Thursday, February 23, 2017

Venus and Mars are Alright Tonight!


This picture shows the view in the west-southwestern sky about an hour after sunset on Feb 20, 2017 in Alexandria, VA. About 30 degrees above the horizon, one notices a brightly glowing planet: Venus. Above and to the left of Venus, about 7 degrees away, is a fainter, redder planet: that would be Mars.

Venus and Mars are alright tonight!





The celestial dance of ultra-feminine Venus and the combative, uber male, Mars has fired up human imagination since time immemorial. The Roman myth of Venus and Mars is familiar to most of us. Venus, the Goddess of Love has a passionate affair with Mars, the God of War. Together they have a beautiful daughter, the Goddess Harmonia. But like love itself, the story of Venus and Mars is much more complicated than it would seem on the surface.

Venus is betrothed to pragmatic and hard-nosed Vulcan, Roman God of Fire, but she finds him too prosaic. She has a passionate affair with Mars. But Vulcan discovers what is going on. Being a blacksmith, he fashions a fine metallic mesh which ensnares Venus and Mars on a couch. They are then both humiliated in front of the other gods on Mount Olympus. 

Yin and Yang. Men are from Mars and women are from Venus. In the long run, life did not work out well for these two star-crossed lovers. But tonight? Tonight, Venus and Mars are alright!







Sitting in the stand of the sports arena
Waiting for the show to begin
Red lights, green lights, strawberry wine
A good friend of mine, follow the stars
Venus and Mars are alright tonight


Standing in the hall of the great cathedral 
Waiting for the transport to come 
Starship two-one-ZNA-nine 
A good friend of mine studies the stars 
Venus and Mars are alright tonight






Any time, any day, you can hear the people say that love is blind
well, I don't know but I say love is kind 

Soldier boy kisses girl, leaves behind a tragic world but he won't mind, 
he's in love and he says love is fine 

and love is fine for all we know, for all we know our love will grow, 
that's what the man said









Notes:

Garry Beckstrom's guide to exploring the night sky: http://www.beckstromobservatory.com/whats-up-in-tonights-sky-2/


Charles J. Harwood, the forbidden love of Venus and Mars: https://sites.google.com/site/charlesjharwood/forbidden-love-of-venus-and-mars

Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus (1992) is a book written by American author and relationship counselor John Gray.

Lyrics for the title song to The Wings' 1975 album Venus and Mars: Paul McCartney - Venus & Mars Lyrics | MetroLyrics

Listen to the whole album: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKWZP9dSjIc

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