Planet Weather for the Week of August 6, 2006

SkyWatch – Moon phase of the week: 8/9 – The Moon reaches perfect fullness at 6:54 AM EDT, at 16 degrees of Aquarius, just after moonset on the U.S. East Coast. Related sky factoid of the week: Full Moons can be incredibly romantic but astronomers hate them, since their brightness makes observing the faint objects that are these pro skywatchers’ bread and butter much more difficult than under other lunar phases. Skywatching event of the week: 8/12 – The annual Perseid Meteor Shower peaks about 7:00 PM EDT, just before sunset on the East Coast. The Perseids sometimes provide one of the most spectacular displays of the year, with 90 to 100 meteors per hour at peak. However, their timing this year is not great, since their peak happens before sunset and the meteors will seem to radiate from a point very low in the North. The Perseids will rise higher in the sky shortly before dawn until they are well up in the Northeast, but then the waning but still nearly Full Moon will drown out the fainter streaks. Next year should be better! Space news of the week: Astronomers have discovered a pair of highly puzzling Jupiter-sized objects drifting through space, orbiting each other but not any star. They are calling these mysterious objects "planemos" for "PLANEtary Mass Objects" and wondering how they could have formed in the absence of a primary star. Skywatch loves an astronomical mystery! Go out! Look up!

Again, this week Monday, Wednesday and Friday, are the most active and possibly the most productive energy days available. There is no lengthy Void-of-Course Moon during the daytime hours this week.

The Sun in fixed, fiery Leo conjuncts (0deg.) Saturn in fixed, fiery Leo @ 14deg. on Monday, August 7, 2006. This combination is a test of the heart and the love of life and all that is alive. The tests come in the form of how well we live life, how well we love ourselves and others, and how well we shine with our talents! In the world it is also a test of leadership – Saturn and the Sun express the responsibility of leadership and the questioning of the essence of leadership –does that leadership have the strength to protect life and minimize ego? In your life, examine whom and what you love and you will understand the core essentials that move you. This combination includes a responsibility to children, who are the heart and the hope for the future.

Mars in mutable, earth Virgo sextiles (60deg.) Jupiter in fixed, water Scorpio @ 10deg. on Tuesday, August 8, 2006 @ 1:20PM EDT. Jupiter brings an opportunity to the actions of Mars, or Mars, actions are increased and expanded by its meeting with Jupiter. This aspect can indicate the desire to negotiate and to perceive further and wider implications of actions. It can just as easily be the expansion of hostilities, already in progress. Jupiter in Scorpio does not give up, or yield easily and when entrenched or cornered it fights for its life. So, opportunities for expansion can be turned in either direction positive or not.

The Full Moon at 16 fixed, air Aquarius is close to the degree of Neptune’s Station Retrograde (Rx) @ 17deg. in May, 2005. This degree is still sensitive and there will be some rewind to the time when Neptune made that station and to the events of that time.

The Mercury “Shadow” period ends on 8/11/06, when it moves past 1 Leo (the degree at which it went Rx on 7/4/06). We’ve completed the spin cycle and are emerging from the full processing of the Mercury Rx. As Mercury enters Leo, we may feel the confidence of having thoroughly processed some important matters in our lives.

Mercury enters fixed, fiery Leo on Friday, August 11, 2006 @ 12:09AM EDT until 8/27/06. Most of the rest of August is spent with Mercury on fire and expressing its opinions strongly. During this cycle, Mercury meets with Jupiter and then Saturn in hard aspect. Those who have something to say will express it loudly and with passion. This Mercury position is the natal position of President George Bush too! What will he have to say during these weeks?

Sun/Leo opposes (180deg.) Neptune in fixed, air Aquarius @ 18deg. on August 11, 2006 @ 1:14AM EDT. Having met with Saturn on Monday, the Sun now blends with Neptune, which can indicate a dissolving of what was formulated on Monday, and/or it can bring a measure of greater compassion and understanding to the plight of those who are disadvantaged in some way. The combination has a sense of sorrow, or regret regarding the state of things in life, heart and world. International situations and leaders are on the hot seat to find creative solutions and to reduce posturing and ego.

Venus enters fixed, fiery Leo on Saturday, August 12, 2006 @ 4:21PM EDT until 9/6/06. Venus joins Saturn, the Sun and Mercury already in fiery Leo. This cluster in Leo will last until 8/23, when the Sun enters Virgo!  So…expect things to be very heated during these 10 days. Venus in Leo is generous, creative, vibrant and fun but also stubborn, proud and can be too focused on self and ego-gratification. The planetary energies in Leo have you examining and questioning the scope of your life and whether it is as fulfilling, heart-wise, creative and loving as you would wish it to be. Venus will meet with Jupiter/Scorpio and Saturn/Leo in hard aspects during its sojourn. The qualities of love, loving and creative expression are in the air and on your mind – great time for creative exploration.

NewsBits:  The Start of the War Chart. The current clash between Israel and Lebanon began on July 12, 2006, when the militant group Hezbollah kidnapped two Israeli soldiers during a border clash. In retaliation, Israel bombed S. Lebanon at dawn the following day July 13, 2006. In looking at the chart of the bombing and, in effect, a declaration of war, several aspects are in high focus. First Mercury was retrograde, which can mean the action was not well processed. Of course, hair trigger tempers in this region are not unusual and almost to be expected given the history there. Mars is exactly trine Pluto in that chart, also increasing hot tempers and prompting a powerful (some may say excessive) responsive to injury. The Moon sits at 17 Aquarius, the exact degree of the Neptune Rx Station of May 2005 (mentioned above). A peace plan drafted over the past several days was rejected as we come into this Full Moon, which is nearly the same degree as the Moon of the “start of war” chart! Emotions are running very high, with the most recent bombings killing at least 30 Lebanese civilians, Lebanon’s infrastructure in rubble and thousands displaced. Israel has, of course also suffered casualties, as Hezbollah rockets have penetrated further into the state than ever before. The situation is very serious. The chart has Saturn @ 11deg. Leo – as Saturn continues its movements it will oppose (180 deg.) the “war chart” Moon beginning 8/23 through 9/1/06. This aspect may bring some abatement of hostilities, or a re-focusing of the emotional turmoil. If not at that time, then perhaps Saturn reaching the chart’s Mars @ 24 Leo between 11/1-27/06 will induce/force a cessation of fighting, and a treaty of some kind will have more meaning. Saturn typically forces a decision and makes a solid one. Someone may not want to back down. Saturn makes a station Rx @ 25 on 12/5/06 lengthening the effect on the Mars position in the “war chart” and any aspect of Saturn makes situations more serious. However, in this case, we want that to mean a better organization and resolution of the issues involved in the antagonism between the parties. Unfortunately, great enmities have been stirred up with this most recent war and Jupiter/Scorpio will also make aspects to the “war chart” Moon and Mars, which can mean no truce or an uneasy one that goes underground (gearing up for future revenge), as so many in the past have. All efforts of the international community – and its greatest efforts ever – must be focused on finding equitable solutions to the continuing turmoil, or else, the immense intensity generated in the last 3.5 weeks will escalate to other areas, and spread like a wildfire, if it hasn’t already.