Planet Weather for the Week of August 31, 2008

 

SkyWatch:  Moon phase of the week: There is no change in the Moon's phase this week! This is one of those rare weeks (usually just a couple a year) when this is the case. The Moon entered Her New phase on 8/30, and will not reach Her First Quarter until 9/7. This happens occasionally because, although the Moon's cycle is close to four weeks long, it is roughly a day longer or 29 days if you round off the fraction of a day. Skywatching event of the week: 9/6 -- The Crescent Moon passes the bright astrological "royal star" Antares about 11 PM EDT, close to moonset on the East coast. Farther west, though, both bodies should be higher in the sky and well placed for viewing. This is a very close pass, with the Moon coming within about 1/3 of a degree of Antares (so named because, being a so-called "red giant" star, it is close in color to rusty Mars, which was Aries to the Greeks). In fact, viewed from Australia and other parts of the Southern Hemisphere, this is what is called an "occultation," with the Moon passing directly in front of the star and eclipsing or "occulting" it. Space news of the week: Gasp! The Earth's atmosphere is leaking oxygen out into space. Actually, scientists have known about this "leak" for some time but only just figured out why -- oxygen atoms in the upper atmosphere become ionized (acquire an electrical charge) by the solar wind, which in turn causes the Earth's magnetic field to fling them into space, never to return. The good news is, this oxygen leak is too small to be a problem for us air-breathers, at least until the sun turns into a red giant star like Antares in about five million years. (Correction! Five billion years -- saved from a fiery death!) 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 8/31/08 – Monday and Thursday 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 9/1/08, the Moon is VOC/Virgo from 5:01AM to 7:44AM EDT – On 9/3/08, the Moon is VOC/Libra  from 1:09PM to 4:02PM EDT – On 9/5/08, the Moon is VOC/Scorpio from 11:46AM to 3:11AM EDT (next day – very long)!

 

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.

 

Sun in mutable, earth Virgo conjunct (0deg. angle) Saturn/Virgo @ 11deg. on 9/3/08 @ 10PM EDT, and trine (120deg. angle) JupiterRx in cardinal, earth Capricorn @ 12deg. on 9/4/08 @ 1:41PM EDT.

In terms of planetary aspects, there are few this week, so we get a break from having to focus on raising our consciousness and being prodded to grow in wisdom. There’s simply that dull background roar that says, you will be prompted again soon!  The Sun’s meeting with both Saturn and Jupiter means that economic shifts are going on. Demand and supply need to be juggled, sorted and organized. Virgo is excellent at determining what can be salvaged and utilized as we sort through the harvest and make plans for the next season in all the ways we can imagine. Figure out your priorities and then expand your possibilities around those commitments.

 

**Mercury entered cardinal, air Libra on 8/28/08 @ 10:50PM until 11/4/08! This is the sign of Mercury’s last retrograde of 2008. Mercury turns retrograde on 9/24/08.  We all know it is better to be prepared and plan for the inevitable slow-down of Mercury and its cosmic imperative to balance and harmonize all the important areas of your life (including your relationships). Mercury retrograde need not be turmoil, as long as you know what is likely to happen and then flow with its natural rhythm.

 

NewsBits: McCain’s Choice for VP, Sarah Palin! We’re beyond scratching our heads on this one here at Planet Weather. Sarah Palin is completely inexperienced to hold the second most powerful position in the United States government with the potential to take over as President if anything happens to McCain, who at age 72, would the oldest President ever elected. Let’s look at the chart of new Republican VP nominee, Sarah Palin. The potential Vice President of the US was born on 2/11//64 in Sandpoint, Iowa (time unknown). She’s an Aquarian with three other planets (Mercury, Mars, and Saturn) in Aquarius, and the Moon in either Capricorn or Aquarius. We think her Moon is in Capricorn since Jupiter/Capricorn would be near that Moon, and Saturn/Virgo would be making a flowing trine. These two aspects to the Moon (the public, as well as the family,females, and moods) would definitely account for her appointment as McCain’s running mate. She has a tight stellium (grouping) of Sun @ 22 conjunct Mars @ 23, conjunct Saturn @ 25 Aquarius. The last Lunar Eclipse at 24 Aquarius was sitting on the stellium, along with Neptune, and that is why PW predicts that she will not win! Neptune’s association with her chart and the Lunar Eclipse expresses perfectly the shocking inappropriateness of the nomination and the fact that there are hidden agendas and unclarity in McCain’s choice. Neptune also creates a dissolving, mirage-like energy. Palin’s Mercury sits @ 1 Aquarius, strangely enough is conjunct Obama’s Jupiter, indicating that both have unusual views and strong opinions – in this case on opposing sides. Obama was very careful to not offer any opinion of Palin, saying he did not really know her. Her Venus is @ 1Aries and Jupiter is 16 Aries. So far, her chart combination shows an unusual life (stellium in Aquarius) with lots of propulsion (Sun conjunct Mars and Venus/Jupiter in Aries). Certainly she is no slouch and has made some bold moves in Alaskan politics, including a firing (possibly retribution for her sister’s difficult divorce), for which she is being investigated. As a child, she went hunting for moose with her father in the early morning hours before school. Her chart energies often bring her into the middle of things very quickly (Aries). Jupiter is at the midpoint of a sextile between Pluto/Virgo and Neptune/Scorpio, making a tense Yod formation.  A Yod indicates a gradual narrowing of choices (or being swayed or manipulated) into an often fated direction, or situation. Palin has a 4-month old Down’s syndrome child, four other children. Her eldest son serves in the army, and is scheduled to be deployed to Iraq on 9/11/08. She has been a popular governor of Alaska but has stepped on lots of political toes and holds strict conservative values including oil drilling in Alaska, anti-abortion, anti-gay marriage and creationism. Was she chosen to appease extreme right-wing Republicans?  She has no foreign policy experience or much of any other major political issues. Before becoming Alaska’s governor, she served as city council member of Wasilla, a town of about 4,000, and then as its mayor.  Her chart holds a great deal of power but as a Vice Presidential nominee, all we can say is what on earth were they thinking?