New Moon in Pisces – March 10, 2024, 09:00 UT

March 10th, 2024

The New Moon in Pisces occurs in the same degree with the trans-Neptunian binary system Teharonhiawako-Sawiskera.

The two components of the Teharonhiawako-Sawiskera binary system are named from the Iroquois creation myth, which tells about the fight between good and evil. The components of the object orbit each other. You can imagine them circling in space and in turn eclipsing each other. Their interaction symbolically reflects the alternation of light and darkness, and tells about the human struggle between good and evil.

The Iroquois creation story tells how Sky Woman fell to the Earth through a hole. She gave birth to two sons. Teharonhiawako was the good brother and Sawiskera his evil twin brother. According to one version of the myth, after the death of Sky Woman, Teharonhiawako shaped the Sun, the Moon and the stars from his mother’s body. Teharonhiawako created maize, fruits, and many good things, while his jealous brother caused ruin. Eventually the brothers confronted each other, and the good brother won.

There are both good and bad qualities in everyone of us humans, but this could be a perfect time for trying to act for good.

New Moon in Pisces

Full Moon in Virgo – Feb. 24, 2024, 12:30 UT

February 26th, 2024

The Full Moon in Virgo on February 24 was squared by asteroid Pallas in Sagittarius. Pallas Athene was the Greek goddess of wisdom, warfare, and handicraft. She was an excellent strategist. Demetra George says that in Sagittarius she is a defender of truth and righteousness. Pluto in early Aquarius is in conjunction with two centaurs, Amycus and Orius. Amycus’s ingress into Aquarius was in December 2023. Orius entered Aquarius in the beginning of January 2024. Pluto’s second ingress into the sign was on January 21, 2024.

Full Moon in Virgo

55576 Amycus is named from Greek mythology after one of the wild centaurs that fought against the Lapiths at the wedding of king Pirithous. The centaurs were invited to the wedding, but they became drunk and lost their control. One of them tried to rape the bride. In the battle that broke out, Amycus was responsible for the first death of one of the Lapiths. Amycus was then killed in turn.

As human beings we can choose our actions. We are connected to other people, and what we do affects everybody. Society gives humans their humanity. Amycus can help us to be truly human and spread the good.

The following persons were born with their Sun conjunct Amycus: Miep Gies (Feb. 15, 1909 – Jan. 11, 2010), one of the Dutch citizens who hid Anne Frank and her family from the Nazis during World War II; Michael Moore (born April 23, 1954), an American filmmaker, author, and activist; Alexei Navalny (June 4, 1976 – Feb. 16, 2024), a Russian opposition leader, lawyer, and anti-corruption activist; Edward Snowden (born June 21, 1983), an American former computer intelligence consultant and whistleblower, whose motive was ”to inform the public as to that which is done in their name and that which is done against them.”

Desmond Tutu (Oct. 7, 1931 – Dec. 26, 2021), a South African Anglican bishop, anti-apartheid and human rights activist, had Amycus at the Aries point, which joins individuals with the collective. The African Ubuntu philosophy, loosely translated as “I am what I am because of who we all are”, became best known through the writings of Desmond Tutu.

330836 Orius was discovered in 2009 at the Baldone Observatory, Latvia. In Greek mythology centaur Orius lived in the mountains and was killed at centaur Pholus’s cave by Heracles when he tried to steal the wine, which was common property of the centaur tribe. Orius may represent people who are somehow rebellious, live outside the mainstream, defend humanity, or act against those in power.

These are people who were born with their Sun conjunct Orius: James Dean (Feb. 8, 1931 – Sept. 30, 1955), an American actor in roles of a young rebel; Garry Kasparov (born April 13, 1963), a Russian chess grandmaster, political activist, and outspoken critic of Vladimir Putin; Shahla Sherkat (born March 30, 1956), a feminist journalist, one of the pioneers of Women’s rights movement in Iran; Aki Kaurismäki (born April 4, 1957), a Finnish film director and screenwriter, who has boycotted the Oscar awards, and whose film characters are usually people living outside the mainstream.

WikiLeaks website was launched on Oct. 4, 2006, while the Sun was conjunct Orius in Libra. The goal of WikiLeaks is to bring information, provided by anonymous sources, to the public. The founder of Wikileaks, the Australian publisher and activist Julian Assange (born July 3, 1971), has an exact opposition of the Moon and Orius.

At the Full Moon it was two years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The counteroffensive of Ukraine was not a success, but the war is not going to end anytime soon. Now Ukraine suffers from an acute ammunition shortage. The leaders have to think over their strategies. As the defender of the whole Europe, Ukraine deserves our support. The outcome of the war will affect all of us.

The opposition leader Alexei Navalny died in prison on Feb. 16, 2024, when Mars was tightly in conjunction with Amycus and Orius in early Aquarius. In the natal chart of Alexei Navalny, who was referred as the symbol of brighter future for Russia, the Sun is in exact conjunction with Amycus and Jupiter is in conjunction with Orius. Navalny was a political prisoner. He was falsely accused and sentenced in prison, and the Western leaders widely hold Putin responsible for Navalny’s death, whether it was an actual murder or a result of the conditions of his inprisonment.

Julian Assange has been kept five years in the British Belmarsh prison awaiting extradition to the United States. The court decision is expected soon. The extradition of Assange would set globally a threat to press freedom. His health has worsened and his wife recently stated that he would not survive in US prison. It would be hypocritical to condemn those who are responsible of Navalny’s death if the extradition of Assange will be accepted.

New Moon in Aquarius – Feb. 09, 2024, 22:59 UT

February 10th, 2024

The New Moon in Aquarius is square to Uranus and Lempo in Taurus. The square aspect means tension. Uranus is the planet of unpredictability. Also Pluto and Mercury are in Aquarius, the sign ruled by Uranus. Pluto entered the sign on Jan. 21 and Mercury on Feb. 5.

New Moon in Aquarius

Uranus can be linked with surprises, disruption, rebellion, reform, and breakup of structures. Many astrologers think that it had been appropriate to name the planet Uranus rather after the god of fire, the Titan Prometheus, than after the sky god Ouranos. In Greek mythology Prometheus rebelled against the gods, stole fire from them, and gave it to humans. Prometheus’s fire can be seen symbolizing the creativeness and technological inventiveness associated with the planet Uranus.

The trans-Neptunian Lempo that is now in conjunction with Uranus, was named after the fiend in the Finnish national epic Kalevala. However, Lempo too was originally a god of fire. According to the myth, a glowing fireball shot from the sky and hit the ground. Fire helped people get fertile soil, tools and weapons.

Finland declared its independence from Russia on Dec. 6, 1917. Uranus was at 20+ degrees of Aquarius. The current New Moon at 20+ Aquarius is in the same degree with Finland’s Uranus, which receives the square transit from Uranus in Taurus too.

Chart of Finland

A lot is going on in Finland.

On Sunday the Finns will vote in the second round of the presidential election. The president of Finland is elected by a direct popular vote. This presidential election is the first since we joined NATO. The first round took place two weeks ago. The second round is a tough competition between Alexander Stubb of the National Coalition Party and Pekka Haavisto of the Green League, who is running as an independent candidate. Stubb is leading but according to the latest polls, Haavisto is catching him up. In the past most often the candidate that has won the first round also has won the second. Could Uranus break the pattern this time? At least it is going to be an exciting result evening tomorrow.

Currently we are facing some unusual events. Next week tens of thousands of workers across many sectors will be taking part in nationwide political strikes. The labour unions are protesting against goverment’s plans to reform labour market laws and its unjust cuts in some social security benefits. The government has not shown any willingness in negotiations.

Earlier this week the government decided that the land border between Finland and Russia will remain closed until Apr. 14, 2024. It will also not be possible to submit applications for international protection at any border crossing points on the eastern land border. Since November 2023 Russia has deliberately been using refugees as weapons and pushing the migrants to our border in a hybrid attack. Hopefully we have sent Putin a clear message that Russia has to change its behaviour. Uranus can show its upsetting tendencies later in the spring, but preparations are being made to deal with the possible worsening of the situation once the snows melt.

Are there more Uranian surprises ahead?

Full Moon in Leo – Jan. 25, 2024, 17:54 UT

January 25th, 2024

The Full Moon in Leo is in tight conjunction with centaur Cyllarus and opposes the Sun-Pluto conjunction in Aquarius. Pluto entered Aquarius a couple of days earlier, on Jan. 21. This is Pluto’s second ingress to the sign, and it will once again retrograde back to Capricorn in early September before its third and final ingress to Aquarius in November 2024. Pluto is in less than five degrees apart from centaur Hylonome in late Capricorn. Jupiter in Taurus squares the luminaries tightly and adds weight to the themes of this Full Moon.

