Moon video
Here’s a brief clip of the moon from my archives
By zooming in, the surface features are clearly visible.
Super Moon
Just wanted to share some images of the Super Moon 04-12-2025.
It was very cloudy, I tried to take photos using the Mirrorless camera and mobile. The photos taken through the mobile turned out to be much clearer.
Here are a few photos, some of them have been cropped and slightly enhanced.
Moon 4th Oct 2025
Exploring the Moon — Observations from October 4, 2025
Location: Bengaluru, India
Telescope: 127mm Maksutov-Cassegrain
Camera: ZWO ASI 462MC
Lunar Phase: Waxing Moon (~43% illuminated)
Seeing Conditions: Good (7/10), thin passing clouds
A Night of Lunar Detail
The Moon was in a perfect position tonight for high-contrast views along the terminator, where sunlight rakes across crater rims and mountain slopes.
Using the 127mm MAK-CAS with the ZWO ASI 462MC camera, I was able to capture both wide-field and close-up views of several craters, mountain ranges, and maria.
Featured Craters
Composite image showing several of the observed craters.
1. Copernicus – ~93 km wide and 3.8 km deep.
Bright ray systems and central peaks make it a favorite for lunar observers.
2. Tycho – ~85 km wide and 4.8 km deep.
One of the youngest craters, famous for rays extending over 1,500 km.
3. Plato – ~101 km in diameter with a dark, basaltic floor near Mare Imbrium.
Smooth and subtle, ideal for testing seeing stability.
4. Archimedes – 83 km wide, with a bright rim and lava-flooded interior.
5. Aristillus – 55 km across, showing sharp walls and a distinct central peak complex.
6. Cassini – 57 km in diameter, with two smaller inner craters (Cassini A and B).
7. Aristoteles – 87 km wide with 3.3 km high terraced walls, bordering Mare Frigoris.
8. Eudoxus – 67 km across, located just south of Aristoteles — together they form one of the Moon’s most picturesque crater pairs.
Mountain Ranges
The Apennine Mountains marking the Imbrium Basin’s rim.
Montes Apenninus – Stretching over 600 km, with peaks rising above 5 km, this range forms a dramatic arc along Mare Imbrium’s southeastern rim.
Montes Caucasus – Extending roughly 445 km, these rugged peaks bridge the Apenninus and Haemus ranges, outlining the Imbrium Basin’s northern boundary.
Lunar Sea
The Sea of Serenity — a vast, smooth lava plain with a soft bluish tint.
Mare Serenitatis (Sea of Serenity) – Roughly 700 km in diameter, this ancient basaltic plain shows a gentle bluish tone through color imaging — a striking contrast to the bright crater rims nearby.
Reflections
Even after countless observing sessions, the Moon always feels new.
Tonight’s combination of clear air, steady seeing, and moderate illumination revealed an extraordinary sense of texture — from the razor-sharp crater rims of Copernicus and Tycho to the serene lava plains of Serenitatis.
Each feature is a frozen moment in the Moon’s history — a record of impacts, volcanic floods, and cosmic time, captured from a quiet night here on Earth.
Image Notes
Most craters were captured together in a single wide-field image, while a few — including Tycho and Copernicus — have individual close-ups.
All frames were processed with gentle sharpening to retain a natural look.
Devi’s Grace- Day 5
The Fierce Dance of Divine Justice (Chapters 7 & 8)
Introduction: The Escalation of the Great War
Welcome back, spiritual seekers, to Day 5 of our sacred journey through Devi’s Grace: A Navaratri Journey! Yesterday, we witnessed the swift and absolute destruction of the arrogant demon Dhumralochana in Chapter 6, a powerful display of the Devi’s effortless might. Today, the divine drama escalates as we delve into Chapters 7 and 8, where the battle for the cosmos intensifies.
The demon king Shumbha, enraged by the annihilation of his general, continues to be blinded by his pride. But before the all-out war begins, the Devi makes one last effort for peace, sending a divine messenger to negotiate with the demons. When this final offer is rejected, the battlefield erupts, leading to the manifestation of powerful new forces—including the fierce Kali and the divine energies of the gods themselves. These chapters unveil the ultimate, protective ferocity of the Divine Mother, showing that justice, when needed, can be both swift and unyielding.
