( The Daze was established Dec. 22nd 1999) by Michael Harwood .M.Ed, B.A.
An Astrological commentary on current events.
(Copyright:- The Daze 2003 -All rights reserved, National chart data from The Book of World Horoscopes, All times quoted are GMT, Tropical Zodiac used throughout.)
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As the year ends the sky is full of a planetary picture known as a Cardinal T-square between Mars, the Sun and Saturn. The Sun Saturn opposition peaks today at 20-58 GMT. The Mars Saturn square peaks on New Years Day. A rather grim 'New Year' is envisioned. The slow waxing Moon is in Aries today.
The whole of the world news, during this recent week, has been overtaken by the Earthquake in Iran on Friday 26th Dec. 2003. The estimate of the death count in now put at 50000. Both the Cardinal T-square mentioned above, (involving retrograde Mercury on the day of the quake), and an applying waning mutable square aspect between Jupiter and Pluto were (and are still) active in all astrological horoscopes set at this time. Jupiter will turn retrograde on Jan 3rd 2004 and we will have to wait until August 2004 to experience the 'one off' peaking of his square with Pluto.
Tuesday 30th Dec. 2003
A planetary T-square involving the First Quarter Moon in Aries conjunct Mars at one point, Saturn in Cancer at the second point and the Sun in Capricorn at the third is dominant in the geocentric skies at this time. On this day the planet Uranus finally enters Pisces at 09-18 GMT. A crisis can be expected today. It really is an astrologically special day.
The First Quarter Moon occurs at 10-04 GMT. At 17-19 GMT Venus is conjunct Neptune. Finally Mercury retrogrades into Sagittarius at 19-53 GMT.
Ayatollah Khamenei vows to rebuild Bam after the quake which destroyed the historic city, killing at least 25,000. Libya was years away from making a nuclear bomb, the head of the United Nations nuclear agency confirms.
Saturday 27th Dec. 2003
At 01-11 GMT Mercury stands at inferior conjunction. This is the 'New Mercury' aspect, a deep conception moment of new seed ideas. The Moon at this time is crescent in Aquarius, going on to conjunct Uranus and enter Pisces at 11-10 GMT. Early this evening the Moon shines midway between bright Venus (far to the Moon's lower right) and fainter orange Mars (far to the Moon's upper left).
The weekend continues with the waxing Piscean Moon making mainly easy aspects. After recent turbulence make the most of a quiet couple of days before a 'humdinger' of a first quarter Moon on Tuesday 30th. The mood will change on Monday about 18-00 GMT when the Moon moves on to Aries and applies to Mars.
At least 20,000 people have died and many more are hurt as the big earthquake hits south-east Iran. (see yesterday's note).
The scientist leading the Beagle project says he has not given up hope of contacting the missing Mars lander.
Friday 26th Dec. 2003 Preliminary Report of Bam Earthquake
At 5:26 AM on 26 December 2003, an earthquake shake a large area of the Kerman province. The epicenter of the devastating earthquake is located at 29.01ºN 58.26ºE, 10 km, South-West of Bam City.
Jupiter and Pluto dominate this chart. Pluto near the horizon and rising, square Jupiter on the mid Heaven.
Mercury opposes Saturn square Mars.
A powerful earthquake rocks south-eastern Iran, causing many casualties and widespread damage.
At 08-54 GMT retrograde Mercury in Capricorn is in a waning cardinal square aspect to Mars. Mercury will next be in Conjunction with Mars, (and Jupiter) in late September 2004, one of the 'hot periods' of 2004.
Today starts awkwardly, the cardinal square is indicative of bad timing and poor responses. Whatever occurs this morning is in part a crisis prior to next September's triple conjunction.
The waning crescent Moon is in Aquarius, applying in conjunction to Uranus which occurs 11-00 tomorrow, Saturday 27th. In the meanwhile Mercury is in inferior conjunction to the Sun at 01-11 GMT also on Saturday.
The remaining days of 2003 are astrologically eventful, especially so as we approach 30th December 2003. On this day, with the Moon at first quarter in Aries conjunct Mars, and Venus conjunct Neptune in Aquarius, Uranus re-enters Pisces, and Mercury retrogrades into Capricorn. It looks to be a significant day in time
The news over Christmas day yesterday was rather bleak. A suicide bomber killed four Israelis, as five Palestinians, including three militants, died in a strike in Gaza. Two bomb blasts killed 14 people in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi, narrowly missing President Musharraf. At least 190 people have died following an explosion at a gas field in Chongqing, south-western China, the state news agency Xinhua reports. Initial reports after the blast at the Chuandongbei field on Tuesday said only eight people had died. But the death toll has risen sharply, perhaps due to later fatalities from poisoning and chemical burns. This event also occurred on the day of the New Moon in Capricorn.
Scientists have failed to pick up an expected signal from British-built spacecraft Beagle 2 telling them it has landed safely on Mars. The £35m ($62m) probe should have landed at 0254 GMT on Christmas Day after a six-month flight. A coincidence that at this time of communication failure from Mars the red planet itself is in square aspect to a retrograde Mercury in the skies of Earth. We await further developments.
Thursday 25th Dec. 2003
The void of course young Moon starts Christmas day in Capricorn and enters Aquarius at 08-14 GMT. Venus makes a positive waning sextile to Mars at 13-29 GMT. The Moon is conjunct Venus in Aquarius at 17-18 GMT.
CHRISTMAS SUNSET: Dont forget, when Christmas Day comes to an end, step outside and look west. Among the pink rays of the setting sun you can see a lovely close encounter between Venus and the slender crescent moon.
Wednesday 24th Dec. 2003
In the US officials investigate the first suspected case of "mad cow disease", as countries begin a clampdown on US beef. This development occurred yesterday, on the day of the New Moon in Capricorn.
The infant Moon is in Capricorn making a solitary trine to Jupiter at 13-53 GMT then becoming void of course until she enters Aquarius on Christmas day at 08-14 GMT. High tech Christmas ahead.
Tuesday 23rd Dec. 2003
The main news today on this New Moon in Capricorn reports that eight Palestinians are shot dead in a raid by Israeli troops on a refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, Palestinians say.
Yesterday hours before the New Moon there occurred one of the most powerful quakes to hit California in recent years. It was felt from Los Angeles to San Francisco. Major US cities have tightened security after the nation's terror alert was raised amid intelligence warnings.
The news from Libya has been an important world development over the time of Winter Solstice 2003.
The old Moon enters Capricorn at 07-56 GMT today. The New Moon in Capricorn is at 09-04 GMT. The 'special' period between the moment of Winter Solstice and this new Moon coincides with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher being taken to hospital after an incident at Jerusalem's al-Aqsa Mosque. The UN watchdog says it may start inspecting Libyan nuclear sites next week, after Tripoli accepts spot checks. A Briton and four Israeli hostages are released by their Colombian rebel captors after three months. Major US cities have tightened security after the nation's terror alert was raised amid intelligence warnings.
Beagle 2 has been carried to the vicinity of Mars by the Mars Express mothership, and released successfully to go its own way for the final leg of the journey. The easy part is over. Beagle 2's atmospheric entry, descent and landing on Mars on Christmas Day will be the most worrying six minutes in the history of unmanned space exploration.
Following the New Moon, (the first lunation following the Total Solar Eclipse last month), the Moon goes on to conjunct Mercury in Capricorn and oppose Saturn in Cancer before midnight. Venus in Aquarius is applying in waning sextile to Mars in Aries, retrograde Mercury is applying square to Mars and opposite Saturn. Amid seasonal merriment there may well be something melancholy at work 'in the stars'.
Sunday Dec. 21st 2003.
Some 200 people may have died in landslides in the central Philippines, which officials partly blame on illegal logging.
Senior Libyan officials have met the head of the UN's nuclear agency to discuss the elimination of Tripoli's weapons of mass destruction programme. The talks in Vienna came just a day after Colonel Muammar Gaddafi revealed the programme - and promised to end it.
Delighted mission controllers separate Beagle 2 from its mothership and a Christmas day landing looks promising.
AURORA OUTLOOK: Earth is entering a solar wind stream flowing from a coronal hole on the Sun. So far geomagnetic activity remains low because the near Earth is tilting north. Space Weather.com
The daze is now four years old. The moment of Winter Solstice (northern hemisphere) is on Monday 22nd December 2003 at 07-04 GMT.
At 06-33 GMT on Sunday Dec. 21st Venus enters Aquarius, the balsamic Moon enters Sagittarius at 08-16 GMT. The Sun is sextile Uranus as midnight approaches. Mercury in Capricorn is moving backwards towards his second opposition with Saturn. Today is less intense than yesterday but equally important, a slight shift of social orientation occurs. There is vision and originality coupled with serious judgement. This strange mixture of influences is woven into the 'fabric' of today.
Saturday Dec. 20th 2003.
The Moon speeding through Scorpio becomes balsamic in phase at 06-00 GMT. The Moon will be New in Capricorn on Tuesday. The days before that becoming potentially visionary, old cycles nearing completion, as the Sun ends his yearly zodiacal journey and the Moon burns out to New Moon. Mercury moving backwards opposite Saturn adds a heavy weight of deliberation to proceedings. Today may well be intense.
Friday Dec. 19th 2003.
Yesterday under a 'fair play' Moon in Libra we learnt that President Musharraf is ready to "put aside" the demand for a referendum to solve the dispute with nuclear rival India over Kashmir. The first civilian lawyer let into Guantanamo Bay said prisoners there are not being treated equally. Powers allowing foreign terror suspects to be held without trial indefinitely should be revoked, a committee says. Notice the 'Right Law' nature of these main News items.
Today is different, the Moon enters Scorpio at 07-20 GMT. The 'feeling' less altruistic and directed more to personal passion.
Thursday Dec. 18th 2003.
The waning Moon gliding through Libra. Mercury is retrograde. Astrologically quiet.
Aid agencies and government officials are battling with a ravaging malaria outbreak in Ethiopia.
In the UK serious concerns about background checks on people working in schools remain despite the Soham murders.
Holly and Jessica disappearance charts.
Wed. Dec. 17th 2003.
A series of dust storms could threaten the success of three space probes heading for Mars, astronomers warn. The scientists say some small storms are combining to obscure a large part of the planet's northern hemisphere. If they build into a global storm, which can happen, it could interfere with the solar panels the probes use to generate power for their instruments. On 25 December, Europe's Beagle 2 will land, followed by two US rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, on 3 and 24 January.
Five days remain till the Winter Solstice for the northern hemisphere. The Moon just past Last Quarter is in Libra today (from 03-47 GMT) and Thursday and is moving fast. There are no planetary aspects exact for several days ahead. Mercury hovers motionless turning retrograde at 15-54 GMT. The Sun and Moon are both in Masculine signs. As the Moon glides rapidly into Libra a more social orientation of our consciousness can be expected. Given the chance great peace and stillness of mind can be more easily obtained today as is often the case as Mercury is stationary.
Yesterday coinciding with Mars rampaging into Aries, we learnt that Iraqi militants ambushed a US convoy and demonstrations in support of Saddam Hussein in some flash point towns near Baghdad turned violent.
Tuesday Dec. 16th 2003.
President Bush said yesterday that the US will work with Iraqis to give the captured leader a trial that will stand international scrutiny. Stock markets rose around the world following the capture of deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. Car bombs exploded at two police stations in the Baghdad area, killing at least eight people.
At 06-44 GMT today the Last Quarter Moon stands conjunct Jupiter in Virgo. At 13-24 GMT Mars will enter Aries. (See note below). The Moon's Last Quarter Phase occurs at 17-43 GMT. Both the Sun and the Moon are now in mutable signs. Movement and crises of change are indicated. Mercury is now moving very slowly from the geocentric viewpoint and oppressingly is still closely opposite Saturn. There is however a great deal of staying power and organisational energy about. Attempt nothing new now, the best advice is to finish off, perfect and complete.
Monday December 15th 2003.
From just after 21-00 GMT on Sunday night the Moon is in Virgo accelerating towards the Last Quarter Phase which occurs at 17-43 GMT on Tuesday 16th Dec. Some 4.5 hours before this Mars will enter Aries. The red planet has been in the sign of the Fish since mid June this year (except for a few days in September). This ingress is the most important astrological development during the next few days, and may well coincide with a 'surge' of assertive energy world wide. Mars will remain in Aries until Feb. 3rd 2004.