Full Moon in Leo

52975 Cyllarus was discovered in 1998. Its orbital period is 133.4 years. Its orbit crosses those of Uranus and Neptune. Cyllarus came to perihelion (the nearest point of its orbit around the Sun) in September 1989. The body was named after the handsome centaur Cyllarus from Greek mythology. Cyllarus was brave and dearly loved by many, but centaur Hylonome had gained his heart. Their love was equal and they fought side by side in the battle against the Lapiths. Cyllarus was fatally wounded by a spear and died in the arms of Hylonome, who then took her own life to join him. This is a sad story, but we must keep in mind that it is a symbolic story; all myths are metaphors.

In the myth the lives of these two centaurs are bound together, and in the astrological charts the bodies seem to have a certain relationship too, because a great many people living today have the Hylonome-Cyllarus opposition in their chart. There was a long ongoing opposition between Cyllarus and Hylonome from 1931 to 1983, although between 1949 and 1974 there were no exact oppositions, and at times the opposition went out of orb.

Last summer I was studying Hylonome and Cyllarus in the charts of John Reed (Oct. 23, 1887 – Oct. 17, 1920) and Louise Bryant (Dec. 5, 1885 – Jan. 6, 1936), two American journalists and political activists, who witnessed the 1917 Russian revolution. Louise Bryant had the Sun-Hylonome conjunction. John Reed’s Cyllarus was square his Sun and opposite his Moon. You can read the entry here New Moon in Cancer – July 17, 2023, 18:32 UT .

According to astrologer Zane B. Stein, Hylonome represents ”the need to tell the truth no matter the consequences,” while Cyllarus desires to ”recreate the world in some way” (The Mountain Astrologer magazine, issue 172 / 2014). His ideas fit in with the astpirations of Reed and Bryant and with the following examples too.

President John F. Kennedy’s (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963) natal Sun in Gemini was square Hylonome in Pisces and his Moon in Virgo was conjunct Cyllarus. President Kennedy was assassinated on Nov. 22, 1963, when the Sun was transiting in conjunction with Cyllarus in the last degrees of Scorpio and the Moon was in the same degree with Damocles in Aquarius. ”The sword of Damocles” is a symbol for an over-hanging threat, faced especially by those in positions of power. The transiting Hylonome in Gemini was conjunct Kennedy’s natal Sun. The transiting Pluto in Virgo was conjunct his Cyllarus.

Martin Luther King’s (Jan. 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) Uranus is opposite his Cyllarus, and his Hylonome is sextile to the Sun and in wide conjunction with the Moon.

The present-day Hylonome and Cyllarus can be found either in prison or exiled in order to prevent them telling their truth. For example Julian Assange (born July 3, 1971), the founder of Wikileaks, has been kept in Belmarsh prison since April 2019 waiting extradition to the US. Assange’s Hylonome is conjunct his Venus (his values) in Gemini.

The Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya (born Sept. 11, 1982) is forced into exile in Lithuania. After her husband’s arrest she was standing as a candidate in the 2020 presidential election against the dictator Alexander Lukashenko. Tsikhanouskaya has established an oppositional government in exile. She was tried in absence by the Belarusian government in 2023 and sentenced to fifteen years in prison. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has a precise Grand square in the fixed signes formed by the Hylonome-Cyllarus opposition and Jupiter-Sedna opposition (betrayed and isolated).

New Moon in Capricorn – Jan. 11, 2024, 11:57 UT

January 11th, 2024

The New Moon in Capricorn is in conjunction with Arrokoth, the trans-Neptunian object that five years ago became the farthest and most primitive object in the Solar System visited by a spacecraft. The New Horizons space probe first made a flyby of Pluto in 2015, which later was followed by a flyby of Arrokoth. The closest approach to Arrokoth took place on Jan. 1, 2019. At the time of the New Horizons launch, Pluto was still a planet and Arrokoth was not even discovered.

New Moon in Capricorn

New Horizons, the fastest spacecraft ever launched, took off on Jan. 19, 2006. Its primary mission was to perform a flyby of the Pluto system, and the secondary mission was to study one or more of the other Kuiper belt objects in the decade to follow. In the launch chart the Sun in the last degree of Capricorn was in conjunction with asteroid Photographica in early Aquarius. Astrologer Martha Lang-Wescott’s keywords for this asteroid are ”While useful for showing the importance of photography and visual images, Photographica also relates to the brain’s ability to retain and interpret visual imagery.” And what stunning images of Pluto the probe sent us! Pluto in the launch chart at 25+ Sagittarius was novile Photographica in Aquarius and in conjunction with Arrokoth in the first degree of Capricorn.

New Horizons Launch Chart

Planetary scientist Alan Stern (born Nov. 22, 1957) is the team leader of the New Horizons mission. His natal Sun in the first degree of Sagittarius is squaring his Pluto in early Virgo and semisextile Arrokoth in early Scorpio. His Mercury in the mid-Sagittarius is semisquare Arrokoth and biseptile Pluto. His solar arc directed Pluto, progressed to the launch date, is in Libra conjunct his natal Jupiter.

Arrokoth was discovered on June 26, 2014, by astronomer Marc Buie (born Sept. 17, 1958) using the Hubble Space Telescope in order to find a target for New Horizons’s extended mission. Marc Buie’s natal Sun in Virgo is in conjunction with asteroid Photographica. His Jupiter in early Sciorpio is in tight conjunction with Arrokoth and sextile Pluto in Virgo. When New Horizons made its closest approach to Arrokoth on Jan. 1, 2019, the Sun, Photographica and Arrokoth were in conjunction in Capricorn. The probe delivered us astonishing images again.

The instruments of New Horizons still continue to be operational. According to team leader Alan Stern, there is potential for a third flyby in the 2020s at the outer edges of the Kuiper belt. This depends on a suitable Kuiper belt object being found.

The name Arrokoth means “sky” in the Powhatan / Algonquian language of native people from the Tidewater region of Virginia and Maryland. Alan Stern has said: “The name ‘Arrokoth’ reflects the inspiration of looking to the skies, and wondering about the stars and worlds beyond our own.” According to Lori Glaze, director of NASA’s Planetary Science Division, Arrokoth’s name “signifies the strength and endurance of the indigenous Algonquian people of the Chesapeake region. Their heritage continues to be a guiding light for all who search for meaning and understanding of the origins of the universe and the celestial connection of humanity.”

Arrokoth is a bilobate contact binary, composed of two lobes, that are named as Wenu and Weeyo. Both names mean “sky”. “Wenu” is the word for the sky in the Mapuche language spoken in Chile and Argentina, and “weeyo” in the Pulaar language of western Africa.

Once astronomy and astrology were linked together, and both functions were practiced by the same person. Nowadays there is a distinction between the two disciplines, but Arrokoth is the guiding light for both practitioners and keeps inspiring us. Astronomer Mike Brown, the discoverer of the largest members of the Kuiper belt, has said:

Astrology is not just figurative literature about humanity. Astrology cares about the sky. The astrologers who occasionally correspond with me love to hear about new solar system discoveries, figure out orbital relationships and patterns, and speculate about what else might be out there and how everything fits together. I do all of these things, too. I then take these thoughts and move on to think literally their scientific implications. The astrologers take these thoughts and move on to think figuratively about what these mean for humans. But we, astronomers and astrologers, start in the same spot, with an intense interest in the sky. To me, that matters. Astronomy and astrology are brothers. Brothers don’t always do the same things or make the same choices. But when they maintain their initial ties to where they came from, their connection cannot help but stay strong.”

New Moon in Scorpio – Nov. 13, 2023, 09:27 UT

November 11th, 2023

Mars in Scorpio is aligned in opposition to Uranus in Taurus. The New Moon in Scorpio is in conjunction with Mars, the traditional ruler of Scorpio. Uranus in Taurus is in conjunction with plutino 47171 Lempo, a trinary system from the Kuiper belt.

New Moon in Scorpio

Lempo is one of the three known trans-Neptunian multiple systems with more than two components; the other two are the dwarf planets Pluto and Haumea. Two small satellites orbit Haumea. In the Pluto system four small moons are orbiting the central binary of Pluto and Charon. The central bodies orbit each other around a point in space, the barycenter (the center of mass of the two bodies). Lempo is a fascinating trinary system which resembles the Pluto system. Lempo and Hiisi, two almost similarly-sized components, form the central primary, which is a binary. The smaller outer component Paha orbits around them.