Chapter 7 & 8: The Slaying of Chanda-Munda and Raktabīja
Chapter 7: The Messenger and the Emergence of Kali
Enraged by the deaths of Dhumralochana and his army, Shumbha and Nishumbha, filled with a renewed rage and determination, sent forth their generals, Chanda and Munda. However, before the full battle could begin, the Devi, in an act of compassion, chose to send a final messenger to the demons. She sent Lord Shiva himself as her emissary, a symbolic gesture of the universal power of consciousness seeking to guide the demons away from a path of destruction. For this act of sending Shiva as a doota (messenger), the Devi is known by the name Shivaduti. Shumbha and Nishumbha, however, were too blinded by their pride and arrogance to heed her warning.
When the Devi saw the ferocious army of Chanda and Munda approaching, her face filled with anger. From the frown on her forehead emerged a dark, emaciated, and terrifying form of the Goddess: Kali. With a skeletal body, a sword, and a noose, and adorned with a garland of skulls, Kali charged into the battle. She quickly destroyed the entire army of Chanda and Munda, and finally, she beheaded the two demon generals and brought their heads to the Devi. Upon receiving the severed heads, the Devi gave Kali a new name: Chamunda, derived from Chanda and Munda’s names.
Chapter 8: The Matrikas and the Slaying of Raktabīja
Enraged by the loss of his most powerful generals, Shumbha finally sent the most formidable demon of all: Raktabīja. Raktabīja possessed a terrifying boon—for every drop of blood that fell from his body, a new demon, identical to him in power, would arise. The Devi and the gods’ army fought fiercely, but with every wound, more and more Raktabījas appeared, quickly overwhelming the battlefield.
To assist the Devi in this seemingly impossible battle, the divine energies of the gods themselves manifested as their female counterparts, the Matrikas. From the body of Lord Brahma emerged Brahmani, from Shiva came Maheshwari, from Skanda came Kaumari, from Vishnu came Vaishnavi, and so on. These fierce mother goddesses joined the battle, fighting with the same weapons and attributes as their male counterparts. However, even with their combined strength, the problem of Raktabīja’s multiplying blood proved insurmountable. Seeing this, the Devi commanded Kali to open her mouth and drink every drop of blood that poured from Raktabīja’s body before it could touch the ground. As the Goddess struck Raktabīja with her weapons, Kali, with her wide-open mouth, drank his blood, ensuring not a single drop could fall. Once his blood was completely drained, the final Raktabīja fell lifeless to the ground, and he was finally slain.
A Glimpse into the Original Text
These chapters are filled with vivid imagery and powerful verses. The moments when Devi calls upon Kali and the Matrikas to defeat the seemingly invincible demons are particularly significant. We see Kali’s awe-inspiring emergence from Devi’s brow, her earning of the name Chamunda after vanquishing formidable foes, and even Lord Shiva being dispatched as the Divine Mother’s messenger.
Verse from Chapter 7:
“भ्रुकुटीकुटिलात्तस्या ललाटफलकाद् द्रुतम्।
काली करालवदना विनिष्क्रान्तासिपाशिनी॥”
Bhrukuṭīkuṭilāttasyā lalāṭaphalakād drutam. Kālī karālavadanā viniṣkrāntāsipāśinī. || 7.6 ||
Translation:
“From her (Devi Ambika’s) forehead, furrowed with a frown, swiftly emerged Kali, with a dreadful face, holding a sword and a noose.”
Commentary: This dramatic verse vividly describes the very moment of Kali’s emergence. Born from the furrowed brow of Devi Ambika, a sign of her immense anger and fierce resolve, Kali bursts forth with a terrifying appearance, armed with a sword and a noose. This imagery signifies the sudden and unstoppable manifestation of divine wrath against evil. Kali’s emergence from the forehead, often associated with the third eye and spiritual insight, suggests that this fierce power is born from a profound understanding of the cosmic order and the necessity of annihilating disruptive forces. She represents the ultimate destructive aspect of the Divine Mother, appearing precisely when other means have failed, ready to swiftly and decisively eliminate negativity.
Verse from Chapter 7:
“यस्माच्चण्डं च मुण्डं च गृहीत्वा त्वमुपागता।
चामुण्डेति ततो लोके ख्याता देवी भविष्यसि॥”
Yasmāccaṇḍaṁ ca muṇḍaṁ ca gṛhītvā tvamupāgatā.
