Dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Virgin Mary’s apparitions in Fatima

“Where the Virgin creates in a holy way, there is always the Holy Spirit with Her…”

We have written about the apparitions of Virgin Mary in Fatima, Portugal, on this website before (here and here), whereas this article contains a somewhat unusual approach to those events that took place a century ago. I’ve decided to digress from the religious context which has been already elucidated, and to simply look at the Fatima sky. At that, let’s first refer once again to the description of the 100-year-old events.

From the 1^st Memoir (1935-12-??)

Our Lady’s first apparition

This way, Your Eminence, or almost this way the seven years of Jacinta’s life passed, when the wonderful and bright day of 13 May 1917 came.

On that day, totally accidentally (if we may say that fortuities happen in God’s plans) we took our flocks to the meadows which belonged to my parents and were called Cova da Iria. As usual, we agreed to meet at Barreiro’s house – I already told Your Eminence about him before. We had to cross the meadow, which made our way twice longer. We had to walk slowly so that the sheep could nibble grass on the way, and reached our destination at about noon.

The events

It was Sunday before the Ascension Day. Early in the morning the shepherds went to Boleiros chapel to attend the first mass, the Mass for the Poor souls as it was then called, for it was a liturgy for the souls in the Purgatory, the reverence so dear to the piety of the Portuguese heart.

Once they returned home, they went to drive their sheep. On that day they accidentally chose a pasture on the land that belonged to Lucia’s parents and was called Cova da Iria.

In order to get there, they had to cross a barren boggy area, which made their journey twice longer. They had to walk slowly to let the sheep eat on the way, therefore it was almost noon when they reached the place. Having eaten their lunch and read Rosarium, the kids moved their flock up a hill and started playing.

“Don’t be afraid… I am Heavenly”

Suddenly they saw a flash of light. They thought it was lightning, the herald of thunderstorm, and decided to hurry back home. Once they descended to the middle of the slope, something flashed again, and on a small stone oak, about a metre in height, there appeared a Lady dressed in white and surrounded with remarkable radiance that emanated from Her, and She seemed to be the dazzling light Herself. The children found themselves inside the radiance, 1.5 metres away from Lady. She was short, about 1.5 metres in height, and of the age of 14 to 18. Everything was beautiful in Her, including the voice…

At about noon, at the Cova da Iria field near their home village, Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco saw “a Lady brighter than the sun”, who asked them to come to this place on the 13^th day of each month up until October and promised to disclose Her name and communicate Her request upon the last, sixth apparition.

The aforesaid event took place at about noon on 13 May. Yet, let us first go back to the previous day – 12 May.

On 12 MAY, the heliacal setting of the three stars of Orion’s belt could be observed in that area, i.e. the three stars were visible in the sky in the west after the sunset for about an hour and then disappeared beyond the horizon. During the next 72 days Orion’s belt was invisible, whereas on the 73^rd day (24 July) it could be observed in the east approximately one hour before the sunrise (the heliacal rising).

Data in the above images:

Al Nitak

ζ Ori – 50 Ori – HIP 26727 A – SAO 132444 – HD 37742

Type: binary star

Stellar magnitude: 1.85

Absolute stellar magnitude: -5.15

Colour index (B-V): -0.09

Right ascension / Declination (32000.0): 5h40m45.51s / -1^o56’33.5”

Right ascension / Declination (to date): 5h36m34.30s / -1^o59’06.0”

Horary angle / Declination: 4h42m33.39s / -1^o59’06.0”

Azimuth / height: +255^o49’59.6” / +13^o28’42.1”

Ecliptic longitude / latitude (32000.0): +84^o40’52.4” / -25^o17’35.3”

Ecliptic longitude / latitude (to date): +83^o31’21.6” / -25^o18’12.1”

Obliquity of the ecliptic (to date): +23^o27’00”

Galactic longitude / latitude: -153^o32’52.1” / -16^o35’07.0”

Mean sidereal time: 10h19m6.7s

Local sidereal time: 10h19m7.7s

Distance: 817.43 light years

Spectral type: 09.5V

Parallax: 0.00399

TODAY:

Rising at 11:59 (10h 34m 14s ago)

Setting at 23:44 (in 1h 10m 40s)

Culmination at 17:52 (4h 41m 47s ago) at height of 48.4 degrees

THIS YEAR:

The longest distance from the Sun: Dec. 16 (154.7 degrees)

Nights above the horizon: Jan. 1 – May 13, July 24 – Dec. 31

Acronychal rising / setting: Jan. 6 / Nov. 28. Cosmic rising / setting: July 7 / May 28

Heliacal rising / setting: July 24 / May 12

Now let’s go back to the events of 13 May and see how the sky looked around noon. I believe readers understand pretty well that due to the light of our Sun we cannot see stars when the Sun is in the sky, but let’s imagine that we would be able to see stars together with the Sun. In such case, we would observe the following picture at about noon in that locality.