The largest component Lempo was discovered by American astronomers Eric Rubenstein and Louis-Gregory Strolger in October 1999. The other two components, Paha and Hiisi, were discovered in 2001 and 2007, respectively. All three bodies were named from Finnish mythology in October 2017.

According to the naming rules of the International Astronomical Union, plutinos are named after mythological creatures associated with the underworld. In the Finnish folklore and mythology Lempo is a sort of fiend, who brought down Väinämöinen, the wise old seer and the central character in the Kalevala, the national epic of the Finns. Lempo got help from his two demon cohorts Hiisi and Paha. The Kalevala was compiled by Elias Lönnrot from Karelian and Finnish oral folklore and mythology. The first version of the Kalevala was published in 1835. Scholars still argue about how much of it is genuine folk poetry and how much is Lönnrot’s own work.

Originally, before the Christianization, Lempo was worshiped as the goddess of love and fertility. According to the myth, a glowing fireball shot from the sky and hit the ground. The Fire Woman with flaming hair came from beyond the visible world. The gender of the enigmatic Lempo is a bit unclear, but she is often described as a woman. In folk poetry the “lempo” related words can be associated with fire and iron. Lempo gave people fertile soil, tools and weapons, she lit the flame of love, and she escorted the dead to the Otherworld.

Lempo is mythological fire. Lempo is the creative fire burning inside every one of us. Now that the New Moon is in the passionate sign of Scorpio and the liberating Uranus is with Lempo in Taurus, perhaps we are free to express our originality and let our inner fire create something good and meaningful.

Full Moon in Taurus / Partial Lunar Eclipse – Oct. 28, 2023, 20:24 UT

October 28th, 2023

The Full Moon at 5+ degrees of Taurus is a partial lunar eclipse. Eclipses occur twice a year during the period that is called an eclipse season. There are usually two eclipses during the season, one solar and one lunar. A lunar eclipse occurs at the Full Moon when the Earth is between the Sun and the Moon and the shadow of Earth obscures the disc of the Moon either totally or partially. A solar eclipse in Libra two weeks ago is now followed by a lunar eclipse in Taurus. The Sabian symbol for the eclipse degree is A bridge being built across a gorge.

Full Moon / Partial Lunar Eclipse in Taurus

At the lunar eclipse we may be emotionally touchy. The eclipse is said to be a turning point that allows us to have a fresh start. Quoting Demetra George, ”During a lunar eclipse, it is the past, symbolized by the Moon, which is obscured and can be released. In the absence of the conditioning of the past, the possibility emerges of meeting experiences in a new manner.” (Demetra George, Finding our Way Through the Dark, 1994)

The Sun is in the emotional, intense and transformative sign of Scorpio. Besides the Moon, there are Jupiter and Uranus in Taurus. Uranus is in conjunction with a peculiar little body 39P/Oterma. In the past 39P/Oterma has went through a transformation, and in the future its orbit probably will be transformed again.

39P/Oterma is a Chiron-type comet currently on a centaur-like orbit contained between Jupiter and Saturn. This small family of comets is named after its largest member Chiron, officially designated as both a comet and a centaur, which blurs the line between minor planets and comets. 39P/Oterma’s diameter is around 4 – 5 km and the orbital period is nearly 20 years.

Comets are named after their discoverers. 39P/Oterma was discovered by the Finnish astronomer Liisi Oterma on April 8, 1943, in Turku, Finland. The letter P in the name stands for a periodic comet. It was discovered while it was an active comet. A close approach to Jupiter on April 12, 1963, put it on its current inactive centaur orbit. It came to perihelion in July 2023. According to Wikipedia, the orbit of 39P/Oterma keeps its overall characteristics at least until the beginning of the 24th century.

The comet was discovered in 1943 at 4º 50’53” Libra (the Sabian Symbol: ”A man teaching the true inner knowledge”). The close approach to Jupiter in 1963 that put it on its centaur orbit occurred at 1º 37’15” Aries in conjunction with Jupiter (the Sabian Symbol: ”A comedian entertaining a group”).

