From the Compost Heap header. A pencil style illustration of a compost heap with flowers and plants growing around it. A bee buzzes by and a white rabbit hops by.

I love this imagery of celestial phenomena (including northern lights, meteor showers, etc.) in relation to the recent eclipse and aurora borealis. I’ve been thinking about how people in medieval times would have experienced this. According to these broadsheets they were interpreted as signs of the end times (some things never change) and an act of God.

16th century woodcut broadsheet illustration of moon and rays of pink in the sky
Northern lights observed over Ausburg on March 6, 1582, interpreted as an omen of disaster.
16th century woodcut broadsheet illustration of red sky above a city
Report of a northern lights phenomenon observed over Nuremberg on December 28, 1560. The text interprets the natural phenomenon as a warning sign from God.
16th century woodcut broadsheet illustration of literal flames in a sky above a village
Report including a pictorial representation of a northern lights phenomenon (“a great broad long flame”) over Eggolsheim near Forchheim on December 28, 1560.
16th century woodcut broadsheet illustration of men looking at lightning bolts in clouds
Report of northern lights over Nuremberg on January 17, 1572, in the evening from eight o’clock until around midnight. The author of the text compares the northern lights with the heavenly glow above the Temple of Jerusalem and interprets the event as a divine sign of the end-time fire of the impending Last Judgement.

Other Celestial Phenomena

16th century woodcut broadsheet illustration of dragon in the sky
Depiction of a star that was seen in Calabria, with a fire-breathing dragon and the zodiac sign Aquarius. The text includes a prognostication for the years 1585 to 1587, which announces numerous catastrophes and political upheavals.
16th century woodcut broadsheet illustration of star paths
Halo or secondary sun apparition over the Elbe on March 21, 1551 with the silhouette of Wittenberg below.
16th century woodcut broadsheet illustration of city near the stars and crescent moon
“The terrible miracle of two earthquakes which happened in Rossanna and Constantinople in 1556”, interpreted as a sign of the Last Judgement, foretold by comets. Note the damage to the Hagia Sophia.
16th century woodcut broadsheet illustration of three suns in linking circular orbits
Report and depiction of a halo and secondary sun apparition on January 16, 1561 over Rottenburg ob der Tauber, which is interpreted as an end-time warning sign.
"An extraordinary face appeared as the sun." Report of a halo around the sun on May 12, 1556 over Nuremberg. The celestial apparition was interpreted as a warning from God to mankind.
“An extraordinary face appeared as the sun.” Report of a halo around the sun on May 12, 1556 over Nuremberg. The celestial apparition was interpreted as a warning from God to mankind.
The comet that appeared over Augsburg in November, 1577.
The comet that appeared over Augsburg in November, 1577.
Report on an ominous apparition in the sky of Lonnerstadt near Erlangen, 1558. The weather phenomenon depicted is related to the dragon of the Apocalypse as a sign of the end times in Revelation 12.
Report on an ominous apparition in the sky of Lonnerstadt near Erlangen, 1558. The weather phenomenon depicted is related to the dragon of the Apocalypse as a sign of the end times in Revelation 12.
Report of the apparition on March 2, 1561 in Nuremberg. The broadsheet claims that the divine signs should be taken seriously in view of the Last Day and will lead to a penitential life on earth.
Report of the apparition on March 2, 1561 in Nuremberg. The broadsheet claims that the divine signs should be taken seriously in view of the Last Day and will lead to a penitential life on earth.

Most of these come from Einblattdruck, a form of broadsheet that consisted of a title, woodcut, and an account of wonder. These sheets could be created rapidly, disseminated widely, and purchased cheaply. News and current events were thus being printed with greater speed and reach than ever before.

I’m fascinated by the fact these broadsheets have been painted!

I now want to research the process of early woodcut broadsheets.

Browse even more at Zurich’s Zentralbibliothek.

via Public Domain Review

Observations from Solar Eclipse 2024

We experienced a partial eclipse. There was only the tiniest sliver of sun showing. Looking through the glasses at a bright yellow orange cookie with a larger and larger bite missing feels removed. Like it’s hard to believe it’s really happening.

Meanwhile the environmental effect is very real. The light ever so slowly dimming and becoming less contrasted. Like a Supernatural filter descending on the world. (The SPN TV show – not the genre.)

Black and white photograph of a child looking up through eclipse glasses slotted through a paper plate

The shadows (when viewed from a longer distance – like tree branches or a colander raised in the air) dance with crescents.

I tried many artsy shots, but the best one seems to be this.

Crescent moon shaped shadows on eclipse glasses

The eclipse challenges our sense of normalcy in a way that feels inspiring re fiction writing. What other small things (the shape of a shadow) can make the world feel magic?

Observations from Aurora Borealis 2024

I can’t believe we could actually see this in Arkansas. To be fair, the effect to the naked eye was very dull (like a mauve smudge on the sky), but the camera was like a portal into another dimension.

Brick house with long exposure pink, purple and teal in the sky above
Looking up into tree canopy long exposure shows pink and purple sky above

Cross Pollination 🐝