The New Moon in Taurus is in conjunction with Mors-Somnus, a binary plutino named after the twin gods from Roman mythology, the personifications of death and sleep.

Mors-Somnus was discovered in 2007 by Scott Sheppard and Chad Trujillo. The orbital period of this binary is 243.67 years (a few years less than that of Pluto), the diameter is approximately 100 km, the two components have almost equal size, and their colors are indistinguishable from each other.

Sigmund Freud and Carl Gustav Jung were two famous pioneers of psychoanalysis. They both worked with dreams and the unconscious. Freud had his Mars tightly in conjunction with Mors-Somnus in Libra. C.G. Jung’s Mors-Somnus in Libra was in conjunction with Jupiter and sextile to Mars in Sagittarius.

The concepts of the collective unconscious, the archetypes, and synchronicity (an acausal connecting principle) were developed by Jung. These ideas can also be found in contemporary psychological astrology. Jung discovered that beneath the personal unconscious lies the collective unconscious, which consists of images and behavioral patterns accessible to all individuals and in all times. These archetypes are often found in art, mythology and fairy tales of different cultures, for example archetypes like the hero, the trickster, and the shadow. Jung believed that there are as many archetypes as there are typical situations in life.

Our dreams are the message carriers from the unconscious to our conscious mind. A dream is valid in the first place for the dreamer, but at the same time it can have a collective meaning. Jung studied both the dreams of his patients and his own, which altered and strengthened also his perceptions of life after death. He believed that through our dreams the unconscious can provide messages and hints about matters that we rationally cannot know anything about. Dream interpretation can also help us to understand our long ago forgotten instincts.

The Sabian symbol for the New Moon degree is Taurus 22 White dove over troubled waters. The dove is bringing a message. Dr. Marc Edmund Jones interprets: “This is a symbol of the clear direction or absolute orientation which comes to man from birth as a consequence of his indwelling spirit or divine heritage, whether or not there is any conscious co-operation with it on his part.”

Pay attention to your dreams and meaningful coincidences!

The Sun, Mercury and Venus have moved to Taurus. The Sun is in conjunction with Uranus and 15760 Albion, the thresholder that proved the existence of the Kuiper belt in 1992. The Full Moon in Scorpio is in conjunction with 184314 Mbabamwanawaresa, one of the latest named residents of the Kuiper belt, discovered in 2005.

Both Albion and Mbabamwanawaresa are cubewanos with the orbital period roughly around 300 years. The diameter of Mbabamwanawaresa is approximately 242 km, which means that it is bigger than Albion, perhaps even twice the size of Albion.

184314 Mbabamwanawaresa was officially named last summer after the Zulu fertility goddess Mbaba Mwana Waresa, the goddess of rainbows, the symbol of the link between heaven and Earth. She has also another name, “She who chooses the state of an animal”. The Zulu call on her when they need guidance to make an important decision.

Indeed, the astrological meaning of Mbabamwanawaresa could have something to do with decision-making. Some people with their Sun natally in close conjunction with Mbabamwanawaresa have been in a tough situation, where they’ve been forced to make a life-altering decision. The Chilean President Salvador Allende committed suicide during the 1973 military coup (Mbabamwanawaresa conjunct the Sun and the North node). Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the Belarusian opposition politician, decided to flee to Lithuania after the 2020 presidential elections. She was afraid on behalf of her children and how the repercussions would affect them (Mbabamwanawaresa conjunct the Sun and Haumea). Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, stepped down from his role as the working member of the British royal family and moved to the United States. His worry over his family and children was contributing to his decision (Mbabamwanawaresa conjunct the Sun, Rhiphonos and Haumea).

The Zulu mythology offers hints of other possibilities, too. Last summer after the naming I followed my hunch and noticed that many people who are linked to the 2007 film Into the Wild, have a prominent Mbabamwanawaresa in their charts. The film tells the story of Christopher McCandless, a young man who hiked into the Alaskan wilderness and died there. Since then I have discovered that many people who are naturalists, evolutionary biologists, or have studied man’s place in nature, have tight Mbabamwanawaresa aspects. The examples follow at the bottom.

One can try to examine the astrological meaning of a body from the discovery chart of that body. This is not always a fruitful method, but in Mbabamwanawaresa’s case it seems to work. In its discovery chart, Mbabamwanawaresa is in Libra in conjunction with Jupiter. The ascendant is in Sagittarius (ruled by Jupiter) in conjunction with the Galactic Centre. Pluto, the great transformer and the symbol of rebirth, is rising.

The Sabian symbol for the ascendant degree of the discovery chart is Sagittarius 28 An old bridge over a beautiful stream. According to Dr. Marc Edmund Jones, “this is a symbol of the eternal stability of the world at large, and of each person’s ability to preserve its form and function in full accordance with his own convenience. Implicit in the static symbolism is the complete dependability of man-made structures at their best, and the joy of nature in making them an enduring part of herself in every respect. What is ephemeral in any possible phase of the real is merely that which serves no purpose in its transient state of existence. The keyword is conservation.

Examples:

Charles Darwin (Feb. 12, 1809 – Apr. 19, 1882) was an English naturalist, geologist and biologist, best known for his contributions to the science of evolution. He published his theory of evolution in his 1859 book On the Origin of Species. — Mbabamwanawaresa conjunct Jupiter in Pisces, semisextile (30º) the Sun in Aquarius, and sextile the Moon in Capricorn.

Henry David Thoreau (July 12, 1817 – May 6, 1862) was an American naturalist, essayist, poet, and philosopher. He was deeply interested in the idea of survival in the face of hostile elements, historical change, and natural decay. He neither rejected civilization nor fully embraced wilderness. Instead he sought the middle ground integrating nature and culture. — Mbabamwanawaresa in Aries square the Moon in Cancer, sextile Venus in Gemini, semisextile (30º) Mars in Taurus, semisextile (30º) Saturn in Pisces, trine Jupiter in Sagittarius, and trine the Midheaven in Sagittarius.

Carl Gustav Jung (July 26, 1875 – June 6, 1961) was a Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who founded analytical psychology. Jung’s work has been influential in the fields of psychiatry, anthropology, archaeology, literature, philosophy and religious studies. He was concerned for man’s loss of connection with nature. From The Earth Has a Soul, C.G. Jung on Nature, Technology & Modern Life: “At times I feel as if I am spread out over the landscape and inside things, and am myself living in every tree, in the splashing of the waves, in the clouds and the animals that come and go, in the procession of the seasons.” — The Sun in Leo sextile Mbabamwanawaresa in Gemini.

Richard Dawkins (born March 26, 1941) is a British ethologist, evolutionary biologist, atheist thinker, and author. Dawkins first came to prominence with his 1976 book The Selfish Gene, which popularized the gene-centered view of evolution. (He first introduced the term meme.) Dawkins is a guest star on the Nightwish album Endless Forms Most Beautiful (2015). He provides narration on two tracks: “Shudder Before the Beautiful”, in which he opens the album with one of his own quotes, and “The Greatest Show on Earth”, in which he quotes On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin. — Mbabamwanawaresa conjunct Pluto in Leo, trine the Sun and Eris in Aries, and quincunx Ceres in Capricorn.

Tuomas Holopainen (born Dec. 25, 1976) is a Finnish songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer, and best known as the founder, leader, keyboardist and songwriter of symphonic metal band Nightwish. In 2017 a new insect species discovered by a Finnish biologist, was named as Sciophilia holopaineni after Tuomas Holopainen, because of Holopainen’s love of nature. Endless Forms Most Beautiful, a studio album by Nightwish (2015), was primarily inspired by the work of naturalist Charles Darwin. Richard Dawkins is a guest star on the album, providing narration on two tracks. The song “My Walden” is inspired by the book Walden by Henry David Thoreau. — Mbabamwanawaresa in Virgo square Neptune in Sagittarius, semisquare (45º) the North node in Scorpio, semisextile (30º) Pluto in Libra, and quincunx Eris in Aries.

Aries energy is heavily emphasized at this New Moon. Besides the Sun and Moon, there are planets Mercury and Venus, dwarf planets Eris and Ceres, and centaur Chiron in Aries. The New Moon was in conjunction with Eris.

Eris is now at the Mars/Jupiter midpoint. Eris is squared by Pluto in Capricorn. Last year Eris was also receiving squares from Jupiter and Saturn. Eris is named after the Greek goddess of strife and discord, who indirectly started the Trojan War. Recently there has been alarming news about the growing tension at the Ukrainian border and in Crimea between Russia and Ukraine. Also in Northern Ireland the worst wave of violence for years is now causing concern.

Nicholas Campion writes in The Book of World Horoscopes: “The history of the Cold War in Europe may be traced to The Yalta Conference, at which Roosevelt secretly agreed with Stalin that the Soviet Union should have a sphere of influence in eastern Europe after the Second World War.” He sets the chart for the beginning of the conference at 5:10 pm on Feb. 4, 1945. Saturn in Cancer was squaring Eris in Aries in 1944 – 1945. The dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 marked the end of the Cold War.

Some say that the second cold war has already begun. For example Edward Lucas’s The New Cold War was published in 2008, relatively soon after the discovery of Eris. Eris was discovered in January 2005 from images taken in October 2003. Also the launch of many popular platforms of social media is dated in the same period. LinkedIn was launched in May 2003, Facebook in February 2004, YouTube in February 2005, and Twitter in July 2006. Populist movements have gained popularity in the 21st century, too. Polarization is the feature of today.

Everything stated above may be relevant with Eris. However, the molding of the astrological meaning of a planet may sometimes take time, and the myth behind the name is not always in-line with the astrological meaning. It seems that in Eris’s case the delineation is still developing.

Astrologer Raimo Nikula proposes in Eris vai Proserpina? (Eris or Proserpina?), that the symbolism of planet Eris is better in accordance with the Greek myth of Persephone, the equivalent of Roman Proserpina, the daughter of Ceres. Unfortunately both names were already taken for asteroids, but the planet could have been named as Kore, as the daughter of Demeter (Ceres) was also called in Greek mythology. The name Kore is Raimo’s own favorite.

In myth Ceres’s daughter Proserpina was abducted by Pluto, and she became the queen of the Underworld. In her desperation Ceres stopped the growth of fruits and vegetables. Proserpina was freed, but she had to spend a part of each year in the Underworld with Pluto; for the other part, she was able to return to living with her mother on Earth. Before the abduction she was Kore, “the maiden”.

In his book Raimo Nikula reminds that for example the name of Uranus doesn’t correspond with its astrological symbolism either. Among other things he notes that astrologer Dane Rudhyar (1895 – 1985) proposed the name Proserpina as the name for a yet undiscovered planet beyond Pluto: “Beyond the planet Pluto, symbol of the Guardian at the Gates of Immortality, we may already distinguish the presence of a new orb. I have suggested long ago the name Proserpine for the yet unknown planet; for in that name lies hidden the symbol of all resurrections. And the stage beyond Pluto can only be that of the Resurrection.”

Before the official naming, astronomer Mike Brown, the discoverer of Eris, had also speculated that Persephone, the wife of the god Pluto, would be a good name for the object. According to science writer Govert Schilling, Brown initially wanted to call the object “Lila”, after a concept in Hindu mythology that described the cosmos as the outcome of a game played by Brahman. The name resembles “Lilah”, the name of Brown’s then newborn daughter. However, one of the names by which the Hawaiian goddess Haumea was known is Lailai, which sounds a lot like Lila. Haumea is another dwarf planet discovered by Mike Brown’s team. Goddess Haumea was called by many names, because she could take many different guises and morph from old woman to young girl, and become her own daughter or granddaughter. In 1900 Edward Tregear wrote in The creation song of Hawaii: “‘Lailai of the distant night, Lailai the woman,’ appears as a very shadowy figure, and it seems impossible to understand what power she is intended to represent. She is indeed, to be described best in the line, ‘This woman was from a race of illusions (myth)’—and is evidently some Cosmic goddess, probably the impersonation of the Eternal Feminine in Nature.”

In Jungian psychology Kore is the personification of feminine innocence. Quoting Carl Jung, “Demeter and Kore, mother and daughter, extend the feminine consciousness both upwards and downwards. They add an ‘older and younger,’ ‘stronger and weaker’ dimension to it and widen out the narrowly limited conscious mind bound in space and time, giving it intimations of a greater and more comprehensive personality which has a share in the eternal course of things.”

Interestingly, the New Moon in Aries was also in conjunction with asteroid 4946 Askalaphus, which is a Jupiter trojan and therefore named after one of the Argonauts from Greek mythology. But there is another Ascalaphus in mythology, the custodian of the orchard of Hades. He told the other gods that Persephone had eaten pomegranate seeds in the Underworld, and because of this revelation she was obliged to return to the Underworld every year. Demeter was so angry because of this that she buried Ascalaphus beneath a heavy rock in the Underworld. Heracles for his part rolled the stone away and released Ascalaphus.

In Eris vai Proserpina? Raimo Nikula suggests as one of the meanings of the transit of Eris to the natal Sun as getting lighting to unfinished and current matters. He writes: “A conjunction can be particularly illuminating and truth-revealing.” Are there going to be crucial revelations now that the transiting Sun is in conjunction with Eris and Askalaphus?

The Moon is in Libra. The Sun in Aries is in exact conjunction with Venus and Chiron. The Sun is also in conjunction with an extreme trans-Neptunian object 541132 Leleākūhonua.

Libra is the sign of balance and equality. In Aries we can meet impatience and enthusiasm. Venus shows what we appreciate and what gives us pleasure. In The Contemporary Astrologer’s Handbook (Flare Publications and The London School of Astrology, 2006) Sue Tompkins and Melanie Reinhart have written about Chiron: “Commitment to the healing of ourselves, others and our environment is the price this minor planet seems to be asking us to pay.”

We appreciate balanced relationships. Chiron in this combination is highlighting our current challenge of maintaining such, or finding equality in the midst of disease, social distancing and other restrictions. The return back to normal still requires patience and commitment from us.

541132 Leleākūhonua is an extreme trans-Neptunian object (ETNO) and a sednoid with an orbit of roughly 32,000 years. The name compares its orbit to the flight of migratory birds. I find its symbolism reassuring. Spring is just around the corner and the migratory birds will return as always.

The Sun has entered Aries and a new astrological year begins. The Sun at the Aries point is in conjunction with Venus and 385446 Manwë, both at 28+ degrees of Pisces.

Soon 385446 Manwë is starting to change signs, and it will be hovering around the Aries point the whole year. It will be prominent in all four equinox and solstice charts of the year. It enters Aries tor the first time in May, stays there the whole summer, and then retrogrades back to Pisces. The second ingress to Aries is in March 2022 and the third in January 2023. The orbital period of Manwë is almost 290 years. It moves slowly, and that is why the ingress takes time.

385446 Manwë is a binary trans-Neptunian object, possibly a contact binary and likely surrounded by rapidly orbiting moonlets. The primary was named after Manwë, the fictional deity in J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth legendarium. The secondary was named Thorondor after the king of Manwë’s eagles.

