Planet Weather for the Week of October 7, 2007

                                                                                                                                  

SkyWatch – Moon phase of the week: 10/11 -- The Moon enters her New cycle at 1:01 AM EDT at 17 degrees of Libra. Skywatching events of the week: 10/7 -- The waning Last Quarter Moon and Venus rise together in the early morning, always a beautiful sight. Their point of closest approach comes just before moonrise on the East Coast (but after moonrise farther west), so they will be very close together when they appear in the East several hours before dawn (about 3 AM local time). These two brightest lights in the night sky will be followed about an hour later by Saturn rising. This is also the closest you'll see the Moon come to Saturn this time around, since their point of closest approach occurs after both have set on the following evening. By the time they rise the next morning, the Moon will have dropped some distance behind the ringed planet. 10/8 -- Venus, Saturn, and the Moon will still form a nice triad in the early morning sky before sunrise. Space news of the week: Flash! An earthlike planet is likely forming around a sunlike star 424 light-years distant from us. Scientists have discovered a huge belt of warm dust -- enough to build a Mars-sized planet or larger -- swirling around this not-too-distant star. The dust belt, which they suspect is clumping together into planets, is smack in the middle of the star's habitable zone, the so-called "Goldilocks region" that is "not too hot and not too cold but just right" for liquid water to exist on any rocky planets that might form. Stir slowly for a few million years....  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, drifting, or delays. If you want specific outcomes, or if timeliness is critical, don’t use a VOC Moon phase. 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 10/7/07 – Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday are the most active energetically and potentially most productive days (depending on what you’re doing!) On 10/7/07, the Moon is VOC/Leo from 1:28AM to 3:03AM EDT – on 10/9/07, VOC/Virgo from 7:08AM to 1:57PM EDT – on 10/11/07, VOC/Libra from 7:22PM EDT to 2:13AM EDT (10/12/07) – on 10/13/07, the Moon is VOC/Scorpio from 5:24PM to 2:58PM EDT (10/14/07).

 

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.

 

Venus enters mutable, earth Virgo on Monday, October 8, 2007 @ 2:53AM EDT until 11/8/07. This Venus pays attention to details and so might come across a bit picky. On the other hand, if you want to change your look or your home, the critical eye of Venus/Virgo will help you weed out the non-essentials and the clutter. Virgoan beauty is sparse, clean, and prefers a natural style. You may also be inclined to eat better and work harder to establish physical harmony and schedule balance. If there is a pet project you love, you will work to perfect it and will enjoy being productive. This Venus is excellent for tying up loose ends and tidying up in general. With Venus reaching 2deg. of Virgo on 10/11/07, the long Venus Rx cycle is over. So what did you learn about your values, money, relationships and what you love (or not) since Venus went retrograde @ 2deg. Virgo on 7/27/07? As Venus moves past the shadow point (degree at which it went retrograde) the integration of what transpired since 7/27/07 takes place. A retrograde presents a series of detours to finish up the unfinished business pertaining to the planet’s character – in this case all things relationship, and all things of value to you.

 

Mars in cardinal, water Cancer sextile (60deg.) Saturn in mutable, earth Virgo @ 4deg. on 10/8/07 @ 11:45PM EDT. Mars gets the message to “shape up” from Saturn – so take advantage of a gentle nudge to get your “house” in order. A 60 deg. aspect brings awareness of the need to commit yourself to something but does not apply too much pressure. It’s a perfect aspect to acknowledge what needs to be done and to be self-motivated to get it done.

 

 Sun in cardinal, air Libra sextile Jupiter in mutable, fire Sagittarius @ 15deg. on 10/9/07 @ 12:05AM EDT.  There’s joyousness for no apparent reason – maybe it’s the way the afternoon light shines into your living room window. It could be that someone is generous to you and stimulates givingness in you. The bottom line is willingness to be generous and that expansive feeling that come with it. There’s the opportunity to take a risk, that one that does not require too much effort but could still yield big benefits. Small beginnings merge into large results.

 

Jupiter/Sagittarius square (90deg.) Uranus in mutable, water Pisces @ 15deg. on 10/9/07 @ 2:24PM EDT. This is the third and final square between these two planets – the first took place on 1/22/07, and the second on 5/10/07. This energy combination signifies a sudden windfall, a sudden unexpected opportunity or happening. Typically, it is very creative and enlightening. The aspect creates restlessness that in turn suggests exploration and a greater willingness to take risks and take advantage of flashes of intuition or opportunity. There’s a temptation to break out of the same old routine and revitalize oneself, one’s surroundings, etc., and so this combination often indicates incentive to travel. Those with these two planets already in aspect at birth get a special creative boost during this time.

