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A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
From: Bob Crawley
Date: 2024 Feb 7, 23:51 -0800
A friend mentioned "Imbolc" the other day and asked if it had any celestial significance. I can't see how does but would be interested to know if anyone else has come across it.
"Imbolc (Imbolg) the festival marking the beginning of spring has been celebrated since ancient times. It is a Cross Quarter Day, midpoint between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox, generally falling between the 3rd and 6th of February when calculated as the mid point between the astronomical Winter Solstice and the astronomical Spring Equinox. The astronomically derived date is later than the traditional date of February 1st. Imbolc is often mistakingly said to be on February 1st, St. Brigid's Day.
Imbolc derives from the Old Irish i mbolg meaning in the belly, a time when sheep began to lactate and their udders filled and the grass began to grow."