• Mintaka, rising at 11 h 41 min.

• Al Nilam, rising at 11 h 48 min.
• Al Nitak, rising at 11 h 55 min.

That is, about noon, i.e. at the time when Virgin Mary appeared to the children, we could have observed the three stars of Orion’s belt rising above the horizon in the east.

Data in the above image:

Mintaka

δ Ori – 34 Ori – HIP 25930 A – SAO 132220 – HD 36486

Type: cepheid variable star, binary star (EA/DM)

Stellar magnitude: 2.40

Absolute stellar magnitude: -4.84

Colour index (B-V): -0.03

Stellar magnitude range: 2.14+2.26/2.20 (Photometric system: V)

Right ascension / Declination (32000.0): 5h32m0.39s / -0^o17’56.7”

Right ascension / Declination (to date): 5h27m46.03s / -0^o21’32.5”

Horary angle / Declination: 18h01m12.06s / -0^o21’32.5”

Azimuth / height: +90^o28’04.8” / +0^o00’08.0”

Ecliptic longitude / latitude (32000.0): +82^o21’43.5” / -23^o33’10.8”

Ecliptic longitude / latitude (to date): +81^o12’12.1” / -23^o33’47.6”

Obliquity of the ecliptic (to date): +23^o27’00”

Galactic longitude / latitude: -156^o08’38.8” / -17^o44’23.2”

Mean sidereal time: 0h31m2.9s

Local sidereal time: 0h31m1.9s

Distance: 916.17 light years

Spectral type: 09.5II

Parallax: 0.00356

Period: 5.73248 days

Next minimum brilliance: 1917-05-18 09:19:02 UTC

Eclipse duration: 13%

TODAY:

Rising at 11:41 (5s ago)

Setting at 23:37 (in 11h 55m 38s)

Culmination at 17:39 (in 5h 57m 49s) at height of 50 degrees

THIS YEAR:

The longest distance from the Sun: Dec. 14 (186.4 degrees)

Nights above the horizon: Jan. 1 – May 12, July 21 – Dec. 31

Acronychal rising / setting: Jan. 3 / Nov. 28. Cosmic rising / setting: July 4 / May 27

Heliacal rising / setting: July 21 / May 12

Data in the above image:

Al Nilam

ε Ori – 46 Ori – HIP 26311 – SAO 132346 – HD 37128

Type: pulsating variable star (ACYG)

Stellar magnitude: 1.65

Absolute stellar magnitude: -7.26

Colour index (B-V): -0.19

Stellar magnitude range: 1.64+1.74 (Photometric system: V)

Right ascension / Declination (32000.0): 5h36m12.81s / -1^o12’06.9”

Right ascension / Declination (to date): 5h32m0.18s / -1^o15’12.2”

Horary angle / Declination: 18h04m9.09s / -1^o15’12.2”

Azimuth / height: +91^o37’38.1” / -0^o00’01.1”

Ecliptic longitude / latitude (32000.0): +83^o27’49.0” / -24^o30’22.9”

Ecliptic longitude / latitude (to date): +82^o18’17.9” / -24^o30’59.7”

Obliquity of the ecliptic (to date): +23^o27’00”

Galactic longitude / latitude: -154^o47’16.7” / -17^o14’30.3”

Mean sidereal time: 0h23m51.7s

Local sidereal time: 0h23m50.7s

Distance: 1976.71 light years

Spectral type: 801a

Parallax: 0.00165

TODAY:

Rising at 11:48 (in 0s)

Setting at 23:42 (12h 6m 18s ago)

Culmination at 17:43 (in 5h 54m 52s) at height of 49.1 degrees

THIS YEAR:

The longest distance from the Sun: Dec. 15 (185.5 degrees)

Nights above the horizon: Jan. 1 – May 12, July 23 – Dec. 31

Acronychal rising / setting: Jan. 4 / Nov. 28. Cosmic rising / setting: July 6 / May 27

Heliacal rising / setting: July 22 / May 12

Data in the above image:

Al Nitak

ζ Ori – 50 Ori – HIP 26727 A – SAO 132444 – HD 37742

Type: binary star

Stellar magnitude: 1.85

Absolute stellar magnitude: -5.15

Colour index (B-V): -0.09

Right ascension / Declination (32000.0): 5h40m45.51s / -1^o56’33.5”

Right ascension / Declination (to date): 5h36m34.30s / -1^o59’06.0”

Horary angle / Declination: 18h06m34.11s / -1^o59’05.9”

Azimuth / height: +92^o34’33.5” / -0^o00’07.5”

Ecliptic longitude / latitude (32000.0): +84^o40’52.4” / -25^o17’35.3”

Ecliptic longitude / latitude (to date): +83^o31’21.7” / -25^o18’12.1”