Manwë was the lord of air, wind and clouds. Poetry was Manwë’s delight and the song of words was his music, tells Tolkien. All birds were dear to Manwë. Spirits in the shape of hawks and mighty eagles flew back and forth and brought to his knowledge everything that was going on in the world. Eagles were sacred animals of the Greek sky god Zeus and his Roman equivalent Jupiter, too. Sharp-eyed eagles are the symbol of power, their wings symbolize protection, and because they fly higher than other birds, they represent connection to the divine.

Astrologically Manwë seems to be meaningful in charts of many occultists, mystics, astrologers, and visionaries.

Examples:

John Dee (July 13, 1527 – 1608 or 1609) was an Anglo-Welsh mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, teacher, occultist, and alchemist. He was the court astronomer for, and advisor to, Elizabeth I. – Manwë conjunct the Sun in Cancer, trine Mars in Scorpio, square Saturn in Taurus, and opposite the Moon in Aquarius (Rodden rating DD)

August Nordenskiöld (Feb. 6, 1754 – Dec. 10, 1792) was a Finnish-Swedish alchemist and Swedenborgian critic of slavery. He was supported by the king of Sweden, Gustav III, in his efforts to find the Philosopher’s Stone, in order to create gold. He was involved in an attempt to found an anti-slavery colony in Sierra Leone, but he died there in a violent clash. – The Sun = Pluto / Manwë, Uranus in Pisces semisquare (45º) Manwë at the South node in Aries (the Sun conjunct Varda in Aquarius)

Jules Verne (Feb. 8, 1828 – March 24, 1905) was a French novelist, poet, and playwright. He has sometimes been called the “Father of Science Fiction”. – Manwë in Leo opposite the Sun and Eris in Aquarius, square the Moon in Scorpio, quincunx Venus in Pisces, and quincunx Neptune in Capricorn; Manwë is the apex of a yod configuration formed by Venus, Neptune and Manwë.

Helena Blavatsky (Aug. 12, 1831 – May 8, 1891) was a Russian philosopher and author who co-founded the Theosophical Society in 1875. She gained an international following as the leading theoretician of theosophy. — Manwë conjunct the Sun and the North node in Leo, opposite Eris in Aquarius, quincunx Neptune in Capricorn, and quincunx the Midheaven in Pisces; Manwë is the apex of a yod configuration formed by Neptune, MC and Manwë (Rodden rating C).

Annie Besant (Oct. 1, 1847 – Sept. 20, 1933) was a British socialist, theosophist, writer, orator, and clairvoyant. After Blavatsky’s death, Besant became one of the leading figures in theosophy. – Manwe in Virgo semisextile (30º) Mercury in Libra, trine Mars in Taurus, and quincunx Uranus in Aries

Alan Leo (Aug. 7, 1860 – Aug. 30, 1917) was a British astrologer, astrological data collector, author, and theosophist. He is considered the father of modern astrology. He shifted the focus of astrological work from prediction to personal analysis. – Manwë in Libra semisquare (45º) the Sun in Leo, sesquisquare (135º) the Midheaven in Taurus, opposite Neptune in Pisces, and in aspect to the Moon’s nodes (Rodden rating B)

Evangeline Adams (Feb. 8, 1868 – November 1932) was an American astrologer and author. While Aleister Crowley ghostwrote her books on astrology, Adams is an acknowledged contributor to Crowley’s own astrological text The General Practice of Astrology. She has been described as “America’s first astrological superstar”. – Manwë in Libra trine Mars in Aquarius, quincunx Jupiter in Pisces, opposite Neptune in Aries, and quincunx Pluto in Taurus; Manwë is the apex of a yod configuration formed by Jupiter, Pluto and Manwë.

Rasputin (Jan. 21, 1869 – Dec. 30, 1916) was a Russian mystic and self-proclaimed holy man who befriended the family of Nicholas II, and gained considerable influence in late imperial Russia. — Manwë in Libra trine Mercury in Aquarius, sextile Saturn in Sagittarius, square Uranus in Cancer, opposite Neptune in Aries, and quincunx Pluto in Taurus

Aleister Crowley (Oct. 12, 1875 – Dec. 1, 1947) was an English occultist, ceremonial magician, poet, painter, novelist, and mountaineer. He founded the religion of Thelema, identifying himself as the prophet. He designed the Thoth Tarot, a tarot deck painted by Lady Frieda Harris, and wrote The Book of Thoth, intended for use with the deck. – Manwë conjunct the Sun and Venus in Libra, square Mars in Capricorn, trine Saturn in Aquarius, sextile Uranus in Leo, quincunx Pluto in Taurus, and quincunx the Moon in Pisces. Manwë is involved in two yod configurations: The first one is formed by the triple conjunction of the Sun, Venus and Manwë, the Moon, and Pluto. The other is formed by the Moon Uranus, and the triple conjunction of the Sun, Venus and Manwë.

Lady Frieda Harris (Aug. 13, 1877 – May 11, 1962) was a British artist, best known for her design of Aleister Crowley’s Thoth tarot deck. – Manwë in Libra sextile the Sun-Uranus conjunction in Leo, sextile Jupiter in Sagittarius, and quincunx Mars and Saturn in Pisces; Manwë forms a yod configuration with the Sun and the Mars-Saturn conjunction.

Alice A. Bailey (June 16, 1880 – Dec. 15, 1949) was a British writer of more than twenty-four books on theosophical subjects, and was one of the first writers to use the term New Age. Her esoteric astrology deals with the evolution of soul consciousness and the obstacles to that evolution. She described the majority of her work as having been telepathically transmitted to her by a Master of Wisdom, initially referred to only as “the Tibetan” or by the initials “D.K.”, later identified as Djwal Khul. – Manwë in Libra trine the Sun in Gemini, opposite Saturn in Aries, and sextile the Galactic Center in Sagittarius

Fritz Brunhübner (July 3, 1894, – March 9, 1965) was a German astrologer, lecturer, teacher, and the author of the first book published on Pluto in 1934. – Manwë conjunct Uranus in Scorpio, trine the Sun-Moon conjunction in Cancer, and quincunx Pluto in Gemini

Aino Kassinen (Dec. 13, 1900 – July 28, 1977) was a famous Finnish clairvoyant. In her youth Aino Kassinen became acquainted with theosophy, which influenced her worldview strongly. She was consulted by ordinary people, celebrities, politicians, and economic leaders. — Manwë conjunct Venus in Scorpio, semisextile (30º) the Sun and Jupiter in Sagittarius

Isabel Hickey (Aug. 19, 1903 – June 17, 1980) was an American astrologer, the author of Astrology, A Cosmic Science. – Manwë in Scorpio at the ascendant trine Jupiter in Pisces, quincunx Pluto in Gemini, and semisextile (30º) Uranus in Sagittarius (Rodden rating AA).

Jack Parsons Oct. 2, 1914 – June 17, 1952) was an American rocket engineer, chemist, and Thelmite occultist (Thelema was founded by Aleister Crowley). Associated with the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Parsons was one of the principal founders of both the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and the Aerojet Engineering Corporation. Parsons’s occult writings were published posthumously. — Manwë in Sagittarius semisextile (30º) Mercury and Mars in Scorpio, trine Neptune in Leo, quincunx Saturn and Pluto in Cancer, trine the Moon in Pisces, and square the Moon’s nodes

Carlos Castaneda (Dec. 25, 1925 – Apr. 27, 1998) was an American author. He wrote a series of books that describe his training in shamanism, particularly with a group whose lineage descended from the Toltecs. – Manwë conjunct Mercury in Sagittarius, sextile Venus and the ascendant in Aquarius, and quincunx Pluto in Cancer; Manwë is involved in a yod configuration (Rodden rating AA).

Jim Morrison (Dec. 8, 1943 – July 3, 1971) was an American singer, songwriter and poet, who was the lead vocalist of the Doors. He was well known for improvising spoken word poetry passages while the band played live. – Manwë conjunct Mercury in Capricorn, sextile Venus in Scorpio, and square Neptune in Libra

Jimmy Page (born Jan. 9, 1944) is an English musician, songwriter, and one of the greatest guitarists of all time. He wrote most of Led Zeppelin’s music. He has owned an occult bookshop and publishing house. His interest in the occult started at the age of fifteen, when he read Aleister Crowley’s Magick in Theory and Practice. – Manwë in Capricorn opposite the Moon in Cancer, square Neptune in Libra, square Eris in Aries, trine the Midheaven in Virgo, quincunx Mars in Gemini (Rodden rating A).

Paulo Coelho (born Aug. 24, 1947) is a Brazilian lyricist and novelist, best known for his novel The Alchemist. — Manwë in Capricorn opposite Mars in Cancer, semisextile (30º) the Moon in Sagittarius, and square Eris in Aries

Robert Plant (born Aug. 20, 1948) is an English singer, songwriter and musician, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of Led Zeppelin. Plant’s lyrics are influenced by Norse and Welsh mythologies and by J. R. R. Tolkien. — Manwë in Capricorn trine Mercury in Virgo, sextile the Moon in Pisces, and square the Moon’s nodes

J. K. Rowling (born July 31, 1965) is a British author, best known for writing the Harry Potter fantasy series. – Manwë in Capricorn trine the Moon in Virgo, quincunx Jupiter in Gemini, and semisquare (45º) the Midheaven and the South node in Sagittarius (Rodden rating C)

The New Moon is in Pisces in conjunction with Venus and Neptune. Pisces is the last sign of the zodiac which combines the experience of other signs. It represents maturation. It is the last phase preceding the new cycle which is about to begin.

Neptune is strong in its own sign. Neptune dissolves the old so that something new can take shape and grow. The Sun and the Moon in Pisces form a subtle grand cross with Asbolus in Gemini, Rhiphonos in Virgo and Varda in Sagittarius. These minor planets offer building blocks for growth.

A grand cross consists of two oppositions and four squares. The square is a challenging aspect that creates tension. The squares can be energizing, and they are useful when we want to develop our skills. They are like obstacles that we must face. We need them in order to grow and mature.

8405 Asbolus is a centaur orbiting the Sun between Jupiter and Neptune. Saturn is currently considered to control Asbolus’s perihelion and Neptune controls the aphelion. In Greek mythology centaur Asbolus was a seer, whose name means carbon dust. Carbon is an essential element of life.

346889 Rhiphonos is another centaur. The orbit of Rhiphonos lies between Jupiter and Uranus. In Greek mythology Rhiphonos was one of the commanders of the Lamian centaurs. Originally they were twelve water spirits of the Lamos River, in mortal body, set 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 growth processes.

174567 Varda is a trans-Neptunian object. It is named after the beautiful queen of light and creator of the stars in J. R. R. Tolkien’s fictional mythology. Varda radiates light.

Yet another supportive energy in this chart is worth mentioning. In Aquarius asteroid 31 Euphrosyne, named after one of the three graces, brings joy in our lives. The New Moon is in septile aspect to asteroid Euphrosyne. The septile (51º 26’) is usually described as an aspect of creativity and inspiration.

The Full Moon is in exact conjunction with centaur Aphidas retrograde at 8+ degrees of Virgo. 121725 Aphidas was discovered in 1999 and named after the Greek centaur who remained in a drunken sleep during the battle between the Centaurs and Lapiths.

The myth and my earlier studies on Aphidas proposed to me that astrologically Aphidas may represent one’s complicated relationship with publicity and some kind of withdrawal. Many celebrities with a prominent Aphidas have a difficult relationship with the media and have even withdrawn from their career at the peak of their fame.

A week ago the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, confirmed that they will not be returning as working members of the British monarchy. Harry and Meghan announced their intention already, about a year ago, and are now living in Southern California. Meghan Markle retired from acting in 2017 when she became engaged to Prince Harry. Yesterday Prince Harry revealed in an interview that he stepped back from his royal duties because the British press was toxic and was destroying his mental health.

The aforementioned news propelled me to check Aphidas in the charts of Harry, Meghan and some other members of the British royal family. Divorces in the royal family are interesting in this respect too. The royal duties of the other party are simultaneously taken away with the divorce. Uranus is the classical indicator of divorce, but I was curious to see if also Aphidas had some part in these cases.

Both Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have a Chiron-Aphidas conjunction in their natal charts. Harry’s conjunction is in Gemini opposite his Uranus in Sagittarius, and Meghan’s is in Taurus. Meghan’s Chiron-Aphidas conjunction at 21-22 degrees of Taurus, forms a yod configuration with her Pluto in Libra and Neptune in Sagittarius.

In a direct chart comparison Harry’s Moon at 21+ Taurus is exactly conjunct Meghan’s Aphidas, and thus also affected by all the planets in Meghan’s yod. Also Harry’s Sun at 22+ Virgo is aspected by those planets. The transiting Aphidas in Virgo is now tightly squaring Harry’s natal Chiron-Aphidas conjunction in Gemini and also his natal Uranus in Sagittarius.

Princess Diana’s death in 1997 and the role of the press in it traumatized Prince Harry in his childhood and contributed to his recent reactions and his willingness to protect his own family. In the natal chart of Princess Diana, she has the conjunction of Aphidas and Varda at 23+ Libra right at her Midheaven, the cusp of the 10th house. She really was the Star-queen, the queen of the light, symbolized by Varda. The 10th house represents one’s most cherished goals and the “calling” in the life. While the aggressive press certainly was not anything what she aspired, it was what she encountered, and it is one of those things that we instantly remember when we think about her. Thus we can understand Aphidas at her Midheaven.

When Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson was born, the Sun was in conjunction with Aphidas and Varda in Libra. She has been constantly in the tabloids. Prince Andrew and Sarah announced their separation on March 19, 1992. Sarah did not carry out royal engagements after the separation. The transiting Aphidas at 2+ degrees of Cancer was opposite Sarah’s natal Saturn in Capricorn and strictly squaring Sarah’s nodes of the Moon on the Libra and Aries axis. The lunar nodes symbolize our karmic pathway from the past to the future. When a planet is in a square aspect to the nodes, it must be addressed before growth can be attained. The transiting Uranus-Neptune conjunction in Capricorn was squaring Sarah’s natal Aphidas in Libra.

When the marriage of Prince Charles and Princess Diana was dissolved, and Diana also resigned from most of her charities on Aug. 28, 1996, Aphidas was transiting in Cancer in conjunction with Venus and Mars. These three planets made a transit square to Diana’s natal Aphidas at her Midheaven.

There is a powerful concentration of energy in Aquarius, a stellium of six planets including the Sun, Moon, Saturn, Jupiter, Venus and Mercury, and asteroid Pallas. A stellium is a cluster of planets in one zodiac sign or astrological house. The two benefics, Venus and Jupiter, are in exact conjunction. Mars and Uranus in Taurus are causing friction by squaring the stellium. The New Moon is in exact sextile to Eris in Aries.

Aquarius is an unconventional and community-oriented sign. It is the sign of freedom and rebellion. Lately we have seen a lot of rebellion, as there have been huge political protests in Russia, Belarus, Myanmar, and protests against corona restrictions all over the world. The coronavirus is still spreading, and we have to do our best to cope with it. At the same time there are also other serious concerns which demand attention and must be dealt with, such as global warming. We need Aquarian collaboration and innovativeness if we want to survive.

A study which was published last year indicates that the oil and gas industry has had a worse impact on the climate than previously was believed. The global warming is accelerating the loss of species, increasing the risk of pandemics, and producing extreme weather events. Last Sunday a Himalayan glacier broke and caused massive flooding in India, smashing a dam and killing people. The impact of global warming is greatest in high latitude regions.

