The New Standard Aspectarian Blog

Welcome To The New Standard Aspectarian Blog!

2012-02-02T17:19:00.000-08:00

Welcome to The New Standard Aspectarian's official blog site, designed to encourage discussion, answer questions, etc. re the general field of present-time planetary influences, as well as to let people know of the existence of this new aspectarian, now available online from http://www.newstandardaspectarian.com/

Most comments will be posted in this free, open forum as is; we reserve the right to screen them where necessary. In most cases the lag time for posting comments will not exceed a couple of days. We are not obligated to answer all questions, but will endeavor to do so. Other readers are welcome to respond.

Orbit Publications (the makers of The New Standard Aspectarian) does not currently offer personalized services, e.g. natal chart calculation and analysis, personal forecasts and advice, etc.

Thank you, Blog Admin.

A Guide to Astrological Influences in March 2012

2012-01-31T20:09:00.000-08:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of March is: 5 conjunctions, 2 oppositions, 5 trines, 1 square. It wouldn't be proper to say that the conjunctions and the trines in this simplified profile are going to "battle it out" in March since they are not really at odds with each other. But since the planetary oppositions and squares are keeping a "low profile" in March, maybe the month has a fighting chance to be less stressful than other months lately.

As to the long-term Saturn 1/3 Neptune aspect, it will be about 1 degree 56' past exact at the beginning of the month and about 4 degrees 49' past exact at the end of the month. In other words, this aspect is significantly fading in strength during March and will taper off completely in April.

And now for the significant planetary aspects that peak in March. Peaking in the afternoon/evening of the 1st, Mercury parallel Uranus creates an atmosphere which encourages a fresh new outlook on things, including new ideas and new ways of expressing just about everything. However, reaching a peak in the afternoon of the 2nd (and in orb for many days beforehand), Saturn 3/7 Uranus seeks to blend the influences of past and future, orthodoxy and change, "always" and "now", etc. The aspect of Venus parallel Neptune, which peaks in the afternoon of the 2nd, will tend to ameliorate any clashes which arise resulting from the temporal proximity of the Mercury-Uranus aspect and the Saturn-Uranus aspect.

Both of the planetary oppositions in March peak in the time period of the 3rd-4th. On the 3rd, Sun 1/2 Mars peaks in the afternoon, emphasizing events/conditions that tend to impede motion, sound, heat, and force. On the 4th, Venus 1/2 Saturn peaks in the wee hours, tending to make feelings droop -- a real downer. Together, these two oppositions may best be handled by abstaining from activities which would normally be messed up by these influences.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 5th, Mercury CON Uranus in Aries helps significantly to change the atmosphere to something more acceptable than what it was on the 3rd-4th. Things brighten up and feel much better -- similar to the influence of the Mercury parallel Uranus aspect which peaked on the 1st, but more powerful.

Peaking early in the morning of the 6th, Venus parallel Jupiter creates a real "feel good" atmosphere. This one will be welcomed by virtually everyone, although most people won't know why things feel good. They will just enjoy the feeling -- including the people who don't believe in the universal mechanics which produce it.

Peaking early in the morning of the 8th, Sun parallel Mercury emphasizes clear thinking and communication. However, it could also interfere with sleeping as well. Some people might not be able to turn their "thinker" off so they can get some sleep. Ideally, a person should schedule his activities to harmonize with the universal mechanics, both general and personal aspects. But of course, practicality often asserts itself via the clock and calendar agreements within society, which often clash with the natural cycles which stem from universal mechanics.

Reminder: Daylight Saving Time begins on March 11.

The period of time of the 12th-14th is pretty special -- mostly because all five planetary trines in March peak in this time period. It could also be described as being host to two Grand Trines, but other significant planetary aspects peak in this period also. For starters, Mercury goes stationary-retrograde in Aries in the wee hours of the 12th, emphasizing thinking, communicating, and making connections. Then Mars parallel Neptune peaks in the evening, lubricating the way to get things done. Peaking later in the evening (but in orb for several days beforehand), Jupiter 1/3 Pluto (the first of the five planetary trines) spreads a harmonious atmosphere of useful activity of many different kinds. Then, peaking in the afternoon/evening of the 13th, Mercury goes stationary in declination, again emphasizing the usual Mercury syndrome of thinking, communicating, and making connections (including making short trips). Peaking early in the evening (the 13th), Venus 1/3 Pluto tends to make people feel like they can get things done now if they exert themselves enough. Peaking later in the evening, Venus CON Jupiter in Taurus echoes the "feel good" atmosphere of the Venus-Jupiter parallel that peaked on the 6th, except that this conjunction is a lot stronger. Peaking in the wee hours of the 14th, Venus 1/3 Mars echoes in many ways the Venus-Pluto trine which peaked on the 13th. Peaking a little later in the wee hours of the 14th, Mars 1/3 Jupiter emphasizes active projects (including sports of all kinds). And finally, to wrap up this package, the fifth trine reaches a peak in the afternoon/evening of the 14th; Mars 1/3 Pluto captures the essence of exertion and competition in a harmonious manner -- for example, loud/boisterous/rowdy sports events.

One way of taking an overview of the complex influences of the 12th-14th is to consider that the Venus CON Jupiter aspect which peaks on the 13th is forming a trine with both Mars and Pluto which are trining each other. This way of viewing the intricate composite configuration reveals the Mars-Pluto-Venus Grand Trine and the Mars-Pluto-Jupiter Grand Trine. And furthermore, these planets are all currently occupying the three "Earth" signs: Virgo, Capricorn, and Taurus. All of this represents a very special event which should be expected to produce a correspondingly special set of manifestations. It will be interesting to see how this works out.

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for March 14 can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of February at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)

Peaking in the morning of the 16th (but in orb for several days before), Jupiter 1/10 Uranus spreads a climate of widespread glitz and glamour. Peaking in the morning of the 17th, Sun parallel Uranus creates a nice atmosphere of newness and change. Peaking in the morning of the 18th, Mercury CON Uranus in Aries (echoing the matching aspect of the 5th) continues the pattern of Uranus influences, making this part of the month feel decidedly different from most of the preceding parts of the month.

The Sun crosses the celestial equator and enters Aries on the 19th at 10:14 pm PDT (20th at 1:14 am EDT), signifying the beginning of spring. Peaking on the 20th at about midday, Venus parallel Pluto makes people's feelings stronger than usual.

Peaking on the 21st at about midday, Sun CON Mercury in the sign of Aries puts the focus on energetic communications and making short trips.

Peaking early in the evening of the 22nd, Sun parallel Uranus "creates a nice atmosphere of newness and change", just as it did in the morning of the 17th. Explanation: On the 17th, the Sun was in south declination. Then it crossed the celestial equator on the 19th and moved into north declination, which is where it was when it paralleled Uranus on the 22nd.

Peaking at about midday on the 24th, Sun CON Uranus in the sign of Aries tends to create unusual and/or surprising motions, forces, and sounds. Peaking in the evening, Sun parallel Mercury "emphasizes clear thinking and communication", just as it did in the morning of the 8th. The reason (as explained above) is because the Sun moved from south to north declination when it crossed the celestial equator on the 19th.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 26th, Mercury parallel Uranus "creates an atmosphere which encourages a fresh new outlook on things, including new ideas and new ways of expressing just about everything", just as it did on the 1st. The reason this aspect reappears here is that Mercury was stationary in declination on the 13th and changed direction in declination. Peaking in the afternoon/evening (26th) (but in orb for quite some time), Uranus 1/11 Neptune spreads a strange umbrella of misdirection and mysterious manifestations, feeling perhaps somewhat like a circus magician or a professional psychic with a crystal ball. Ghosts and goblins are completely compatible with this atmosphere. Look out for con men.

Peaking at about midday on the 28th (but in orb for many days), Saturn 1/5 Pluto increases the compatibility for nitpicking about just about everything, from trivial things to international events. Solving major political problems during this period is more difficult than usual.

Peaking at about midday on the 29th, Sun 1/4 Pluto increases the atmosphere of competitiveness (adding to the Saturn-Pluto quintile of the 28th in this regard). Crowds can become unusually unruly at this time.

Peaking in the afternoon/evening of the 31st, Mercury parallel Uranus "creates an atmosphere which encourages a fresh new outlook on things, including new ideas and new ways of expressing just about everything", just as it did on the 26th (and the 1st). The repetition of this aspect so soon after its occurrence on the 26th is due to Mercury crossing the celestial equator on the 28th, moving from north to south declination.

Except for the negative aspects which peaked in the last few days, it could be said that March goes out on a note of newness and fresh ideas.

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A Guide to Astrological Influences in February 2012

2012-01-02T21:04:00.000-08:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of February is: 4 conjunctions, 2 oppositions, 2 trines, 1 square. This time, all four kinds of aspects that are involved in the simplified profile include relatively fast-moving planets -- which means that the associated influences will be relatively short. And so, as it often happens, the simplified profile doesn't tell us much about the month. Even the number of planets going stationary during the month is low -- just one, Saturn, which goes stationary in longitude on the 7th.

Speaking of Saturn, the long-term Saturn 1/3 Neptune aspect, which was described in the previous article in this series, is about 26' from exact at the beginning of the month. At the end of the month, it will be about 1 degree 56' from exact. So it will still be in orb and exerting its influence throughout February. It will remain in orb throughout the following month as well, although not as close to exact, and will taper off during April, as mentioned in the preceding article in this series. As you probably know, aspects between these two planets don't normally remain in orb this long. This is an instance of what we have called "planetary tag", which, in this case, is manifesting due to Saturn going stationary-retrograde while in orb of being in a trine with Neptune. As mentioned last time, its closest approach to exactness is about 16', occurring on approximately January 19-20.

And now, the aspects for the month of February. Venus 1/2 Mars peaks on the afternoon/evening of the 1st (but has been in orb for a few days prior to that date). This aspect is attended by an atmosphere that tends to create an uneasy feeling between and among people, whether or not they are of the same gender. Bad feelings can arise even though there was no conscious intent for that to happen. To avoid that kind of thing under these conditions, be more careful than usual about what you say and do. Being extra nice would be a step in the right direction.

Peaking in the morning of the 3rd, Mercury parallel Pluto makes complicated thinking easier than usual -- things like studying the theory of relativity, or working on your income tax return. At about midday, Neptune moves back into its own sign of Pisces (which it retrograded out of last August). This can be expected to reinforce all of the influences that are associated with Neptune and Pisces.

Sun CON Mercury in the sign of Aquarius peaks in the wee hours of the 7th (but has been in orb for a few days before that). This will stimulate and enhance thinking and communication. Since Aquarius is associated with Uranus, innovation and originality will be greater than usual. However, Saturn goes stationary-retrograde in Libra a few hours later, giving increased stability to thoughts and actions which take place at this time, and will also tend to move things toward greater balance.

It could be said that the 8th and 9th belong to Venus and Uranus. Peaking at about midday on the 8th, Venus parallel Uranus makes everything feel new and special. Ancient history seems to be unimportant and almost unreal. Then Venus crosses the celestial equator (0 degrees declination) in the evening. And then, in the wee hours of the 9th, Venus parallel Uranus reaches another peak. Explanation: In the first of these two peaks, Venus is in south declination. Then it traverses the plane of zero declination and passes into the territory of north declination wherein it parallels Uranus again, causing the earlier influence to repeat. Due to the nature of orb, it might seem that the two parallel aspects are really just one aspect which lasts longer. But it is really two very similar aspects manifesting twice, close together in time. All of this is made possible by the declination of Uranus being only a small fraction of a degree (about 0.2 degrees) from the celestial equator. And finally, Venus and Uranus conjunct each other in longitude (Venus CON Uranus) in the sign of Aries, peaking in the evening of the 9th, pouring forth a very strong influence which makes the two aforementioned parallels seem like child's play by comparison. Yes, maybe the 8th and 9th belong to Venus and Uranus. In any case, the composite influence will definitely be felt by everyone, whether or not they are consciously aware of the source.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 11th, Jupiter parallel Neptune will spread a wide umbrella of fuzzy relaxation and relative stresslessness (is that a word?). Leisure could be the name of the game at this time.

In a limited sense, the 13th could be thought of as belonging to Mercury. Peaking in the morning, Sun parallel Mercury "will stimulate and enhance thinking and communication", somewhat similar to (but not as strong as) the effects of the Sun-Mercury conjunction on the 7th. Then, peaking at about midday, Mercury 1/3 Saturn adds an ingredient of well-focusedness (is that a word?) to the proceedings. And then Mercury moves into the sign of Pisces and contributes a Mercury CON Neptune ingredient to the proceedings. This conjunction, which peaks in the evening, is extra strong because those two planets are harmonically related to each other. Yes, Neptune is the higher harmonic of Mercury, regardless of what the multitude of musty-dusty textbooks proclaim. (Those textbooks will need to be corrected/updated eventually, but that will have to wait for the astronomers to do their part first -- and that will take a while, since the actual undiscovered pattern involved here is "one sign per planet".)

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for February 13 can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of January at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)

Peaking in the wee hours of the 15th, Mercury parallel Jupiter creates a tendency for thinking to be big, colorful, and expensive. For example, people may tend to think more about buying a million-dollar automobile -- even though they lost their job and are about to lose their home. Aspects have a great deal to do with the nature of daydreams.

Still on the 15th: Peaking at about midday, Venus 1/4 Pluto can make feelings more fragile at this time. As in the case of the Venus-Mars opposition which peaks on the 1st, it might be a good idea to "be more careful than usual about what you say and do. Being extra nice would be a step in the right direction." This could require creating a bit of a facade temporarily, but that will be made easier by the Mercury parallel Neptune aspect which peaks in the same period of time.

Peaking the following evening (16th), Sun parallel Jupiter creates an atmosphere which is somewhat similar to the one created by the Mercury parallel Jupiter aspect which peaks in the wee hours of the 15th.

Sun parallel Neptune peaks in the wee hours of the 18th creating an atmosphere of fuzziness, but it also contains components of hopefulness and perhaps inspiration. Reports of seeing ghosts might be more numerous at this time. But peaking in the morning (still the 18th), Sun 1/3 Saturn introduces stability and practicality into the atmosphere.

Peaking only half an hour apart in the morning of the 19th, Mercury 4/11 Saturn and Mercury parallel Saturn introduce more stability into the atmosphere (although the "4/11" aspect is not a "nice" aspect). But then, almost to show who's really in charge, Sun CON Neptune in Pisces peaks in the early afternoon (but is in orb a few days beforehand), forcibly reasserting the Neptune influence which is similar to, but much stronger than, the similar influence that surfaced early the day before. And then finally, peaking early in the evening of this strange day, Mercury parallel Mars acts as a kind of pick-me-up to restore "normalcy".

In the morning of the 20th, Jupiter 1/11 Uranus brings surprises of all kinds. But due to the nature of the "1/11" aspect, probably none of the surprises will be desirable or welcome.

The 21st is host to an interesting pair of parallel aspects. Peaking in the early evening, Mercury parallel Venus encourages socializing of all kinds: conversations, visiting, etc. Then, peaking five hours later, Mars parallel Saturn encourages practical projects of all kinds, generally of the nature of home repairs. It also increases the compatibility of elderly men to be featured in the news. If you put these two aspects together, you could get music featuring a barbershop quartet. (Please note that when specific examples are offered here regarding the results of various kinds of influences, the examples are only specifics which are designed to help focus on the nature of the influences. The influences themselves are usually not describable in words, and the number of kinds of manifestations that could arise as a result of the influences is virtually limitless.)

Peaking in the wee hours of the 23rd, Mercury 1/2 Mars increases the compatibility for arguments and snoring. If you live in an apartment building or rooming house, you might need to tell the person in the room on the other side of your bedroom wall to turn down the sound on his TV so that you can get some sleep.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 25th, Sun parallel Mars tends to stimulate actions, as compared to just thinking about things. Noisy projects such as carpentry seem to be particularly compatible at this time. Then, peaking at about midday, Jupiter 2/11 Neptune brings out manifestations such as optical illusions. If you are performing carpentry tasks at this time, be extra careful not to hurt yourself. Inaccurately aimed hammers have been known to hit fingers rather than nails.

The period of the 25th-26th is host to a triple parallel configuration involving Venus, Saturn, and the Sun. Venus parallel Saturn peaks in the afternoon/evening of the 25th, Sun parallel Venus peaks in the wee hours of the 26th, and Sun parallel Saturn peaks in the afternoon of the 26th. The resultant atmosphere will tend to feel more serious than usual, but not to the point of being a downer. This could be a good time to balance your finances, do tax returns, have serious realistic conversations with others, etc.

In the morning of the 27th, Venus parallel Mars tends to make people feel like expending energy to finish heretofore unfinished cycles. Of course, it will also increase interest in music and poetry. Some people will actually feel like singing or humming to themselves while they work.

Since 2012 is a leap year, we have a February 29 this year. In the wee hours of the 29th, Mercury parallel Uranus emphasizes the newness and relative uniqueness of the day, and also tends to foster original ideas, unexpected communications, and plans for the future.

                                  * * *

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A Guide to Astrological Influences in January 2012

2011-12-01T22:03:00.000-08:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of January is: 2 conjunctions, 0 oppositions, 4 trines, 5 squares. Again, as happens so often, the trines and squares will battle it out in this simplified profile. But it won't be a major battle. Taking the overview, this profile will not really steer the direction of the month. Other factors will handle that nicely.

The most outstanding single configuration this time is one that will not show up in any aspectarian, not even ours. It involves a case of what has been called "planetary tag" -- this one being Saturn 1/3 Neptune. Saturn has been in orb of trining Neptune for some time now, and the closest approach to exactness occurs in January. At the beginning of the month, those two planets are about 35' from exact trine. At the end of the month, they are about 26' from exact trine. But between the beginning and end of the month, that gets down to about 16'. We're talking about an orb of about a quarter of a degree, and that's downright narrow. It occurs on approximately January 19-20, but the effects of this configuration will pervade the entire month of January. The reason for this "planetary tag" is that Saturn is slowing down (as viewed from the Earth), getting ready to go stationary-retrograde on 2/7/12. So, for a while, the apparent motion of Saturn will actually be slower than that of Neptune. Saturn is in Libra and Neptune is in Aquarius (albeit near the end of those signs), both of them "air" signs. So one possibility is that this configuration may affect the weather in a major way all month. It could cause unusually cold weather and more snow and ice conditions than usual. But that is only one possibility among many. As is so often the case, we will have to wait and see what situations will arise as January unfolds. Perhaps luckily, the aspect is a trine and not a square or opposition, so it could have been worse. But please note that the effects of this configuration will not cease when January comes to an end. It will still be in orb through February and March and will taper off in April. And then, in June, Saturn will go stationary-direct and start to catch up. Then the trine will eventually get back in orb, and will become exact on 10/10/12.

Now, back to January's aspects. The first major planetary aspect to reach a peak in January is Sun parallel Mercury, which peaks on the 3rd in the afternoon/evening. This is generally a pleasant influence, tending to spur conversations and other kinds of interchanges, leading many people to spend some time reading and/or writing -- or just wondering.

Peaking in the morning/afternoon of the 8th, Mercury 1/3 Jupiter makes thinking, communicating, and establishing connections more pleasurable. But later, in the afternoon, Mercury 1/4 Uranus tends to introduce an ingredient of surprise and compulsive alteration. Look out for errors.

In the evening of the 12th, Sun 1/3 Mars increases the compatibility for force, speed, and heat -- all tending to be harmonious at this time.

Friday the 13th looks like it could be more significant than it may seem at first glance. Peaking in the wee hours (but in close orb the previous evening), Venus 1/3 Saturn will tend to bend our feelings in the direction of being more practical and sensible, less superficial and unrealistic. Flighty and harebrained ideas are not in the mix at this time. Peaking about 4 hours later (still in the wee hours), Mercury CON Pluto in Capricorn tends to introduce an ingredient of competitiveness into the thinking and communications. And then, peaking about 2 hours after that, Venus CON Neptune in Aquarius tends to make feelings and emotions fuzzier and out of focus -- but it can also introduce the factor of hope into one's life, which is sometimes overlooked or woefully absent.

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for January 13 can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of December at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)

Peaking early in the morning of the 14th, Mercury goes stationary in declination, making the usual Mercurian characteristics (communicating, thinking, making connections, etc.) more harmoniously compatible.

Peaking in the afternoon of the 15th, Venus parallel Neptune will generally echo the influence of the Venus-Neptune conjunction of the 13th. Fuzzy hopefulness could lift one's feelings.

Peaking in the afternoon/evening of the 17th (but in orb for days before that), Jupiter 1/12 Uranus tilts our sense of awareness in the direction of newness, present time, and the future, and away from the past. New ideas and future projects seem to fit right in to how we feel.

Mars goes stationary in declination in the wee hours of the 18th. This is fine for contemplating projects of various kinds, but rough on sleep. Then, peaking in the morning/afternoon, Venus parallel Jupiter tends to make people feel great -- even when they shouldn't. Anyway, enjoy.

Peaking in the afternoon of the 19th, Sun 1/4 Saturn adds a feeling of heaviness to the atmosphere. Things seem to plod along, trudging at their own slow rate. Extra patience may be required at this time.

But then the Sun leaves Capricorn and enters Aquarius on the 20th. And, peaking in the evening of the 21st, Sun 1/4 Jupiter focuses on expansion, spaciousness, colorful subjects, expensive ideas, distant trips, food, and health-related topics. But remember, this aspect is not a trine; it is a square, and so things will probably not go as smoothly as you might expect. Be extra vigilant during this influence.

Peaking in the afternoon of the 22nd, Venus parallel Saturn will generally echo the influence of the Venus-Saturn trine of the 13th. It will "tend to bend our feelings in the direction of being more practical and sensible, less superficial and unrealistic" in a harmonious way.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 23rd, Mercury 1/3 Mars will generally echo the influence of the Mercury-Pluto conjunction of the 13th (since Mars is the lower harmonic of Pluto) and will tend to "introduce an ingredient of competitiveness into the thinking and communications" -- but in a more harmonious way, since a trine is more harmonious (albeit less powerful) than a conjunction.

Please note that all three aspects that were described above for the 13th have connectivities due to similarity of manifestation to three aspects that peak later in the month -- namely, the 15th, 22nd, and 23rd. This is somewhat unusual, so it is being mentioned here.

But we are not quite finished with the 23rd. In the afternoon/evening, Mars goes stationary-retrograde in the sign of Virgo. This could tend to shift the focus to subjects such as health, food, and fast vehicles. Maybe an ambulance will be dispatched carrying apples and strawberries to an important personage in a hospital (or something like that). But there are undoubtedly other possibilities.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 24th, Sun parallel Pluto will tend to make people feel like doing complicated things that may involve other people, such as groups of people. Pluto has a tendency to correlate with activities that involve groups of things, whether they are people or things, any size, and especially large numbers of constituents. The size of the constituents is not really a deciding factor in this. They can be atoms or stars; crowds of people, crowds of bacteria, crowds of ants, crowds of asteroids, etc. The underlying concept is the same.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 27th, Mercury 1/4 Saturn will bring about a concentrative mental atmosphere which is good for paying bills, planning financial strategies, working on an income tax return, etc. Squares should not always be considered to be unwelcome aspects, since their influences can sometimes be ideal for certain specific activities.

Peaking in the evening of the 27th, Venus parallel Mars can manifest as a harmonious communication involving intergender participants.

Peaking in the evening of the 28th, Mercury 1/4 Jupiter has "think big" written all over it. But again, remember this is a square, and so the resultant ideas may not be realistic.

Peaking on the 31st at about midday, Saturn goes stationary in declination. January ends on a somewhat concentrative but harmonious note.

    * * *

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A Guide to Astrological Influences in December 2011

2011-11-02T21:56:00.000-07:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of December is: 3 conjunctions, 0 oppositions, 2 trines, 6 squares. Unquestionably, the number of planetary squares dominates the simplified profile this time, possibly portending an abnormally stressful month.

The long-running Uranus 1/4 Pluto aspect (which won't peak until 6/24/12) remains in orb throughout November, but it is still fading in magnitude. It will be within about 5.6 degrees of exact at the beginning of December, and within about 6.5 degrees at the end of December.

The first major planetary aspect to reach a peak in the month of December is Venus CON Pluto in the sign of Capricorn, peaking early in the morning of the 1st. As indicated in the previous article in this series, Venus enters Capricorn on November 26, representing the start of a cycle which features Venus influences. It was also mentioned that "Venus in Capricorn could conceivably be represented by the image of an elderly woman". Well, the Venus-Pluto conjunction on December 1st furthers (but also ends) that cycle. The "elderly woman" component is certainly valid, but there is more to this influence than that. Feelings are usually strong and serious under this influence, and should not be batted aside as being superficial. For example, it shouldn't be surprising if a group of women bands together at this time to "send a message" about women's rights.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 2nd (but certainly in orb throughout the previous evening), Sun parallel Mercury helps the thought processes and facilitates communications of all kinds. But peaking a few hours later (and in orb for a few days before that), Sun 1/4 Mars emphasizes forcefulness in all ways, including the style of communicating. Emotional outbursts become more frequent under this influence.

Sun CON Mercury in Sagittarius, which peaks in the wee hours of the 4th, "helps the thought processes and facilitates communications of all kinds" (as expressed for the Sun-Mercury parallel on the 2nd). But peaking in the afternoon (the 4th), Mercury 1/4 Mars makes the communications more forceful. So, in a way, the 4th may feel and act somewhat similar to the 2nd. Taking an overview of the situation, Mars is squaring the Sun-Mercury conjunction during this period.

As if to make amends for the above-described situation, Venus 1/3 Mars peaks early in the morning of the 5th, tending to assist and improve all manner of social situations, especially the inter-gender kind.

Peaking in the morning of the 7th (but in orb for at least several days), Saturn 3/7 Uranus produces an atmosphere that pertains to old and new, orthodox and revolutionary, stable and unstable, timeless/fixated/permanent and temporary/changeable/surprising. Then, Mercury parallel Pluto peaks in the afternoon, trying to introduce a climate of thoughtfulness -- which will blend in various ways with the Saturn-Uranus influence, hopefully in a constructive way.

In the next few days, the predominant planetary influence appears to belong to Uranus. In the wee hours of the 8th, Uranus goes stationary in declination. Then, in the evening of the 9th, Uranus goes stationary-direct in the sign of Aries. These two stationary stances of Uranus, combined, will convert the atmosphere into a repository of newness and change, making things more unexpected and surprising. These two manifestations are not automatically good or bad; they will simply be there in strong unmistakable presence. The primary focus will be on present and future conditions; history (especially ancient history) will be ignored -- unless there is a historical discovery that nobody expected. And then, peaking in the evening of the 12th, Jupiter 1/12 Uranus makes the Uranus-type climate more expansive -- like maybe an astronomer will discover a new planet or star, or life elsewhere in the universe.

On the 13th, peaking in the afternoon/evening at almost the same time (only 20 minutes apart), Mercury goes stationary in declination and also stationary-direct in Sagittarius. By peaking almost simultaneously, these two aspects synergistically produce a strong and unmistakable Mercury influence that will manifest in terms of thoughtfulness, clearer thinking, and better communication -- and will encourage people to make short trips of various kinds for various reasons.

Peaking in the afternoon/evening of the 14th, Sun parallel Venus tends to emphasize feelings and other emotions in a positive way. Socializing will tend to be pleasant. This should be a good time for people to share their attitudes about various things. Then, peaking in the evening, Mars parallel Saturn harmoniously injects an ingredient of practicality.

Peaking early in the morning of the 18th, Venus 1/4 Saturn tends to make moods serious -- to the point of possibly being upsetting to some people. What makes this aspect more interesting (and presumably stronger) is that Venus is in the sign of Capricorn which is associated with Saturn, and Saturn is in the sign of Libra which is associated with Venus.

After changing sign by crossing into Aquarius in the morning of the 20th, Venus squares Jupiter in the evening of the same day. This will tend to magnify feelings in perhaps unoptimum ways. A good time to try to relax.

Peaking early in the morning of the 21st, Mercury parallel Pluto (again, like on the 7th) tends to make people more thoughtful, encourages clearer thinking, and stimulates communication.

Peaking in the afternoon/evening of the 21st, Jupiter goes stationary in declination, producing an expansive atmosphere, comfortable and nice. Then, later in the evening, the Sun goes stationary in declination, entering Capricorn at 9:30 pm PST (12:30 am on the 22nd EST), signifying the beginning of winter.

Early in the morning of the 22nd, Sun 1/3 Jupiter spreads a pleasant atmosphere for just about anything. Then, Pluto goes stationary in declination at about midday, making people feel like getting into a project of some kind, preferably in cooperation with other people. But peaking in the afternoon, Sun 1/4 Uranus tends to introduce changes in things, not necessarily intended and not necessarily desirable.

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for December 22 can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of November at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)

Mercury parallel Venus reaches a peak on the 25th (Christmas Day) early in the afternoon. Do you remember the strange coincidence that was mentioned in the article about this aspect in regard to Thanksgiving Day? Here is what was said at that time. "The 24th is Thanksgiving Day, but it has a strangely interesting feature of its own beyond that. Peaking in the afternoon, Mercury parallel Venus creates a pleasant atmosphere for just about anything, including light-hearted conversation and socializing in general. But by the weirdest of coincidences, that very same aspect reaches a peak again in the afternoon of Christmas Day. The probability of that happening by pure chance must be awfully close to zero."

Later in the afternoon of the 25th, Jupiter goes stationary-direct in the sign of Taurus, creating a strong expansive mood. This, all by itself, seems to be enough to make Christmas Day very special this year.

Peaking late in the evening of the 28th, Sun CON Pluto in Capricorn may bring on a minor frenzy of returning and/or exchanging gifts for various reasons. Downtown may be busier than usual for this time of year.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 29th, Venus parallel Pluto may exhibit a somewhat similar influence to that exhibited on the 1st of the month. Feelings can be expected to be generally stronger under this influence.

Late in the evening of the 31st (New Year's Eve), Mercury 1/4 Mars makes people behave more aggressively -- which includes shouting, arguing, and shoving. And if the people are drunk, they are likely to invest less self-restraint in their behavior. So crowds are not the best places to be at this time. Not that everyone has to stay home on New Year's Eve. If you will be visiting with friends, things may go much smoother.

                                   * * *

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A Guide to Astrological Influences in November 2011

2011-10-04T21:52:00.000-07:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of November is: 0 conjunctions, 1 opposition, 6 trines, 3 squares. The planetary trines outnumber the other members of the simplified profile this time. In view of the prevailing world conditions, it remains to be seen whether that will actually reflect in the way things work out.

The long-running Uranus 1/4 Pluto aspect (which won't peak until 6/24/12) is in orb throughout November, though not as close to exact as before. It will be within about 4.2 degrees of exact at the beginning of November, and within about 5.6 degrees at the end of November.

The other special aspect situation that was mentioned previously in this series of articles is the Mercury CON Venus aspect that drifted into orb in approximately the latter half of October and will still be in orb through most of November. As mentioned before, this aspect is in orb for a relatively long time for an aspect between these two fast-moving planets. And yet it won't reach a peak this time around. (This is a case of what has been called "planetary tag".) As stated last time: "Its closest approach to exactness is on approximately November 8, at which time it will be only 3' from exact. But since it doesn't actually become exact, it doesn't appear in any aspectarian, not even ours."

The first major planetary aspect to reach a peak in the month of November is Mercury 1/4 Neptune, which peaks in the wee hours of the 1st. This one will definitely bring confusion -- in thinking, writing, and making connections on trips; if you need to do some precision work of any kind, please be advised that this is not the time for it. Sun parallel Mars peaks in the evening -- generally good for projects which feature physicality to any significant extent. But if it involves pounding nails, be careful not to pound your fingers (due to the Mercury-Neptune square).

After changing sign from Scorpio to Sagittarius on the 2nd, both Mercury and Venus form a trine with Uranus on the 3rd. Venus does it in the wee hours, and Mercury does it early in the morning. So this period of time will be marked by feelings of newness and innovation. Experiencing and expressing fresh new ideas will be the rule rather than the exception.

Daylight Saving Time changes to Standard Time on the first Sunday in November -- which is November 6 this year. A reminder.

In the wee hours of the 7th, Mars 1/2 Neptune creates compatibilities for slippery action of all kinds: slipping on loose floor mats, slipping and sliding on the highway, and tomfoolery by con artists. This is a time to be extra careful regarding your actions.

Peaking in the evening (but in orb for much longer than that), Neptune goes stationary in declination. This can emphasize the slippery factors, but it can also introduce opportunities for hunches and inspirations.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 9th, Jupiter 1/11 Uranus can be expected to bring the unexpected. But with an aspect angle of "1/11", the surprises are not likely to be desirable. New ideas may be deceiving. And then, peaking at about midday (but in orb for many days), Neptune goes stationary-direct in the sign of Aquarius. Although this can bring more slipperiness, it is much more embracive than that. The atmosphere of "hunches and inspirations" can also be magnified, perhaps to advantage.

Jupiter 2/11 Neptune peaks at about midday on the 10th, spreading clouds of fuzziness of all kinds. This is another of those periods of time when precision of operation is not compatible and shouldn't be expected.

Peaking in the evening of the 11th, Saturn 1/5 Pluto generates a climate of hair-splitting and "picky-picky" attitudes. If things don't seem to be "just right", some people may get upset. Although precision is often a desirable feature, there can sometimes be "too much of a good thing". Such situations generally require exercising wisdom and good judgement.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 14th (but in orb the previous evening), Mars parallel Neptune can facilitate smooth actions that, at other times, might not work as desired. But be careful of unplanned consequences.

Peaking early in the morning of the 16th (but in orb for many days), Uranus 1/11 Neptune slips surprises into our lives that we would generally prefer to do without (due to the inharmonious "1/11" aspect angle). Be careful of surprises that appear on the surface to be good things. But peaking in the afternoon, Mars 1/3 Jupiter tends to make projects go better than usual, especially those which involve physical activity. (The combination of these two aspects peaking on the same day presents an enigma as to which one will most likely predominate at any given moment.)

Mercury goes stationary in declination in the evening of the 17th, enhancing the usual qualities that are associated with Mercury: communicating, thinking, and making connectivities and short trips.

Peaking in the afternoon of the 18th, Sun parallel Pluto brings out the feeling of wanting to interact with others (primarily groups) in the pursuit of projects that are often too much for one individual to handle.

Peaking in the afternoon of the 20th, Sun 1/4 Neptune brings slipperiness and confusion to just about any cycle that a person might contemplate. Squares involving Neptune have the common factor of fuzziness/confusion.

The 23rd could be a very interesting day. Reaching a peaking in the wee hours, Sun 1/3 Uranus brings a fresh new atmosphere. Then, peaking about four hours later (early in the morning), Mars 1/3 Pluto brings an atmosphere which is compatible with work projects of all kinds. And then, late in the evening, Mercury goes stationary-retrograde in Sagittarius, bringing help to the thinking process. This could turn out to be a good day to get many things done.

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for November 23 can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of October at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)

The 24th is Thanksgiving Day, but it has a strangely interesting feature of its own beyond that. Peaking in the afternoon, Mercury parallel Venus creates a pleasant atmosphere for just about anything, including light-hearted conversation and socializing in general. But by the weirdest of coincidences, that very same aspect reaches a peak again in the afternoon of Christmas Day. The probability of that happening by pure chance must be awfully close to zero.

Peaking in the evening of the 25th, Mars parallel Jupiter creates an atmosphere that focuses on physical activity. It almost makes people want to watch sports on TV -- or to participate in some sport themselves.

Peaking in the evening of the 26th, Venus 1/4 Uranus creates an atmosphere which could feel strangely foreign and almost unworldly. Egos come out of the woodwork to strut their stuff in unusual ways, trying to appear new and different, for the purpose of attracting attention and controlling other people's attention and actions for selfish purposes.

Peaking in the afternoon of the 27th, Venus 1/3 Jupiter emphasizes emotions and other feelings. Attitudes tend to center on things associated with space, big things, health, wealth, color, and music.

Venus goes stationary in declination in the evening of the 28th, further emphasizing the Venus factors in life -- subjectivity in general, feelings, balancing factors, music, poetry, personal opinions, etc. (Note: The Venus influence is further reinforced in the morning of December 1 -- Venus CON Pluto in Capricorn, which is in orb for days in advance.)

It seems like the last few days of November all involve significant Venus influences in one way or another. Venus enters Capricorn on November 26, early in the morning, and that seems to represent the start of the cycle emphasizing and/or featuring the general Venus influence. It should be interesting to see how this plays out. Venus in Capricorn could conceivably be represented by the image of an elderly woman.

                                                   * * *

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A Guide to Astrological Influences in October 2011

2011-08-31T21:39:00.000-07:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of October is: 2 conjunctions, 3 oppositions, 4 trines, 4 squares. This simplified profile is not greatly different from the one for the previous two months. Nothing outstanding.

As before, the long-running aspect of Uranus 1/4 Pluto (which doesn't reach a peak until 6/24/12) is in orb throughout the month. It is within about 2.6 degrees of exactness at the beginning of October, and within about 4.1 degrees at the end of October. And if you want to know how it can manifest, all you have to do is turn on your TV and watch the national and international news. (For more about this Uranus-Pluto square, please refer to the previous article in this series.)

Another special planetary situation that arises in October is the aspect of Mercury CON Venus. This aspect is in orb in approximately the latter half of October and most of November -- which is a relatively long time for an aspect between these two fast-moving planets. So, when does it reach a peak? It doesn't. Its closest approach to exactness is on approximately November 8, at which time it will be only 3' from exact. But since it doesn't actually become exact, it doesn't appear in any aspectarian, not even ours.

The first major planetary aspect to reach a peak in the month of October is Jupiter 4/9 Saturn, which peaks early in the morning of the 1st. It will focus on the concept of large solid things, such as mountains, and will also bring up subjects which combine big and small things, such as objects in outer space. And it will emphasize serious health and medical matters, including the problem of paying large medical bills. In fact any kind of significant financial matter is in its jurisdiction. Then, peaking at about midday, Saturn 5/11 Uranus tends to single out subjects involving old and new, but probably not in a harmonious way. In the afternoon/evening, Sun parallel Mercury makes a temporary dent in these influences by focusing on thinking and communication.

In the evening of the 2nd, Mars 1/4 Jupiter sets up a compatible climate for shouting, fast motion, heat, and even significant military action. Peaking at about midday on the 3rd, Mars parallel Pluto tends to underscore the military action angle.

Peaking in the morning of the 4th, Mercury parallel Saturn puts people in the mood for serious thinking and communicating -- about anything.

Peaking early in the morning of the 6th, Jupiter 1/10 Uranus sets up the atmosphere for mild surprises. Newness is in the air. But peaking in the afternoon, Mercury CON Saturn in Libra tends to subtract out some of the newness and emphasize serious thinking and communication again. And in the morning of the 7th, Sun parallel Saturn further introduces the factor of seriousness and practicality -- in a harmonious way. In the afternoon/evening (7th), Venus 1/3 Neptune emphasizes feelings over clear thinking. Instincts and hunches dominate; they just feel "right".

