Beauty in the Eye of the Beholder

SPACEWEATHER.COM NEWS: 01/17/2026

A RARE GATHERING OF PLANETS AROUND THE SUN: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. For the record, we think this week’s SOHO coronagraph view of Venus, Mars and Mercury near the sun is absolutely beautiful:

Astronomers call this a “triple superior solar conjunction.” It’s “superior” because all three planets are on the far side of the sun as seen from Earth. (“Inferior” conjunctions occur when planets are between Earth and the sun.) A superior conjunction like this is a decades-class event (at least).

Two dates of special significance are coming up: Jan. 18th when Mars is less than 1 degree from Mercury, and Jan. 29th when Venus and Mercury are only 2/3rd of a degree apart. Join SOHO for a ringside seat.

WEEKEND AURORA FORECAST: High-latitude sky watchers might see auroras this weekend. A stream of high-speed (700 km/s) solar wind is blowing around Earth, and the pressure it is exerting on our planet’s magnetosphere could spark G1/G2-class geomagnetic storms. Auroras inside the Arctic Circle are almost guaranteed on Jan. 17-18.

Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery

The Sun Now

Daily Sun: 17 Jan 26
Big sunspot 4341 has a ‘beta-gamma-delta’ magnetic field that poses a threat for X-class solar flares. Credit: NASA/SDO

Coronal Holes: 17 Jan 26
Solar wind flowing from this coronal hole should reach Earth on Jan. 19-20. Credit: NASA/SDO | more data

New Lunar Cycle: Full Snow Moon

New Moon: January 18, 2026 – Full Moon: February 1, 2026

As the snowiest month in the United States, February’s full moon is commonly known as the Full Snow Moon in Native American cultures. Ancient tribes named this moon after the way trees cracked in the cold, or how people had to sit shoulder to shoulder around the fire for warmth. The Full Snow Moon is also known by more sinister names, such as the Bone Moon.

The Cherokee tribe called February’s full moon the Bone Moon because by this point, the tribe’s winter food supplies had usually dwindled to the point where people had to gnaw on bones and cook bone marrow soup in order to survive. It’s also known as the Hunger Moon and the Little Famine Moon. By Cherokee tradition is was a Time to Honor the Ancestors. (SOURCE: MoonGiant.com; including international Dates and Times)

New Moon
The New Moon on January 18, 2026, at 19:52 UTC, at 28°43’ Capricorn marks a pivotal moment for setting long-term intentions, building stability, and establishing personal authority. This lunation encourages restructuring goals, enhancing commitment to oneself, and moving toward the reality one wishes to build. It emphasizes practical, step-by-step progress, requiring a balance between ambition and emotional grounding.

Full Snow Moon
The Full Moon occurs on February 1, 2026,  22:09 UTC at 13°4’ Leo. The Full Moon is gathering centered around the Sun. Leo is a fire sign ruled by the Sun and associated with creativity, confidence, courage, and heartfelt self-expression.

The conjunction of the planets are a gathering of Venus, Mars, and Mercury, symbols of our “loving side” and our “war-loving side” with Mercury the Messenger and symbol of Communication. We can pray for 2 sides to meet around the fires of the Cold Snow Moon. 

Astronomical Events in January 2026: Explore the Night Sky This Month!

In StarWalk’s guide, you’ll find the full stargazing forecast for January, including a Supermoon, brilliant Jupiter, a promising comet, and more.

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Mayan Calendar Time and Synchronicity

The trecena of Star/LAMAT represents the final Ascension of the Tzolk’in round, led by the symbol of the Scion, represented by Venus. It’s Time ordered to put all our Faith in God as the Center of our Universe. In all things, we’re called to Trust God and the Intentions of Divine Will. God only allows Human choices that can be turned to a Divine Purpose.

A Spiritual Experience is often preceded by “hitting bottom.” We have to hit bottom together to conceive the Truth as a whole, that God is our Only Hope. We all deserve to carry our share of the load, as a sacrifice we’re willing to make for one another. Every burden we are willing to bear the Light of an Offering for a Divine Cause. After all, we all chose and we all “went along” to “keep peace” in the world. There’s a paradox and a Truth, pleasing one another as our Number 1 Intention, in NO WAY pleases God.

