The New Moon on September 3, 2024, occurs in the Mercury ruled sign Virgo, the sign that strives for perfection. Mercury in Leo stationed direct on August 28 and gave a boost to matters ruled by Mercury. Pluto retrograded back to Capricorn on September 1 and is now in the last degree of Capricorn. The New Moon is in conjunction with plutino Orcus and asteroid Nemesis. An aspect pattern called the Hammer of Thor is formed by Pluto, Eris, and the conjunction of the Sun, the Moon, Nemesis and Orcus.

Orcus is the second-largest known plutino, after Pluto itself. Its diameter is comparable to that of Ceres, the largest main-belt asteroid. Orcus shares some remarkable similarities with Pluto. The orbital period of Orcus is 245 years, just slightly shorter than Pluto’s period. Their elongated orbits are nearly identical, except they are pointing in opposite directions. Because both are locked in 3:2 resonance with Neptune, they will always stay in opposite phases of their orbits. Both Pluto and Orcus form a binary system with their relatively large companion. Orcus’s satellite is named Vanth.

According to the naming rules of the International Astronomical Union, all plutinos are given mythological names associated with the underworld. Orcus was named after the punisher of false and broken oaths of Etruscan origin. He was inescapable. Vanth was a bit more gentler spirit, a female demon who guided the deceased to the underworld. According to astrologer Jeremy Neal, ”the mythology of Orcus, from ancient to Medieval times encompasses themes and tenets of integrity, revenge, judgement, isolation, desolation, implacability and imprisonment and these form the foundation of the astrological lexicon for this dark, distant and enigmatic entity.”

Nemesis is a large main-belt asteroid with a diameter of 180 km and an orbital period of 4.5 years. It was discovered in 1872 and named after the goddess of retribution in Greek mythology. She was the distributor of fortune, neither good nor bad, but simply to each according to what was deserved. She is the symbol of our conscience and guides us towards right action, describes Demetra George. We will face the consequences of our actions.

The quadruple conjunction of the Sun, the Moon, Orcus and Nemesis in Virgo forms the apex of an aspect pattern called the Hammer of Thor. The pattern is formed by two planets squaring one another, and both making sesquisquare aspects (135 degrees) to a third planet. At this New Moon, Pluto in the last degree of Capricorn is square to Eris in late Aries, and both are sesquisquare to the aforementioned Virgo planets. Thor’s Hammer has been described as a particularly difficult pattern. According to Jeremy Neal, ”it generally connotes a difficult energy (represented by the square) which has to find an outlet through the apex planet. This is why – like Thor’s Hammer – it is a weapon of great destructive potential.” It can also be used as a force for good. In Norse mythology, Mjölnir, the hammer of the thunder god Thor was used both as a devastating weapon and as a divine instrument to provide blessings. It was a magical weapon which would never fail, never miss, and would always find its way back to Thor’s hand. It is a protective symbol.

One important news topic of the week has been Vladimir Putin’s visit to Mongolia on September 3. Mongolia is a sparsely populated country between Russia and China. It is a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which has issued an arrest warrant for Putin over war crimes. Members of the ICC are bound to detain suspects if an arrest warrant has been issued. It seemed clear in advance that Mongolia would not take measures to arrest Putin, because otherwise he would not have taken the risk of traveling. Mongolia is totally dependent on Russian energy. However, Mongolia will have to face consequences for not fulfilling its obligations. In Mongolia’s chart (a declaration of independence on March 3, 1921, 12:00 noon LMT, Kyakhta, Russia) the Pisces-Sun opposes Jupiter in mid-Virgo (the chart data from The Book of World Horoscopes by Nicholas Campion). Jupiter rules the justice system. The conjunction of the New Moon, Orcus and Nemesis transits tightly Mongolia’s Sun-Jupiter opposition.

Then let’s look at Putin’s chart (Oct. 7, 1952, 09:30 MSK, St. Petersburg, Russia). He has a precise Thor’s Hammer formed by Chiron in Capricorn, Eris in Aries, and Pluto at his Midheaven in Leo. Pluto is the apex of the hammer and should find a way of releasing the pressure. Putin’s hammer pattern is under a lot of pressure right now. Mercury stationed direct on August 28 at 21+ degrees of Leo, right at his Midheaven and Pluto. Mercury rules formal contracts and agreements as well as travel and tranportation, among other things. The transiting Pholus at 7+ Capricorn and the transiting North node of the Moon at 7+ Aries are activating his pattern too. In addition the current New Moon in Virgo (together with Orcus and Nemesis) transits his tenth house of aspirations, career, and public status.

