Planet Weather for the Week of October 19, 2008

 

NewsBits! Ongoing Election Campaign Thoughts! The debates are completed and now all that’s left is to elect a new US President. Breaking news as we write this column – Former Secretary of State Colin Powell endorses Obama, calling him a “transformational figure.” Powell also stated that Sarah Palin is not qualified to be President of the United States, a judgment with which we completely agree. Obama has numerous configurations in his chart that would define a “transformational figure,” one of the most outstanding being his JupiterRx/Aquarius conjunct SaturnRx/Capricorn (a conjunction across two signs = greater complexity) in House 12. Jupiter is poised at the critical 0 degree and is well-placed by house position (Jupiter being the traditional ruler of Pisces has an affinity with House 12) and Saturn is in its home sign of Capricorn. The two located in House 12 soften them and add a spiritual dimension to their expression. A person with this signature is forced by their life circumstances to reach deeper layers of understanding, compassion, and nuance. Saturn in House 12 represents someone who, through experience and life development must become keenly aware of the consequences of abuse of power and of control issues through inner self-reflection. What we have seen and read about Obama, some of it through his own writing, leads us to believe he has developed a keen spiritual understanding that allows him to respect the multi-faceted and complex nature of life. Saturn in House 12 is also someone who is sensitive to responsibility in whatever he undertakes and is able to evaluate his pattern and process. The Jupiter in House 12 offers sources of inspiration that he can draw on, as well as the vast array of friends and associates he collects through his vision and objective, yet compassionate understanding. Obama has the capacity to be a visionary, enlightened leader. The other aspect so telling in his chart is Uranus (ruler of Aquarius) conjunct his North Node by just a few degrees. He is electric in the way he is able to mobilize and excite the masses with his fire, enthusiasm, and vision. [Over 100,000 people turned out to hear him speak this weekend in St. Louis, MO.] These are some of the possible manifestations of these aspects in Obama’s chart. However, we can never know completely to what extent a person will reach the potential shown. Still, in observing Obama and in reading his books, we see someone who is indeed reflective, who has a new vision for the country, and who wishes to lead in a more intelligent and inspired way than many American politicians have managed. It seems that many others sense this in him and work for his election as the next President of the United States. These same aspects we have defined also attract controversy and the unpredictable, and controversy often brings fear and a backlash. We have seen some indications of hatred and we are concerned.  Change is necessary for the United States, but not all want to embrace the change or agree as to how it ought to be accomplished. The collective voice of the people will speak on November 4, 2008. Planet Weather believes it will elect Barack Obama. More election coverage to come in next week’s Planet Weather. Stay tuned.

 

SkyWatch: Moon phase of the week: 10/21 -- The Moon enters her Last (aka Third) Quarter phase at 7:55 AM ET, at 28 degrees of Cancer, the sign of Her rulership. Skywatching events of the week -- Nothing spectacular, although four of the five "naked eye" planets (those visible without a telescope) continue to be visible at night or in the early morning. Mercury is now a "morning star" rising just enough ahead of the Sun to be seen low in the East before dawn. Venus continues as a beautiful "evening star,” setting after the Sun and always unmistakable low in the western sky. Jupiter can be seen high in the South after sunset, and Saturn, along with Mercury, is now also a morning star, rising a few hours ahead of the sun. 10/25 -- Speaking of Saturn, the waning Moon makes a close pass by Saturn, and the two will be visible together in the early morning, although their point of closest approach occurs around midnight, a couple of hours before they rise together. Space news of the week: The Hubble is in trouble! A computer glitch onboard the Hubble Space telescope caused NASA scientists and engineers to "take it off line" earlier this month. The entire failed unit aboard the Hubble needs to be replaced, causing a delay in the Space Shuttle flight scheduled for a repair mission to the Hubble while a new unit is fabricated and tested. Tentative plans to launch are now sometime in February of 2009.

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 10/19/08 – Monday, Wednesday, Thursday (after 3:40PM EDT), 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 10/19/08, the Moon is VOC/Gemini from 5:52AM to 7:40AM EDT – On 10/21/08, the Moon is VOC/Cancer from 7:55AM to 10:35AM EDT – On 10/23/08, the Moon is VOC/Leo from 1:53PM to 3:40PM EDT – On 10/25/08, the Moon is VOC/Virgo from 9:02PM to 10:47PM 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.

 

The Sun enters fixed, water Scorpio on 10/22/08 @ 9:09PM EDT until 11/21/08. In Scorpio, we are asked to look at the shadow, beneath the surface of things, at all that is offered to us and all that seeks a response from us and therefore demands our energy or resources of one kind or another. Scorpio is full of premonitions, being highly attuned to the pulse and beat of life. Those premonitions can sometimes be fearful, especially if our receptive channels are unclear or if we have strong bias or prejudices. During this time, we are asked to understand the deeper desires and motives that prompt our actions and decisions. Scorpio is a feeling sign, and it’s vital that we understand the source of those strong emotions of ours, or we will be ruled by them, rather than being masters of them. The Sun will be in Scorpio come US Election Day 2008, and we will vote (as always) according to the gut instinct that prevails. Wouldn’t it be best to know what that is and why we feel so strongly? The Sun makes no contact with any other planet (besides the Moon) before Election Day. However, Mars, the traditional ruler of Scorpio, also transiting Scorpio, makes three before Election Day and one major square to Neptune on Election Day, which may create a great deal of confusion. More to come on the outlook for 11/4/08 in a later edition of Planet Weather.