Scorpio New Moon 2024: Minor Planet Report

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Scorpio New Moon, 1st November 2024, 12:47 UTC

Let's face it: the forthcoming U.S. presidential election is – to put it mildly – causing some tension. This lunation chart reflects the uncertainty and unease many of us are feeling, in large part thanks to a configuration between Mars, Pluto and Juno, known as a T-square, in the often fraught final (anaretic) degrees of Cancer, Capricorn and Libra respectively. It seems to me this aspect pattern represents in vivid colour our collective sense of urgency, our anxiety for it all to be over with, and our dread of the worst case scenario.

I will hazard one prediction. I think the regressive side of this particular fence is finally running out of footholds in society writ large, and a defeat at the polls will signal its downfall amid the ascent of a kinder, more egalitarian culture. The very close sextile between Jupiter (which might naturally stand for the Harris-Walz team, being the god of joy) and Chiron suggests potential for deep healing.

As a Brit, I recognise that I'm on the sidelines here and can have no idea what it's like actually on the ground. I feel for anyone who is scared, under threat or already hurt by the Christofascist horror show. But in case it helps: the trine between Mercury and Mars suggests a release valve for anyone feeling desperate or forlorn: namely, take courage, be clear and speak your truth.

I am convinced that good will prevail; it's just a question of when. I think there's at least a fighting chance for a victory on Tuesday. Much love to you all.

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Gemini New Moon 2024: Minor Planet Report

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Gemini New Moon (Moon conjunct Sun), 6th June 2024 at 12:37:31 UTC, 16+ Gemini
Venus is conjunct the New Moon at 16+ Gemini
New Moon is sesquiquadrate Pluto at 1+ Aquarius

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Some minor planets involved

Conjunct Moon and Sun

• (29) Amphitrite – Large, stony asteroid named for the Greek sea goddess and wife of Poseidon; when she at first refused his advances he sent the dolphin god Delphin as his messenger, who persuaded her to agree to the marriage. Waves/being washed away^[1], "tides of fate and fortune"^[2] or "the evaluation phase of a relationship"^[3] – in addition, the discovery degree Sabian draws attention to the life-giving property of water, possibly both to quench thirst and as the necessary ingredient for most living things to survive and procreate.
• (227) Philosophia – Named for the subject of study. May relate simply to philosophy itself, or (broadly) spiritual practices^[4]; the Sabian and other associations imply the act of cognitive exploration as a form of preparatory skill or foresight, as well as the importance of joy to our existence.
• (413) Edburga – Exact name origin is unknown, but there were a number of Saxon women by this name alive between the 7th and 10th centuries, some of whom became saints^[5]. Two themes stand out from the correspondences: the Sabian speaks of the will and its role in shaping character; the closest resonance match is with (14) Irene, one of the Horai, goddess of peace and the season of spring, who is also connected to abundance. Potentially the reconciliation of these lies in making the best of what one is given.
• (639) Latona – Roman name for Leto, the mother of Artemis and Apollo; member of the Eos family of asteroids in the outer main belt. Associations are indicative of the aura of nobility, blessedness and dignity characteristic of Leto in myth. The discovery Sabian likewise speaks of beatitude. Her very nature seems to command respect and reverence.

You Are Holding the Thread

This Monday, 7th August, is another of the cross-quarter days among those pivotal moments in the turning of the seasonal wheel when profundities tend to make themselves more apparent, just for a whisper.

The one in question is known to some in the north of the world as Lammas or Lughnasadh, the first fruits harvest (its equivalent in the southern hemisphere being Imbolc). It's usually celebrated around the first of the month, but astrologically it occurs when the Sun reaches the midpoint of Leo - exactly halfway between the Cancer solstice* and the Libra equinox**.

In astrological symbolism, the solstices and equinoxes occur as the Sun enters each cardinal sign. Cardinal signs represent initiation, pioneering, leadership - the first to set foot in new territory. Thus at these moments a new season commences. At the cross-quarters, the Sun is in the middle of a fixed sign. This indicates continuation as well as manifestation: the culmination of the seasonal forces in action.

Push When the Moment Comes

Hello! I'm back following a brief hiatus, though I've been busy behind the scenes making some art and figuring out schedules, with the intention of providing a more regular service. I dislike making promises, so I'll just say that I have things a little better organised now, and this will hopefully lead to fewer and shorter silences.

I've been gazing for quite some time on the chart for the Sun ingressing (i.e. moving into) the sign of Gemini this year, which happens on Sunday 21st May at 07:09 UT. It's one of those charts that contains a barrage of information, from which it isn't always easy to identify or extract the most salient points. However, there is one configuration that jumps immediately to the attention.

Comfort Zone Ejector Seat

It's almost time for that impressive astronomical light show otherwise known as eclipse season. First is a hybrid solar eclipse, taking place on 20th April at 04:12 UT; this is followed up by a penumbral lunar eclipse on 5th May at 17:33 UT*.

Astrologically, these phases can be pretty intense, as if time were compressed and everything happening at once; the decisions made during them can be far-reaching and potent. In order to harness the power of an eclipse window, it is useful to understand where we are in our present life, where we seem to be headed, and where we would like to be - in every sense. As possessors of free will, we are capable of turning certain circumstances to a variety of possible accounts. For the two weeks in question, that ability may get an extra boost.

Pluto in Aquarius News: Artemis II Crew Announced

NASA has announced the four crew members who will be involved in the Artemis II manned mission to the Moon. I came across this news today and thought it very apropos: the exercise of our power (Pluto) in the realms of space exploration and technology (Aquarius). Interestingly, November 2024, the date projected for the mission launch, is the month in which Pluto leaves Capricorn for the last time.

The mission will be the first test of NASA's new Orion spacecraft, and will involve a flyby approximately 10,000 kilometres above the Moon's far side, before returning to Earth. The crew are not intending to land.

Leap of Faith

We live in precarious times. The Doomsday Clock has just been moved on again, and now stands at 90 seconds to midnight, the closest it has ever been since its creation. The inertia of the powerful in the face of global warming and a struggle for democracy is deeply troubling. We stand on the brink of changes we cannot control, and we have no idea whether we shall eventually fly or fall.

Amid this crisis come two major planetary shifts in 2023. The first is Pluto's initial foray into Aquarius from Capricorn, taking place near the Aries equinox on 23rd March. Pluto spends a few months here before retrograding back into Capricorn on 11th June; then, a few days later as the Northern solstice approaches, an object named Sedna enters Gemini.

You might or might not have heard of Sedna, named after an Inuit water goddess and discovered in 2003. It has an orbital period of approximately 11,400 years, and is currently very near perihelion - as close as it gets to the Sun - meaning that from our perspective it's travelling relatively fast. In any case, it leaves Taurus (where it first arrived in 1966) and enters Gemini on 15th June. After a brief trip back, it'll finally settle in Gemini next year, and stay there for the next four decades, according to current calculations.