First mandala

I began this mandala on the Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year. I have spent many winter nights gazing at the sky, following the movement of the constellations, the phases of the moon, and rarely, a wonderful comet.
Moon phases are fascinating. While the winter solstice is an annual event determined by the earth's rotation around the sun, the phases of the moon occurr on an almost monthly basis determined by the moons rotation about the earth. The two motions combine to describe a complex whirling motion through space. A lovely dance of asymmetry. And on occasion, the full moon coincides with the solstice.I always feel that to be a special, wonderous night.