Winter Solstice – December 21, 2017, 16:28 UT

New Moon in Sagittarius — December 18, 2017, 6:30 UT

The New Moon at 26+ degrees of Sagittarius on Dec. 18, 2017, was at the Galactic Centre and in conjunction with Saturn, centaur planet Pholus and trans-Neptunian object Quaoar. At Winter Solstice the Sun, Saturn and Quaoar are in exact conjunction in the first degree of Capricorn, one of the Cardinal Points, which tend to connect us to the larger world around us.

Capricorn is ruled by Saturn, and Saturn entered its own sign yesterday. The Sun followed there today. Quaoar is a trans-Neptunian object with an orbital period of 284.5 years. Quaoar ingressed Capricorn two weeks ago.

Quaoar is a quite large cubewano, possibly a dwarf planet, discovered in 2002 by Mike Brown and Chad Trujillo. At the time of its discovery it was the largest object found in our Solar System since the discovery of Pluto. Its orbit is nearly circular and moderately inclined. Quaoar has a moon, Weywot, discovered in 2007 by Mike Brown. Both names come from the mythology of the Native American Tongva tribe in Southern California, where the discovery of Quaoar was made.

Quaoar was the creation god of the Tongva. Quaoar has no form or gender. He danced and sang the sky god Weywot into existence. Together they created everything else into existence: other gods, people, animals and plants.

According to Eric Francis, “Quaoar’s placement in a natal chart gives an intimate portrait of the dance of the family’s emotional process and its impact on us. Quaoar speaks to the rhythms and choreography into which we were born, as these manifest within the family pattern going back generations.”

Saturn once represented the edge of our Solar System. Then the development of astronomical equipment allowed us to see Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. After the discovery of 1992 QB1, thousands of distant minor planets have been found. The Solar System as well as our understanding of it has broadened.

Quaoar has a special meaning for me. In 2002 when the discovery of Quaoar was announced, Quaoar was transiting my natal Moon and my lunar North node. It was the first trans-Neptunian object besides Pluto that I noticed, and which lead me to become aware of the centaurs and all the other intriguing worlds beyond Neptune. Quaoar danced the other small worlds and gods into my awareness.

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