Planet Weather for the Week of May 27, 2007

 

“When planets run around and around in circles, we say they are orbiting. When people do it, we say they are crazy.”  A wonderful quote from a grade-school kid!

                                                                                                                                  

SkyWatch - Moon phase of the week: 5/31 -- The Moon enters her time of fullness, perfect at 9:04 PM EDT, at 10 degrees of Sagittarius. This sixth Full Moon of the Zodiacal year (which begins at Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere) was known variously by Native Americans as Wind Moon, Salmon Moon, or Flower Moon -- all suggestive of mid-to-late Spring. This is also the second of two Full Moons for North Americans during May of 2007. When two full Moons occur within a calendar month, the second full Moon is called the "Blue Moon" because of its rarity. Skywatching events of the week: 5/28 -- The waxing Gibbous Moon passes one-and-a-half degrees (about three lunar diameters) south of the bright astrological star Spica in the constellation Virgo, with their point of closest approach coming about 2 AM EDT. Look low in the southwestern sky. 5/31 -- The Full Moon passes less than half-a-degree south of Antares, another bright astrological star. Their closest approach happens about 9 PM EDT, before moonrise in the U.S. However, the two celestial lights will still be beautifully close as they rise up from the southeastern horizon shortly after sunset. Space news of the week: Astronomers have produced the first map of an extrasolar planet. This planet orbits a star slightly cooler and less massive than the Sun about 60 light-years from Earth in the direction of the constellation Vulpecula. The gas-giant planet orbits very close to its star, and the map shows a "hotspot" about twice the size of Jupiter's famous Red Spot. Go out! Look up!

 

Knowing when VOC Moons occur is a key to planning your astrological 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, 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/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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This week, Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday are the most active energetically and potentially most productive days (depending on what you’re doing!) However, with the approach of this Full Moon (see Skywatch above), energy is a bit scattered with uneven results. On 5/28/07, the Moon is VOC/Libra from 12:17PM to 1:11PM EDT – on 5/30/07, VOC/Scorpio from 1:11PM to 1:07AM EDT, the next morning! – on 6/2/07, VOC/Sagittarius from 7:29AM to 11:09AM 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.

 

Mercury in mutable, air Gemini opposes (180deg.) Pluto in mutable, fire Sagittarius @ 28deg. on 5/27/07 @ 11:12AM EDT.  The planets are lying low this week (no major meetings with others in the planet gang), but you can be sure they are thinking, planning, and certainly gathering information! Mercury continues to be active, that mischievous messenger of the Gods! In its meeting with Pluto, Mercury’s normally light or logical take on things gets into the trenches, because that’s where you’ll find Pluto lurking. Pluto can color Mercury to be quite obsessed with a certain slant on things or focused on getting to the bottom of something, even being suspicious, and certainly imbuing all communication with an emotional charge. We may hear strong words or messages in the media, and this aspect does not mince words but tells it forcefully, leaving impact. On the personal side, use this aspect to ferret out the deeper layers of your thinking and beliefs, especially those that seem to stop you from moving forward and maximizing your goals.

 

Mercury enters cardinal, water Cancer on 5/28/07 @ 8:56PM until 8/4/07. This is the sign of Mercury’s next Retrograde (Rx), which begins on 6/15/07. We’re going to have a very long time of Mercury in watery and emotional Cancer, so get used to it! The collective psyche will be preoccupied with values and basic needs: housing, food, clothing, gas prices, etc. Expect lots of dialogue over quality of life and necessary consumer items. Concern for value vs. price could also continue to affect the current down housing market. Personally, you will be concerned for your safety and quality of life – things and people close to home that are part of your every day existence and support. You may question your allegiances and your sense of belonging to family members, or traditions, your chosen tribe and other collective associations. Having the essentials we need, and the comforts we believe are necessary to not only survive but to thrive are in focus during this lengthy Mercury in Cancer.

 

NewsBits: Jerry Farwell Meets his Maker! The Christian Right has lost a staunch defender. The not-always-popular (and often incendiary) Falwell’s rhetoric disturbed many with his narrow righteousness, but he was loved by his conservative flock. Founder of the Moral Majority, Inc. and one of the first TV evangelists, Falwell had seemingly unlimited energy. Born 8/11/33 in Lynchburg, VA, time unknown, this Leo was definitely outspoken with both a Mars/Libra opposite Uranus/Aries and square Pluto/Cancer. This so-called T-square formation put him definitively and powerfully in the conservative marketplace. He was insistent with his ideas and programs but fell from grace with many for accusing the lesbians and abortionists, etc. for the events of 911. Saturn in Leo played a heavy hand for the Reverend – opposing his birth

Saturn/Aquarius and constraining his vital Leo Sun. One can see that unyielding Moon in rooted Taurus too – he was deliberate but consistent. Now he knows the secrets over which we, who are left, still wonder.

 

Rosie O’Donnell’s Early Exit. The popular daytime show “The View” comprised of 4 women including founder, Barbara Walters, gained higher ratings and notoriety with the addition of controversial and outspoken Rosie O’Donnell. Rosie’s recent heated exchange (in part, concerning the war and the thousands of innocent Iraqi dead), with conservative Elizabeth Hasselbeck one of the 4 hosts on air, was the reason for exiting before her originally-scheduled departure at the end of June. In the past, Rosie’s also gone toe-to-toe with Donald Trump among others. They each took turns insulting each other’s appearance. Rosie was born with Sun @ 0 Aries, a potent degree indeed (3/21/62 Commack, L.I., time unknown) and just past a Full Moon, hers being in Libra. Mars ruling her Aries Sun is in sensitive Pisces, along with Mercury/Pisces but both are opposite Pluto/Virgo, giving her that down-to-earth punch. She also has Jupiter @ the quixotic degree of 29 Aquarius and Saturn/Aquarius. She was born to disagree and to stir the pot, to play out in left field and make people think about the positions they take, the roles they accept to take on, and why they believe as they do. Hers is not an easy chart but she has made the most of it with many film and comedy credits to her name. What will Rosie do next? (Whatever it is, we can be sure it will be, ahem, riveting.)