Cāmuṇḍeti tato loke khyātā devī bhaviṣyasi. || 7.27 ||
Translation: “Because you have come bringing Chanda and Munda (to me), O Devi, you shall be known in this world as Chamunda.”
Commentary: This verse is one of the most significant in the entire Devi Mahatmyam, as it is the moment the fierce form of Kali earns her renowned name, Chamunda. It explains that her name is not a mere title but a direct recognition of her supreme power in destroying the demons Chanda and Munda. Chanda and Munda represent our most formidable inner demons, such as anger and fury. The act of bringing their severed heads to the Goddess and receiving the name Chamunda signifies that when we channel the divine energy within us to conquer our own inner rage and ignorance, we too can achieve a form of spiritual victory and transformation that is recognized by the world.
Verse from Chapter 8:
“यतो नियुक्तो दौत्येन तया देव्या शिवः स्वयम्।
शिवदूतीति लोकेऽस्मिन् ख्यातिमागता॥”
(Yato niyukto dautyena tayā devyā śivaḥ svayam.
Śivadūtīti loke’smin khyātimāgatā. || 8.28 ||)
Translation:
“Because Shiva himself was sent as a messenger by that Devi, she became known in this world as Shivaduti.”
Commentary: In a unique and powerful display of divine authority, this verse reveals how the Goddess designates none other than Lord Shiva as her messenger (duta) to the demons. This act is so significant that it earns her the name Shivaduti, meaning “the one with Shiva as her messenger.” This is a powerful reversal of traditional roles, showing the Supreme Goddess as the ultimate force, commanding even the great Lord Shiva. This act can be interpreted as the feminine divine (Shakti) activating and directing the masculine principle (Shiva) for the purpose of creation, preservation, and destruction. It underscores that spiritual power and divine leadership transcend conventional expectations and hierarchies.
Devi of the Day – Day 5: Skandamata
The fifth day of Navaratri is dedicated to Devi Skandamata, the mother of Lord Skanda (Kartikeya). She represents the purest, most compassionate form of motherhood.
Symbolism: Devi Skandamata is depicted with four arms, holding her infant son Skanda in one of her right hands. Her other two hands hold a lotus, and she rides a lion. She symbolizes the protective, nourishing, and loving aspect of the Divine Mother. Her lion mount signifies her protective power, as a mother will go to any lengths to protect her child.
Connection to Chapters 7 & 8: The presence of Skandamata on Day 5 is a beautiful and poignant contrast to the ferocious battles of Chapters 7 and 8. The fierce, destructive energy of Kali and Chamunda is a mother’s fierce, protective love in action. Just as Skandamata sits peacefully holding her child while mounted on a powerful lion, the Devi’s violence in this chapter is not out of hatred but out of a fierce love and protection for her devotees (the gods) and the entire universe. She is willing to unleash the most terrible forces to protect her creation, mirroring a mother’s unconditional and protective instincts.
Modern Reflection
The battles in Chapters 7 and 8 offer profound insights into our own inner struggles. Chanda and Munda represent the raw, destructive emotions of our psyche—uncontrolled anger, fury, and passion. The Goddess manifests Kali to destroy them, showing that some of our most deeply rooted negative tendencies can only be overcome by a primal, fierce, and raw force that rises from within. It is a reminder that spiritual transformation is not always a gentle process; sometimes, it requires a ferocious inner reckoning.
Raktabīja is an even deeper symbol. He represents our self-perpetuating negative patterns and infinite desires. Just as new demons sprout from his every drop of blood, our bad habits often create new, related desires and problems. For example, stress might lead to unhealthy eating, which in turn leads to poor health and more stress. Fighting the symptoms (the new demons) is futile. The Devi’s solution—having Kali drink the blood—is the ultimate lesson. It teaches us that to solve our deeply ingrained problems, we must stop them at the source. We must deal with the root cause, the very energy that sustains them, before they can multiply and overwhelm us.
Closing Thoughts
On this fifth day of Navaratri, we are reminded that true love and protection can manifest in many forms, from the gentle embrace of a mother to the fierce power needed to destroy evil.
The battles against Chanda, Munda, and Raktabīja teach us that to achieve lasting transformation, we must not shy away from confronting our most deeply ingrained negativities.
