Planet Weather for the Week of April 26, 2009

 

NewsBits: Chanteuse Extraordinaire! So, how do you explain a phenomenon like Susan Boyle? If you’re an astrologer, you will have a look at her chart patterns. Boyle was born on 6/15/61 in Blackburn, Scotland (so that’s where that great accent originates); birth time is unavailable. The Sun is at 24 Gemini and she was propelled into fame, suddenly, with currently transiting Uranus/Pisces squaring her Sun exactly! Mercury ruling the Gemini Sun is retrograde in Cancer (the Moon’s sign) and her Moon is also in its home sign, Cancer – giving her the ability to appeal to the emotions of the populace in an unanticipated way.

 

She has several exact aspects: the first is Mars conjunct Uranus both at 22 Leo. In and of itself a Mars/Uranus conjunction indicates an unusual energy expression and  in Leo a kind of fearless courage. With Jupiter/Aquarius in the sky opposing her quixotic Mars/Uranus conjunction, her energy exploded into widespread awareness. The other exact aspect in her chart, Venus/Taurus exactly opposite Neptune/Scorpio conveys the power of the throat, or the ability to powerfully transmit/channel emotions through voice. Many opera singers or other strong vocalists have strong placements in Taurus which rules the throat. Last but by no means least – there’s a fascinating pattern in her chart that is shared with Barack Obama and multi-gold medalist swimmer, Michael Phelps. All three have Saturn in late degrees of its home sign of Capricorn and conjunct Jupiter out-of-sign in early Aquarius! All three are enjoying their every 12-year Jupiter return to its birth placement. All three are enjoying unprecedented popularity. All three are unusual people with unique and exceptional talents and an intelligence for their particular craft, or a rare perspective that is inspiring and enlightening. 

 

SkyWatch: Moon phase of the week: 5/1 -- The Moon enters Her First Quarter phase at 4:44 PM EDT, at 11 degrees of Leo. Skywatching event of the week: 4/26 -- Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation, that is, the point farthest behind the setting Sun that Mercury ever gets. This means that Mercury is at the best viewing location in the western evening twilight for the entire year. In addition, the slender crescent of the setting New Moon will be making a close pass by Mercury just as it begins to get dark. The Moon will be above and slightly to the left of Mercury in the west-southwestern sky. The Moon will also be passing the Pleiades ("Seven Sisters") star cluster at the same time, although it may be hard to spot these stars just to the right of the Moon. (A star cluster is a kind "mini galaxy" orbiting our Milky Way galaxy.) Space news of the week: Astronomers last week confirmed the existence of a rocky Earthlike planet with a mass of just 1.9 Earth masses, circling the red dwarf star Gliese 581, a mere 20 light years from Earth. This is the smallest extrasolar planet ever found and gives astronomers hope of actually finding a "twin Earth” in the so-called "habitable zone" of a sunlike star, that might make it possible for such a planet to harbor life. Finding life on another world would be a truly monumental discovery, even though scientists believe there are many such worlds in our galaxy and expect to start discovering them very soon. 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 4/26/09 – Sunday (challenging), Monday (hard-working), Tuesday (networking), Wednesday (protective), Thursday, (changeable), Friday (warm, loving) and Saturday (struggling). Sunday, Tuesday, and Saturday are the most active energetically and potentially very productive days – more Moon or planetary aspects for engagement with others or projects, and/or producing results. On 4/26/09, the Moon is VOC/Taurus from 11:42AM to 5:02PM EDT – On 4/28/09, the Moon is VOC/Gemini from 12:23PM to 6:38PM EDT – On 4/30/09, the Moon is VOC/Cancer from 12:45PM to 8:56PM EDT –On 5/2/09, the Moon is VOC from 6:09PM to 12:37AM EDT (next day)!

 

Planet Patterns & Cosmic Headlines:

 

*Currently Active: Outer Venus Retrograde (Rx) Cycle: Venus is Direct @ 29 Pisces since 4/17/09. Venus re-entered cardinal, fire Aries on 4/24/09. (Venus was retrograde in cardinal, fire Aries and briefly in mutable, water Pisces. Venus/Aries turned Rx on 3/6/09. Venus entered Aries on 2/2/09. Venus entered Pisces on 4/11/09). Venus squares Pluto three times in its Rx cycle: 2/5/09, 4/3/09, and finally 5/3/09. Pluto intensifies the relationship and values action, pushing hot issues even more powerfully and possibly opening some wounds. Venus passes its “shadow,” 15 degree Aries, at which it went retrograde, on 5/21/09, and that completes the Rx cycle as Venus moves on to new degree territory.

 

Mars in cardinal, fiery, Aries square Pluto in cardinal, earth Capricorn @ 3deg. on 4/26/09. Mars is impatient to get on with it in Aries, but then it meets the immovable force - Pluto/Capricorn. One may feel blocked by responsibilities, circumstances, constraints and condition, and the fire is dampened. Sometimes this serves to end a situation or to increase the determination to make something happen or to take action. Either way, there is a great deal of emotion/desire involved.

 

***Mercury Retrograde (Rx) alert. Mercury enters mutable, air Gemini on 4/30/09. Mercury retrogrades @ 1deg. Gemini on 5/7/09. Mercury barely gets into one of the signs it rules (the other is Virgo) before it turns retrograde. This is the second Mercury Rx of 2009. This could be a confusing or stressful Mercury Rx due to the fact that Mercury spends most of its Rx time in Taurus, so we will experience its square to Neptune/Aquarius three times. The first happened (in direct mode) on 4/25, the second Rx square is on 5/20, and the third and final square on 6/9/09. Mercury will also square Jupiter/Aquarius three times and sextile Uranus/Pisces. Squares to Jupiter can bring deflated or disappointed expectations and sextiles to Uranus will bring surprising insights and awareness amidst the upsets of the squares.

 

Venus in cardinal, fire Aries square Pluto/Capricorn @ 3 deg. on 5/2/09. This could be a tough week for relationships, with first Mars, and then Venus meeting Pluto head on. Constraints, delays, and circumstances that dampen the natural enthusiasm of fire must be negotiated, endured, and somehow resolved. Issues of timing will also arise, as Aries is immediate and impatient by nature and Capricorn is cautious and circumspect.

 

*Currently Active Paradigm-Shift Pattern:  Part 2 of 5 – Saturn in mutable, earth Virgo opposite (180 deg. angle) Uranus in mutable, water Pisces on 2/5/09 @ 20 deg.  – Preview: Part 3 of 5 is exact on 9/15/09 @ 24degrees. The first three oppositions between these two planets take place in the signs Virgo/Pisces, but the last two are in Aries/Libra. Essentially this shows us that system breakdowns will shift to other areas of life. Aries/Libra is the axis of fairness and cooperation and how we balance and equalize opportunities.