Ephemeris: 08/13/2026 – The Milky Way seen in two cultures
This is Ephemeris for International Left-Handers Day, Thursday, August 13th. Today the Sun will be up for 14 hours and 8 minutes, setting at 8:51, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:44. The Moon, 1 day past new, will set at 9:22 this evening.
In the folk tales of many lands and cultures the Milky Way has been seen as either a stream or pathway. The term we get for it, the Milky Way, is that it is a stream of milk from the breasts of the Egyptian goddess Nut, the goddess of the sky.
The Anishinaabe native peoples of our area gave it several names: Jiibay-Miikana, The Spirit Road, or Jiibay-ziibi, River of souls, Both for the journey of souls to the afterlife. Or Binesiwi-miikana, Thunderbird’s path. This last is interesting, because in spring as the Milky Way rises from the southeast it beckons migrating birds northward, and in autumn as the Milky Way sinks to the southwest, it bids them to fly southward to warmer climes.
The astronomical event times given in this blog are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (Lat 44.7° N, Long 85.7° W; EDT, UT – 4 hours) unless stated otherwise. Times will be different for other locations.
Addendum
Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog 