Category Archives: Astronomy

Shortcuts in Space-Time

Posted on March 17, 2013 by

Beth and I watched a documentary called How William Shatner Changed the World, hosted by Shatner and about how scientists and inventors were inspired by Star Trek. Honestly, I had trouble staying awake through the whole thing, but not because … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, Science, Star Trek | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Crow and the Cup

Posted on June 30, 2012 by

Since I mentioned the constellation Corvus in a recent post, I might as well say a little more about the mythology surrounding this constellation. If you recall, Corvus is also the main villain of Dragon Quest IX, as the Celestrians … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, Babylonian, Dragon Quest, Greek Mythology, Mythology, Video Games | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Nature Is Satan’s Church

Posted on June 27, 2012 by

Beth, in her quest to watch the most disturbing movies, recently had me watch Lars von Trier’s Antichrist and Melancholia. I’m not sure I’d place either of these in the horrifically disturbing category, despite some very difficult to watch scenes … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, Catholicism, Christianity, Religion, Science, VoVat Goes to the Movies | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Orion’s Origins

Posted on December 4, 2011 by

Orion is perhaps the most visible constellation in the night sky these days (well, at least in the Northern Hemisphere), due largely to the three stars known as Orion’s Belt, which have also been called the Three Wise Men. While … Continue reading →

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The Doctor Is In

Posted on November 26, 2011 by

One god who doesn’t get discussed all that much but has had a lasting impact on our culture is Asclepius, the god of physicians. Actually, early sources, such as the Homeric Hymns, refer to him not as a god, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, Greek Mythology, Medicine, Mythology, Roman, Science | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Solar System Really Turns Me On

Posted on October 5, 2011 by

Is there a link between the seven-day week and the visible planets, as the names of the days indicate? I’d seen it suggested that this connection dates back to the Babylonians, as they had a seven-day week and had identified … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, Babylonian, Greek Mythology, Mythology, Norse, Roman, Science | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Mooning Bill O’Reilly

Posted on February 25, 2011 by

You probably know by now about Bill O’Reilly’s insistence that there must be a god because we don’t know how tides work. When someone told him it was the moon, his reaction was, “Well, where did the moon come from, … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, Catholicism, Christianity, Fox News, Fundamentalism, Mythology, Religion, Science, Television | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Bored in Hyperborea

Posted on December 4, 2010 by

In Greek mythology, it was said that the land of Hyperborea lay far to the north of the lands the myth-makers knew. The name means “beyond the north wind,” and it was regarded as being to the north of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, Christmas, Greek Mythology, Holidays, Mythology, Science | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments