Mountain Views News, Pasadena Edition [Sierra Madre] Saturday, October 22, 2016

THE WORLD AROUND US

10

Mountain Views-News Saturday, October 22, 2016 


CURIOUS TILT OF THE SUN TRACED TO UNDISCOVERED PLANET

Planet Nine—the undiscovered planet at the 
edge of the solar system predicted by Caltech’s 
Konstantin Batygin and Mike Brown in 
January 2016—appears to be responsible for the 
unusual tilt of the Sun.

 The large and distant planet may be adding 
a wobble to the solar system, giving the 
appearance that the Sun is tilted slightly.

 “Because Planet Nine is so massive and has 
an orbit tilted compared to the other planets, 
the solar system has no choice but to slowly 
twist out of alignment,” says Elizabeth Bailey, a 
graduate student at Caltech and lead author of 
a study announcing the discovery.

 All of the planets orbit in a flat plane with 
respect to the Sun, roughly within a couple 
degrees of each other. That plane, however, 
rotates at a six-degree tilt with respect to the 
Sun—giving the appearance that the Sun itself 
is cocked at an angle. Until now, no one had 
found a compelling explanation to produce 
such an effect. “It’s such a deep-rooted mystery 
and so difficult to explain that people just don’t 
talk about it,” says Brown, Caltech’s Richard 
and Barbara Rosenberg Professor of Planetary 
Astronomy.

 Brown and Batygin’s discovery of evidence 
that the Sun is orbited by an as-yet-unseen 
planet—about 10 times the size of Earth with 
an orbit about 20 times farther from the Sun on 
average than Neptune’s—changes the physics. 

 Planet Nine, based on their calculations, 
appears to orbit at about 30 degrees off from the 
other planets’ orbital plane. This tilt influences 
the orbits of a large population of objects in the 
Kuiper Belt—which is the reason Brown and 
Batygin came to suspect a planet existed there 
in the first place.

 “It continues to amaze us; every time we look 
carefully we continue to find that Planet Nine 
explains something about the solar system 
that had long been a mystery,” says Batygin, an 
assistant professor of planetary science.

 The tilt of the solar system’s orbital plane has 
long befuddled astronomers because of the way 
the planets formed: as a spinning cloud slowly 
collapsing first into a disk and then into objects 
orbiting a central star.

 Planet Nine’s angular momentum is having 
an outsized impact on the solar system based 
on its location and size. A planet’s angular 
momentum equals the mass of an object 
multiplied by its distance from the Sun, and 
corresponds with the force that the planet 
exerts on the overall system’s spin. Because the 
other planets in the solar system all exist along 
a flat plane, their angular momentum works to 
keep the whole disk spinning smoothly.

 Planet Nine’s unusual orbit, however, adds 
a multi-billion-year wobble to that system. 
Mathematically, given the hypothesized size 
and distance of Planet Nine, a six-degree tilt 
fits perfectly, Brown says.

 The next question, then, is how did Planet 
Nine achieve its unusual orbit? Though that 
remains to be determined, Batygin suggests 
that the planet may have been ejected from 
the neighborhood of the gas giants by Jupiter, 
or perhaps may have been influenced by the 
gravitational pull of other stellar bodies in the 
solar system’s extreme past.

 For now, Brown and Batygin continue to 
work with colleagues throughout the world to 
search the night sky for signs of Planet Nine 
along the path they predicted in January. That 
search, Brown says, may take three years or 
more.

 

 You can contact Bob Eklund at: b.eklund@
MtnViewsNews.com. 


CHRISTOPHER Nyerges

OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder

THE ROOTS OF HALLOWE’EN

Is it possible to celebrate a pre-commercialized version?

A CUP OF JOE SAYS A LOT 
ABOUT US

[Nyerges is the author of several books 
including “How to Survive Anywhere,” 
“Extreme Simplicity,” and “Foraging 
California.” Information about his 
books and classes is available at www.
SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com.]