When we look at Putin’s solar arc directed chart progressed to September 3, we can see some prominent conjunctions. His solar arc directed Orcus at 12+ Virgo is in conjunction with the current New Moon. His solar arc directed Pluto at 4+ Scorpio is at his radix ascendant, and his solar arc directed Sun at 26+ Sagittarius is conjunct his radix Mars.

Putin has repeadetly violated international law and agreements. Eventually he will have to face the consequences for his actions too. He will meet his Nemesis, although it hasn’t happened yet on this trip.

The New Moon in Cancer occurs in the same degree with centaur Bienor. Asteroid Ceres in Capricorn is exactly opposite the Sun and the Moon.

Of the named centaur planets, Bienor is the third largest after Chiron and Chariklo. Its diameter is approximately 200 kilometers. Bienor orbits between Saturn and Uranus, grazing the orbit of Uranus. The orbital period is around 67 years, longer than that of Chiron or Chariklo. Bienor will reach perihelion in January 2028.

Bienor was discovered in August 2000. Bienor seems to have a highly elongated body. Chiron and Chariklo possess rings, and it is hypothesized that Bienor has either a ring or a satellite (or both), or it may be a binary system.

The name Bienor means “strong one”. In Greek mythology Bienor is one of the centaurs who fought against the Lapiths at the wedding of king Pirithous. Not much is said about individual centaurs in mythology, but the manner of their death, among other things, can be used to outline the astrological meaning of the centaur planets. The death of a centaur is metaphorical and symbolizes transformation and healing. Most of the centaurs were killed by arrows or spears, but Bienor’s death was different. The hero Theseus jumped on his back, which was “never trained to carry riders”, smashed his face and pounded his temples. Perhaps this brutal depiction offers clues.

Among the people who have a prominent Bienor are the first President of the United States, George Washington (the Sun conjunct Bienor in Pisces), President Barack Obama (the Sun conjunct Bienor at the descendant in Leo), the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy (the Sun-Venus conjunction in Aquarius sextile Bienor in Sagittarius), the late Prime Minister of Sweden, Olof Palme (the Sun and Mercury conjunct Bienor in Aquarius), the artist and singer Yoko Ono (the Sun conjunct Bienor in Aquarius), and the English singer-songwriter PJ Harvey (the triple conjunction of the Sun, Jupiter and Bienor in Libra).

PJ Harvey has revealed in interviews, that her goal is not to repeat, but challenge herself and to do things that are new and frightening.

The new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, took office on this New Moon day. The Labour Party won Britain’s general election, and the victory ended 14 years of Conservative government. The Brits wanted change, and Prime Minister Starmer has promised a national renewal.

So far astronomers have only a limited understanding of the physical properties of Bienor. They have gathered data for instance through the technique of stellar occultations. Further data collection is necessary for them to fully understand the body. This is also true in astrology; Astrologers should put Bienor in the charts and further study this notable centaur to understand it better.

The New Moon at 16+ Gemini is in exact conjunction with Venus and square to Saturn in Pisces. The New Moon is not tightly in conjunction with any of the named distant minor planets. One of the large Kuiper belt objects that are not yet named, (532037) 2013 FY27, is at 17+ degrees of Virgo square to the New Moon and sesquisquare to Pluto in Aquarius. It forms a t-square with Saturn in Pisces, and the triple conjunction of Venus and the lumiaries in Gemini. At the Summer Solstice in two weeks, 2013 FY27 will be square to the Moon in Sagittarius.

2013 FY27 is one of the three largest unnamed objects in the solar system. It is the ninth intrinsically brightest known trans-Neptunian object. It is bigger than Ixion and almost as big as Varda. 2013 FY27 is a scattered disc object like Eris. It is a binary system with two components approximately 740 km and 190 km in diameter.

2013 FY27 was discovered by Scott Sheppard and Chad Trujillo in March 2013. The orbital period is 448 years. It is currently near its aphelion (the farthest point of its orbit around the Sun), about 80 AU from the Sun. Over time, it will come much closer to Neptune’s neighborhood.