In the wee hours of the 12th, Mercury 1/3 Neptune tends to echo some of the influence that was brought on the 7th by the Venus-Neptune trine (especially since Mercury is in the sign of Libra, which is associated with Venus). But this time, clear thinking is present, which adds to the compatibility for true inspiration. Due to the time of day involved, this could come in the form of a dream, most likely a vivid dream. But the afternoon/evening (12th) is not without complicity in this. That period of time is host to a triple parallel in which Venus, Jupiter, and Neptune all form parallels with each other. This could cause the atmosphere to feel oh-so-good. This will probably be a time for true enjoyment. So if your duties allow it, put aside your serious endeavors and let the atmosphere do its thing.

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for October 12 can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of September at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)

The atmosphere changes on the 13th. Sun CON Saturn in the sign of Libra peaks in the afternoon, bringing a relatively strong serious/practical climate. Time to get back to the endeavors that were temporarily abandoned the previous day.

At about midday and afternoon of the 14th, Mercury forms parallel aspects with both Jupiter and Neptune, echoing some of the influence that was experienced on the 12th -- which would feel nice if it were not for the aspect that peaks in the afternoon/evening: Venus 1/2 Jupiter. This is not the time to buy something expensive, because you might regret it later. Selling something expensive might be better at this time.

Peaking in the afternoon of the 16th, Jupiter 5/11 Saturn echoes many of the ingredients of the Jupiter 4/9 Saturn aspect that peaked on the 1st. (Please refer to that description, earlier in this article.) But the "4/9" aspect is not necessarily inharmonious in its manifestations, whereas the entire "1/11" family seems to be inharmonious, including the "5/11" aspect. So, for this present aspect ("5/11"), you can expect that the negative sides of the Jupiter-Saturn pairing will be emphasized.

Peaking at about midday on the 17th, Mercury 1/2 Jupiter will create roadblocks to thinking and communication wherever it can.

The 18th and 21st, together, are host to a triple parallel of declination involving the planets Mercury, Venus, and Mars. Reaching a peak in the evening of the 18th, Mercury parallel Venus tends to create a nice atmosphere for conversation and socializing in general. Peaking in the wee hours of the 21st, Mercury parallel Mars emphasizes conversations (such as in radio and television talk shows). And then, peaking in the afternoon/evening (21st), Venus parallel Mars emphasizes the male-female factors of life. Peaking at almost the same time (afternoon/evening of the 21st), Sun 1/3 Neptune spreads a nice atmosphere for facilitating cycles that otherwise might not get done right, or at all.

Peaking in the morning of the 24th, Saturn 4/9 Uranus echoes many of the ingredients of the Saturn 5/11 Uranus aspect that peaked on the 1st. (Please refer to that description, earlier in this article.) But the "4/9" aspect is not necessarily inharmonious in its manifestations, whereas the entire "1/11" family seems to be inharmonious, including the "5/11" aspect. So, for this present aspect ("4/9"), you can expect that the Saturn-Uranus pairing will be mostly neutral in its manifestations. (It seems like there is an element of deja vu in this situation.)

Peaking in the wee hours of the 25th, Sun parallel Jupiter tends to make things seem big and expansive and nice. Things "out there" seem to be more important and significant than things "down here". Enjoy.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 26th, Mercury parallel Pluto tends to favor things like announcements of various kinds. But peaking in the afternoon/evening, Venus 1/4 Mars brings out all manner of disharmony, especially those which focus on the male-female factor; not a good time. But then, peaking in the evening, Sun parallel Neptune tends to facilitate "repairs" for some of the disharmonies that emerged recently.

The 28th is host to some really major stuff. In the morning, Mercury 1/4 Mars can foster some angry talk and even yelling. Peaking a short time later (but in orb for many days), Jupiter 1/3 Pluto expands on things like health issues, financial matters, and border disputes, including those on a national and international scale. Everything seems magnified in some way, but the fact that this aspect is a trine might indicate that things may not get totally out of hand. But then, as though to throw a monkey wrench into the works, Sun 1/2 Jupiter, which peaks in the evening, tends to create oppositions and downright blockages to situations that might otherwise progress harmoniously. The 28th does indeed harbor a motley mixture of cosmic influences. An interesting day.

The morning of the 29th seems to "belong" to Venus and Pluto. These two planets form a parallel aspect with each other, and then, only one minute later, Venus 1/9 Pluto reaches a peak. It will be intriguing to see how this unusual coincidence of aspects manifests. Don't expect that an army of women will form a march on a national capitol (although this pair of aspects could tend to bring such a thing about). More likely, it will arouse feelings that seek to be vented in some way.

Peaking in the afternoon of the 31st, Venus 1/4 Neptune tends to create confused feelings of various kinds. But, as the saying goes, "This too shall pass away." Luckily, all of these influences are only temporary.

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A Guide to Astrological Influences in September 2011

2011-08-01T21:20:00.000-07:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of September is: 2 conjunctions, 4 oppositions, 4 trines, 3 squares. This simplified profile is somewhat similar to the one for the previous month, and so the same comment could be made this time: "There seems to be nothing special here, except for the relative equality among the members of the simplified profile of planetary aspects."

The long-running aspect of Uranus 1/4 Pluto, which has been mentioned recently in these articles, is within about 1.5 to 2.5 degrees of exact throughout the month of September, but "That aspect will not actually achieve exactness until 6/24/12, which will be the first of a series of seven peaks, ending with the peak on 3/17/15. The fifth peak, which occurs on 4/21/14, is actually part of a Grand Cross configuration, portending an ungood time of major magnitude. The closest approach to exactness this year (2011) will be during the first week of August, when it 'will get as close as 1 degree 01' from exactness', as mentioned previously." Using that description as a guideline, it is easy to see how the recent uproar in the Middle East could trace its roots of compatibility to this long-running aspect. Remember, the stunning dissolution of the Soviet Union was announced on December 25, 1991, precisely at the peak of an aspect between these same two planets. In case you may have forgotten, that aspect was Uranus 1/7 Pluto. This time, the aspect angle involved is a square, which is even more powerful than that septile in 1991. Yes, the basics of Universal Law are still alive and fully functioning.

The first major planetary aspect which peaks in the month of September is on the 1st, in the afternoon/evening. Mercury goes stationary in declination, increasing the compatibilities for thinking, communicating, and making connectivities of any kind.

Peaking in the evening of the 2nd, Sun 1/3 Jupiter tends to make things feel good and emphasizes the big picture. (That's quite a leap, since the big picture lately has been somewhat dismal.)

In the afternoon/evening of the 5th, Mercury parallel Jupiter echoes the two above-mentioned aspects and emphasizes big ideas and large projects.

Peaking in the morning of the 8th, Mercury 1/2 Neptune introduces large globs of confusion and puts barriers in the way of clear thinking. This is definitely not a time to take (or even plan for) water-based trips. Plumbing problems will tend to show up at this time.

In the evening of the 8th, Venus parallel Saturn creates an emotional atmosphere of concentrative and serious issues. This could be a good time to pay your bills and reconcile your bank statement.

Peaking at about midday on the 9th, Mercury parallel Neptune boosts the tendency for inspirational ideas to show up. Hunches seem to come out of nowhere, making us wonder why we didn't think of them before.

Peaking in the evening of the 11th, Sun parallel Saturn focuses on the practical side of things, shutting out harebrained and superficial ideas. Peaking later in the evening, Mercury 1/3 Pluto increases the compatibility for "spreading the word" about anything -- in this case, anything practical, due to the Sun-Saturn aspect.

In the afternoon/evening of the 14th, Mercury 1/3 Jupiter mostly echoes the influence described earlier for the 5th (Mercury parallel Jupiter), except that this one is stronger. Good for planning/taking long trips.

Early in the morning of the 16th, Venus parallel Uranus tends to make our emotions and other feelings dwell on newness and "nowness". At about midday, Pluto goes stationary-direct in Capricorn. The compatibilities bring out ideas and activities involving groups, crowds, competition, and (in some cases) pushiness. The Capricorn factor emphasizes seriousness. The problems in the Middle East will react with increased vigor.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 17th, Venus 1/2 Uranus tends to bring sudden changes in emotions and other feelings, generally of a negative nature. Uranus is in Aries, and Venus is currently in its own sign of Libra. So this aspect could tend to focus on male-female issues.

In the wee hours of the 18th, Venus parallel Uranus tends to make our emotions and other feelings dwell on newness and "nowness". (Hey, didn't we just have that aspect two days ago, on the 16th? Yes, and then on the 17th Venus crossed the celestial equator, changing from north to south declination -- and basically the same aspect manifested again.) In the afternoon/evening (18th), Venus 1/4 Pluto makes tempers flare.

In the afternoon/evening of the 19th, Sun parallel Venus emphasizes emotions and other feelings, generally in a good way.

Early in the morning of the 21st, Mercury parallel Saturn brings another good opportunity to pay your bills and tend to other financial matters.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 22nd, Sun parallel Uranus tends to make us temporarily forget about serious matters and focus on newness again.

The Sun crosses the celestial equator on the 23rd and enters Libra at 2:05 am PDT (5:05 am EDT), signifying the official beginning of autumn.

But we are not finished with the 23rd. Peaking later in the wee hours, Mars 1/3 Uranus can surprise us with unusual sounds and strange actions. Later in the morning, Mercury parallel Venus tends to bring a pleasant atmosphere for just about anything. But peaking in the evening (and having a wider orb), Saturn 4/11 Neptune brings a "downer" atmosphere which will tend to smother the nice influences that peak on the 23rd. However, as though attempting to "have the last say", Sun parallel Uranus peaks late in the evening, tending to bring a semblance of newness. (Hey, didn't we just have that aspect the previous day, on the 22nd? Yes, and then in the wee hours of the 23rd the Sun crossed the celestial equator, changing from north to south declination -- and basically the same aspect manifested again. It's deja vu all over again.)

Peaking in the afternoon/evening of the 25th, Sun 1/2 Uranus can bring unpleasant surprises of all kinds -- generally of the kind where something we expect to be present is suddenly taken away, like for example a power outage or a failure of some device to work properly. Late in the evening, Sun parallel Mercury facilitates thinking and conversations.

In the evening of the 26th, Mercury 1/2 Uranus interferes with thinking and communication processes. People misspeak and make writing errors.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 27th, Mercury parallel Uranus actually tends to undo the interferences brought by the Mercury-Uranus opposition of the 26th, but it will probably not be very successful. Peaking about an hour later, Venus parallel Saturn echoes its influence as described for the 8th (please refer to that earlier description). Mercury crosses the celestial equator at about midday (27th), changing from north to south declination, and then in the evening it parallels Uranus again, tending to create sparkling conversations, perhaps more successfully this time as compared to this morning. (Yes, this is another deja vu.)

In the afternoon of the 28th, Sun CON Mercury in Libra emphasizes good communication. But earlier the same day, that conjunction squares Pluto and will tend to bring argumentation and other kinds of disharmony.

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for September 28 can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of August at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)

Peaking in the afternoon/evening of the 29th, Venus CON Saturn in Libra makes everything feel serious and concentrative. Hilarity will almost certainly not be available at this time. After all, reality is cyclic, and consequently everything must have its seasons of ups and downs.

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A Guide to Astrological Influences in August 2011

2011-06-29T19:34:00.000-07:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of August is: 3 conjunctions, 4 oppositions, 4 trines, 4 squares. There seems to be nothing special here, except for the relative equality among the members of the simplified profile of planetary aspects.

Regarding the Uranus 1/4 Pluto aspect which was mentioned previously in this series of articles: That aspect will not actually achieve exactness until 6/24/12, which will be the first of a series of seven peaks, ending with the peak on 3/17/15. The fifth peak, which occurs on 4/21/14, is actually part of a Grand Cross configuration, portending an ungood time of major magnitude. The closest approach to exactness this year (2011) will be during the first week of August, when it "will get as close as 1 degree 01' from exactness", as mentioned previously.

Peaking early in the morning of August 1, Sun 1/4 Jupiter will tend to enforce a "think big" atmosphere, whether we want to or not. It can try to push us to buy large or expensive things that we don't actually need.

Mercury goes stationary-retrograde in Virgo in the evening of the 2nd, which, in its own way, can reinforce the Sun-Jupiter square of the previous day. Thoughts of long trips can occupy our minds at this time.

In the wee hours of the 3rd, Mars 1/3 Neptune will tend to make us think about things like skiing, sailing, and getting something to drink to satisfy our thirst. It can also emphasize thoughts of smooth music.

Neptune retrogrades back into the sign of Aquarius in the evening of the 4th, temporarily leaving its own sign of Pisces until the first week in February 2012. So, for a few months, the influences of Neptune will be somewhat deemphasized, shifted to mingle with Aquarian energies again. If you had been thinking of acquiring a new boat or going on a sailing trip, those thoughts could resurface -- perhaps reaching a peak when Neptune goes stationary-direct in Aquarius on November 9.

Also peaking in the evening of the 4th, Venus parallel Pluto combines with Venus 1/4 Jupiter to echo, to an extent, the Sun-Jupiter square of the 1st, but with added gusto due to the Venus-Pluto parallel. Our emotions about "think big" subjects could reinforce our thinking this time.

Mars goes stationary in declination in the evening of the 6th, and then Mercury goes stationary in declination in the wee hours of the 7th. This combination of influences adds some force to any thoughts and communications we have at this time. We may have a slightly added tendency to "shout something from the rooftops".

In the wee hours of the 8th, Mercury retrogrades from Virgo back into the sign of Leo, where it will stimulate general thoughts of how to take care of or coordinate the activities of things. But peaking early in the morning of the same day (8th), Mercury 1/2 Neptune strongly tends to interfere with clear thinking -- about anything. Be careful about whatever you are in charge of to handle at this time. Communications and linkages seem fuzzy and confusing and may not be what they seem to be.

Peaking in the morning of the 9th, Mars 1/4 Uranus will try to spring surprises in any actions and energies that manifest at this time. Weird unexpected noises will tend to be more numerous now. Peaking in the evening of the 10th, Mars 1/2 Pluto is capable of making crowds unruly and downright out of control. Shouting matches can quickly change to fist fights and broken store windows. Please note that on the 9th and 10th, Mars is aspecting the close square between Uranus and Pluto that was described earlier, turning that square into a T-Square. The unrest may actually be triggered by some kind of misunderstanding that traces back to the Mercury-Neptune opposition that peaks in the morning of the 8th. These influences can combine in producing their consequences. Many things that happen to people and groups and nations are the result of combinations of such influences, not just isolated aspects acting alone.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 16th, Jupiter 1/10 Uranus emphasizes big new ideas but not in a major way. This could be a pleasant time.

But we are not done with the 16th. This day is host to a triple conjunction involving the Sun, Mercury, and Venus, in the sign of Leo, which involves the higher expression of the Basic Postulate of Guardianship. Peaking early in the morning, Sun CON Venus stimulates our emotions and other feelings. Peaking in the afternoon/evening, Mercury CON Venus encourages us to speak our feelings. Then, peaking less than two hours later, Sun CON Mercury encourages us to speak our minds. And then, peaking about one hour after that, Sun parallel Jupiter just makes things feel nice. Altogether, the 16th could turn into a very nice day.

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for August 16 can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of July at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)

Venus parallel Jupiter peaks in the afternoon of the 19th, echoing the Sun parallel Jupiter influence of the 16th. So the 19th could be a nice day too -- but not as nice as the 16th.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 21st, Sun parallel Neptune would normally portend a nice fuzzy atmosphere. But peaking only a couple of hours afterwards (in the early morning), Venus 1/2 Neptune confuses the feelings and tends to distort or interrupt inspirations of all kinds.

The 22nd is a kind of mirror of the 21st in its own way. Peaking in the afternoon of the 22nd, Sun parallel Mercury would normally portend a nice atmosphere for thinking and communicating; and peaking in the late evening, Venus parallel Neptune would normally portend relaxed feelings with an intuitive ingredient. But peaking between them, in the afternoon/evening, Sun 1/2 Neptune confuses things to the point where it could seem that nothing is going right. Things could almost seem a bit unreal.

Peaking in the morning of the 23rd, Mercury parallel Venus encourages personal conversations of all kinds. And then, peaking in the evening, Mercury parallel Neptune encourages intuitive thoughts and communications of all kinds. (Note that Mercury and Venus and Neptune all parallel each other on the 22nd-23rd -- a somewhat loose triple parallel aspect.)

Saturn 3/8 Neptune peaks in the afternoon/evening of the 24th, tending to make hopes and dreams droop. Focusing on routine tasks may be the best thing to do during this period of time.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 25th, Mars 1/4 Saturn slows things down to a crawl, tending to stifle energy expenditures of all kinds. If you feel fatigued for no apparent reason, this aspect may be the culprit. However, peaking in the afternoon/evening, Venus 1/3 Pluto will tend to "pick things up" significantly.

Peaking early in the morning of the 26th, Jupiter 3/7 Saturn tries to blend and balance Jupiterian influences with Saturnian influences to whatever degree possible. (Both planets are in signs that are associated with balance. Jupiter is in Taurus, and Saturn is in Libra.) Mercury goes stationary-direct in Leo in the afternoon/evening, adding compatibility to thinking and communicating. Then Jupiter goes stationary in declination in the evening, adding compatibility to expansiveness. This might actually turn out to be a relatively nice day.

Peaking in the morning of the 28th, Sun 1/3 Pluto puts the focus on activity, especially the harmoniously competitive kind. And then, peaking in the afternoon/evening, Mercury parallel Jupiter creates an atmosphere that makes things feel expansive and nice, and influences our thoughts and communications in that direction.

In the wee hours of the 29th (and quite active the previous evening), Sun parallel Venus puts the focus on emotions and other feelings, and also on balancing factors of all kinds. Saturn 2/9 Pluto peaks in the afternoon/evening, emphasizing hair-splitting and grudges. But peaking late in the evening, Venus 1/3 Jupiter creates an influence that boosts the compatibility for everything to feel nice; it should be successful, for a while at least. The expansive influence of Jupiter will be felt strongly during the orb of Jupiter going stationary-retrograde in the sign of Taurus, which peaks in the wee hours of the 30th. Since Taurus deals with balance, this aspect will tend to reinforce the Venus-Jupiter trine which peaks in the evening of the 29th. So August may well go out with a feeling of widespread balancing in the air.

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A Guide to Astrological Influences in July 2011

2011-06-01T22:05:00.000-07:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of July is: 0 conjunctions, 2 oppositions, 6 trines, 4 squares. As in the previous month, this simplified profile is mirroring the classic battle between the trines and the squares.

But, as stated for June, "there is another factor which is slowly building up, and that factor is the close approach of a major aspect that will not actually achieve exactness -- namely, Uranus square Pluto". For the month of July, that aspect will be less than 2 degrees from exactness, aided and abetted by Uranus itself going stationary in both declination (on the 8th) and longitude (on the 9th). The Uranus-Pluto square will be only slightly more than 1 degree from exactness by the end of the month.

The first major planetary aspect peaking in July is Mercury parallel Mars, which peaks at about midday. It will tend to increase the force of any communications made on that date. However, peaking in the afternoon/evening, Sun 1/4 Saturn will tend to put a damper on virtually anything that arises at that time -- except perhaps for serious issues, which may be reinforced.

By the way, it should probably be mentioned here that Mercury crosses into the sign of Leo on the 1st and Venus crosses into the sign of Cancer on the 3rd. That should add emphasis to expressions of one of the Seven Basic Postulates of this universe -- the Basic Postulate of Guardianship. The higher-harmonic sign associated with that Basic Postulate is Leo, and the lower-harmonic is Cancer. So, beginning early in July, that influence can be expected to manifest with a bit more gusto, lasting until roughly the end of the month when that dual-planet positioning changes. Among the factors that should increasingly find their way into the news are stories featuring teams and families, especially involving children.

The 4th of July features two planetary trines. Venus 1/3 Neptune peaks at about midday, bringing a generally soft friendly feeling. And then Mercury 1/3 Uranus peaks in the afternoon/evening, bringing fresh new ideas and interesting communications. But peaking at about midday on the 5th, Mercury 1/4 Jupiter can magnify the severity of any accidents (fireworks-related or otherwise) that occurred recently.

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for July 4 can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of June at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)

Peaking in the wee hours of the 6th, Mars 1/3 Saturn tends to slow down all kinds of activities, but in a harmonious way.

On the 7th, Jupiter 1/3 Pluto peaks early in the morning, emphasizing wide-ranging activities involving such things as health, spaciousness, add-ons to existing structures, the status of national leaderships, etc. Peaking at about midday, Venus goes stationary in declination, emphasizing the factors of balance, subjectivity, music, femininity, etc. Peaking in the afternoon, Venus 1/4 Uranus emphasizes surprises and bizarre occurrences; because of the signs those two planets are in (Cancer, for families, and Aries, for sound), there may be a showing of the movie "The Sound of Music". Peaking late in the evening, Jupiter 2/11 Neptune adds some fuzziness or confusion to just about anything.

Uranus goes stationary in declination in the wee hours of the 8th, generating an atmosphere of newness and surprise. Mercury parallel Pluto peaks early in the morning, helping people make detailed complex plans, write speeches, contact others to coordinate their activities, etc. Venus 1/2 Pluto peaks in the afternoon/evening, making people feel irritated, edgy, and even combative; emotions tend to be inharmonious.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 9th, Sun parallel Mars adds energy and movement to people's activities -- and loudness to their voices. And then, peaking in the afternoon/evening, Uranus goes stationary-retrograde in Aries, making the expression of energy and movement more unpredictable without regard to good/bad considerations; newness is in the air.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 13th, Venus 1/4 Saturn casts a strong downer atmosphere over everything; feelings/emotions/attitudes tend toward gloom and doom. Jupiter 3/7 Saturn peaks the following morning (the 14th), contrasting the ebullience and vitality of Jupiter against the comparative emptiness of Saturn. Both Jupiter and Saturn are in signs reflecting the Basic Postulate which is sometimes referred to as the Principle of Universal Balance (Jupiter is in Taurus and Saturn is in Libra), and so one of the factors which will probably be emphasized at this time is the factor of balance/imbalance. For example, people may focus more than usual on how much they weigh or how much time they spend with their family.

Venus parallel Mars peaks in the wee hours of the 16th, emphasizing (among other things) the romantic side of life; emotions are stronger. Then, peaking in the afternoon, Jupiter 1/11 Uranus emphasizes surprises which will generally be unwelcome at this time. (The entire "1/11" family of aspects -- "1/11", "2/11", "3/11", etc. -- generally seems to spawn inharmonious influences.)

Peaking in the afternoon/evening of the 19th, Mercury parallel Jupiter tends to make thinking and communicating a pleasure. Short trips abound.

Peaking in the evening of the 21st, Mercury parallel Neptune tends to ease/facilitate thinking and communicating. Inspirations abound.

Peaking in the afternoon of the 27th, Sun 1/3 Uranus freshens the atmosphere and brings newness to long drawn-out projects. New ideas seem to crop up everywhere -- especially as novel ways of doing routine things.

Sun parallel Pluto peaks in the afternoon of the 28th, tending to make complicated things more compatible, more amenable to handle. Group projects benefit from this influence. The work of committees tends to dominate over the relatively isolated work of individuals. However, as the day wears on -- and especially in the evening -- Mercury 1/2 Neptune clouds the thinking and judgement and introduces confusion into any connectivities that are attempted. In order to avoid miscommunications, take an extra few moments to increase your focus at this time.

Peaking in the evening of the 31st, Venus 1/3 Uranus tends to echo the Sun-Uranus trine of the 27th, bringing widespread feelings of newness.

It would be tempting to say that July ends with a pleasant atmosphere. But in fact August starts out with a Sun-Jupiter square peaking in the morning of its first day -- which of course manifests significantly on the last day of July, especially in the evening. The complex workings of Universal Law do not always correspond to our personal desires.

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A Guide to Astrological Influences in June 2011

2011-04-30T19:13:00.000-07:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of June is: 1 conjunction, 2 oppositions, 5 trines, 6 squares. This one is mirroring the classic battle between the trines and the squares.

But it should be mentioned that there is another factor which is slowly building up, and that factor is the close approach of a major aspect that will not actually achieve exactness -- namely, Uranus square Pluto. That aspect will be less than 3 degrees from exactness throughout June, less than 2 degrees from exactness throughout July, and will get as close as 1 degree 01' from exactness during the first week in August, after which it will start to slowly diverge. Since it will not actually achieve exactness, it will not appear in any aspectarian, not even ours. Nevertheless it will definitely be manifesting significantly during that entire period of time (and beyond). Aspects involving the combination of Uranus and Pluto commonly (though not exclusively) involve radioactivity or electric power in one way or another, and that leads one to wonder how close that Uranus-Pluto square was to exactness when the problems in Japan arose, beginning with the 9.0-magnitude earthquake (and its associated tsunami) and the ensuing series of aftershocks, all of which started on or very near March 11. The answer is that the aspect was approximately 7 degrees 20' from exactness at that time. But it should also be pointed out that Uranus entered the sign of Aries on that very same date, March 11. (Although Uranus had previously entered Aries on 5/27/10, it subsequently retrograded back into Pisces temporarily.) Uranus on the cusp of Aries could be thought of as a significator of sudden powerful manifestations -- which certainly fits the situation in Japan. The Uranus-Pluto square neatly accounts for the remaining nature of that whole situation.

By the way, the aspect of Uranus 1/4 Pluto will actually achieve exactness on 6/24/12 -- and also on 9/19/12, 5/20/13, 11/1/13, 4/21/14 (as part of a Grand Cross configuration), 12/15/14, and 3/17/15. Maybe the recent situation in Japan can serve as a model from which we can learn something about the kinds of things this aspect could potentially bring during those future periods of time.

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The first major planetary aspect in June is Sun 1/3 Saturn, which peaks in the wee hours of the 1st. This will contribute an atmosphere which is compatible with coherence and concentration, but can also make sleeping a bit more difficult. Peaking in the afternoon, Mercury parallel Pluto facilitates conversations, speech-making, and complex thinking.

On the 3rd, Neptunian influences seem to dominate. Peaking in the wee hours, Mercury 1/4 Neptune will tend to create fuzziness in thinking, and that influence will be augmented by a longer-term factor: Neptune goes stationary-retrograde in its own sign of Pisces. This combination could unleash general confusion in every facet of life, and so this is not a good time to pursue activities that require precision and focus.

Peaking in the afternoon/evening of the 6th, Jupiter 4/9 Saturn tends to emphasize links between big and small, colorful and colorless, healthy and unhealthy -- generally without regard for any good/bad connotation, since the "4/9" aspect seems to be neutral in that respect.

Saturn goes stationary in declination early in the morning of the 7th, emphasizing the qualities of seriousness and stability. In the afternoon, Mercury 1/3 Saturn tends to direct thoughts and communications in serious, stable, rational, and coherent directions. This could be a good day to handle financial matters and study scientific theories.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 8th, Venus parallel Pluto emphasizes feelings and other facets of subjectivity. Passions are included. Peaking in the evening, Jupiter 1/6 Neptune sprinkles things with a light fuzzy quality; good for leaning back and relaxing.

Peaking in the afternoon of the 9th, Sun parallel Mercury emphasizes communications, both written and spoken. Conversations proliferate.

Venus 1/4 Neptune peaks in the wee hours of the 10th, breeding confusion in one's feelings and injecting imbalance into virtually anything.

In the afternoon/evening of the 12th, Sun CON Mercury in Mercury's sign of Gemini is definitely oriented in favor of making connectivities of all kinds -- thinking, talking, writing -- and including short trips. Saturn goes stationary-direct in the sign of Libra in the evening, tending to focus concentration on balancing out-of-balance matters.

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for June 12 can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of May at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)

Peaking in the wee hours of the 14th, Mars parallel Pluto focuses on competition in all of its forms -- good, bad, and indifferent.

In the evening of the 16th, Mercury 1/3 Neptune harmoniously couples Mercurian qualities with those of its higher harmonic planet Neptune and tends to blend the thing-like qualities of Mercurian connectivities with the highly generalized qualities of Neptunian connectivities. (The compatibilities of this trine aspect make it much more harmonious than the Mercury-Neptune square which peaked on the 3rd.) This period of time should bring forth significant inspirations on many different subjects.

Peaking in the evening of the 17th, Venus 1/3 Saturn tends to emphasize serious feelings of any kind. Since Venus is in the sign of Gemini, this could be a good time for long-needed sincere heart-to-heart talks that had been heretofore avoided.

Mercury 1/4 Uranus peaks in the afternoon of the 18th, increasing the compatibility/probability for errors in thinking, communicating, and making connections of all kinds. If you take a trip at this time, you might find yourself headed in the wrong direction. Late in the evening, Mercury goes stationary in declination, thereby making it somewhat easier to correct any errors that were made or encountered earlier in the day.

Peaking in the afternoon of the 19th, Mercury 1/2 Pluto creates a kind of negative/reverse compatibility regarding making connectivities, etc. Combining this aspect with the Mercury-Uranus square of the 18th, we can spot the formation of a close T-Square configuration. Very stressful.

The Sun goes stationary in declination on the 21st, entering Cancer at 10:16 am PDT (1:16 pm EDT), all signifying the beginning of summer.

Still on the 21st: Mercury 1/4 Saturn peaks in the morning/afternoon, making communication tend to be serious and concentrative. Peaking late in the evening, Mars 1/4 Neptune can create stress in slippery situations, including the ones that involve slick con artists. Neptune influences figure into the next few days as well. Sun 1/3 Neptune peaks the following morning (22nd), possibly contributing inspirational dreams. And two days later (24th), Jupiter parallel Neptune peaks in the wee hours, contributing interesting, vivid, and inspirational dreams.

On the 26th and 27th, the Sun links with the close-but-not-exact Uranus-Pluto square that was described near the beginning of this article. Peaking in the wee hours of the 26th, Sun 1/4 Uranus focuses on newness, emphasizing the weird and outlandish side of life; history and orthodoxy are downplayed at this time. And then, peaking on the night of the 27th, Sun 1/2 Pluto brings out the dark side of crowd instincts, emphasizing competitiveness, argumentation, conflict, and possibly combat. These two aspects together form a close T-Square configuration, capable of producing very undesirable consequences. (Item: Mars 1/6 Uranus, which peaks in the wee hours of the 27th, is normally a harmonious aspect, but under these circumstances it may contribute an ingredient which just adds to the power of the T-Square.) (Note: The Uranus-Pluto square is less than 2 degrees from exact at this time.)

Peaking in the wee hours of the 28th, Sun parallel Mercury emphasizes thoughtfulness and communications of all kinds. Peaking about an hour later, Jupiter 1/12 Uranus creates an influence of benevolent newness. Nice surprises could result -- including in dreams; this influence is good for planning and executing projects, such as painting your house or refurnishing rooms. Peaking late in the evening, Mercury parallel Venus makes for nice conversation. And peaking in the afternoon of the 30th, Sun parallel Venus focuses on nice feelings. (Note: On the 28th-30th, the Sun, Mercury, and Venus are forming a triple parallel configuration.)

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A Guide to Astrological Influences in May 2011

2011-03-31T21:38:00.000-07:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of May is: 6 conjunctions, 0 oppositions, 3 trines, 1 square. Like the previous month, the planetary conjunctions take the lead in the profile. The oddity this time is in the form of two separate conjunctions between a pair of planets (Mercury and Venus). This will be described later.

The first major planetary aspect in May is Mercury parallel Venus, which peaks early in the morning of the 2nd. This aspect will increase the compatibility for sharing our personal thoughts with someone else.

In the morning of the 9th, Mercury CON Venus in Aries furthers the influence of the above-mentioned aspect and greatly strengthens it. (These two planets will conjunct each other again on the 16th. Details later.)

On the 11th, Mercury and Venus conjunct Jupiter in Aries -- first Venus in the morning, then Mercury about five hours later, in the afternoon. In effect, this turns the configuration into a triple-conjunction, expanding the influence beyond its original scope. It might even affect conferences involving international relations.

In the afternoon and evening of the 12th, Venus parallel Jupiter adds a last bit of influence to the above-described manifestations, helping things along even more.

Peaking in the morning of Friday the 13th, Jupiter 3/10 Pluto emphasizes things like boundary rights and territorial claims -- anything from local to international. Even street gangs will be affected by this influence. Peaking in the evening, Mars parallel Neptune can help to facilitate ("lubricate") the establishing of deals regarding boundary claims -- or just about anything else.

Peaking in the afternoon/evening of the 14th, Sun parallel Pluto reactivates the competitive atmosphere to some extent, but probably not enough to upset any deals that were made recently.

On the 15th, Venus and Mercury move out of Aries and enter the sign of Taurus almost simultaneously (within about an hour of each other). And then their second conjunction in May takes place on the 16th. This requires explaining. Mercury went stationary-direct on April 23, and therefore moved much slower than usual for a while (as viewed from the Earth). During that time, Venus was actually moving faster than Mercury (again, as viewed from the Earth). As a result, Venus was catching up to Mercury to form the conjunction in Aries on May 9. But as Mercury picks up speed, it catches up to Venus and forms the second conjunction, in the wee hours of the 16th, this time in the sign of Taurus. Simple. Later in the morning (16th), Mercury parallel Jupiter tends to expand viewpoints, creating a "think big" atmosphere.

Peaking in the afternoon of the 19th, Venus parallel Neptune tends to open up our feelings for introspection.

Mercury CON Mars in Taurus peaks in the evening of the 20th, and that conjunction trines Pluto in the morning/afternoon. This can result in strong and effective speeches being made.

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for May 20 can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of April at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)

Mercury parallel Neptune peaks in the wee hours of the 21st, increasing the reality of dreams and the compatibility for inspirational ideas. Peaking later in the morning (and in orb for many days), Uranus 1/11 Neptune can tend to conjure up ghostly apparitions. Then, peaking at about midday (21st), Venus 1/3 Pluto brings out friendly competition.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 22nd, Sun 1/4 Neptune creates confusion. Peaking about three hours later (and in orb for many days), Jupiter 5/11 Saturn tends to create stress stemming from pitting big against small, rich against poor, etc. National health care might be in the news again.

Venus CON Mars in Taurus peaks in the wee hours of the 23rd. This tends to increase the strength of emotions. Because of the timing of this aspect, it can also greatly magnify romantic feelings.

Peaking in the morning/afternoon of the 24th, Mercury parallel Venus "will increase the compatibility for sharing our personal thoughts with someone else", as stated earlier in this article when this aspect peaked on May 2nd. (Yes, this is the second time this aspect peaks in May.)

Mercury parallel Mars peaks in the morning of the 26th. This can tend to cause strong talk and/or shouting to come forth in various places.

Venus parallel Mars peaks in the morning of the 29th. This can tend to cause emotions to build up and spew forth. This influence is similar to, but not as strong as, the Venus-Mars conjunction which peaks on the 23rd. (Please refer to that description for details.)

Neptune goes stationary in declination in the afternoon/evening of the 31st (but is in orb for many days). This will cause all of the qualities of Neptune to manifest, without any necessary categorization in terms of good or bad. For example, rain is neither good nor bad. It's just rain.

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A Guide to Astrological Influences in April 2011

2011-03-01T21:11:00.000-08:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of April is: 7 conjunctions, 3 oppositions, 1 trine, 2 squares. This time the planetary conjunctions take the lead in the profile. They are not concentrated in any particular part of the month, so perhaps the entire month will echo the refrain of "coming-togetherness". Also, like the previous month, the profusion of planetary parallel aspects is apparent, although there are "only" 17 of them this time, compared to 22 in the previous month. (As mentioned last time, parallel aspects generally seem to be harmonious in nature.) By the way, all three planetary oppositions involve Saturn, so maybe their footprint will involve some kind of Saturnian pattern.

The first noteworthy planetary aspect in April is Sun parallel Jupiter, which peaks in the evening of the 2nd. That should make the evening feel comfy and nice.

But peaking in the wee hours of the 3rd, Jupiter 3/11 Pluto could create an atmosphere of competitiveness and pushiness. Then, peaking in the afternoon, Mars CON Uranus in Aries tries to create an atmosphere of new or weird sounds or actions, but it runs headlong into Sun 1/2 Saturn which peaks in the afternoon/evening and will try to block (or at least slow down) just about anything in its path. (Note: Those last two aspects peak only three hours apart, and so they qualify as a contrasting aspect pair, creating opposite tendencies at roughly the same time.)

The 4th is a special kind of day, for two different reasons. First of all, Mars parallels Uranus twice on this day. The first one peaks in the wee hours. Then Mars crosses the celestial equator (0 degrees declination) in the afternoon and thereby leaves the realm of south declination and enters the realm of north declination. And then it parallels Uranus the second time on this day, peaking in the evening. These two aspects will create a tendency for starting new projects, or taking an innovative attitude toward things in general. In the morning -- i.e., between those two peaks -- Mercury parallel Neptune tends to increase the sensitivity for inspirations of all kinds.

The second reason that the 4th is a special kind of day is that Neptune temporarily leaves the sign of Aquarius and enters its own sign, Pisces, which it does in the morning -- thereby greatly emphasizing the characteristics associated with Neptune and Pisces. But, as stated, this change is only temporary, since Neptune goes stationary-retrograde on June 3 and crosses back into Aquarius on August 4. Then Neptune goes stationary-direct on November 9 and crosses into Pisces (again) on February 3, 2012, where it will remain for a goodly number of years, altering the background vibes in a substantive way.

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for April 4 can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of March at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)

Peaking in the morning of the 6th (but in orb for a few days beforehand), Sun CON Jupiter in Aries tends to brighten things in general. Since it could tend to trigger a buying spree, be aware of that tendency if you are on a shoestring budget. Big projects could be started at this time, and long trips could be contemplated (or actually made).

Sun parallel Venus peaks in the wee hours of the 8th, tending to enhance the feelings. Dreams could reflect this tendency, in terms of things like music and romantic leanings, but it is a certainty that the general subject of balance will be represented in some form.

Pluto goes stationary-retrograde in the sign of Capricorn in the wee hours of the 9th (but is in orb for many days beforehand). Although astronomers have attempted to demote Pluto from its status as a major planet, the influence of this aspect is the kind of thing that could make their action seem ill-advised. (Many astrologers would undoubtedly use stronger language to characterize that action.) During this period of time, competitiveness will be greatly increased. There will be a greater tendency for crowds to form, often attended by loud shouting, a lot of pushing and shoving and fist waving, and smashed store windows. It could be the kind of thing that requires police to use force in an attempt to "keep the peace", often to no avail. Away from the crowds, people will generally feel edgy and uncomfortable, almost always without knowing why. In other words, it won't be a comfortable period of time.

At about midday on the same day (the 9th), Uranus will be on the equator (0 degrees declination). This may well be a major aspect, but it is blushingly admitted here that insufficient research has been conducted to determine the nature (if any) of the influence that attends this event. So this may be a golden opportunity to see if there are any unusual Uranus-type manifestations during this period of time. (No amount of theorizing can answer this question. This is the kind of thing that requires trained observation, nothing less.) And at about the same time that Uranus is on the equator, the aspect of Sun CON Mercury in Aries reaches a peak, greatly increasing the compatibility (probability) for connectivities and communication. The Aries factor could tilt the scales in favor of oral rather than written communications, perhaps loud but not necessarily based on any kind of belligerence. All things considered, the 9th could be a very interesting period of time.

Venus parallel Jupiter peaks on the night of the 10th, creating a nice comfortable atmosphere.

Mars 1/4 Pluto peaks in the afternoon of the 11th, creating a not very nice atmosphere full of harsh competitiveness and belligerence -- even including outright combat. But this could be mitigated somewhat by the aspect of Mercury CON Jupiter in Aries, which peaks in the evening and is basically noncombative, focusing instead on the idea of "think big".