Obliquity of the ecliptic (to date): +23^o27’00”

Galactic longitude / latitude: -153^o32’52.1” / -16^o35’07.0”

Mean sidereal time: 0h16m52.6s

Local sidereal time: 0h16m51.6s

Distance: 817.43 light years

Spectral type: 09.5V

Parallax: 0.00399

TODAY:

Rising at 11:55 (in 0s)

Setting at 23:44 (12h 11m 8s ago)

Culmination at 17:48 (in 5h 52m 27s) at height of 48.4 degrees

THIS YEAR:

The longest distance from the Sun: Dec. 16 (154.7 degrees)

Nights above the horizon: Jan. 1 – May 13, July 24 – Dec. 31

Acronychal rising / setting: Jan. 6 / Nov. 28. Cosmic rising / setting: July 7 / May 28

Heliacal rising / setting: July 24 / May 12

If you remember, Virgin Mary asked the children to come on the 13^th day of every month at the same hour. Her last apparition took place on 13 October 1917, and all the time Orion was invisibly present in the sky, covered with the sunbeams.

Data in the above images:

Al Nitak

ζ Ori – 50 Ori – HIP 26727 A – SAO 132444 – HD 37742

Type: binary star

Stellar magnitude: 1.85

Absolute stellar magnitude: -5.15

Colour index (B-V): -0.09

Right ascension / Declination (32000.0): 5h40m45.51s / -1^o56’33.5”

Right ascension / Declination (to date): 5h36m34.30s / -1^o59’05.9”

Horary angle / Declination: 18h06m34.11s / -1^o59’05.9”

Azimuth / height: +92^o34’33.5” / -0^o00’07.5”

Ecliptic longitude / latitude (32000.0): +84^o40’52.4” / -25^o17’35.3”

Ecliptic longitude / latitude (to date): +83^o31’21.7” / -25^o18’12.1”

Obliquity of the ecliptic (to date): +23^o27’00”

Galactic longitude / latitude: -153^o32’52.1” / -16^o35’07.0”

Mean sidereal time: 0h16m52.6s

Local sidereal time: 0h16m51.6s

Distance: 817.43 light years

Spectral type: 09.5V

Parallax: 0.00399

TODAY:

Rising at 11:55 (in 0s)

Setting at 23:44 (12h 11m 8s ago)

Culmination at 17:48 (in 5h 52m 27s) at height of 48.4 degrees

THIS YEAR:

The longest distance from the Sun: Dec. 16 (154.7 degrees)

Nights above the horizon: Jan. 1 – May 13, July 24 – Dec. 31

Acronychal rising / setting: Jan. 6 / Nov. 28. Cosmic rising / setting: July 7 / May 28

Heliacal rising / setting: July 24 / May 12

Now let’s look at the sky on 13 November. At about noon Orion is already beyond the horizon.

Data in the above image:

Al Nitak

ζ Ori – 50 Ori – HIP 26727 A – SAO 132444 – HD 37742

Type: binary star

Stellar magnitude: 1.85

Absolute stellar magnitude: -5.15

Colour index (B-V): -0.09

Right ascension / Declination (32000.0): 5h40m45.51s / -1^o56’33.5”

Right ascension / Declination (to date): 5h36m35.84s / -1^o59’06.4”

Horary angle / Declination: 6h11m58.74s / -1^o59’06.4”

Azimuth / height: +270^o22’49.1” / -3^o34’20.1”

Ecliptic longitude / latitude (32000.0): +84^o40’52.4” / -25^o17’35.3”

Ecliptic longitude / latitude (to date): +83^o31’47.2” / -25^o18’13.3”

Obliquity of the ecliptic (to date): +23^o26’60”

Galactic longitude / latitude: -153^o32’52.1” / -16^o35’07.0”

Mean sidereal time: 11h48m33.6s

Local sidereal time: 11h48m34.6s

Distance: 817.43 light years

Spectral type: 09.5V

Parallax: 0.00399

TODAY:

Rising at 23:48 (in 11h 52m 32s)

Setting at 11:37 (18m 30s ago)

Culmination at 5:44 (6h 10m 37s ago) at height of 48.4 degrees

THIS YEAR:

The longest distance from the Sun: Dec. 16 (154.7 degrees)

Nights above the horizon: Jan. 1 – May 13, July 24 – Dec. 31

Acronychal rising / setting: Jan. 6 / Nov. 28. Cosmic rising / setting: July 7 / May 28

Heliacal rising / setting: July 24 / May 12

The Egyptians who associated the Orion constellation with Osiris would probably say exactly this:

“Where the Virgin creates in a holy way, there is always the Holy Spirit with Her…”

Let me mention however that in this particular case it’s a mere astronomical image and nothing more.

Prepared by Igor (Vyatka)