Mercury turns retrograde on Wed. 17th Dec. and turns to face another opposition with Saturn. Plans, travel arrangements and communication in general may start to go awry from this point till Jan 6th 2004 when he turns direct once again.
Sunday December 14th 2003.
TIKRIT, Iraq (CNN) -- U.S. forces have captured Saddam Hussein in a late night raid near his hometown of Tikrit, according to the head of the Coalition Provisional Authority."Ladies and gentleman, we got him," L. Paul Bremer announced Sunday. The announcement was greeted with cheers from the audience.
This development occurred with Mercury opposite Saturn, the Moon was in Leo.
The annual Geminid meteor shower is underway, and forecasters expect it to peak this weekend on Dec. 13th and 14th. Bright moonlight will diminish the show, somewhat, but plenty of shooting stars should be visible anyway. Go outside on Saturday night around 9:30 p.m. local time and watch the sky until midnight or so. During those hours the moon won't be too high or glaring, and you could see dozens of meteors. And if that doesn't work... visit Spaceweather.com and listen to echos of the Geminids using live audio links to meteor radars in Texas and New Mexico.
Friday Dec. 12th 2003
With Venus trining Jupiter in Earth signs yesterday it was of no surprise to see Wall Street's benchmark, the Dow Jones index of 30 leading shares, closing above the 10,000 points level for the first time since May 2002. News generally was rather weak however.
Today the Moon still quite Full but waning and accelerating starts the day in Cancer and enters Leo at 11-41 GMT. By 22-22 GMT the Moon's phase is disseminating. The Sun starts the day some ten days from the Winter Solstice point and conjunct Pluto. Mercury is nearly opposite Saturn. Increasing seriousness seems to be the state of 'play' later on.
Thursday Dec. 11th 2003.
As mentioned yesterday Mercury is currently slowly moving to an opposition with Saturn which is exact on Saturday December 13th. Mercury will turn retrograde next Wednesday (Dec. 17th) and begin another application to an opposition with Saturn which will peak on December 22nd 2003 the day of the Winter Solstice in the northern hemisphere. Mercury turns direct on Jan 6th 2004 and makes his final opposition with Saturn on 22nd Jan. 2004, some few hours after the New Moon in Aquarius. The first opposition (the one next Saturday) is the tightest and therefore the most potent from an astrological standpoint. Intense seriousness can be associated with this aspect.
Venus is happily trined with Jupiter today which despite the mounting gloom of the Saturn Mercury opposition, offers opportunity to make amends. The Sun has its annual conjunction with Pluto tomorrow at 05-26 GMT. It all looks very complicated and involved at the current time.
Yesterday amid the square aspect between the Sun and Jupiter, an aspect associated with ill judgement, six more children were killed during US operations in Afghanistan - the second such incident to be reported in a week. In Liberia at least nine people were killed in the worst violence since the UN peacekeeping operation began in August.
Yesterday it was reported that astronomers have seen a trail of black holes scattered across space formed by a titanic collision between galaxies. They were detected in the NGC 4261elliptical galaxy observed by the orbiting Chandra X-ray telescope. (BBC graphic above)
Wed Dec. 10th 2003 .
A few astrologically interesting days ahead full of planetary aspects, some easy, some tough. Mercury is slowly building to an opposition with Saturn which peaks on Saturday. There is just a tinge of something sombre going down. The Moon today in Cancer couples with these two, conjuncting Saturn at 23-02 GMT. Prior to this the Sun squares Jupiter at 11-00 GMT today. Today looks to be a bit special.
Tomorrow it is the turn of Venus to make an earthy trine aspect to Jupiter. The advice is to take full advantage of the benevolent gracious sweet richness beaming down from the heavens.
The Sun is conjunct Pluto on Friday, by which time the Mercury Saturn opposition will be nearing its climax.
Yesterday in the wake of Monday's Full Moon in Gemini six people were killed in an explosion in Moscow, which is being described as a botched suicide bombing. An attack injured dozens of US soldiers and a helicopter makes an emergency landing after being fired on in Iraq. Britain's armed forces face a major overhaul in response to the threat of terrorism, says the UK's senior military officer.
Tues. Dec. 9th 2003.
The last Full Moon of 2003 occurred yesterday. En route to Saturn, the Cassini spacecraft has caught another glimpse of the ringed planet that is growing more detailed with time. Russia's parliamentary poll failed to meet democratic criteria, according to a democracy watchdog. The Commonwealth summit ends in recriminations after Zimbabwe's decision to withdraw from the body. The dollar has fallen to a record new low against the euro, before Tuesday's interest rates decision in the US.
Today the 'hung-over Full Moon' wanes and accelerates through Gemini making a couple of difficult aspects as it does so. The Sun is building to a mutable square to Jupiter. A waste of words may bombard ears hearts and minds today.
Dec 8th 2003
The Moon is Full in Gemini.
Local villagers in Afghanistan have contradicted US reports that the target of an air strike that killed nine children also died in the raid. The attack was carried out on Saturday in the village of Hutala, in a remote area of southern Ghazni province.
A disease which has wiped out thousands of trees in California has been found in a native British species for the first time.
Commonwealth leaders agree to keep Zimbabwe suspended from the body for an indefinite period.
Initial results from Russia's general election put the party supported by President Putin in the lead, as expected.
A new design of eye implant is being constructed by researchers at Stanford University that may replace a damaged retina. President George W Bush makes a political U-turn by repealing illegal tariffs on steel and avoids a trade war with Europe.
The astrological chart for the Full Moon, (Dec. 8th 2003), the first Full Moon after the Lunar eclipse of November 9th 2003, is shown below. This is a very dynamic lunation. Notice the mutable cross within the chart involving the Sun in Sagittarius, the Moon in Gemini, Jupiter in Virgo and Mars in Pisces. Notice also the 'mystic rectangle' at London, involving the Ascendant, a setting Neptune and the Sun and Moon. After the recent rather quiet period this Full Moon may just be the catalyst which speeds up changes.
Friday 7th December 2003
Seventeen days remain to the Winter Solstice in the northern hemisphere. The Moon is gibbous in phase in Taurus. (Full Moon is on Monday 8th see below). Venus in Capricorn is applying to a tight opposition to Saturn which peaks at 12-04 GMT on Saturday 6th December 2003. This opposition sees Venus on the far side of the Sun, the Earth and Saturn (this side of the Sun) within one degree of linear alignment. There is a fair measure of sobriety and 'tempering' associated with such an alignment. Hardship and melancholia may abound in some circles. Expect today, therefore, situations to be slow moving and generally decelerating.
Dec. 4th 2003.
The waxing Moon in Aries for most of the day enters Taurus 22-31.
Yesterday under a strange Neptune Sun sextile aspect, self-confessed cannibal Armin Meiwes told his trial in
Kassel Germany of a lifelong obsession that led to him eating a fellow human. With similar Neptunian strangeness Moscow contradicted a statement signalling it would not ratify the climate change treaty.
Europe's first solo mission to another planet, Mars Express, took its first image of the Red Planet. A senior Chinese official outlined on state TV the country's ambition to put a lander and then a man on the Moon by 2020.
Wednesday Dec. 3rd 2003.
Moscow said yesterday that it will not ratify a pact to tackle the effects of man-made global warming in its current form. US forces denied reports that they had captured Saddam Hussein's deputy Izzat Ibrahim during a raid in northern Iraq. Italy's Senate passed a controversial bill allowing Prime Minister Berlusconi to tighten his grip on the media. France was forced to shut two nuclear reactors on Monday as storms swept across the south of the country. Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Azna vowed to keep troops in Iraq, just hours after the state funerals of seven Spanish intelligence officers killed in the country.
Today the waxing Moon moves slowly through Aries. The Sun today is sextile to Neptune, both planets forming a 150 degree aspect with Saturn. This powerful 'finger of fate' planetary picture will hold us in its sway over the next three days. Your attention is drawn to this configuration.
Tuesday Dec. 2nd 2003.
At 06-54 GMT today Mercury makes a waning positive sextile aspect with Uranus. This is the final aspect made from Mercury in Sagittarius, as by the end of this day he speeds into Capricorn. A time of great mental and emotional pragmatism is now upon us as Mercury and Venus, both evening stars, (evening stars...reflective and looking back), will by the end of today, be in tropical Capricorn. (see Sky and telescope graphic above).
At 11-57 the First quarter Moon enters Aries. Both the Sun and the Moon will then be in fire signs. The day possibly starts with some inspiration and later 'ignites' into much manifestation.
The main news yesterday concerned an ambush on US troops in Iraq's city of Samarra. It was a coordinated attack... on a convoy... delivering a significant amount of Iraqi currency. The number of Iraqis killed by US forces in Sunday's fighting had risen to 54 from 46, the US military says.
On International AIDS day a new plan was launched to ensure three million people with HIV get proper drugs by the end of 2005.
Astronomers say they have evidence for Earth-like planets orbiting a nearby star, making it more like our own Solar System than any yet discovered. The star, Vega, is one of the brightest in the sky, only 25 light-years away. It is three times larger than our Sun and, at 350 million years old, much younger as well.
Renewed concerns about imbalances in the US economy and the threat of terror pushed the euro to fresh heights against the US dollar also on Monday.
Mon. Dec. 1st 2003.
ElEleven died over the weekend in a series of ambushes by Iraqi insurgents at the end of the worst month so far for coalition casualties. Venezuela says it has closed parts of its border with Colombia to stop fraud in an campaign to force a referendum on President Hugo Chavez's rule.
The First quarter Moon in Pisces opposes Jupiter, squares Pluto and conjuncts Mars (20-00 GMT) today. This represents a real beseigement to the senses. Lots of minor movements and changes are on the cards. This is not an easy day.
Friday November 28th 2003.
The month of November ends on a quieter astrological note than has been experienced of late. We are now leaving the current eclipse season. news situations have been set up and we await the manifestation of the changes. Venus shines as a brightening evening star in Capricorn, casting rays of steadfast affection on personal affairs. Mercury also an evening star is racing through Sagittarius coaxing the collective mind to 'take on board' recent discoveries, new adventurous concepts and exploratory conjectures. Mars is speeding up in Pisces, strenthing the collective animus prior to significant rampant activity a few weeks ahead of us when he plunges into Aries. Things are on the move again.
On Sunday November 30th the Sun will stand 22 days from the Winter solstice, the Moon enters Pisces at 03-26 GMT and is at first quarter phase at 18-16 GMT. Both Sun and Moon are then in Mutable signs. The weekend may well be quiet.
On Saturday 29th November the Moon in Aquarius makes brief sextile aspects to Pluto and to Mercury before applying to a conjunction with Uranus at 01-47 GMT on Sunday.
On Friday 28th November the waxing crescent Moon in Aquarius is conjunct Neptune at 17-16 GMT.
On Thursday in the aftermath of the Mars square Pluto aspect more than 200 people died after a boat accident during a storm in the Democratic Republic of Congo about 400 kilometres (248 miles) north-east of the capital. At the same time more than 17,000 people were fleeing their homes in north-east India's Assam state to escape attacks on Hindi-speaking settlers by Assamese mobs and rebels.
Also on Thursday George Bush paid a thanksgiving holiday visit to troops in Iraq - the first to the country by a US president. In the UK the main news was about a man suspected of having al-Qaeda connections being arrested as police checked possible links to "shoe bomber" Richard Reid.
Thursday November 27th 2003.
Really quiet news! Waiting for the big one...it's as if the world does not know how to respond to the new energy of last Sunday's Total Solar Eclipse, but the heavens have to work out. The daze predicted an eventful week and at the time of writing no substantial news stories have emerged unless you consider Argentina saying it has received intelligence warnings of possible terror attacks against western interests, or Washington praising a resolution by the UN's nuclear watchdog censuring Iran over its atomic programme to be of significant proportion. On the scientific front it was announced yesterday that scientists have just found a way to mould plastics into shape without heating them, bringing large-scale recycling of polymers a step closer. Seven people have died in north-western Congo of Ebola after 11 died earlier this month, say health officials. The latest outbreak is believed to have started when a family ate a wild boar they had found dead.
Today the Crescent Moon is void of course from 04-52 till 22-48 when she enters Aquarius. Venus enters Capricorn at 02-08 GMT. It remains to be seen what unfolds after Mars squared Pluto late yesterday.
Wednesday November 26th 2003.
Astrological alert! Mars in Pisces makes a waxing mutable square to Pluto in Sagittarius on Thursday morning at 00-18 GMT. Prior to that potentially violent combination, we may be lulled into momentary pleasant sensation as Venus sextiles Uranus at 07-22 GMT today. However with the infant Moon in Capricorn (opposing Saturn at 17-28 GMT today) and the Mars Pluto aspect building up all day expect the worst. After today things may cool off a little as the Moon approaches and passes the first quarter phase, no immediate planetary aspects are on the horizon right upto Dec 7th.
Yesterday it was disclosed that a record number of people were infected with HIV around the world this year. Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has not been invited to the Commonwealth summit meeting, to be held in Nigeria. The scientific news is that the highlands of Venus are covered by a "frost" of lead and bismuth, say planetary scientists from Washington University. It never was the place for a happy holiday even before this report of 'heavy metal mountains'. In the financial world the US recovery is even stronger than first thought, new figures show, powered by keen spending by both companies and consumers. In the UK digital jukeboxes offering customers a choice of two million tracks are to be fitted in thousands of pubs.
Tuesday November 25th 2003.
Today between 03-00 and 05-00 GMT Mercury, Pluto and the Moon are conjunct in the middle of Sagittarius.
At 18-57 today the Sagittarian Moon is aligned within two degrees to Venus. At 21-32 the Moon enters Capricorn.
Yesterday was a quiet news day in the wake of the previous day's Total Solar Eclipse. The next total Solar Eclipse will be in April 2005, when it will be visible only in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
Monday 24th November 2003.
We are now in the very sensitive days following an eclipse. The major news story throughout the weekend has been about Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze resigning amid massive protests over disputed election results. He announced the move after opposition leader Mikhail Saakashvili gave him an ultimatum to go at talks mediated by Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov. The news was greeted by jubilant scenes in the capital Tbilisi, where fireworks lit up the night sky
The week ahead looks to be very eventful as there are some important and 'hard hitting' planetary aspects
Mercury is square Mars at 04-14 GMT today. On Tuesday between 03-00 and 05-00 GMT Mercury, Pluto and the Moon are conjunct in the middle of Sagittarius. Venus is sextile Uranus on Wednesday and Mars is square Pluto at the start of Thursday.
Friday November 21st 2003.
Total Solar Eclipse.
Sunday November 23rd 2003.
Area of visibility shown on map below
Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak, NASA/GSFC
The final eclipse event of 2003 is a total solar eclipse visible from the Southern Hemisphere . The path of the Moon's umbral shadow begins at 22:19 UT in the southern Indian Ocean about 1100 kilometres southeast of Kerguelen Island. Curving south, the 500 kilometre wide umbral path reaches the coast of Antarctica at 22:35 UT. The Shackleton Ice Shelf and Russia's Mirnyy research station lie in the path where the central line duration is 1 minute 55 seconds and the Sun stands 13° above the frozen landscape. Quickly moving inland, the elongated shadow sweeps over the desolate interior of the continent encountering no permanently staffed research stations for the next half hour. Greatest eclipse occurs in Wilkes Land at 22:49:17 UT. At this point, the duration of totality reaches its maximum of 1 minute 55 seconds at solar altitude of 15°. The duration and altitude slowly drop as the umbra's path curves from southwest to northwest. Just like May's annular eclipse, the November event features a lunar shadow moving in the "wrong" direction. Once again, the explanation lies in the deep southern track of the umbra coupled with the close proximity of the eclipse with winter solstice. As viewed from the Sun's direction, the shadow passes around the "back" side of the pole between Earth's axis of rotation and the terminator.
Timings of the eclipse.
(Sunday November 23rd 2003)
Penumbral eclipse starts 20:46:04.9
Umbral eclipse starts 22:19:20.6
Total Eclipse starts 22:26.2
Greatest eclipse 23:20:14.6
Total Eclipse ends 23:11:46.8
Umbral eclipse ends 23:18:52.7
(November 24th 2003)
Penumbral Eclipse ends 00:52:15.3
Greatest eclipse of 1 minute 57.3 seconds of Totality is at Latitude 88S23 Longitude 088E23.5
Saros series 152.
Saros member 12 of 70.
Solar eclipses of Saros 152 all occur at the Moon's descending node and the Moon moves northward with each eclipse. The series began with a partial eclipse in the southern hemisphere on 1805 Jul. 26. The series will end with a partial eclipse in the northern hemisphere on 3049 Aug. 20. The total duration of Saros series 152 is 1244.08 years. In summary:
First Eclipse = 1805 Jul. 26 06:14:03 UT
Last Eclipse = 3049 Aug. 20 17:26:38 UT
This eclipse is only the third Total Eclipse in the Saros, the first being in November 1967 and the second being in November 1985. The Saros peaks in 2328.
The Saros 'family' to which Sunday's eclipse belongs is still fresh, new and Vibrant. Think back to the previous two eclipses in the series 1967 and 1985 and you may remember 'boom' energy world wide at those times. We can maybe expect this one to follow suit with greater force. The first eclipse of the Saros, back in July 1805 occurred with a stellium in Leo, and a conjunction of Jupiter and Neptune in Scorpio closely sextile Mars in Virgo. The Mars Jupiter aspect in Sunday's eclipse is a tight opposition. It all points to a resplendent recreational and colorful eclipse.
The astrological chart for the moment of maximum eclipse is shown below set for London.
From an astrological standpoint this appears to be a very dynamic and invigorating eclipse. With a stellium of planets in Sagittarius, a mystic rectangle and a mutable T-square there is much new energy released, and a promise of many changes at this time.
At the moment of greatest eclipse the Sun and Moon are exactly rising at Singapore. The pair are setting at New Orleans, Panama City and Kansas City, and are on the nadir of Prague and Berlin.
On Thursday when Mars opposed Jupiter the main news concerned attacks on the UK consulate and HSBC bank leaving at least 26 dead including the top UK official in Istanbul.
Police set pop star Michael Jackson a deadline to face an arrest warrant on child abuse charges.
Thousands of people marched through London to protest against the Iraq war, amid a huge security operation.
Thursday November 20th 2003.
With three days remaining of the astrological month of Scorpio and four days to a Total Solar Eclipse (see above) these are very special times. Yesterday US President George Bush defended the Iraq invasion and the war on terror during the first day of his UK state visit. Police in California issued an arrest warrant for pop star Michael Jackson on "multiple charges" of child molestation. The US dollar fell to an all-time low against the euro, amid fears over trade wars and reluctance by foreigners to finance the US trade deficit.
Today the Moon is in Libra, balsamic in phase from 18-30, and Mars opposes Jupiter at 14-58 GMT. This is destined to be a day of excesses and a very sharp preamble to Sunday's eclipse. These next few days are days of vision and prophecy. The advice given here is to exercise great care in all affairs, business, social, personal and spiritual.
Wednesday November 19th 2003.
George Bush has arrived in the UK for the first state visit by a US president amid some of the tightest security London has ever seen. American warplanes and ground forces have bombarded targets in central Iraq in the latest series of operations against suspected insurgents. A sobering list of species threatened with extinction by damaging human activities has been published by scientists, with a warning that some cannot be saved. Researchers find one of the basic building blocks of matter, but it does not fit with current particle theory.
The Moon accelerating towards Total Solar Eclipse next Monday, today moves from Virgo to Libra at 20-43. Venus is sextile Neptune today forming in turn a 'finger of fate' planetary picture in the skies with Saturn in Cancer. The indications are moving to the ominous. With Mars currently opposite Jupiter and the Sun applying in a fixed square with Uranus the situation can only be described as tense.
Tuesday November 18th 2003.
Yesterday Tony Blair insisted that the time is right for George Bush's trip to the UK as a £5m security operation gets under way. We can expect excessive protest movements in London this week. Movie star Arnold Schwarzenegger was sworn in as California's new Republican governor. Terror fears affected stock markets on Monday, with the Istanbul bombings and the threat of further al-Qaeda attacks causing jitters on world bourses.
Mars in opposition to Jupiter dominates all astrological charts set for any place on earth this week. This opposition which points quite simply to excessive behaviour is exact on Thursday. Friday sees the Sun squaring Uranus which promises a very difficult ending to this current week. The last quarter moon in Virgo today aligns to the Mars Jupiter opposition, conjuncting Jupiter at 19-54.
Venus is conjunct Pluto in Sagittarius today at 02-49 GMT. This occurs at the same time that the following news is released. Astronomers have found a large object orbiting the Sun near Neptune's orbit. It was discovered on Friday by an automated sky survey project. The object is about 570 km across, making it one of the largest bodies of its kind found in modern times. The new body, made of rock and ice, is designated 2003 VS2. Re-examining past records, astronomers have found it in images taken as far back as 1998. The object is one of the largest yet found in the Kuiper Belt, a region of space littered with small rocky worlds orbiting the Sun. It is in a so-called resonance orbit with Neptune. This means that it completes two orbits of the Sun for every three completed by the eighth planet. Such orbits are stable as they allow the object to approach Neptune's orbit without any possibility of collision. Pluto, currently the most distant true planet, is in such an orbit. Because of the similarity, 2003 VS2 has been dubbed "Plutino", or "little Pluto".
Sunday November 16th 2003.
Yesterday under the outlandish aspect of Venus square Jupiter and under the beams of an uncompromising Moon in Leo, two US Black Hawks helicopters collided in Iraq, killing 17 soldiers, and a timetable for a faster transfer of power is unveiled. Turkish and Israeli officials launched a joint investigation into twin bomb attacks on synagogues in Istanbul. Tony Blair defends George Bush's controversial state visit to the UK as a chance to celebrate freedom and security. Not a good day for some.
The Moon reaches Last Quarter phase on Monday 17th November at 05-16 GMT and begins the final week before the Total Solar Eclipse next Monday by entering Virgo on the 17th at 15-37. Venus in Sagittarius is building to a planetary conjunction with Pluto exact on Tuesday morning. The week ahead ends on a challenging note as Mars opposes Jupiter and the Sun, at the end of Scorpio, squares Uranus. All in all the week ahead looks to be dynamic.
The Leonid meteor shower may be active very late Tuesday and Wednesday nights. The great Leonid displays of the last five years are presumably over; meteor specialists expect only a modest showing this year. Nevertheless, two meteor scientists' predictions range from "dozens" to 100 shooting stars visible per hour sometime between about 1:30 and 3 a.m. Eastern Standard Time Wednesday morning.
Friday November 14th 2003.
Mars is trine Saturn at 06-27 GMT today. The disseminating and accelerating Moon is in Cancer and is void of course from 14-40 GMT for the rest of the day. Sort out your deals and your agenda before this time. With Venus making a mutable waxing square to Jupiter the tendency for exaggerated emotional responses today is particularly pronounced. The Sun and the Moon are both in water signs which sets a 'deep feeling day'. Don't expect too much, and avoid wastes of money, time and emotion. It was under this watery Solar Lunar combination yesterday that President Bush announced that steps are being taken to speed up transferring power to Iraqis amid mounting casualties. The president of Serbia and Montenegro issued the first apology to Bosnia for the atrocities of the last war. More British troops however will be sent to Iraq if they are needed, UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw declared.
Astronomical flash:- Late Friday night, November 14-15, Saturn and its ring system will glide right in front of an 8.4-magnitude star in tropical Cancer. Observers with large enough telescopes -- ideally 8-inch or larger -- can watch in fascination as the star leisurely fades in and out of view behind the various rings, gaps, and the open space between the rings and the ball of Saturn itself. For a diagram of the star's apparent path behind Saturn and the rings, visit- http://SkyandTelescope.com/observing/objects/occultations/article_1102_1.asp
Just one day before it encounters Saturn this week, the same 8.4-magnitude star will be occulted by Titan, Saturn's largest moon. Bruno Sicardy (Paris Observatory) describes this event on his Web site:http://despa.obspm.fr/%7Esicardy/titan/titan.html. He points out that it may produce a "central flash" around 0:13 Universal Time on November 14th. Most likely to be seen from parts of South Africa, and lasting up to 10 seconds, the flash is a visible focusing of the star's light by Titan's atmosphere.
Thursday November 13th 2003
Forty days remain till the Winter Solstice in the northern hemisphere. The Moon is conjunct Saturn in Cancer today at 21-06 GMT. This monthly event is always a sobering experience. Mars is currently making a watery trine aspect with Saturn which peaks tomorrow and today's tie up with the Moon aids practical activities right now. There may well be a conservative and thrifty 'vibration' at work today. Time to take stock and to tighten belts. We are still very much in an 'eclipse season' with a Total Eclipse of the Sun occurring on November 23rd/24th in early Sagittarius. This is never a sensible time to start new ventures, self reflection and careful meditation are more clearly in line with the purposes of eclipse seasons. The forthcoming eclipse has exciting potentials. More to follow on that.
Yesterday, as Mars squared Venus, at least 25 people were killed in a suicide bomb attack on an Italian police base in the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriya.
In the UK the first of the former US navy ships at the centre of a legal and environmental row over their disposal moored on the River Tees in northeast England.
Scientists said yesterday that new data suggests that if there is ice at the Moon's poles then it is probably in the form of scattered grains rather than thick sheets,.
Wednesday November 12th 2003.
Three notable astrological events occur today. Mercury enters Sagittarius at 08-19. It is confession time, truth will out. Venus makes a waning mutable square to Mars at 18-27, long-standing feuds rekindled, and the disseminating Moon enters Cancer at 21-11, moody broody finales. Subtle changes of heart, antagonisms surfacing and a movement to instinctive emotion may be the way time flows today.
Under the Mercury Uranus square yesterday the US military in Iraq questioned about 20 people suspected of links with Osama Bin Laden's network. All UK citizens could be compelled to have some form of identity card by 2013, David Blunkett has said.
News also released yesterday reported that the British-built Mars lander, Beagle 2, is on schedule to reach the Martian surface on 25 December 2003. Also scientists have simulated a solar flare in the lab, recreating the explosions seen on the Sun's surface.
Tuesday November 11th 2003
The US Supreme Court is to hear appeals by Afghan war detainees who claim they are being held illegally. Iran says it is suspending its uranium enrichment programme and will submit to closer nuclear checks. Security is stepped up in the Saudi capital following Saturday suicide attack on a foreign workers' compound. This last event coincided with last weekend's Total Lunar Eclipse. There is suddenly a dearth of powerful news items. The observed eclipse at totality revealed a lighted lower limb to the coppery disc. The eclipse was 'transitional' that is to say the next eclipse in its saros series is not total. The lighted lower limb is the sign of its transitional status. Sunday's eclipse heralds a change in its Saros and in consequence may be a signal of change for us all. These days now can be regarded as a time to absorb and internalize the changes now emerging. Today may be quite eventful, with Venus sextiling Neptune, Mercury squaring Uranus and the waning Moon in Gemini expect there to be something to talk about.
The next eclipse in two weeks time is a Total Solar Eclipse is visible from Antarctica. (See graphic above).
Friday November 7th 2003.
Total Lunar Eclipse November 9th 2003.
Notice the hexagonal pattern of planets in the astrological chart below set for the moment of central eclipse. This chart is cast for London where Jupiter is rising. Saturn rises at New York. This 'mystic hexagon' would however be in the chart drawn for any place on Earth. This eclipse is the main astrological event at the current time, the energy is not necessarily easy to harness, but very interesting from the astrological viewpoint. Enjoy the weekend!
Total lunar Eclipse at 16 degrees Taurus. (November 9th 2003).
The timings of this eclipse are as follows:-
Saturday November 8th 2003.
Penumbral eclipse starts. 22:15:00
Partial Eclipse starts 23:32:21
Sunday November 9th 2003.
Total Eclipse starts 01:06:07
Maximum Eclipse 01:18:23
Total Eclipse ends 01:30:38
Partial eclipse Ends 03:04:24
Penumbral Eclipse ends 04:21:48
This second lunar eclipse of the year occurs six lunations after the first. It takes place at the ascending node of Luna's orbit in tropical Taurus. This time, the Moon is 1.4 days shy of apogee and appears 12% smaller (= 29.4 arc-minutes) than it was during May's eclipse. The Moon's trajectory takes it well to the south of the umbral shadow's central axis resulting in a total eclipse which lasts just 25 minutes. At mid-totality, the Moon's southern limb is a scant 0.6 arc-minutes from the umbra's edge. Even the northern limb is 23.4 arc-minutes from the centre of the shadow. Assuming that the transparency of Earth's atmosphere remains relatively unchanged, the November eclipse will be dramatically brighter than the May event because of the shallow umbral depth. Since different parts of the Moon will probe radically different portions of Earth's umbral shadow, a large variation in shadow brightness can be expected. The totally eclipsed Moon will appear to have a bright rim along its southern edge.
(Eclipse Predictions Fred Espenak).
Wednesday November 5th 2003.
World News appears to be 'heating up'. Rescue workers are searching for survivors of a flash flood on the Indonesian island of Sumatra which has left at least 80 people dead. Sri Lanka is reported as 'plunging into chaos'. Sri Lanka's prime minister has accused the president of trying to create anarchy and chaos in the country. The United Nations' top envoy in Iraq and its security chief are relieved of duties after criticism of safety precautions in the country. An American soldier has been killed in Iraq by a homemade explosive device - the latest loss for US forces. Explosions and smoke are occuring in Baghdad. In the UK Firefighters are taking unofficial industrial action in a row over a pay deal agreed earlier this year. A 14-year-old boy died and another student is arrested following a stabbing at a school in Lincolnshire.
The Sun's intense activity in the past week will go into the record books. Scientists say they have been amazed by the ferocity of the gigantic flares exploding on the solar surface. The past 24 hours have seen three major events erupt over our star, hurling billions of tonnes of superhot gas into space - some of it directed at Earth. (Photo above BBC News).
October was the FTSE 100's best month since April, but concerns over rising interest rates are starting to weigh on investor optimism.
Today the Moon is gibbous in phase, in Aries (from 06-03 GMT), decelerating in motion, and at Noon GMT makes a solitary fiery waxing trine aspect with Venus in Sagittarius. As the total Lunar Eclipse approaches so too Saturn, Jupiter and Chiron are waiting to receive the Sun and Full Moon in five points of a hexagonal arrangement in the skies of Earth. This planetary picture adds power and import to the Eclipse. Everything occurring in our lives and in the world at the present time is reaching a climax with this impending Lunar Eclipse.
Tuesday November 4th 2003.
More Solar Eruptions!
The sunspot complex known as Region 488, located just to the north of the power-house Region 486 that was responsible for the X17 and X10 flares last week, has joined the parade by producing its first major solar flare: a class X2.7 solar x-ray event at 01:29 UTC on 03 November (8:29 pm EST on 02 November). This was preceded about eight hours earlier by an even more powerful solar flare from neighboring Region 486. That event reached a class X8.3 x-ray intensity at 17:25 UTC on 02 November and blasted the Earth with an additional dose of high-energy protons at 17:35 UTC (only 10 minutes after x-rays reached their maximum intensity)! The X8.3 solar flare from Region 486 has been confirmed as a halo coronal mass ejection (perhaps a borderline partial halo event). This means that mass ejected from the region contains an Earthward-directed component. That component is expected to impact the Earth on 03 or 04 November, but with heaviest emphasis on the early UTC hours of 04 November. For updated information, visit: http://www.spacew.com/aurora/forum.html. For real-time plots of current activity, visit: http://www.spacew.com/plots.html or www.sec.noaa.gov. PLEASE REPORT OBSERVATIONS OF AURORAL ACTIVITY TO http://www.spacew.com/submitsighting.html. End of the AstroAlert Bulletin . AstroAlert is a free service of SKY & TELESCOPE, the Essential Magazine of Astronomy (http://SkyandTelescope.com/). This e-mailwas sent to AstroAlert subscribers.
From 07-36 GMT today the Moon is void of course in Pisces. She is void all day before entering Aries at 06-03 tomorrow (November 5th 2003). Today therefore may well be obscure and difficult to fathom. The Sun, now forty eight days from the Winter Solstice makes a watery trine with Saturn exact tomorrow. 'Working through it may well be the optimal course of action today. Tomorrow at twenty seven minutes after midnight, the Moon enters its final gibbous phase before the Full Moon and Total eclipse this coming weekend. Yesterday, under the beams of the Sun squaring Neptune, power shifts occurred in Moscow as Mikhail Khodorkovsky resigned as chief executive of Yukos, eight days after his arrest on fraud charges. In Afghanistan a long-awaited draft for a constitution set out a new political system but would not impose sharia law. In the UK the main news was the start of the trial of Ian Huntley for the murders of 10-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman both murdered on August 4th 2002.
Monday November 3rd 2003.
Today the Sun and the Moon are in water signs. There will be an essentially emotional 'feel' to the day. The Sun is square Neptune and the Moon is conjunct Mars in Pisces. There is a deeply subliminal, slightly crazy, and impressionable response to proceedings. Suffering is to the fore. The news reflects the skies. A helicopter taking US troops to Baghdad was brought yesterday down in the deadliest anti-US attack since the war. Israel mercifully allowed thousands of Palestinian workers to cross into Israel, more than a month after sealing the border.
Sunday November 2nd 2003.
The Moon grows in size and decelerates in motion towards her inevitable Total Eclipse next Sunday morning. She is conjunct Uranus in Aquarius at 17-51 GMT before plunging into the seas of Pisces at 19-52 GMT. Fifty minutes later Venus slips into Sagittarius. The Scorpio Sun builds to a fixed waning square to Neptune. The day moves from the 'electronic' to the 'subliminal'.
The chief US administrator in Iraq, Paul Bremer, says he wants to accelerate the transfer of power to Iraqis. Russia scorns Western criticism of the investigation into the Yukos affair as 'tactless and disrespectful'. In the UK talks to end strikes causing chaos in the postal service step up a gear, as Royal Mail's chief executive joins the fray.
Saturday November 1st 2003.
A big political crisis is developing in Russia. Mikhail Kasyanov says he is 'deeply concerned' about the crisis enveloping the oil giant, which is pitting big business against the Kremlin. We observe with interest.
In the UK the Royal Mail closes post boxes in London, as talks aimed at resolving unofficial strikes continue.
Scientists are warning that the current spurt of dramatic solar activity may not be over yet. One astronomer described the two large gas clouds that reached the Earth earlier this week as 'unprecedented.'
The Moon is at First quarter phase at 04-25 GMT on Saturday 1st November. Over the next few days a watery grand trine involving, the Sun and Mercury in Scorpio, Mars in Pisces and Saturn in Cancer dominate the skies, 'inducing' a wave of potentially positive and practical problem solving. The Mars Saturn trine arm of the triangle extends right up to the eclipse. This is a very 'getting things sorted' vibration.
Jupiter and Saturn are exactly sextile on Saturday with Mercury joining them in a tight configuration on that day, which again is potentially helpful. Venus makes a waning fixed square to Uranus early (GMT) on Sunday confering an'edge' to proceedings on Saturday night.
Thursday October 30th 2003.
A gas cloud from one of the largest flares ever seen on the Sun has reached the Earth causing a magnetic storm that erupted and then faded quickly. The disruption to the Earth's magnetic field was described as very severe. Aurora - northern lights - caused by the charged particles from the Sun have been seen at night all over the globe. The Sun is undergoing a surge of activity and currently has several large sunspot groups on its surface. More flares and disruption is expected.
The Moon, crescent now in phase and waxing towards Total Eclipse on November 9th, is today in Capricorn and will remain in this sign until 13-42 GMT on Friday 31st when she moves into Aquarius. All events and circumstances are leading to this 'transitional' eclipse. Times are important and building to a climax.
Against this background sky the International Committee of the Red Cross is to scale back foreign staff after its Baghdad HQ was bombed. Iain Duncan Smith was deposed as Tory leader on October 29th as MPs vote by 90 votes to 75 to spark a new leadership election.
Tuesday October 28th 2003.
The infant Moon is moving rapidly through Sagittarius and is conjunct Pluto at 15-14 GMT. Mercury is in watery trine to Mars. Billions of tonnes of charged particles ejected from the Sun may give Earth's magnetic defences a glancing blow.