Peaking in the wee hours of the 12th, Sun parallel Mercury emphasizes thinking and communication. Peaking in the wee hours of the 13th, Mars parallel Saturn emphasizes caution, moving slowly (if at all).

Venus parallel Mars, which peaks in the wee hours of the 16th, focuses on romantic considerations. Mercury parallel Jupiter, which peaks later in the morning, represents a milder form of the Mercury-Jupiter conjunction which peaked on the 11th. So at least the first half of the 16th might turn out to be rather pleasant.

However, the first half of the 18th is different. It features Mars 1/2 Saturn, which will tend to bring things to a standstill. Speed is not compatible at this time. Using a musical metaphor, the high notes will slacken off and the low notes will predominate. At about midday, Venus parallel Saturn magnifies this metaphor; feelings tend to be serious.

Peaking in the morning of the 19th, Mercury CON Mars in the sign of Aries emphasizes conversations and taking short trips. Peaking early in the morning of the 20th, Mercury parallel Mars tends to emphasize the same things. And by the way, since it is a "parallel of conjunction" (since both Mercury and Mars are in north declination), and since those same two planets just experienced a conjunction in longitude, that means that those two planets currently appear in virtually the same place in the sky (as viewed from the Earth). If you could view them, you would see that they are very close together at this time.

Sun parallel Neptune peaks in the wee hours of the 21st, making things feel soft and fluffy. Sleep is facilitated by this aspect.

Peaking in the morning of the 22nd (but in orb for many days beforehand), Jupiter 2/7 Pluto sets up a heightened compatibility for concerns about boundaries and other expressions of ownership and authority. Peaking in the evening, Venus CON Uranus in the sign of Aries emphasizes expressions of ego and the uniqueness and specialness of self.

In the wee hours of the 23rd, Mercury goes stationary-direct in Aries, boosting the compatibility for energetic Mercury-type expressions, such as thinking, talking, writing, and making connectivities and short trips.

Later in the morning of the 23rd, Venus parallel Uranus places the emphasis on special unique expressions of subjectivities. In the evening, Venus crosses the equatorial plane (also known as the celestial equator, which is 0 degrees declination). Then, in the afternoon of the 24th, Venus parallel Uranus occurs again. Does that pattern seem familiar to you? It should, because it is the same kind of pattern that was exhibited earlier in the month, on the 4th, between Mars and Uranus. In this present situation, Venus initially formed the parallel aspect with Uranus while it (Venus) was in south declination, then it crossed the equator, and then formed the second parallel aspect with Uranus while in north declination. This pattern involving Mars, Venus, and Uranus, is aided and abetted by the declination of Uranus being close to zero. (Remember, as indicated earlier, Uranus itself was on the equator on the 9th.) Associated with all this, please note that Mars CON Uranus peaked on the 3rd and Venus CON Uranus peaked on the 22nd, very close to the dates of their respective double-aspects in declination. So those two periods of time will strongly reflect the Uranus influence correspondingly.

Pluto goes stationary in declination in the wee hours of the 26th (but is in orb for many days beforehand). This can be expected to heighten the factors of competition, crowd formation, and overtness or pushiness (but not necessarily in a negative way). If you feel like getting out and doing the things that you have been putting off for so long, this aspect could be the chief instigator. (Of course, it also depends on your personal aspects that are in orb at this time.)

Venus 1/4 Pluto peaks in the wee hours of the 27th, amplifying the feelings in a generally negative way. Misunderstandings are more prone to occur at this time. (Of course, if you know this in advance, you can be more guarded in your responses to inadvertent prods and triggers from your family and friends and co-workers.) But in the afternoon/evening, Sun 1/3 Pluto offers a very good opportunity to patch up any misunderstandings that linger as the result of the Venus-Pluto square.

Mercury goes stationary in declination in the wee hours of the 28th, increasing the compatibility for communicating (talking and writing) and making connectivities of all kinds. And then, in the afternoon/evening, Venus parallel Saturn tends to make feelings generally serious -- just as it did on the 18th. Remember, Venus crossed the equatorial plane on the 23rd, and the declination of Saturn is small enough to allow Venus to parallel it twice this month: first from south declination (on the 18th) and then from north declination (on the 28th).

Peaking early in the morning of the 29th, Mars parallel Jupiter ramps up energetic feelings and tendencies of all kinds. This could express in terms of longer and/or more intense exercise sessions, or more vigorous participation in sporting events (or even just an increased interest in watching such events). It could also express in terms of a greater incidence of loud music -- or just plain loud noises. Then, peaking in the afternoon, Jupiter 1/7 Neptune spreads clouds of fuzziness and desires for relaxation, which could include thoughts of going swimming or sailing (or going on a binge). More objectively, it could increase the probability for widespread rain -- and perhaps towering rainbows.

A contrasting aspect pair manifests in the afternoon and evening of the 30th: first Venus 1/2 Saturn, followed about four hours later by Mars CON Jupiter in Aries. The Venus-Saturn opposition is a real downer, tending to douse the atmosphere with feelings of glumness and negativity. The Mars-Jupiter conjunction will tend to create a climate similar to the one produced by the Mars-Jupiter parallel on the 29th only more so. These two influences will clash, probably producing some interesting (though most likely unpleasant) results. What a way to end a month!

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A Guide to Astrological Influences in March 2011

2011-02-02T21:31:00.000-08:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of March is: 4 conjunctions, 2 oppositions, 1 trine, 2 squares. A superficial evaluation of the profile would indicate that the trines are being "drowned out" by the other three members of this profile. But another factor that will soon become apparent for the month is that there are many more planetary parallel aspects than usual. Since parallel aspects generally seem to be harmonious in nature, this just might tilt the balance in favor of a less stressful month than usual. We shall see.

Peaking during the wee hours of the first day of the month, Sun parallel Mercury creates an influence that favors thinking and communication. That influence is partially echoed on the 3rd, and picks up force, via Mercury 1/5 Pluto and Mars 1/6 Pluto, which peak within less than half an hour of each other in the early evening; forceful speeches may result. Then, peaking in the afternoon/evening of the 4th, Venus parallel Pluto adds force to our feelings and reactions.

Reaching a peak in the wee hours of the 5th, Saturn 5/11 Uranus creates disharmony between traditional and contemporary considerations. But in the afternoon, Mercury parallel Saturn focuses on the traditional.

Reaching a peak in the wee hours of the 6th, Jupiter 1/9 Neptune makes things feel fuzzy, but in the evening, Mercury parallel Jupiter focuses on "think big", such as planning long trips or big projects.

In a sense, the 9th and 10th "belong" to the pairing of Mercury-Uranus. Mercury parallel Uranus peaks in the wee hours of the 9th. Mercury CON Uranus in Pisces peaks in the morning. Then Mercury crosses the equator in the evening. And then, at about midday on the 10th, Mercury parallels Uranus again. All of this Mercury-Uranus pairing makes things seem new and feel "immediate". Futuristic thinking is in vogue at this time. However, in the morning/afternoon of the 11th, Sun parallel Saturn will change the feeling to emphasize practicality and "solid reality".

Uranus leaves Pisces and crosses into Aries in the afternoon/evening of the 11th. It will remain in Aries until May 15, 2018, when it will leave Aries and cross into Taurus. However, it will be back in Aries again later for about four months, and then return to Taurus again. During its presence in Aries, it will blend its influence with the influence of Aries and produce new energies, new actions, new sounds, new devices, new inventions of many different kinds. Things will feel decidedly different during that phase of the motion of Uranus.

Sun parallel Jupiter peaks in the afternoon of the 12th, creating an expansive atmosphere. Enjoy it, but don't let it make you buy everything in sight.

Sun parallel Mercury peaks in the wee hours of the 13th, boosting the compatibility for thinking and communicating. Later in the morning, Mercury parallel Jupiter introduces a "think big" component. (Note: Taking an overview, we can see that the Sun, Mercury, and Jupiter are engaged in a triple parallel in declination on the 12th and 13th.) Peaking at about midday on the 13th, Mercury 1/4 Pluto adds aggressiveness to the communication process. But in the afternoon/evening, Mercury parallel Saturn tones things down a bit in the direction of practicality.

Reminder: Daylight Saving Time begins on March 13.

Peaking in the early evening of the 14th, Venus 1/3 Saturn puts our feelings in tune with practicality and solid reality. We might feel like relaxing and listening to a symphony. But after that, building up to the early evening of the 15th, Mercury CON Jupiter in Aries replaces our "solid reality" leanings with something like watching sports on TV.

Jupiter parallel Saturn peaks in the morning of the 16th, blending solid reality with large and/or faraway things. This could take the form of contemplating big stock market investments or thinking about mountains on distant planets. (Astrological aspects don't care about the details of their manifestations as long as their basic nature is manifested.) In the afternoon of the 16th, Mercury parallel Mars stimulates conversations -- or makes people want to play interactive games with their TV.

Peaking early in the morning of the 18th, Mercury 1/2 Saturn tends to impede connectivities of any kind. This includes slowing them down or just plain stopping them in their tracks. Road traffic can be affected.

Peaking on the 19th at about midday, Sun parallel Uranus tends to make things feel fresh and new; history is generally not in people's thoughts.

The Sun crosses the celestial equator and enters Aries on the 20th at 4:21 pm PDT (7:21 pm EDT), signifying the beginning of spring.

Early in the morning of the 21st, Sun CON Uranus in Aries drenches the atmosphere with a climate of newness and innovation; nothing else seems to matter at this time. In the afternoon/evening, Sun parallel Uranus reinforces the same kind of atmosphere. Hey, didn't we just have that aspect on the 19th? Yes, but that was a parallel of conjunction whereas this one is a parallel of opposition. Remember, the Sun crossed the celestial equator (0 degrees declination) on the 20th. Since the declination of Uranus is currently less than half a degree, the Sun forms both kinds of parallel aspects with Uranus within roughly two days of each other.

Peaking in the afternoon of the 22nd, Mars parallel Jupiter spurs people into thinking about things like sports, loud music (or music from a large source, such as a big orchestra), or climbing a tall mountain, etc.

Peaking early in the afternoon of the 24th, Saturn 3/8 Neptune creates a climate of sadness and dashed hopes. But cheer up; it's only temporary.

In the morning of the 25th, Mars parallel Saturn tends to slow movements down significantly, but the overall effect is not necessarily negative.

In the afternoon/evening of the 26th, Venus CON Neptune in Aquarius tends to cause our hopes and aspirations to dominate our innermost feelings.

In the wee hours of the 27th, Venus parallel Neptune echoes the Venus-Neptune conjunction of the previous day, but in a subdued way. In the next few hours, Mercury parallel Venus and Mercury parallel Neptune add to that feeling. Then, early the same morning, Sun parallel Mars tends to break that mold and introduce action instead of introspection.

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for March 27 can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of February at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)

Peaking early in the morning of the 28th, Sun 1/4 Pluto makes people feel irritated and irate. Crowd action is more probable at this time. Peaking in the afternoon (but in orb for at least a couple of weeks), Jupiter 1/2 Saturn pits big against small, expensive against cheap, light against darkness, expansion against compression, etc. This is truly an aspect of major proportions, and can be expected to manifest in a great many important ways. Health care and the national economy will tend to dominate the news even more than usual. Under this influence, perhaps another corporate giant will tremble and tumble. Peaking only an hour later, Sun parallel Saturn just adds to the seriousness of it. (Although the Jupiter-Saturn parallel of the 16th has some similarities to this opposition, it doesn't have the super clout of this opposition.)

In the afternoon of the 30th, Mercury goes stationary-retrograde in the sign of Aries, stimulating thinking and lively conversation. Peaking in the afternoon/evening, Jupiter 1/8 Neptune makes things hazy and unclear. But in the wee hours of the 31st, Mercury goes stationary in declination, tending to restore some mental clarity.

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At the beginning of this article, it was stated that there are many more planetary parallel aspects than usual. Indeed, if the count is correct, there are 22 such aspects in March. A new record? Maybe. In any case, it certainly is unusual.

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A Guide to Astrological Influences in February 2011

2011-01-11T21:23:00.000-08:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of February is: 7 conjunctions, 0 oppositions, 3 trines, 4 squares. Like the previous month, the trines and squares are not "slugging it out" (at least, not enough to be a significant factor), and, also like the previous month, there are no planetary oppositions this time. The conjunctions will be dominant. In fact, three of them peak on the same day, the 20th. That should be an interesting time. Details later.

Venus 1/4 Uranus peaks in the wee hours of the 2nd, focusing on strange feelings and the magnification of issues dealing with self. Surprises.

Sun CON Mars peaks in the morning of the 4th. This occurs in the sign of Aquarius, which is associated with the planet Uranus, and so surprise can be a factor (like on the 2nd) -- but this one will pack a greater wallop, due to the involvement of Mars. Sudden unexpected force is possible.

In the afternoon/evening of the 5th, Mercury parallel Venus emphasizes communication about our feelings. Sun 1/3 Saturn peaks in the evening, tending to inject a serious practical ingredient into the atmosphere, but since it is a trine, it can be expected to be harmonious, not a drag.

The morning and early afternoon of the 6th will be host to a contrasting aspect pair. Mars 1/3 Saturn peaks first, bringing a climate of slow steady progress. But then, peaking a little over two hours after that, Venus 1/4 Jupiter will try to bring a climate of unrealistic expansion and expenditure. Your feelings may nudge you in the direction of buying something that is not really needed or justifiable.

The wee hours of the 7th can be expected to be pretty interesting. First of all, Neptune 1/7 Pluto reaches a peak. This is peak #20 of the long-lasting series of peaks between those two planets, thereby ending that seemingly endless series of significant planetary aspects which saw its first peak on 12/24/01. Most aspectarians didn't even include this (or any other) septile aspect in their listings, not realizing the huge impact that would be made by its existence. Remember, the Twin Towers incident in New York City took place not long before the first peak of this one, and inaugurated the period of time involving the United States in wars in the Middle East.

The next significant aspect to reach a peak in the wee hours of the 7th is Saturn 4/11 Neptune. This one is a downer, tending to make everything seem hopeless and worthless. And then after that, Sun 1/9 Uranus peaks, trying to infuse the climate with newness and surprise (lots of luck!). (The second and third of these constitute a contrasting aspect pair.) From the first to the third of these three peaks is only half an hour, centering on roughly 2:00 am PST (5:00 am EST) -- a really tight one.

In the afternoon/evening of the 9th, Venus CON Pluto in Capricorn brings out strong serious personal feelings. Peaking about half an hour later, Venus 1/7 Neptune includes fuzziness/cloudiness into the situation. (Another way of looking at this configuration is that Venus is aspecting the Neptune-Pluto septile.)

Early in the morning of the 10th, Venus goes stationary in declination, strengthening the atmosphere of subjectivity, feelings of all kinds. Except for the time of day, this would be a good time for music/poetry.

Peaking early in the evening of the 11th, Mercury parallel Pluto magnifies the compatibility for thinking, talking, writing, and speech-making.

Peaking in the afternoon/evening of the 12th, Jupiter 1/10 Neptune tends to make us feel fuzzy and pseudo-comfortable -- wanting to indulge in good-tasting food and drink, and to enjoy light entertainment.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 14th, Mercury 1/3 Saturn increases the compatibility for concentration, seriousness, and historical material. Reading about past events and traditions becomes more interesting now.

In the afternoon/evening of the 15th, Sun parallel Neptune creates a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere -- good for just about everything except paying your bills and figuring your income tax.

Peaking in the morning of the 16th, Saturn 2/9 Pluto increases the compatibility for serious competitive issues -- like where your property ends and your neighbor's property begins -- i.e., who owns what. This is also applicable on a national and international scale.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 17th, Sun CON Neptune in Aquarius echoes the Sun-Neptune parallel aspect of the 15th, except that this one is more powerful and includes the Aquarius factor -- newness and individuality.

Two not-so-powerful aspects peak at about midday on the 17th: Mercury 1/10 Uranus and Sun 1/12 Uranus. These two aspects peak only 28 minutes apart and embody somewhat similar characteristics: both Sun and Mercury are in Aquarius, and both aspects involve Uranus in Pisces. The combination plus their temporal proximity could do what neither aspect could do alone; this is sometimes referred to as a synergistic relationship. Newness and individuality could be emphasized, such as in the form of experimental aircraft, expert surfboarding, etc.

Peaking in the early morning of the 18th, Jupiter parallel Uranus will add to the unusual effects described above. New spectacular events and flashy devices could emerge and dominate widespread attention. But peaking at about midday, Venus 1/4 Saturn will tend to throw a monkey wrench into the works, spoiling some of the effects, perhaps harming or killing some of the people involved. However, Venus 1/5 Uranus, which peaks in the afternoon, might offset some of these spoilers to some extent.

As mentioned at the beginning of this article, the 20th is something special because it is host to three of the seven planetary conjunctions that peak in February. It fact, those three conjunctions form a triple conjunction involving the same planets -- Mercury, Mars, and Neptune -- all in the sign of Aquarius. Mercury CON Mars peaks in the afternoon, adding vehemence to thinking and communications; it could also stimulate the occurrence of short trips. Then, peaking in the afternoon/evening, Mercury CON Neptune brings some amount of fuzziness/confusion but could also stimulate the occurrence of inspirations. Peaking in the evening, Mars CON Neptune can facilitate certain kinds of activities that resisted manifestation previously, but could also introduce "slipperiness" of all kinds -- including questionable transactions involving con men; look out!

In addition to the above-mentioned items, the 20th also connects to the Neptune-Pluto septile via two planetary aspects that peak in the afternoon/evening -- namely, Mercury 1/7 Pluto and Mars 1/7 Pluto. Taking these into account, the 20th promises to be "something special" indeed!

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for February 20 can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of January at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)

In its own way, the 22nd echoes and adds to the manifestations that peak on the 20th -- via a three-part configuration involving declinations. This is a very tight configuration involving the same three planets as mentioned earlier -- Mercury, Mars, and Neptune -- all paralleling each other, with peaks that span less than an hour (between 10:00 and 11:00 pm PST). The nature of the manifestations can be expected to be similar to those mentioned for the corresponding longitudinal configuration that was described for the 20th, except that parallel aspects are generally considered to be harmonious in nature.

The 24th is host to an approximate contrasting aspect pair. Peaking at about midday, Venus 2/11 Uranus emphasizes egotism -- but peaking only a few hours later, Mars 3/8 Saturn tends to slow things down toward a kind of crawl and negates the Uranus influence. These two influences can be expected to pull against each other, though neither one is very strong.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 25th, Sun CON Mercury in Pisces emphasizes communication (of course), but includes the factor of fuzziness and the possibility of inspirational ideas. However, peaking in the afternoon (but in orb for many days beforehand), Jupiter 1/4 Pluto highlights competitiveness -- and the negativity that often goes with it.

Not all months go out on a positive note.

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A Guide to Astrological Influences in January 2011

2010-12-02T20:51:00.000-08:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of January is: 2 conjunctions, 0 oppositions, 2 trines, 5 squares. Even though the trines and squares are not "slugging it out", there are no planetary oppositions this time. That in itself may portend a somewhat subdued feeling of stress in January. We'll see.

Jupiter 4/9 Saturn peaks in the evening of the 1st, which will create an atmosphere of compatibility blending the influences represented by those two planets: big and small, affluent and poor, colorful and drab, etc.

Peaking in the morning of the 2nd, Jupiter 1/12 Neptune creates a smooth relaxing atmosphere, which could tend to mask or at least subdue some of the stresses that are just around the corner.

By the way, just for the record: The Sun will be at perigee this year at about midday on the 3rd. This is the time when the distance between the Earth and the Sun is at its annual minimum. (Some sources express this as "in perigee".)

Peaking in the wee hours of the 4th (but strongly in orb throughout the previous evening), Venus 1/4 Neptune tends to play on our feelings in a negative way, causing us to experience stresses, sometimes needlessly. This is then followed by a tight trilogy of planetary aspects which peak within less than one hour of each other. The first aspect of the trilogy to peak is Jupiter CON Uranus in Pisces (which has actually been in orb for quite some time), which can be counted upon to bring big surprises. Due to the nature of the conjunction, there is no guarantee of the relative desirability of these surprises (except perhaps how the placement of this conjunction interacts with each individual's own natal chart). Since the conjunction occurs in the sign of Pisces, it could be considered that the influence would probably involve hopes/dreams, water/gas, facades, coverings, things hidden, etc. But then, peaking within only six minutes of each other, Venus trines the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction. Venus is in the water sign of Scorpio, further emphasizing that facet of the situation. And the trine indicates that maybe the entire trilogy will be found acceptable to most people (again depending on how this composite configuration interacts with each person's natal chart). As already mentioned, this is a tight trilogy; the positions of the peaks of these three aspects move by only 17" from start to finish.

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for January 4 can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of December at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)

In sharp contrast to the nature and feel of the above-mentioned trilogy, Sun 1/4 Saturn peaks early in the morning of the 7th, bringing a climate of concentration and seriousness. If you have to handle things like financial records, bill payments, mathematical manipulations, etc., this would be a compatible time to do it. Hilarity is not compatible now.

Peaking on the 10th at about midday, Sun parallel Mercury facilitates and encourages thinking, communication, and making connections in general. And then, peaking only three minutes later, Mercury 1/6 Neptune taps in to a similar climate, and includes the factor of inspiration. As a consequence of this near-simultaneous pairing, this could well be a time for inspirational writings and conversations of all kinds. Then, peaking a few hours later (in the afternoon), Mercury parallel Mars adds the factor of oomph to all this, probably making it more effective. However, peaking only about an hour after that, Mercury 1/4 Uranus adds the factors of change and unpredictability, but not necessarily for the better; it could cause misspeaking and typographical errors.

Peaking on the 11th at about midday, Mercury 1/4 Jupiter tends to create a climate of "think big". This can be useful as long as it does not blatantly exceed/violate the limits of practicality.

Peaking in the morning of the 13th, Jupiter parallel Uranus generates an influence which is somewhat similar to, but probably not as powerful as, the conjunction of these two planets which peaked on the 4th. Again, big surprises and changes and grandiose presentations can be expected to accompany this kind of influence.

Peaking in the afternoon of the 17th, Venus parallel Pluto makes us feel a bit more pushy than usual, more forceful in our feelings and emotions. Peaking only three minutes earlier, Sun 1/6 Uranus creates an atmosphere of compatibility for changes and newness. Combined, these two aspects could become a springboard for experiencing and proclaiming newness. Peaking in the evening, Mercury CON Pluto in Capricorn makes complex thinking more compatible -- maybe a good time to work on your income tax.

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There is something else that makes the 17th somewhat special. The aspect of Uranus 1/12 Neptune has been in orb for quite some time and has been approaching exactness lately. However, due to the relative motions of those two planets (as viewed from the Earth), the aspect will approach exactness very closely in January but will not actually achieve it. It will come within about 10.4' of exactness on approximately the 17th, and then it will stop converging and begin to diverge. So its influence will be strongest on that date, but since the aspect won't become exact, it will not appear in any aspectarians, not even ours.

Another thing about this aspect: Uranus is in the sign of Pisces, the sign which is associated with Neptune. And Neptune is in the sign of Aquarius, the sign which is associated with Uranus. This will add focus to the influence, giving it more strength.

As to how this influence will manifest: The focus will obviously be on the qualities of those two planets and those two signs -- newness, surprise, change, differentiation, electricity -- and aspirations, facades, things hidden (coverings), fluidity (liquid and gas). Maybe electrical storms, with sudden rain and lightning flashes. Maybe things that are less obvious and more esoteric. And, oh yes, ghostly apparitions.

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Saturn goes stationary in declination in the afternoon of the 19th, tilting compatibilities in the direction of seriousness and concentration.

On the 22nd at about midday, Sun parallel Venus focuses on subjectivity, feelings, etc. In the afternoon, Mercury goes stationary in declination, tending to shift the focus onto thinking and communicating.

Peaking at about midday on the 23rd, Venus parallel Mars tends to color the atmosphere with romantic thoughts. Peaking less than an hour later, Jupiter 1/11 Neptune clouds the atmosphere and makes things feel fuzzy.

In the evening of the 25th, Sun parallel Pluto intensifies competitive feelings, but not necessarily in a negative way. Competition can manifest in a friendly way, and this aspect could focus on that angle. But peaking later in the evening, Saturn goes stationary-retrograde in the sign of Libra, shifting the general spectrum of feelings to the direction of solidity, practicality, more realism and less speculation. This may be another good time to work on your income tax.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 26th, Mercury 1/4 Saturn strongly focuses the compatibilities in the direction of solid concentrative thinking and communication, finances, serious matters, the status quo, timeless ideas and principles, historical writings, etc. (Picture a slow deliberate debate between two men who are over a hundred years old.) Mercury is in Capricorn (the sign which is associated with Saturn) and Saturn is in Libra (the sign which is associated with Venus), and so bringing balance would seem to be a solid component of the compatibilities at this time.

Item: In case you were wondering why there is so much emphasis here on the idea of compatibilities, you should know that all probabilities stem directly from compatibilities. Actually they are the same thing except that the idea of probability is highly subjective and mysterious whereas the idea of compatibility is based on resonances between the objective underpinnings of this universe, namely vibrational patterns. In the strict objective sense, if something can happen, it will happen. If you can wrap your mind around that one, you have a good start in understanding what makes this universe work the way it does.

Jupiter 5/11 Saturn peaks in the wee hours of the 27th, generally causing stresses between Jupiterian qualities (health, wealth, expansion, etc.) and Saturnian qualities (negation, poverty, compression, etc.).

Mars parallel Pluto peaks in the wee hours of the 28th, emphasizing forcefulness and competitiveness.

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A Guide to Astrological Influences in December 2010

2010-11-01T17:18:00.000-07:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of December is: 6 conjunctions, 0 oppositions, 0 trines, 6 squares. This profile is certainly a significant departure from those which we have seen before. The trines and squares are not slugging it out this time. The contest is between the conjunctions and the squares. But the situation is not distributed over most of the month, because three of the conjunctions peak on the same day, and in fact at almost the same time. The remaining three conjunctions are more evenly distributed. This might tip the scales in favor of the squares -- except for the evening of the 13th, which is the host to the three conjunctions.

Jupiter parallel Saturn peaks in the wee hours of the 3rd, bringing some degree of harmony between big and small, rich and poor, etc. A few hours later brings the peak of Mars 1/4 Uranus: weird sounds and unexpected motions. And then a few hours after that, the peak of Mars 1/5 Saturn: subdued sounds and slow or stopped motions. These last two constitute a contrasting aspect pair, and so some conditions could change rapidly. Uranus goes stationary in declination in the evening, spreading a climate of newness and surprise over this period of time. Should be interesting.

Mercury CON Pluto in Capricorn peaks in the afternoon/evening of the 5th, encouraging announcements and maybe some arguing. Peaking at about the same time, Uranus goes stationary-direct in Pisces, bringing surprises -- and an increased probability for inspirations of all kinds.

Mars goes stationary in declination in the wee hours of the 9th, emphasizing sound, motion, and force. Peaking in the afternoon/evening, Saturn 4/11 Neptune dampens enthusiasm (a downer). And then in the evening, Mercury parallel Mars encourages conversation and short trips.

In the wee hours of the 10th, Mercury goes stationary-retrograde in Capricorn, enabling more sharply focused thinking -- but making sleep a bit more difficult for some people.

The evening of the 13th is the unusual time period that was referred to at the beginning of this article. Not only are there three planetary conjunctions peaking at that time, but they represent a triple conjunction of three planets. Furthermore, the three peaks occur at almost the same time. Very unusual. The three aspects and their peak times in Pacific Standard Time are as follows: Mercury CON Pluto (8:05 pm), Mercury CON Mars (8:10 pm), and Mars CON Pluto (8:15 pm). For Eastern Standard Time, just add three hours to those peak times. This triple conjunction occurs in the sign of Capricorn. And how will this unusual configuration manifest? There is probably no limit to how many ways it could show its influence. Both Mars and Pluto represent competitiveness, and so it is guaranteed that competition will be a part of whatever comes about as a result of this. Mercury represents connectivity, which includes thinking and communication. So one common factor is: debates. There could be shouting matches, perhaps from or between crowds of people who are trying to loudly/forcibly impress their views upon others.

As already mentioned, this triple conjunction is very tight. There is only 10 minutes of time between the first and last peaks, during which time the maximum deviation in longitudinal positions is only 10".

By the way, wasn't the above-mentioned Mercury-Pluto conjunction mentioned earlier in this article, for the 5th? Yes, it was. At that time, Mercury was moving in direct motion (i.e., not retrograde). Then it went stationary-retrograde on the 10th. On the 13th, Mercury's retrograde motion brought it into conjunction with Pluto again.

At about the same time as the peaks of the above-mentioned triple conjunction on the 13th, Sun parallel Mercury reaches a peak also, further emphasizing the connectivity factors (thinking, communication, etc.).

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for December 13 can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of November at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)

Jupiter 2/9 Pluto peaks in the evening of the 15th, increasing the compatibility for (and therefore the probability of) thoughts and actions pertaining to boundary considerations, as well as ideas connected to the health hazards, etc., associated with bacteria and viruses.

Sun 1/4 Jupiter peaks in the afternoon of the 16th, echoing the ideas concerning health factors, and also considerations pertaining to structures of all kinds (especially large ones). This influence also includes the domains of light, colors, space, wealth, and generosity. The associated attitudes can be expected to be mostly stressful rather than harmonious.

Sun 1/4 Uranus peaks at about midday on the 18th, bringing about changes and surprises that are generally undesirable. This influence can boost the occurrence of typographical errors, slips of the tongue, misrouted items (such as luggage at airports), electrical problems, etc.

Sun CON Mercury in Sagittarius peaks in the afternoon/evening of the 19th, creating an influence which is similar to, but stronger than, the Sun parallel Mercury aspect which peaked on the 13th. But wasn't it stated earlier that Mercury was in Capricorn? Yes, but Mercury, being retrograde, moved back into Sagittarius on the 18th. (One thing you can count on in this work is that everything is incessantly changing.) Peaking at about the same time, this Sun-Mercury conjunction is creating a "1/5" (quintile) aspect with Saturn, introducing an element of seriousness and increased focus. But peaking in the afternoon/evening of the next day (20th), Mercury 1/4 Uranus changes the atmosphere significantly. Things become more spontaneous, more original -- but there will be more "typographical errors, slips of the tongue, misrouted items", etc., as mentioned for the Sun-Uranus square on the 18th.

The Sun goes stationary in declination on the 21st, entering Capricorn at 3:38 pm PST (6:38 pm EST), all signifying the beginning of winter.

In the afternoon/evening of the same day (21st), Mercury 1/4 Jupiter brings forth grandiose ideas and plans, which may sound wondrous but may be seriously flawed upon closer inspection. Things can feel good under this influence, but the accuracy of ideas should be carefully checked. Peaking in the evening of the same day, Venus parallel Neptune can also make things feel good, but in a different way. They may not be tightly focused, but the feelings are affected more than the thoughts themselves.

Sun CON Pluto in Capricorn peaks in the afternoon/evening of the 26th. This one can be a real "workhorse", creating an atmosphere of getting down to the nitty-gritty of significant accomplishment. It does not produce a light airy feeling, but definitely helps to get things done. Example: shoveling snow off of your sidewalks after a big snowstorm.

Mercury goes stationary in declination in the wee hours of the 28th, helping the thought processes.

Neptune 1/7 Pluto peaks in the afternoon of the same day (28th). This is peak #19 in the sequence of septile peaks between those two planets -- which has been in continuous orb since it began. The first peak occurred in December 2001. Peak #20, the final peak in this sequence, will occur in February 2011. Then the aspect will begin to drift out of orb, but ever so gradually. This aspect can be expected to remain in orb for at least several years after the final peak. One of the significant manifestations of this influence: the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. The nature of that war corresponds to the influences from this aspect.

In the morning of the 29th, Mars 1/4 Saturn slows things down (or brings them to a stop). It can interfere with the application of force or the creation or reception of sound. In general, it tends to reduce the magnitude and frequency of vibrations.

Late in the evening of the same day (29th), Mercury goes stationary-direct in Sagittarius. The previous time that Mercury went stationary was on the 10th, when it went stationary-retrograde, but it was in the sign of Capricorn at that time, which tended to emphasize the concentrative factor. This time it will be in Sagittarius, and so the effect will be somewhat different. Making big plans or long-range plans will be easier. People will tend to make more long-distance communications -- either by telephone or by Internet. "Think big" will be in the air.

Late in the evening of the 31st (New Year's Eve), Pluto goes stationary in declination. Mingling in crowds will be emphasized, as will also be the competitive factor. People's natural tendency to manifest an outgoing nature at this time will be greatly augmented by this influence.

By the way, as indicated at the beginning of this article, the simplified profile of planetary aspects for December is quite unusual. However, it would become even more unusual if we were to include the instances of planets going stationary in longitude or declination. There are three instances of planets going stationary in longitude in December, and five instances of planets going stationary in declination -- a total of eight. That may not be a record, but it certainly is unusual. It should be mentioned here that, in this kind of context, the Sun is counted as a planet (which it certainly is not). The Sun goes stationary in declination at the beginning of winter and summer, which actually defines the beginning of those seasons.

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A Guide to Astrological Influences in November 2010

2010-09-30T20:29:00.000-07:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of November is: 1 conjunction, 0 oppositions, 4 trines, 5 squares. Once again, it appears that the trines and squares are left to fight it out among themselves. However, it must be said that there is another factor that will enter into evaluation of November -- namely, that three planets will go stationary-direct during the month, and four planets (including those same three planets) will go stationary in declination. So it is quite possible that November may not be such a ho-hum month.

Mercury parallel Pluto peaks in the morning of the 2nd, helping to think about multiplicities of thoughts and to communicate them easier/better.

Peaking in the afternoon of the 4th, Mercury 1/3 Jupiter furthers the effectiveness of the thought processes and tends to enlarge their scope.

In the morning/afternoon of the 5th, Sun parallel Venus focuses on one's feelings and on subjectivity in general. But in the evening, Mercury 1/4 Neptune clouds the thinking process and introduces confusion.

Neptune goes stationary in declination at about midday on the 6th, introducing a vague fuzzy atmosphere that can feel comforting as long as you don't have to focus on tightly detailed thoughts or multitudes of data. Mercury 1/3 Uranus peaks in the afternoon/evening, tending to buoy up the thought processes (especially bright new thoughts). However, it will encounter a steep up-hill battle trying to counter the powerful influence of Neptune going stationary-direct in Aquarius in the evening (but in orb for much longer than that), which will cloud the atmosphere with fuzziness and confusion, but also with opportunities for inspirations of various kinds. (Astrological influences are usually considered to be either "good" or "bad", depending on how they manifest or how they are utilized. However, Universal Law does not operate on such a basis. The Basic Postulates of this universe are completely objective in nature, although they are usually interpreted and described in subjective terms.)

Daylight Saving Time changes to Standard Time on the first Sunday in November -- which is November 7 this year. A reminder.

Jupiter 2/9 Pluto peaks in the wee hours of the 10th, which correlates with thoughts of expanding one's horizons, either with or without considerations of the ethics or consequences involved. In other words, it can be thought of as either "good" or "bad" (like any other aspect).

Mercury parallel Mars peaks in the wee hours of the 11th. This will tend to increase the vehemence of thinking and communication, but is not inherently either "good" or "bad".

Venus parallel Neptune peaks in the wee hours of the 12th, bringing fuzzy feelings, generally comfortable -- unless you are trying to concentrate.

Jupiter goes stationary in declination on the 15th at about midday. The climate associated with this aspect is expansiveness. It can manifest in terms of health, wealth, color, boundaries, etc. In purely subjective terms (i.e., feelings), it "feels good". It will be augmented by the aspect of Sun 1/3 Jupiter, peaking in the afternoon/evening, bringing more "feel good" vibes.

In the wee hours of the 16th, Sun parallel Pluto brings a general climate of competitiveness, but it can be the friendly kind. Peaking later in the morning (but in orb for many days), Saturn 5/11 Uranus will try to bridge the gap between old and new, stable and adventurous -- but with this aspect, the results may not be considered as harmonious or likable.

The 18th is host to four major planetary aspects. Peaking in the wee hours, Sun 1/4 Neptune brings general confusion; if you need to focus, this is not the best time for it. Then Jupiter goes stationary-direct in Pisces later in the morning, tending to make things feel as though only large or colorful things -- or things pertaining to health, wealth, abundance, or generosity -- are really significant at this time. And then in the afternoon, Venus goes stationary-direct in its own sign of Libra, greatly emphasizing the subjective side of things. And finally, peaking in the evening, Sun 1/3 Uranus puts the spotlight on considerations of the "here and now", tending to exclude the wider overview. This is good for such things as entertainment, social gatherings, etc. It creates an atmosphere which is compatible with new/original ideas.

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for November 18 can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of October at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)

Peaking in the morning of the 19th (but in orb for many days), the aspect of Jupiter 4/9 Saturn tends to bring together considerations involving big and small, colorful and colorless, wealthy and poor, healthy and sick, abundant and scarce, etc.

Peaking on the 20th at about midday, Mercury CON Mars in Sagittarius manifests similarly to the aspect of Mercury parallel Mars which peaked on the 11th, but much stronger and saturated with Sagittarius energies. It will "tend to increase the vehemence of thinking and communication, but is not inherently either 'good' or 'bad'." It could result in talking more loudly than usual, or in being subjected to a noisy environment -- all generally associated with Sagittarius-type climates, which are similar to the influences associated with Jupiter.

Saturn 2/9 Pluto peaks in the wee hours of the 25th (Thanksgiving Day in the U.S.A.), which will tend to bring something of a downer atmosphere to the day (and to surrounding days). Nitpicking and hairsplitting are generally associated with this aspect, not thankfulness and lavish meals. Mercury 1/4 Jupiter peaks a few hours later, encouraging thinking and talking about a big meal, but the Saturn-Pluto aspect can be expected to influence things in a major way even though the "2/9" aspect angle makes it theoretically weaker than the "1/4" aspect angle. The rest of the day should be incrementally better than the morning.

In the afternoon/evening of the 27th, Mercury 1/4 Uranus tends to introduce errors in thinking and communication -- in addition to bright new ideas that may be seriously flawed. Note that Mercury squared Jupiter just a couple of days earlier. Another way of expressing this pattern is that Mercury is squaring the close Jupiter-Uranus conjunction. (That conjunction peaked in September, and will peak again in January. It is currently only about 3 degrees from exact.) Mercury goes stationary in declination in the evening of the 27th, tending to encourage thinking and communication, but the Mercury-Uranus square (which peaked only four hours earlier) will probably dilute its potential usefulness.

Mars 1/4 Jupiter peaks early in the morning of the 29th. This influence is capable of wreaking much havoc, such as automobile accidents. As proclaimed in Murphy's Law, "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong." (Believe it or not, that is actually a highly simplified statement of the compatibility concept which forms the cornerstone of Universal Law.) Of course, this Mars-Jupiter square might only result in a lot of noise.

Venus goes stationary in declination in the wee hours of the 30th. This aspect will manifest somewhat similarly to, but is not as potent as, Venus going stationary in longitude on the 18th, "greatly emphasizing
the subjective side of things". It can be expected to create a harmonious atmosphere and a correspondingly pleasant experience.

