My Grandfather

The end of one year and the beginning of the next seems an opportune time to look back and look forward.

My paternal grandfather, Raymond Cornelius Hands, Sr. was born in Independence, Missouri on the 25th of March in 1896. The first son of William Oscar Hands and Bertha Frances Mills, my grandfather (R. C.) served as a civil engineer during World War I, and later became an active leader in his church. He died in St. Louis early September 1978.

My father, Raymond Cornelius Hands, Jr, was born June 19, 1927 in St. Louis, the oldest son of R.C. and Elizabeth Pearl Archibald. Dad served in the Navy during World War II and afterward became one excellent salesman. He and Mom live about 100 miles away. I like to take my guitar and play for Mom and Dad as we visit.

Even though Dad’s memory of me seems to fade quicker every time I see him, I think he enjoys singing along with me. We started with my first song, “Wild Thing.” “You Are My Sunshine” and “Love Me Tender” have been added to our repertoire. I try to have a new song each time, but he also enjoys singing the older songs.

Several weeks ago I drove down and played the guitar for him. Dad and I had a good time. The next day Dad told my Mom that his father had come to see him just yesterday. I became my grandfather.

That metaphor seems so simple, yet so wonderful.

I became my grandfather.

I love my Mom and Dad and I’m thankful for every minute I get to spend with them.

Happy New Year, Mom and Dad.

Happy New Year to everyone.

May you all be in touch with your inner grandparent.

End of the Decade

Katie Couric of the CBS Evening News did it. People magazine did it. Even my minister did it.

Couric said that one good thing about this decade is that it’s almost over. People has the “Best of the Decade.”

Now, I’m all in favor of parties, and if we want a party to commemorate the roll-over of a zero, let’s do it.

But “the” decade ends after next year, at the end of 2010.

Let’s pretend we’re counting the railroad cars passing by at the crossing.
Are you ready? Here it comes. The first car we will call…wait for it…”one!” We don’t call the first car “zero.”

There was no year “zero.” So “the” decade is one thru ten.

If we want to count any arbitrary ten years in a row a decade, that’s fine, too. A decade is ten years. People magazine helps a bit by adding “2000-2009” but then it just becomes wrong, doesn’t it?

“The” decade is the ten years beginning with one and ending with ten.

Math is so hard.

The next ground shaking cultural issue to address:
Should we call next year “Twenty-ten” or Two thousand ten”?

Preparing for Christmas Night Observing

Barbara warned me that guests to the observatory tonight may ask about the Christmas star. How do I plan to respond?

My first inclination was to attempt to debunk myths, but after reflection, that tactic seemed pointless.

From some quick research I learn that many Biblical scholars place the time of Jesus' birth in late 3 B.C.E., specifically between September 10th and September 25th. Some say the Magi were politicians from Persia, some say they were astrologers. If the Wise Men were believers in the influence of the relative positions of the planets on the celestial sphere, the star of Christmas may have been lees a sight in the sky and more a sign in their charts.

Modern planetarium software allows astronomers to "see" the sky years into the future and years into the past. During September of 3 B.C.E. then in February and again in May of 2 B.C.E. the King of the planets, Jupiter, moved past the bright star Regulus three times. Superior planets go thru retrograde motion because of the geometry of Earth's inner orbit and their outer orbits. After being hidden in the sunlight, Jupiter moved past Regulus, slowed, reversed direction and moved past Regulus again, then finally slowed, stopped and continued in its original direction among the background stars.

Blue-white Regulus is associated with royalty, and to have the King of planets wander past Regulus three times in less than a year could certainly be a noteworthy sight. Regulus is the brightest star in the constellation Leo, an important star group for the tribe of Judah in Israel.

On Christmas night 2009 Regulus will rise late in the evening. Jupiter will set early.

And now it has begun to rain. Forecasts call for the rain to continue thru the night.

Maybe next Christmas we can share the stories.