Today, Wednesday, June 17, 2009 at 5:08 pm PDT, marks the exact time of the 57th Anniversary of Jack Parsons‘ tragic death. Parsons, (born, Marvel Whiteside Parsons, and also known as John), was a brilliant scientist who was one of the main founders of Jet Propulsion Laboratory (affectionately known as “Jack Parsons Laboratories, by Parsons fans).
Jack was the inventor of solid rocket fuel, which was the single most important contribution to the Moon missions, for without Jack’s contribution, there never would have been a man on the moon (at least not within the time frame, it was achieved). For his contributions to the field of space exploration, Jack was given the honor of having not one, but two craters on the moon, named for him (albeit, both are on the dark side of the moon … amazingly appropriate.) Read about Parsons’ craters here.
Despite enough intelligence to have garnered him lasting fame for his contributions in the field of science and chemistry, it was Parsons’ secondary interest and practice of the Magick of Aleister Crowley, that has since overshadowed his more worldly legacy.
In 1939, at the young age of 26, Parsons was introduced, by Wilfrid T. Smith, to the magickal philosophy of Aleister Crowley, the head of the organization known as, the Ordo Templi Orientis.
Parsons life took a strange turn when he undertook a ritual he named, “The Babalon Working“, wherein he performed an intense Enochian Ritual, specifically designed to manifest an earthly incarnation of the Thelemic primal goddess, “Babalon.”
Much has been written about this extraordinary ritual, and its shocking, seemingly tragic outcome, in the form of two books, “Sex and Rockets“, and “Strange Angel“. (Purchase these books, via links listed below).
I have created several Astrological Charts regarding the highlights of Parsons’ fascinating life, which are available upon request, to serious Magicians, and those interested in the Jack’s magickal career.
In honor of Jack’s memory, there is a group on Facebook, dedicated to this amazingly talented man.
There is also a collector’s edition, Jack Parsons’ Memorial T-Shirt, available here.
Jack Parsons – Wikipedia Entry
Books about Jack Parsons: (Buy them by clicking below, and support this site!)
Love and Rockets
Strange Angel
The New Moon we’ve been waiting for! It’s the first New Moon of the Start of Spring… full of promise and exciting beginnings.
Today is the 61st Anniversary of the death of the avatar of Western Magick, Edward Alexander Crowley (more famously known as