In astrology the planets can be divided into three groups: the personal planets (Mercury, Venus and Mars), the social planets (Jupiter and Saturn), and the transcendental planets (Uranus, Neptune and Pluto). The social planets Jupiter and Saturn connect the individual with society and represent the interaction between the individual and the larger world. 39P/Oterma’s orbit between Jupiter and Saturn suggests that its influence is connected to a person’s participation in the world at large.

In the standard Finnish language there is currently no such word as ”oterma”. The name is possibly derived from an old Finnish word ”ota”, which means wild hay. It could also mean a thorn or a spear. There is Lake Oterma and Oterma village in the Northern Ostrobothnia. The area is old Sami residential area. Since there isn’t any mythology behind the name of the centaur 39P/Oterma, perhaps these subtle clues help the astrological delineation.

Full Moon in Aries – Sept. 29, 2023, 12:58 UT

September 29th, 2023

The Sun entered Libra, the Scales, on Sept. 23, 2023. The Full Moon in Aries on Sept. 29, 2023, occured at 6+ Aries opposite the triple conjunction of the Sun, asteroid 2 Pallas, and centaur 346889 Rhiphonos in Libra. Uranus in Taurus is square Venus in Leo and trine Mercury in Virgo. We now desire balance and justice, and there are some favourable elements present for creating it.

Full Moon in Aries

Asteroid Pallas is the second asteroid to have been discovered and the third-largest asteroid of the Main belt (after Ceres and Vesta). Pallas’s orbit is unusually highly inclined to the plane of the asteroid belt, and its orbital eccentricity (the amount by which its orbit around the Sun deviates from a perfect circle) is nearly as large as that of Pluto. When Pallas was discovered in 1802, it was just ingressing the sign of Libra.

In Greek mythology, Pallas Athene was believed to have been born fully armed from the forehead of her father Zeus. She was the goddess of wisdom and justice, and the protectress of the city of Athens. Astrologically she represents foresight, planning and creative intelligence. According to Demetra George, “Pallas Athene in Libra mirrors a perception that seeks to reconcile opposites.”

The orbit of 346889 Rhiphonos is between Jupiter and Uranus. In Greek mythology Rhiphonos was one of the Lamian centaurs. Originally they were twelve water spirits of the Lamos River, in mortal body, sent by Zeus to guard the infant Dionysus and to protect him from Hera’s anger. In her rage Hera transformed the spirits into ox-horned centaurs with a horse’s tail. Later Rhiphonos accompanied the adult Dionysus on his travels. Rhiphonos offers associations to protection, loyalty and growth processes.

New Moon in Virgo – Sept. 15, 2023, 01:40 UT

September 15th, 2023

The New Moon in Virgo opposes the trans-Neptunian object Teharonhiawako in Pisces. Mercury is the ruler of Virgo, and it is powerfully stationary in its own sign at the New Moon. Mercury turns direct later today. When the Sun is in Virgo, it is the time of the harvest. The symbol of Virgo is a maiden carrying a sheaf of corn.

New Moon in Virgo

88611 Teharonhiawako is a binary object, and the companion is named Sawiskera. The names come from Iroquois mythology. Teharonhiawako and Sawiskera were twin gods and the myth describes battle between good and evil. Maize was considered as a special gift from the creator. Teharonhiawako was the maize god, and he gave many good things to the Iroquois. People loved him. Sawiskera was his evil and destructive brother, who was eventually conquered by Teharonhiawako.

Ukraine has been one of the world’s biggest exporters of maize, wheat and other grains. Since the beginning of the war in February 2022, Ukraine’s export of grain has been severely disrupted. This has increased global food prices and endangered the food security of the world. Putin is using food as a weapon.

The Black Sea Grain Initiative, which ensured safe export of grain from Ukraine, was signed in July 2022. Russia refused to renew the deal in July 2023 and started to attack on Ukraine’s ports in the Black Sea and also the alternative routes along the Danube. According to Ukrainian authorities, more than 270,000 tons of grain have been destroyed by recent Russian attacks on Danube ports.

Mercury rules transportation, agreements and contracts, and perhaps there will be solutions available now that it turns direct. The myth is alive. Eventually good will overcome evil.

Full Moon in Pisces – August 31, 2023, 01:36 UT

August 30th, 2023

The second Full Moon of the month occurs in Pisces conjunct Saturn and the dwarf planet 225088 Gonggong.