A number of bomb blasts have gone off in Baghdad killing at least thirty four people and injuring more than two hundred. At least 13 people are now known to have died in firestorms sweeping southern California - the highest number of people killed in wildfires in the state for half a century. Prince William wants to meet Paul Burrell to explain why he is so upset about the former butler's book on Princess Diana, it is believed.
Monday October 27th 2003
The Earth has been buffeted by a cloud of superhot gas thrown off the Sun a few days ago. Scientists report it caused a moderate "geomagnetic storm". Charged particles affected electric utilities, airline communications and satellite navigation systems. Large quantities of a green mineral gemstone have been found on Mars. Rocky outcrops of the mineral olivine were spotted by a space craft orbiting the planet. On Earth, the mineral is known as peridot, a cheap gemstone used in jewellery. Calls for a confidence vote on Iain Duncan Smith grow as two Tory MPs insist he is not up to the job. Colin Powell admits the US did not expect to face so many attacks in Iraq after a well-guarded hotel comes under fire.
Friday October 24th 2003.
The New Moon in Scorpio occurs on Saturday 25th October 2003 at 12-51 GMT. The astrological chart for the New Moon, set for London, is shown above. This is the last New Moon before the Total Solar Eclipse in Sagittarius on November 23rd 2003. This New Moon is very closely conjunct Mercury at Superior Conjunction on the far side of the Sun. The alignment of Earth, the Moon, the Sun and Mercury is very nearly perfectly linear. This is an intense Lunation. The New Moon and Mercury are trine Uranus. Jupiter Neptune and Saturn form a finger of fate or 'Yod' planetary pattern in the skies, a picture which has been building up all month. The energy of this pre-eclipse lunation is seriously creative, penetrative and all encompassing. Major events are now likely to occur on the world stage. Transformationary manifestations can be expected. There is a depth of fate here, a serious destiny, and a powerful wave of change about to crash onto the shores of the human affairs.
At the exact moment of New Moon (16 seconds and 51 minutes past noon GMT), the Sun, Moon and Mercury are on the MC of Iceland, Dakar, and the extreme north west of Africa. The same three planets straddle the horizons of Karachi, Afghanistan, central USA and Mexico. There are a vast number of close and exact planetary contacts with many world cities. The New Moon occurs on the natal Saturn of Robert Mugabe, and makes close contacts with important points in the chart of the French First Republic, the chart of Iraq, and the chart of Nepal.
At the end of the day, 22-49 GMT on Saturday, Saturn turns retrograde in Cancer, opening a fresh opportunity to set affairs to right.
On Sunday 26th October 2003 the Moon makes a very close (4 minutes of arc) linear alignment with Venus, again in Scorpio, at 19-54 GMT. This is truly one of the most important weekends of 2003.
Thursday October 23rd 2003.
At 9-38 GMT today the balsamic Moon enters Libra. At 20-09 the Sun enters Scorpio. At this time Mercury on the far side of the Sun makes a trine aspect to Uranus. There is a shift of energy, a transposition to a different frequency today. Further changes are immediately ahead of us as Mercury will enter Scorpio on Friday and will join the Sun and New Moon in that sign on Saturday.
Yesterday Delhi unveiled unexpected proposals to improve ties with Pakistan and is now seeking direct talks with Kashmir separatists for the first time. Israel however vowed to continue building a huge barrier in the West Bank despite UN condemnation of the project. Britain could face a water crisis if there is no significant rain in the next fortnight, the Environment Agency has warned.
Another active solar region has just rotated into view around the southeastern limb of the Sun. Beginning at about 19:30 GMT on Wednesday ( 48 minutes before an exact trine aspect between the Sun and Uranus) and while still behind the east limb of the Sun, this region produced a long-duration flare. As this region rotates toward the Earth over the next week, it may produce additional coronal mass ejections capable of producing stronger space weather storms and associated periods of stronger auroral activity ("Northern Lights").
Wednesday October 22nd 2003.
The fast balsamic Moon in Virgo, fresh from her conjunction with Jupiter at 01-58 GMT is void from 13-20 GMT today. The Moon is new in Scorpio on Saturday. The Sun today is trine Uranus at 20-18 and Neptune turns direct one hour later. The accent on this last day of Libra is still on 'inventive details'.
Iran's decision to sign up for tougher UN checks of its nuclear facilities is well received around the world. Crops in north Africa are under threat from swarms of locusts, says the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. Outbreaks of locusts have been reported in Mauritania, Niger and Sudan and observers fear they could spread across the northern half of the continent. Northern Ireland's peace process is on hold as unionists demand clearer evidence of IRA decommissioning.
Tuesday October 21st 2003
There remain three days left of the astrological month of Libra. The Waning Moon enters Virgo at 06-02 GMT today and begins to draw to a conjunction with Jupiter which peaks tomorrow at 01-58. The Sun is applying to an airy trine with Uranus, the day is geared to precise inventiveness with the details not being overlooked.
Sunday's planetary arrangement coincided with the UK's prime minister's 'minor heart problem'. The event caused a 'shudder' in the UK with the Queen and deputy PM being informed as the day progressed. It's all past now. Tony Blair is "in good spirits and 100% recovered" after hospital treatment for an irregular heartbeat, his official spokesman says.
The news yesterday reported that The Israeli prime minister has promised to finish the security fence within a year as Israeli air strikes kill three in Gaza.
SIGNIFICANT NEW SOLAR ACTIVITY IS IN-PROGRESS. A new and powerful sunspot complex has materialized over the last 2 days capable of producing significant solar flare activity. The sunspot complex, known as active Region 10484 (or simply Region 484), increased its size by more than 5 times over the last 48 hours. It should now be easily visible to the unaided (protected!) eye. Region 484 produced a major class X1.1 solar x-ray flare at 16:51 UTC (12:51 pm EDT) on 19 October followed by several smaller but notable events. Growth has persisted despite this activity and additional major solar flares are expected. Thus far, the coronal mass ejections associated with the energetic flaring from Region 484 have not been directed Earthward, although there is a chance the Earth may see a weaker glancing blow within the next 24 to 48 hours. This is expected to change over the next several days. Over the next 4 days, Region 484 will rotate toward the central region of the Sun (as viewed from the Earth). It will therefore be more radially aligned and capable of producing more signifcant Earthbound coronal mass ejection impacts. These impacts could include proton bombardments capable of affecting high-latitude radio signal communications and enhancing space radiation conditions for satellites and astronauts, increased atmospheric drag on spacecraft, increased incidents of electronic anomalies on spacecraft, permanent degradation of spacecraft solar array electrical generation efficiencies, and unusual displays of auroral activity ("Northern Lights"), to name just a few. www.spacew.com/astroalert.html
Monday 20th October 2003.
The UK prime minister was admitted to hospital at lunch time on Sunday suffering from an irregular heart beat. Seven people are injured as a train carriage hits a tunnel wall, in the second derailment on London's Tube in 48 hours. Quarter of a million pilgrims witness an ailing Pope John Paul II bring the late nun close to sainthood. The presidents agree at a meeting in Bangkok to push for new six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear aims.
At 09-49 GMT today Venus makes a watery trine to Saturn, marking the culmination of yesterday's planetary arrangement which is still making its presence felt. Standby.
Friday 17th October 2003
.
An astrologically interesting weekend ahead!
On Sunday 19th October, at the start of the current eclipse season, and under the beams of a waning accelerating Leonine Moon there draws together in the skies a planetary arrangement involving the Moon, (in Leo), Neptune, (in Aquarius) Jupiter, (in Virgo), Venus (in Scorpio) and Saturn (in Cancer). All of these planets will be between 11 and 13 degrees of their respective signs. The arrangement peaks as midnight (GMT) approaches. The effects on events on Earth may be considerable and may well extend into Monday. This is a very pronounced and sharp arrangement.
On Saturday 18th Venus is very active making a square with Neptune at 03-42 (potentially chaotic) and a sextile to Jupiter (richly luxuriant) at 09-33. The Moon reaches Cardinal Last Quarter phase (generating a crisis in consciousness) at 12-32 GMT and at the very end of the day (22-42 GMT) enters Leo. There may be an underlying tenseness to all events with untoward emotional responses, as the day ensues.
On Friday 17th at 08-25 GMT Mercury is sextile Pluto. The day dawns with accompanying insight. The Moon in Cancer applies to a somber and sober conjunction with Saturn reaching him at 13-58 GMT. The moody broody 'vibe' continues augmented with the confusion usually associated with Venus squaring Neptune which peaks on in the early hours of Saturday.
Astronomical News from (SKY and TELESCOPE)
After eluding astronomers for 66 years, the long-lost asteroid Hermes has finally been retrieved. Early on October 15th, Brian A. Skiff (Lowell Observatory Near-Earth Object Search, Arizona) sent measurements of four CCD images obtained with the 23-inch Catalina Schmidt telescope to the Minor Planet Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts. At the center, Timothy B. Spahr identified the suspect with other measurements submitted in the past seven weeks -- but not recognized as unusual -- by LONEOS and by the Lincoln Near Earth Asteroid Research (LINEAR) project in New Mexico. In addition, quick action by James Young (Table Mountain Observatory, California) secured a confirmation just before dawn on the 15th.
A COMET APPROACHES. This will be Comet Encke's closest approach to Earth since November 1838. On the 25th October 2003 Northern Hemisphere observers will see the comet, at 10th magnitude, come close to caressing the northern edge of M31, the Great Andromeda Galaxy.
American investigators have begun questioning witnesses and crew about a ferry crash in New York that left 10 dead and 34 injured. The inquiry is set to focus on the condition of the ferry's pilot who is reported to have lost consciousness just before Wednesday's accident. The accident occurred as Mercury was in a cardinal square to Saturn. On Thursday North Korea said it will display its nuclear deterrent, in a statement ahead of President Bush's regional visit. The UN Security Council voted unanimously to back a revised US text on Iraq setting out its political and economic future.
Thursday October 16th 2003.
Yesterday President Bush called on Palestinians to rein in militants after a deadly attack on a US diplomatic convoy in Gaza. A vote on a US resolution on Iraq is due to go ahead in spite of lingering doubts by Security Council members. China's first man in space, Yang Liwei, returns to earth to a hero's welcome.
We move into the final week of the astrological month of Libra. The disseminating Moon enters Cancer today at 11-41 GMT. Mercury is applying in sextile to Pluto, exact tomorrow, Venus is moving into a relationship with Jupiter and Neptune, exact on Saturday. Today is a little lull before these 'minor storms'. Take care.
Wednesday October 15th 2003.
In the UK Iain Duncan Smith (last waltz above) faces a House of Commons investigation into claims surrounding the employment of his wife Betsy in his office. In the USA a suicide car bomb detonated Tuesday near the Turkish Embassy in Baghdad, the second such bombing in three days. But like Sunday's bombing near the Baghdad Hotel, security measures kept the bomber from reaching his target. A spokesman said embassy security was increased last week after an informant warned of a possible explosion being planned there.
The Moon continues to wane in Gemini today. There is an airy buzz to events and experiences, no planetary aspects today but Mercury in Libra is building to a sextile to Pluto exact on Friday. Some powerful plans and thought forms are being conceived. The Jupiter inconjunct Neptune aspect is nearly exact, forming as it does a finger of fate with Saturn for the remainder of October. Fateful days indeed.
Tuesday October 14th 2003.
Military intelligence has reported recent, "credible" sightings of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein in a large area north of Baghdad, a U.S. Army spokeswoman said yesterday. News of the Saddam intelligence came as U.S. officials reported that three American soldiers were killed and 13 others wounded in a series of attacks that began on Sunday morning.
In the UK Westminster's watchdog will look into allegations about the running of the Tory leader's office, Iain Duncan Smith) as the party presents a 40-page rebuttal. Testing times for Iain and the Tory Party.
Michael Portillo's chart here.
The Moon is in Gemini today, disseminating in phase from 12-00 GMT. The Sun and Moon shine from air signs, the accent is on communication, but Mercury is in cardinal square to Saturn ( today at 14-49 GMT), hindering attempts to reconcile.
Monday October 13th 2003.
