In one of yesterday’s 2021 I Heart Pluto Festival sessions streaming from Falstaff, Arizona, two retired ISS astronauts responded to a question about the “smell” of space. After qualifying how difficult this is to determine—it’s a “bad day” if it’s easy—they both mention the distinct smell of things in direct contact to the space outside the station, like the exterior of a suit after a space walk. Both describe it as a metallic smell, but differ with metallic comparisons. One said “like welding.” Both also called it a “good” smell, and in particular a “sweet” smell.
“Sweet” came up distinctly once more since then among photographs of a priest’s memorial streamed a few days ago and looked at too early this morning while still dark. Two favorites: the open coffin closeup of his right hand, five days reposed, holding a cross slightly bruised at the point of contact; and a close-up of Hershey’s Kisses and bite-size Mars Snickers bars in a bowl with a sign explaining, “Our Sweet Poppi,” loved his sweets and “always had a dish of them by his chair.”
Flagstaff as a natal relocated chart:
Virgo 6° 44′ rising midpoint natal Mercury/natal Vesta
Midheaven (Gemini) opposite natal Ascendant
Sweet Poppi (b. 1926) nativity 00:00:
Venus 15° 50′ Capricorn opposite Pluto 15° 02′ Rx Cancer
Sun 6° 44′ Capricorn
Long-term natal aspect begins:
Pluto trine natal Mars
Image: Chiasmus via Wikipedia. H/T Cynthia Bourgeault’s recent book. Anticipating her Lenten course beginning this week, Thursday.