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| Moon on the night of October 21, 2012 |
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| Mourners gaze at the moon, front of Royal Palace, afternoon of October 22. |
Last night (October 21) at around 8:00PM I received the first of several SMS's from friend saying that people were seeing "Sihanouk's face in the moon," and to "look up now." I was at home so I walked out to the street to get a better view and found several other people already out gazing at the moon. My neighbors stood in front of their house and a couple of passing motorcycles had stopped in the street. Everybody was staring skyward, pointing and talking. I looked up. The moon was clearly visible. It was almost at First Quarter (perhaps still a 49% waxing crescent.) Though high clouds obscured the view at times, the moon could be seen clearly for several minutes at a time. I looked at it for a good long while but couldn't see the face in the moon, at least not specifically Sihanouk's face. My neighbors, on the other hand, appeared quite convinced and stared in wonder. The guard across the street seemed far less persuaded, but didn't press his skepticism. Social media came absolutely alive with moon talk for hours after and again today. Many, many people saw it. Dozens of different photos of the moon were posted on Twitter, Facebook and internet forums, some obviously photoshopped to show Sihanouk's face. On internet, where people are less inhibited in expressing opinion, debates flashed, skeptics calling it mass hysteria and superstition, and some believers citing a lack of respect or even moral fault in those unable to see it.
Last night's moon is still a major topic of conversation today (October 22) amongst the mourners at the Palace. And as the moon was visible during the daytime today, people on the street were still craning their heads toward the moon in the hope of getting a glimpse of the King Father.
Today several of the photo vendors at the Royal Palace are
selling photos of last night's moon alongside their regular selection of
Sihanouk photos. All of the following photos were purchased from photo vendor in front of the Royal Palace.
Photo sold by vendors in front of the Palace. Moon on
the night on October 21, 2012.
Photo sold by vendors in front of the Palace. Moon on
the night on October 21 with a superimposed image of Sihanouk.
Photo sold by vendors in front of the Palace. Moon on
the night on October 21 with a superimposed image of Sihanouk.
Photo sold by vendors in front of the Palace, purportedly of the moon on the night on October 21, but the phase does not seem correct. The moon on the 21st was at First Quarter. The moon in this photo looks like a waxing gibbous.
Photo sold by vendors in front of the Palace, purportedly of the moon over the Palace on
the night on October 21, but the scale does not seem correct.
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I'm asking for those of you who believed King Sihanouk's face in the moon to use your commense. Why do you believe the king has that kind of ability to project his face on the moon after dead?
ReplyDeleteif he had that kind of power then you should be able to do the following:
1. He should be able to avoid deadth if he has that power.
2. He should not go and die at someone else land. he should be able to stay at his own and be proud. this is a simple ability and any mankind can do, why couldnt he?
3. He put millions of lives live in hell, like Khmer Krom, Khmer Sarin, people who died under Polpot. this is a simple ability..
4. He powerless in his kingdom, he wasnt able to make any kind of politic decission.
5. His own citizen kicked him out of the country. he as to died at someone else land.
6. if he possessed somekind of power after dead, why can't he project his image world wide to show his power?
7. Why can't he use his power to kick all the Vietnamese out from Cambodia? millions of vietnamese imgrate to cambodia every day.
9. why can't he use his power to gain back his kingdom power?
10.. etc..
This is common sense....
The Cambodian kingdom is destroy by this king generation, the current king and king sihanouks does not deserved to be respected, but they deserved to release from their power and be a normal citizen. Millions of lives were surffered and surfering by this king.
thank you...
I was there. I am born in America and I had the random opportunity to be in Cambodia at that time. It was a very strange moment. What we saw all over the country is a different factor besides our opinion of him as king. My friends took amazing pictures of naga shaped clouds in kapong som. I was in phnum penh at the time. I saw clouds turning into faces. When the international speaker said thank you for attending the funeral of the king and have a good night. Immediately the sky pour in fury. It may not be the Kings parami but someone had parami to invoke those things.
DeleteConsider to visit Cambodia someday...thanks for sharing.
ReplyDelete