 Recently, I was part of a 
conversation where our small group 
wondered, How was this Holy Day commemorated before it was all 
commercialized into a scary night? Is it possible to observe this Holy Day 
in a similar fashion today?

 We determined that we’d need to dig up whatever historical facts we 
could find that show how this day was commemorated before 1700, more 
or less. Though we couldn’t be 100% certain, we at least assumed that 
“commercialization” didn’t really exist in 1700, and all the European and 
some American commemorations before that year probably retained 
some semblance of what the day was all about, originally.

 So, first, let’s begin with the day.

 It is believed that the ancient Celts observed something called a 
“Samhain festival” towards the end of October. Says the World Book 
Encyclopedia. “The Celts believed that the dead could walk among 
the living at this time. During Samhain, the living could visit with the 
dead. Elements of the customs can be traced to a Druid ceremony in 
pre-Christian times. The Celts had festivals for two major gods—a sun 
god and a god of the dead (called Samhain), whose festival was held on 
November 1, the beginning of the Celtic New Year.

 This day, or period, was to mark the end of the harvest and the 
beginning of winter. 

 Samhain (pronounced “sow-in,” which means “summer’s end,” or 
the name of a god, or both) is seen by some Wiccans as a time to celebrate 
the lives of those who have died, and it often involves paying respect to 
ancestors, family members, elders of the faith, friends, pets and other loved 
ones who have died. In some rituals the spirits of the dead are invited to 
attend the festivities.

 Various sorts of activities done on Samhain have been described over 
the centuries. In Ireland, Samhain was a time to take stock of the herds and 
food supplies. Cattle were brought to the winter pastures after six months 
in the higher summer pastures. Then, the people chose which animals to 
slaughter before the winter. After the slaughter of the animals, there would 
be feasting. And obviously, if you aren’t an animal-raising farmer, how 
would you celebrate this aspect, except for the feasting?

 The Catholic Church was aware of all the so-called “pagan” 
observances, and had their own day to commemorate the dead, May 
13. This began in 609 or 610 C.E., when Pope Boniface the 4th dedicated 
the Pantheon— the Roman temple of all the gods—to Mary and all the 
martyrs. Later that date was changed by Pope Gregory III (731-741 C.E.), 
who dedicated a chapel in Rome to all the saints and ordered that they be 
honored on November 1. This was done, in part, to overshadow the pre-
existing Samhain commemorations.

 In the 11th century, November 2nd was assigned as “All Souls’ Day” in 
commemoration of the dead. So this began the use of the term Hallow’s 
Eve, or Hallowe’en for October 31.

 Hallowe’en customs are similar to the observance of Dia de los 
Muertos or Day of the Dead, commonly practiced in Mexico and which 
can be traced to early Aztec times. Apparently, this “day of the dead” 
was originally commemorated in Mexico in May, and was changed to 
November 2 sometime after Spanish contact to correspond with the 
Christian tradition.

FOOD and GIFTING

 Trick or treating in modern times goes back to leaving food and wine 
for roaming dead spirits and ghosts. The custom was referred to as “going 
a-souling” and was eventually practiced only by the children who would 
visit the houses in their neighborhoods and be given gifts of ale, food and 
money. It was believed the spirits of the dead returned to visit their old 
homes during this time, so in ancient times, people left food out for them 
and arranged chairs so that the dead would be able to rest. 

 Treats called “soul cakes” were given out in memory of the departed. 
The Middle Age practice of souling — going door to door begging for 
food in return for prayers — became popular and is even referenced by 
William Shakespeare in 1593. This is obviously the root of the modern 
“trick or treating” for mini Snickers bars, a practice no doubt loved by every 
dentist.

 Seasonal foods such as apples and nuts were often used in the Samhain 
rituals. Apples were peeled, the peel tossed over the shoulder, and its shape 
examined to see if it formed the first letter of the future spouse’s name. 
Nuts were roasted on the hearth and then interpreted – if the nuts stayed 
together, so would the couple. Egg whites were dropped in water, and the 
shapes foretold the number of future children. Children would also chase 
crows and divine some of these things from the number of birds or the 
direction they flew. 

