10 hygiea⚕️
10 hygiea is an asteroid named after hygieia, the greek goddess of good health, personal hygiene, cleanliness, protection from disease, and recovering from illness. hygieia is the daughter of asclepius, the greek god of medicine and healing.
hygiea was discovered on april 12th, 1849 by italian astronomer annibale de gasparis at the astronomical observatory of capodimonte in naples, italy. using the italian spelling, hygiea was originally named igea borbonica by ernesto capocci belmonte, a friend of de gasparis and director of the capodimonte observator at the time. eventually the spelling of the name was changed from the italian form to the latin form to match that of the other planets (notice the difference in spelling between the name of the minor planet and the name of the goddess - the current spelling of the asteroid's name is the modern english version and was officially adopted in the 1860s).
fun facts: ◇ the word "hygiene" is named for the goddess hygieia! ◇ hygieia is mentioned by name in the greek hippocratic oath, which is the oath of ethics taken by physicians - "i swear by apollo healer, by asclepius, by hygieia, by panacea, and by all the gods and goddesses, making them my witnesses, that i will carry out, according to my ability and judgment, this oath and this indenture."
hygiea is a c-type asteroid that has a dark, carbonaceous surface consisting of hydrated and ammoniated silicate minerals, with carbonates and water ice; its subsurface likely contains a large fraction of water ice. because it is so dark and carbon-rich, it reflects very little sunlight. it's roughly 270 miles in diameter, orbits the sun every 2,030 days, and completes its rotation every 13.83 hours. its chemical and elemental composition is exceptionally close to that of ceres. it is the 10th discovered asteroid in history. it is the 4th largest asteroid in our solar system and is in the running for the title of minor planet for 2 reasons - it already orbits our sun, and it's nearly spherical in shape. but, as of right now, the IAU (international astronomical union) has not reclassified it as such.
◇ hygiea remains largely unexplored as it has never been visited by any space probes but the suspected presence of water ice below its surface correlates with cleanliness and the possibility of life, as well as the presence of ammonia - another building block of life and an excellent cleanser.
personal correspondences
keywords: health/healing, health maintenance, cleansing, protection, immunity, self-care
plants: all medicinal herbs + chamomile, echinacea, eucalyptus, holy basil, lavender, lemon, mint, rosemary, thyme
crystals/minerals: amethyst, aquamarine, aura quartz, blue topaz, clear quartz, fluorite (green and blue), garnet, halite (salt), ruby, selenite
colors: red, white, light and dark blue, seafoam green [think of the color of a mirror], clear/translucent varieties of these colors
lunar phase: new & waning moon [cleansing, banishing illness], full & waxing [promoting and improving health]
symbols: bowl of hygieia, staff of asclepius
animal: snake/serpent
altar items + offerings: cups, staves, medical supplies, snake motifs, salt water or saline, clean water, fresh tea, blue candles, mortar and pestle
mundane & magical ideas
recite hygieia's orphic hymn and make offerings to hygiea
disinfect, clean, and refresh your altar and tools
discard old herbs, burned down candles, and spoiled offerings
keep your home clean and free of clutter
craft a magically charged floor sweep powder or floor wash
dedicate healthy meals to hygiea
stay up to date with vaccines and have regular medical check-ups
remember to refill and take your meds
bless, enchant, and restock your first aid kit and other medical supplies
enchant your handsoap and wash up regularly (i know i shouldn't have to say this but alas)
enchant your bath products and take a cleansing shower
clean your sleeping space
wash your sheets
tend to and water your plants
make a healing soup or tea for yourself or others in need
volunteer at your local hospital or make donations in hygiea's name
spells to banish unhealthy habits and promote good ones
avoid self-neglect
practice the manipulation of energy for healing but NOT as a replacement for medical care
research and study herbalism, medical astrology, and humorism
◇ left photo: fountain of hygieia in new orleans ◇ right photo: 10 hygiea captured by the very large telescope in 2017 ◇ other sources: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]
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