* * *

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A Guide to Astrological Influences in October 2010

2010-08-31T19:04:00.000-07:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of October is: 5 conjunctions, 2 oppositions, 4 trines, 2 squares. For what it may be worth, the two planetary oppositions peak in the first two days of the month. So maybe the rest of the month may not be so bad.Sun parallel Mercury peaks in the wee hours of the 1st, helping the thinking processes. But then in the afternoon, Mercury 1/2 Jupiter arouses the "think big" tendency unrealistically. Mercury parallel Jupiter peaks in the wee hours of the 2nd, making "think big" more realistic, but then later in the morning, Mercury 1/2 Uranus introduces unexpected breaches of connectivities. Conversations and trips may be suddenly cut off.Reaching a peak in the afternoon of the 3rd, Venus CON Mars in Scorpio motivates feelings to be expressed freely and overtly -- perhaps too overtly in some cases. And due to Mercury parallel Uranus peaking about an hour later, some of those expressions could be somewhat surprising. But as the day wears on, things become more stabilized due to the peak of Mercury parallel Saturn late in the evening.

Peaking late in the evening of the 4th, Mercury 1/4 Pluto brings on a tendency for irritating conversations and even argumentation.

Since Mercury crosses the Earth's equatorial plane on the 5th, and since the declinations of Saturn and Uranus are small, Mercury parallels both of them on the 7th like it did on the 3rd, except in reverse order. Peaking at about midday on the 7th, Mercury parallel Saturn encourages stable and even serious thinking and communication. And then peaking later in the afternoon, Mercury parallel Uranus changes the mood to more spontaneous expressions and unexpected thoughts and greater originality.

Venus goes stationary-retrograde in the sign of Scorpio in the wee hours of the 8th, greatly emphasizing subjectivity, feelings, ideas of fairness and balancing previous cycles -- and, oh yes, femininity. Peaking a few hours later (but still very early on the 8th), Mercury CON Saturn in the sign of Libra (the sign that is associated with Venus) encourages some serious thinking and communication on substantially the same subjects as emphasized by the stationary Venus aspect. And then, peaking in the afternoon (8th), Jupiter 1/12 Neptune spreads a field of fuzzy comfort. Because of the various influences that peak on the 8th, it could turn out to be an interesting day in various ways.

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for October 8 can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of September at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)

Peaking in the afternoon of the 9th, Mercury parallel Jupiter makes the "think big" tendency somewhat realistic -- just like it did on the 2nd.

Venus goes stationary in declination in the afternoon of the 10th, again emphasizing subjectivity, feelings, balance, femininity, etc. -- somewhat similar to when it went stationary in longitude on the 8th.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 11th, Saturn parallel Uranus tends to bring harmony between old and new, past and future, tradition and spontaneity, stability and adventure, and all of the things that make the influences of those two planets seem so diverse.

Peaking in the afternoon/evening of the 16th, Mars parallel Pluto intensifies the tendency toward competition, but not necessarily in a negative way. It also boosts the expression of energy, especially involving groups. Also in the afternoon/evening, Sun CON Mercury in Libra makes it easier to balance your monthly bank statement (or anything else).

In the wee hours of the 18th, Mercury 1/3 Neptune creates an atmosphere which increases the compatibility for the manifestation of inspiration. Dreams could be particularly realistic, useful, and informative.

To an extent, the wee hours of the 19th will manifest like the wee hours of the 18th. Sun parallel Mercury will sharpen the mental acuity, and Sun 1/3 Neptune will bring an atmosphere which feels smooth and comfortable and is more amenable to inspiration. Dreams will reflect this.

In the afternoon/evening of the 20th, Mars 1/3 Jupiter (in Scorpio and Pisces, respectively, both being water signs) increases the compatibility for the harmonious expression of forces/motions involving open spaces -- such as water skiing, boat races, etc. It can even include contests for catching big fish. But some people might feel a desire to get drunk.

Early in the morning of the 22nd, Mars 1/4 Neptune can intensify drunken tendencies, or it can cause water or gas leakages in industrial facilities, home heating and cooling systems, and people. Slick-tongued tricksters abound during this kind of influence.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 24th (and strong the previous evening), Mercury parallel Neptune increases the intuitive tendencies. And then, peaking early in the morning of the same day (24th), Mars 1/3 Uranus brings unusual or unexpected sounds or motions.

Peaking early in the morning of the 25th, Mercury CON Venus in Scorpio makes it easier to communicate one's feelings and emotions. And at about the same time, Venus parallel Mars tends to sharpen the focus of such communications to male-female participants. Peaking in the evening (but in orb for many days), Jupiter 5/11 Saturn introduces a negative note, potentially involving such things as health, finances, and stability.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 27th (but in orb for many days), Saturn 3/8 Neptune creates a downer atmosphere, sometimes involving feelings like hopelessness. Coupled with the above-mentioned Jupiter 5/11 Saturn influence, this period of time is not the best time for a party.

In the afternoon/evening of the 28th, Sun parallel Neptune focuses on nebulous concepts and feelings, generally creating a smooth and comfortable (though somewhat out-of-focus) atmosphere. And Sun CON Venus in the sign of Scorpio focuses on feelings and subjectivity in general, and openly expressing those feelings in particular -- especially in crowds.

Peaking at about midday on the 29th, Venus parallel Pluto continues the tendency for feelings to be expressed openly -- especially in crowds.

In the afternoon of the 31st, Mercury parallel Venus encourages talking and writing about our feelings. If we wanted to tell someone how we really feel about the person, it could be easier at this time.

Notwithstanding the negative clouds created by the Jupiter 5/11 Saturn and Saturn 3/8 Neptune aspects (peaking on the 25th and 27th, respectively), October could actually end on a tolerable/acceptable note.

* * *

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go to our website at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.

A Guide to Astrological Influences in September 2010

2010-07-29T20:56:00.000-07:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of September is: 3 conjunctions, 2 oppositions, 2 trines, 1 square. Based on this simplified profile, it looks like September might turn out to be a relatively ho-hum month. Also, the two planetary oppositions are relatively short-term influences, and they peak on the same day.

In the morning of the 1st, Sun parallel Mars generates an invigorating atmosphere. Under this influence, people will feel more inclined to do their morning physical exercises.

In the evening of the 2nd, Venus parallel Neptune focuses on hopes and dreams and other facets of our innermost subjective life. In the morning of the 3rd, Sun CON Mercury in Virgo sets up an atmosphere which is compatible with thinking and communicating, especially about expansive issues, including health and travel. At about midday on the 4th, Venus 1/3 Neptune focuses on hopes and dreams, harmoniously. And in the wee hours of the 7th, Sun parallel Mercury sets up an atmosphere which is compatible with thinking and communicating. (Some of this could remind us of Yogi Berra's famous saying, "It's deja vu all over again.")

In the afternoon/evening of the 9th, Mars 1/3 Neptune smooths the way to get things done. And in the afternoon/evening of the 12th, Mercury goes stationary-direct in Virgo, creating a "think big" climate (since Virgo is the higher-harmonic sign of Sagittarius, contrary to textbook data).

Jupiter 1/11 Neptune peaks in the afternoon/evening of the 13th, tending to create widespread confusion. (In our experience, the entire "1/11" family of aspects -- "1/11", "2/11", etc. -- seems to be inharmonious.) Pluto goes stationary-direct in Capricorn in the evening (13th), emphasizing group endeavors and competitive attitudes and activities.

Mercury goes stationary in declination in the evening of the 16th, helping people to think and communicate better, and facilitating short trips.

Peaking in the evening of the 17th, Sun parallel Jupiter makes things feel expansive and cushy. Peaking an hour later, Venus parallel Pluto tends to make people show their feelings more readily.

Peaking in the afternoon/evening of the 18th, Jupiter CON Uranus in the sign of Pisces tends to produce some rather shadowy manifestations. More people may make claims about seeing ghosts or other apparitions. This period of time could feel downright strange in various ways. The general sense of reality could be shaken up because of this aspect. Peaking the following afternoon (19th), Sun parallel Uranus will prolong the sense of the unusual -- although the orb of the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction will spread out its influence liberally in the time-stream.

The 21st will feel a bit strange in its own right. Sun 1/2 Jupiter peaks early in the morning, tending to impede manifestations involving light, health, and finances. And then, peaking at about midday, Sun 1/2 Uranus creates surprises of the undesirable kind -- such as power outages. (Please note that this constitutes a somewhat loose opposition between the Sun and the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction in Pisces described above.) Early in the morning of the same day, peaking almost simultaneously, Sun parallel Saturn helps concentration, and Mars parallel Neptune "smooths the way to get things done" (somewhat similar to the action of the Mars-Neptune trine on the 9th). (The 21st is the day that the month's only planetary oppositions manifest, as mentioned earlier.)

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for September 21 can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of August at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)

The Sun crosses the celestial equator on the 22nd and enters Libra at 8:09 pm PDT (11:09 pm EDT), signifying the official beginning of autumn.

Peaking in the evening of the 24th, Sun parallel Saturn helps concentration, just as it did on the 21st. (The reason this aspect appears to be repeated so soon is that its occurrence on the 21st was a parallel of opposition and its occurrence on the 24th is a parallel of conjunction. When the Sun crossed the celestial equator, it moved from north to south declination, numerically paralleling the south declination of Saturn on both dates. In our experience, the manifestations of both polarities of parallel aspects are indistinguishable.)

Peaking in the afternoon/evening of the 25th, Sun 1/4 Pluto creates an atmosphere of belligerence and general unrest, especially via crowds.

In the morning of the 26th, Sun parallel Uranus will make things feel unusual. In the morning of the 29th, Sun parallel Jupiter will make things feel expansive and cushy.

In the afternoon/evening of the 30th, Sun CON Saturn in Libra will make things feel serious and concentrative. So September can be expected to exit with that feeling in the air -- especially since the Moon will be squaring the Sun-Saturn conjunction in the evening of the 30th.

* * *

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A Guide to Astrological Influences in August 2010

2010-07-01T20:30:00.000-07:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of August is: 2 conjunctions, 5 oppositions, 1 trine, 4 squares. The obvious preponderance of oppositions and squares implies that the month of August will probably be significantly more stressful than usual, and the detailed aspect schedule for the month seems to support that premise. Some of the stresses will be relatively brief due to the involvement of the Moon, but others will last longer. August should not be expected to be a peaceful period of time.

In the evening of the 2nd, peaking within only 2 hours of each other, Mars parallel Uranus and Venus parallel Saturn form a contrasting aspect pair. This category of configuration is generally not very predictable, and so it should not be considered impossible for an elderly woman to make strange noises. Or for a woman in authority to surprise others with unexpected pronouncements, perhaps even in the form of singing. In practice, this configuration will most likely manifest in a less bizarre and outlandish fashion. But Jupiter 1/4 Pluto, which also peaks in the evening of the 2nd (and has been in orb for many days), will tend to cast a widespread irritant over this period of time. And then, peaking in the evening of the 3rd, Mars 1/2 Jupiter and Mars 1/4 Pluto combine with the Jupiter 1/4 Pluto aspect to form a T-Square, a strong stressful aspect that always brings undesirable consequences. This is not a time to have a party or other social event. Best to just stay home.

Things lighten up a bit on the 4th and 5th. In the wee hours of the 4th, Venus parallel Mars helps to improve interpersonal relations, and in the evening of the 4th, Venus parallel Uranus may even brighten things up. In the evening of the 5th, Venus parallel Jupiter should help even more.

In the morning of the 6th, Mars parallel Saturn teams up with Venus parallel Jupiter to form a loose contrasting aspect pair -- loose because the peaks are about 4 hours apart. In this case, we could have things like a poor man and a rich woman interacting in some way. Or a short man and a tall woman. Yes, these are simplistic interpretations, but the concepts involved are valid and could manifest in identifiable ways.

The afternoon and evening of the 6th involve the Moon interacting with six planets in a string of five squares and an opposition, producing a period of time that is definitely stressful. The aspects are as follows: Moon 1/4 Venus, Moon 1/4 Uranus, Moon 1/4 Saturn, Moon 1/4 Jupiter, Moon 1/2 Pluto, and Moon 1/4 Mars. The first peak is at 2:22 pm PDT, and the sixth peak is at 11:27 pm PDT. This sequence of aspects obviously points to close interactions among the six planets in that list. The Moon's involvement in all this temporarily turns this already-strong multiple-planet T-Square into a super-strong Grand Cross! These interactions are among the factors that make August abnormally stressful.

Then Venus gets into the act more directly by opposing Uranus in the wee hours of the 7th, conjuncting Saturn at about midday on the 8th, opposing Jupiter in the afternoon/evening of the 9th, and squaring Pluto in the evening of the 9th. If you're planning a vacation, this is not the time for it. In fact, even staying home is no guarantee of serenity during this period.

The 12th is outstanding in its own way. After a string of parallel aspects peaking in the morning, the Moon forms the following aspects peaking in the afternoon and evening: Moon 1/2 Uranus, Moon CON Saturn, Moon 1/2 Jupiter, and Moon 1/4 Pluto. Those four planets are in a T-Square configuration, which is temporarily augmented by the Moon's involvement. The first peak is at 3:46 pm PDT and the fourth peak is at 8:38 pm PDT. During this period of time, don't expect everything to go well.

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for August 12 can be seen on
the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of July at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)

Peaking in the afternoon of the 16th, Jupiter 1/2 Saturn creates a kind of tug of war between factions that represent those two planetary influences: big and small, rich and poor, light and dark. It can get nasty.

After a short string of planetary parallels on the 18th and 19th, the aspect of Sun 1/2 Neptune peaks in the wee hours of the 20th. This would be a good time to stop the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico (if it hasn't already been stopped by now). And then, peaking at about midday, Venus CON Mars in the sign of Libra encourages the open expression of feelings. (Maybe recent events will trigger such expressions.) About an hour later, Mercury goes stationary-retrograde in Virgo, possibly prompting an announcement of some kind. In the late evening of the 20th, Mercury parallel Jupiter tends to set up a climate of "think big" in a positive and constructive way.

However, peaking in the wee hours of the 21st (but in orb for many days), Saturn 1/4 Pluto can interfere with positive attitudes and introduce a climate of irritating grouchy grumbling. Reaching a peak in the afternoon/evening, Saturn parallel Uranus tends to encourage finding solace in the mix of old and new.

In the wee hours of the 23rd, Mercury goes stationary in declination, creating a climate of thoughtfulness and constructive mentalizing. Peaking in the afternoon (23rd), Saturn 2/5 Neptune introduces a kind of downer mood; feelings tend to drag.

In the wee hours of the 24th, Jupiter parallel Saturn focuses on big important matters (health, finances, etc.). In the afternoon of the 25th, Mercury parallel Saturn focuses on relatively serious matters, but in a harmonious way. In the evening (25th), Sun 1/3 Pluto is compatible with plans and projects involving lots of doing, not just speculating.

At about midday on the 26th, Mercury parallel Jupiter peaks again, repeating its occurrence of the 20th, again producing the tendency to "think big" in a positive and constructive way. (That aspect occurred again because Mercury went stationary in declination on the 23rd and changed direction, in case you were wondering.) In the evening (26th), Mercury parallel Uranus brings forth bright original ideas and communications.

In the wee hours of the 27th, Sun parallel Venus amplifies the subjective side of life and tends to make us focus more on our feelings.

In the evening of the 28th, Jupiter parallel Uranus increases emphasis on big new things, sort of in the direction of a circus atmosphere but not confined to that kind of thinking. Heavy brooding attitudes and emotions are not compatible with this atmosphere.

It appears that although August has more than its share of bumpy periods (to say the least!), it could exit in better shape than it entered.

* * *

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A Guide to Astrological Influences in July 2010

2010-06-01T19:32:00.000-07:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of July is: 1 conjunction, 4 oppositions, 6 trines, 1 square. Although the number of planetary trines peaking this time is just as large as in the previous month, the number of squares is considerably smaller, and so maybe there is a fighting chance that there will be less stress this time as compared to last time. But remember, this is only a simplified profile, which always leaves opportunities for other influences to tilt the balance in other directions.

The first planetary aspect of major status to peak in the month of July is Uranus going stationary in declination in the afternoon/evening of the 3rd. This will tend to create an atmosphere of newness and surprise.

But that influence will continue and build up, as Uranus goes stationary-retrograde in Aries at about midday on the 5th. We can expect to be surprised in various ways under this influence. Since Uranus is close to the cusp (0 degree point) of Aries, we can expect many of the surprises to be related to Aries qualities -- such as motion, speed, force, masculinity, sound (loud and/or weird), increased vibration, competitiveness, etc.

In the wee hours of the 8th, Sun parallel Mercury aids in the thinking and communication processes (even in dreams). But reaching a peak in the afternoon/evening, Venus 1/2 Neptune confuses the feelings and makes things feel generally lousy.

Things pick up on the 9th, as Mercury 1/3 Uranus creates an atmosphere which is conducive to bright witty communications and original ideas. This would be a good time for planning and for exploring new territories.

In the evening of the 10th, Venus parallel Neptune increases our sensitivities to feelings and emotions, and heightens subjectivity in general. Then, peaking less than 3 hours later (in the wee hours of the 11th), Mercury 1/3 Jupiter encourages "think big" attitudes. Thoughts tend to be of large and/or faraway things, or of colors, food, wealth, etc.

Venus 1/3 Pluto peaks on the 13th at about midday, emphasizing friendly competitiveness, cooperative enterprises, and projects that help others.

Peaking in the afternoon of the 16th, Mercury parallel Pluto helps to create announcements and deliver speeches, or just make conversation.

Jupiter goes stationary in declination in the afternoon of the 19th, making things feel expansive, grandiose, wondrous. There is a tendency for this atmosphere to continue and to take on an adventurous feeling, due to two aspects which peak only a couple of hours of each other in the wee hours of the 23rd: Sun 1/3 Uranus and Jupiter going stationary-retrograde in Aries. The feeling of "wanting to go out and conquer the world" will build up and become especially strong leading up to the wee hours of the 23rd (undoubtedly producing a lot of interesting dreams). But peaking in the afternoon of the 23rd, Mars parallel Saturn makes its incursion, injecting a feeling of practicality into the atmosphere.

But there is another composite influence that has been lurking in the shadows and begins to show itself. Peaking in the evening of the 24th (but gradually building up for days before that), Jupiter 1/4 Pluto spreads an influence of expanding competition at every level of life (personal, neighborhood, etc., up to and including international), creating feelings of pushiness and general animosity, increasing the tendency for belligerence, conflict, and perhaps even actual combat. Aiding and abetting this atmosphere, Saturn 1/2 Uranus peaks at about midday on the 26th (its fifth and final peak in its current series), making matters even worse. Also peaking on the 26th, Mercury 1/2 Neptune injects a strong note of confusion. (Those two planets also parallel each other on the 26th, but that won't help matters much. Even Sun 1/3 Jupiter peaking in the wee hours of the 26th won't help significantly, even though it normally creates a very nice influence.) The combination of the Jupiter-Pluto square and the Saturn-Uranus opposition will dominate this period of time. The whole scenario should be quite interesting, though definitely not pleasant.

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for July 26 can be seen on
the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of June at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)

Mars parallel Uranus peaks in the early morning hours of the 29th, making things feel more adventurous than usual. There could be more than the normal amount or degree of strange sounds and unexpected actions. If you are usually a classical music fan, you may be attracted to other forms of music during this general period of time. Even in your dreams.

The 30th has its own style of strangeness. Peaking in the wee hours, Mercury 1/3 Pluto encourages the thinking process, especially in finding words to properly express ideas of various kinds -- not always an easy task for writers and speakers. However, peaking only a few hours later (still early in the morning), Mars 1/2 Uranus can suddenly call a halt to your actions in unexpected ways. The opposition aspect ("1/2") is a powerful influence, and so you should be prepared for surprises (if that is possible). Like, for example, if you are listening to recorded music, there could be an electric power failure affecting your neighborhood, turning off your music (and your lights). The afternoon of the 30th is not so extreme in its tendencies; Sun parallel Pluto will be stimulating people to indulge in projects of all kinds, especially the kinds that require group participation. Some of those projects may relate to cleaning up messes caused by the Mars-Uranus opposition -- like power outages.

Probably the only major influence that peaks on the 31st and is easy to understand (and to explain) is Mars CON Saturn in the sign of Libra, which peaks in the wee hours. The combination of Mars and Libra can increase tendencies in the direction of music, and Saturn tilts the compatibilities in the direction of classical music (or elderly musicians). But the formation of the other influences that peak on the 31st is not quite as easy to explain. Believe it or not, Mars parallel Jupiter peaks twice on that day -- at 9:55 am PDT and at 11:42 am PDT. Yes, and the two peaks are less than 2 hours apart. Mars crosses the celestial equator (0 degrees declination) between those two peaks, and Jupiter is very close to the celestial equator at that time. In fact, Jupiter crosses the celestial equator in the evening of the 30th, and slowly moves into south declination. On the 31st at 9:55 am, Jupiter is at 0 degrees 00' 32" south, and Mars is at 0 degrees 00' 32" north at that time. At 11:42 am, Jupiter is at 0 degrees 00' 36" south, and Mars is at 0 degrees 00' 36" south at that time. Remember, Mars crosses the celestial equator (0 degrees declination) between those times. This unusual "cosmic dance" produces the highly abnormal double-peak of aspects described here. The result will be a temporary intensification of the Mars-Jupiter influence. People will tend to feel a temporary increase in energy and a feeling of well-being -- sort of like feeling "on top of the world" for a while. But the Mars-Saturn conjunction will still be in close orb during this unusual interlude, and that will tend to throw a damper on the Mars-Jupiter influence. Those composite influences in this period of time will unquestionably manifest in myriad ways -- meaning that everyone will experience them in their own way, probably depending on their own personal aspects that manifest (are in orb) while all this other complicated stuff is going on.

And by the way, Mars is not all alone in producing the above-described "cosmic dance". Jupiter actually crosses the celestial equator twice in July. The first time is on the 8th, then it goes stationary in declination on the 19th (as described earlier in this article), and then it crosses the celestial equator again on the 30th, as mentioned above. All of this fancy footwork serves to make things much more intricate than usual, and as a result, describing it becomes something of a chore.

Understanding astrology is not easy for most people. Many of the concepts involved are beyond the capability of a large fraction of the population, and so, rather than admitting that they are just not up to the task, it is easier to claim that there is no validity to it all. Scientists have their own version of this. Their attitude is that if they can't explain how something could happen, then it can't happen. That's not a very scientific attitude, but it seems like everyone has their own pet rationalizations to maintain self-esteem. So it may be a while before astrology is included within the fold of science.

* * *

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A Guide to Astrological Influences in June 2010

2010-04-29T20:06:00.000-07:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of June is: 2 conjunctions, 3 oppositions, 6 trines, 8 squares. Despite the larger-than-normal number of planetary trines this time, they will still be outnumbered by the number of planetary squares. This could contribute to some real competition between comfort and stress in June.

Also please note that Saturn is opposing the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction, and this configuration is in orb throughout the month of June. Granted, that is not a very precise delineation of their interactions, and so the following is offered to clarify this to some extent. Here is a listing of the conjunctions and oppositions which take place between Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus, peaking in 2010-2011, listed in time sequence.

Saturn 1/2 Uranus 4/26/10
Jupiter 1/2 Saturn 5/22/10
Jupiter CON Uranus 6/ 8/10
Saturn 1/2 Uranus 7/26/10
Jupiter 1/2 Saturn 8/16/10
Jupiter CON Uranus 9/19/10
Jupiter CON Uranus 1/ 4/11
Jupiter 1/2 Saturn 3/28/11

Those influences, all by themselves, are enough to give people problems for a significant amount of time, especially when the relevant orbs are taken into account. And if we were to include squares from Jupiter and Saturn to Pluto, it would add another five peaks to that listing. (The peaks of squares from Uranus to Pluto don't start until 2012.) As you can see from this, the future is well stocked with strong stressful influences for a while. And after those influences fade out, do things start to get better? Not particularly. These are stressful times that we are living through -- and, as we would expect, the aspects show it.

The first major planetary aspect to peak in June is Mars 1/2 Neptune, which peaks on the 4th at about midday. There could be problems involving slipperiness of all kinds, and moving fluids (like water and air) -- including unusual destruction from strong winds and tornadoes. Incidentally, the "slipperiness" could include people, such as the ones who are slick at stealing money and identities.

Jupiter enters Aries on the night of the 5th, and forms a conjunction with Uranus in the wee hours of the 8th. This could bring big surprises of all kinds, good and bad. It could be symbolized by a flashing light, but the actual manifestations could be very different -- like a sudden change involving money, fame, social status, etc. (This is the first peak of a three-peak set of conjunctions between Jupiter and Uranus, as shown in the listing above.) In the afternoon of the 8th, Mars parallel Neptune tends to echo the conditions described above regarding their opposition on the 4th, except that this parallel aspect is not as likely to tend toward the negative side of things. And then, peaking in the afternoon/evening of the 8th, Mercury 1/3 Saturn helps the mind to concentrate and focus. If you need to discuss serious matters with someone, this is a good time to do it; the "climate" will make it easier.

But don't count on the late evening of the 8th to sustain the benefits of the Mercury-Saturn trine, because Mercury 1/4 Neptune peaks in the wee hours of the 9th, injecting confusion. (A good time to sleep.) In the evening of the 9th, Mercury parallel Pluto can help with explaining things to others via either talking or writing.

Sun parallel Venus peaks in the wee hours of the 10th, increasing the compatibility for the subjective side of things, such as feelings, music, poetry, and the like. Emotions seem to be magnified at this time.

Peaking early in the morning of the 11th, Mercury 1/4 Mars brings out the more nearly belligerent expressions of things, such as people arguing and shouting, or just talking rapidly. It can also bring about more and greater speeding on the roads.

The 14th and 15th are unusual in that three of the planetary trines that peak in June occur in this time frame. Venus 1/3 Uranus peaks on the 14th at about midday, making things feel more fresh and alive, albeit more personal, emotional, and perhaps egotistical. People will tend to show off at this time, but not raucously. Peaking in the wee hours of the 15th, Venus 1/3 Jupiter has some of the same tendencies but focuses more on richness rather than uniqueness, largess (charity; gift-giving; generosity in general) rather than "me-ness". And then, peaking a few hours later, Mars 1/3 Pluto emphasizes competition in all of its phases, except that, being a trine, the positive side is emphasized. Sports (especially racing of various kinds) and other personal contests feel very compatible at this time, including friendly competitive activities.

Peaking at about midday on the 16th, Mercury parallel Venus emphasizes communication on a mostly personal basis. Friendly conversations abound.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 17th, Jupiter 1/11 Neptune spreads a cloud of unclarity and general confusion and fuzziness. This is not a good time to try to focus on concentrative subjects.

A contrasting aspect pair peaks early in the morning of the 19th, with the individual peaks occurring only 5 minutes apart. The aspects are: Sun 1/4 Saturn and Jupiter parallel Uranus. This pair is as contrasting as they get. The Sun-Saturn aspect tends to make everything seem solid and serious and concentrative and old, and usually creates a real downer atmosphere. On the other hand, the Jupiter-Uranus aspect is almost the exact opposite in virtually every way. It should be quite interesting to see what things happen and how they happen under this pair of aspects.

In the afternoon/evening of the same day (19th), Sun 1/3 Neptune creates a nice comfortable atmosphere, smooth and soft, suitable for relaxing.

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for June 19 can be seen on
the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of May at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)

The Sun enters the tropical sign of Cancer on the 21st at 4:28 am PDT, signifying the official beginning of summer.

In the afternoon/evening of the same day (21st), Sun parallel Mercury increases the compatibility for clear thinking and communicating. But not long afterwards, Sun 1/4 Uranus steps in and tries to unravel and alter thinking and communications. The result will probably be people trying to communicate more but making a lot of mistakes in the process. This Sun-Uranus square will increase the surprise factor significantly.

Early in the morning of the 23rd, Sun 1/4 Jupiter will put the emphasis on large things, extravagant thinking, faraway places, color, and light. But much of it will tend to be unrealistic and unusable.

In the morning of the 24th, Mercury 1/4 Saturn will affect thinking and communicating by making it more "solid and real and practical". New ideas and inspirational concepts might tend to be bypassed at this time, except that Mercury 1/3 Neptune peaks only 2 hours later, at about midday. The outcome might conceivably be that inspirations could be converted into practical channels and made useful rather than wasted.

Peaking in the morning of the 25th, Mercury 1/4 Uranus brings out innovative (but sometimes annoying) ways of communicating. The annoyance factor is boosted by Sun 1/2 Pluto, which peaks roughly 2 hours later.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 26th, Mercury 1/4 Jupiter will act a lot like the Sun 1/4 Jupiter aspect which peaked on the 23rd, but with more emphasis on the thinking and communicating factors. And then, in the afternoon/evening, Venus parallel Pluto boosts feelings and emotions.

In the wee hours of the 27th, Mercury 1/2 Pluto conjures up images of a person trying to control a crowd of unruly people. The situation is made more significant (more serious and confusing) by Saturn 5/12 Neptune, which peaks in the evening but has been in orb for several days.

The last two major aspects in June peak on the 28th. Sun CON Mercury in Cancer peaks early in the morning, and Mercury stationary in declination peaks at about midday. Both of these aspects feature Mercury qualities: thinking, communicating, making connections, taking short trips, etc. June seems to end better than it began.

* * *

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go to our website at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.

A Guide to Astrological Influences in May 2010

2010-03-30T19:41:00.000-07:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of May is: 0 conjunctions, 2 oppositions, 4 trines, 5 squares. The numbers of planetary trines and squares are nearly equal to each other, but the two planetary oppositions tend to tip the scales in the direction of more stress. They occur only one day apart (on the 22nd and 23rd), focusing the opposition type of influence on that part of the month. One of them is a Jupiter-Saturn opposition. (More about that later.)

Also, please note that the Saturn-Uranus opposition, which reached a peak the previous month (on April 26), is still in close orb at the beginning of May and will remain in orb throughout the month of May (and June) and will hit its fifth and final peak (in this series of peaks) on July 26. (It will remain in orb until at least the end of August.)

In addition, three planets go stationary in longitude in May. And so, altogether, May may not be so tame.

And now, details about planetary aspects that reach their peaks in May.

Peaking in the afternoon/evening of the 2nd, Saturn 5/12 Neptune spreads a cloud of "downer" influence, tending to increase the sadness factor. But in the wee hours of the following morning (the 3rd), Mercury 1/3 Pluto increases the compatibility to communicate, especially to a wide group of people. Since Mercury goes stationary on the 11th, this aspect will peak again on the 19th and remain in orb most of the month.

Pluto goes stationary in declination in the wee hours of the 4th, making things feel more energetic, albeit more competitive. Peaking a few hours later, Sun 1/4 Mars enforces a similar tendency but stronger and with more resultant stress. These two aspects could keep some people awake. And then, peaking slightly later (6:39 am PDT), Mercury parallel Neptune will try to help people sleep (especially since it will be accompanied by the peak of Venus 2/7 Neptune only 1 minute later), but it will probably be a case of "too little too late".

Peaking in the afternoon of the 6th, Mars parallel Pluto energizes things and adds a competitive component (similar to what happened on the 4th when Pluto went stationary in declination). And then, peaking in the afternoon/evening of the same day, Jupiter parallel Saturn harmoniously combines "big and small", growing and shrinking tendencies, income and expenditures, to produce an acceptable result -- perhaps a compromise.

Jupiter 2/9 Pluto peaks in the evening of the 7th, focusing on things such as health issues, the stock market, increased competitiveness, etc.

In the wee hours of the 10th, Sun parallel Mars adds a harmonious ingredient of energy and competition. (Seems to be a lot of that ingredient in May.) And late in the wee hours of the 12th, Sun parallel Pluto adds more of the same. In the midst of all of that, reaching a peak in the afternoon/evening of the 11th, Mercury goes stationary-direct in Taurus, tending to bring balance to things by making suitable connections. And then in the evening of the 15th, Mercury goes stationary in declination, further helping the thinking process and "making suitable connections".

Peaking in the wee hours of the 17th, Venus 1/4 Jupiter promotes grandiose feelings, such as the idea that you can afford to purchase something that really costs more than you can afford. Emotions are intensified in the direction of feeling like a giant when you aren't.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 18th, Venus 1/4 Saturn promotes feelings opposite those described above for the 17th, such as the idea that you can't afford something that you really can afford. This one is an emotional "downer". Emotions are intensified in the direction of feeling like a dwarf when you aren't.

Please note that the above two Venus squares can also be characterized as Venus squaring the Jupiter-Saturn opposition which will peak in a few days. It is actually a slightly loose T-Square configuration, which means that it is definitely ungood, capable of messing with the feelings in a major way. It pays to strive for stability and to avoid extremes during this period of time.

As though the aspects are trying to compensate for the above-mentioned T-Square (which they can't really do), they form two trines during the afternoon/evening of the 18th. The first one, Venus 1/3 Neptune, can feel really nice under ordinary circumstances: comfortable and relaxed. The second one, Sun 1/3 Saturn, can feel stable, practical, and emotionally "cool" (as the younger generation would call it) if nothing else is interfering with its influence. Unfortunately the Venus-Jupiter-Saturn T-Square will be overriding this otherwise pleasant pair of trines, and so the best that these trines can do is make a shallow dent of temporary niceness in it.

The 19th is a mixed bag, featuring Sun 1/4 Neptune (which will bring confusion), Mercury 1/3 Pluto (echoing its occurrence on the 3rd, attempting to increase the compatibility for communication), and Venus 1/4 Uranus (which will make people feel more egotistical and act "different"). All three of these aspects reach their peaks within an hour and a half of each other, the last peak occurring at 12:41 pm PDT.

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for May 19 can be seen on
the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of April at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)

On the 22nd at about midday, Venus goes stationary in declination, which will tend to magnify the feelings, making them more sensitive. Normally this can be nice, such as when we witness a musical presentation or watch a movie or listen to a reading of poetry, etc. But the major aspects in orb at this time are not cooperating. Jupiter 1/2 Saturn reaches its peak late in the evening, tending to wreak havoc in any way it can (and probably succeeding in a great many cases). In terms of the political arena, it will pit Liberals against Conservatives (even more than it has already been doing, if that is possible). And then, in the evening of the next day (the 23rd), Venus 1/2 Pluto will bring emotional pressures of greater-than-usual magnitudes (as though any of us needs that at this time). The atmosphere during this period will be anything but pleasant. And, in particular, it can be used to assess our inner stability -- and a number of other things as well.

A special note about the Jupiter-Saturn opposition: The peak on May 22 is the first of a series of three peaks. The second peak is on 8/16/10, and the third peak is on 3/28/11. After the May 22 peak, it will remain in orb until roughly the early part of September (peaking on August 16), and then fade out temporarily until it fades back in for its third peak. It should also be mentioned here that it entered into orb in the latter part of April and is in orb throughout the month of May (and beyond, as described here).

Saturn goes stationary in declination in the afternoon/evening of the 25th, creating an atmosphere of stability and conservative attitudes.

Uranus temporarily leaves the sign of Pisces on the 27th and enters the sign of Aries, where it will reside until August 13. On that date, it will retrograde back into Pisces until March 11, 2011, at which time it will enter Aries again, this time for a more stable residency. During the period when Uranus is in Aries, we can expect new things to take on a somewhat different form. Instead of wispy/smoky/ghostly/intangible form, they will be based more on new kinds of actions, including open actions rather than covert/secretive/undercover types. In terms of the characteristics of the sign of Aries, perhaps the new manifestations will accentuate sounds (including noise, unfortunately). In terms of the characteristics of Uranus itself, electronics can be expected to play a substantial part in the new activities, including new kinds of computers and portable devices -- and an increase in the occurrences of electronic robots that talk. For people who dislike covertness, the reduction of manifestations of covertness and things that are "hidden" in some way can be refreshing, but the open actions could be anything but likable. As usual, these kinds of influences can manifest in either "good" or "bad" directions, sometimes depending on how you look at it.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 28th, Jupiter 1/12 Neptune spreads a likable atmosphere tending toward feelings of relaxation and lack of stress. Later in the morning, Mercury parallel Neptune increases the compatibility for inspirational ideas -- both having them and communicating them.

Peaking in the morning of the 29th, Neptune goes stationary in declination, spreading an atmosphere of fuzzy niceness. This is a time that is normally best spent in relaxation rather than in serious concentrative activities. But stationary Saturn on the 30th could modify that.

The 30th and 31st are hosts to planets going stationary in longitude and weaving somewhat (but not totally) contradictory influences. On the 30th at about midday, Saturn goes stationary-direct in Virgo, increasing the compatibility for serious concentrative activities, especially those which involve "large" or far-reaching contexts. (Due to the orb of this aspect, it could change our attitude about the activities we feel like engaging in on the 29th.) And on the 31st at about midday, Neptune goes stationary-retrograde in Aquarius, increasing the compatibility for vagueness of all kinds -- including partially formed images, ideas, and plans. Under this influence, some of them could involve watery escapades, such as boat trips and/or fishing trips. (Unquestionably the nearly simultaneous stationary status of Saturn and Neptune will spawn feelings and events which will embody that combination of influences.) Reaching a peak late the same night (the 31st), Mercury parallel Mars helps to solidify the idea of going on a short trip for some purpose (watery or otherwise), or for telling stories and having animated conversations.

All in all, the complex cosmic influences seem to be shaping up to make May an interesting month, though parts of it may not be totally to our liking. There seems to be no such thing as a perfect month.

Item: A Jupiter-Uranus influence is building up during the month of May. At the beginning of the month, those two planets are within 5 degrees of conjuncting each other in the sign of Pisces. At the end of the month, they are within only 1 degree of conjunction -- even though they are in different signs at that time since Uranus enters Aries just before the end of the month (on May 27). This means that Jupiter CON Uranus is in orb throughout the month of May. It will reach a peak (become exact) in June, with both planets in Aries at that time since Jupiter will change sign and enter Aries early in June. In addition, those same two planets will also conjunct each other in declination in June.

Cosmic dances have all kinds of fancy steps.

* * *

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go to our website at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.

A Guide to Astrological Influences in April 2010

2010-03-01T20:27:00.000-08:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of April is: 1 conjunction, 1 opposition, 4 trines, 4 squares. Like the previous month, that looks like a relatively evenhanded profile, not emphasizing anything in particular. Probably the most outstanding aspect peaking in April is the Saturn-Uranus opposition, which hits its fourth peak (in its current series of five peaks) on April 26. (Its final peak in this series will take place on July 26 this year.) The Saturn-Uranus parallel which peaks on March 23 will still be in orb at the beginning of April, but it will lose much of its influence by the end of April.

The first major planetary aspect to peak in April is Jupiter 1/5 Pluto, which peaks at about midday on the 1st. This can manifest as increased gusto with respect to large projects, especially those which involve many people. It can also connote health issues which involve many people, such as epidemics. More widespread conflict could also stem from this aspect. Mercury parallel Neptune peaks in the afternoon-evening of the same day (1st), making it easier to communicate ideas that are normally difficult to verbalize (i.e., translate into words). Remember, Mercury and Neptune are harmonically related to each other, contrary to orthodox astrological teachings. They both represent the Basic Postulate of Connectivity, with Neptune being the one that aligns with the most generalized (and therefore hard to grapple with) facets of the subject.