COSTUMES

 Celts would wear masks when they left their homes during the night 
hours during Samhain days, because they hoped they would avoid being 
recognized by the ghosts and be mistaken merely for fellow ghosts. 

 “Mumming” and “Guising” were a part of Samhain from at least 
the 16th century and was recorded in parts of Ireland, Scotland, Mann 
and Wales. It involved people going from house to house in costume 
(or in disguise), usually reciting songs or verses in exchange for food. It is 
suggested that it evolved from a tradition whereby people impersonated 
the aos sí, or the souls of the dead, and received offerings on their behalf. 
Impersonating these spirits or souls was also believed to protect oneself 
from them. One researcher suggests that the ancient festival included 
people in masks or costumes representing these spirits, and that the 
modern custom came from this.

PARADES

 Pagan Celtic priestesses and their followers would roam the 
countryside, chanting songs in order to frighten away the evil spirits 
thought to be out on Halloween night. I wonder how that could be 
practiced in your neighborhood?

FIRES

 Bonfires were a big part of the festival in many areas of western Europe. 
Bonfires were typically lit on hilltops at Samhain where everyone could see 
them, and there were rituals involving them.

Bonfires comes from the root, “bone-fires” because the priests sacrificed 
animals and supposedly even people in an attempt to appease the sun 
god, while also looking for future omens. The fire was said to be a type 
of sympathetic magic, where the fire mimicked the sun, which has the 
power to hold back the darkness of winter. Burning the fires was also 
believed to be a way of banishing evil, at least symbolically.

DIVINATION

 Divination has likely been a part of the festival since ancient times, and 
it has survived in some rural areas. In part, this meant that the spirits, the 
aos sí., could enter your world. Many of the food offerings and fires were 
directed to the aos sí. Or perhaps, some of the crops might also be left in 
the ground for them the aos sí. The aos sí.were addressed in various ways, 
with food offerings, with walks into the ocean, with the idea to hold off any 
mischief, and perhaps to learn the future.

 The belief that the souls of the dead return home on one night of 
the year seems to have ancient origins and is found in many cultures 
throughout the world.

CONCLUSION

 So what do you conclude from all this? Is there an ideal way 
to commemorate this ancient day, and still avoid the trappings of 
commercialization? Is it even possible?

 I like the way that the Day of the Dead is commemorated. 
There are altars with pictures of the dearly departed, and plates 
of good food. Candles are lit, rather than a big bonfire which the 
local fire department would frown upon. Families gather, and 
talk in respectful tones about their departed relatives. Yes, of 
course, even the Day of the Dead has turned into wild partying 
in some quarters, but if you seek a return to roots of the ancient 
commemoration of the dead, perhaps begin here. Begin with 
family or neighborhood gatherings. Prepare a good meal, and 
keep in the mind the foods that your beloved departeds enjoyed. 
This is not necessarily because you think their spirits will come 
to eat (last I checked, ghosts don’t need to eat), but because 
having, for example, your mother’s favorite dish will give you 
another reason to talk about your mother, and to remember all 
the good things she did. 

This is at least a start, and it elevates our day of ghoulish and pointless fear-
mongering into one that reconnects us with our roots.

This week I came face-to-face with a genuine 
dilemma. I had several meetings across town and 
for some reason I miscalculated and ended up 
with a 2-1/2 hour gap between meetings. I hate 
to waste time, but if I drove back to my office, I 
would simply have to return to my meeting later 
and with the cost of gas these days, one cannot be 
too cautious.

You know gas is getting high when it costs more 
to fill up the car than the car is actually worth. 
The most valuable thing in my car is in my gas 
tank.

 I remedied the situation by stopping in a 
small coffee shop for a cup of Joe. As far as I am 
concerned, there is no bad time to have a cup of 
coffee, in spite of the price. I ordered my coffee 
and when the waitress brought it, I began to think 
about coffee. Why did God give us coffee?