According to the naming rules of the International Astronomical Union (IAU), when the orbit of a minor planet becomes well enough determined so that its position can be reliably predicted into the future, the minor planet receives a permanent designation, a permanent number. The discoverer has the privilege to suggest a name for the body for a period of ten years following the numbering. The permanent number 532037 was assigned for 2013 FY27 five years ago, in May 2019. I hope that the discoverers will make a name proposal soon, unless they already have done so, and this body will get a proper name.

IAU and the science podcast Radiolab have announced a competition to name another unnamed body, one of the quasi-moons of Earth. A quasi-moon is an asteroid that actually orbits the Sun, but if you watch it from the Earth, it looks like it’s orbiting our planet just like the Moon does.

The object in question is (164207) 2004 GU9, an Apollo asteroid discovered on April 13, 2004, near Socorro, New Mexico, by the Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research project (LINEAR). In the discovery chart it was retrograding at 14+ degrees of Leo opposite Neptune in Aquarius and sextile Mars in Gemini.

People worldwide can suggest a name for the quasi-moon between June 1 – September 30. “We’re excited to bring people together around something that unites us across timezones, national borders, languages, and all manner of differences – our shared sky,” said Latif Nasser, co-host of Radiolab.

If you are interested in participating, read more here:

https://www.iau.org/news/pressreleases/detail/iau2406/

We have a New Moon like no other. Sedna has entered Gemini!

The Sabian symbol for the New Moon degree is Taurus 19 ”A newly formed continent”. Besides the Sun and the Moon, also Venus, Jupiter and Uranus are in Taurus. Sedna entered Gemini on April 27, 2014. Sedna shares the first degree of Gemini with centaur Oterma.

Sedna is one of the most remarkable new celestial bodies found in our solar system in the 21st century. It came into our consciousness twenty years ago, in March 2004, when Dr. Mike Brown presented the discovery of a mysterious new object which he hoped to be called Sedna after the Inuit goddess of the Arctic Ocean. At the time Sedna was the most distant and largest object found in the solar system after the discovery of Pluto, and its orbit around the Sun was in its own class. The current New Moon occurs right next to the discovery degree of Sedna (17+ Taurus).

Sedna’s orbit is an extremely long ellipse, and one Sedna’s revolution takes no less than 11,400 years. At the moment Sedna is approaching the Sun and therefore it moves fast. It entered Gemini for the first time in June 2023, returned into Taurus last November, and now re-entered Gemini to spend the next 43 years there. Sedna comes to perihelion in 2076 in Cancer.

The exceptionally long orbit of Sedna refers to experiences that reach beyond several generations and are collective. It is an indicator of environmental problems and climate change. Water and arctic cold are Sedna’s elements. At the moment we have a cold spell in spring in Finland. The wind blows from the north and the cold air mass above the Arctic Ocean has also spread over Finland. The whole of May is predicted to be cooler than usual.

The first centaur to be discovered was Hidalgo in 1920. However, centaurs were not recognized as a distinct population until the discovery of Chiron in 1977. In 1989 Chiron was found to exhibit behavior typical of a comet. Centaurs typically exhibit the characteristics of both asteroids and comets. Centaur 39P/Oterma was discovered in 1943 by the Finnish astronomer Liisi Oterma. At the time it was an active comet, but a close approach to Jupiter in 1963 put it on its current inactive centaur orbit between Jupiter and Saturn. Its orbital period is nearly 20 years. It came to perihelion in July 2023.

The Sabian symbol for the discovery degree of centaur Oterma is 5 Libra ” A man teaching the true inner knowledge”.

Centaur Oterma entered Gemini on May 5, 2024, and is now in the first degree of Gemini together with Sedna. For twenty years has Sedna kept on giving us warnings what comes to the environmental state of Earth. We haven’t taken her warnings seriously. Gemini is the sign of teachers and learning. This could mark the time when mankind is finally understanding the seriousness of the situation and capable of changing the direction of development for the better.

The New Moon in Aries is a total solar eclipse visible across North America. A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, completely obscuring the light of the Sun momentarily. All three bodies are in line. In the astrological chart, the Sun and the Moon are in conjunction, as always at the time of the New Moon. Even if the eclipse is not visible where you live, its astrological significance is not reduced because of it. In addition, the eclipse degree can remain as a sensitive point for years to come.

The eclipse occurs exactly in conjunction with the centaur planet Chiron, in the same degree and down to arc minutes. The trans-Neptunian Eris is also prominent in the chart. It is in the same degree with Mercury retrograde. Mercury turned retrograde on April 1, 2024.

