Planet Weather for the Weeks of June 29, 2008

SkyWatch Moon phase of the week: 7/2 -- The Moon enters a new cycle at 10:19 PM EDT, at 11 degrees of Cancer, the sign of Her rulership. As always, look for Her slender crescent low in the West after sunset a couple of days later. 7/4 -- The Earth reaches aphelion, the farthest point in its orbit from the Sun, roughly 94-1/2 million miles give or take. Summer heat in the Northern Hemisphere has to do with the Northern Hemisphere being titled towards the Sun during the daytime, and not distance to the Sun. The Moon also makes a close pass by the Beehive star cluster. Their point of closest approach occurs about 5 PM EDT, but look low in the western sky just after sunset. As viewed from most of North America, the thin lunar crescent will be slightly to the left of the star cluster. (A star cluster is a kind of "mini galaxy" orbiting our much larger Milky Way galaxy.) Space news of the week: NASA's Mars lander Phoenix has definitely discovered water ice on Mars. NASA scientists also reported, based on the lander's findings, that Martian soil appeared to contain the requirements to support life, although more work would be needed to prove it. Not quite the same as actually finding life on Mars but definitely a giant leap in that direction. Stay tuned! 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 6/29/08 – Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday (until 4:13PM EDT) are the most active energetically and potentially very productive days – more Moon or planetary aspects for engagement and/or producing results. On 6/30/08, the Moon is VOC/Taurus from 2:43AM to 4:03AM EDT (while most sleep!) – On 7/2/08, VOC/Gemini from 3:08AM to 3:53AM EDT(again, while most sleep!) – On 7/3/08, VOC/Cancer from 4:13PM to 4:15AM EDT (the next day)!

 

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.

 

Mars in fixed, fire Leo trine (120deg.) Pluto in mutable, fire Sagittarius @ 29deg. on 6 /30/08 @ 6:53PM EDT. Something I noticed the last time Pluto was poised at the 29^th degree of Sagittarius last January – is that many people are making their earthly transitions and moving on into the great unknown [aka dying!] This moment for Pluto signifies a major cultural movement and transition. We leave behind the cycle of the past 12 years (wrap-up time is now through 11/26/08), enter into uncharted territory and begin the next 16-year cycle of Pluto in Capricorn. Now, Mars at the end of its 6 week cycle @ 29deg. Leo stimulates Pluto and urges the transformation process along, while also prompting us to heed the subtle and not-so-subtle instinctual shifts that we may feel, including the discomfort accompanying the process – much like being in the cocoon but not yet the butterfly. There’s both magic and a great deal of uncertainty as we review the past and prepare our next steps to make our lives fulfilling and masterful and worthy of the wisdom of our experiences.

 

Mars enters mutable, earth Virgo on 7/1/08 @ 12:21PM EDT until 8/19/08. Mars in Virgo for the summer in the Northern Hemisphere points to six weeks of figuring out work issues and setting goals around efficient processes and procedures. Mutable Virgo is particularly suited for collecting, sorting, and deleting information, as deemed necessary. Focus on crafting a schedule that will meet your most important needs and priorities. Refine your craft and perfect your technique.

 

Venus in cardinal, water Cancer opposite (180deg.) Jupiter in cardinal, earth Capricorn @ 18deg. on 7/3/08 @ 1:18AM EDT. This aspect is about overdoing it, or excess of some kind and in combination with a VOC Moon beginning @ 4:13PM EDT on the same day, could be bad judgment or lack of judgment. The basic drive of this energy is joy, expansion, optimism, adventure, and gathering with your clan (any people that you really care to spend time with) but can also mean carelessness and overindulgence. Jupiter tends to throw caution to the wind, so be aware of that when you make decisions, particularly if you are traveling during that time.

 

Mercury in mutable, air Gemini square (90deg.) Uranus in mutable, water Pisces @ 22deg. on 7/5/08 @ 7:07AM EDT. Mercury jumps out of its shadow cycle only to bump into Uranus by surprise. There’s an “aha!” moment here or perhaps several, as insights could easily shock you with their poignant truth. You may feel the need to speak frankly, directly, or from a perspective that surprises both yourself and others. Again, be careful on the road (holiday weekend), as this aspect is certainly one that refers to all kinds of connections and abruptness which could turn disruptive. Remain alert for sudden abrupt moves and indicate your intentions to change direction in communication, decision, or travel. (In other words, signal your turns!) Self observation is a huge help with this aspect.

 

NewsBits: George Carlin Shifts Gears! The controversial, salty, and irreverent curmudgeon comedian George Carlin, aged 71, left the planet on 6/22/08. He died of heart failure. Carlin said, “By and large, language is a tool for concealing the truth.”  This is just one of many priceless quotes from his comedic material spanning 50 years. Another quote: “If crime fighters fight crime and fire fighters fight fire, what do freedom fighters fight?” George Carlin was born on May 12, 1937, in New York City, NY (time unknown), making him a persistent and stalwart Taurus. But where does the comedy, controversy, counter-culture, and word-play come in? Let me count the ways… . Carlin was born with Mercury (Taurus) retrograde, which I find indicates a different twist to the mind and mental processes. These folks often make up their own language! Add to that Mercury’s conjunction with Uranus/Taurus and you’ve got someone who took it all the way to the Supreme Court with his material “Seven words you can never say on television.” He didn’t win, since the Supreme Court upheld the so-called “decency standard,”  but it was a close decision 5-4, and splashed him all over the news. Carlin refused to drop the material and was arrested several times. His Moon in Gemini (ruled by Mercury), Mars in over-the-top Sagittarius trine Saturn/Aries, Venus/Aries, and Jupiter/Capricorn opposite Pluto/Cancer all added to his verbal skills and pushing social limits and constraints as much as possible. He was all about telling it like it is. A grand trine in Earth signs comprised of 5 planets (half the total) provided the common-sense or his questioning of common-sense, his social criticism, and his basic, natural, earthy (sometimes crude) humor. He showed us how silly, foolish, and ridiculous we humans can be, going about our daily activities. Two more quotes by Carlin: “Scratch any cynic and you’ll find a disappointed idealist” and “May the forces of evil become confused on the way to your house.” Wherever Carlin has landed, you can be sure he’s making up jokes. Too bad we can’t hear them. Or, can we?