In the wake of Friday's Full Moon at least six Iraqis died yesterday as a suicide car bomber targeted a Baghdad hotel used by coalition and Iraqi officials. The homes of up to 1,500 Palestinians have been destroyed in a two-day Israeli raid, the UN estimates. Local officials in Nigeria say about 50 people have been rescued but others are still missing after a ferry went down in a remote eastern region on Friday after hitting a bridge. In the UK Iain Duncan Smith insists he did nothing wrong in employing his wife as an aide during his first year as Conservative leader.
The waning Moon is in Taurus. The day may see a slow 'hung-over' start. Mercury a morning star in Libra is trine Neptune at the start of this week. This same planet is square Saturn tomorrow and sextile Pluto on Friday.
Jupiter is applying sextile to Saturn, both planets inconjunct to Neptune all month, suggesting a fateful 'edge' to proceedings as the month ensues and as we enter a new eclipse season. Four weeks now remain till the Total Lunar Eclipse in Taurus on November 9th. This is a rare 'transitory' eclipse in its Saros cycle. It is with anticipation that I look forward to viewing, experiencing and attempting to explain the meanings of this astronomical and astrological event. Stay tuned to the Daze.
Friday October 10th 2003.
On Saturday at 10-05 the Moon enters Taurus, where she remains for the remainder of the weekend. The Sun at this time is sextile Pluto. The weekend ahead flows on in a steadier post-Full Moon phase, the energy solid and robust, the mood positive and transformationary.
At 20-32 GMT on Friday Mars is trine Venus. Friday night is the perfect night for social and romantic episodes.
The chart for the Full Moon on Friday, drawn for London, is shown below. This is the last Full Moon before the Total Lunar Eclipse on November 9th 2003. As such it heralds the start of an eclipse season. The chart is dynamic. There is a cardinal cross involving the Sun, Moon, Saturn and Chiron. Many new situations may well be initiated at this time after the recent relative calm period in world news.
In the run up to the Full Moon the 'calm' news reports concerned President Bush insisting that the US is pursuing the right policy in Iraq, in a new White House drive to convince doubters. In the UK Iain Duncan Smith took on his Tory critics and launched a savage attack on Tony Blair in his conference speech. More seriously at least 54 people, most of them schoolgirls returning from a study trip to Bali, were killed after their bus collided with two other vehicles in Indonesia's East Java region. Despite this awful tragedy The Full Moon on Friday is set amid a pleasant aspect between Venus, newly arrived in Scorpio, being in watery trine to the ongoing conjunction of Mars and Uranus. The Full Moon itself is trine Pluto, conveying a mood for positive changes.
Wednesday October 8th 2003
Today as the Moon continues to wax towards its Full phase on Friday morning (GMT), she decelerates, void of course, in Pisces. The result is a dreamy heady inert mix of wayward currents and rudderless sailings. The day is totally aspect less.
On the fringes Venus in late Libra is building to a trine with Uranus, exact tomorrow, mysterious silky veils of ardor are ahead, twists and turns in sexual relationships are highlighted. Today is the half way mark in the astrological month of Libra. Today is the start of the 'darkened way', in the northern hemisphere calendar, which leads us into the sign of the Scorpion in fifteen days time.
Tuesday October 7th 2003.
Yesterday, under the somber square of the Sun and Saturn, the Turkish cabinet decided to send troops to Iraq in line with a US request - but parliament's approval is still needed. Candidates for the governorship of California, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, entered the last full day of campaigning ahead of today's poll. The US president says Israel's right to defend itself must not be restricted, a day after an Israeli air strike on Syria.
Today, with the gibbous moon in Pisces, waxing to the Full, the most important astrological event is the ingress of Mercury into Libra at 01-28 GMT. The news of day may demonstrate and reflect the potential good grace and abject indecision of the placement.
Monday October 6th 2003.
October 3, 2003 On Saturday, September 27th, a very small asteroid plunged past Earth well inside the Moon's orbit. Unseen, it passed just 78,000 kilometers (a fifth the Moon's distance) above Earth's surface before barreling back into interplanetary space. Judging by its faintness 18th magnitude when first picked up the next day it can't be any larger than 3 to 6 meters across. That's "SUV or room size," notes Edward L. Bowell, principal investigator for the Lowell Observatory Near-Earth Object Search (LONEOS) at Anderson Mesa, Arizona, where the first images were taken. Sky and Telescope.
The waxing Moon in Aquarius becomes gibbous in phase from 10-09 GMT today. At 13-07 GMT the Moon still in Aquarius is conjunct Uranus. The Sun at 14-41 GMT is square Saturn. The Moon enters Pisces at 14-21 GMT and conjuncts Mars at 15-39 GMT. All in all an interestingly 'full' day. The Moon is Full in Aries next Friday, after two planets change sign during the week, Mercury, an evening star, moves into Libra on Tuesday, and Venus, a morning star, moves into Scorpio on Thursday, and amid an 'outrageously' sexually charged watery trine between Venus and Mars.
The past weekend has been marked by an intensification of pertinent news stories coinciding with the tiny asteroid flyby (see above) and the Sun making aspects with Saturn and Neptune. In fact Jupiter Saturn and Neptune are forming a 'finger of fate' planetary pattern which will hold for all of this month.
The main story concerns the Middle East. United Nations is to meet in emergency session to debate an Israeli strike on an alleged militant base in Syria. The United Nations Security Council is to meet in emergency session within the next few hours (2000 GMT Sunday) to discuss an Israeli air raid inside Syria. Damascus demanded the meeting, warning that Israel was threatening security in the Middle East with its first attack on Syrian soil in more than 20 years. Israeli jets targeted a "Palestinian terrorist camp" near the Syrian capital in retaliation for a devastating suicide bomb in the northern port of Haifa on Saturday, which killed 19 people.
Continuing trouble in Iraq as two Iraqis have been shot dead in separate clashes between coalition troops and former members of the Iraqi army. One man was killed and many others wounded during a confrontation in central Baghdad between US troops and former Iraqi soldiers. And in the southern city of Basra, another Iraqi died in a similar clash with British forces. Saturday's violence comes a day after a US soldier was killed in Baghdad when a patrol was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade and small arms fire.
Should be an eventful week.
Friday October 3rd 2003.
Courtesy NASA/JPL
October 2, 2003..... Albert Einstein still rules. His 1915 theory of gravity, the general theory of relativity, has just passed its most stringest test by far. Extremely precise measurements of the radio link between Earth and NASA's Cassini spacecraft, bound for Saturn, match general relativity's predictions extraordinarily closely. However, physicists suspect that even more refined experiments, planned for the near future, could turn up the first deviations pointing the way to a new and more complete theory of the basic forces of nature and the fundamental makeup of spacetime. The Cassini spacecraft will reach Saturn in July 2004 and should send the small Huygens probe into the hazy atmosphere of Titan in January 2005. On its way there, Cassini flew nearly behind the Sun from Earth's point of view two years ago, offering a chance for a highly precise test of general relativity..(Sky and Telescope).news release....
On Sunday October 5th the Moon is conjunct Neptune in Aquarius at 03-36 GMT and continues sailing along in this sign making a series of harmonious aspects. All day long however the Sun builds to a cardinal square with Saturn in Cancer, this aspect peaks tomorrow. Something starts to bite. Something a little austere surfaces.
Saturday October 4th :- On Saturday the Sun is trine Neptune at 03-22, the Moon enters Aquarius at 07-46. Sun and Moon are in air signs, the day is geared to the future, altruism may be detectable, equal easy measures of detachment and protest abound.
Friday October 3rd:- The Moon is waxing in Capricorn. She is void from 22-41 GMT. All day the Sun builds to an airy trine to Neptune add a splash of artistic inspiration and color to a potentially melancholic backdrop.
Yesterday US Congress was briefed on what is thought to be the so far fruitless search for banned weapons in Iraq. The archbishop of Vienna has said Pope John Paul II is "approaching the last days and months of his life". California candidate Arnold Schwarzenegger admits "offensive" behavior after allegations of harassment. In the UK the home secretary pledges to stamp out gun crime in the wake of the murder of jeweler Marion Bates.
October 2nd 2003.
The Moon enters Capricorn at 03-22 GMT today and is at first quarter phase at 19-10 GMT. Sun and Moon are today in cardinal signs. A minor crisis in activity may occur today, the expected response being reactionary and pragmatic.
The News stories are still rather weak, reflecting the current dearth of planetary aspects. Yesterday the Israeli cabinet agreed to extend its controversial fence hours after a militant leader is captured. News also released yesterday reports that observations made by the Hubble telescope provide the best evidence yet for the mysterious dark energy that pervades all space. Observations of distant supernovae - exploding stars - made by the Hubble telescope give new information on the so-called dark energy of the cosmos.
Tuesday September 30th 2003.
News stories were weak again yesterday. The Crescent Moon today is in Sagittarius. The background solar/lunar energy is Masculine. The atmosphere is combustible. Today is a day for stray sparks and dry tinder.
The week ahead sees the Moon at first quarter on Thursday and the Sun building to an airy trine to Neptune at the start of next weekend and a cardinal square to Saturn at the end. The next Eclipse, a Total eclipse of the Moon will occur five week from next Sunday. It is to that event we can cast our gaze.
Monday September 29th 2003.
The Moon from 10-03 GMT today is at waxing crescent phase and in Scorpio. Venus is sextile Pluto at 17-51 GMT today, this aspect adds a touch of the power of love and the power over death to the feel of the day. The negative manifestations of Mercury square Pluto yesterday evening (GMT) are now fading and correspondingly, electrical power is slowly returning to Italy after the worst blackout in its history, apparently triggered by a failure in Switzerland.
In the UK the prime minister, under difficult astrological transits and progression as this month ends, says it was right to go to war with Iraq as it emerges he will be spared the prospect of a conference defeat on the conflict. Friday September 26th 2003.
Following the New Moon early this morning (see chart and comment below) the weekend deepens and darkens. On Friday the infant Moon is sweetly conjunct Venus in Libra at 21-47 GMT.
On Saturday 27th at 07-48 GMT Mars at last turns direct in motion. The Moon still accelerating towards maximum velocity sails swiftly through Libra. The day continues in the smooth manner of Friday until 23-53 GMT when the Moon plunges headlong into Scorpio.
On Sunday 28th September at 16-29 GMT Mercury makes a waning mutable square to Pluto, with the Moon in Scorpio this day is the sting in the tail of the weekend, the day has manic potential.
Thursday September 25th 2003.
Today the Moon is void of course in Virgo and Venus is square Saturn. Looks to be a bit of a bleak one before a potentially beautiful New Moon on Friday.
The Moon today is very old and very fast in Virgo. The New Moon in Libra occurs tomorrow Friday September 26th at 03-10 GMT. This is the penultimate New Moon before the Total Solar Eclipse in Sagittarius in November. The astrological chart for this new Moon, set for London, can be seen below. Mars is conjunct Uranus on the Aquarius Pisces cusp, echoing the Equinox chart from earlier in the week. Also in this chart Venus is square Saturn and Mercury sextile Saturn. Jupiter opposite Uranus is the major outer body aspect of this season. The new Moon itself is widely square Saturn and Chiron, the lunation is sweetly unthreatening. The purpose of the lunation may be said to be something of an 'adjustment' heralding the oncoming eclipse season and the accompanying changes.
At the moment of exact New Moon the Jupiter Uranus opposition and Mars straddle the horizon at London. It may be significant that Saturn is exactly on the MC at Tehran. The Sun and Moon rise at Mecca, and are on the MC at Darwin. Neptune is on the MC of Mexico city. Mars culminates at Quito. Jupiter culminates at Hanoi and Jupiter is at lower culmination under New York. An interesting sets of contacts!
As this harmonious Libran New Moon approaches, the main world news is that the US and German leaders say they have set aside differences on Iraq and will work to stabilise the country.
Wednesday September 24th 2003.
The Libran Equinox yesterday coincided with the news that the largest ice shelf in the Arctic has fractured, releasing nearly all the water from the freshwater lake it dammed. The Ward Hunt Ice Shelf is located on the north coast of Ellesmere Island in Canada's Nunavut territory. The huge mass of floating ice, which has been in place for at least 3,000 years, is now in two major pieces.