 Then my mind went back to my grandfather, 
whose greatest gift to me was a love of coffee. 
Nobody loved coffee more. I remember one of his 
favorite quotes, “You can always tell a man by the 
coffee he drinks.”

 Anathema to my grandfather was the idea of 
instant coffee. No man, in his opinion, would 
ever drink anything of the kind. “If a man would 
drink instant coffee,” my grandfather perked, 
“there’s no telling what else he would do. Never 
trust a man who drinks instant coffee.”

 Making coffee was an art form to my 
grandfather. There was a right way and a wrong 
way to make coffee, and he always insisted on the 
right way. Of course, the right way was his way.

 In grandfather’s kitchen was an old wood-
burning cook stove. My grandmother cooked 
meals on this ancient apparatus for more than 50 
years. On this old-fashioned stove, my grandfather 
brewed his famous mud broth. He never allowed 
my grandmother to make the brew; it was his job, 
which he took seriously.

 Once for his birthday, we all chipped in and 
bought him an electric coffee pot. I had never seen 
my grandfather so mad. When he saw what it was, 
he would not even take it out of the box.

 He had strong ideas about coffee and how it 
should be brewed and woe be to the person who 
contradicted his ideas.

 Grandfather always kept a fire in the old wood 
cook stove and on the back of the stove he kept his 
coffee pot, a large 2-gallon pot — one of those old-
fashioned percolators long since gone out of style. 
The coffee was always on, and no matter when 
you stopped in to see him, he always had “fresh” 
coffee brewing.

 When I say, “fresh,” I need to explain. Actually, 
the coffee was only fresh on Sunday. On Saturday 
night, he routinely emptied the coffee pot and 
prepared fresh coffee for Sunday morning.

 He had an old coffee grinder and ground the 
coffee beans on Saturday night. He put some 
other things in the coffee, I have never figured out 
what. One thing I know he put in was a crushed 
eggshell. What it did to his coffee, I have no idea 
but grandfather was sure it was an important 
ingredient.

 The freshly ground coffee beans were put in, the 
pot filled with fresh water and set on the back of 
the stove to slowly perk. This coffee would last the 
entire week. The coffee was so strong on Sunday 
that if it did not wake you in the morning, you 
were dead.

 In fact, Cousin Ernie died on a Sunday 
afternoon, so my grandfather tells the story, and 
one sip of his black coffee roused him and he lived 
seven more years, which was unfortunate for 
grandfather, as he had to support him.

 Before retiring each evening my grandfather took 
care of his coffee. He would freshly grind a few coffee 
beans, sprinkle it on top of the old coffee grounds 
and then add a newly crushed eggshell. Then he 
would refill the coffee pot with water.

 His coffee percolated 24/7 and by Saturday it was 
so strong you needed a half-cup of sugar just to 
drink one cup. It was thick enough to use as syrup 
on your pancakes, but so strong, it dissolved your 
pancakes before you could eat them.

 My grandmother once tried washing the coffee 
pot. When my grandfather saw her, he became 
furious, “Never wash that coffee pot,” he spouted, 
“you’ll ruin its character and a coffee pot needs a 
lot of character to make good coffee.”

 When my grandfather died, I looked at his old 
black coffee pot and discovered two things. One, 
the original color was blue. And two, although 
it was originally a 2-gallon pot, it only could 
take three quarts of water. The “character,” so 
important to my grandfather, had built up so 
much over the years its capacity was diminished.

 In pondering my grandfather, I thought about 
my Heavenly Father and His gifts. The Bible puts 
it this way; “Every good gift and every perfect gift 
is from above, and cometh down from the Father 
of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither 
shadow of turning” (James 1:17).

 I really do not know why God gave us coffee, but 
I do know God’s character is of such a nature that it 
never diminishes His ability to bless me each day.

 Dr. James L. Snyder is pastor of the Family of 
God Fellowship, Ocala, FL 34483, where he lives 
with his wife. Call him at 1-866-552-2543 or 
e-mail jamessnyder2@att.net. His web site is www.
jamessnyderministries.com.


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