The atmosphere on the 2nd gradiently changes as the day unfolds, due to the influence of Venus 1/4 Mars, which peaks in the wee hours of the 3rd. It becomes harder to remain "cool, calm, and collected". Being nice to people can become an exercise in will power. Serenity is temporarily in short supply. This is not a good time for parties and social mingling.

But things gradiently change on the 3rd as the day unfolds, due to the influence of Sun parallel Jupiter, which peaks in the evening of the 3rd, and Venus parallel Neptune, which peaks in the wee hours of the 4th. As the influence of these two aspects builds up in strength, the atmosphere lightens considerably, morphing into a period (the evening of the 3rd) which is a good time for parties and social mingling. (And besides, it's a Saturday night.)

The remainder of the 4th is a mixed bag, due to Venus 1/3 Pluto and Mercury 1/4 Mars, both of which peak in the evening of the 4th. The first of these two aspects can be good for social events, but the second one can sometimes lead to argumentation. In addition, the evening of the 4th will be influenced by Venus 2/5 Saturn, which peaks at about midday on the 5th. This latter aspect is an emotional downer, capable of putting a damper on things.

In a sense, the 6th belongs to Pluto. Mercury 1/3 Pluto peaks in the wee hours, and Pluto goes stationary-retrograde in Capricorn in the evening. Good useful work can be done under this composite influence, especially in the evening of the 5th and very early on the 6th.

Major planetary aspects then seem to take a sabbatical for about a week, and then comes the peak of Uranus 1/12 Neptune in the wee hours of the 13th. This one is a bit special because of the signs that these two planets are in; Uranus is in Pisces, the sign associated with Neptune, and Neptune is in Aquarius, the sign associated with Uranus, all of which tends to reinforce the influence. Of course, there are many ways in which this influence can manifest. One of them is a proliferation of strange mystical experiences that seem to pop up out of nowhere. Or, the introduction of a new soft drink, or a new boat design, or (another) new or unusual weather pattern. Mercury parallel Pluto peaks at about midday, and when this influence is combined with the Uranus-Neptune influence, it is easy to see that new ideas and concepts will tend to spring forth at this time. Adding to all this, Venus aspects both Pluto and Mars at almost the same time in the afternoon/evening (the peaks are only 16 minutes apart). The specific aspects are: Venus 4/11 Pluto and Venus 2/9 Mars. This could invigorate moods, either good or bad. Taking all of this into account, the 13th promises to be a very special day.

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for April 13 can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of March at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)

Mercury goes stationary in declination in the afternoon of the 16th, and it goes stationary-retrograde in Taurus in the evening of the 17th. This will tend to make thinking and communication more compatible, as well as stimulating linkages and connectivities of all kinds. Also on the 17th, Venus 3/8 Pluto and Venus parallel Pluto reach their respective peaks; the first of these could make feelings more edgy, stressed out, whereas the second one can make feelings stronger in a positive way. As usual, the direction these mixes take in the inner and outer behavior of any given individual depends strongly on the individual's personal aspects.

In the wee hours of the 18th, Mercury parallel Venus makes it easier to communicate one's personal feelings. And in the afternoon/evening of the 19th, Mercury parallel Pluto (which also peaked on the 13th) tends to increase communications (especially of the widespread kind). (Note: In case you are wondering how this aspect can peak twice in six days, it is because Mercury went stationary in declination on the 16th, thereby changing direction in declination at that time.)

In the evening of the 22nd, Sun parallel Neptune tends to make things feel somewhat more comfortable, albeit a bit swimmy. Then, peaking less than an hour later, Venus parallel Mars tends to make things feel more sociable. This might be a good time to just relax and enjoy yourself -- except for the presence of Venus 1/5 Mars, which also peaks at this time and could diminish the enjoyment factor to some degree.

In the afternoon (and morning) of the 23rd, Venus 1/4 Neptune injects a dose of confusion and perhaps disorientation into people's feelings. But as the day unfolds, Venus 1/3 Saturn gradiently injects an increasing antidote of solid focus and common sense, reaching a peak in the wee hours of the next day (24th).

In the wee hours of the 25th, Mercury 1/4 Mars (which also peaked on the 4th) adds vehemence to thoughts and communications, sometimes leading to arguing and shouting. (Note: In case you are wondering how this aspect can peak twice in 21 days, it is because Mercury went stationary-retrograde on the 17th, thereby changing direction in longitude at that time.) Later in the morning (25th), Sun 1/3 Pluto lends an air of industriousness to the atmosphere, adding "get up and go" to people's feelings.

Saturn 1/2 Uranus peaks in the afternoon/evening of the 26th. As mentioned near the beginning of this article, this is the fourth peak of this aspect's current series of five peaks. It is "major stuff" and should be expected to yield significant fallout. Stresses can arise between new and old, change and status quo, flamboyant and modest, etc. It will probably not manifest quite as simply as those examples, but it will manifest. An aspect of this magnitude is bound to be powerful and far-reaching in its effects. But we won't know the full details of its impact until it actually manifests. This aspect is already within 3ø of exact at the beginning of April -- easily within orb -- and it will be within half a degree at the end of April. So its influence will be felt all month. In fact this aspect will remain in orb throughout the period of time between its peak in April and its peak in July -- after which it will remain in orb until perhaps sometime in September.

The month of April ends with Sun CON Mercury in the sign of Taurus (28th) and Sun parallel Mercury (29th). Good for thinking and communication.

*

In researching the orb of the Saturn-Uranus aspect, a bunch of other stuff was unearthed, as shown below with their associated peak dates.

7/23/10 Jupiter stationary
7/24/10 Jupiter 1/4 Pluto
7/26/10 Mercury 1/2 Neptune
7/26/10 Saturn 1/2 Uranus
7/30/10 Mars 1/2 Uranus
7/31/10 Mars CON Saturn
8/02/10 Jupiter 1/4 Pluto (again)
8/03/10 Mars 1/2 Jupiter
8/03/10 Mars 1/4 Pluto
8/07/10 Venus 1/2 Uranus
8/08/10 Venus CON Saturn
8/09/10 Venus 1/2 Jupiter
8/09/10 Venus 1/4 Pluto
8/16/10 Jupiter 1/2 Saturn
8/20/10 Sun 1/2 Neptune
8/20/10 Venus CON Mars
8/21/10 Saturn 1/4 Pluto

That seems to be a good period of time to take a vacation -- preferably on another planet.

By the way, in case the data in the above list leads you to consider that there must be a Jupiter CON Uranus aspect lurking somewhere nearby: Yes, there is. That conjunction peaks on 6/08/10, 9/18/10, and 1/04/11.

* * *

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go to our website at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.

A Guide to Astrological Influences in March 2010

2010-02-02T19:36:00.000-08:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of March is: 5 conjunctions, 3 oppositions, 3 trines, 3 squares. That looks like a relatively evenhanded profile, not emphasizing anything in particular. But please remember that the long-running Saturn 1/4 Pluto aspect is still playing out its second peak. At the beginning of March, that aspect is a bit over 2 degrees past peak, which means that it is reduced in strength but still kicking. At the end of March, it will be about 5 degrees past peak, having lost most or all of its bite by then. But it will be back again later this year, reaching its third peak on August 21.

Another factor which affects the month of March is a declination aspect between Saturn and Uranus. Saturn parallel Uranus is a bit over 1 degree from exact at the beginning of March, reaches a peak on March 23, and is about half a degree past peak at the end of March. More about this later.

As to the rest of March: Mercury parallel Neptune peaks in the wee hours of the 2nd, tending to make sleep easier, and also tending to heighten inspiration. However, Saturn 2/5 Neptune peaks at roughly midday (having been in orb for several days) and injects a concentrative note -- and an emotional "downer" atmosphere. This latter aspect will dominate.

On the 3rd, Jupiter 2/11 Pluto peaks in the afternoon, generating a competitive atmosphere. It could cause boundary disputes -- anything from local gang turf fights to disagreements at the international level. It could also bring problems of a health nature, such as an epidemic. But peaking in the evening, Venus CON Uranus in Pisces introduces its own brand of influence: glittering personality. This odd mix on the 3rd could conceivably lead to competitiveness based primarily on egotism.

Late in the evening of the 4th, Venus parallel Uranus offers a scaled-down echo of the Venus-Uranus conjunction of the 3rd. Glitz dominates.

But in the evening of the 6th, Venus parallel Saturn removes the glitz, and the focus is on personal/emotional reality of the unavoidable kind.

Please notice that on the 4th and 6th, Venus is interacting with the slowly-building Saturn-Uranus parallel, temporarily injecting another ingredient into the brew.

Peaking at about midday on the 7th, Venus 1/3 Mars creates a nice social climate, boosting the compatibility to just plain get along with people. Peaking in the afternoon, Mercury is at apogee (furthest distance from the Earth), boosting the compatibility to think and talk and carry on comfortable conversations. And then, peaking in the afternoon/evening, Mercury CON Jupiter in Pisces focuses on the tendency to "think big". Some people might want to use this day to take a cruise on a quiet lake.

The wee hours of the 9th (and the previous day as well) introduce quite a change from the 7th. Venus 1/2 Saturn brings cold harsh reality into the atmosphere, displacing comfortable facades and flighty make-believe. However, later (but still in the early hours), Mercury parallel Jupiter tends to bring nice thoughts of happy times. The afternoon/evening takes a different turn. Peaking within 7 minutes of each other at about 6 pm PST (9 pm EST), Mercury 3/8 Mars and Sun 4/11 Mars inject a dual note of animosity, perhaps loud talk and even shouting. Not a nice social time.

Peaking early the next morning (10th), Jupiter 4/9 Saturn focuses on big solid topics, such as health, finances, buying or selling a house, etc. Later in the morning, Mars goes stationary-direct in Leo, creating a climate that is favorable for projects involving physical exertion. Sporting events of all kinds are emphasized.

Peaking in the morning of the 11th, Venus 1/4 Pluto makes things feel lousy due to personal competitiveness based largely on egocentricity.

To an extent, the 12th and 13th may feel somewhat similar to the 6th and 4th, respectively. Peaking on the 12th at about midday, Venus parallel Saturn puts the focus on personal/emotional reality. And peaking on the 13th in the afternoon, Venus parallel Uranus puts the focus on glitz. Yes, those two aspects also occurred earlier in the month. The reason for this second appearance is that Venus crossed the Earth's equatorial plane (the celestial equator, which defines 0 degrees declination) on the 9th and is interacting again with the Saturn parallel Uranus aspect. (The Sun and Mercury are close to the equatorial plane also, and so they can be expected to interact in declination with Venus and Saturn and Uranus soon, and with each other as well.)

In the morning of the 14th, Sun parallel Venus sets up a nice emotional atmosphere. And peaking at about the same time, Sun CON Mercury in Pisces creates a compatible climate for thinking, talking, writing, and taking short trips (like across a river or lake).

And by the way, Daylight Saving Time begins on March 14.

In the morning of the 15th, Sun parallel Uranus brings a feeling of newness. Peaking about an hour later, Mercury parallel Venus increases the tendency for pleasant social conversations. Peaking in the afternoon, Mercury CON Uranus in Pisces creates some surprisingly bright thoughts and communications; very good for inspiration. Even the Moon gets into the act. Peaking in the afternoon/evening, the Moon conjuncts Uranus and Mercury in Pisces, further accentuating the same kind of atmosphere.

There are more of these parallels on the 16th. Early in the morning, Sun parallel Saturn brings a harmonious feeling of realism. Peaking about 2 hours later, Mercury parallel Uranus brings more surprisingly bright thoughts and communications. In the afternoon/evening, Mercury parallel Saturn helps the mind focus better. And late in the evening, Sun CON Uranus in Pisces brings surprises and a feeling of newness.

In the wee hours of the 17th, Sun parallel Mercury makes thinking easier and better. In the afternoon/evening, Mercury 1/3 Mars adds vigor to conversations. And in the evening, Uranus is at apogee, emphasizing its qualities of newness and surprise and differentiation. But then, peaking in the wee hours of the 18th, Mercury 1/2 Saturn "lowers the boom" by causing interruptions in flows of all kinds, including communications.

In the wee hours of the 19th, Sun parallel Mercury makes thinking easier and better (like it did on the 17th). Of course, this can also keep some people from falling asleep.

In the wee hours of the 20th, Mercury 1/4 Pluto can bring heated discussions and emotionally based decisions and announcements, mostly ungood.

The Sun crosses the celestial equator and enters Aries on the 20th at 10:32 am PDT (1:32 pm EDT), signifying the beginning of spring.

Also on the 20th, Mercury parallel Saturn peaks at about midday, helping the mind to focus better (like it did on the 16th). In the afternoon, Mercury parallel Uranus brings surprisingly bright thoughts and communications (like it did on the 16th).

These repetitions of parallel aspects involving the Sun and Mercury are due to the Sun and Mercury crossing the celestial equator -- Mercury on the 18th and the Sun on the 20th.

The 21st is loaded with stuff! Peaking at about midday, Sun 1/3 Mars encourages people to "get physical" in their activities, rather than just sitting and reading and thinking. In the afternoon/evening, Saturn is at perigee (closest approach to the Earth), emphasizing its qualities of stability and concentration. Also in the afternoon/evening, Sun 1/2 Saturn and Jupiter 5/11 Saturn further magnify the strong Saturnian influence which permeates this period of time, generally inharmoniously. Not good for social get-togethers. The evening is host to an interrelated group of three aspects: Venus 2/7 Mars, Venus 2/7 Pluto, Mars 3/7 Pluto. Emotional and physical power are likely to be exerted at this time. The 21st looks like it could be a very interesting day -- in its own way. A total of ten planetary aspects reach a peak on this day. Quite unusual!

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for March 21 can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of February at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)

In the afternoon/evening of the 22nd, Venus parallel Jupiter tries to spread a very nice atmosphere of comfort and "feel good" satisfaction. However, it is under the powerful umbrella of the aspect which peaks in the wee hours of the following morning (23rd): Saturn parallel Uranus. This aspect was mentioned near the beginning of this article. It is in orb all month, and undoubtedly spills into April as well. There are a great many ways in which it can manifest, but basically it will try to combine the qualities of stability and instability, past and future, sameness and differentiation, status quo and change, continuity and abruptness, timelessness (foreverness) and newness (instantaneousness), tradition and irreverence, etc. In general, the chance of doing this harmoniously is somewhere between slim and none. But on occasion it can be accomplished. It is always interesting to see how this kind of influence will play out, and the month of March will offer ample opportunity for it to do so -- especially in the immediate vicinity of the 23rd.

In the wee hours of the 25th, Sun parallel Uranus brings a feeling of newness (like it did on the 15th). Late in the morning, Sun parallel Saturn brings a harmonious feeling of realism (like it did on the 16th). At about midday, Mercury parallel Jupiter tends to bring nice thoughts of happy times (like it did on the 9th). In the evening, Sun 1/4 Pluto brings unrest -- mentally, emotionally, physically, or any combination thereof.

In the morning of the 29th, Mercury parallel Venus increases the tendency for pleasant social conversations (like it did on the 15th).

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Because of the declination pile-up of the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus, plus the fact that the Sun, Mercury, and Venus cross the equatorial plane -- all of this in March -- March turns out to be a somewhat complicated month. The simplified profile of planetary aspects obviously doesn't really tell the whole story.

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A Guide to Astrological Influences in February 2010

2010-01-05T20:04:00.000-08:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of February is: 5 conjunctions, 1 opposition, 1 trine, 0 squares. On the surface, this appears to be a rather innocuous profile, indicating a general climate of "coming together and combining" due to the relatively large number of planetary conjunctions and relatively small number of the other components of the simplified profile. But please remember what was said earlier (in the article about January) regarding the long-running Saturn-Pluto square, which manifests three peaks. The second peak occurs on January 31 and is in orb throughout the month of February.

With respect to the five planetary conjunctions peaking in February: Sun and Venus conjunct Jupiter and Neptune, and Mercury conjuncts Neptune. Mercury will complete the pattern by conjuncting Jupiter on March 7.

February starts out under the dark umbrella of the Saturn-Pluto square, which peaks on January 31. Nothing feels good under this aspect.

Jupiter 5/12 Saturn peaks in the wee hours of February 5, adding to the predominantly negative feelings which already exist at this time. And then, peaking at about midday on the 6th, Jupiter 1/6 Pluto tends to galvanize feelings and actions in a relatively positive direction. (Note that there is a small pattern here. Jupiter is aspecting the Saturn-Pluto square, injecting a Jupiterian component into the mix.)

In the evening of the 7th, Venus CON Neptune in Aquarius (the first conjunction in the pattern of conjunctions mentioned earlier) brings strong feelings, but also includes tendencies toward creating ego-based facades.

Peaking in the afternoon of the 8th, Uranus 2/9 Pluto brings a different climate: creativity intended for widespread use. Or, alternatively, news of nuclear weaponry which gets everyone's attention. Or, something involving broadcast, satellite, or cable television, or the Internet. When this aspect is combined with the Saturn-Pluto square, the result may well be something associated with the flu, including the H1N1 variety.

By the way, yes, Uranus 2/9 Pluto reached a peak on December 18 also. This is a classic case of what I call "planetary tag". Uranus went stationary-direct on December 1, and Pluto will go stationary-retrograde on April 6. By definition, Earth is the viewpoint from which geocentric aspects are gauged, and the Earth itself is in motion.

In the wee hours of the 10th, Venus parallel Neptune produces results somewhat similar to the Venus-Neptune conjunction of the 7th.

In the afternoon-evening of the 12th, Mercury 1/3 Saturn facilitates concentrative endeavors: studying, planning, paying the bills, etc. But in the wee hours of the 13th, Mercury 1/2 Mars can lead to conflict, clamming up (refusing to talk about something), and the like. Ungood.

Sun parallel Neptune peaks at about midday on the 13th. Sun CON Neptune in Aquarius peaks in the afternoon/evening of the 14th. These aspects reinforce each other, producing a fuzzy swimmy atmosphere. Look out for slippery ice and slippery sales pitches.

The very-long-term aspect of Neptune 1/7 Pluto reaches peak #18 of its 20-peak marathon in the evening of the 15th. (Please see the comments about December 16 in the article about that month.)

Venus CON Jupiter in Pisces peaks in the evening of the 16th, and Venus parallel Jupiter peaks in the wee hours of the 18th. These two aspects reinforce each other, producing expansive (and expensive) feelings. The tendency is to have grandiose attitudes (e.g., vacationing in Bermuda).

The 19th is interesting for two reasons. First reason: Mercury parallel Pluto peaks at 4:12 pm PST (7:12 pm EST) and Mercury 4/11 Saturn peaks at 4:48 pm PST (7:48 pm EST). The former is good for widespread announcements of various kinds, whereas the latter tends to be nasty or negative regarding communications. Both manifest at about the same time. Second reason: Jupiter 3/7 Saturn peaks in the evening, emphasizing big "solid" subjects, such as mountains, finances, construction, health, etc.

After several days of relatively minor planetary aspects, Sun parallel Jupiter peaks in the wee hours of the 25th, tending to produce a very nice atmosphere: comfortable, relaxing, relatively stress free.

The 27th is interesting for a single reason in two parts. First part: Mercury CON Neptune in Aquarius peaks at 6:03 am PST (9:03 am EST). Second part: Mars going stationary in declination peaks at 6:25 am PST (9:25 am EST). The former aspect tends to increase mental fuzziness and confusion and facilitates sleep, but it can also help to smooth the way for certain kinds of thinking and is compatible with receiving spiritual inspiration (especially during sleep). Whereas, the latter aspect is good for physical exertion (using force of any kind for any purpose) and competitive activities. Since both aspects manifest at about the same time, they constitute what I call a "contrasting aspect pair".

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for February 27 can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of January at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)

In the wee hours of the 28th, Sun CON Jupiter in Pisces produces a nice atmosphere, somewhat similar to the influence of Sun parallel Jupiter on the 25th. However, things could feel dispersive. Avoid overspending.

Note that although the Sun conjuncts Neptune on the 14th, it doesn't conjunct Jupiter until the 28th. This clearly demonstrates that the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction -- which peaked on 5/27/09, 7/10/09, and 12/21/09 -- is now definitely out of orb. It had been spreading clouds of confusion for months, but no more -- for which we can all be grateful.

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A Guide to Astrological Influences in January 2010

2009-12-01T20:25:00.000-08:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of January is: 3 conjunctions, 2 oppositions, 2 trines, 1 square. This appears to be a somewhat subdued profile, but there are two factors that enter into the picture that could modify things. The first factor is the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction that peaked in December. That conjunction is only 2 degrees past exact at the beginning of January and therefore still alive and kicking, but it will gradually fade out during the month, being more than 7 degrees past exact at month's end. The other factor is the Saturn-Pluto square that peaked on November 15. In the article about November, the Saturn-Pluto square was characterized as bringing "an atmosphere consisting of powerful nitpicking to the point of wearing people down and possibly wrecking their entire day." Well, that has to be considered to be a gross understatement -- partly because the "entire day" is more like a period of a few months. That aspect reaches another peak on January 31 and remains in relatively close orb during the whole period of time between the peak on November 15 and the peak on January 31, after which it will gradually fade out, but it won't be out of the picture until sometime in March. That allows plenty of time for "powerful nitpicking" and a whole lot more. That aspect, all by itself, is probably enough to make everybody feel uneasy (and, in many cases, considerably worse than that) through that entire period of time. The idea of "nitpicking" doesn't come close to characterizing the potential wielded by this one aspect. (By the way, the Saturn-Pluto square will be back in orb later in 2010, reaching another peak on August 21.)

As to January: Sun CON Mercury in Capricorn peaks at about midday on the 4th, bringing an atmosphere which is compatible with serious concentrative thinking and communication. And then, in the wee hours of the next day (the 5th), Mercury CON Venus in Capricorn continues the serious thoughtful climate and deepens the mood even further. In effect, this configuration represents a triple conjunction of the three planets, the third conjunction peaking on the 11th but in orb throughout the intervening period. But since Venus represents not only moods (and subjectivity in general) but also balance, there could be a greater-than-usual focus on bringing balance to various facets of our society.

On the 7th and 8th, three planets go stationary in declination -- a very unusual occurrence. The first one is Saturn (peaking early in the morning of the 7th), the second one is Mercury (peaking late in the same day), and the third one is Pluto (peaking in the afternoon/evening of the 8th). When a planet goes stationary in declination, its qualities are magnified, just as they are magnified when a planet goes stationary in longitude or in geocentric distance. So, in this case, we can expect emphasis on seriousness and stability, thinking and communication, and multiplicity and competition -- all focused into this two-day period.

The third of the three conjunctions mentioned earlier, Sun CON Venus in Capricorn, peaks in the afternoon of the 11th. Serious concerns about balance and fairness can arise in this period of time. The popularity of classical music might also experience an unexpected (but temporary) resurgence. And of course, elderly and/or authoritative women might be in the news more than usual. This climate also overlaps the influences described above for the 7th and 8th. Also, Jupiter 2/5 Saturn peaks in the afternoon of the 11th, but it is actually in orb nearly all month, eventually morphing from a "2/5" (biquintile; 144 degrees) aspect into a "5/12" (quincunx; 150 degrees) aspect (which peaks on February 5). The Jupiter-Saturn influence focuses on large solid things (such as mountains, and planets in outer space) and important "heavy" concepts (such as the mortality of the H1N1 flu epidemic). In this general period of time, laughter may be a bit more difficult to find.

By the way, a modernized list of longitudinal aspect angles is contained in the Symbols & Abbreviations chapter of the useful and informative booklet The Reference Companion to The New Standard Aspectarian, which accompanies the first monthly copy of a person's first annual subscription to The New Standard Aspectarian -- the most complete aspectarian available.

Saturn goes stationary-retrograde in Libra in the morning of the 13th, further reinforcing the atmosphere that pervades the earlier part of the month. But also peaking in the morning, both Venus and the Sun sextile Uranus. Although Venus and the Sun are in the sign of Capricorn and are therefore augmenting the influence of Saturn, their sextile with Uranus will significantly modify the morning hours of that day, making it less heavy and more alive. However, as the day wears on, the temporary lift from Uranus will subside and the influence from the stationary Saturn will reassert itself.

The remainder of the month of January is significantly influenced by a series of declination aspects, most of them involving Mercury, Venus, Mars, and the Sun. Such aspects were notably absent from earlier in the month (except for the lunar parallels), but the later part of the month appears to be dominated by them.

Early in the morning of the 14th, Mercury parallel Mars adds gusto and oomph to communications, and may even increase the number of short quick trips and conversations. The following morning (the 15th), Mercury goes stationary-direct in Capricorn, increasing the tendency for thinking and communications to be serious and concentrative (rather than being light-hearted and frivolous).

In the afternoon/evening of the 16th, Mercury parallels Mars -- again. How can that be? They just did that two days earlier. A careful check of the prestigious Raphael's Ephemeris -- both their annual booklet for 2010 and their very large (and very heavy) 151-year volume for 1900-2050 -- indicated perfect agreement with our results. Not only do they list both aspects but also the peak times they show for those aspects match ours exactly (taking the time zone difference into account). The double peak undoubtedly stems from the fact that Mercury goes stationary (and therefore changes direction as viewed from the Earth) so close in time to the Mercury-Mars parallel, thereby causing that aspect to appear to repeat itself. Remember, these aspects are geocentric. They are configurations as viewed from the Earth.

On the 17th, the Sun gets into the act by paralleling both Mercury and Mars at about midday. (The peaks are less than half an hour apart.) This will bring an atmosphere similar to what was described for the 14th (and therefore fully applicable to the 16th).

In the morning of the 19th, Mercury parallels Venus and Venus parallels Mars, bringing a pleasant active atmosphere. These two aspects actually complete a triple parallel configuration, the remaining aspect being Mercury parallel Mars, which double-peaked on the 14th and 16th. This triple parallel will tend to make this period of time generally nice.

You may have noticed that no distinction is being made here between the two kinds of parallel aspects: parallel of conjunction (where both of the planets are on the same side of the equatorial plane) and parallel of opposition (where the two planets are on opposite sides of the equatorial plane). The reason is that years of observation have indicated that there seems to be no discernible difference in how these two kinds of parallels manifest. They both seem to combine the qualities of the participating planets in a generally harmonious manner.

In the evening of the 21st, Venus 1/3 Saturn creates a predominantly serious mood, ideal for listening to (and playing) classical music -- especially since Saturn happens to be in the sign of Libra, the sign which is associated with Venus.

In the morning of the 24th, Sun 1/3 Saturn focuses on the achievement of long-term stability. Taking the long view feels better at this time. Short-term goals seem relatively trivial now.

In the wee hours of the 25th, Mercury parallel Mars invigorates thinking and communications. Umm ... Didn't that aspect already peak twice just recently? Yup, on the 14th and the 16th. This is its third peak in less than two weeks. The aforementioned two Raphael's Ephemeris references confirm the validity of this peak also, including the precise peak time.

The evening of the 26th is host to the peak of Venus 1/2 Mars. This aspect would ordinarily have a relatively long orb time, but in this case Mars is retrograde, which speeds up the relative motion (as seen from the Earth) between these two planets, so the build-up time is only a few days. In terms of interpersonal relations (and most other contexts as well), this aspect brings friction and strife in varying degrees. So this is definitely not a good time to have a party or any other social event. Things just don't seem to go right under this influence. It is generally a time to stay home and keep to yourself.

The icky atmosphere mentioned above would ordinarily fade out in just a few days after the peak of the Venus-Mars opposition, but this is not an ordinary period of time. There are also two other inharmonious aspects in action. Peaking at about midday on the 29th, Sun 1/2 Mars tends to interfere with cycles related to sound, motion, force, temperature, vibration, competition -- anything pertaining to the qualities of Mars. On the other hand, those same qualities could enter into interfering with other cycles; it works both ways. The other inharmonious aspect being referred to here is the long-running Saturn-Pluto square, which peaks in the afternoon of the 31st. As mentioned earlier, this one is nothing to mess with. (For more details regarding the Saturn-Pluto square, please refer back to the introductory paragraph of this article.)

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for January 31 can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of December at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)

There are some lesser aspects which peak during the same period of time (i.e., the last few days of January), and they tend to improve things, but only by a relatively small amount by comparison. There is a triple parallel configuration which peaks during this period, as follows: Sun parallel Pluto in the afternoon of the 27th, Venus parallel Pluto in the wee hours of the 28th, and Sun parallel Venus in the wee hours of the 30th. And Mercury goes stationary in declination at about midday on the 31st, tending to make it easier to think and communicate. If left to themselves, these aspects would make things feel harmonious and perhaps even invigorating. But for the most part, they don't have a fighting chance against the combined onslaught from Venus 1/2 Mars, Sun 1/2 Mars, and Saturn 1/4 Pluto.

Not all months end on a positive note.

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A Guide to Astrological Influences in December 2009

2009-11-04T21:22:00.000-08:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of December is: 4 conjunctions, 0 oppositions, 2 trines, 5 squares. The profile could actually be somewhat misleading this time, because all of its aspects except one are short-term. The one exception in the profile is the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction, which reaches a peak on the first day of winter. That aspect is within less than 3 degrees of exact all month.

December opens with a blast from Uranus, which goes stationary-direct in Pisces on the 1st in the early afternoon. That atmosphere is reinforced by Uranus having gone stationary in declination on the 29th of the previous month and by the Mercury-Uranus square which peaked on the 30th of that month. This composite influence will tend to make the 1st seem somewhat electrifying. Newness is in the air, and change seems to be everywhere. Adventure easily trumps habitual routine on this day.

Mercury goes stationary in declination in the early morning of the 6th, tending to make talking and writing more compatible, even in dreams.

Mercury CON Pluto in Capricorn peaks in the wee hours of the 7th, tending to make communications more widespread in their flows, reaching more people than usual. Serious speeches to crowds are more compatible now. Mercury 1/4 Saturn peaks in the early evening, making communications more concentrative and serious. The emphasis is on paying the bills, etc.

Mars goes stationary in declination in the morning of the 10th, making things peppier, more energetic. Doing physical exercise seems more compatible at this time. So are speed and noise. In the afternoon/evening, Sun 1/3 Mars produces a similar effect, and makes it seem harmonious.

In the morning of the 12th, Jupiter 1/12 Uranus makes you want to buy something expensive -- and it may work out under this influence. But look out for the morning of the 14th. That is when Sun 1/4 Uranus causes unexpected consequences to pop up, making you wonder if change is really always desirable. (Hint: Sometimes it is and sometimes it isn't.)

The very-long-term aspect of Neptune 1/7 Pluto peaks again on the 16th in the morning. This is peak #17 of the 20-peak aspect. I believe that it is responsible for much of the cruddy feeling that many people have been experiencing over the last several years, and I also believe that it has been establishing most of the compatibility for the covert terrorist conflicts in the Middle East. It won't begin to drift slowly out of orb until after its final peak in the year 2011.

Peaking in the early morning of the 17th, Venus 1/3 Mars conjures romantic feelings. It's also good for playing or listening to music, and for reading poetry out loud.

In the morning of the 18th, Uranus 2/9 Pluto focuses on a wide range of manifestations, such as new viruses (e.g., the H1N1 virus) and possible changes in deployment of troops in the Middle East.

In the afternoon/evening of the 19th, Venus 1/4 Uranus brings out vanity and egotism in people's behavior. It can feel pretty icky sometimes.

In the early morning of the 20th, Mars goes stationary-retrograde in Leo. One of the manifestations of this could be an increase in the feeling of a militaristic atmosphere. Traffic cops could be in the news more than usual, as well as high-ranking army personnel.

Jupiter CON Neptune in the sign of Aquarius peaks in the wee hours of the 21st, spreading a kind of cloud of fuzziness in people's psyches. Magnanimous generalities are compatible with this influence. This is probably not a good time to try to handle serious matters or concentrative issues. It is probably a good time to just lean back and relax.

The Sun goes stationary in declination on the 21st, entering Capricorn at 9:47 am PST (12:47 pm EST), all signifying the beginning of winter. Peaking about half an hour later, Jupiter 1/7 Pluto creates what could be termed a "pushy" atmosphere. This atmosphere is not necessarily obnoxious, but it can be. It can manifest as a good-natured bossiness, or it can manifest as a militaristic incursion.

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for December 21 can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of November at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)

The morning of the 24th is host to the peak of three planetary aspects which peak within less than 3 hours of each other: Sun 2/9 Uranus, Sun 1/7 Neptune, and Sun CON Pluto. Among many possible interpretations, this could correlate with a surprise action by terrorists in Iraq or Afghanistan, for example. In any case, it could make for an interesting morning. And then in the afternoon/evening of the next day (25th), Mars parallel Pluto and Sun 1/4 Saturn peak within less than an hour apart. This could also be interpreted in terms of a military type of action, and could include many deaths. Such a scenario is not exactly what most people would prefer to confront at the peak of the Christmas season.

Mercury goes stationary-retrograde early in the morning of the 26th, in the sign of Capricorn. This influence promotes thinking and communication, especially on serious or concentrative subjects. It can make business conferences more effective, and can help in planning short trips.

The evening of the 27th may feel a lot like the morning of the 24th. This should sound a bit familiar: Venus 2/9 Uranus, Venus 1/7 Neptune, and Venus CON Pluto. It's the same line-up as on the 24th, except with Venus replacing the Sun. Also, both Venus and the Sun are in Capricorn in both of the line-ups. As a consequence of these similarities, the activities of the morning of the 24th may experience a kind of temporal echo or reincarnation in the evening of the 27th. The presence of Venus in the 27th's line-up may put an increased focus on women in the news. There are, of course, many ways that this configuration could manifest.

Strangely enough, Venus also figures prominently in the planetary influences that peak on the 28th. Venus goes stationary in declination in the afternoon/evening. And then, in the evening, the following three planetary aspects reach their peaks: Venus 3/8 Mars, Venus 1/7 Jupiter, and Venus 1/4 Saturn. This will definitely increase the compatibilities regarding subjects and activities that are associated with Venus -- such as, for example, subjectivity, balance, women, feelings, music, poetry, etc. The Venus-Mars aspect will emphasize not only music and female musicians but also women in sports (baseball, track, automobile racing, etc.). The Venus-Jupiter aspect will emphasize women participating in outdoor activities and outer-space exploration. The Venus-Saturn aspect focuses on limitations (restrictions, boundaries, constraints, unfortunate consequences, endings) involving women. Please note that the last two aspects mentioned here -- Venus 1/7 Jupiter and Venus 1/4 Saturn -- constitute a contrasting aspect pair, peaking only about an hour apart. Such pairings generate influences that "pull in opposite directions" to some extent, and usually produce interesting manifestations.

Peaking in the evening of the 29th, Jupiter parallel Neptune spreads an umbrella of fuzzy comfort, making people less likely to tackle serious issues and more likely to just relax and have a good time. To a limited extent, it mirrors the influence of the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction which peaked on the 21st and which is still in orb, being less than 2ø from exact at month's end.

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A Guide to Astrological Influences in November 2009

2009-10-03T06:35:00.000-07:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of November is: 1 conjunction, 0 oppositions, 5 trines, 10 squares. This time, in spite of the number of trines, they are vastly outnumbered by the number of squares, portending a general tendency in the direction of stresses of various kinds. However, nearly all of the squares this time are relatively short-term, the one exception being the Saturn-Pluto square which peaks at mid-month. The long-term Jupiter-Neptune conjunction will be within about 6 degrees of exact at the beginning of the month, and that will narrow to within about 3 degrees of exact by the end of the month. It will become exact (again) on the first day of winter.

By the way, Daylight Saving Time changes to Standard Time on the first Sunday in November - which is November 1 this year. A reminder.

The first major planetary aspect of November is Mercury 1/4 Mars, which peaks in the afternoon/evening of the 1st. People will tend to be more impatient, move faster, talk faster, and be angrier at this time.

In the afternoon of the 2nd, Venus 1/3 Neptune makes things feel smoother and nicer, albeit slightly fuzzy. Being sociable is easier.

The 4th is well saturated with strong Neptune influences. Neptune goes stationary in declination in the wee hours, and then it goes stationary-direct in Aquarius at about midday. As stated for last year at this time (specifically, for 11/1/08) which experienced a similar situation: "This double whammy from Neptune will set the stage for waves of confusion to manifest not only on that date but also in the general period of time before and after that date." (The 3rd is Election Day in the U.S.) However, peaking in the wee hours of the 5th, Sun CON Mercury in Scorpio will make its contribution of adding an element of coherent thinking and making proper connectivities. This influence and the "double whammy from Neptune" can compete with each other - coherence versus confusion. But if a person has the necessary ability, he can combine them to magnify the opportunity for higher inspiration.

On the 5th and 6th, there is a triple parallel of conjunction involving the Sun, Mercury, and Jupiter, as follows: Sun parallel Mercury peaks in the afternoon of the 5th, Mercury parallel Jupiter peaks in the morning of the 6th, and Sun parallel Jupiter peaks late in the evening of the 6th. This is a tight configuration (less than half a degree wide in declination) and will promote clear thinking and wide-range planning on a variety of subjects and projects. However, it must be said that the aforementioned Neptune influences will have not yet faded out.

Early in the morning of the 8th, Mercury 1/4 Jupiter tends to disperse the attention but also focuses on wide-range thinking. If a person can overpower the dispersal and keep it under control, he can accomplish much under this influence. Otherwise his thinking will go out of focus. These comments also apply to some extent to the Sun 1/4 Jupiter aspect which peaks on the 10th at about midday. Without the necessary control, dispersal will rule.

In the wee hours of the 11th, Mercury 1/3 Uranus brings out original, creative, and even surprising kinds of thinking and communications. New ideas are sparked, and novelty is in the air. However, in the afternoon, Mercury 1/4 Neptune breeds confused thoughts and communications.

The period of the 14th-15th is a mixed bag - similar in some ways to the 11th, and for the same kind of reason. On the 11th, Mercury trined Uranus and then squared Neptune. In the afternoon/evening of the 14th, Sun 1/3 Uranus makes things seem new and alive, but in the afternoon of the 15th, Sun 1/4 Neptune confuses the atmosphere. However, this time, in the middle - in the morning of the 15th - Saturn 1/4 Pluto reaches a peak, which brings an atmosphere consisting of powerful nitpicking to the point of wearing people down and possibly wrecking their entire day. Actually this Saturn-Pluto square is in orb for several days; the 15th only represents the peak of its influence. So, in a sense, the three aspects mentioned here for the 14th-15th comprise a contrasting aspect trio. The slower-moving Saturn-Pluto square establishes a strong background influence under which the faster-moving Sun-Uranus trine and Sun-Neptune square perform. (Some configurations are much easier to think about in concept form than they are to describe in words. Many concepts cannot be comfortably and accurately represented by verbal structures.)

By the way, in addition to all that, the wee hours of the 15th is also host to an aspect group consisting of three minor planetary aspects that all reach a peak within less than 20 minutes of each other starting at 12:21 am PST (3:21 am EST), as follows: Mercury 2/9 Jupiter, Sun 1/7 Saturn, and Mercury 1/11 Pluto. Under this grouping, ideas and communications might bunch up, and then trail off afterwards. If that is so, the effects of this tendency could be interesting to observe.

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for November 15 can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of October at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)

The 17th is host to a contrasting aspect pair. Venus 1/9 Saturn and Venus 4/11 Uranus both peak in the wee hours within only 6 minutes of each other starting at 3:48 am PST (6:48 am EST). Feelings can be a mixture of old and new, traditional and current (or even futuristic).

