Planet Weather for the Week of November 11, 2007

                                                                                                                                  

SkyWatch – Moon phase of the week: 11/17 -- The Moon enters her First Quarter phase, 25 Aquarius, at 5:33 PM EST. Skywatching events of the week: 11/11 -- The new Crescent Moon passes very close to the bright astrological "Royal Star" Antares at about 4 PM EST. This is just before Sunset on the U.S. East Coast and considerably before sunset farther west, but the two will still be very close together just after local sunset shortly before Moon and star also set. As seen from parts of South America, the Moon will actually occult (pass in front of) Antares. 11/12 -- the waxing Crescent Moon also passes below and to the left of Jupiter, low in the southwestern twilight on this evening. Their closest approach comes just around sunset on the U.S. East Coast, but they will remain close after sunset as viewed from the entire continental U.S. 11/17 -- The annual Leonid meteor shower promises some good (if not spectacular) viewing this time around. There will be no bright Moon for the Leonids to compete with at their maximum directly overhead (for East Coast observers -- more downward to the southwest farther west) in the constellation Leo about 11 PM EDT, with 10-15 bright streaks per hour possible. Space news of the week: The Discovery astronauts returned safely to Earth last week, having successfully completed one of the most difficult and complex Space Shuttle missions to the International Space Station (ISS) to date. Now the ISS crew is busy moving and fitting the large lab modules ferried up by the Shuttle into place on the ISS. When construction is complete, the ISS should be capable of supporting several more international astronauts and scientists than the current crew of three. 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 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 11/11/07 – Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday are the most active energetically and potentially most productive days – more Moon aspects for engagement and producing results. On 11/13/07, VOC/Sagittarius from 2:53AM to 8AM EST – on 11/15/07, VOC/Capricorn from 4:19AM to 6:30PM EST(all day) – on 11/17/07, VOC/Aquarius from 9:51PM to 2:14AM EST (11/18/07).

 

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.

 

Mercury re-enters fixed, water Scorpio on 11/11/07 @ 3:41AM until 12/1/07. Mercury reaches its far “shadow point” (9 degrees, where it turned retrograde on 10/12/07) on 11/16/07. After turning Direct in late Libra, Mercury takes us back for a third tour through the underworld Scorpio degrees between 1- 9. Do you have any planets there? The underworlds of Scorpio are filled with questions of desire, motive, sex, intention, money, and empowerment and importantly, the ideas we hold on to jealously and, possessively. Conversations will tend to involve strong opinions and emotional undertones. Observe manipulation in action! Mercury revisits the ground it covered between 9/26-10/22/07. Allowing some vulnerability now could clear some emotional blockages.

 

Sun in fixed, water Scorpio square (90deg.) Neptune in fixed, air Aquarius @ 19deg. on 11/11/07 @ 8:43PM EST. The Sun and Neptune meet in hard aspect (conjunction, square, opposition) 4X per year. This current aspect is called a “waning square,” it occurs ¾ of the way from the last conjunction of the two planets in Feb. ‘07, and signifies a crisis in consciousness. This means the Sun in Scorpio is revealing to you a truth that has been veiled or hidden, often brought to light by a sudden revelation. In fixed signs, this truth is a value we hold that either has transformed, is transforming, or remains in the process of transformation. In 3 months a new cycle (conjunction) between these planets begins, as this one completes.

 

** Mars turns retrograde on 11/15/07 @ 12deg. Cancer @ 3:24AM EST! Mars entered cardinal, water Cancer on 9/28/07. Mars re-enters the previous sign, Gemini, on 12/31/07, and turns direct @ 24deg. Gemini on 1/31/08. Mars re-enters Cancer on 3/5/08, and then remains in Cancer until 5/10/08. Here we go again (Mars) – but this time it will be backtracking (appearing to move backwards, as retrogrades do) for 2.5 months. Domestic and market concerns may bring insecurity (the stock market has been gyrating in anticipation), so the best thing is to put your own house in order, as best you can. Mars will stir the emotions and possibly past memories (Cancer collects memories). Cancer rules the nurturing parts of the body, including the stomach and breasts – so for those prone to health issues these parts of the body may experience more irritation than usual. Cancer signifies family, belonging, and the soothing gentling of those who care for our well-being and those we nurture. This retrograde may cause us to evaluate our emotional connections in many ways. Hurts experienced during this cycle are experienced by more emotional sensitivities and by those closest to you.

 

Mercury/Scorpio sextile (60deg.) Saturn in mutable, earth Virgo @ 7deg. on 11/16/07 @ 6:22PM EST. Saturn encourages the steel-trap mind of Mercury/Scorpio to discriminate and arrive at thought processes and patterns that are strategic, organized, and long-term practical. These energies are excellent for producing a formal paper or presentation or cultivating/forming an idea into a potentially solid plan. There’s a striving for excellence, preparedness, and mastery of execution. Use it to further your goals.

 

 NewsBits: Musharraf’s Muscling! Pakistan’s in crisis with Prime Minister General Perez Musharraf pushing to maintain control. Pakistan’s chart shows Mars @ 0 Cancer, called a critical degree and the potent point of the Summer Solstice. Mars is conjunct Uranus (out-of-sign) @ 25 Gemini and square Neptune @ 8 Libra. We’re looking at a process in Pakistan that will toil strongly for the next 7 months – the full length of the Mars retrograde (Rx) cycle. In fact, Mars turns direct within 1 degree of Pakistan’s Uranus – truth or unpredictability (or both)! Civil war and protest are in high gear. The Mars Rx cycle stimulates and generates rebellion and anarchistic activity as it moves between Pakistan’s Uranus degree, crosses over its Mars, and, as the cycle ends, crosses over its Moon @ 27Gemini. In the six weeks after Mars leaves Cancer on 5/10/08, and enters Leo, it will stimulate the 5 planet Leo stellium (grouping) of Pakistan’s chart! It’s a case of the king not wanting to yield the throne. Doesn’t Musharraf know that Pakistan completed its Saturn return in Leo last August – signifying the need for a fresh and better start? Being the strong Leo that he is (8/11/43) he has been under great pressure the last 2.5 years while Saturn crossed his 3 Leo planets and squared his Mars in Taurus. Now Saturn in Virgo is pressing on his Mercury and Venus and making a station retrograde in (12/19/07) nearly exact on his Mercury @ 9 Virgo. Someone ought to tell him there’ll be a showdown. Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, just now released from house arrest, after actively protesting Mushararaf’s decrees, is a 29deg. Gemini Sun with three planets in Cancer – Mars, Uranus and Mercury – square her three placements in Libra – Moon, Saturn and Neptune! We have not heard the end of Pakistan’s story of unrest and social transformation. Mars in Cancer acts emotionally and protectively and the world is tense about Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal.