Planet Weather for the Week of January 28, 2007                                                                                        

SkyWatch – Moon phase of the week: 2/2/07 -- The Moon reaches perfect fullness at 12:45 AM EST, at 12 (one minute shy of 13) degrees of Leo. In Native American tribal lore, this second Full Moon after the Northern Hemisphere's Winter Solstice was called the Snow Moon or (with some tribes) the Hunger Moon, both for obvious reasons.  Skywatching event of the week: 2/2 --  The nearly full Moon passes less than a degree to the North of Saturn, with the point of closest approach coming at 6:00 PM EST, before moonrise in most U.S. locations. However, the two will still form a spectacular sight close together as the nearly full Moon rises a bit later. Special skywatching event of the week: See Algol grow dimmer, and then brighter again! The bright astrological star Algol ("evil" passion and intensity) is actually two stars, Algol A and Algol B, orbiting each other in a way that brings the dimmer of the two stars (B) directly in front of the brighter one (A), causing Algol to appear to grow perceptibly dimmer and then brighter again! This week, Algol is especially well-placed to observe this phenomenon. Viewed from most parts of the "lower 48" states, it appears almost directly overhead just after sundown (it will be the brightest star visible in that location and will twinkle, unlike a planet) and remains above the horizon when Algol A is eclipsed by Algol B. Here are times this week, for the start of this phenomenon: 1/28 -- 2:03 AM EST; 1/30 -- 10:52 PM EST; 2/2 -- 7:42 PM EST. (The effect may be somewhat "washed out" by the nearly full Moon, however.) Space news of the week: This past week, India launched into orbit and recovered a space capsule loaded with scientific instrumentation, an important first for the Indian space program, which looks to launch a man into space sometime in the next decade and shoot for a manned Moon landing some time after that. Congratulations, India! Go out! Look up!

This week Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday are the most active energetically and potentially most productive days (depending on what you’re doing!) There’s a long Void-of-course (VOC) Moon this week. (VOC Moon - a kind of limbo - as it reaches the end of a sign, the Moon makes no major aspect to another planet before it enters the next sign.) The Moon is VOC in Gemini on Monday 1/29/06 from 1:40PM EST to 5:16PM EST, and on Tuesday, 1/30/07 from 4:30PM – all day Wednesday 1/31/07, to Thursday 2/1/07 @ 12:04AM EST, and Saturday 2/3/07 from 5:55AM to 9:34AM EST. VOC is best for less outcome-oriented activity, since VOC often means detours, distractions, or delays. If you want specific outcomes, or if timeliness is critical, choose another time, if possible. VOC is best for processing, imagining, creating, and open-ended activities, like parties, research, or cleaning your desk, for instance! It is said that when an action is initiated during VOC, “nothing will come of it.” Thursday and Friday may be a bit dicey as the Full Moon is in effect. If you’re dealing with a highly charged emotional issue, the Full Moon will expand it and this could affect your productivity.

Mercury in fixed, air Aquarius opposite (180deg.) Saturn in fixed, fire Leo @ 22deg. on Sunday, January 28, 2007 @ 1:07PM EST.  Mercury meeting Saturn indicates the need for accountability. Something may stop you in your tracks. Saturn necessitates a pause to reflect, re-evaluate, reassess, etc. Be prepared for some serious thinking, planning and/or organizing. A message you put out may not be received positively. If you receive criticism, try to detach and determine whether there is any truth in it. On the other hand, you may feel compelled to offer a judgment or criticism. Think twice about offering either. Saturn asks you to consider the consequences and the long-term implications. The reason for pausing is to determine the viability of your action or decision – so this Mercury-Saturn opposition may be a good thing. Watch out for narrowness, or black and white thinking.

Mercury in fixed, air Aquarius sextile (60deg.) Pluto in mutable, fire Sagittarius @ 28deg. on Wednesday, January 31, 2007 @ 9:31PM EST. Mercury is busy this week making various movements. If there’s too much that’s pressing on your mind, take a break – meditate, journal your thoughts, and do not obsess. Instead, use the intensity provided by the aspect to analyze the issue. This energy combination is best for critical analysis and troubleshooting. Find the glitches, all that isn’t working, and fix them or it. There’s no time to cry over spilled milk. Just clean it up. Go to the source; understand the motivation, yours or another’s, and you’ll be halfway there.