Peaking in the wee hours of the 19th (but strongly in orb the previous day, particularly the evening), Venus 1/4 Mars can bring strife into a relationship (especially the romantic kind). Probably the best way to "ride it out" is to be more thoughtful, tactful, and tolerant. Nobody is perfect, and picking on someone's imperfections is not a good way to maintain a relationship.

Another contrasting aspect pair occurs in the afternoon of the 20th. Mercury 1/5 Jupiter and Mercury 2/11 Saturn peak about an hour apart, bringing together thoughts of big and small, grandiose and picayune, light and dark, expensive and cheap, important and insignificant, etc.

Peaking in the afternoon of the 23rd, Venus 1/4 Jupiter tends to make one's feelings lean in the direction of things and ideas that are big, grandiose, light, expensive, and important. Please notice that this list does not include "practical". Subjectivity has center stage.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 24th, Jupiter 1/11 Uranus seems to extend the influence of the Venus-Jupiter square of the previous day but with the added element of surprise, suddenness, the "do it now" feeling, the futuristic angle. Again, practicality is not considered. (Actually the orb of this aspect is such that its influence preceded the influence of the Venus-Jupiter square. As mentioned earlier, some concepts don't fit into words as easily as others.)

In the evening of the 25th, Venus 1/3 Uranus tends to put people's feelings in present time and the future and steer them away from history and traditionalism. This would be a good time for a party, except that the next day is a major holiday.

The 26th is Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. Mercury 1/3 Mars peaks in the morning, facilitating the communication of rapid instructions and rapid actions. But Venus 1/4 Neptune peaks in the afternoon/evening (depending on time zone), which could tend to mess up orderly plans and confuse the feelings. Technically, it could increase the probability of fluid imbalances of all kinds.

A double dose of Venus-Mars influence peaks on the 27th at about midday. Venus parallel Mars peaks at 10:32 am PST (1:32 pm EST), and then about half an hour later, Venus 3/11 Mars reaches its peak. The first of these two aspects is harmonious in nature, facilitating smooth relationships and balancing actions. But the second aspect is inharmonious (as are all members of the "1/11" family). Since the planets involved in both influences are the same pair, this could be an interesting period of time.

Uranus goes stationary in declination in the afternoon/evening of the 29th, spreading an atmosphere of newness, surprise, and innovation. This influence will tend to make the day seem to "come alive".

On the 30th at about midday, Mercury 1/4 Uranus creates tendencies for miscommunications of all kinds: misspeaking, typographical errors, etc. Wrong connections could be made on trips and in using the telephone. So extra care should be used in talking, writing, traveling, and dialing.

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A Guide to Astrological Influences in October 2009

2009-09-02T21:59:00.000-07:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of October is: 2 conjunctions, 2 oppositions, 6 trines, 3 squares. This time the trines outnumber each of the other members of the simplified profile, possibly portending an observable alleviation of stress this month (which I think everyone would welcome). The Jupiter-Neptune conjunction is still hovering on the fringe of being in orb, being about 6 degrees or 7 degrees from exact this month, but it will find its way back into respectable orb during the month of November.

As mentioned last time, Saturn parallel Uranus and Sun parallel Mercury peak in the wee hours of October 2, and Mercury goes stationary in declination at about midday. This combination of aspects focuses on thinking and making connectivities, and the object is likely to be both practical and surprising. Perhaps something new will emerge out of the past for people to ponder.

The 4th promises to be a strange day. Mercury 1/2 Uranus peaks in the afternoon, raising the compatibility for sudden surprising disconnects of various kinds. This can apply to power outages and other kinds of electrical failures. It can also apply to typographical errors, Internet glitches, and strange behavior of the telephone system. It can also make people say things they don't really mean. Then, peaking in the early evening, Mars 1/3 Uranus sets up a compatible atmosphere for strange new sounds and motions. But hanging over all of this is Uranus 1/12 Neptune, which peaks in the evening. This aspect can attract all kinds of strange phenomena, including hallucinations and ghosts.

Late on the 7th, Mercury CON Saturn in the sign of Virgo injects a husky dose of serious stability, tending to pooh-pooh flighty notions and harebrained ideas and theories, no matter how valid they may actually be.

Peaking in the afternoon of the 9th, Venus 1/2 Uranus brings out the egotism in people, groups, and nations. Warm selfless cooperation may be hard to find at this time. People tend to emphasize their uniqueness.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 10th, Sun 1/3 Jupiter contributes an ingredient of harmony and good feeling. This is a good time to relax.

On the 10th at about midday, Mercury 1/4 Pluto makes things be (or seem) more complicated than usual, and causes communications to be more irritating than usual. On the other hand, if you need to design a complex system of some kind, this aspect might actually be helpful. (Sometimes harmony/disharmony, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.)

The 11th and 12th seem to be dominated by Jupiter. That planet goes stationary in declination in the morning of the 11th, and then it goes stationary-direct in the sign of Aquarius in the evening of the 12th. Under these influences, the things that are emphasized are spaciousness, health, wealth, color. These include things like the great outdoors, faraway places, outer space, food/nutrition, medical topics, etc. In the wee hours of the following morning (the 13th), Venus CON Saturn in the sign of Virgo brings feelings of seriousness and stability.

On the 15th at about midday, Venus 1/4 Pluto brings edgy feelings and competitive attitudes, making it more difficult to "love thy neighbor". There may be an increased tendency to show off in a pushy way.

In the afternoon/evening of the 16th, Sun 1/3 Neptune "greases the way" for accomplishing things. This is done by smoothly facilitating things rather than by badgering and bullying. Brute force should not be needed.

In the afternoon of the 20th, Mercury 1/3 Jupiter has "think big" written all over it. Grandiose ideas have a better chance of succeeding at this time. Practicality seems less important now than the wonder of it all. In the evening of the 22nd, Jupiter 1/10 Uranus adds a component of inventiveness to the influence of the Mercury-Jupiter trine, making the atmosphere feel a little bit like an adventure in outer space. Big surprises could accompany this pair of aspects.

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for October 22 can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of September at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)

In the morning of the 24th, Mercury 1/3 Neptune tends to open the faucet wide for a greater-than-usual flow of inspiration, hunches, gut feelings. Saturn 2/5 Neptune in the evening of the 26th (and for days beforehand) tends to stabilize hunches, etc. So, hopefully, this latter aspect will help to make the inspirations more reachable, more realistic, and doable.

In the evening of the 28th, Venus 1/3 Jupiter tends to make the evening a good time for conferences, conversations, and just plain socializing __ especially since it is accompanied by Mercury 1/6 Pluto. But Sun 1/4 Mars peaks in the wee hours of the next day (the 29th), tending to make things more forceful than might be desired in the evening of the 28th. So perhaps the afternoon (of the 28th) might be a slightly better time for socializing, etc. In reality, probably no time period is absolutely perfect for any given activity. (That may be one of the manifestations of the principle which is portrayed in the well-known Yin-Yang symbol, which expresses that total purity is impossible.)

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A Guide To Astrological Influences In September 2009

2009-07-31T19:07:00.000-07:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of September is: 3 conjunctions, 5 oppositions, 1 trine, 3 squares. In terms of stress evaluation, the planetary oppositions and squares clearly outnumber the planetary trines, which might mean that September could be another month of more stress than normal. The Jupiter-Neptune conjunction is temporarily taking a siesta (it's on the edge of being in orb), but it will drift back into orb later this year, peaking on December 21.

Probably the best way to introduce the month of September (other than the simplified profile described above) is to repeat the paragraph that was used for that purpose last time. Here it is again. "Here are some previews regarding September. Mercury is 'slowing down', getting ready to go stationary-retrograde (Sept. 6). So it will square Mars and Pluto again (Sept. 3 and 17, respectively). And Pluto will go stationary-direct (Sept. 11). And Venus will oppose Neptune (Sept. 15). Saturn will oppose Uranus again (Sept. 15) __ the third peak in their current cycle of five. And the Sun will align with that opposition by opposing Uranus and conjuncting Saturn (Sept. 17). It looks like the middle part of September promises to be an interesting period of time!"

The first major planetary aspect of September is Mercury 1/4 Mars, which peaks in the morning of the 3rd. It creates a belligerent atmosphere, tending to cause conversations to escalate into shouting matches.

Mercury goes stationary-retrograde in Libra in the evening of the 6th, focusing on Libra-related subjects, such as balance and subjectivity.

If you are a fan of the number 7, you might feel strangely attracted to the 7th day of this month, which is host to the following aspects which represent the septile ("1/7") family of aspects: Mars 2/7 Uranus and Sun 3/7 Jupiter (both peaking in the wee hours) and Mercury 1/7 Venus (which peaks in the afternoon/evening). The first two aspects may make the wee hours feel more adventurous than usual, while the third aspect may create an atmosphere which is more in line with music and poetry.

Mercury goes stationary in declination in the early morning hours of the 8th, making thinking and communication easier and more effective.

Peaking in the morning of the 9th, Jupiter 1/10 Uranus weaves a fabric of fantasy and of exploration of whole new realms of imagination and discovery. Big new ideas are in the air. (Note: Part of this influence is due to Jupiter being in Aquarius and Uranus being in Pisces.)

The 11th includes a mix of Venus 1/2 Jupiter peaking in the wee hours and Pluto going stationary-direct in Capricorn at about midday. These two aspects, which will be in orb for days before their peaks, will make the 11th a not very pleasant day. Hopes and plans could be found faulty and irritability could run high. Probably nobody will enjoy this day.

Three nonlunar terminals aspect each other on the 12th. Sun parallel Saturn peaks in the wee hours, Sun 3/7 Neptune peaks at about midday, and Saturn 5/12 Neptune peaks in the afternoon-evening. This one is a mixed bag, with the Saturn components delivering a concentrative climate and the Neptune components delivering a kind of slippery climate: hazy, fuzzy, blurred, confused, indistinct, unclear, obscure. In this kind of atmosphere, increased concentration may not compensate for the fuzziness.

In the afternoon/evening of the 13th, Jupiter 2/5 Saturn continues the serious concentrative Saturnian feeling but infuses it with contrasting expansive Jupiter ingredients: space, color, health, wealth, etc. Big mountains and outer-space debris may be in the news.

The next few days are especially interesting for various reasons. The third of the five peaks of the current Saturn-Uranus opposition cycle occurs early in the morning of the 15th, and Venus 1/2 Neptune peaks in the afternoon. There is not much chance that anyone will enjoy the atmosphere of this day. Bad things could happen on a wide scale, dashing the hopes and dreams of a great many people. The 17th may be no better, with Sun 1/2 Uranus peaking in the wee hours, Mercury 1/4 Pluto peaking about two hours later, and Sun CON Saturn in the sign of Virgo peaking at about midday -- definitely not a good day for anybody.

Sun CON Mercury in the sign of Virgo, which peaks in the wee hours of the 20th, will greatly stimulate the much-needed communications which will be triggered by the events of the recent days. A lot of people will have a lot to say about what has been happening. In the evening (20th), Venus 1/3 Pluto will encourage vigorous feelings to be vented, probably in a useful way. Peaking in the wee hours of the 22nd, Mercury CON Saturn in Virgo adds a further tendency to bend communications in the direction of seriousness. Nobody is feeling humorous lately.

Taking an overview of the astrological patterns that peaked between the 15th and the 22nd, it looks like this: The Sun, Mercury, and Saturn are all in conjunction with each other in the sign of Virgo, and that triple conjunction opposes Uranus in the sign of Pisces (with the exception of the Mercury-Uranus opposition, which doesn't peak until the morning of the 23rd). A pattern of this stature doesn't happen without major consequences in our society. It's just a matter of how it will all play out.

Note: The 16th and 17th are also unusual for another reason __ namely, Uranus is at perigee (closest to the Earth) on the 16th, Saturn is at apogee (furthest from the Earth) on the 17th, and Mercury is at perigee on the 17th. This is being mentioned here because in the previous article in this series, it was stated that "... when a planet goes stationary in either longitude or declination or geocentric distance, its influence is temporarily magnified." Apogee and perigee correspond to being stationary in geocentric distance, and yet those two kinds of aspects are not usually mentioned in these articles. Why? Because in the case of the slower-moving planets, apogee and perigee aspects coincide time-wise (within a day or two) with conjunctions and oppositions, respectively, with the Sun, which are always mentioned here. So, in a sense, some redundancy is avoided by not mentioning the apogee and perigee aspects.

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for September 17, 2009, can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of August at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)

The Sun crosses the celestial equator on the 22nd and enters Libra at 2:19 pm PDT (5:19 pm EDT), signifying the official beginning of autumn.

In the morning of the 23rd, two planetary aspects combine to really mess things up. Sun 1/4 Pluto creates a highly competitive atmosphere, in fact belligerent. And Mercury 1/2 Uranus (mentioned earlier) tends to disrupt connectivities of all kinds. This includes interference with communications __ oral, written, and (especially) electronic.

The period of time between the 22nd and the end of the month and into the 2nd of the following month is host to a multiplicity of declination aspects involving the Sun, Mercury, Saturn, and Uranus __ the same four planets that were involved in the conjunction-opposition configuration described earlier. Sun parallel Mercury peaks in the afternoon/evening of the 22nd, and peaks again in the wee hours of the 23rd. (This double peak is due to both the Sun and Mercury crossing the celestial equator on the 22nd.) Then Mercury parallel Uranus peaks in the afternoon of the 28th, and Mercury parallel Saturn peaks early in the morning of the 29th. Then Sun parallel Uranus peaks at about midday on the 30th, and Sun parallel Saturn peaks in the afternoon/evening (30th). And then Saturn parallel Uranus and Sun parallel Mercury peak in the wee hours of October 2, and Mercury goes stationary in declination at about midday. (Yes, the Sun and Mercury already paralleled each other twice: on the 22nd and 23rd. The parallel on October 2 is their third. This unusual action is due to the Sun and Mercury crossing the equator on the 22nd and Mercury going stationary in declination on October 2. Nobody ever said that astrology has to be simple.) And then, in addition to that veritable frenzy of activity in declination, Mercury goes stationary-direct in Virgo on the 29th, putting extra focus on connectivities and communications.

It seems that September (and the beginning of October) should be awarded a trophy of some kind for the sheer number of interactions involving four specific nonlunar terminals. In any case, the last couple of weeks of September should be a time to remember!

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A Guide To Astrological Influences In August 2009

2009-07-03T13:40:00.000-07:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of August is: 1 conjunction, 5 oppositions, 5 trines, 4 squares. Again there are a goodly number of planetary trines, comparable to June and July but unlike the months of this year prior to June. However, as in July, the planetary trines are significantly outnumbered by the planetary oppositions and squares, possibly portending more stress for the month than usual (whatever "usual" might mean in these unusual times.) And remember, the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction is in orb throughout the month of August even though it doesn't peak in August.

And now let's look at the other significant astrodynamic influences in August. Jupiter 3/7 Saturn peaks in the afternoon of the 1st, emphasizing considerations of practicality regarding things like health, space, color, and finances. And then, reaching a peak later in the afternoon, Venus 1/2 Pluto will try to mess up our composure and rile our emotions. Taken together, these two aspects will tend to create a stressful atmosphere regarding the subjects of health, space, color, and finances.

In the morning of the 3rd, Mercury 1/3 Pluto sets up a nice atmosphere for meetings, conferences, announcements, or just talking and writing. Peaking in the afternoon (but in orb for days), Jupiter 1/11 Uranus injects an ingredient of big new ideas that are "out of left field" -- intriguing, audacious, but generally harebrained and impractical.

In the wee hours of the 6th, Venus goes stationary in declination, emphasizing feelings and emotions and other aspects of subjectivity.

For a few days leading up to the peak in the afternoon/evening of the 10th, Mars 1/4 Saturn creates a climate of stern harsh seriousness, somewhat similar to a militaristic atmosphere, perhaps demanding blind obedience. Arguments can turn deadly under this influence.

Reaching a peak in the afternoon of the 12th (but in orb for days), Jupiter 1/7 Pluto spreads an influence which could be conceptualized as "widespread multiplicity". Anything that relates to that concept is brought into focus under this influence -- viruses, war, multifaceted competitiveness, etc. (Item: Please realize that astrological influences originate at levels of existence higher than the gross planetary levels, and so describing them verbally is inevitably limited by the constraints of language and the human mind. That is one of the reasons why some people find it so difficult to comprehend astrology.)

In the morning of the 13th, Mars 1/3 Jupiter establishes a nice climate for working on big projects of all kinds, either physical or ideological. Jupiter is in the sign of Aquarius and Mars is in the sign of Gemini, and so the concept of "new ideas" is included as an ingredient in this influence. However, Sun 1/2 Jupiter peaks the next day (14th) at about midday followed by the peak of Saturn 3/7 Neptune early in the afternoon, and so this should be taken into account -- such as by not working on the project very long after the peak of the Mars-Jupiter trine. In practical terms, this actually means that the latter two aspects will tend to put a damper on the otherwise nice Mars-Jupiter trine.

By the way, Jupiter and Neptune are at perigee in mid-August (peaking on the 14th and 17th, respectively) -- meaning that they are closest to the Earth at this time. Another way of saying this is that both planets are stationary in geocentric distance. The reason this is mentioned here is that when a planet goes stationary in either longitude or declination or geocentric distance, its influence is temporarily magnified. So, due to these two perigee aspects, the influences of Jupiter and Neptune should be felt more strongly than usual at this time.

The 17th is a mixed bag. Mercury CON Saturn in the sign of Virgo peaks in the morning, increasing the compatibility for mental concentration. But Sun 1/2 Neptune peaks in the afternoon, increasing the compatibility for confusion and blocked flows of all kinds. Mars 1/3 Neptune peaks in the evening, tending to facilitate flows of all kinds. As indicated, the 17th is a mixed bag, and it is anybody's guess as to how this will all play out. As usual in this kind of thing, what each person experiences will probably depend on his or her personal aspects.

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for August 17, 2009, can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of July at http://www.newstandardaspectarian.com/.)

Peaking in the evening of the 18th, Mars 1/4 Uranus makes things feel a bit strange. Unusual motions and sounds (including noises) emerge from various sources (including people). Some things may move erratically.

Jupiter 5/12 Saturn peaks in the morning of the 19th, focusing on areas similar to those associated with the Jupiter 3/7 Saturn aspect which peaked on the 1st (namely: health, space, color, and finances) -- except that in this case, the focus will be less harmonious. A "5/12" aspect is generally inharmonious whereas a "3/7" aspect is more nearly neutral.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 21st, Mercury 1/2 Uranus creates a strong tendency to alter communications. Mistakes in talking and writing abound under this influence. Wires come loose in electrical apparatus. Things that are routed are more likely to wind up in the wrong place -- such as mailing materials and telephone calls. If you need to change your mind about something, this is a compatible time for doing so. Appointments are forgotten. Pens and pencils won't write. Things are uncoordinated. Numbrs and wurd spelings are unaccountably jumbled. Dreams are weird.

A really strange set of aspects occurs on the 22nd and 23rd, as follows:
On the 22nd: Sun 3/7 Uranus Venus 1/3 Uranus
On the 23rd: Venus 3/7 Pluto Sun 1/3 Pluto
Please notice the uncanny (if not downright spooky) symmetry involved. This appears to be a case of pure coincidence. If that's what it is, the probability of occurrence must be very close to zero. In terms of aspect interpretation, this period of time will feel fresh and new, due to the two Uranus aspects. And it will feel somewhat competitive and pushy, due to the two Pluto aspects. Still, the outstanding feature of this configuration is its extraordinary symmetry. (Actually there is a coincidence involved. The Sun and Venus are about 34 degrees 17' apart, and that just happens to be very close to the difference, 34 degrees 17'09", between the "1/3" and "3/7" aspect angles -- indeed a highly improbable occurrence.)

The configuration on the 25th and 26th is also interesting though not nearly as spooky. In essence, Mars 1/2 Pluto peaks in the afternoon of the 26th, creating an extremely competitive influence. It could easily give rise to widespread belligerence. Mercury squares that opposition in the evening of the 25th (Mercury 1/4 Mars) and the morning of the 26th (Mercury 1/4 Pluto), generating a very argumentative atmosphere that will set the stage for the belligerence on the 26th. These two days are definitely not compatible with cozy comfort, serenity, and peacemaking.

Saturn 3/11 Pluto, which peaks on the 28th at about midday, does little or nothing to quell the unrest of the previous few days. It just solidifies the general attitude of belligerence and all but shuts out the possibility of negotiation, arbitration, reconciliation, and compromise. Tapping into the feeling of serenity is still not yet in the cards.

The three-terminal configuration peaking on the 29th and 30th won't help either. The Sun, Venus, and Jupiter all aspect each other on these days. Sun 5/11 Jupiter peaks at about midday on the 29th, Venus 5/11 Jupiter peaks in the afternoon, and Sun 1/11 Venus peaks in the wee hours of the 30th. (Reminder: The entire "1/11" family of aspects is inharmonious. This includes "1/11", "2/11", etc.)

In the wee hours of the 31st, Mars goes stationary in declination, motivating us with a sense of purpose and stimulating us to "do something".

Here are some previews regarding September. Mercury is "slowing down", getting ready to go stationary-retrograde (Sept. 6). So it will square Mars and Pluto again (Sept. 3 and 17, respectively). And Pluto will go stationary-direct (Sept. 11). And Venus will oppose Neptune (Sept. 15). Saturn will oppose Uranus again (Sept. 15) -- the third peak in their current cycle of five. And the Sun will align with that opposition by opposing Uranus and conjuncting Saturn (Sept. 17). It looks like the middle part of September promises to be an interesting period of time!

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A Guide to Astrological Influences in July 2009

2009-06-03T22:08:00.001-07:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of July is: 2 conjunctions, 3 oppositions, 6 trines, 7 squares. Like last time (only a bit more so), we have the battle of the trines and the squares. And, as mentioned last time, we also have influences from the Saturn 3/10 Pluto aspect and the Jupiter CON Neptune aspect.

The Saturn 3/10 Pluto aspect peaked twice in May (due to "planetary tag" between those two planets, as mentioned before), and was still in orb in June, doing a slow fade-out during that month. This aspect will finally fade out completely in July, as follows: It will be almost 3 degrees from exact at the beginning of July, more than 4 degrees from exact in mid-July, and more than 6 degrees from exact at the end of July. So the widespread increased tendency toward being fussy and finicky and "splitting hairs" will finally end its reign during the month of July.

The Jupiter CON Neptune aspect has a much longer life. It has been in 5 degree orb since before mid-April, reached a peak on May 27, peaks again on July 10, moves beyond 5 degree orb in early September, moves back into 5 degree orb in about mid-November, reaches a peak again on December 21, and moves beyond 5 degree orb in about mid-January 2010. So, altogether, this aspect will have exerted its influence for roughly nine months. During all this time, we can expect to have a background tendency of vague fuzzy-mindedness. (A more comprehensive description of the expected tendencies which can be attributed to this aspect appeared in the article for May.)

Do the above-mentioned two aspects align with each other in terms of similar manifestations? No, not really. They manifest independently of each other. For example, one of them tends to make us fussy and the other one tends to make us fuzzy - concentrative versus dispersive. Can they actually manifest at the same time? Oh yes! One of the evidences of this is the swine flu outbreak which first hit the headlines in the latter part of April. Jupiter is associated with health and anything widespread, Neptune is associated with things that are airborne, and Aquarius (the tropical sign in which the Jupiter-Neptune aspect manifests) behaves like Uranus in that it is associated with surprises. Bringing in the Saturn-Pluto aspect: Saturn (in tropical Virgo; health) is associated with tiny things (like viruses), and Pluto (in tropical Capricorn; tiny things) is associated with multiplicities. So, taken together, we have all of the makings of a sudden outbreak of a pandemic due to dangerous airborne viruses. Yup, that's the way it works.

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Now let's look at some of the planetary influences that peak during the month of July. As mentioned at the end of the previous article in this series, Uranus goes stationary-retrograde in Pisces in the wee hours of the 1st. Newness and surprise are emphasized during this influence. Since an aspect of a planet going stationary in longitude is neither inherently good nor bad but just strong, we can expect to experience newness in the air at this time - things that were not foreseen, both desirable and undesirable. The atmosphere could feel "electric".

As it turns out, July 1 is loaded with astrological aspects. Peaking at almost the same time as the stationary Uranus aspect, Jupiter 4/9 Saturn tends to focus on large solid/stable/serious things, like mountains and buildings, and financial matters of all kinds - personal, national, and international. In the afternoon (1st), Mercury, Venus, and Neptune all aspect each other, as follows: Venus 1/4 Neptune, Mercury 1/3 Neptune, and Mercury 1/12 Venus. Feelings and emotions are under stress, perhaps in a turmoil. The situation is helped (made better) by communication.

The early part of the evening (1st) is primarily influenced by the following four Mercury aspects: Sun parallel Mercury, Mercury 1/3 Jupiter, Mercury 1/4 Uranus, and Mercury 2/9 Saturn. Ideas and communications, old and new, tend to dominate the early evening. Later in the evening, Venus tends to dominate: Venus 1/4 Jupiter and Venus 1/6 Uranus. New feelings may emerge, but they may be impractical and expensive.

By the way, in addition to having an unusually large number of planetary aspects reaching a peak, July 1 is also host to an unusually large number of total aspects (planetary plus lunar). As already mentioned, that day "is loaded with astrological aspects" __ an extremely "busy" day.

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for July 1, 2009, can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of June at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)

In the morning of the Fourth of July, Mercury 1/2 Pluto tends to make things argumentative in nature. It is possible that the noise made by exploding firecrackers may ignite belligerence in some neighborhoods.

In the morning and afternoon of the 6th, Mars squares the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction, which is only about 12' from exact. "Fiery actions" of all kinds are likely to go awry in one way or another. This may be a good time to keep a low profile and confine our activities to normal duties.

Mercury goes stationary in declination in the wee hours of the 8th, tending to shape our dreams in rational terms: thinking rather than emoting.

The wee hours of the 9th are dominated by Saturnian influences, due to Sun 1/6 Saturn, Venus 2/7 Saturn, and Mercury 2/11 Saturn all reaching peaks within a total time span of less than 4 hours. This period tends to be more-or-less serious, but probably nothing major is involved.

As already mentioned, Jupiter CON Neptune in Aquarius peaks on the 10th. Since the peak occurs in the wee hours, this could create really good "sleeping weather". This influence also increases the compatibility for things like hunches, intuitions, inspirations, and mystical revelations. (As already mentioned, the article about the month of May contained a more comprehensive description of the wider effects of this aspect.) (Note: At about 12:45 pm PDT, the Moon conjuncts Jupiter and Neptune, forming a triple conjunction and temporarily strengthening this already powerful aspect. If a flood or a leaky faucet is "waiting to happen", this lunar complicity could be the final trigger.)

In the evening of the 13th, Sun CON Mercury in the sign of Cancer greatly heightens the tendencies associated with thinking and communication. Face-to-face conversations, telephone calls, letter writing, and e-mails can be expected to manifest much more than usual under this aspect.

In the wee hours of the 16th, Mercury 1/3 Uranus brings fresh new ideas and stimulating conversations. If you have been waiting for a good time to plan how to build a flying saucer (or whatever), this is a compatible period of time for such a project.

In the afternoon/evening of the 18th, Sun 1/3 Uranus creates a sense of newness and adventure. If you wanted to explore a cave (or whatever), this might be the time - depending, of course, on your personal aspects.

As you may have noticed, there is a pattern involved in the influences that peak from the 13th to the 18th. The pattern involves the Sun and Mercury conjuncting each other and then individually trining Uranus. In general, that period of time should feel pretty good to most people.

To an extent, the 20th may feel kind of good also, due to a triple parallel configuration: Sun parallel Venus (in the wee hours), Mercury parallel Venus (in the morning), and Sun parallel Mercury (in the afternoon).

The phrase "to an extent" was used above because a couple of "heavy" aspects show up in the next two days. On the 21st, Venus 1/4 Saturn peaks in the afternoon and brings a "downer" atmosphere with it, making everything feel like insurmountable drudgery or repositories of sadness. And then, peaking the following morning (22nd), Saturn 2/7 Pluto reprises (to some extent) the Saturn 3/10 Pluto aspect described earlier.

Then things improve for a while. A contrasting aspect pair peaks in the evening of the 23rd: Mars 1/5 Uranus and Mercury 1/10 Saturn, which peak only 13 minutes apart (9:57 and 10:10 pm PDT). This could actually be a good time to focus your mind on purchasing (or designing) a new kind of automobile or musical instrument (or whatever).

In the evening of the 26th, Venus 1/3 Jupiter creates a pleasant atmosphere, suitable for relaxing, socializing, or even partying.

In the evening of the 27th, Venus 1/3 Neptune creates another pleasant atmosphere which is likewise suitable for relaxing. (In effect, Venus is trining the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction on the 26th and 27th.)

In the afternoon of the 28th, Venus 1/4 Uranus breaks the recent pattern of comfort, pleasantness, relaxation, and congeniality. The Venus-Uranus square can bring unpleasant surprises and unexpected disagreements.

The 30th features three planetary aspects involving Jupiter, but only one of them could be classified as pleasant. In the wee hours of the 30th, Mercury 1/2 Jupiter creates a kind of dispersive atmosphere that encourages a "think big" attitude but seems to chiefly attract ideas that are either too expensive or too "far out" to be taken seriously - such as, for example, painting Mount Everest. In the morning (30th), Sun 5/11 Jupiter likewise focuses on the negative side of Jupiter's influences. But in the afternoon, Mercury parallel Jupiter encourages bright and potentially doable ideas and long-distance communications.

In the wee hours of the 31st, Mercury 1/2 Neptune creates confusion - definitely not a time to engage in cycles which require clear thinking.

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A Guide to Astrological Influences in June 2009

2009-05-03T13:16:00.000-07:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of June is: 1 conjunction, 1 opposition, 6 trines, 5 squares. Again we have the battle of the trines and the squares, adding unpredictabilityto the stress index. Also, please be reminded of two planetary aspects which are in orb but do not peak in June. Saturn 3/10 Pluto peaked on May 1 and again on May 13 due to a game of "planetary tag", as mentioned last time. It will still be within less than one degree of exact at thebeginning of June and within less than three degrees of exact at the end of June. It tends to make people "split hairs" and become fussy over trifles. The other aspect is Jupiter CON Neptune in Aquarius. This aspect peaked on May 27 and will remain within roughly half a degree of exact through out the month of June, spreading feelings of fuzziness and out-of-focus hopefulness. It will peak again on July 10 and December 21.

The first significant planetary aspect peaking in June is Mercury going stationary in declination in the afternoon of the 2nd, tending to clear the mind and make things somewhat easier to understand.

The 3rd may well belong to Mars. On this day, Mars forms the following peaks: Mars 2/11 Neptune in the wee hours, causing things and people to be more slippery than usual; Mars 2/11 Jupiter in the afternoon, making things louder and more aggressive; Mars 1/10 Uranus in the afternoon/-evening, stimulating new projects; and Mars 1/3 Pluto in the evening,boosting competitiveness in a harmonious way. An interesting day.

In the afternoon of the 5th, Sun 1/4 Saturn makes things concentrative. On the 8th, Venus 1/3 Pluto brings strong but harmonious feelings.

In the afternoon and evening of the 9th, Mercury 1/6 Uranus brings bright new ideas, Mercury 1/4 Neptune brings confusion, and Uranus 1/12 Neptunebrings hunches and inspiration.

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for June 9, 2009, can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of May at http://www.newstandardaspectarian.com/.)

In the morning of the 10th, Mercury 1/4 Jupiter brings a tendency to think big. And in the morning of the 11th, Jupiter goes stationary in declination, focusing on expansive topics. The next day (12th) in the afternoon and evening, Venus 1/9 Uranus and Mars 1/5 Jupiter furnish a fitting climate for the official date of the changeover to digital TV.

Jupiter goes stationary-retrograde in Aquarius in the wee hours of the15th, focusing attention on health, wealth, color, and large spaces.

In the wee hours of the 17th, Sun 1/3 Neptune tends to bring good sleep and pleasant dreams. But peaking a few hours later, Sun 1/4 Uranus can introduce weirdness and surprise, messing up (or at least significantly altering) the smooth comfort of the Sun-Neptune trine. In the evening, Sun 1/3 Jupiter brings feelings of abundance and affluence.

The Sun enters the tropical sign of Cancer on the 20th at 10:46 pm PDT, signifying the official beginning of summer.

Venus CON Mars in Taurus peaks early in the morning of the 21st, boosting the probability of romantic interludes. But late the same day, feelings tend toward seriousness and objectivity because of Venus 1/3 Saturn.

Early the next morning (22nd), Mars 1/3 Saturn reinforces the feeling of seriousness and objectivity.

Peeking in the wee hours of the 23rd, Sun 1/2 Pluto brings a negative competitive atmosphere that could easily escalate into belligerence. This is a good time to stay away from crowds.
In the wee hours of the 26th, Mercury 1/4 Saturn brings a concentrative atmosphere good for serious matters, not good for light-hearted humor. Peaking at roughly the same time, Saturn 4/9 Neptune creates a mood that focuses on practical ways to achieve one's hopes and dreams.

Peaking early in the morning of the 29th, Uranus goes stationary in decli-nation, livening the atmosphere by focusing on newness.

In the afternoon/evening of the 30th, Jupiter 1/12 Uranus expands on the Uranus atmosphere of the 29th and adds an ingredient that brings in the factors of money, health, and spaciousness. Inventors will resonate to this influence.

Note: Uranus goes stationary-retrograde in Pisces in the wee hours of July 1. This aspect will have been in orb for many days before hand - which means that it will reinforce the Uranus influences which peak near the end of June.

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A Guide to Astrological Influences in May 2009

2009-04-02T22:50:00.000-07:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of May is: 2 conjunctions, 0 oppositions, 1 trine, 5 squares. The preponderance of planetary squares in this profile portends somewhat more stress than usual - although it is certainly not the only factor which correlates with stress. And, of course, not all stresses are created equal. For example, there is the kind which is brought about by some aspects involving interactions between Saturn and Pluto.

The first major planetary aspect of May reaches a peak in the morning of the 1st: Saturn 3/10 Pluto. This one is a real downer, tending to make people "split hairs" in their personal dealings with others - which is not exactly a way to make friends. This aspect sways people in the direction of getting more narrow and shallow and pushy about small things that normally don't deserve that kind of attention. It creates a competitive atmosphere of the kind which is uncomfortable for most people: fussy and finicky over trifles - commonly known as "picky-picky".

Perhaps the least desirable facet of this Saturn 3/10 Pluto aspect is the duration of its influence. It was in orb during most or all of the month of April (yes, it should have been mentioned in connection with the comments about April), will remain in orb throughout the month of May, and will do a slow fade-out during the month of June.

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As a matter of possible interest, the reason for the unusually long duration of this Saturn-Pluto aspect is that Saturn is retrograde and is in the process of slowing down (as viewed from the Earth, of course), getting ready to go stationary-direct later. Prior to May, Saturn has been moving faster than Pluto (as viewed from the Earth). It then catches up with Pluto to form the "3/10" aspect on May 1. Then Saturn continues to slow down to the point where it is actually moving slower than Pluto, and so Pluto (which is also in retrograde motion) catches up with Saturn and forms another peak of the same "3/10" aspect on May 13. Three days later, on May 16, Saturn ends its retrograde motion and goes stationary-direct. This process is an example of what is called "planetary tag".

Due to the duration of the influence of this Saturn-Pluto aspect, it will have more time than usual to build up its effects on the workings of our society. A "3/10" aspect would not normally exert this much influence, but "planetary tag" is not a commonplace occurrence. Furthermore, most aspectarians don't even list this kind of aspect, but it is included in the set of aspects used in The New Standard Aspectarian.

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In the morning of May 2, Mercury is stationary in declination, increasing the tendency to communicate. But in that same morning, Venus 1/4 Pluto makes people more sensitive to emotional slights. This would be a good time to be more careful how we treat each other. Small things could be transformed into imagined insults.

In the wee hours of the 5th (and the previous few days), Sun 1/3 Saturn tends to bring some harmonious stability to our moods and attitudes. Peaking a few hours later, Jupiter 1/7 Pluto colors the atmosphere with feelings of large complex patterns stretching in all directions. These two aspects are quite different from each other, nevertheless they can blend and mesh to produce a potentially very productive period of time.

In the evening of the 6th, Mercury goes stationary-retrograde in its own sign of Gemini, greatly magnifying the tendency to communicate. It also contributes significantly to better clearer thinking. Taking short trips (to anywhere) becomes more popular at this time.

Jupiter 4/9 Saturn peaks on the 9th at about midday. This aspect, which is neither good nor bad, tilts the cosmic compatibilities in the direction of combining the qualities of Jupiter and Saturn. So if you want to act in accordance with a cosmic atmosphere which harmonizes with your actions and makes them "feel right", you could choose to do things like take a vacation in the mountains, investigate the theory of "dark matter" in outer space, build a snowman (in May?), or go on a diet.

The 12th is host to magnified influences from Saturn and Pluto, but not because of an aspect that involves both of them (like the one which was described earlier). By sheer coincidence, both Saturn and Pluto are going stationary in declination in the evening of the 12th, with the peaks only two hours apart. These "twinfluences" will add to the already existing influence of their "3/10" aspect - more heaviness and pushiness.

The second peak of the Saturn 3/10 Pluto aspect this month occurs in the evening of the 13th. Since both Saturn and Pluto went stationary in declination the previous evening, the 13th will likely feel just as heavy and pushy as the 12th, maybe even more so.

The 16th is another interesting day. Reaching a peak in the wee hours, Sun 1/4 Jupiter injects a tendency toward philosophical loftiness and just plain dispersal - all this, of course, against a backdrop of the Saturn-Pluto influences, which makes for a really weird mix. But making the mix weirder, Saturn goes stationary-direct in Virgo in the evening, contributing a heavily concentrative influence which works against the dispersive tendency from the Sun-Jupiter square. Then, peaking three hours later, Sun 1/4 Neptune brings confusion (like, we needed that?).

In the wee hours of the 18th, Sun CON Mercury in Taurus boosts the capability (and the tendency) to think and communicate. And the following morning (19th), Jupiter 1/12 Uranus stimulates big new ideas and plans.

The 20th seems to almost belong to Mercury. Reaching a peak in the wee hours, Mercury 1/4 Neptune creates mental confusion. The Sun enters Gemini (the sign associated with Mercury) in the afternoon. Mercury parallel Pluto peaks in the evening (aiding complex thinking and communications), followed by the peaks of Mercury 1/4 Jupiter ("think big" but not necessarily realistically), and Mercury 1/6 Uranus (bright new innovative ideas). On a day like this, it would not be unusual to see a lot more conversations, conferences, long-distance communications, etc.

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for May 20, 2009, can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of April at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)

Peaking in the evening of the 26th, Neptune goes stationary in declination. This can augment all manner of Neptunian tendencies, including having hunches, dreaminess, sleepiness, people going swimming and sailing (crowded beaches and lakes), people getting drunk, and people seeing ghosts. This aspect will make some people want to just get comfortable. For others, it will make them feel lethargic and blah.