Full Moon in Pisces

225088 Gonggong is a scattered disc object discovered in 2007 and the fifth-largest known trans-Neptunian object after the dwarf planets Pluto, Eris, Haumea and Makemake. Its diameter is approximately 1,230 km and orbital period 554 years. Gonggong rotates slowly and has a satellite named Xiangliu.

Gonggong was named in 2020 after a Chinese water god. The name was chosen by the general public and approved by the International Astronomical Union. The discoverers Schwamb, Brown and Rabinowitz had selected three possible names for the poll: Gonggong from Chinese mythology, Holle from German mythology, and Vili from Norse mythology. All three figures are associated with water, ice, snow, and red color, which are characteristics of this dwarf planet.

In Chinese mythology, the water god Gonggong is depicted as having a red-haired human head and the body of a serpent. Gonggong was responsible for creating chaos, causing flooding, and tilting the Earth, and was sent into exile. According to the rules and guidelines of the IAU, the trans-Neptunian objects including the scattered disc objects should be given names associated with creation. In my opinion, naming the body after this destructive figure is a bit odd. Perhaps Vili from Norse mythology had been more fitting.

There was already an asteroid named after the Norse chief god Odin, but Odin was a god of many names. Vili and Vé were brothers of Odin, and together the three created the world. However, they can be taken as representing the three aspects of Odin. According to runologist Edred Thorsson, Odin (master of inspiration) is the transformative force at the root of consciousness and enthusiasm. Vili (the will) is the conscious application of a desired plan consciously arrived at. Ve (the sacred) is the spirit of separation in an independent sacred space. ”This separation between consciousness and ‘nature’ (that outside consciousness) must be effected before any transformations or ‘work’ can take place. All three are necessary; all three should work together as a whole,” writes Thorsson (Runelore, 1987).

Quentin Crisp (born Denis Charles Pratt; Dec. 25, 1908 – Nov. 21, 1999) was an English eccentric and gay icon who moved to New York in 1981. He was known for his fashion sense and wit. Crisp’s Gonggong is conjunct his Sun and Mercury in Capricorn, square Saturn in Aries, semisquare Mars in Scorpio, and semisextile Venus in Sagittarius. Crisp has said: ”Style is being yourself, but on purpose.”

Sting (Gordon Sumner; born Oct. 2, 1951) wrote his famous song Englishman in New York for and about Quentin Crisp. On some occasions Sting has said that the song is partly about himself and partly about Crisp. Sting’s Gonggong in Aquarius is trine his Sun-Saturn conjunction in Libra, sextile his Jupiter-Eris conjunction in Aries, and semisextile the North node in Pisces. Sting wrote in his memoir (Broken Music, 2003): ”I want to do this on my own terms, I want to be singular, and if that means being marginalized, then so be it. I will become stronger, and even if no one else knows who I am, I shall know myself.”

John Lydon (also known as Johnny Rotten; Jan. 31, 1956), is an English singer, best known as the lead singer of the influential punk band the Sex Pistols, which was active from 1975 to 1978, and again for various revivals during the 1990s and 2000s. He is also the lead singer of post-punk band Public Image Ltd (PiL), which he founded in 1978. Lydon’s Sun is conjunct Gonggong in Aquarius. Gonggong is sextile his Mars in Sagittarius, quintile his ascendant in Scorpio, and sesquisquare the Midheaven in Virgo. Quoting John Lydon: “I’ve spent my whole life trying to be myself. I’m not emulating other human beings, not trying to fit into what society thinks it has the right to dictate to me about what is right or wrong.”

Queen Elizabeth II (April 21, 1926 – Sept. 8, 2022) reigned the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms over 70 years. Her personal popularity remained high throughout her lifetime. She was hard-working, had a high sense of duty, and she devoted her life to the service of her people. Because of the protocol and rules, the royals are not expected to express their personal views or emotions publicly, and this can prevent the essence of their personality from showing to some extent. Nonetheless, one of the hallmarks of Queen Elizabeth was said to be her authenticity, which no doubt was one of the reasons why she was so respected and admired by the British people. Queen Elizabeth II had a prominent Gonggong in Capricorn at her ascendant and conjunct her lunar node axis. Gonggong was septile her Venus in Pisces, quintile Mercury in Aries, semisextile Jupiter in Aquarius, sextile Saturn in Scorpio, and quincunx Neptune in Leo. Perhaps Gonggong at the ascendant reflected her authentic personality to the people.