My astronomy NEWTs:

[alt_sinistra]

If you get the chance, take a look at the western horizon after sunset the next night or two. Mars, Saturn, and Spica are in an unusually small equilateral triangle - about six degrees of each other. One thing everyone can enjoy are the colours: the crescent moon was nearly white last night, Saturn has a golden glow, and Mars is more orange than red. Spica herself is blue-white.

Spica, for those who don’t remember, is a particularly well-matched binary star system, and the brightest star in the constellation Virgo. 6th years, we’ll be discussing Spica in September as part of our look at precession. And for those of you who are early morning risers, Venus is particularly lovely in the hours before dawn this week as well.

I finally got a chance to spend the evening at the astronomy guild hall doing some research, and had a chance to catch up with several professional colleagues while we worked. There are some exciting topics under consideration for next summer’s guild-sponsored projects. Several have pieces that would make a good focus for the NEWT year-long research projects, and possibly open up internship opportunities for next summer. For those of you more interested in locational magics, there are a few possibilities there, as well.

Comments

Private message to Harry Marvolo

[alt_sinistra]

Look. There’s a story in one of the gossip papers that’s coming out today that I think will make Raz very angry. Can you Would you Um. Not at me, on my behalf. And his own. It's extremely nasty. (And very little of it is true.)

Can I ask you a favour? Can you do what you can to make sure he doesn’t overdo it today or do anything too foolish? I hate to ask it of you, or ask you to waste any of your holiday or limit yourself for him. Just - I’m so worried how he’ll take this, and I can't be there.

I've sent my Nashira with a note for him, and she should be there early this afternoon. It explains a bit more.

Just

Thanks.

Re: Private message to Harry Marvolo

[alt_harry]

Okay. I'll try.

And I'm sorry.

Is there

Is there anything else I could do to help? If you don't want me to say anything about it, I won't, but I could write a letter to the person who wrote it or something. I don't know.

Re: Private message to Harry Marvolo

[alt_sinistra]

Oh, sweetheart You are so very kind to offer, but no, I don't think there's anything you can do to make that better. I'm going to trust to Raz (and the Malfoys) on a response, but I rather suspect ignoring it in public is the best thing to do.

Helping make sure he's all right is the best thing right now. I've got some very nice research to keep me busy, and I'll see you this weekend. (And I know Narcissa is looking forward to time to talk to me, but I'd also love a bit of a fly and seeing what you all have discovered so far about the area.)

And look. It's possible someone might ask you about it. If you want to know if anything they say (or any other gossip you hear) about me is true, you can ask me, and I'll tell you truth and what you can share. As much as I can without giving away someone else's secrets. (Blame my House, but I prefer honesty when I can and especially with those I trust.)

Re: Private message to Harry Marvolo

[alt_harry]

Yeah.

I'll make sure.

And I don't care what it says. I mean, it doesn't matter to me. It wouldn't change anything. And it's not like it's anyone's business anyways.

Re: Private message to Harry Marvolo

[alt_sinistra]

Thank you. And that does help, if you'd wondered.

Right. I'm sure you've more enjoyable things to be doing, and I'm going to go try and find some of that for myself for a bit.

Re: Private message to Harry Marvolo

[alt_sinistra]

Thanks - I think it was a great help, from what Narcissa's said.

I'm going to be coming up there a little earlier than we'd planned - late tomorrow afternoon. Anything I can bring with me you'd like?