Happy June, friends! We’ve decided to throw some mini zodiac-related posts into the mix, so we’ll kick it off in the midst of Gemini (May 21-June 20) and touch upon Cancer (June 21-July 22) since we’ll revisit The Crab again next month.
Gemini is Latin for “twins”. The constellation’s alpha and beta stars, Castor and Pollux, are easily recognizable in the night sky by the naked eye. Gemini falls into the House of Communications, with ethereal air as the affiliated element. Its ruling celestial body is Mercury, and we definitely have you covered with marvelous Mercurial-related gift ideas, from pendants to pocket watches !
There are two annual meteor showers associated with Gemini. The first is the March Geminids, which peaks on or around March 22nd. The second is the Geminids themselves, which peaks on or near December 14th. This is a heavy hitting meteor shower, with a rate of about 110 falling meteors per hour. Activity for both sky shows generally begin a few weeks ahead of peak dates.
Cancer, Latin for “crab”, is definitely a summatime sign as it comes in hot on this year’s Summer Solstice (in the Northern Hemisphere). Fun Fact: In Greek mythology, a giant crab named Karkinos harassed Hercules during his fight with the Hydra, and this is where their version of the constellation originated. The element for this sign is wieldy water, which covers a whoppin’ 70% of the Earth’s surface.
The active galaxy OJ 287 can be found in the Cancer constellation. Located 3.5 billion light-years away from Earth, it has a central super-massive black hole that is one of the largest known to scientists. It’s estimated to contain around 18 billion solar masses, and it produces quasi-periodic optical outbursts. The Delta Cancrids is a meteor shower associated with Cancer, and the peak date is on or around January 16th. You’ll need a very sharp (and patient) eye for this shower, though, as only an average of four meteors fall very swiftly per hour.
Side Note: If you haven’t seen the sneak peek for our beautiful black hole jewelry yet, let me help you out with that! We are super excited to release this for purchase in the shop very soon!
Did you know we can make all kinds of jazzy jewelry with the Crab nebula? It’s truly one of my favs with all of the vibrant colors and movement! Although it’s technically found in the constellation of Taurus, it still totally fits the swagger of any lovable crustacean within your circle.
If that doesn’t float your boat, the ever beautiful and understated moonstone is a birthstone for the month of June; and lucky for you, we make some gorgeous pieces with this iridescent orb! Our new crescent moon ring with moonstone has been flying off of my production table. Moonstone promotes balance, which we all need to keep in check, so anyone who receives a gift with this healing stone is sure to benefit!
If you got a piece from us for your birthday, be sure to share it on social media and tag us (@yugentribe)!