Let us honor Devi Skandamata by reflecting on the unconditional love of the Divine Mother and finding the courage to face our inner demons with her fierce and protective grace.
References
- Devi Mahatmyam Text and Commentary:
- Sanskrit Documents: https://sanskritdocuments.org/doc_devii/durga700.html
- Navaratri and Skandamata:
- Navratri 2025 Day 5 Maa Skandamata:
Samastah Lokah Sukhino Bhavanthu
May All beings in All the Worlds be Happy!
Jai Sai Ram!
Please note all content and images generated using AI Tools
Red Moon
September 7th, 2025, the skies revealed a breathtaking sight: the full moon transforming into a deep, blood-red orb during the eclipse.
After a cloudy day, I was lucky to catch a few clear moments and capture this rare celestial spectacle with my mobile and mirrorless camera..
The eclipse began at 9:58 pm, and the moon reached its maximum phase at 11:41 pm, slowly shifting from bright silver to fiery red. The sky seemed to hold its breath as light gave way to shadow, leaving behind a glowing crimson reminder of the universe’s magic.
Even in these fleeting moments, the lunar eclipse left an unforgettable impression—a perfect blend of wonder, mystery, and the awe-inspiring cycles of nature.
“The moon turns red, and the world pauses”.
Below are a few photos taken a minute apart. The full moon is completely covered and is fully red in colour.
The star Hydor can be seen clearly in the photo directly above the moon, as seen in the star chart.
After the earths shadow started receding, the white crescent started appearing..
Lunar Glimpse
This evening, September 7th, 2025, the skies gifted us with a radiant full moon just before the eclipse.
Though the clouds kept playing hide and seek, there were a few magical moments when the sky cleared—just enough to catch a glimpse of the moon shining in all glory.
Captured around 8:08 pm, just under two hours before the eclipse begins its journey across the night sky at 9:58 pm, these moments felt special.
Even from behind the clouds, the moon’s presence was powerful and calming, a reminder of cycles, change, and light breaking through the veil.
Here are some photos captured using a mobile.
Moonlight whispering through the clouds
A Night of Stargazing: What I Saw in the Sky on 10-06-2023
Hello, dear readers! I hope you are all doing well and enjoying the beauty of nature. Today, I want to share with you my experience of stargazing on the night of 10-06-2023, when I observed some amazing constellations and planets in the sky. The sky was partially cloudy however I was still able to see and capture some nice photos. I used my mobile phone as a camera and a star map to help me identify what I saw. Here are some of the highlights and photos of my night sky observations:
Ursa Major and Arundhati-Vasishta
The first constellation that caught my eye was Ursa Major, also known as the Big Dipper or the Plough. It is a large constellation in the northern sky that contains seven bright stars (Saptha rishi mandala) that form a distinctive shape. It is one of the oldest and most recognized constellations in many cultures, and has various myths and legends associated with it.
One of the most interesting features of Ursa Major is the pair of stars Mizar and Alcor, which are also known as Arundhati and Vasishta in traditional Indian astronomy. They are located at the bend of the Big Dipper’s handle and can be seen as a single star with the naked eye, or as two stars with a telescope or binoculars. They represent a legendary couple who were devoted to each other and exemplified marital fidelity. They are also considered as a symbol of good fortune and happiness for married couples.
I was able to see both Mizar and Alcor clearly with the photos taken (see below), and I felt a sense of awe and wonder at their beauty and significance.
Scorpio and Antares
The next constellation that I observed was Scorpio, also known as Scorpius, which is a zodiac constellation located in the southern sky, near the center of the Milky Way. It is one of the brightest and most easily visible constellations, especially in the summer months. It depicts a scorpion, a symbol of power and mystery in many ancient civilizations.
The most prominent star in Scorpio is Antares, which is also the 15th brightest star in the night sky. It is a red supergiant, one of the largest and most luminous stars known. Its name means “rival of Mars” in Greek, because of its reddish hue and similar brightness to the planet Mars. Antares is also known as the heart of the scorpion, as it marks the location of the scorpion’s chest in the constellation.
I was able to see Antares shining brightly in the sky, along with three other stars that form the head of Scorpio: Graffias, Dschubba, and Pi Scorpii. They looked like a curved line of four stars above Antares. See photo below.
