At the time of writing – on the last day of November 2021 – a number of articles are appearing in the mainstream press carrying statements from scientists that up to half the water on Earth originates in the Sun. The source is a new paper published in the journal Nature Astronomy, by a team of researchers from the UK, Australia and America.
 
Basically they are saying water is, or was, brought here on Solar Winds. One analysis prefers to think that it is a kind of alchemy, whereby hydrogen atoms from the Sun hit other particles of cosmic dust and convert them to H2O.
 
The Sun contains every known element, including oxygen and hydrogen. In most parts it is too hot to form molecules, but in the cooler places, for example those that exist in the middle of sunspots, molecules of H2O do indeed form. There may not be oceans there, because of the temporary nature of sunspots, but nevertheless, water does exist on the Sun.
 
One article that appears in The Conversation ends by saying: “So, while sipping your next glass of water, ponder the curious thought that Earth derived up to half its water from the Sun.” Not so much food for thought, as liquid for thought!

According to an article published by Ancient Origins this week, archaeologists have uncovered stone blocks that are helping them piece together the history of the once magnificent and extraordinary temple, dedicated to the Sun god Ra in the El-Matariya area of Cairo’s upmarket suburb of Heliopolis. Heliopolis, which literally means the “City of the Sun,” was one of the oldest cities of ancient Egypt, being occupied since the Predynastic Period (circa 6000 – 3000 BC).

The inscriptions on some of the blocks mention the regnal years 13 and 14 (366/365 BC) as well as the dimensions and the materials used. From this it can be concluded that they belong to the reign of King Nactanebo I (379-363 BC), also known as Nakhtnebef, the founder of the 30th Dynasty, the last dynasty of native rulers of Egypt.

Some fragments of a statue of King Ramesses II, a part of a baboon statue, a statue base and pieces of a quartzite obelisk of King Osorkon I were also found as were some worship facilities such as an offering table of Thutmose III (1479-1425 BC). These indicate that royal support and investment in the Temple of the Sun and creator god at Heliopolis continued uninterrupted. The excavation work provided additional evidence for the 30th Dynasty and the Ptolemaic Period (the rule of the Macedonian Greek 33rd Dynasty from 305 BC to30 BC) at the site.

To read the full article, follow this link to Ancient Origins.

Two months ago, I quoted a short excerpt from the Great Hymn to Aten - one of the most influential writings of Ancient Egypt - which bears witness to Pharoah Akhenaten’s profound connection with the essence of the Sun. Here is a little more of it:

“You created the sky far away in order to ascend to it,
to witness everything You created.
You are alone, shining in your form of the living Aten.
Risen, radiant, distant and near.
You made millions of forms from yourself alone:
cities, towns, fields, and the river's course.
All eyes see You above them
as the Aten of the daytime on high.
When You are gone, (...) your eye is gone (...)
which You have made {for their sake}
But even then You are in my heart
and there is no other who knows You,
only your son, Nefer-kheperu-Re, Sole-one-of-Re,
whom You have taught your ways and your might.
The ones on Earth come into being by your hand,
in the way You made them.
When You rise, they live.
When You set, they die.
You yourself are lifetime itself,
one lives through You.
All eyes rest on beauty until You set.
All labor ceases when You rest in the West.
When You rise, You make all arms firm for the King,
every leg is on the move since You founded the Earth,
You rouse them for your son, who emerged from your body.”