Archive for the ‘Mercury station’ Category

Full Moon in Gemini – Dec. 15, 2024, 09:02 UT

Monday, December 16th, 2024

The Full Moon was in Gemini in an exact conjunction with a large trans-Neptunian object nicknamed “Buffy”. Mercury is the ruler of Gemini, and it was stationary in the opposing sign Sagittarius, about to turn direct.

Full Moon in Gemini

Buffy” – officially known as (612911) 2004 XR190 – is a strange object discovered 20 years ago (Dec. 11, 2004) by Lynne Allen as part of the Canada-France Ecliptic Plane Survey (CFEPS). At the time of the discovery “Buffy” was in Gemini opposite the Moon and retrograding Mercury in Sagittarius. The discovery was announced in December 2005.

Buffy” is an extended scattered disc object with the orbital period of more than 433 years. It has an estimated diameter of 335 to 850 kilometers. What makes “Buffy” so unusual is the orbit, which is difficult for scientists to explain using previous theories of the formation of the outer solar system. “Buffy” is a kind of a hybrid.

Side view of Buffy’s orbit. (Image: Wikipedia)

The orbit is unusually circular for a scattered disc object and the body never comes closer than 50 AU. The other objects discovered beyond that distance have non-circular orbits because of the gravitational influence of Neptune. In addition, it has a high inclination of almost 47° with respect to the ecliptic. The object is the largest object with an inclination larger than 45°. The discoverers nicknamed 2004 XR190 as “Buffy” after the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, because it is possibly going to be a theory slayer, as they explained.

The object was numbered in January 2024, which means that its orbit is well enough determined for reliably predicting the position far into the future. “Buffy” can be officially named now. The team has proposed several Inuit-based official names to the International Astronomical Union.

The Sabian symbol for the discovery chart’s ascendant is Virgo 1 A man’s head. The Sabian symbol for the discovery chart’s MC is Gemini 2 Santa Claus filling stockings furtively. Perhaps they offer clues for the meaning of the object. Christmas is near so announcing the official name would be a nice gift from the IAU.

New Moon in Virgo – Sept. 03, 2024, 01:56 UT

Wednesday, September 4th, 2024

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.

New Moon in Virgo

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.

New Moon in Aries / Total Solar Eclipse – April 8, 2024, 18:21 UT

Monday, April 8th, 2024

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.

Total Solar Eclipse in Aries

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)

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

Friday, 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 – Sept. 10, 2022, 09:59 UT

Friday, September 9th, 2022

The Full Moon occurs in Pisces in conjunction with centaur Nessus. Mercury in Libra is stationary; it began its retrograde phase earlier the same day. The Moon is sextile to Uranus at the North node of the Moon in Taurus.

Full Moon in Pisces
In mythology Mercury was the messenger of the gods, who traveled between the worlds of the mortals and the gods. The planet Mercury symbolizes mental processes and communication, whether verbal or written. Mercury retrograde can bring unconscious material and unfinished business from the past to the surface.

Nessus was the third centaur discovered (in 1993) and the first celestial body in modern times named at the suggestion of astrologers (in 1997). The orbit of Nessus crosses the orbits of Uranus and Neptune and even that of Pluto. The themes of Nessus, such as the abuse of power, revenge, being oppressed, and patterns of helplessness, can stretch beyond a person’s own lifetime, through generations. Astrologically Nessus helps in recognizing the patterns and reach the point where there is no more need to ”pass the buck”.

The Finnish author Kira Poutanen ponders the theme of transgenerational trauma in her latest novel Surun kartta, ”The map of sorrow” (WSOY 2021). The main character of the novel is a woman who goes through a difficult childbirth, in which her body rouses memories that possibly belong to somebody else. Can memories really transfer from one generation to another without words?

The transgenerational trauma is a concept that has been studied in psychology and even in genetics in recent years. Research suggests that trauma can leave a chemical mark on one’s genes, which can then be passed down to future generations. For example, wars, famines and genocides are thought to leave a mark on the descendants of those who suffered them. Trauma doesn’t cause a genetic mutation, but it can alter the mechanism by which the gene is expressed. That which is not talked about or dealt with becomes a burden of the next generation. Healing the effects of trauma either in therapy or otherwise can help release undesirable patterns and stop passing them to one’s offspring.

In Kira Poutanen’s chart (born March 30, 1974) centaur Nessus is at her North node of the Moon in Gemini, trine the Venus-Ceres conjunction in Aquarius, and quintile (72°) her Sun in Aries. The quintile is often called the aspect of creativity. The novel Surun kartta was published on Oct. 5, 2021, when the transiting Nessus at 12+ Pisces was exactly conjunct Kira Poutanen’s radix Mercury in Pisces. The transiting Chiron in Aries was in conjunction with Poutanen’s Sun, and the transiting Jupiter in Aquarius was trining her radix Nessus in Gemini.

Full Moon in Aries – Oct. 20, 2021, 14:57 UT

Wednesday, October 20th, 2021

The Full Moon chart looks intense and heavy. The Moon in Aries opposes the Sun, Mars and Haumea in Libra. The Moon is in conjunction with Eris. Pluto in Capricorn squares the planets both in Aries and in Libra. When two planets are opposite each other and a third planet squares both, the aspect pattern is called the t-square. There is confrontation, stress and high energy involved.

Full Moon in Aries
The Moon in Aries is spontaneous, and combined with Mars’s initiative it can lead to hasty action, arguments, and even aggression. Eris is the warrior sister of Mars. Pluto can represent the collective shadow. Don’t let your emotions take control over you.

Mercury stationed direct on Oct. 18 in Libra opposite Chiron. When Mercury turns direct, secrets are revealed and the truth comes out. Spain’s literary world is said to be in chaos now that the praised female crime writer Carmen Mola, whose work has been considered as “feminist reading”, turned out to be the pseudonym of three male television scriptwriters. They are now accused of fraud by many fellow writers.

Dwarf planet Haumea was discovered by Mike Brown’s team in December 2004, a little earlier than dwarf planet Eris. It was nicknamed “Santa” because it was discovered just after Christmas. Haumea is officially named after the Hawaiian goddess of fertility and childbirth, with many children who sprang from different parts of her body. She can take many different forms and use disguise. Mike Brown has described Haumea as the strangest and the most interesting object in the Kuiper belt.

The mythology of Eris, the goddess of strife and discord, and Eris’s discovery leading to the debate over Pluto’s status and astronomers’ vote for the definition of the term planet have contributed to the astrological meaning of Eris. This fact and the revelation in the Spanish literary awards ceremony last weekend made me think about the discovery circumstances of Haumea.

There was controversy over who should receive credit for Haumea’s discovery. Mike Brown’s team had first found the body in 2004, but a Spanish team announced the discovery first, claiming that they had found it in July 2005 on images taken in March 2003. In science the first to announce takes the credit. However, the Caltech observation logs showed that the Spanish team members had accessed the logs just before their announcement of the discovery. Brown accused the Spanish team of fraud. The body was officially named in 2008 as Haumea on the proposal of Brown’s team. However, the discovery date was listed on the announcement of the Spanish team as March 7, 2003, and the name of the discoverer was left blank.

It is not automatically illegal to use a pseudonym. The same goes with ghostwriters, which can be hired for instance by political leaders or celebrities and for numerous reasons. A ghostwriter is someone whose works are officially credited to another person as the author. What is the most intriguing ghostwriter case in the world? Some respectable figures like Charlie Chaplin and Mark Twain, among others, have expressed their doubts if William Shakespeare actually wrote the works that are credited to him.

During the decades several candidates have been proposed as the real author of Shakespeare’s works. One of them is Christopher Marlowe, a contemporary poet and playwright of Shakespeare. The two likely knew each other. Marlowe died at the age of 29, only a week or two before Shakespeare’s name appeared the very first time in any publication. The “Marlovians” believe that Marlowe’s death was faked and he continued writing using Shakespeare as a front.

In 2016 Christopher Marlowe was the first time officially credited by Oxford University Press as Shakespeare’s co-writer on the title pages for three plays. The research, by 23 international scholars, has identified 17 of 44 Shakespeare plays as being co-written with other authors. The new research involved both traditional textual analysis and the use of computerized tools to examine the scripts. Marlowe’s presence in those three plays had been verified strongly and clearly enough.

In Shakespeare’s time a child was customarily baptized three days after its birth. Only the baptism day is documented for both Marlowe (Feb. 26, 1564) and Shakespeare (Apr. 26, 1564). However, Astro-Databank at www.astro.com also gives a speculative birth chart for Shakespeare (Apr. 23, 1564 at 08:30 a.m. LMT), which I have used. Since Mercury is the planet of writing, my focus is on Mercury and Haumea. Marlowe and Shakespeare were born so close each other that the slow planets in their natal charts, such as Pluto, Eris and Haumea, are in conjunction with those of the other person.