The principal planetary aspect peaking on the 27th covers more territory than might appear at first glance. Jupiter CON Neptune in the sign of Aquarius peaks in the afternoon and creates influences that are somewhat similar to those described above for the 26th only more so. It could bring much more rain than normal, much more drunkenness, more hunches, more swimming and sailing, and more ghost sightings. As hinted here, this aspect covers a greater period of time than one would normally expect. It has been within a 5-degree orb since before mid-April, and it will reach peaks again on July 10 (both planets retrograde) and December 21 (both planets direct). In terms of the planet-wide economic crisis, this aspect will tend to bring more confusion and unrealistic orientations and expectations, but it could also bring more economic stimulus packages and bailouts. The feeling that will be in the air will be that of fuzziness, confusion, and some fear and panic - in other words, the same as what we have already experienced only more so. People's hopes and aspirations will be pinned to (associated with) their monetary situation more than what was previously considered to be normal. One of the primary concepts involved in all this is: imbalances in wealth and personal havingness. Ultimately, it could grow into a test of our current monetary system.

Neptune goes stationary-retrograde in the sign of Aquarius in the evening of the 28th, temporarily adding to what has already been described here for the 26th and 27th. Neptune really dominates the scene during this period of time: stationary in declination on the 26th, conjunct Jupiter on the 27th, and stationary in longitude on the 28th. Quite unusual.

Mercury goes stationary-direct in Taurus in the evening of the 30th, helping people sort out the significance of the recent events.

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please go to our website at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.

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A Guide to Astrological Influences in April 2009

2009-03-02T22:01:00.000-08:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of April is: 2 conjunctions, 1 opposition, 3 trines, 4 squares. This is not a particularly outstanding profile -- meaning that it doesn't lean strongly in any specific direction. In the present state of affairs on this planet, that could actually be a good thing.

The first major planetary aspect in April is Venus 1/4 Pluto, which peaks in the wee hours of the 3rd. This tends to add turmoil to the emotions and other personal feelings. In the afternoon and early evening, Mercury and Mars join in, initially in the form of Mercury 1/11 Mars and then as Mercury parallel Mars. As a result, bad feelings could initially lead to shouting matches and then be smoothed out by honest straight talk.

Peaking on the 4th but in orb for days beforehand, Pluto goes stationary-retrograde in Capricorn at about midday and Mars 1/2 Saturn peaks in the afternoon/evening. The Pluto aspect will increase competitiveness and industriousness, but the opposition aspect will tend to slow things down and throw monkey wrenches into the works. Summing it up, the first four days of April should not be expected to be quiet, peaceful, and serene.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 8th, Jupiter 3/7 Saturn emphasizes solid important issues, like health insurance, unemployment, paying the bills.

Peaking late on the 10th, Mercury 1/3 Pluto is fine for announcements, conversations/conferences, group activities of various kinds.

Saturn 4/9 Neptune peaks in the morning of the 12th, focusing on practicality in a kind of foggy way. Clear thinking is a bit more difficult.

To an extent, the 15th-16th seems to be Uranus-oriented. Peaking in the wee hours of the 15th, Mars CON Uranus in Pisces brings weird sounds and actions that may be hard to identify or trace. Peaking in the evening, Jupiter 1/11 Uranus brings big changes and large-size novelties which are not necessarily desirable or good. Peaking at about midday on the 16th, Mars parallel Uranus brings novel actions and bright new sounds.

Peaking at about midday on the 17th, Venus goes stationary-direct in the sign of Pisces, emphasizing feelings and emotions. Then, peaking in the afternoon/evening, Mercury 1/3 Saturn establishes a climate which is good for serious conversations, concentrative mental tasks, and good books.

Venus CON Mars in Pisces peaks in the afternoon/evening of the 21st. The resultant atmosphere emphasizes expressing one's feelings, good or bad.

In the afternoon/evening of the 22nd, Mercury 1/4 Jupiter highlights big ideas, long-range plans/expectancies, and long-distance communications. In the evening, Sun 1/3 Pluto emphasizes harmonious activities/projects.

An interesting Saturn-to-Uranus transition takes place on the 24th. In the wee hours, Sun 4/11 Saturn reaches a peak, and then Mars 5/11 Saturn reaches a peak at about midday. Then Mercury 1/6 Uranus peaks a little over an hour later (at 12:38 pm PDT). The slide from Saturnine feelings to Uranian feelings may be consciously discernible to you.

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for April 24, 2009, can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of March at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)

In the afternoon/evening of the 25th, Mercury 1/4 Neptune creates the conditions for pure confusion. Thinking, talking, and writing are affected by this influence. If you need to do something that requires you to be clear-headed, this is not the time for it. If you have to be driving a vehicle at this time, it would be helpful to stay off the cell phone and keep all of your attention on your driving. This influence will peak at 5:54 pm PDT (8:54 pm EDT).

In the morning of the 26th, Mars 1/4 Pluto makes people noisy, irritable, and argumentative. It can also create unruly crowds. It would be best to stay out of crowds at this time (unless you like this kind of thing). Road/driving conditions can be unusually dangerous under this influence.

The evening of the 28th will be Saturnine in nature, due to the peaks of Venus 5/11 Saturn and Mars 4/9 Saturn. It could feel icky, crummy.

Venus goes stationary in declination late on the 29th, accentuating subjectivity in all its forms. Balance/imbalance is emphasized.

A Guide To Astrological Influences in March 2009

2009-01-30T14:02:00.000-08:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of March is: 8 conjunctions, 2 oppositions, 0 trines, 2 squares. This profile is heavy with conjunctions (things coming together) and some oppositions and squares (general stress), but no trines, perhaps indicating that comfort may be harder than usual to find in March. The long-term Saturn-Uranus opposition is within about 3° of exact at the beginning of March and within about 7° of exact at the end of March —— slowing fading during the month but still (barely) within orb at month's end. It won't peak again until September 15.

Jupiter 2/5 Saturn peaks early in the evening of March 1, creating an atmosphere of realism, including the monetary kind, magnifying the focus on fiscal planning and the ongoing widespread financial crisis.

A loose triple conjunction involving Mercury, Mars, and Neptune peaks on the 1st, 5th, and 8th, in the sign of Aquarius, as follows: Mercury CON Mars on the 1st, Mercury CON Neptune on the 5th, and Mars CON Neptune on the 8th. Things could get a little confusing during this period, and all kinds of thieves will "come out of the woodwork" to do their thing: slick scams, tricky deals, swindles, and identity theft will abound. Jupiter 1/9 Pluto on the 2nd could make the tricksters more overt, and Venus stationary-retrograde on the 6th could focus on emotional appeals. Sun 1/2 Saturn on the 8th could tend to magnify personal losses, but it could also lead some people to "turn thumbs down" on some shady deals.

By the way, Daylight Saving Time begins on March 8.

Venus goes stationary in declination in the afternoon/evening of the 12th, emphasizing feelings, emotions, and subjectivity in general. And peaking about an hour later, Sun CON Uranus in the sign of Pisces creates an atmosphere of newness and surprise. This combination of aspects will tend to make the 12th "come alive" more than most other days.

In the afternoon/evening of the 18th, the peak of Mercury parallel Saturn is followed less than 4 hours later by the peak of Mercury 1/2 Saturn. This double-whammy will make this period of time mentally concentrative. Although it won't be good for humor and laughter, it will be good for working on things like a unified field theory or an income tax return.

The Sun crosses the celestial equator and enters Aries on the 20th at 4:44 am PDT (7:44 am EDT), signifying the beginning of spring.

On the 21st, Jupiter 1/10 Uranus peaks at about midday, and Mercury CON Uranus in Pisces peaks late in the evening. This combination of aspects is good for humor and laughter —— and for surprises of various kinds. Additionally, a Mercury-Uranus pairing generally focuses on children.

Peaking late in the morning of the 22nd, Jupiter 5/12 Saturn brushes aside any tendency for humor and emphasizes important serious matters, not necessarily in a harmonious way.

Peaking at about midday on the 23rd, Sun 1/4 Pluto demolishes any residual tendency for humor or harmony and inserts a strong tendency for irritability, belligerence, shouting, and even fisticuffs. This is not a good time for relaxation, comfort, contentment, and serenity.

Uranus 2/9 Pluto peaks in the morning of the 24th (but is in orb for many days), bringing an atmosphere of creative competition. This influence can cut either way, good or bad, depending on how it is utilized.

Early on the 27th, Mercury 1/4 Pluto makes things feel edgy. Casual conversations could easily turn into arguments. It's harder to be nice. Jupiter 1/8 Pluto peaks at about midday, raising issues involving jurisdictions —— like, "Who's in charge?" or "Who's responsible?" Turf wars. Sun CON Venus in Aries peaks a couple of hours later, focusing on emotions and feelings. Don't be surprised if two or three (or more) women start yelling at each other on this day (27th).

In the afternoon and evening of the next day (28th), Mercury CON Venus in Aries encourages communication to smooth out hurt feelings stemming from the influences of the previous day. Sincere heart-to-heart talks can certainly help at this time.

Sun CON Mercury in Aries in the evening of the 30th continues the influence of boosting communications of various kinds.

It should be noticed from the above descriptions that there is a somewhat loose triple conjunction involving Mercury, Venus, and the Sun peaking on the 27th, 28th, and 30th, in the sign of Aries. This kind of influence is often easier to understand when the underlying pattern is seen.

But in addition to that, the 30th is host to a somewhat unusual pattern of its own. Peaking mostly in the evening, the individual aspects are: Sun 1/7 Jupiter, Mercury 1/7 Jupiter, Sun CON Mercury (mentioned above), Mercury 1/8 Neptune, and Sun 1/8 Neptune. Another way of describing it is that the Sun-Mercury conjunction will be forming septile aspects with Jupiter and forming octile aspects with Neptune. The concentration of the peaks of these aspects into a relatively short period of time should make for an interesting evening. The focus will be on communication, money, health, space, air, water, and things related to those factors. Examples: ship-to-ship communication, the health of an astronaut, etc. There is no doubt that this cluster of aspects will manifest. It's just a matter of how.

(Note: The precise timings of the aspects for March 30, 2009, can be seen on the sample aspect page which is posted during the month of February at www.newstandardaspectarian.com.)

A Guide to Astrological Influences in February 2009

2009-01-02T20:33:00.000-08:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of February is: 3 conjunctions, 1 opposition, 0 trines, 1 square. This profile is relatively low key, and might indicate a ho-hum month if it were not for the Saturn-Uranus opposition, which remains in close orb (less than 3°) all month. And let us not forget the very-long-term Neptune-Pluto septile, which reaches another peak this month (February).

There is a contrasting aspect pair peaking in the wee hours of the 3rd: Sun 2/5 Saturn and Mars 1/7 Uranus. The former aspect tends to bring a serious concentrative atmosphere, whereas the latter aspect tends to bring adventurous and/or surprising events. The actual outcome of a contrasting aspect pair is usually difficult to predict, often depending largely on personal aspects.

Saturn (in Virgo) 1/2 Uranus (in Pisces) is the first major planetary aspect peaking in the month of February. It peaks in the wee hours of the 5th and will unquestionably continue to intermittently dominate the scene for some time to come —— intermittently because it will not stay in orb throughout its string of five peaks, which began on 11/4/08. Its fifth (last) peak will be on 7/26/10, so we might as well get used to the unsavory conditions which it is helping to support. The world-wide economic woes are a big part of this manifestation, but they are not the only part. We can expect a plethora of unexpected endings associated with many of the institutions which we routinely count on as part of our normal existence. Earthly society is going through a major change of phase which will leave many aspects of our society permanently changed. Stress is the name of the game. Some of it can be expected to be tolerable but distasteful —— but some of it will probably ultimately leave a significantly reduced human population. As you may have noticed, our society is in the process of flushing itself down the cosmic toilet. Fixing the situation will be costly and dangerous, analogous to major surgery: disruptive and messy during the procedure, but considered to be well worth it when it is over and recuperation is complete. We just need to be patient and tolerant. Things will eventually get better.

Peaking in the evening of the 5th, Venus 1/4 Pluto tends to make feelings run high. Emotional tantrums are more probable at this time.

Another contrasting aspect pair occurs in the morning of the 6th. This one involves Mars 4/11 Saturn and Sun 1/11 Uranus, peaking about an hour apart. The former aspect dictates moving slowly and carefully, whereas the latter aspect creates an atmosphere of newness and surprise. Since the "1/11" family of aspects (1/11, 2/11, etc.) is uniformly inharmonious, clashes can be expected to occur between the tendencies spawned by the two aforementioned aspects.

In the afternoon/evening of the 10th, Jupiter 1/10 Pluto emphasizes a multiplicity of Jupiter-type factors, such as light, space, health, etc.

Mercury goes stationary in declination on the 11th at about midday, emphasizing Mercury-type factors, such as thinking and connecting.
Early in the morning of the 12th (but in orb for a few days beforehand), Sun CON Neptune in the sign of Aquarius spreads a dispersive and vaguely confusing atmosphere which reflects concepts of originality and change.

Early in the morning of the 17th (but in orb for a few days beforehand), Mars CON Jupiter in the sign of Aquarius spreads an atmosphere of expanding forcefulness. Big projects feel (and are) compatible at this time.

The 17th is also host to Saturn 2/7 Pluto and Saturn 3/7 Neptune. In other words, Saturn is forming aspects with the Neptune 1/7 Pluto aspect which peaks in the wee hours of the 20th and which is the sixteenth peak of the very-long-term Neptune-Pluto septile. As explained some time ago, the Neptune-Pluto septile seems to be the timing base for the type of terrorist warfare being conducted in the Middle East. The Twin Towers airplane crashes on 9/11/01 highlighted the time period when this series of septiles reached its first peak. The twentieth (last) peak will be on 2/7/11, but the aspect will remain in orb long after that.

Mercury CON Jupiter in the sign of Aquarius reaches a peak on the night of the 23rd, tending to make people "think big". Long conversations, long letters, long-distance communications, and long-range plans are all emphasized at this time. Mercury 1/9 Uranus peaks less than an hour later, tending to make thoughts and communications more original. Then, peaking in the wee hours of the next day (24th), Jupiter 1/9 Uranus boosts the probability of big surprises. (Another way of looking at these three aspects is that Uranus is forming a "1/9" aspect with the Mercury-Jupiter conjunction.) And peaking in the wee hours of the 25th, Jupiter parallel Pluto emphasizes such things as competitive activities, health issues, and large complex projects.

There are no major planetary aspects reaching a peak during the remaining days of February.

A Guide to Astrological Influences in January 2009

2008-12-02T21:01:00.000-08:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of January is: 5 conjunctions, 1 opposition, 2 trines, 0 squares. The planetary conjunctions have a clear majority, which will tend to inject a tendency toward the "coming together of cycles or diverse expressions", as the idea was expressed last time. But let us not forget about what was mentioned last time concerning the aspect of Saturn 1/2 Uranus.

Saturn went stationary-retrograde on December 31, and this was stated: "By the way, the stationary Saturn is only about 2.5° from an exact opposition to Uranus at the end of 2008. That opposition peaked on November 4, but it has been in orb since September. ... The aspect will still be in orb as we enter the year 2009." This means not only that the early part of January will be under the spell of the stationary Saturn aspect that peaked at the end of 2008 but also that the entirety of January will be affected by the Saturn-Uranus opposition. Yes, that opposition will be in orb throughout the month of January. But in case you think that it will drift out of orb after that, think again. That aspect will reach four more peaks before it finally gives up. For reference, the dates of the five peaks of Saturn 1/2 Uranus are as follows:

11/4/08 2/5/09 9/15/09 4/26/10 7/26/10

Based on the far-reaching events that manifested during the last few months, we should probably not expect everything to be "comfy and cozy" in the general vicinity of the remaining four peaks —— any more than they were in the general vicinity of the first peak.

Other than the influences that were mentioned above, the first major astrological event in the month of January is Jupiter entering the sign of Aquarius, which occurs in the morning of the 5th. Jupiter has been in the sign of Capricorn since December 18, 2007, where it has been doing things like bolstering the prominence of serious economic conditions in our society. (You're probably thinking, "Yeah, tell me about it!") Jupiter will remain in Aquarius until January 17, 2010, doing things such as bolstering the importance of individual differences and self-reliance, and magnifying the spread of fancier and more capable electronic gadgets and systems.

The afternoon/evening of the 9th has a tight pile-up of minor planetary aspects: Venus 2/11 Pluto, Sun 1/11 Neptune, and Venus 1/10 Jupiter. The first of the three peaks is at 6:48 pm PST and the last peak is only 8 minutes later. The individual contributions from these three aspects would probably not be noteworthy, but the three of them together might cause something significant. The tight timing is what gives it impetus.

Mercury goes stationary-retrograde in the sign of Aquarius in the morning of the 11th, emphasizing clear thinking and communication. Not long afterwards comes the peak of Sun 1/3 Saturn, adding a note of harmonious practicality. Conferences at this time will tend to be fruitful. Peaking the next day (12th) at about midday, Jupiter 1/12 Pluto adds another note to the astrological chord: motivation to accomplish great things.

The evening of the 14th hosts a situation which is somewhat similar to that of the 9th, though not identical. Three minor planetary aspects reach a peak within about an hour of each other: Venus 1/9 Jupiter, Mars 2/11 Uranus, and Mercury 3/8 Saturn. This could be considered to be a contrasting aspect trio, the contrasts embodied within the Jupiter-Saturn and Uranus-Saturn components. Furthermore, the second and third aspects peak only a minute apart, starting at 8:11 pm PST. The general comments for the tight pile-up on the 9th are mostly applicable here.

Pluto goes stationary in declination in the wee hours of the 15th, giving the atmosphere a component of added motivation and competitiveness. In the evening, Jupiter 4/11 Saturn tries to combine expansiveness and frugality, liberalism and conservatism —— most likely without success. Taking into account the Pluto influence, there could be budget squabbles.

Mercury goes stationary in declination on the 17th at about midday, emphasizing communication. And then on the 18th at about midday, Mercury CON Jupiter in Aquarius nudges the communications to be of the long-distance kind, perhaps even involving outer space. The mental climate encourages us to think big. Adding to all that, Sun CON Mercury in Aquarius peaks in the morning of the 20th, boosting the tendency to think and communicate clearly. Libraries might experience more traffic than usual.

In the afternoon/evening of the 22nd, Venus CON Uranus in Pisces fosters feelings which are clearer (better defined; less muddled) and more nearly based on present-time situations and less on considerations based on past conditions. Technically, there would be an increased probability of meeting a lady electrician with a fish in her hand, but this is not likely.

In the evening of the 23rd, Sun CON Jupiter in Aquarius brings thoughts of faraway vacations and large-screen television sets.

Note: Taking into account the above-mentioned conjunctions of the 18th, 20th, and 23rd, it becomes apparent that there was a triple conjunction involving Mercury, Jupiter, and the Sun. But with the peaks spread out over about five days, it was not a tight configuration, and so it could easily escape our notice as a joint astrological manifestation. Sometimes it is a lot easier to "get a handle" on the ongoing march of complex astrological influences and conditions if we can identify specific actions as being tied together in some way —— like triple conjunctions, multiple occurrences ("planetary tag") of the same basic aspect between two planets (such as the long-term Saturn-Uranus opposition, and the ultra-long-term Neptune-Pluto septile), and other configurations whose individual manifestations are relatively far apart in the time-stream.

Many people view astrological aspects as a series of disjointed occurrences —— and unfortunately, aspectarians (including ours) tend to solidify that impression. But it is not really like that. The sequence of aspects is based on a smoothly operating cosmic machine that produces the series of aspect peaks that are codified and listed in time sequence in aspectarians. But behind the scenes and out of sight of those listings are the patterns that are unfolding, often without being recognized as patterns. And this includes the aspects that come within orb of manifestation but do not reach a peak —— and therefore are not listed in any aspectarian, not even ours.

Understanding astrology is not just a matter of learning the characteristics of planets and signs and aspect mechanisms. It is far more complex than that. Nobody ever said that learning astrology is easy. But if anybody did say that, they shouldn't have. It is an ongoing learning process which is seemingly without end.

In the wee hours of the 24th, three planets aspect each other, with all three peaks occurring within about an hour. The aspects are as follows: Mars 1/3 Saturn, Venus 1/2 Saturn, and Venus 1/6 Mars. The last aspect peaks at 1:05 am PST. This configuration will include male-female interactions, with the female experiencing the most stress. This period is not likely to be pleasant and comfortable, but with enough patience and compassion and caring, things will be easier to handle and get through.

In the evening of the 25th, Jupiter 1/11 Pluto brings an atmosphere of magnified competition, pushiness, and perhaps belligerence. Territorial disputes of all kinds are more likely at this time, including national border disputes. Since the signs of Aquarius and Capricorn are involved, the disputes could involve disagreements which are based on old and new considerations —— such as ancient versus modern conditions.

In the evening of the 26th, Mercury CON Mars in Capricorn tends to make things happen "in slow motion": deliberately. In the afternoon of the 27th, Jupiter 1/8 Uranus emphasizes big surprises that are more trouble than they are worth. In the afternoon of the 30th, Jupiter 3/8 Saturn creates stress between big and small, expensive and cheap. Late on the 31st, Mercury goes stationary-direct in Capricorn, emphasizing slow deliberate communication and thinking.

The next peak of the Saturn-Uranus opposition is on February 5. At the end of January, that opposition is within only half a degree of exact.

A Guide to Astrological Influences in December 2008

2008-11-03T04:42:00.001-08:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of December is: 7 conjunctions, 0 oppositions, 1 trine, 6 squares. This is definitely not the usual battle between the trines and the squares. The plethora of conjunctions represents a coming together of cycles or diverse expressions, and those squares represent stresses. This could be a very interesting (though not very comfortable) month.

December begins with a conjunction between Venus and Jupiter in the sign of Capricorn in the wee hours of the 1st. One of its potential expressions is that a rich and powerful authoritarian woman may dominate the news —— such as the Queen of England. This aspect could also signify the death of such a person.

In the evening of the 4th, Mercury 1/4 Uranus causes errors and miscommunications. In the afternoon of the 5th, Sun CON Mars in Sagittarius creates an energetic atmosphere, perhaps with the emphasis on health. On the 6th at midday, Mercury 1/4 Saturn sets up a climate of concentrative thinking and communication. Paying attention to detail is easier.

The 8th is host to the fifteenth peak of the long-term Neptune 1/7 Pluto influence. (The first peak was in December 2001, and the twentieth peak will be in February 2011.) This momentous far-reaching septile is exerting control over Earthly affairs in many ways, not the least of which is creating the climate for the seemingly endless wars in the Middle East.

In the wee hours of the 10th, Sun 1/4 Uranus makes things seem weird. Mars 1/4 Uranus echoes this atmosphere in the night of the 11th.

Peaking on the 12th at about midday, Mercury CON Pluto in Capricorn creates a compatible atmosphere for the dissemination of serious thoughts. In the afternoon/evening, Sun 1/4 Saturn deepens the feeling of seriousness. Mercury goes stationary in declination in the morning of the 14th, boosting the compatibility for communication. Mars 1/4 Saturn in the afternoon of the 15th further deepens the serious atmosphere.

On the 21st at 4:04 am PST, the Sun enters Capricorn and simultaneously goes stationary in declination, signifying the beginning of winter.

In the wee hours of the 22nd, Sun CON Pluto in Capricorn creates an atmosphere of seriously pushy competition.

On the 24th, Mercury 1/6 Uranus peaks in the morning, creating a pleasant atmosphere for socializing. At a position in longitude halfway between them, Venus semisextiles (1/12) both of them and adds to the pleasant atmosphere —— helping to make things feel nice on Christmas Eve.

In the afternoon/evening of the 25th (Christmas Day), Saturn goes stationary in declination and Sun 2/7 Saturn reaches a peak, adding a serious note to the day —— but Mars 2/9 Uranus contributes an opposite feeling, perhaps in the form of Christmas music or some kind of surprise.

The wee hours of the 26th are host to the near-simultaneous peaks of a contrasting aspect pair: Jupiter 1/7 Uranus and Mercury 1/3 Saturn, peaking only 2 minutes apart. Though their influences contrast each other, both aspects are pleasant and can support each other. For example, there could be a serious well-focused conversation about an expensive gift.

In the night of the 26th, Mars enters the sign of Capricorn, which will tend to slow down actions of any kind. (This influence will continue until 2/4/09, when Mars will leave Capricorn and enter Aquarius.)

Venus CON Neptune in the sign of Aquarius peaks in the wee hours of the 27th, sensitizing the feelings and emotions.

Mars CON Pluto in the sign of Capricorn peaks at about midday on the 28th, tending to emphasize financial competition and group action.

Mars goes stationary in declination in the wee hours of the 29th, tending to bring out the qualities of Mars in a generally nondestructive way. Some people may choose to work on their car in the garage (probably the previous night), whereas others may choose to watch a prize fight on TV.

The atmosphere changes as Mercury CON Jupiter in Capricorn peaks in the wee hours of the 31st. This influence is good for conferences (in this case, probably the previous day) involving such things as health, money, painting the house, or redesigning a rocket booster for a spacecraft.

The number of different ways that an astrological influence can manifest is almost unlimited, which makes it difficult to predict any specifics about the results of any particular aspect or set of aspects. That is why it is so important for a person to learn the characteristics of the planets and signs and configurations —— so that he can do his own interpreting in terms of pure concepts (i.e., wordless pictureless thoughts). Bringing words into the process always makes it much more difficult, since words generally can't handle pure concepts very well.

Saturn goes stationary-retrograde in the sign of Virgo at about midday on the 31st, making things feel very serious and concentrative. This will be a good time to take stock of your life —— where you have been, where you are going, and what you really want to do with your life. Most people don't do this very much, partly because they are preoccupied with a steady stream of mundane activities of varying importances, and partly because the astrological atmosphere is not always compatible with serious introspection. That's one of the reasons to learn the fundamentals of astrology and learn how to work with the knowledge. And you won't be at the mercy of so-called "chance" so much.

As indicated above, the month and the year end on a serious note. By the way, the stationary Saturn is only about 2.5° from an exact opposition to Uranus at the end of 2008. That opposition peaked on November 4, but it has been in orb since September. In particular, it was only 5° from exact on September 29 when the stock market dropped by 777.68 points, its largest drop in history! And the aspect was less than 4.5° from exact on October 3 when the U.S. economic bailout/rescue package was voted into law. The aspect will still be in orb as we enter the year 2009.

2008-10-19T01:12:00.000-07:00

It occurs to us that not all readers may have seen the connection between fractional notation of mutual aspects and their more familiar terms: 1/2 equals Opposition, 1/3 equals Trine, 1/4 equals Square, and so forth. The complete list may be seen on the New Standard Aspectarian website under this link - http://www.newstandardaspectarian.com/symbols.html.
Scroll down and you will see the chart showing Fractional Notation, Angle, and Common Name.

Sincerely,
Admin

A Guide to Astrological Influences in November 2008

2008-10-02T12:49:00.000-07:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of November is: 3 conjunctions, 1 opposition, 4 trines, 5 squares. On the surface, this looks like the usual battle between the trines and the squares. But it is quite possible that the events of the first week of November could totally dominate the atmosphere of the month of November. This was mentioned in a bare-bones summary at the end of the article about October.

The first week in November could be about as unforgettable as anything could be (and this obviously doesn't refer to Daylight Saving Time ending on November 2). Neptune goes stationary in declination in the evening of the 1st, and then, only a few hours later, it goes stationary-direct in the sign of Aquarius. This double whammy from Neptune will set the stage for waves of confusion to manifest not only on that date but also in the general period of time before and after that date.

And then comes November 3. Venus 1/4 Saturn peaks in the wee hours, followed a few hours later by the peak of Venus 1/4 Uranus. And then Mars 1/4 Neptune peaks late in the evening. Then Saturn 1/2 Uranus peaks early the next morning (the 4th) but is in very strong expression on the 3rd (and even before that). That's quite a line-up of aspects: three planetary squares and a planetary opposition! Please notice that Venus is squaring the Saturn-Uranus opposition, forming a T-Square —— one of the most powerful astrological configurations known!

As usual, there is a multitude of ways that this stuff could manifest. As a possible worst-case scenario, the Saturn-Uranus opposition could bring about the sudden unexpected death of someone of important status. Since Venus squares that opposition, the person could be a woman. The two stationary Neptune aspects and the Mars-Neptune square will tend to emphasize (among other things) African-American people. But remember, all of this describes the compatibilities that will be greatly boosted during this period of time. By itself, it does not single out any particular expression of those compatibilities. So we will just have to wait and see how this highly unusual pile-up of astrological energies will actually manifest.

Reminder: November 4 is Election Day in the United States, and so there is a distinct possibility that things could get turbulent and confused at that time due to the sudden death of someone running for public office or someone closely related to such a person —— especially if they happen to be African-American.

Peaking in the afternoon of the 10th, Sun 1/3 Uranus tends to bring some amount of harmony to the newness which pervades the atmosphere. Peaking in the evening of the 11th, Venus CON Pluto in the sign of Sagittarius tends to (among other things) spread the idea of "woman-ness" to a wide audience. Then, on the 12th, Venus enters the sign of Capricorn, which (among other things) carries the twin concepts of death and immortality. (This certainly is a strange period of time!)

Also on the 12th, three planets all aspect each other in the afternoon: Mercury 2/11 Jupiter, Mercury 3/11 Neptune, and Jupiter 1/11 Neptune. Since all five aspect angles in the "1/11" family of aspects rarely if ever bring harmonious conditions, we can expect confusion in general and confused communications in particular at this time. But peaking in the evening, Jupiter 1/6 Uranus tends to brighten the atmosphere. But then, peaking in the wee hours of the next day (the 13th), Sun 1/4 Neptune brings more confusion.

In the evening of the 15th, Mercury 1/3 Uranus emphasizes bright clear thinking and communication. But then, peaking in the afternoon of the 17th, Mercury 1/4 Neptune brings confusion again. (It's almost like a repeat of the somewhat similar pattern of the 12th and 13th.)
Peaking in the wee hours of the 21st, Jupiter 1/3 Saturn puts attention on things that are both solid and practical and things that are large in scope in some way —— like, for example, mountains, national health care, etc. Only 2 hours after the peak of that aspect, the Moon gets into the act by conjuncting Saturn and trining Jupiter, temporarily reinforcing the influence of the Jupiter-Saturn trine.

In the morning of the 25th, Sun CON Mercury in the sign of Sagittarius emphasizes thinking and communication and making connectivities —— all related to things like food, health, color, long distances, long trips, "the great outdoors", outer space, etc. Also, Uranus goes stationary in declination on the 25th, adding the distinct flavor of newness, surprise, and adventure. This should be a very interesting day.

Pluto will enter the (tropical) sign of Capricorn (again) on the 26th. (Remember, it first did this on January 25 in its present cycle, and then retrograded back into Sagittarius on June 13.) It will reside in Capricorn until March 23, 2023, at which time it will enter the sign of Aquarius. It will temporarily return to Capricorn a couple of times (due to retrograde motion), and then stabilize in Aquarius starting on November 19, 2024. As you can see, the influence of Pluto in Capricorn will be long-lasting. Competition over trivial matters can be expected to increase (if that is possible!), and the potential for deadly plagues can likewise be expected to increase. In general, this zodiacal placement should not be expected to add harmony to individual lives or to society in general. Instead, it could be regarded as a time of widespread testing, evaluation, and reward/punishment of everyone on Earth.

By the way, please note that the above paragraph is about Pluto entering the tropical sign of Capricorn. But the tropical zodiac is not the only zodiac which impinges on the Earth. The tropical zodiac surrounds the Earth-Moon system at a relatively great distance and emanates inward, and so it is relevant only to the Earth-Moon system and is not relevant to any other planet. (Remember, the 0° Aries point of the tropical zodiac is determined by the longitude of the Sun at the time of the vernal equinox of the Earth, and therefore it cannot be applicable to any other planet —— and certainly not to the entire universe!) On the other hand, the sidereal zodiac surrounds this entire solar system at a relatively great distance and emanates inward, and so it is relevant specifically to this entire solar system, including the Earth.

Pluto enters sidereal Capricorn on January 26, 2021, and initially graduates from that sign and enters sidereal Aquarius on April 12, 2039. It will temporarily return to sidereal Capricorn (due to retrograde motion), then stabilize in sidereal Aquarius starting on December 24, 2040. (The differences in the durations of Pluto in Capricorn, tropical versus sidereal, are presumably due to the positions of the starting and ending points of the retrograde Pluto periods relative to the 0° points of Capricorn and Aquarius.)

The earlier comments about how Pluto in tropical Capricorn will manifest are also applicable to how Pluto in sidereal Capricorn will manifest, thereby greatly elongating the overall "Pluto in Capricorn" cycle.

In the morning of the 27th, Uranus goes stationary-direct in the sign of Pisces. This will make the 27th (Thanksgiving Day in the United States) feel fresh and new, and will likely help to generate an extra amount of excitement regarding Thanksgiving Dinner.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 28th (but definitely in orb on the 27th), Jupiter 1/12 Neptune creates a feel-good atmosphere. This would be a good time to just relax, take it easy and enjoy things, and philosophize about life in general. Do heavy physical work or concentrative mental tasks only if you have to. However, in the afternoon and evening (28th), things are somewhat different. Mercury CON Mars in the sign of Sagittarius encourages animated conversations and moving things (especially big things) from one place to another. Doing things in accordance with the prevailing astrological influences (due to both general aspects and personal aspects) makes things easier and more likely to be successful.

In the evening of the 29th, there is a tight configuration consisting of three planets all aspecting each other: Venus 1/3 Saturn, Mercury 2/9 Saturn, and Mercury 1/9 Venus, all peaking within less than an hour. This could be a good time (Saturday night) to listen to classical music.
November exits on a festive note, due to a Venus-Jupiter conjunction reaching a peak in the wee hours of December 1.

A Guide to Astrological Influences in October 2008

2008-09-02T22:07:00.000-07:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of October is: 1 conjunction, 0 oppositions, 4 trines, 4 squares. The trines and squares bring their astrological tug-of-war into the month, which is not particularly unusual. But the 6th and the 26th are a bit unusual. So is the period of time surrounding Halloween and the ensuing few days, including (and especially) an unusually stressful Election Day. More about that later.

The first major planetary aspect of October is Saturn 2/7 Pluto, which peaks in the afternoon of the 5th (but has been in orb for many days). The influence generated by this aspect can be characterized as being in the direction of an obsessive/compulsive syndrome. People will tend to behave with more subconscious tendencies running the show. Present-time judgement will be generally less apparent in decisions and actions. The overall mood is dark and serious and pushy.

The next day (6th) brings baggage of its own, but decidedly different from the Saturn-Pluto biseptile (although that biseptile will still be in relatively close orb and doing its thing). Sun CON Mercury in the sign of Libra peaks in the afternoon. By itself, this aspect would normally be rather pleasant, bringing stimulating conversations and useful coordination. But unfortunately this conjunction will square Jupiter today; Sun 1/4 Jupiter peaks a few hours earlier, and Mercury 1/4 Jupiter peaks a few hours later. This will introduce a dispersive element that will tend to scatter the good intentions associated with the conjunction. Also, peaking at about the same time as the conjunction, Mars 1/5 Jupiter introduces its own influence of tending to make things happen in a big or magnanimous way. If enough concentrative focus is used, things could work out alright, otherwise they will tend to go awry. It's an interesting but unstable period. But a pair of useful Saturn aspects peak late in the evening at about the same time: Venus 1/6 Saturn and Mercury parallel Saturn. This will tend to make the evening a kind of stabilizer, helping to straighten out any messes that accrued earlier in the day.

Then (finally!) Uranus emerges in a pair of major planetary aspects. Peaking late in the evening of the 9th, Venus 1/3 Uranus creates a nice atmosphere, fit for a party or just plain relaxation, with newness and bright socializing in the air —— quite a change from earlier in the month. Then, peaking the next morning (10th), Jupiter 2/11 Uranus creates more expansive newness, but it could bring some unwanted surprises of its own. However, also peaking in the morning of the 10th, Sun parallel Saturn generates its unique brand of harmonious stability. All in all, the 9th and 10th could bring a positive cycle to balance the negative cycle associated with the earlier part of the month.

Lest we get too complacent, the 11th brings another change of atmosphere. Peaking in the afternoon, Venus 1/4 Neptune tends to confuse the feelings and take the edge off of our intuitive sense. Things feel out of focus. However, building to a peak in the morning of the 14th, Sun 1/3 Neptune restores our intuitive sense and makes things feel comfortable and nice.

Mercury goes stationary-direct in Libra in the afternoon of the 15th, stimulating conversations and coordination. Then, in the wee hours of the 18th, Mercury goes stationary in declination, tending to reprise its effects of the 15th. But this time, things will be somewhat different. Saturn 3/7 Neptune also peaks in the wee hours of the 18th, bringing a dark cloud of fog and depression into people's moods.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 22nd, Jupiter 1/10 Neptune tends to feel good, sort of, but it includes a component of fuzziness and confusion. This is probably not a good time to fine-tune your financial situation.

Early in the morning of the 26th, Mercury 1/4 Jupiter mirrors its actions of the 6th (when the same aspect occurred, except that Mercury was retrograde at that time). This aspect brings mental dispersal and a tendency for communications to miss their mark.

By the way, although only an average number of aspects peak on the 26th, eight of them are planetary aspects. That is an unusually large number of planetary aspects to peak in one day.

Peaking in the evening of the 27th (but in orb for many days), Uranus 2/9 Pluto creates a strange and perhaps even a bit unworldly atmosphere of newness combined with a pushing/pressing/shoving component. The sense of enterprise is high, but it may not be optimumly motivated. The news may include stories about electricity and/or atomic energy.

The remainder of October may be more upbeat, due to a pair of planetary trines. Mercury 1/3 Neptune peaks late on the 29th, spurring intuitive communications. Good ideas should be more plentiful, and conversations should be more fulfilling. Mars 1/3 Uranus peaks in the afternoon of the 31st, fostering new projects and perhaps even unusual music. This could even result in Halloween being a bit unusual this year.

Advance notice: The first few days of November are host to aspects which are in orb at the end of October. Neptune goes stationary in both longitude and declination, and that is followed by three planetary squares and a planetary opposition. Some of that is a T-Square configuration. Election Day is on November 4, and it is quite possible that things could be somewhat chaotic at that time. Anything is possible.

A Guide to Astrological Influences in September 2008

2008-08-06T21:29:00.000-07:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of September is: 5 conjunctions, 1 opposition, 6 trines, 4 squares. The five planetary conjunctions indicate a tendency for coming-togetherness during the month of September, and the number of planetary trines and squares indicates the usual battle between the forces of comfort/contentment/serenity and the forces of upset/tension/stress. However, of special interest is the game of "planetary tag" played by Mercury and Mars during the month. More about this later.

The first major planetary aspect of September peaks in the evening of the 3rd: Sun CON Saturn in the sign of Virgo. This aspect will create an atmosphere of seriousness and concentration. It would be a good time for balancing your checkbook and planning your financial activities, but not a good time for dazzling your friends with jokes and magic tricks.

However, the next morning (4th) is quite different. Sun 1/3 Jupiter peaks at about midday and tends to create an atmosphere which is light and airy and thoroughly comfortable. Philosophical subjects and faraway travels and foreign-sounding meal components are all compatible at this time. It should be interesting to experience the slide from the climate of Sun CON Saturn on the 3rd to Sun 1/3 Jupiter on the 4th.

