Planet Weather for the Week of September 14, 2008

 

SkyWatch:  Moon phase of the week: The Moon reaches perfect Fullness at 5:14 AM EDT, at 22 degrees of Pisces. As the Full Moon nearest to the September Equinox (September 22), She is, by definition, the famous Harvest Moon, often rising with an orange-ish hue, giving Her somewhat the aspect of a great pumpkin in the sky, appropriate both to the season and to Her folk name. Skywatching events of the week: The Moon continues to be the big star this week, being the Harvest Moon at Full and for her next trick: 9/19 -- The waning Harvest Moon actually passes through the Pleiades (Seven Sisters) star-cluster, as viewed from northeastern North America. As witnessed from Montreal, for example, the Moon passes directly through the Seven Sisters' center a bit after 10 PM EDT. Farther south and west, the passage will not be quite so direct but still well worth viewing as star cluster and Moon rise together. (A star cluster is a kind of mini-galaxy orbiting our Milky Way galaxy.) Space news of the week: NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander has just photographed some Martian dust-devils swirling by -- not maybe quite as exciting as, say, photographing a critter like a Tasmanian devil but still an interesting indication of a similarity between weather on Earth and weather on Mars, despite Mars' gaspingly thin atmosphere. 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 9/14/08 – Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday 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 9/15/08, the Moon is VOC/Pisces from 3:03PM to 5:39PM EDT – On 9/17/08, the Moon is VOC/Aries from 6:26PM to 8:57PM EDT – On 9/19/08, the Moon is VOC/Taurus from 6:51PM to 11:17PM EDT.

 

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 in cardinal, air Libra conjunct (0deg.) Venus/Libra on 9/14/08 @ 9:37PM EDT. Mercury’s conjunction with Venus at the beginning of the week often fosters better understanding of issues and willingness to negotiate or compromise, particularly in the sign Libra. You may feel more generous and willing to help when asked by partners or friends. You may share and especially sweet moment. The aspect also provides an ease in developing ideas for projects. Enjoy an evening of harmony, after a day that could be frustrating. In fact, make sure you do something nice for yourself, if you have struggled earlier in the day.

Mercury/Libra trine (120deg.) Neptune in fixed, air Aquarius on 9/19/08 @ 11:22PM EDT. Mercury’s smooth connection with Neptune at the end of the week invites imagination, idealism, and wishes for gentler times and kinder interactions or conversation. You may feel a bit prophetic at this time and get a glimpse of a desired and dreamed-of future. The key here is to find a way, and then take the steps to make a cherished dream come true lest it fade away again into the mists of time.

 

Venus/Libra trine Neptune/Aquarius @ 22deg. on 9/17/08 @ 9:59AM EDT. This mid-week aspect is one that may promise magic – an oasis from the often drab and frustrating demands of mundane life. There’s potential glamour and we are seduced by the way things could be and the way we’d like them to be. We are more prone to being deluded but also to being inspired (often your own choice). The muses are active and artists of all types benefit from energy like this. Lovers revel in the joys of mutual adoration. Be sure to create some retreat time in any way that soothes your soul.

 

Sun in mutable, earth Virgo square (90deg.) Pluto in mutable, fire Sagittarius @ 28deg. on 9/20/08 @ 11:44PM EDT. This is the last time that the Sun in Virgo will square Pluto, as Pluto is moving swiftly now to conclude its time in fiery, impulsive, and exaggerating Sagittarius. For the next 16 years, it will be the Sun in Aries or Libra receiving squares from Pluto in Capricorn. With this current aspect, something powerful takes place which is likely to shift and transform one’s consciousness. There is also pressure to purge and release or simply to tidy up a whole variety of loose ends. It is best to focus on cleaning up before Pluto forces our attention towards another area entirely when it enters Capricorn, late November.

 

NewsBits! Planetary Stations of Jupiter @ 12 and Pluto @ 28 degrees. When a planet appears to stop and change direction, a point in the zodiac is emphasized, and the energy of that planet is amplified. Jupiter and Pluto both made a Direct station on 9/8, and some of the effects were – hurricane Ike devastating Haiti, Cuba, and other Caribbean islands, and then pounding Texas and the Gulf coast. It’s been called a monster storm apropos of the energies of Jupiter (enlargement) and Pluto (raw force/ energy). Jupiter is also exaggeration – the lipstick shtick has been passed around – Obama made an unwise reference to lipstick on a pig, which is a well-known phrase, and also used in the past by McCain! The problem was that Palin had made a lipstick joke in her acceptance speech at the Republican convention and Obama’s lipstick remark was too close after Palin’s speech, and so he was accused of insulting the Republican VP candidate. A whole lot of furor erupted all over the media and talk shows. This was also the week of Palin’s first interview with ABC’s Charles Gibson, and she said some disturbing things about foreign affairs, Roe Vs Wade, women’s rights, etc., but acted very confident in accepting the VP position while wondering what exactly a VP does all day? Speaking of Gov. Palin, inaccuracies about her record as Alaska’s Governor and Mayor of Wasilla, and other misstatements by her  are rising to the surface. There’s also the investigation of her firing policies which are being questioned as personal and involving her sister’s ex-husband. Pluto is also muckraking and research. Plutonian energy leaves nothing hidden for long. The country needs to know who exactly Sarah Palin is since she could be President of the United States if they are elected, and something happens to McCain.

 

Freddie Mac, and Fannie Mae the two biggest mortgage lenders, were bailed out by the government this week and Lehman Bros. financial firm is also on the brink of failing, as announced this week. Will this be another buyout? Another incident this week – a governor of Afghanistan was killed in a remote-controlled car bomb. In last week’s Planet Weather we said strong energy would be unleashed. Pluto is now in final and full forward momentum, moving swiftly through the last two degrees of Sagittarius and into its 16 year stay in Capricorn (11/26/08), never again to return to Sagittarius, not for another 248 years anyway! Pluto has been retrograde since 4/2/08, and has accumulated a great deal of collective, emotional energy, and the unleashing of that stored energy (during the retrograde) was felt in a wide range of ways. It was a packed and powerful week!