The New Moon in Aquarius is forming a t-square with two distant minor planets which are named after deities from the Arctic region. The Sun and the Moon oppose Sila-Nunam in Leo and square Sedna in Taurus. When Sila-Nunam was discovered 24 years ago, there was also a stellium in Aquarius then.

Sedna was discovered in 2003. The orbit is extremely long and elongated, taking approximately 11,400 years to complete. Sedna was named after the Inuit goddess of the sea, and she created the sea animals.

Sila-Nunam is a binary system discovered in 1997. The components are of almost equal size and both are elongated with their long axes pointing to each other. The bodies are named after Inuit deities. Sila was the Inuit god of the sky, weather, and life force. Nunam was the Earth goddess, Sila’s wife. She created the land animals and, in some traditions, the Inuit people. Sila breathed life into the Inuit.

June 16, 1962 – The serialization of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring began in The New Yorker. This environmental science book was released as a book on Sept. 27, 1962, giving rise to the modern environmentalist movement. Carson accused the chemical industry of spreading disinformation, and public officials of accepting the industry’s marketing claims unquestioningly. Rachel Carson (May 27, 1907 – Apr. 14, 1964) was an American marine biologist, author, and conservationist.

Carson had attended the White House Conference on Conservation in May 1962, where the upcoming serialization of her book was promoted. The Sun conjoined Sila-Nunam in Gemini on June 1, 1962. When the serialization began on June 16, Mercury was conjunct Sila-Nunam in Gemini. Rachel Carson has natally the Sun in Gemini sextile Sila-Nunam in early Aries. On June 16, 1962, the conjunction of Mercury and Sila-Nunam was transiting her natal Mercury.

June 15, 1971 – Norway began oil production in the North Sea. The Sun was in conjunction with Sila-Nunam in Gemini.

June 23, 1980 – The 1980 United States heat wave was a period of intense heat and drought throughout the summer of 1980. It is among the most devastating natural disasters in terms of deaths and destruction in U.S. history, claiming at least 1,700 lives and massive agricultural damage. In Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, high temperatures exceeded 100 F (38 C) a total of 69 times, including a record 42 consecutive days from June 23 to August 3. The Sun was conjunct Vesta and Sila-Nunam in Cancer, sextile Jupiter in Virgo.

Feb. 3, 1997 – 79360 Sila-Nunam was discovered. Later the same year an international treaty known as the Kyoto Protocol was adopted. For the first time the industrialized countries agreed on targets to cut their greenhouse gas emissions.

July 26, 2005 — Mumbai, India receives 99.5 cm of rain (39.17 inches) within 24 hours, bringing the city to a halt for over 2 days. The Maharashtra floods of 2005 refer to the flooding of many parts of the state, including large areas of the metropolis Mumbai, in which at least 5,000 people died. The Sun was conjunct Sila-Nunam in Leo and square Deucalion (association with flooding) in Scorpio.

Jan. 9, 2012 — 79360 Sila-Nunam was named after Inuit deities. The next day the news announced that Alaska saw record snowfall. Sila-Nunam was in Leo. The Sun in Capricorn was trine Sedna in Taurus and sextile Huya (named after a rain god) in Scorpio. During the previous few weeks, almost 15 feet of snow had fallen on Cordova. The town issued a disaster declaration on Jan. 6.

May 1-4, 2012 – The Greenpeace activists protested the Finnish icebreaker Nordica’s involvement in Arctic oil drilling. Nordica was chartered for Shell Oil Company to support exploration drilling operations. The activists tried to prevent Nordica from leaving Helsinki, they boarded the icebreaker at sea, and they stopped boats in front of the icebreaker. The Sun in Taurus was square Sila-Nunam in Leo, Jupiter conjunct Sedna in Taurus.

Aug. 18, 2019 — 100 activists, officials, and other concerned citizens along with Iceland’s Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson hold a funeral for Okjökull glacier, which has completely melted as the direct result of climate change. The memorial plaque reads: “Ok is the first Icelandic glacier to lose its status as a glacier. In the next 200 years all our glaciers are expected to follow the same path. This monument is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it”. The Sun was conjunct Sila-Nunam in Leo and opposite Damocles in Aquarius.

The Full Moon at 9+ degrees of Leo opposed the Sun in Aquarius. The Sun is in exact conjunction with Jupiter. The Moon was in exact conjunction with asteroid 10 Hygiea, which is the fourth largest asteroid in the main belt between Mars and Jupiter (after 1 Ceres, 4 Vesta and 2 Pallas). Both the Sun and the Moon triggered Mars at 10+ Taurus with tight square aspects. In Taurus Mars and Uranus are still in conjunction, although the conjunction has gradually started to loosen.

No matter how tired you are of reading about the corona virus or about the precautions of the covid-19 disease, asteroid Hygiea in this chart is reminding us precisely of them. The Leo-Aquarius axis is connected to the interests of an individual versus those of a community.

The name of asteroid 10 Hygiea comes from Hygieia, the Greek goddess of health, cleanliness and hygiene. She was one of the sons and daughters of Asclepius, the god of medicine. Asclepius was more directly associated with healing; Hygieia was associated with the prevention of sickness. Her name is the source of the word hygiene. 10 Hygiea is also astrologically connected to health matters. Astrologer Martha Lang-Wescott, who has specialized in working with asteroids, has summarized the meaning of Hygeia in the perception that “cleanliness is next to godliness!”

Mutated virus variants are spreading and the rollout of widespread coronavirus vaccinations have to be postponed because of the low levels of deliveries of the vaccine. The Moon in the sky is always changing. Its shape, color and place in the sky changes constantly, and thus we can associate the Moon with mutations. Mars represents all sharp equipment, including needles. Mars is also associated with infectious diseases.

The Full Moon is always an opposition of the Sun and the Moon. The Moon does not have a light of its own, but reflects the light of the Sun, and at the Full Moon the face of the Moon is totally lit. Asteroid Hygiea is now in the spotlight too. Jupiter acts like a magnifier.

10 Hygiea was discovered in 1849 by Annibale de Gasparis, an Italian astronomer. The Sabian symbol for the discovery degree of Hygiea is Libra 7: A woman feeding chickens and protecting them from the hawks. At the time of its discovery, Hygiea was considered to be a planet, like several other asteroids that were found before. The rapidly expanding number of small bodies discovered between Mars and Jupiter lead to their reclassification as asteroids in the 1850s.

There was no definition of a planet until in 2006, when the International Astronomical Union (IAU) established the categories of planets, dwarf planets and small Solar-System bodies. The first members of the dwarf planet category were Pluto, Eris and Ceres. According to the definition, a dwarf planet has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a hydrostatic equilibrium shape (they are nearly round).

In 2008 the IAU announced the subcategory of plutoids for the trans-Neptunian dwarf planets. The IAU stated: “The dwarf planet Ceres is not a plutoid as it is located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Current scientific knowledge lends credence to the belief that Ceres is the only object of its kind. Therefore, a separate category of Ceres-like dwarf planets will not be proposed at this time.” Little did they know.

In 2019 it was announced that Hygiea had been observed to be nearly as spherical as Ceres and is close to a hydrostatic equilibrium shape, and therefore could be reclassified as a dwarf planet. A recent study showed that Hygiea is also the only known asteroid whose surface composition appears similar to that of the dwarf planet Ceres. This fact has an interesting point of contact with the astrological meaning of these two asteroids as taking care of the wellbeing of humans.

In 2008 two more trans-Neptunian bodies, Haumea and Makemake, were added to the category of dwarf planets / plutoids. There have been no new additions since, and nobody uses the term plutoid, whereas everybody talks about minor planets or asteroids instead of using the new term “small Solar System body”. The establishment of a new subclass for the main belt dwarf planets and the possible reclassification of 10 Hygiea hardly happen in any time soon.

The Sun and the Moon in Capricorn are in conjunction with Pluto and square to Eris in Aries. Several intense aspects in the chart are asking you to be cautious in the coming days.

Pluto and Eris had the leading roles in the play which led astronomers in 2006 vote on the definition of a planet, and in other words, to decide if Eris would be included or Pluto excluded from the category. Eris’s energy is provocative. Eris does not like to be excluded. Both Eris and Pluto can indicate power struggles.

Quoting Amy Shapiro from Inviting Eris To The Party (Amy Shapiro, New Age Sages, 2014): “In our party analogy, Eris-Pluto will teach you to tango, an intensely passionate and powerful dance, just as Eris and Pluto’s orbits overlap in space.” She also writes that “Eris-Pluto square brings hard choices. Situations grow toxic if the focus is only self-interest.”

Eris has ended its latest six months long retrograde period and turned in direct motion just recently, on Jan. 10th. The rebellious Uranus stations direct on Jan. 14th. Both are then able to express themselves in their most natural way. Saturn, Jupiter and Mercury in early Aquarius are squaring Uranus in Taurus. The Mars-Uranus conjunction is tightening. The exact conjunction happens on Jan. 20th. The Mars-Uranus combination is prone to show extreme behavior.

In fact Uranus in Taurus is forming a grand cross with Varuna in Leo, Zhulong in Scorpio and the aforementioned planets in Aquarius. The trans-Neptunian Zhulong is named after a Chinese dragon deity who controlled the day and night by opening and closing its eyes. Sometimes the course of our life can change dramatically in a blink of an eye.

Besides Pluto, the New Moon is in conjunction with centaur Amycus and plutino Arawn. Arawn is named from Welsh mythology. The myth tells how the god of underworld switches places with a mortal man. Among other things, the story tells about loyalty.

Amycus is named from Greek mythology after one of the centaurs that fought with Lapiths at the wedding of the king Pirithous. The centaurs were invited to the wedding, but they became drunk and lost their control. In the battle centaur Amycus was responsible for the first death of one of the Lapiths. Amycus was killed too, and the Lapiths defeated the centaurs.

Centaurs are symbolizing the dual nature of the man. Besides the civilized, human nature there is also the wild, animal nature in us. We need to remember that our behavior affects not just ourselves but other people too, and our actions always have consequences. We are connected to each other, and together we form humanity.

Saturn rules Capricorn. Saturn’s discipline and authority will help us through the next weeks.