Planet Weather for the Week of June 4, 2006

                                                                                                                                  

SkyWatch – Moon phase of the week: There is no Moon phase of the week for this week, since the Moon entered her First Quarter phase on 6/3, and will not reach perfect fullness until 6/11. (A calendar week without a change in Moon phase is unusual, happening a few times a year at most.) Skywatching events of the week: 6/4 -- Mercury comes close to the Messier 35 (M35) star cluster in the constellation Gemini. This event actually happens at 11 AM EDT, but Mercury will still be close to the M35 star cluster low in the west-northwestern sky on Saturday and Sunday evenings and the hard-to-spot planet's location currently affords a rare view of Mercury as well. (A star cluster is an agglomeration of several hundred to several thousand stars – usually spherical in form – that orbits a galaxy like our own Milky Way. In telescopes, these objects produce quite spectacular images although to the unaided eye they tend to appear as points of light because of their great distance.) 6/5 -- Saturn also passes close to a start cluster, in this case, within a degree of the famous Beehive Cluster (Messier 44 or M44) in the constellation Cancer, at 2 PM EDT. Saturn will be readily visible in the western sky before sunset but the Beehive Cluster itself may require binoculars for full viewing. Space news of the week: Scientists have discovered a crater the size of Ohio in Antarctica. The crater's discoverers think it was carved by a large asteroid impacting the Earth and that this impact caused the largest mass extinction ever, worse even than the similar event that wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. The Antarctic asteroid slammed into Earth some 250 million years ago. Go out! Look up!

 

Mercury in watery Cancer trines (120deg.) Jupiter in watery Scorpio @ 10 deg., on Friday, June 9, 2006 @ 7:46AM EDT. This contact begins in earnest the Grand Water trine forming in the sky between 6/9 and 6/13/06. The third planet involved is Uranus in watery Pisces and Mercury will make an exact trine to Uranus on 6/12/06. Even though this trine does not last long, it emits an emotional resonance, saturating the environment with emotional intelligence and wisdom, should you wish to tap into it. Trines always seem to require more of a conscious effort or an appreciation of what is being offered. This trine may transmit foreknowledge of future trends and various instinctive responses that may surprise, disorient, or delight you. Communication comes in forms that you could not have dreamed of – or perhaps you did dream of but didn’t expect to meet with in quite this way. The trine also opens avenues of communication in general, and we may hear and understand more of those topics that that have perplexed and confounded us. If you are inclined to spiritual dimensions, this trine is a golden opportunity to derive greater meaning and sustenance from your spiritual practice. Earnest seekers who send forth questions or desires on the wings of this trine are likely to have them answered or fulfilled.

 

The Sun in airy Gemini squares (90deg.) Uranus in watery Pisces @ 14deg. on Monday, June 5, 2006 @ 6:52AM EDT. Sun/Gemini trine Neptune in airy Aquarius @ 19deg., on Saturday, June 10, 2006 @ 2:03PM EDT. The Sun is busy this week in meetings with first Uranus and then Neptune. Both of these aspects present greater awareness but in much different ways. The Sun is enlightened by the truthfulness of Uranus and its determination to achieve authenticity or individuality. Circumstances arise in this square that demand attention suddenly, in the moment, or unexpectedly and often find us unprepared. Yet, it is in these unprepared moments that the true self reveals itself. When the Sun meets Neptune, it must give over some of its ego and learn to blend with the cosmic deific and perhaps learn something about compassion or service rather than focusing solely on itself. The other side of this transit is secrecy or deception, and scandals in high places, often erupt under this pairing.

 

Venus in earthy Taurus opposes (180deg.) Jupiter in watery Scorpio @ 10deg., on Wednesday, June 7, 2006 @ 2:23AM EDT. This is a combination of excess and abundance, which can be fantastic exuberance or can mean dissipation, dissolution, and squandering of resources. This combination essentially gives and brings opportunity. However, all opportunities are not created equal and judgment and discrimination always apply. The signs indicate concerns with finances or other valuables one possesses, including time and energy.

 

News Bits:  Massacre of Innocents in Iraq! Haditha, Iraq is the location for what has been compared to the Vietnam massacre at My Lai. Highly charged-up marines on the rampage – tense and fearful for their own lives after a roadside bomb killed one of their troop, and not knowing where the insurgents are and what age or sex they may be – highly stressed from the emotional and physical scars of battle, of coming too close to death and watching friends die – psychologically, these circumstances take their toll. In this case, the result may have been Haditha where more than 24 innocent civilians, including women and children were shot to death, and some burned to death from grenades. This incident took place on 11/19/05, while the Sun was in Scorpio, the darkest time of the year, when all is turning inward and potential new seeds are being formed. From accounts of survivors, the attack took place in the morning as children were getting ready for school. The most obvious aspects in the sky were a harsh Mars-Saturn square (Mars/Taurus, Saturn/Leo) with both planets forming a loose grand square with Jupiter/Scorpio and Neptune/Aquarius. This was a potent time in the cosmic landscape, and Mars square Saturn can be particularly cold and compartmentalized.  It’s likely that Pluto was also rising at the time of the incident, lending a fatal and permanent quality to the occasion and also the dimension of psychological knee-jerk, gut-level, survival instinct gone awry. It seems that the marines felt threatened and “went berserk,” fearing for their lives. The military concedes that more training for psychological pressures is needed. In the meantime, 24 innocents are dead and further ill-will has been generated for the American occupying forces. Mars, the action, involved in the grand cross with Saturn, Jupiter and Neptune, is a prescription for intensity, excess, confusion, delusion, and harshness – all of which were exhibited in this very unfortunate incident.