On Monday evening at sunset, there was a celestial mini-event here in the Eastern USA, as the crescent Moon was in close proximity to Venus and Jupiter. All shining brightly in the south-western sky, the three formed a triangle that was quite a sight to see, hovering over the afterglow of dusk. I got out my camera and tripod, and you see the results above.

Back in the old days, the public interpreted events like this as having some sort of metaphysical consequence. By “old days”, I certainly do include pre-historic times along with antiquity and the Middle Ages. But I must also include the “hippie era” of the late 1960’s, when the “dawning of the age of Aquarius” became a popular topic. The 5th Dimension put out a hit song reflecting the great hope that was in the air at the time, the hope for a “groovy future” because of a certain alignment of Mars, Jupiter and the Moon. (Probably assisted by all of those “mind expanding” substances that American youth was popping or smoking or ingesting back then.)

But today, the Moon, Jupiter, and Venus — which you’d think was an even better partner than Mars — can put on a show right before dinner, and hardly anyone went out to light ceremonial bonfires for ritual dancing in multi-colored robes. I’m surprised that hardly anyone thought to link this heavenly display with the recent election of Barack Obama as POTUS. Many people, especially rich liberals and not-so-rich youth, see the coming of Obama as something mystical, the dawning of a new era. So why didn’t they make the connection with this great sign from above? Why wasn’t there barefoot dancing by joyous youth around the autumn flames at sunset? Just because the stock market had another bad day?

I’m not going to let this go without an attempt, however lame, at a 60’s style celebration of that great sign in the sky as our nation enters a new age. Get ready, because I’m going to mash the lyrics from the first stanza of the 5th Dimension’s “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In”. But I’m also going to need to twist up Mr. Obama’s last name somewhat. Aquarius has 4 syllables, while Obama has a quick 3; it doesn’t fit well in the refrain. So I’m going to give his name a Roman Empire twist; I’m changing it to “Obam-ius”. Having done that, here’s what we get:

With Venus bright in the southern sky,
And Jupiter out near the Moon
When hope will guide our country
And peace will be here soon
This is the dawning of the Age of Obam-ius, Age of Obam-ius,
Obam-iussssssss . . . .

OK, I’ll stop here. Guess the 1960’s are over, REALLY OVER. Just me getting old.