the farmers horses breaking their legs while falling into holes in the field. Groundhogs usually dig their burrows on a slope, for a good vantage point, and the rodents are responsible for aerating literally thousands of tons of soil every year.
Yours truly had the chance to visit with "Phil" a few years ago.
Actually, there were three "Phils," and one "Phyllis," and depending on which one was not camera shy, one would be taken from the Punxsutawney Library, where they spend most of the year, out to Gobblers Knob a few miles out of town, to perform the annual ritual that we see on television. You can visit "Phil" any time of the year, in the library in a town that is totally "Groundhog Crazy." There are statues of groundhogs, the Groundhog Shopping Center, and Groundhog souvenir stores, where yours truly lost control of his wallet and bought everything from Groundhog refrigerator magnets to groundhog shaped cookie cutters. Even the police cars have the furry rodent painted on the side. It is definitely worth the trip.
Quite frankly, it doesn't really matter, whether old "Phil" sees his shadow or not of course, since here in central New York, snow can fall in May, regardless of what the ground hog says. Regardless, to celebrate this strange holiday, grab yourself a bottle of Woodchuck Cider (available at any local supermarket), rent the movie "Groundhog Day," and enjoy it; we're halfway to Spring.
And for those of you who have wondered about him, Aurelius Artie, "Cayuga County#'s Only Professional Groundhog," who lived in my house for three years, is buried in my old back yard in Cayuga.
Until next time, "Look to the Skies!"
February planet
visibility
Venus: Very bright and in the southwest after Sunset.
Mars: High in the southwest after Sunset.
Saturn: High in the south after it gets dark.
Jupiter: Low in the northeast after darkness.
February lunar phases
Phase Date Rises Sets
Full Moon Feb. 6 5:48 p.m. 7:51 a.m.
Last Quarter Feb. 13 12:56 a.m. 10:49 a.m.
New Moon Feb. 20 7:31 a.m. 6:10 p.m.
First Quarter Feb. 27 10:16 a.m. 12:47 a.m.
These times are for Auburn. Your times may vary slightly.
Stardates
Feb 1, 2003: Columbia breakup kills 7.
2nd: It's Groundhog Day!
3rd, 1966: First Lunar Landing, Luna I.
3rd: Moon Near Saturn.
6th: Full "snow moon."
8th: Moon Near Jupiter.
18th, 1930: Pluto discovered.
20th, 1962: John Glenn in orbit.
23rd: Moon near Venus.
26th: Moon Near Mars.
Steven LJ Russo, formerly of Cayuga, is the Planetarium Manager of the Suits-Bueche Planetarium at the Schenectady Museum. He can be contacted through his web site at http://www.look-to-the-skies.com
The Citizens' Say
There are No comments posted.