The Great Bear, the Seven Maidens and the Devil's Tower
A geologist might describe Devils Tower in Wyoming as a Laccolith: an eruption of igneous rock protruding up through layers of sedimentary rock. Setting science aside, the rest of us know of it as the eroded butte where the seven maidens were trapped by the Giant Bear. As is true with many mythological stories, this one has its fair share of variations. Consequently, this version might differ from one with which you're familiar.
It was said that long ago in the region we now call the upper midwest, a great mid-summer festival was planned during which seven young maidens and seven young warriors would be wed. Over many moons did the people plan this grand feast and celebration. Alas, a day before the wedding feast was to commence, a ferocious mountain-sized bear laid siege to the village and devoured many people prior to departing. The seven warriors who intended to be married the next day were sent to pursue and kill the bear, much to the distress of the young women to whom they were betrothed. The warriors tried to allay the womens' concerns by assuring them that no bear, not even the largest, was a match for all seven warriors at once. Though still deeply concerned, the young women did not attempt to restrain the warriors who, they knew, were honor-bound to avenge the grievous losses their community had sustained.
Naturally, the wedding feast was postponed until the warriors returned. However, many days passed and none of the warriors returned. Although the elders explained that the warriors' expedition might require a great deal of time and that there was no cause for concern, the seven maidens became increasingly alarmed. They each saw the bear when it attacked and knew of its enormous size and prodigious strength. It could very well be a match for seven warriors. When the warriors didn't return after the passage of one complete moon cycle, the seven maidens resolved to sneak out at night and seek them out the young men, themselves. They chose to depart in secret, knowing full well that their parents and other relations would prevent them from leaving.
The morning after their departure, the seven maidens found themselves on a wide stretch of barren land from which a lofty tower protruded in the distance. Despite being weary and already short on food, they strode forward toward the tower. "If we climb it," one of the women said, "we will be able to survey much and will perhaps see the men and bear." After walking most of the day, the maidens came to the tower's base and looked up with dismay at the summit, which seemed so high as to puncture the sky, itself. "We shall rest here tonight and climb in the morning," one of the other women said and the others readily agreed. They fell asleep at once and were abruptly awakened at dawn by a fearsome growling. They looked up to see the giant bear bounding inexorably toward them across the same barren wasteland they had traversed the day before. Despite their fatigue, all seven women scrambled hurriedly up the tower and managed to reach the summit just as their ursine attacker reached the base. They all looked down and, to their horror, noticed that when the bear stood on his hind legs, his head was more than halfway up the tower itself. The women watched the bear start to scale the tower and they all collapsed from both terror and exhaustion. They lay there essentially paralyzed while listening to the bear's deafening growls and feeling the tectonic disturbance as the tower shook from its weight. The women clasped hands and prepared to meet the same fate that they knew must have befallen their beloved warriors.
At once, however, the moon goddess, who had been observing the scene from her crescent chariot, hoisted them up into the sky to become the Pleiades Star Cluster. While ascending, the women pleaded with the goddess to reunite them with the men who would have become their husbands. "I am sorry," the goddess replied, "I don't know what became of them. Perhaps you will see them from your new perch." (She didn't have the heart to tell them the truth about what really happened to the men.) The goddess next brought the great bear up into the heavens to become the constellation Ursa Major. The goddess knew that if the bear was in the sky, it could no longer harm people on Earth.
To this day, one can still see a series of vertical grooves running down Devil's Tower..formed by the great bear's claws. Although geologists might offer an alternate explanation for these grooves, we here know the real story.
THE SOUTHWORTH PLANETARIUM
207-780-4249 www.usm.maine.edu/planet
70 Falmouth Street Portland, Maine 04103
43.6667° N 70.2667° W
Altitude: 10 feet below sea level
Founded January 1970
Julian Date: 2459318.18
2020-2021: CXI
THE DAILY ASTRONOMER
Wednesday, April 14, 2021
Exploratorium XLI: Solar Eclipse April 8, 2024
Location
New England
Time
Yes, you're correct
Less than three years!
We are less than three years away from what will most assuredly be described as this generation's most dazzling celestial spectacle: the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024! Dubbed "Great American Eclipse II," -the first "Great American Eclipse" occurred in August 2017-, this eclipse will be visible along a path extending from the South Pacific though Mexico, the US and into Canada.
That totality path, as it's called, will also pass through western and northern Maine. The image below shows the precise location. Although the total solar eclipse won't be visible in Portland -dagnabit- the skies will go dark all over the state and region during totality: the time when the moon moves directly in front of the Sun.
Consider today's Exploratorium as Chapter I of DCCC pertaining to the Great American Eclipse 2024. Even though the totality event will last only a few minutes, this eclipse will command the attention of all but the most uninterested. (And even they will note the abrupt onset of darkness.)
Although the times will vary slightly, the totality will begin around 3:30 p.m. on April 8,2024 and will last no more than three minutes. (Durations vary depending on location.) However, prior to and after totality, one will observe the moon partially covering the Sun as it moves onto and then away from it. Those observers outside the totality path will only see a partial eclipse, the magnitude of which will decrease with increasing distance away from the path. For instance, observers in southern Maine and northwest Texas will see nearly all of the Sun covered. However, observers in the Yukon and Panama, which occupy either edge of the eclipse "zone," will see only a sliver of the moon covering the Sun. When it comes to solar eclipses, LOCATION is all important.
The totality path is so narrow because the moon's shadow cone tapers down to a small area by the time it reaches Earth. As Earth spins and as the moon moves, this tiny shadow describes a path across a part of the planet known as the totality path.
This artistic depiction of the 2017 solar eclipse shows how the moon's shadow tapers down to a small area by the time it reaches our planet. Image: NASA
Over the course of the 1095 days remaining until the 2024 solar eclipse, we will be explaining absolutely EVERYTHING about it: from safe ways to view it, to eclipse geometry, to the series of eclipses that have occurred in its saros cycle (#139).
How inexpressibly exciting this event is going to be!
We just can't wait...but we'll wait, anyway.
To subscribe or unsubscribe from the Daily Astronomer:
