Planet Weather for the Week of March 9, 2008

SkyWatch – Moon phase of the week: 3/14 -- The Moon enters Her First Quarter phase at 6:46 AM EDT, at 24 degrees of Gemini. The Moon rises around noon local time, will remain visible all day on a clear day, and sets around midnight local time. Skywatching events of the week:  3/10 -- Mars passes near the Pleiades or "Seven Sisters" star cluster. (A star cluster is a kind of “mini-galaxy” orbiting our Milky Way galaxy.) See them together in the Southern sky after sunset. 3/12 -- The Moon also slides past the Pleiades, although their point of closest approach occurs during the early part of the day. 3/14 -- The First Quarter Moon passes less than two degrees to the north of Mars, well up in the western sky in the constellation Gemini. Their point of closest approach happens around 11 PM EDT, when the two will still be a fair distance above the western horizon. Space news of the week: Based on computer simulations, it looks increasingly likely that Alpha Centauri, the nearest star to our Sun, harbors earthlike planets. This is especially exciting news because any such planets would also be the easiest terrestrial planets for astronomers to detect, given that Alpha Centauri is a "mere" four light years distant, give or take. Think of a buck-fifty of the U.S. national debt being equal to one mile. That doesn't make Alpha Centauri seem so quite so far, now, does it? (On the other hand, it lends new meaning to calling the national debt "astronomical"!) Go out! Look up!

 Knowing when VOC Moons occur is key to planning your successful week!

 

The Void-of-course (VOC) Moon is 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. VOC is best for less outcome-oriented activity, since VOC often means detours, distractions, drifting, or delays. If you want specific outcomes, or if timeliness is critical, don’t use a VOC Moon time. VOC is best for processing, imagining, creating, and open-ended activities, like parties, research, or cleaning your desk/closet for instance! It is said that when a new action is initiated during VOC, “nothing will come of it,” or energies go in unplanned directions, which may not necessarily be negative.

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Week of 3/9/08 – Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday are the most active energetically and potentially most productive days – more Moon or planetary aspects for engagement and/or producing results. On 3/10/08, the Moon is VOC/Aries from 7:09AM to 12:14PM EDT – on 3/12/08, VOC/Taurus from 1:26PM to 1:54PM EDT – on 3/14/08, VOC/Gemini  from 4:23PM to 4:37PM EDT.

 

PlanetPatterns:

The following planetary energy patterns flavor the day and are felt or experienced often hours before and after their exact culmination. They remain effective, certainly until the next major planetary pattern comes along to shift the energy gears.

 

Mercury in fixed, air Aquarius conjunct (0deg.) Neptune/Aquarius @ 22deg. on 3/9/08 @ 4:53AM. This is the third conjunction between these two planets and indicates a deep yearning for truth and ideals that have been missing from our lives. The first conjunction took place on 1/22/08, the second on 2/2/08, with Mercury Rx. In part, Senator Obama has expressed and transmitted these sentiments to his audience better than most, and it generated great response from the public and the media. (This is not an endorsement of Sen. Obama, merely an example of astrology in action.) Barak Obama, we can say, is the vehicle expressing this yearning of higher, better dreams and themes, and the movement for world shifts and changes. He has identified, correctly, the mood of the collective and its desire for more advanced methodologies toward a better future for all humanity. He has brought these ideas to consciousness, but many others feel this mood and embody it too, Hillary, for instance. As she says, “Look at me, I’m change!” On a personal level, identify the dreams that are meaningful to you, listen to and respect your yearnings, and work to facilitate them as part of your present and future.

 

Venus enters mutable, water Pisces on 3/12/08 @ 6:51PM EST until 4/6/08. Venus slips into the sign of its exaltation and emphasizes more of Neptune’s slippery, beguiling, and enchanting energy. We do need to notice where we are blinded by what we want to see or what we are projecting, especially onto others. Because we desire the dream so much, we may fail to notice the “reality” and often the mismatch between what is and what could be. Taking your time and reflecting carefully will allow you both to “believe” and to keep your feet on the ground (at least somewhat). Venus in Pisces loves to get lost, to escape, so be sure to choose and indulge some interludes that are magical, sweet, and inspiring for the side of you that wants to experience dreams coming true. How many can you make manifest and how many will you lay to rest?