Today Venus is trine Neptune at 05-03 GMT. The Moon in Virgo is conjunct Jupiter at 06-23 and moves on to conjunct Mercury at 19-44. The 'vibe' today combines grace and precision, any activity which requires a combination of these two qualities must be a winner.
Tuesday September 23rd 2003.
Today is the Libran Equinox and the start of Autumn in the northern hemisphere and the start of spring in the southern hemisphere. The chart of the exact moment of equinox is shown below. What happens now is a very special few days between this equinox and the New Moon in Libra on Friday September 26th 2003 at 03-10 GMT. During these 3 days the Moon will accelerate through Virgo from 20-05 GMT today. Venus currently in Libra will make two important aspects during this time, a waning airy trine to Neptune on Wednesday, and a dour waxing cardinal square to Saturn on Thursday. Expect more events, personal and global, to occur for the remainder of the week than has been the case for the last 12 days or so.
As the Equinox approaches the main world news still centres on the Middle East, the reduced UN operation in Baghdad came under further pressure yesterday as another suicide bombing event occurs outside the UN headquarters in Baghdad, but diplomatic differences on Iraq narrow. The UN chief warns world leaders that the response to the HIV/Aids crisis has been woefully inadequate.
The chart for the Libra equinox chart, (10-47 GMT on September 23rd 2003) set for London is shown below. The chart shows Mars conjunct Uranus on the Aquarius-Pisces cusp, both retrograde and both opposite an old balsamic Moon in Leo. Mercury in Virgo is sextile Saturn, square Pluto. Venus in Libra is trine Neptune and square Saturn. The chart has a predominance of moving air. It is Sunrise at New York, it is Moonrise at Los Angeles, Saturn sets at Baghdad. Mercury is on the MC of London. Pluto rises at Warsaw. Mars and Uranus rise over Nepal where it is Moon set.
The chart symbolizes winds of change arising from an inevitable and uncompromising downfall of old structures. The chart has poise practicability and movement. The moment is creative and flamboyant.
Monday September 22nd Sept. 2003.
The Moon is in Leo, for this last day of Virgo 2003, balsamic in phase from 16-10 GMT today. American forces suffer fresh casualties west of Baghdad as the shattered economy is opened up to foreigners. A senior UN official says the security of African nations could be at stake if more is not done to combat HIV/Aids. In the UK David Blunkett hopes proposals for ID cards will be put before Parliament this autumn but Tories say the plans are ill-formed.
Friday September 19th 2003.
The autumn equinox approaches. The Moon is past Last quarter and accelerating towards a New Moon in Libra next week on Friday 26th September. Hurricane Isabel's powerful winds and rain lash the east coast of the USA, as people brace for power cuts and flooding. The UN's former chief weapons inspector says the UK used spin in its Iraq weapons dossier.
On Friday at 04-07 GMT the Moon enters Cancer. Sun and Moon are then both in feminine signs and the background solarlunar energy is modest and protective.
On Saturday at 03-53 GMT the Moon is conjunct Saturn casting a somber mood over planet Earth. Some four hours later Mercury is stationary turning direct in motion. From this moment communications ideas and transport can be considered to run in a forward, direct and unimpeded manner.
Thurs Sept 18th 2003.
Characteristically 'weak' news stories are emerging during the current lull in planetary aspects. Arabic TV airs an audio tape said to be from Saddam Hussein which calls on the US to withdraw from Iraq. More than 35 Maoist rebels have been killed in heavy fighting with Nepalese security forces. In the UK Royal Mail workers vote against a national strike in a dispute over pay and conditions. One slightly more powerful new report, at least for the USA, speaks of thousands of people fleeing US coastal areas as Hurricane Isabel nears, threatening storm damage and heavy flooding.
The Moon is at Last quarter in Gemini today at 19-03 GMT. Enjoy the lull.
Tuesday Sept. 16th 2003
The disseminating moon is slowly tracking through Taurus and she enters Gemini today at 15-32 GMT moving towards Last Quarter phase on Thursday. Mercury visible as a morning star is still retrograde (till Saturday). Venus is sweetly placed in Libra now. Mars will turn direct in motion on September 27th 2003. One week remains to the Libran equinox (10-47 GMT on Tuesday 23rd September 2003). These are astrologically quiet times.
Monday Sept. 15th 2003
Sun and Moon are now in Earth signs. Practicality and measure is the order of the day. However today is a day of subtle changes. At 03-44 the planet Uranus retrogrades into Aquarius. Old issues will start to reemerge and there may be opportunity during the remaining months of this year to at last find satisfactory solutions..before moving on. At 15-58 today Venus, now an evening star, enters Libra. After the rather 'testy times' of late this ingress may serve to lighten the social atmosphere globally. The waning Moon is very slow in Taurus.
The major news story of the past few days has been from Korea. Thousands of troops in South Korea have been searching for missing people after one of the most powerful typhoons to hit the country in a century killed at least 85 people. Yesterday Sweden decisively rejected the euro, in a referendum held four days after the murder of Foreign Minister Anna Lindh. The never ending middle east conflict rumbles on with an Israeli minister yesterday saying that killing the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is one of the options before the Israeli Government.
Thursday Sept. 11th 2003
Following in the wake of yesterday's Full Moon, Mercury is at inferior conjunction with the Sun today at 01-57 GMT. The moment symbolizes a release of new 'seed ideas' within the biosphere. The Moon, now waning, is void of course from 05-42 GMT today before entering Aries at 16-10 GMT. At 17-45 GMT Mercury squares Pluto. Because of this last aspect the day is not easy. However this is the last of the recent crop of difficult planetary aspects, the days between now and the Libran Equinox (in 12 days time), are astrologically quiet.
The major world event coinciding with the Full Moon in Pisces this year appears to focus upon Israel bombing the home of a Hamas leader, this of course follows the events in the region over the past few days as the Moon approached the climax of its monthly cycle. With a little help from the planets things may now calm down a little.
Wednesday Sept. 10th 2003
Today at 16-37 GMT the Moon is Full in Pisces. This is the penultimate Full Moon before the Total lunar Eclipse of November 9th 2003. As such the energy and purpose of this lunation can be considered as part of the preparation for this coming eclipse. This Full Moon is difficult being tightly square Pluto. Power struggles and uneasy shifts of emphasis in world affairs may be evident at this time. The difficulty can already be seen to be evident on the world stage as another suicide bomb, a blast at a bus-stop outside an army base near Tel Aviv yesterday, left six dead and dozens wounded. The seemingly endless cycle, in this part of the world, of promised retribution is wearisome.
At the moment of Full Moon, the Moon is exactly rising at Istanbul. At London, Mars Uranus and Jupiter square the local MC, this may well indicate severe problems for the UK capital and the UK in general over the next few weeks. This astrological chart for today's Full Moon, set for London is shown below.
Tuesday September 9th 2003
The burgeoning Moon enters Pisces at 08-08 GMT. Twenty three minutes later the Moon is conjunct Uranus and at 12-01 she is closely conjunct Mars. This conjunction is an occultation for observers in China and parts of Siberia. At 13-21 GMT the Moon is opposite Jupiter. As the peak of the Full moon approaches (Wednesday at 16-37 GMT) the Sun is square Pluto, this hard aspect casts a rather ominous shadow on proceedings today and tomorrow. All in all this a dynamic and profound day once it gets going.
Yesterday as Venus and Mercury were conjunct in Virgo, Ahmed Qurei, a Yasser Arafat loyalist, agreed to become the new Palestinian prime minister. George Bush asked Congress for $87bn to rebuild Iraq as he promises to do what is needed to make it secure. As the Pisces Full Moon approaches news that at least 100,000 people have been displaced by flooding in northern Nigerian after the River Kaduna burst its banks, reaches us.
Monday September 8th 2003.
As Mars opposed Jupiter yesterday Israel steped up security after Palestinian militants vowed to avenge the attempted killing of Hamas leader Sheikh Yassin. An American military plane was targeted by two surface to air missiles as it took off from Baghdad. A simulated chemical attack on London took place in a bid to test the city's ability to cope with a terrorist strike.
Today Mercury is conjunct Venus in Virgo at 05-35 GMT. Mercury is retrograde, the mood is tense and testy. These two planets will next be in conjunction on June 13th 2004, although they will be quite closely aligned in mid November 2003. The Moon today is gibbous in phase and is in Aquarius, void of course from 09-02 GMT. The Full Moon is on Wednesday at 16-37 GMT. Before that we have the generous spectacle of the Moon conjunct bright Mars (closest at 12-01 GMT tomorrow). Mars and Uranus in Pisces currently oppose Jupiter, the nearly Full Moon joins in with this alignment tomorrow. It should be an almighty wave for us all to ride.
September 5th, 6th 2003
On Sunday September 7th the decelerating gibbous Moon enters Aquarius at 02-16 GMT. Mars will oppose Jupiter in the evening. The weekend may well be geared to and dominated by the excesses symbolized by this planetary combination. The weekend is also greatly coloured by the alignment of Mercury and Venus which occurs first thing on Monday morning. Two things are going down this weekend one a curious union of repentant thoughts and dry emotion, the other an exaggeration of muscular impulse. Take care, the devil is in the detail.
On Saturday September 6th the Moon in Capricorn makes a pleasant trine aspect during the first half of the day, to the tightening Mercury Venus conjunction and then at 12-44 GMT becomes void of course for the remainder of the day. Making hay before this time is the best advice.
On Friday September 5th the waxing Moon is in Capricorn. At 09-29 GMT the Venus square Pluto aspect, which has been building up all week, peaks. Watch the markets, observe the feminine in us all, work to refine and perfect. at the time of writing as the Venus Pluto square aspect build a crisis of confidence is occurring as France and Germany say a draft US resolution on Iraq is inadequate, amid US calls for more foreign troops, and news has just been released that , scientists are saying that rapid melting of glaciers in parts of Kazakhstan in central Asia (graphic above) will affect the livelihoods of millions of people. Transformation indeed.
September 4th 2003
TRANSIT OF VENUS IN 2004
One of the major astronomical (and astrological) highlights of 2004 will be the transit of Venus, an event that last occurred in 1882. The complete transit is visible across Europe and most of Asia -- here's where you'll have to be in order to see it all: http://SkyandTelescope.com/observing/objects/planets/article_1021_1.asp The astrological significance of this celestial event will shortly be considered on this site.
Intense talks are set to begin on US proposals to cede some power in Iraq in return for more outside troops. The British embassy in Tehran comes under attack after the Iranian envoy to Britain flies home in a dispute. The first American to be executed for killing an abortionist doctor is set to die by lethal injection.
Today the first quarter Moon is in Sagittarius until 21-52 GMT when she enters Capricorn, what starts as a fast moving day becomes more 'ground in' and reactive by its end. The Sun and the Moon are then both in earth signs. Venus is nearly exactly square Pluto. The day is ripe for financial promiscuity. Mercury is falling backwards into the arms of Venus, and Mars is falling backwards in opposition to Jupiter. The Full Moon in Pisces next week is not an easy one, being square Pluto and opposite Mercury. Times may be a bit difficult right now, inward contemplation may the most useful occupation 'in tune' with the cosmic purposes of these weeks.
September 2nd 2003.
Today the crescent Moon is in Scorpio and is void of course from 10-19 GMT until entering Sagittarius at 18-32 GMT. This may well be a difficult passage through this sign over the next two and a half days from this point. A mutable T-square forms in the skies over the following few hours as the Moon squares the Mars Uranus conjunction and Jupiter. As Wednesday commences the Moon rapidly approaches First Quarter phase, and then has to square Venus and Mercury before Thursday is over. All the time this besigement of square lunar aspects hits us, inducing a multitude of crises, Venus is moving closer and closer to forming a waning mutable square with Pluto, the scandal mongering, sexual overtones, and obsessions, and may well be palpable as the week ensues.
Yesterday the main world news focused on the troubles in post war Iraq, an audio tape said to be from Iraq's ex-leader denied any involvement in the murder of a senior Shia cleric (graphic above). Libya is to pay compensation for the 1989 bombing of a French airliner, paving the way for an end to sanctions. In the UK, a crisis of another kind gained momentum as Dr Kelly's (the weapons inspector) widow Janice described his decline into despair as the pressure mounted in the run-up to his apparent suicide. As can be observed, apt words describing the 'atmosphere' right now are 'many mounting crises'.
