Planet Weather for the Week of May 3, 2009

 

NewsBits: Swine Flu Outbreak! The so-called swine flu is now officially known as H1N1, a new strain of influenza virus. Scientists say that H1N1 has two genes that are typically found in a flu that infects pigs, one avian gene and one human gene, and so technically it’s called a “quadruple reassortant” virus. [It’s swinebird flu!] There’s no evidence that pigs are infected by this virus and pork is safe to eat. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) is taking this flu very seriously since these new strains have the habit of mutating, spreading quickly and being resistant to previous vaccines. The pandemic alert has been raised from 4 to 5 since 4/30/09. In the United States the highest number of reported cases so far are in NY, Texas and CA, in that order. [Just as an FYI, Egypt in a gross overreaction just to the name, resorted to trying to kill all its pigs.]

 

In looking at the astrological patterns for this situation we find that we are in the approach phase to the conjunction of Jupiter with Neptune, exact on 5/27/09 @ 26 Aquarius. We’ve discussed this in the most recent podcast (found on www.planetweather.net) and we’ll elaborate now. This conjunction or meeting between these two planets happens every 12 years. Jupiter’s main characteristics are expansion and magnification, and it has a far reaching or exaggerated quality. Neptune’s main characteristics are diffusion, confusion, stress, inwardness, or isolation, with the spiritual theme of all is one. When the two are conjunct there is amplification and combined with lack of boundaries (Neptune) there is a great possibility of a widespread situation of stress, illness, famine, or other humanitarian condition affecting large (Jupiter) groups (Aquarius) of people. When we consider the sign these two planets are positioned in, Aquarius, we are describing humanity as a whole, or world-wide, international conditions.

 

This conjunction has other traits such as a greater philosophical understanding, or stories told and theories formed, information disseminated about international and global concerns, conditions and environments. The H1N1 flu brings home the fact that we are more interconnected, including access to information (Neptune/Jupiter/Aquarius) than ever before in history and this has its pros and cons. This new flu outbreak is a reminder of the fact that what happens to one either happens to all or affects all. It is the cosmic way of expressing the one human soul, the heartbeat of the world, of all of life, and how vital it is that we perceive life in this way.

 

The chart of the USA is telling (I use 7/4 1776, 4:53PM, Philadelphia, PA). This chart has the Moon @ 27Aquarius within a half degree of the aforementioned conjunction of Jupiter/Neptune, meaning that the people of the US are very involved in whatever situation or conditions this conjunction will manifest. Note below that the upcoming second Mercury Rx of the year makes three separate squares to Neptune @ 26 degrees (and also to Jupiter but at slightly different degrees). The first square took place on 4/25/09, around the time the flu outbreak first became big news. The upshot is that this flu will be uppermost in our minds as it plays itself out, but also arouses issues of the fragility and interconnectedness of life and our responsibilities to our human family, of which we are an integral part. All those with planets within a degree or so of 26 will have more of a direct connection with the energy of this pattern. Call your astrologer for an assessment of what part of your chart is affected. Watch the dates of both Mercury’s contact with Neptune and Jupiter’s contact. Jupiter makes two more conjunctions with Neptune on 7/10/09 and 12/21/09.

A link to the CDC for your information: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/swineflu_you.htm

 

SkyWatch: Moon phase of the week: 5/9 – The Moon reaches perfect Fullness at 4:44 PM EDT, at 18 degrees of Scorpio. In Native American and folklore traditions, this is variously the Flower Moon, the Planter's Moon, and the Milk Moon. Skywatching events of the week: 5/4 -- The Moon passes within a few degrees of Saturn, their point of closest approach coming around 3 AM EDT, as the two are setting together low in the West. If you start your skywatching just after dark and check every hour or so, the Moon moves quickly enough (much faster than phlegmatic Saturn) that you can see Her get visibly closer and closer to Saturn as the night wears on. All week – Mercury, having reached His greatest eastern elongation (the point where Mercury sets the farthest behind the Sun), conditions for spotting this Starry Messenger very low in the West after sunset are probably the best they will be all year. Space news of the week: Countdown to retirement! Space Shuttle Atlantis will launch on a repair mission to the Hubble Space Telescope this week. Stay tuned for results. After this, there will be only eight or nine more Shuttle missions. Then the 30-year-old shuttle will do its flying in a wing of the Smithsonian at the end of 2010, to be replaced by a large, capsule-style vehicle for manned missions in preparation for NASA's manned return to the Moon sometime in the next decade.  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 5/3/09 – Sunday (processing), Monday (pressures), Tuesday (brooding), Wednesday (social/active), Thursday, (distracted), Friday (focused/intense) and Saturday (deepening).Tuesday, Thursday 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 5/3/09, the Moon is VOC/Leo from 6:09PM the previous day to 12:37AM EDT – On 5/4/09, the Moon is VOC/Virgo from 9:31PM to 5:51AM EDT (Next day!) – On 5/7/09, the Moon is VOC/Libra from 6:01AM to 12:48PM EDT – On 5/9/09, the Moon is VOC/Scorpio from 2:49PM to 9:49PM EDT.

 

Planet Patterns & Cosmic Headlines:

 

*Currently Active: Outer Venus Retrograde (Rx) Cycle Completing: Venus re-entered cardinal, fire Aries on 4/24/09. (Venus was retrograde in cardinal, fire Aries and briefly in mutable, water Pisces. Venus first entered Aries on 2/2/09. Venus/Aries turned Rx on 3/6/09. Venus Rx entered Pisces on 4/11/09. Venus turned Direct @ 29 Pisces on 4/17/09). Venus squares Pluto three times in its Rx cycle: 2/5/09, 4/3/09, and finally 5/3/09. Pluto intensifies the action of relationship and values, 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 into new degree territory.

 

Sun in fixed, earth Taurus trine (120deg.) Saturn in mutable, earth Virgo @ 15deg. on 5/5/09. Three times a year, the Sun makes a flowing aspect (the trine) with Saturn. These are times when it’s easier to understand our priorities and the work that needs to be done to set our lives in order. In these earth signs, it’s all about practicality and common sense. Look around at your life and how you can improve, master or perfect your situation.

 

***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, all at 26degrees. 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. Mentally, we are evaluating and balancing our pleasures and desires, with most of Mercury Rx taking place in pleasure-oriented Taurus. The theme of Venus (ruler of Taurus) and values continues as we search for balance in a shape-shifting world.

 

*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 focus on other areas of life. Aries/Libra is the axis of fairness and cooperation and how we balance and equalize opportunities. In the meantime, we are very aware of the huge problems with the health-care system in the USA, and the signs Virgo/Pisces relate to intrinsic systems, procedures, and patterns that relate to health and well-being on inner and outer levels – body, mind, and spirit.