We associate both the New Moon and Aries, the first sign of the zodiac, strongly with new beginnings. The eclipse intensifies the power of the moment. The eclipse is like a transition point that gives a chance to adjust the direction that we are taking. In Aries there is pioneering spirit, self-motivation and action.

Each solar eclipse is a member of a specific Saros series. Each series starts as a tiny partial eclipse at either the North or South Pole, produces an eclipse every 18 years, and finishes at the opposite Pole. Each eclipse family has the characteristics of its own. Today’s eclipse belongs to the Saros series 8 North, which started in 1501 at the North Pole. We can cast the chart for the initial eclipse and use it to help interpreting the current eclipse chart. The initial eclipse was in Gemini (ruled by Mercury), and astrologer Bernadette Brady has delineated it like this: ”Inventiveness and flashes of genius are the hallmark of this Saros Series. The individual will have intuitive leaps, insights, good ideas, visions or vivid dreams. This new-found inspiration will pull the person away from his or her social life or relationship, thereby causing strain in the private life. This is a time when the person needs to be free, if only for a few weeks.” (Bernadette Brady, Predictive Astrology, 1992)

Centaur planet Chiron was discovered in 1977. It orbits the Sun on an elliptical orbit that is merging the realms of Saturn and Uranus. The orbital period is about 50 years. Observations in 1989 showed that Chiron had developed a cometary coma. A tail was detected in 1993. Today it is classified as both a minor planet and a comet. Chiron has three rings (yes, three rings!) and their structure is constantly evolving. The evidence of the rings was provided by several observations of occultations, the latest of which was in 2022. What a maverick!

Sue Tompkins and Melanie Reinhart have written: ”…In this sense Chiron bridges the realms of Uranus (radical change, revolution and the overturning of old collective structures) and Saturn (lord of manifestation and preserver of existing forms). By weaving both impulses into a higher synthesis, more uniquely personal than either planet, Chiron’s process may help us to individuate beyond the various pressures of the collective to which we are all subject. Commitment to the healing of ourselves, others and our environment is the price this minor planet seems to be asking us to pay.” (Sue Tompkins, The Contemporary Astrologer’s Handbook, 2006)

According to Barbara Hand Clow, ”Chiron is a knife-like tool you can use to dissect levels of awareness.” (Barbara Hand Clow, Chiron Transforming Bridge Between the Inner and Outer Planets, 2004)

Mercury is now retrograding in Aries. Retrograding planets work a bit differently than planets in direct motion. Their energy is said to be more introspective. Martin Schulman has said: ”…through one’s Retrogrades, it is possible to ultimately become one’s own Guru through the enormous self awareness that emerges the minute the ‘not me’ identity is no longer a strong vibratory force in the person’s life.” By the ”not me” identity Schulman means the part of us that society, tradition, and our parents have taught us.

Although Schulman writes about ”Retrograde Mercury Personality”, the following can be adapted to transits as well: ”Once the communication barrier is passed, there is a tremendous amount of insight that comes out of the Retrograde Mercury. To make this easier, the Retrograde individual should not try to make the form of his life fit into the ideas and opinions of others around him. Instead he can find more comfort in being grateful for his rather unique way of seeing things.” (Martin Schulman, Retrogrades and Reincarnation, 1977)

Now Mercury and Eris are in a tight conjunction in Aries. Eris is is the most massive and second-largest known minor planet in the Solar System. It was discovered in 2005 and the next year named after the Greco–Roman goddess of strife and discord. It is a TNO in the scattered disk with the orbital period of almost 560 years.

Amy Shapiro writes about Eris-Mercury aspects: ”Mercury, like the chemical element, in its purest state is a tool of reflection, as a mirroring surface for what is near it. Eris polarizes all that she encounters.” (Amy Shapiro, Inviting Eris To The Party, 2014)

The last quote is from Henry Seltzer, and he too is talking about natal aspects between Mercury and Eris, but we can apply this again to the current transits as the stepping stone on our path to find our true ”me” identity: ”All the intellectual roads that you traverse have the power to bring you into closer connection with yourself. It is a life-long study to discover who you really are, on the inside, and once you do, you find that you are in a far better position to express your unique attitudes to the world around you.” (Henry Seltzer, The Tenth Planet, 2015)

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.

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.

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.

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?

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 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.

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.”

”

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.

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.

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.

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.