September 1st 2003.
The fast moving waxing crescent Moon is in Scorpio from 16-00 GMT on the last day of August. Mars is applying in opposition to Jupiter, Venus is square to Pluto next weekend.
August 2003 will be remembered for, amongst other things, Computer Viral epidemics. The Daze was hit hard but hopefully these minor troubles are behind us.
Four bodies, the Sun, Jupiter, Venus, (on the far side of the Sun), and Mercury (this side of the Sun), shine from the sign Virgo at the current time. Mars still shines close and brightly in the skies of Earth, still retrograde, and still in Pisces, moving this week to his opposition with Jupiter. (When the male principal is closest he is also weakest). Mercury too is now retrograde. The usual procession of communication and transportation delays can be expected for most of September. There are 18 days to the Libran Equinox. The powerful planetary tensions and climaxes of recent days and weeks are now truly behind us. We are entering the aftermath period of August's alignments. The strong Virgo emphasis suggests continuing trials, tests and tribulations but possibly less shocking in nature. We get the feeling that power blackouts and system breakdowns will play an increasing part in all of our lives. August 2003 also will be remembered for extreme temperatures in Europe. We are almost fully awake to the certainty of more of the same to come.
The final events of August occurred in Baghdad now witnessing anger and grief at the beginning of a funeral procession for the Shia Muslim leader killed in Najaf. The Russian navy holds a day of mourning for the crew of a nuclear submarine which sank in the Barents Sea. In the UK the 'New Labour' government is reeling after the resignation of Alastair Campbell. The departure of No 10's press chief does not signal the end of the spin doctor, says the Tory party leader.
August 31st 2003 1st 2003.
The fast moving waxing crescent Moon is in Scorpio from 16-00 GMT on the last day of August. Mars is applying in opposition to Jupiter, Venus is square to Pluto next weekend.
August 2003 will be remembered for, amongst other things, Computer Viral epidemics. The Daze was hit hard but hopefully these minor troubles are behind us.
Four bodies, the Sun, Jupiter, Venus, (on the far side of the Sun), and Mercury (this side of the Sun), shine from the sign Virgo at the current time. Mars still shines close and brightly in the skies of Earth, still retrograde, and still in Pisces, moving this week to his opposition with Jupiter. (When the male principal is closest he is also weakest). Mercury too is now retrograde. The usual procession of communication and transportation delays can be expected for most of September. There are 18 days to the Libran Equinox. The powerful planetary tensions and climaxes of recent days and weeks are now truly behind us. We are entering the aftermath period of August's alignments. The strong Virgo emphasis suggests continuing trials, tests and tribulations but possibly less shocking in nature. We get the feeling that power blackouts and system breakdowns will play an increasing part in all of our lives. August 2003 also will be remembered for extreme temperatures in Europe. We are almost fully awake to the certainty of more of the same to come.
The final events of August occurred in Baghdad now witnessing anger and grief at the beginning of a funeral procession for the Shia Muslim leader killed in Najaf. The Russian navy holds a day of mourning for the crew of a nuclear submarine which sank in the Barents Sea. In the UK the 'New Labour' government is reeling after the resignation of Alastair Campbell. The departure of No 10's press chief does not signal the end of the spin doctor, says the Tory party leader.
Wednesday August 27th 2003.
A most significant day dawns on planet Earth today. Jupiter will enter tropical Virgo at 09-27 GMT today and builds to an opposition with Uranus on Saturday. Mars and Earth are about to pass closer together than at any time in almost 60,000 years. On Wednesday at 1051 BST (0951 GMT) the two planets will be 56 million kilometres (35 million miles) apart - about the closest they can get. Calculations suggest that the last time they were this close together was when Neanderthals roamed the planet, on September 12, 57,617 BC. Other significant encounters happened during the month of August in 1924, 1845 and 1766.
The New Moon in Virgo also occurs today at 17-27 GMT. The New Moon is conjunct Venus and Jupiter and opposite Mars and Uranus. This planetary alignment offers a tense and challenging atmosphere to this 'brittle' New Moon. The New Moon is midway between Solar Eclipses a sign that the new influences of this next eclipse are beginning to 'seep ' into play. Expect difficult births of new situations develop over the next few days.
The main world events over the last few days, as Mars approached his encounter with Earth, have been 'terrorist bombings'. On 19th August at 16-30 (Baghdad Local Time) a huge explosion destroyed the United Nations Building in Baghdad. On Monday 25th August various explosive devices went off in Bombay India. Delhi seeks suspects wanted for attacks prior to Monday's Bombay blasts, but Pakistan denies it is harboring them. These events have occurred during an astrologically tense period, dominated by Mars and Uranus directly aligned to Earth, the Sun, Venus and Jupiter. Times are odd, systems appear shaky, power supplies shutting down, the Internet is under attack from Virus and Worms. Care and vigilance are required.
August 19th 2003.
Experiencing Virus and hardware problems here. Services may be temporarily suspended.
Amid increasingly powerful astrological alignments right now, street battles have continued for a fourth day in the southern Nigerian town of Warri between heavily armed gangs from two rival communities.
The Liberian Government and rebel groups agree to end 14 years of civil war and share power. Investigations into North America's worst ever power failure are focusing on an early warning system of telephone hotlines.
In the UK the 'Kelly Inquiry' continues, the government looks to be in 'deep water'.
The Moon is at Last quarter phase on Wednesday 20th at 00-49, and after squaring the Venus Jupiter Regulius conjunction in the following hours, goes on to enter Gemini at 07-41.
On Thursday at 10-23 the peak of the Venus Jupiter conjunction occurs.
The coming weekend looks especially intense. Hope to be able to upload more information about it.
August 18th 2003.
The Moon is approaching Last Quarter in Taurus. The next astrological event ahead of us is a very interesting tight grouping of the Sun, Venus and Jupiter all on the Leo/Virgo cusp opposite Uranus and Mars in Pisces. This arrangement may be starting to make itself felt already. It completely dominates the astrological skies of earth, and the affairs of its peoples over the next 10 days right up to the New Moon in Virgo on August 25th 2003. During this time Mars is at its closest to Earth in recorded history, adding to the import of the time. After a relatively quiet time recently the second part of August looks to be an important and critical period of time.
Venus and the Sun, are conjunct tomorrow, and are hurtling headlong together to the triple conjunction with Jupiter and the star Regulius. Important issues are ahead of us. There are large scale matters at hand. (The detail can be regarded later). The vibe of today is one solidity and of preparing and implementing plans with purpose. The News reflects the stars in the sky. Key events are also at hand.
Astrological trends August 7th to August 17th 2003.
Sunday August 17th 2003.
The Moon enters Taurus at 18-53 GMT. Venus is very nearly at Superior Conjunction.
Saturday August 16th 2003.
The slow moving Moon is disseminating in phase in Aries.
Friday August 15th 2003.
The Moon enters Aries at 08-01 GMT.
Thursday August 14th 2003.
The Moon becomes void of course in Pisces from 10-30 GMT. During today the Moon completes a mutable T-Square with Mercury and Pluto.
Wednesday August 13th 2003.
The Moon enters Pisces at 01-20 GMT.
The Moon conjuncts Uranus at 02-39 GMT.
Mars is trine Saturn at 02-50 GMT.
The Moon conjuncts Mars at 16-02 GMT.
Mark these dates on your calendar: August 12th and 13th.It's time to get ready for the Perseid meteor shower.The Perseids are probably the best-watched of any annual meteor shower. They come in mid-August when it's warm and comfortable to be outside at 4 o'clock in the morning. They are bright, numerous, and dependable. This year the shower peaks on Wednesday, August 13th. When skies are dark and clear, observers often see as many as one hundred Perseids per hour--an impressive display. This year, however, skies won't be dark. A glaring full moon will wipe out many faint meteors and reduce by a factor of two or three the number you can see.Even so, it's worth planning a trip to the country or rearranging your camping schedule to be outdoors when the Perseids arrive." No matter where you live, the best time to look will be just before dawn on Wednesday morning, August 13th," says Bill Cooke of NASA's Space Environments Team at the Marshall Space Flight Center. At that time, the sky overhead will be tilted into the debris stream of Comet Swift-Tuttle--the source of the Perseid meteors. Furthermore, the moon will be low in the sky before dawn. You can stand in the shadow of a building or a hill or some other Moon-baffle to reduce its glare.
Tuesday August 12th 2003.
At 04-49 GMT the Lamas Moon is exactly Full. This Full moon is midway between the Lunar Eclipses of May 2003 and November 2003. as such it represents a balancing point in time between the influences of the two eclipses and the start of the influence of the November Eclipse. This next Lunar Eclipse, (a 'transitional eclipse', being the final Total Eclipse in its Saros Series), on November 9th 2003, occurs at a time when the Sun Moon combination is in hexagonal arrangement with four other heavenly bodies. We are looking forward to this 'mystic hexagon' in November.
Today's Full Moon at 19 degrees Aquarius is widely conjunct Neptune, sextile Pluto and opposite Venus. The skies at this time are dominated by Venus trining Pluto in fire signs and Mars trining Saturn in water. Mercury in Virgo is in mutable square aspect to Pluto. At the exact moment of Full Moon The Sun is rising and the Moon is setting over the UK. The Full Moon is conjunct the MCs of Boston USA, La Paz Bolivia, and Santiago Chile, and Mercury rises at Moscow. Jupiter is exactly on the MC of Beijing.
This Full Moon is dynamic and potentially inspirational.
Monday August 11th 2003.
The Moon, almost Full, is conjunct Neptune 15-36 (GMT) in Aquarius. Venus is trine Pluto.
Sunday August 10th 2003.
At 08-39 GMT the Sun makes a waning fiery trine with Pluto. The Moon burgeoning to the Full enters Aquarius at 19-24 GMT.
Saturday August 9th 2003.
The gibbous Moon decelerating in motion, in Capricorn becomes void of course from 16-03 GMT.
Friday August 8th 2003.
The Moon enters Capricorn at 16-03 GMT, being then gibbous in phase.
Thursday August 7th 2003.
The Moon is in Sagittarius. Today she completes a fixed T-Square with the Mercury Mars opposition between 05-00 and 07-00 GMT. The Sun is half way through Leo, we are also half way between the Summer Solstice and the Autumn Equinox. Venus, some three degrees from Superior Conjunction, is opposite Neptune at 16-18 GMT.
Wednesday August 6th 2003.
Yesterday Indonesia introduced tough new security measures after a devastating car-bomb attack in the capital, Jakarta. Also rebel and government fighters crossed the front-line and hugged as Nigerian peacekeepers continude to arrive in Liberia. Five more people have died in Portugal and Spain as blistering temperatures set records across Europe. The French summer has been declared the hottest since World War II, Slovenian temperatures are at their highest for a century and in Germany a record night-time high was registered on Monday. Fires were still burning in Spain on Tuesday, as villagers in some places beat desperately at the flames with branches to halt their advance. But Portugal remains among the worst affected by forest fires.
Mercury is opposite Mars today exact at 13-12 GMT. Saturn's position in Cancer 'eases' the opposition somewhat. The waxing Moon void of course from 05-22 GMT enters Sagittarius at 13-11 GMT
Tuesday August 5th 2003.
Yesterday residents of the capital, Monrovia, were jubilant as the first wave of West African peacekeepers arrived.
Check out the astrological chart for Liberia Click here.
The fast moving Moon is at First Quarter phase in Scorpio. Mercury sextiles Saturn. Mercury in Virgo is applying in opposition to Mars in Pisces, this aspect is exact tomorrow. Today is testy. Nothing is easy, but there is a note of constructional progress..
Monday August 4th 2003
Neptune is at opposition today (13-55 GMT), a once a year aspect, the Moon at First quarter phase tomorrow, enters Scorpio at 10-13 GMT. The week ahead has a few planetary aspects, three of which are challenging oppositions. Sun opposite Neptune today, a fateful day edged with uncertainty, Mercury opposite Mars on Wednesday, a day slow to start but bursting into fiery colours and dangerous consequences later, and Venus opposite Neptune on Thursday, a day of 'love in a mist'.
The world news is focused momentarily on Liberia, South Africa, Canada and Pakistan. <
