AS WE MOVE INTO JULY, THE VIEWING OF THE COMET WILL BECOME MORE DIFFICULT FOR AFTER THE PERIHELION PASSAGE ON APRIL 1, then Comet Hale-Bopp begins a dramatic southward plunge, rapidly heading almost straight down through the orbited plains of earth and the other planets. Thus, the Comet watchers in the southern hemisphere will soon be in the viewing area. There is a conjunction with the sun in early July.
In late July, Hale-Bopp is located 10 degrees from the brilliant star Sirius, the so called ‘Dog star.’ Although bright moonlight in the morning sky might detract a little from this meeting.
On July 27, Mercury comes close to Venus but never quite catches up. Mars is approaching the bright star Spica. Jupiter begins rising in the evening sky as Venus sets. Jupiter then sits in the midst of Capricorn. Uranus is at opposition at this time and should be seen with the naked eye. The moon and Jupiter are close on the morning of the 21. And some parts of the world see an occultation of Saturn by the moon on the 25th. The moon occults Aldebaran on July 2, and then again on July 29. There is a meteor shower in July, but the waning moon interferes somewhat until the last few night of the month of July.
Now under the foot of Orion is the sign of Lepus (the hare) or the enemy. To learn the true meaning of this constellation of Orion we have to go back to the Denderah (Egyptian) Zodiac for in that this the Hare is an unclean bird standing on a serpent.
These pictures are now outside of the ecliptic and the name Bashti means confounded, and falling. But Hale-Bopp is still in the sign of Orion pointing out this enemy as Lepus, the Hare. But as the enemy also being trodden under foot. And as this judgment is being meted out we are to remember that the children of the kingdom are now with the Great Shepherd, safely in His arms.