In our Highest Climb we’re seeking a Divine Reason for every Sacrifice we can make to the Only One who deserves to be Number 1 in our Life.

With every step Every Day, Trust God and the Word that is the Truth. God will share the Light to see beyond the hidden traps laid by the evil one, that only “appear to be” what we really love. Only Fear for one another, what the Lord Shall Do.  The climb of the Scion is the Intention to shine our light equally all around.

Today, 8 Eagle/MEN marks a Divine Communion. We’re guided to focus on our Highest Hopes for the future within our grasp. On the New Moon, January 18, 2026, 9 Wisdom/CIB helps us to see the Big Picture of the Creation, as it shall be as promised by the Alpha and Omega.

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THE TRECENA OF STAR/LAMAT: LIGHT MULTIPLIED TO ABUNDANCE
MAYAN CALENDAR DAYKEEPER’S JOURNAL
8 Eagle/MEN (Cherokee, Eagle/UWO’HATLI), Destiny Kin 255, Position 15
January 17, 2026, 01/17/2026

THE TRECENA OF STAR LAMAT: THE HIGHEST ASCENSION OF THE TZOLK’IN ROUND

Visit the 13-Day Trecena Guide Page for the “Tzolk’in Field Guide: A Daily Practice for Personal Discernment.” My gift for the Tzolk’in round offers an overview for each 13-day trecena and the aspects of each day of the Tzolk’in round. The page also offers a link to resources for your own practice of counting the days to conceive your own discernment of the Meaning of Time.

4TH SEASON: 1 Wisdom/CIB begins the 4th Season of the Tzolk’in that ends in the final Ascension of 1 Star/LAMAT, the Light of the Scion on 13 Sun/AHAU – VOLUME 2: Tzolk’in Seasons 3 and 4 (PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 20, 2020)

8 Eagle/MEN (Cherokee, Eagle/UWO’HATLI)  – Day 8 of 13 of the 1 Star/LAMAT trecena

Galactic Tone 8: Justice. Harmony and balance are the intent of Eight. Eights carefully weighs all evidence to reach a balance of justice. Eight is the power of organization demonstrated in the statement ‘as above, so below,’ from simplicity to infinity, the energy of eight organizes all levels of creation, some eights are ‘neat freaks.’

Eagle/MEN: Intermediary between Heaven and Earth. Due to the Eagles superior point of view and keen intelligence, they achieve material abundance and good fortune. A messenger gifted with patience and a deep sense of value, Eagle brings hope and trust on the wings of Spirit. Eagle persons are very detail oriented and technically inclined. Compassionate service to others sustains prosperity for Eagle personas as the flapping of wings would sustain their bird brothers. If Eagle becomes viciously competitive or possessive, greed and jealousy cause a fall from the heights. Eagles, being blessed with freedom of movement, should be aware of escapism. Eagles may be tempted to just fly away from troubles by using indulgences.

A GOOD DAY TO: Rise to a Higher Perspective.

Cherokee, Eagle/UWO’HATLI:  Symbol is Mars the Spirit Warrior. He is a minion of Grandfather Moon. Eagles were the warrior society, the braves the protectors of the nation. Women were included. There was no discrimination which is reflected in the language: third person singular is divided into animate, human instead of he and she.  The energy of high hopes and anticipations, dreams and visions, cosmic consciousness and commitment.  On earth a provider of excellence, leader, husbandry, care-taking of others, financial security and inheritance. Totem-Eagle. Powerful energy for success in worldly affairs, due to far seeing  vision.  Ability to create masses of money and abundance through an intellectual type of profession.  Eagle asks for what he desires and manifests it.  Professor, lawyer, teacher, leader.

[Text in italics was the primary source of inspiration for my journal. These are the sources that started my journey and they are the reference for interpretation each day. By providing the original text, I hope to offer a way to see what inspired my thoughts and by including all the aspects – allow for something more to inspire you. Mayan descriptions are those written by Ian Lungold. Cherokee descriptions came from multiple sources. Links to sources and other resources of study are offered on the Daykeeper Resources Page. ~Debra]