Mercury enters mutable, water Pisces on Friday, February 2, 2007 @ 4:20AM until 2/26/07 when it re-enters Aquarius again, in retrograde (Rx) motion.

MERCURY RETROGRADE alert!  Mercury turns Rx on 2/13/07 @ 11:38PM EST until 3/7/07. More detail on this Merc Rx in the next several PW issues. In Pisces, the mind becomes more fanciful and subjective, also much more sensitive – so being extra-considerate is appreciated by people who are feeling more tender than usual. Dreams could be more active and your imagination more inventive. Spiritual and compassionate tendencies are highlighted. This sign for Mercury is definitely more reflective and needs more downtime. You could easily get exhausted by mental/emotional demands. Don’t be surprised if your sympathy is tapped. Remember, “The quality of mercy is not strained.” Although we don’t know for sure what Shakespeare meant by that!

Mars in cardinal, earth Capricorn sextile Uranus in mutable, water Pisces @ 13deg. on Saturday, February 3, 2007 @ 5:42AM EST. Use this aspect to update your important business systems and practices and possibly expand your influence via various media or group associations. This aspect combines practicality with innovation for a winning and long-term workable combination.

Sun in fixed, air Aquarius sextile Jupiter in mutable, fire Sagittarius on Saturday, February 3, 2007 @ 10:47AM EST. This bright, optimistic note in the week invites you to expand your possibilities and is a great indication for an opportunity to meet a goal you’ve set. Take a closer look at something offered you; it may pay off down the road.  You may be yearning for some vacation-time and certainly positive reports of growth from something you set in motion or an idea you birthed in December. Expansion and growth are the appropriate words for this energy.

NewsBits:  Back to the Future?  It’s estimated that nearly 100,000 people marched on Washington today to protest he continuing war in Iraq. Among the masses were a number of celebrities including, Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins, Sean Penn, and Jane Fonda dubbed “Hanoi Jane” during the Vietnam War, for her protests and photo on a North Vietnamese tank. The rally comes in the wake of the Jupiter/Sagittarius square Uranus/Pisces cycle (#1 exact pass on 1/22/06). The aspect will repeat two more times in 2007, and is one of the hallmark planetary conditions of the year. It indicates, among other meanings – hyper-awareness/alertness, expanded compassion, truthful and surprising inventiveness, unexpected revelations, and a call for a global wisdom of inclusiveness.

Supreme Commander!  Moving from Lt. General (three stars) to newly minted General (four stars) was David Petraeus when he became the Supreme Commander of US and Allied Forces in Iraq. Petraeus was officially confirmed by Congress on 1/26/07. No birth-time is available for the General but his birth date is: 11/7/1952 in Cornwall-on-the-Hudson, NY.  The most significant pattern in his chart is a cardinal (active) T-square (an opposition of two or more planets with a third or more at the midpoint, or 90 deg., to either of the opposing planets) composed of Mars/Capricorn square Saturn conjunct Neptune/Libra, square Moon conjunct Uranus/Cancer, which opposes Mars/Capricorn. Mars rules warfare and to some extent military maneuvers. Petraeus’ Mars is exalted (energetically excels) in Capricorn, his Saturn ruling Capricorn is also exalted in Libra, and his Moon is in its home sign of Cancer, creating disciplined action and focused intent. The heavy dose of discipline in a double Mars/Saturn combination (Mars in Saturn-ruled Capricorn and square Saturn) is counter-balanced by the Moon/Uranus opposite Mars, giving him a twist of the unusual and the ability to step outside the box of convention when necessary. This is not your typical military man but he’s packing big time power. His pattern can be extremely cold and calculating, which fits someone who’s been laden with a heavy burden of responsibility. His Moon/Cancer, however, indicates caring and his Saturn/Libra feels keenly the plight of others. He’s a Sun/Scorpio with Jupiter/Taurus opposing the Sun, equaling will and the courage to apply it. We don’t know how his unusual streak of independence (Uranus/Moon/Mars) will operate but we hope it will be to see the global picture with crystal clarity, be able to make some brilliant, visionary decisions, and maneuver the US out of Iraq in record time.