 

** Mercury turns retrograde @ 9deg. Scorpio on 10/12/07 @ 12:00AM EDT. Mercury entered fixed, water Scorpio on 9/27/07 @ 1:18PM EDT until 10/23/07 when it retrogrades back into Libra. Mercury re-enters Scorpio on 11/11/07 until 12/1/07. Mercury turns Direct on 11/1/07. We can expect a general slowing down while we pay attention to the deeper political and psychological underpinnings of our lives and world politics (if you are so inclined!) Mercury/Scorpio has a tendency to brood and to remember wounds and hurts from the past, so you may be asked to revisit some of your “favorite” wounds during this time to determine whether they have healed – or not. Listen to the political rhetoric of the times to discover who is trying to convince and persuade you and why and for what! In your personal life, suppressed feelings may suddenly spill out of control, as you take stock of what is going on in your inner life. Scorpio is all about strong feelings/convictions and the motives/desires beneath our actions.

 

Sun/Libra trine Neptune in fixed, air Aquarius @ 19deg. on 10/12/07 @ 9:41PM EDT. This energy combination speaks to idealism and the desire for world harmony at its best. At its worst it shows us how we have failed to achieve harmony and the disappointments 4ensuing from broken dreams and unfulfilled ideals. The aspect also expresses the fact that ideals are more easily met and nurtured through harmonious collaboration and cooperation with others of like mind. Find a cause worthy to support and applaud.

 

** Mars Retrograde Alert! Mars enters cardinal, water Cancer on 9/28/07 and will turn retrograde on 11/15/07 in this sign. Mars re-enters Gemini on 12/31/07 and turns direct in Gemini on 1/31/08. Mars re-enters Cancer on 3/5/08 and then remains in Cancer until 5/10/08. As Mars changes signs we will also be dealing with a biennial Mars Rx. Mars is never a planet that likes to be held back and it bristles during its Rx cycle. However, sometimes we simply have to take some steps back and re-group, or retrace our path. In this case, it is the path of emotions, our feeling life, our family, community, and all those close to us. Cancer is the sign of comfort, supportive care-taking and basic well-being. Moving into 2008, on a Mars Rx is not the best of conditions for a new year – especially an election year, and also does not bode well for Iraq. Clan clashes and civil war are what a Mars Rx in Cancer spells on a global level. People will fight for their homeland and for basic necessities and quality of life. In general and for us personally, we need to redo something important and certainly reassess our direction. This aspect will be important for the Untied States as it stimulates the cluster of US planets in Cancer. Watch PW for further commentary.

                                           

NewsBits: This and That! There’s not much REAL news to report, and yet there are some very funny U-Tube clips of Paris Hilton being harassed by David Letterman about her stay in the clinker and a Saturday Night Live spoof about Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s claim that there are no gays in Iran. The SNL spoof is a love song to Ahmadinejad by a young man and has one scene of the Iranian President in a red dress lounging on a piano while being serenaded by his admirer. Hysterical over-the-top image! Internet humor is reaching critical mass, with video clips popping up endlessly on every subject and giving “normal” people a chance to be seen and heard for their innate wackiness.  Astrologically what would cause this? Well, let’s see – we can blame it mostly on Uranus, the planet that turns everything upside-down and on its head. Most astrologers use Uranus as the modern ruler of Aquarius, although some put it, along with Neptune and Pluto, in a category by themselves – as mega-transforming life energies. In any case, associated with Aquarius and one part of the Leo/Aquarius pair, Uranus is very heady and likes to step back to observe life, often with a wonderful dry sense of humor. It says, if you can’t laugh at yourself and life, then why make the journey at all? These days (since 3/03) Uranus has been traveling through Pisces, and this combination has revolutionized film, art, music and the Internet to the state we are in at the moment – and it’s not finished yet, either! Uranus remains in Pisces through March 2011. If we add the monumental explosion and proliferation of opportunity (and various excesses) found in the Pluto in Sagittarius themes, then we have a good picture of our cultural Internet revolution. Finally, this past year, Jupiter and Uranus have squared off three separate times (see above) and bolstered the dramatic surge of opportunities prevalent on the wild, wild Web for everyone and anyone. No prior fame necessary. Enjoy surfing!