Crux and the Southern Cross
The third constellation that I saw was Crux, also known as the Southern Cross. It is a small but conspicuous constellation in the southern sky that is also one of the best known constellations in the southern hemisphere. It has a high cultural significance in many countries, such as Australia and New Zealand, where it appears on their flags and coats of arms. It consists of four bright stars that form a cross-shaped pattern, with a fifth star near the junction of the cross.
I was able to see all four stars of Crux clearly with my mobile phone camera as shown below: Acrux, Mimosa, Gacrux, and Delta Crucis. They looked like a diamond-shaped cross in the sky. The fifth star, Epsilon Crucis, was fainter but still visible.
Venus and Mars
The last two objects that I observed were not stars but planets: Venus and Mars. They are two of the five planets that can be seen with the naked eye from Earth. They are both terrestrial planets, meaning they have a rocky surface, unlike the gas giants Jupiter and Saturn.
Venus is the second planet from the Sun and the brightest object in the night sky after the Moon. It is often called Earth’s twin because of its similar size and mass, but it has a very different environment, with a thick atmosphere, high temperatures, and no signs of life. Currently, Venus appears as a bright white star in the western sky after sunset.
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second smallest planet in the solar system. It is often called the red planet because of its reddish color, caused by iron oxide on its surface. It has a thin atmosphere, polar ice caps, volcanoes, canyons, and evidence of past water activity.
I was able to see both Venus and Mars in the sky on the night of 10-06-2023. Venus was brighter and closer to the horizon, while Mars was dimmer and higher in the sky. Venus looked like a jewel shining in the dark.
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed reading about my night sky observations on 10-06-2023. It was a wonderful experience for me to see the beauty and diversity of the stars and planets. I learned a lot about the constellations and their stories, and I felt a connection with the ancient cultures that also admired the sky.
Thank you for reading my blog post and stay tuned for more updates! 😊
Moon Venus on 23-05-2023
On May 23, 2023, I witnessed a beautiful celestial event: a close up of the Moon and Venus in the evening sky. The two objects very close together in the sky from our perspective on Earth. The Moon and Venus are the two brightest objects in the night sky, so it was a spectacular sight. Below is a screen shot from Sky Safari app showing the star chart and location of the objects, please note the position of the two stars Pollux and Castor, these are visible in the photos below as well!
What made this even more special was the phenomenon of Earthshine. Earthshine is when sunlight reflected from Earth back on to the Moon’s dark limb creates a faint glow that reveals the full shape of the Moon. It looks like a ghostly outline of the lunar disk nestled in the bright crescent. Earthshine is best seen when the Moon is in its crescent phase, and it is more apparent during spring when the northern hemisphere is tilted towards the Sun and snow and ice reflect more light than darker-coloured vegetation and water. The photo below shows the Moon and the Earth Shine.
I took some photos of this amazing event with my camera, and I was very pleased with how they turned out. You can see them below. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!
In the photo below you can see the Twin stars Castor and Pollux in the upper portion of the photo and Moon and Venus in the bottom part of the photo, click on it to see it in a new tab.
Below is a wide angle shot of the same, click on it to see it in a new tab.
Below is a close up of just the thin crescent moon, click on it to see the surface details!
Planet Parade – April 2022
April 2022 was a spectacular month to view 5 planets lining up. These were visible early in the morning between 4.30 am and 5.30 am, the views of the planets were spectacular. The 5 planets being Jupiter, Venus, Neptune, Mars and Saturn.
On April 29th and May 1st there was a beautiful conjunction of two of the brightest planets in the sky – Venus and Jupiter. They were so close that both planets were visible within the same field of view in the eyepiece of the telescope.
For the most part of the month, Jupiter was well below Venus, but by April 29th, it had caught up with Venus and had gone past Venus by May 2nd!
The other highlight of this early morning views of the planet parade was the positioning of Moon with the planets. Starting from about April 26th, Moon was next to Mars, on April 27th it was next to Venus, on April 28th below Jupiter and Venus.
Below are some photos. Hope you like them!
You Tube link showing the Venus – Jupiter conjunction on May 1st.
Watch “Sri Surya Narayana Darshan”
Yesterday evening around 5.30pm the Sun 🌞 light was coming through the window and falling directly on the statue of Sri Maha Vishnu.
The light rays started from the left highlighting the Chakram, then moved to the right to highlight the face and body. Next the rays moved to the right highlighting the Shankham….