Peaking at about midday on the 6th (but in orb for many days beforehand), Saturn 4/9 Neptune sets up a strange atmosphere of seriousness and fuzziness, perhaps focusing on such things as historical mysteries, but it can also focus on the activities of glaciers.

Peaking in the afternoon of the 7th, Mars 1/4 Jupiter tends to bring out loud noises, strong physical exertion, and warmer-than-usual weather. However, it is accompanied in the evening by the peak of Jupiter going stationary-direct in Capricorn, which will tend to magnify everything beyond normalcy, and the peak of Mercury 1/4 Jupiter, which will focus on magnifying communications, such as by making them longer than usual or making them cover a greater distance than usual. Ideas now tend to be aligned with the admonition to "THINK BIG", whether realistic or not.

The 8th should be just as interesting as the 7th. Mercury CON Mars in the sign of Libra peaks at about midday, stimulating loud and rapid conversations. Peaking in the afternoon/evening, Jupiter 1/3 Saturn emphasizes big solid things such as mountains, skyscrapers, and big important plans for housing projects. And then in the evening, Pluto goes stationary-direct in the sign of Sagittarius (in orb for many days beforehand). Taken together, these influences can produce important wide-ranging projects based on multiple conferences, either localized or interconnected by Internet linkage. Important things could happen now.

In the afternoon of the 9th, Venus 1/4 Jupiter magnifies feelings, but not necessarily harmoniously. Balances are upset. Emotions can explode.

In the afternoon of the 11th, Jupiter goes stationary in declination, tending to make things feel cushy and nice. And then, peaking in the evening, Venus CON Mars in the sign of Libra brings a generally pleasant atmosphere for socializing of all kinds.

However, the following evening (12th) harbors the peak of Sun 1/2 Uranus, which can bring surprises of the undesirable kind: an event is suddenly canceled, a piece of equipment malfunctions, there is an electrical power outage, etc. Since Uranus is in Pisces, water could be a problem.

The afternoon and evening of the 14th could be good for socializing, due to the peak of Mercury CON Venus in the sign of Libra. Conversations will tend to be pleasant and harmonious.

The Mercury-Venus conjunction will trine Neptune as follows: Venus 1/3 Neptune peaks early in the morning of the 17th, making things feel nice. And then Mercury 1/3 Neptune peaks in the evening of the 19th, bringing enjoyable conversations, pleasant thoughts, and inspirational hunches.

Peaking in the evening of the 20th, Sun 1/4 Pluto breaks up the nice feelings fostered by the recent trines to Neptune from Venus and Mercury. In sharp contrast, the Sun-Pluto square will bring stresses of various kinds, such as stirred-up emotions, irritations, belligerence, argumentation, etc. The "Pluto factor" can involve groups and crowds.

Mars 1/3 Neptune peaks in the evening of the 21st, bringing a smooth atmosphere which is conducive to the accomplishment of many kinds of cycles that would balk in other atmospheres. It can act like a "universal lubricant" to facilitate difficult cycles.

The 21st is unusual in that there are four trines formed by the Moon on this day. The Moon trines Mars, Neptune, and Mercury in the morning and afternoon, all peaking within a period of an hour and a half. And then the Moon trines Venus in the evening. Since the Moon is in Gemini, this could emphasize pleasant and/or useful communication on various subjects.

The Sun crosses the celestial equator and enters Libra on the 22nd at 8:44 am PDT (11:44 am EDT), signifying the official beginning of autumn.

Mercury CON Mars in the sign of Libra peaks in the wee hours of the 23rd, "stimulating loud and rapid conversations", as indicated for the same aspect on the 8th. Yes, there was a conjunction between Mercury and Mars on the 8th as well. And no, neither planet went stationary between these two peaks. And yes, this is an unusual situation. At the beginning of September, both Mercury and Mars were in the early degrees of Libra, with Mercury trailing Mars by about 4°. Since Mercury was moving faster than Mars (as viewed from the Earth, of course) as it normally does, Mercury caught up to Mars and formed a conjunction on the 8th. But Mercury gradually slowed down, preparatory to going stationary-retrograde later in the month. Eventually it was moving slower than Mars (as viewed from the Earth), so it was just a matter of time before Mars caught up to Mercury and formed another conjunction, this one peaking on the 23rd. This kind of interplanetary antics has been referred to as "planetary tag".

So, when will Mercury go stationary-retrograde? In the wee hours of the 24th, only one day after the conjunction with Mars. This will give an extra boost to the contribution of Mercury influences during this period of time. The atmosphere will emphasize thinking, communication, and connectivities of all kinds, and the contribution from Mars (due to the conjunction aspect with Mercury) will tend to make it louder, faster, or more forceful —— or all three. And to add to all this, Mercury goes stationary in declination later in the morning of the 24th. This could be a very interesting period of time!

In addition to the above-described influences, there is something else that needs to be mentioned in connection with the "planetary tag" antics between Mercury and Mars. Scanning an ephemeris to trace the positions of Mercury and Mars during the month of September reveals that these two planets remain in orb of being in conjunction with each other throughout the entire month! That, in itself, contributes a major influence to the month of September which mixes and intertwines with all of the other influences that were described here for the month. A glance at an aspectarian —— any aspectarian, even ours —— would not show that ingredient of September's arsenal of astrological tools. No aspectarian, no matter how good it is or how complete it is, is capable of revealing patterns of this general nature.

Alright, so doesn't this mean that Mercury and Mars will be conjuncting each other again at some time in the future, after Mercury completes its retrograde cycle and begins to move in direct motion again? Yes, it does mean that. Mercury will complete that cycle and go back to direct motion again on October 15 and will speed up and catch Mars and form a conjunction with it on November 28.

The last major planetary aspect of September is Mercury 1/3 Neptune, which peaks early in the morning of the 28th. This could be considered to be a kind of repeat of the same aspect which peaked on the 19th —— another game of "planetary tag". And, as described for the 19th, it could bring "enjoyable conversations, pleasant thoughts, and inspirational hunches".

A Guide to Astrological Influences in August 2008

2008-07-02T22:14:00.000-07:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of August is: 3 conjunctions, 5 oppositions, 5 trines, 3 squares. To a significant degree, it looks like deja vu all over again. The numbers of oppositions and trines in August are the same as in July, with the conjunctions and squares in the minority. So, again, we can't classify the situation as either comfy or tough. But guaranteed there will be some of each.

The first noteworthy astrological event of August occurs on the 3rd in the evening. There is a very tight triple parallel configuration wherein Mercury, Pluto, and the Sun all parallel each other within a period of about 1 minute. The peaks begin at 7:22 pm PDT and end at 7:23 pm. While this very unusual configuration is in orb, it will boost the probability for such things as communications (especially the overt kind), important announcements, and complex thinking and coordination involving complicated networks of all kinds. Triple aspects are somewhat scarce, but the tightness of this one makes it a true rarity. And then, a little less than an hour later, Mercury 4/11 Pluto reaches a peak, adding more Mercury-Pluto influence to the mix.

In the evening of the 4th, Venus 1/3 Pluto brings a degree of amelioration to the earlier proceedings. Things tend to simmer down somewhat.

However, the morning of the 6th has its own problems. Mars parallel Uranus is normally a harmonious and innovative activator, but only a few hours after its peak comes a peak from Mars 1/2 Uranus, which is anything but harmonious. It can bring motion to a sudden halt, such as by traffic accidents on the highway, or widespread power outages. Within only 3 minutes of the latter peak, there is a peak of Mercury 1/2 Neptune, which is a master confuser. It is capable of causing disconnects and can bring all kinds of flows to a halt. These two planetary oppositions peak at about 11:40 am PDT. It should be interesting to see how they manifest.

On the 9th at about midday, Mercury 1/3 Pluto facilitates thinking and communication. Conversations spring up "spontaneously".

In the evening of the 12th, Venus parallel Saturn brings a serious atmosphere, increasing the compatibility for classical music and balancing finances. The next day (13th) at about midday, Venus CON Saturn in Virgo greatly intensifies the same kind of atmosphere. A sense of humor seems out of place at this time. Within about an hour, that conjunction forms a "5/11" aspect with Neptune, creating a real downer atmosphere.

In the afternoon/evening of the 14th, Mercury parallel Saturn creates a serious concentrative climate. Peaking in the wee hours of the 15th, Sun 1/2 Neptune creates fuzziness and confusion. And then, peaking in the afternoon (15th), Mercury CON Saturn in Virgo creates a really serious concentrative climate. If you need to be able to focus your mind on a particular project, it should be greatly facilitated at this time.

The afternoon/evening of the 16th is quite a change from the previous day. Venus 1/3 Jupiter tends to set up a happy comfortable atmosphere where people can enjoy things and each other. However, peaking late in the evening, Mars 1/4 Pluto injects a strong competitive atmosphere, capable of bringing shouting, belligerence, brawling, and fist fights.

The afternoon and evening of the 17th feels quite different. Mercury 1/3 Jupiter is a comfortable influence, bringing high-minded thoughts of all kinds —— all of them tending to be harmonious (religion, outer space, world peace, winning the lottery, etc.).

Very late on the 20th, Sun 1/3 Pluto brings an atmosphere of ambitious projects, getting things done, tackling tasks that were put off before.

In the morning of the 21st, Mercury CON Venus in Virgo makes people feel like they want to talk to their friends and neighbors.

However, that Mercury-Venus conjunction forms an opposition to Uranus on the 22nd and 23rd: Mercury 1/2 Uranus reaches its peak late on the 22nd, and Venus 1/2 Uranus reaches its peak in the morning of the 23rd. The chances are that something unexpected will interfere with social interchange in one way or another. Saturn 3/10 Pluto peaks late on the 23rd, making things feel heavy and pushy; not a comfortable atmosphere.

In the afternoon and evening of the 27th, Mercury 1/4 Pluto breeds a climate of belligerence and argumentation. Self-control will help.

In the wee hours of the 29th, Venus 1/4 Pluto can lead to bruised feelings and rebuffs of various kinds. Negative emotions tend to be intensified at this time.

A Guide To Astrological Influences in July 2008

2008-06-02T21:54:00.000-07:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of July is: 2 conjunctions, 5 oppositions, 5 trines, 1 square. Well, we're back to a clear-cut battle within the simplified profile, but this time it is between the planetary oppositions and the planetary trines, five of each. As a result, we won't be able to classify July as predominantly either comfy or tough. It can be expected to contain its share of both of those extremes. In addition to all that, there is an unusual pile-up of planetary aspects on the 29th. More about that later.

The first major planetary aspect of July peaks late in the evening of the 2nd: Venus 1/2 Jupiter. Things can be expected to display symptoms of being out of balance in a big way. This can include issues pertaining to food, health, space, colors, music, and emotions. Maybe a glacier will break off and float out to sea somewhere (Jupiter is in Capricorn).

In the wee hours of the 5th, Mercury 1/4 Uranus brings unexpected communications. This can include misspeaking, typographical errors, ambiguities, and other "goofyisms", but it can also bring bright original ways of communicating things. Conversations now are not likely to be dull.

In the wee hours of the 6th, things will tend to feel nice but a little "swimmy", lacking clarity. Mercury 1/3 Neptune is generally a feel-good aspect, giving rise to heightened intuition and just plain hunches. The atmosphere is more likely than usual to bring inspirations. This will be joined (peaking an hour and a half later) by Jupiter 1/10 Neptune, which can feel like a big cloud or an ocean, amplifying the intuitive facet but not the clarity. This pair of aspects will definitely affect people's dreams, which they may or may not remember afterwards.

Later the same day (6th), peaking at about midday, Venus 1/3 Uranus creates a bright new atmosphere, full of novelty and downright surprises. But, peaking an hour and a half later, Moon CON Saturn nudges its way into the proceedings, creating an atmosphere of its own, like a dark shadow in a sunny room. But when that aspect passes its peak (12:58 pm PDT), the Venus-Uranus trine resumes its dominance and makes things nice. This is another instance of our old friend, the contrasting aspect pair.

On the 7th, we run into another old friend, the Roller Coaster. It is formed by three successive declination aspects: Venus parallel Jupiter, Mars parallel Saturn, and Sun parallel Jupiter. The first one peaks in the wee hours, creating a very nice expansive atmosphere, made to be enjoyed. The second one peaks later in the morning, slowing things down and introducing the factor of real-world practicalities. The third one peaks in mid-to-late afternoon (depending on your time zone), bringing back the feeling of comfortable expansiveness. Like any other aspects, knowing about this kind of thing in advance gives you an opportunity to schedule your time to harmonize with the ebb and flow of the influences.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 9th (but in orb for a few days beforehand), Sun 1/2 Jupiter tends to turn the former nice Jupiter influences around. Things associated with Jupiter (such as expansiveness, wealth, health, food, color, the great outdoors, etc.) experience negative turns and difficulties and stresses of various kinds. Remember, this universe is based on vibration, its only objective manifestation, and Universal Law manifests as vibrational interactions. Everything exists in cycles, and so for every "up" there must be a comparable "down". The so-called "bad" aspects are not evil. They must exist by virtue of the unyielding demands of Universal Law. A lot of people don't seem to understand this.

In the wee hours of the 10th, Mercury 1/2 Pluto tends to push us into venting our gripes and objections, possibly resulting in arguments. In this same period of time, Jupiter is at perigee, its closest approach to Earth in its present orbital cycle. So, if we watch the television news, we could get an idea of how a planetary perigee aspect manifests. Remember, if a planet appears to go stationary in either longitude, declination, or geocentric distance —— which seem to be the chief coordinate systems associated with astrological aspects —— the influence of that planet upon the Earth is magnified. Many aspectarians don't take this into account in their listings, thereby shortchanging their users.

On the same day (10th) at about midday, Mars CON Saturn in the sign of Virgo slows things down and brings considerations of practicality to the forefront. This is a good time to fix that broken gate or leaking roof. It is also a good time to balance your checkbook and pay your bills.

Peaking in the evening of the 11th, Jupiter 2/11 Uranus makes things feel strange. Exaggerated promises and unrealistic agreements abound. This is not a good time to invest in something that seems too good to be true. Con men seem to "come out of the woodwork".

In the morning of the 14th, Sun 1/3 Uranus tends to create a nice fresh atmosphere of newness and change. But reaching a peak in the afternoon, Jupiter 4/11 Saturn creates an atmosphere that feels like a big heavy weight on you. Unfortunately this latter influence has a wider time orb. The Sun-Uranus trine will be like a bright spot in a dark room. (This is another case of a contrasting aspect pair.)

Peaking in the early morning hours of the 17th, Saturn 5/11 Uranus is another strange downer type of aspect. It tends to pit old against new in a variety of ways. (Note: All of the "1/11" family of longitudinal aspects —— 1/11, 2/11, etc. —— introduce stress, not harmony. They are listed only in The New Standard Aspectarian, nowhere else). In case you didn't notice: Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus all aspected each other recently, with peaks on the 11th (Jupiter 2/11 Uranus), 14th (Jupiter 4/11 Saturn), and 17th (Saturn 5/11 Uranus). Our aspectarian is the only one that could recognize this configuration.

In the evening of the 17th, another contrasting aspect pair shows up. Mars 5/11 Neptune creates a slippery and confusing climate which is compatible with the methods of con men. But peaking at about the same time, Mercury goes stationary in declination, tending to bring clear thinking. These two tendencies can pull in different (and perhaps opposite) directions in a kind of tug-of-war. (However, it should be stated here that the Mercury aspect could help a con man to sound more convincing).

Peaking in the afternoon of the 19th, Mercury 1/2 Jupiter can interfere with connections and communications, especially long-distance communications. For example, Internet connections may be affected. This is not a good time for reaching out to contact someone. Too many liabilities.

Peaking in the afternoon of the 22nd, Mercury 1/3 Uranus creates a compatible climate for stimulating conversation —— in person, by telephone, by mail, by Internet, etc. It is also a good time for creative thinking and discovery. So if you wanted to write "the great American novel" or invent a better can opener, this would be a good time to work on it.

Peaking in the afternoon of the 26th, Mars 1/3 Jupiter creates a compatible climate for projects which represent a larger-than-usual expenditure of energy or force. It is good for hiking, sports, and big fix-it jobs.

The 29th is unusual in two different ways. First of all, it has an unusually large number of aspects peaking on that day: a total of 33. And secondly, it has an unusually large number of planetary aspects peaking on that day: a total of 9. This portends a significantly increased level of astrological activity. One of the more important aspects which peak on the 29th is Sun CON Mercury in the sign of Leo, which peaks in the afternoon. This aspect is associated with more and better thinking and communicating, and also with making connections of any kind. But in this case, the positive effects may be better realized in the afternoon rather than the morning, because the Sun-Mercury conjunction forms a "5/11" aspect with Neptune in the morning —— not good for clear thinking. Things could be a bit addled in the morning (PDT) and then clarify later. This should be an interesting day.

In the morning of the 31st, Venus 1/2 Neptune brings confused feelings, including the feeling of being misunderstood. This aspect can also bring fluid imbalances. July goes out on a somewhat fuzzy note.

A Guide To Astrological Influences In June 2008

2008-05-01T07:52:00.000-07:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of June is: 3 conjunctions, 3 oppositions, 3 trines, 2 squares. After two months of having battles between the planetary trines and squares, it is almost refreshing to have a simplified profile where the four components are almost equally represented. However, as usual, there are a goodly number of other factors which will contribute to the nature of the astrological profile. For example, please be reminded that when a planet or the Sun or Moon goes stationary in any of the three principal coordinate systems (geocentric longitude, geocentric declination, or geocentric distance), their influence is temporarily magnified. In June, two planets go stationary in longitude, three planets plus the Sun go stationary in declination, and three planets go stationary in geocentric distance (either apogee or perigee). So maybe June won't be so docile after all. But, as usual, we'll have to wait and see.

June opens with a triple parallel on the 1st and 2nd. Mercury parallel Jupiter peaks at about midday on the 1st, Mercury parallel Venus peaks in the evening of the 1st, and Venus parallel Jupiter peaks in the morning of the 2nd. This general period of time should therefore be great for socializing and pleasantries of all kinds. I say "should" because Jupiter 1/11 Neptune peaks in the afternoon/evening of the 1st, throwing a blanket of fuzziness over everything. With this combination of influences, the primary thing to look out for is: social intoxication.

On the 7th and 8th, there is a triple conjunction involving the Sun, Mercury, and Venus, in the sign of Gemini. This is another good time for socializing, and it should be better than on the 1st and 2nd because the Jupiter-Neptune aspect has passed its peak and is losing strength. In addition, Mercury is at perigee and Venus is at apogee, adding oomph to their influence, and the Sun is paralleling Venus. This combination of factors should contribute a feel-good atmosphere. Enjoy.

The story is different on the 12th. Venus 1/4 Uranus peaks in the wee hours, creating an atmosphere of newness bordering on weird. This could put the accent on interpersonal experimentation that goes beyond the bounds of accepted normalcy. In the evening, Sun 1/4 Uranus maintains the eerie feeling of strangeness. Possibly a bizarre period of time.

In the morning of Friday the 13th, Venus 1/3 Neptune makes things feel very personal and generally nice and smooth. Many people will feel the urge to go swimming or sailing.

In the evening of the 13th, Pluto retrogrades back across the cusp of Capricorn into the sign of Sagittarius, where it will reside until late November when it will return to Capricorn again.

In the afternoon of the 14th, Sun 1/3 Neptune makes things feel smooth and nice. This might be a good time to tackle tricky cycles that had been previously avoided. Things are generally facilitated during trines involving Neptune. Good for intuition and hunches.

Peaking late on the 17th, Venus 1/2 Pluto is not a good time for much of anything. Interpersonal relationships could be sorely tested under this influence. It is probably best to keep a low profile and avoid touchy situations at this time.

An interesting pattern plays out on the 19th. Pluto is at perigee in Sagittarius in the wee hours, then Mercury goes stationary in declination early in the morning, and then Mercury goes stationary-direct in Gemini shortly afterwards. Please notice the pattern: stationary in geocentric distance, then stationary in declination, then stationary in longitude. Those three coordinate systems seem to be the chief coordinate systems associated with astrological aspects, and there is one of each on the 19th. When a planet goes stationary in any one of them (as viewed from the Earth, of course), the influence of that planet upon the Earth is magnified. So the morning hours of the 19th can be expected to be of a Mercury-Pluto nature: energized thinking/communications, etc.

Apogee and perigee aspects (i.e., maximum and minimum distance from the Earth, respectively) are normally not mentioned in these articles because, especially in the case of the outer planets, they are closely attended time-wise by conjunctions and oppositions with the Sun —— which are always mentioned here. For example, when Pluto is at perigee, there is always a Sun 1/2 Pluto aspect either shortly before it or shortly after it. However, for completeness, apogee and perigee aspects are always listed in The New Standard Aspectarian. Any good aspectarian should always include them. (Note: When an inner planet is involved, such as Mercury or Venus, the proximity of apogee or perigee to the associated solar conjunction or opposition is not necessarily close.)

On the 20th at about midday, Sun 1/2 Pluto (geometrically associated with the Pluto perigee aspect of the 19th) casts an edgy spell, making people feel unaccountably uncomfortable and belligerent. This is a good time to avoid crowds, since they will have a tendency to be unruly now.

The Sun enters the tropical sign of Cancer on the 20th at 4:59 pm PDT, signifying the official beginning of summer. Note that the associated peak time of Sun stationary in declination northward is shown in The New Standard Aspectarian as being 5:08 pm PDT. In principle, these two peak times should coincide. For the "technical minded" among you, it may be useful to understand the reason for the difference, as follows:

The computational method used in The New Standard Aspectarian employs five successive daily data points to compute one day's aspects, which accounts for the high degree of accuracy. The equation being solved is a fourth degree equation —— except when extremals are involved (such as when a planet goes stationary in any coordinate system), which requires differentiating the equation and setting it equal to zero and solving for the independent variable. In that case, the equation being solved is only a third degree equation, which does not yield the same accuracy as a fourth degree equation. For the beginning of summer, 4:59 pm PDT is the more accurate timing since it comes from a fourth degree equation.

Venus is stationary in declination in the morning of the 21st. Normally this would be a time of feeling good about oneself, but this pleasant tendency is being hugely overshadowed by Mars 1/2 Neptune which peaks only an hour later. This latter aspect can be expected to bring stresses of various kinds involving forces (Mars) and flows (Neptune). For example, water pipes could get clogged, interrupting water flows. The same kind of thing could happen in the human body, in the form of clogged arteries, messing up the cardiovascular system. This is strong stuff.

A contrasting aspect pair manifests on the 24th. Uranus goes stationary in declination in the evening, tending to create an atmosphere of fresh new surprises. But peaking less than 20 minutes later, Sun 1/6 Saturn tends to create an atmosphere of realistic down-to-earth practicality. It is conceivable that these two aspects can both be used to advantage at this time (reducing the amount of contrast involved), but that may take some inventive planning and ingenious blending. Remember, a tendency is a partial force. The outcome of a mixture or system of tendencies is the resultant of the various components in terms of their individual magnitudes and directions. In this context, the word "directions" is interpreted in a very general way. It is no secret that understanding this subject is not as easy as understanding geometry.

Peaking in the wee hours of the 26th, Jupiter 3/8 Saturn tends to pit richness against poorness, expansion against contraction, spaciousness against collapse, light against darkness, health against sickness, liberal against conservative, etc. Harmonizing these forces is often difficult. (Remember, a 3/8 aspect behaves like a weakened square.)

Peaking in the afternoon/evening of the same day (26th), Uranus goes stationary-retrograde in the sign of Pisces. This influence will tend to bring a sense of newness, innovation, and surprise. Things will seem fresh, spontaneous, and exciting.

As you can see, the early part of the 26th is strikingly different from how the day develops afterwards. The change should be obvious to anyone who takes a moment to take stock of how the day is going. This could be considered to be an example of what is termed a Roller Coaster effect.

On the 30th, Mars 1/3 Pluto peaks in the afternoon/evening, bringing June to a close on a highly energetic note. Anything that embodies energy or power will find this day compatible for manifesting itself. Hiking in the great outdoors, climbing a mountain, sporting events, or just plain yelling —— any of these will feel right on this day. The trine angle will tend to make it all harmonious.

But remember, your own personal aspects have a lot to say about what is compatible with you at any given time also. If you make use of general aspects but don't know your personal aspects, you are conducting your life without a complete road map. But then, some people like surprises, whether good or bad. Some people like to be able to plan their life, and others worship spontaneity. It takes all kinds to make a society.

A Guide to Astrological Influences in May 2008

2008-04-01T13:23:00.000-07:00

The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of May is: 0 conjunctions, 0 oppositions, 4 trines, 5 squares. Quoting something that I said about last month's profile, "Once again, we have a battle between the trines and the squares." To add to the simplified profile, there is a somewhat unusual situation involving planets going stationary in longitude and declination —— namely, there are four of each this time. I don't know if this is some kind of record, but I think it should be taken into account in evaluating the month of May in terms of astrology. The planets going stationary in longitude are: Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune. The planets going stationary in declination are: Mercury, Jupiter, Neptune, and Pluto. The timing details will be covered here in due course.

May opens with a close Grand Trine involving Venus, Saturn, and Pluto. As explained near the beginning of the article "Something About April", Saturn and Pluto are in close orb of trining each other, but the trine doesn't become exact because Saturn is slowing down in its retrograde motion and is getting ready to go stationary-direct. However, Venus gets into the act on May 1 by trining Pluto in the wee hours and then trining Saturn in the afternoon. Since the departure from exactness on May 1 is only about 45', it deserves the title of "a close Grand Trine".

Although describing the above situation is somewhat tricky, interpreting its probable effects is even more so. Since three planets are involved, the range of associated manifestations is huge. Venus brings in the factor of balance and subjectivity. Pluto brings in the factor of competition and pushiness. Saturn can be thought of as the "universal negator", which accounts for its dark, serious, concentrative nature; all of the other planets are pulling in various directions, and Saturn says "whoa" to all of them in one way or another, which tends to bring stability —— sometimes too much stability. In the vicinity of May 1, the Grand Trine may indicate the presence of forces which are working harmoniously with each other to bring about a condition which is acceptable to various factions which normally do not interact in harmony. Examples of this are: the Israelis and the Palestinians, the Shiites and the Sunnis, and, to a lesser extent, the Democrats and the Republicans. It should be interesting to see how this one plays out.

Mercury enters its own sign of Gemini in the afternoon of the 2nd. This will tend to increase the compatibility for communication, conferences, and transfers of all kinds, thereby reinforcing some of the effects of the Grand Trine described above.

Saturn goes stationary-direct in Virgo in the evening of the 2nd, bringing its usual atmosphere of seriousness, concentration, and stability. In the morning and afternoon of the 3rd, Mercury 1/4 Saturn intensifies the stationary-Saturn atmosphere. Serious concentrative communication dominates this period of time.

At about midday on the 4th, two planetary aspects involving Jupiter peak within 3 minutes of each other (just before noon PDT). Even though the Jupiter influence will be present, neither of these aspects appears in any aspectarian —— except, of course, The New Standard Aspectarian. The aspects are: Venus 2/7 Jupiter and Mercury 4/11 Jupiter. Old-fashioned aspectarians do not yet recognize the validity of aspects like these. However, in this particular case, the evidence is smudged by the presence of another Jupiter aspect; the planet goes stationary in declination in the wee hours of the 5th, creating an atmosphere of expansiveness and comfort. But this aspect is often omitted from other aspectarians also. (By rights, they should openly state that they are not complete aspectarians but instead are only subsets of an aspectarian. The trouble is, they don't yet realize their limited status.)

The 5th is a kind of echo of the situation that occurred on the 4th. In the afternoon-evening of the 5th, two planetary aspects involving Pluto peak within 28 minutes of each other (starting at 5:00 pm PDT). However, most aspectarians omit one or both of these aspects, so most astrologers won't know what is happening. The aspects are: Mercury 3/7 Pluto and Sun 3/8 Pluto. Things will feel more pushy than usual, and competitive situations will show up more than usual.

Peaking on the 8th at about midday, Saturn 4/9 Uranus emphasizes feelings and situations involving old and new, tradition and inventiveness, conservatism and pioneering, historians and futurists. The situations could actually blend harmoniously; they need not clash with each other.

Then, early the next morning (9th), Jupiter goes stationary-retrograde in the sign of Capricorn. A stationary-Jupiter aspect (in longitude) normally brings an atmosphere of expansiveness and a feeling of well-being. But since Jupiter is in Capricorn, the influence will be tempered with significant tinges of practicality. Mountains and other kinds of large land masses (and also glaciers) may be in the news.

Here we go again. The 9th is a kind of echo of the situations that arose on the 4th and 5th. In the evening of the 9th, two planetary aspects involving Pluto peak within 46 minutes of each other (starting at 5:59 pm PDT). The aspects are: Mercury 4/9 Pluto and Venus 4/11 Pluto, neither of which appear in any aspectarian except The New Standard Aspectarian. The Pluto influences of pushiness, competitiveness, and multiplicity will be emphasized, but most astrologers won't be able to correlate the influence with the aspects because they won't know about the aspects.

The afternoon of the 10th is host to a contrasting aspect pair. Mercury 2/9 Saturn peaks first, tending to bring thoughts and communications of a mostly stable practical nature. However, peaking only an hour later, Mercury 2/9 Uranus will tend to bring thoughts and communications of a bright inventive spontaneous nature. Due to the proximity of these two aspect peaks, their respective influences will overlap and generally manifest simultaneously, producing a mix of the two aspects. Contrasting aspect pairs are usually interesting but not necessarily harmonious.

At about midday on the 12th, Sun 1/3 Jupiter brings a nice cushy feeling of comfort and niceness. I think nobody doesn't like this aspect. This is a good time to relax, take a break, and be sociable.

In the morning of the 14th, Sun 1/4 Neptune brings a feeling of confusion and being "out of sorts" for no particular reason. I think nobody likes this aspect. This is not a good time for clear well-focused thinking.

Mercury goes stationary in declination in the afternoon of the 15th. This influence should help to dispel any confusion that lingers from the Sun-Neptune square of the previous day. Thoughts tend to be clearer.

Peaking in the morning of the 18th, Venus 1/3 Jupiter reprises the nice feeling of the atmosphere on the 12th. Congeniality is in the air.

Peaking late on the 19th (PDT), Venus 1/4 Neptune reprises the confused "out of sorts" feeling of the 14th. Getting along with people is harder.

Oh well, some days are better than others.

Pluto goes stationary in declination early on the 21st, creating an atmosphere which is compatible with industriousness and group efforts. At about midday, Jupiter 1/6 Uranus reaches a peak, creating an atmosphere harmonizing largeness and newness. So if you want a group to build a house in one day, this is a good day to do it.

But if that house is not completed on the 21st, delays will probably be encountered the next day (22nd), due to Sun 1/4 Saturn which peaks at about midday. However, in the afternoon and evening, there is another pair of aspects like the ones which occurred on the 4th, 5th, and 9th. This pair emphasizes Uranus and won't be known about by most astrologers: Mars 3/8 Uranus and Venus 2/11 Uranus. The first peak is at 5:08 pm PDT and the second peak is only 19 minutes later. Among many other things, it can trigger sudden unexpected (but only temporary) marital stresses.

Neptune goes stationary in declination on the 24th at about midday. This aspect can facilitate various kinds of cycles, somewhat analogous to the way that grease can facilitate the operation of machinery, but much more esoterically. Instead of using grease, it manipulates compatibilities.

The 26th is host to two planets going stationary only 33 minutes apart. Mercury goes stationary-retrograde in its own sign of Gemini at 8:48 am PDT, and Neptune (Mercury's higher harmonic planet, unbeknownst to the current field of astrology) goes stationary-retrograde in Aquarius at 9:21 am PDT. The common denominator here is connectivity, both mundane and otherwise. This combination can wield a lot of clout, but the specifics are (as usual) unpredictable. We will just have to wait and see.

Less than an hour after the second of the above-mentioned two peaks, Venus 1/4 Saturn reaches a peak (at 10:10 am PDT). This is a thoroughly lousy aspect, usually bringing an atmosphere of disappointment, despondency, and depression. But after the 26th, things begin to level out. For the most part, the rest of the month is dominated by Saturn 4/9 Uranus, which peaks in the wee hours of the 31st and brings oldness and newness together in various ways.

What's that you say? The Saturn 4/9 Uranus aspect peaked on the 8th? Yes, and it peaks again on the 31st. This is a case of what is known as planetary tag. Please remember two things: (1) Saturn and Uranus are in adjacent orbits (#6 and #7) and therefore have similar (but not identical) angular speed in their respective orbits, and (2) Saturn went stationary-direct on the 2nd. So, although Saturn normally moves faster than Uranus, Saturn stopped dead in its tracks (as viewed from the Earth, of course) on the 2nd, and then began to move in direct motion but still slower than Uranus. Uranus, temporarily moving faster than Saturn, formed the 4/9 aspect with Saturn on the 8th and "passed it" (in terms of this 4/9 aspect). Then Saturn, slowly picking up speed, "caught up with Uranus" (in terms of this 4/9 aspect) and formed the 4/9 aspect with Uranus again on the 31st. Among other things, this means that the aspect of Saturn 4/9 Uranus was manifesting throughout the month of May, reaching exactness on the 8th and the 31st.

Things like that, though uncommon, are not as rare as you might think. Planetary tag is one of the "games" that planets play with each other as they cruise through the solar system. The longest-lasting phenomenon of this nature that has manifested in modern times is the Neptune 1/7 Pluto aspect which peaks twenty times before it begins to subside and drift out of orb. Its first peak was in December 2001 and its twentieth peak will be in February 2011, setting the stage (by creating the primary compatibilities) for the current conflict in the Middle East, beginning with the Twin Towers incident on 9/11/01. Astrologers seem not to have picked up on that pattern —— mostly because they don't generally agree on the validity of the 1/7 aspect. Keeping their head in the sand regarding the advanced truths of astrology can only retard their progress in explaining the major actions that take place on this planet and in the lives of its human inhabitants.

By the way, there is a grand total of 32 aspects which peak on May 31, according to The New Standard Aspectarian —— 5 planetary aspects and 27 lunar aspects. That's a lot of astrological activity for one day. But July 29 has even more —— 33 aspects, of which 9 are planetary. Expanding one's knowledge of the aspects yields an expanded view of reality.

2008-03-02T11:05:00.000-08:00

Thanks to those who have already welcomed our new New Standard Aspectarian blog, and good luck to those of you offering related services. When it comes down to it, we're all here to learn, aren't we? Anyway, one of the most long-lasting and intriguing aspects we're dealing with at this time is the Neptune 1/7 Pluto aspect. (In the harmonic system, you divide the 360 degree circle by whole numbers; in this case, 360 degrees divided by 7 equals about 51.4 degrees. Sounds weird, but this angle, as well as the 2/7 and 3/7 angles, are proving to convey strong influences.)
At this time both planets are moving relatively slowly with respect to each other, and as a result they have been forming and reforming this 1/7 angle repeatedly for several years, and will do so for a few more years. Such long-lasting influences may be noted both in day-to-day manifestations, and long-lasting trends. (We will undoubtedly have more to say about this aspect in later posts.)

Admin

Something About April 2008

2008-03-01T19:47:00.000-08:00

SOMETHING ABOUT APRIL 2008
The simplified profile of planetary aspects reaching a peak in the month of April is: 1 conjunction, 1 opposition, 6 trines, 8 squares. Once again, we have a battle between the trines and the squares. Based on that, perhaps we could expect April to be a kind of up-and-down month. However, there is an aspect that is in orb throughout the month of April that could tend to stabilize things: Saturn 1/3 Pluto. It is only 1°23' from exact at the beginning of the month and 43' from exact at its closest approach near the end of the month. One might think that it would reach a peak in May, but it won't because Saturn slows down (as viewed from the Earth) and goes stationary on May 2. Consequently the Saturn-Pluto trine won't appear in any aspectarian, not even ours.

The first major planetary aspect of April peaks on the 2nd; Pluto goes stationary-retrograde in Capricorn (but is in orb for several days beforehand). Please note that Capricorn is associated with the planet Saturn, and so this aspect will be amplified by the presence of the Saturn-Pluto trine. Things will tend to be both concentrative and pushy. There will be a greater-than-usual tendency for crowds to congregate.

In the wee hours of the 3rd, Mercury 1/4 Pluto will tend to make people feel edgy and argumentative. Personal relationships could be strained.

In the evening of the 6th, Venus 1/4 Pluto could be a partial replay of the feelings on the 3rd. Again, personal relationships could be tested.

Peaking near midday on the 8th, Jupiter 1/11 Neptune clouds issues and fogs the mental focus. Not a good time for concentrative projects.

In the morning of the 10th, Sun 1/4 Jupiter introduces dispersal, which could feel somewhat similar to the fog on the 8th. Health issues and large and/or colorful things could be the targets. A few hours later, Mercury 1/4 Mars could cause people to shout or get angry.

At about midday on the 13th, Mercury 1/4 Jupiter brings a "think big" atmosphere, but it may not be realistic or even desirable. It would be best to use judgement before acting on this day's impulses.

Sun CON Mercury in the sign of Aries peaks in the wee hours of the 16th, giving an energy boost to all kinds of thinking and communication.

On the 18th, Mercury 1/3 Pluto peaks in the wee hours, spurring such things as announcements and other forms of distributive communications. And then peaking at about midday, Mercury 1/3 Saturn furnishes good help in any kind of concentrative thought or discussion.

On the 20th, Sun 1/3 Pluto peaks at about midday, increasing the compatibility for group activities of all kinds. And then, on the 21st, peaking early in the morning, Sun 1/3 Saturn provides a compatible atmosphere for stability and focus.

Please notice the pattern that manifests in the period of time from the 16th through the 21st. The Sun conjuncts Mercury in Aries, and then, after moving into Taurus, they each trine first Pluto then Saturn, forming loose Grand Trines. The composite effect is to emphasize thinking and communication which are stable and involve a large multiplicity of terminals. (This could be a good time for the peace process to be established somewhere.)

A three-planet coupling takes place on the 22nd. Mars 1/3 Uranus peaks in the morning, followed only 20 minutes later by the peak of Mars 4/9 Pluto, followed less than 3 hours later by the peak of Uranus 2/9 Pluto. There are a great many ways that this could manifest. One of them is an innovative but successful application of force in some way, perhaps in the scientific arena. The Uranus-Pluto factor suggests atomic energy.

Another three-planet coupling takes place on the 23rd-24th. Venus 1/4 Mars peaks at about midday on the 23rd, then Venus 1/4 Jupiter peaks in the early evening, and then Mars 1/2 Jupiter peaks early in the morning of the 24th. This constitutes a T-Square, definitely not a nice configuration. Venus squaring a Mars-Jupiter opposition can bring such things as simple arguments between marriage partners over finances, or much more complicated things like the intricate workings of national finances and international trade relations. Shouting matches could easily ensue.

Early in the morning of the 28th, Mercury 1/3 Jupiter brings a nice atmosphere. Things tend to feel good, even if they shouldn't. But early the next morning (29th), Mercury 1/4 Neptune brings a fuzzy atmosphere. Things tend to feel confusing, even if they shouldn't.
Saturn goes stationary in declination in the wee hours of the 30th, bringing April to an end on a serious and concentrative note.