 

Mercury enters Pisces on 3/ 14/08 @ 6:46PM until 4/17/08. Mercury gets into dreamland too, and your mind may wander more than usual. You are likely to be particularly sensitive to nuances and notice/feel little things or the affect of your environment and surroundings. Seek reflection and inspiration from whatever sources soothe your soul and rejuvenate your spirit. However, be aware of potential deception, evasiveness, and elusiveness on your part or in others. There is more of a need to withdraw and have those necessary conversations with yourself during this transit. Spiritual channels are open and receptive, and the potential to resolve some spiritual dilemmas is more likely.

 

Venus/Pisces opposite Saturn in mutable, earth Virgo @ 3deg. on 3/15/08 @ 4:17PM EST. When Venus meets Saturn it gets its first reality check. Something or someone that you have idealized is seen without the rose-colored glasses, and you will need to overcome disappointment, disillusionment, or a feeling of having been betrayed by your own misplaced faith, or the behavior of others, or perhaps both. The positive side of the aspect is to combine an ideal and make it workable.

 

NewsBits: Mars/Cancer opposed Pluto/Capricorn on 3/7/08! We’ve waited with interest to see what the first significant planet to make contact with newly installed Pluto/Capricorn would bring. The preceding week saw Hillary Clinton back in the race with three out of four primary wins. Unfortunately, there were also a rash of violent killings and another suicide bombing in Israel. Violence has escalated in Baghdad again (although the U.S. military claims that this is not a “trend”).The day following the exact opposition, Obama won the Wyoming primary. It appears that the country is split and seesawing back and forth, which is typical of opposition aspects and the signature of the theme of the year, showing Mars Rx @ 29 Gemini opposite Pluto @ 29 Sagittarius. March 7^th was a repeat of this planetary meeting –  only one degree later in the following signs! What’s more important is the theme that is emerging and consistent with Pluto in Capricorn (in past cycles) – discontent from the people against established rules or policies. With this close race and the way delegates are appointed in the Democratic Party process, the super delegates may determine the nominee and anger millions of voters. Then there are the rule-breaker states of Florida and Michigan, whose delegates are waiting to be counted. People voted in those states, but because Florida and Michigan ran their primaries earlier than they were supposed to, the Democratic National Committee has refused to recognize their delegates. Hopefully, this can be settled in a way acceptable to all. Without a doubt, those who voted in Michigan and Florida must be heard and be included in the process of electing their nominee. Mars meets with Saturn/Virgo by sextile (60deg. angle) on 3/14/08 – perhaps that will bring some order to a situation that could seriously hurt Democrats.

Mars next meets Uranus/Pisces by trine (120deg. angle) – both of these aspects have greater capacity for resolution of issues. Mars opposes (180 deg. angle) Jupiter/Capricorn on 4/24/08, and this aspect could prove to be more problematic, especially if neither Obama nor Clinton achieves the necessary delegate count to clinch the nomination. The Pennsylvania primary takes place with this aspect approaching on 4/22/08. The chance for serious voter outrage is at hand.

 

Here’s another facet of Pluto in Capricorn and the foreshadowing of its 16+ year cycle. The long Mars in Cancer retrograde cycle began 9/28/07 (ends 5/9/08). Saturn (ruler of Capricorn and disposing of Pluto/Capricorn) entered Virgo 9/2/07. Jupiter entered Capricorn on 12/18/07. Armed with these energies, there have been a slew of archeological (earth – Capricorn) discoveries across the globe. On the very day that Mars/Cancer opposed Pluto/Capricorn, officials in Rome announced that in the process of digging beneath the city for new subway lines, a 6^th century copper factory, medieval kitchens complete with pots and pans, Roman taverns and other artifacts were unearthed. On 3/5/08, in Greece, a 3,000yr. old tomb was found during road construction. On 2/25/08, in Casma, Peru, a 5,500yr.old ceremonial plaza, one of the oldest structures to be found in the Americas, was uncovered. On 2/20/08, a satellite discovered the ruins of ancient hidden cities in the jungles of Guatemala. On 12/07, the first surviving Roma throne was found in the ruins of Herculaneum, the city buried when Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79A.D. On 11/07, pottery shards were found in Jerusalem dating to 5 B.C. On 11/10/07, a 2,000yr. old clay temple with some of the oldest mural paintings ever found in the Americas was uncovered in Peru. On 9/07, Israeli architects found an ancient drainage channel used by the Jews to escape the Romans in 70 A.D. In the same month, in Aleppo, Syria, an underground wall was found with an 11,000yr. old wall painting, believed to be the oldest in the world. History is speaking. What does it have to tell us?