William Shakespeare’s natal Sun at 12+ Taurus is in tight conjunction with his Eris. His Mercury at 16+ Aries is semisextile (30º) his Pluto, Haumea and Midheaven (10th house cusp, the house of career, ambition and reputation) in Pisces. Haumea is exactly conjunct his 10th house cusp at 17+ Pisces. Christopher Marlowe’s natal Sun at 16+ Pisces is conjunct his Pluto and Haumea. At the time of his baptism the Sun and Haumea were in the same degree. In the chart comparison Marlowe’s Sun is in conjunction with Shakespeare’s Midheaven.

Christopher Marlowe died on May 30, 1593. The transiting Pluto (transformation, renewal) at 16+ Aries was exactly conjunct Shakespeare’s natal Mercury. The transiting Mercury at 29+ Gemini was in conjunction with Shakespeare’s South node of the Moon (past, where we are coming from).

Solar arc direction is one of the astrological techniques, by which the positions of the planets are progressed to some specific moment. At the time of Marlowe’s death, Shakespeare’s solar arc directed Mercury at 14+ Taurus was conjunct Shakespeare’s natal Sun-Eris conjunction. The solar arc directed Haumea was at 15+ Aries conjunct Shakespeare’s natal Mercury. Marlowe’s solar arc directed Sun at 15+ Aries was also conjunct Shakespeare’s natal Mercury. At the time when the news about Marlowe as the co-writer was published in October 2016, Marlowe’s solar arc directed Mercury at 28+ Gemini was conjunct Shakespeare’s natal South node of the Moon.


The meaning of Eris is much more profound than just the indicator of discord. Pluto symbolizes many things from the Hells Angels to rebirth. No doubt also the meaning of Haumea is broader than what I am presenting here. This is just one facet.

New Moon in Pisces — March 06, 2019, 16:04 UT

Tuesday, March 5th, 2019

Mercury turned retrograde in the last degree of Pisces on March 05, 2019. The next day, on March 06, 2019, Uranus changes signs from Aries to Taurus, and later on the same day the New Moon takes place in mid-Pisces in conjunction with Neptune, the ruler of Pisces. Two minor planets, a main belt asteroid Vesta and a trans-Neptunian object 88611 Teharonhiawako, are in conjunction with the New Moon, too.

88611 Teharonhiawako was discovered in 2001 and its orbital period around the Sun is 290 years. It is actually a binary object. The companion is quite large and named Sawiskera. The names come from the Iroquois creation myth.

Teharonhiawako was the creator god of the Iroquois and Sawiskera was his evil twin, eventually conquered by his brother. Teharonhiawako planted the first maize plant. He also created the first people: the first from the bark of a tree, the second from the sea foam, the third from the black soil and the fourth from the red earth. The main diet of the Iroquois came from farming. Maize was considered as a special gift from the creator god.

The Sabian Symbol for the New Moon is Pisces 16, “The flow of inspiration”. This can be a time for special gifts.

New Moon in Sagittarius — December 07, 2018, 07:20 UT

Sunday, December 9th, 2018

Mercury stationed direct on Dec. 6, and the next morning the New Moon at 15+ degrees of Sagittarius squared Mars-Neptune conjunction in Pisces.

The New Moon fell on the Sagittarius Sun of Finland, which celebrated its independence and 101st birthday on Dec. 6. Finland’s Sun is at 13+ degrees of Sagittarius, so it was tightly squared by the transiting Mars-Neptune conjunction. The conjunction of Mars and Neptune, two planets with quite a different nature, can manifest in various ways. The action of Mars can be weakened by Neptune, and it can lead to passive-aggressive behavior, among other things. The transit could also mean spiritual activity, drug problems, or infectious diseases, just to mention a few.

Transits don’t always manifest dramatically, however they can actualize in distinct and surprising ways.

I was celebrating the Independence Day in a typical Finnish way by lighting two candles in the evening, having a glass of bubbly, and watching the presidential reception and ball on television. I was not sleepy after the broadcast, so at midnight I was still at the computer, just amusing myself by reading news reports and Independence Day greetings. Mercury turning direct tends to bring hidden information out. For me it gave a nearly 70 year old photo, which the local brewery had just published on their Christmas advent calendar. It was a photo of workers of the old local steam brewery, and to my amazement I was looking at the young face of my dad among the group. I know that he had worked there while in his youth, but I had never seen this photo before, and I hadn’t known that such a photo had ever been taken. My dad had a Sagittarius Moon and his Sun was at 15+ degrees of Scorpio.

In traditional astrology the Moon rules beer, brewers and breweries. Neptune, one of the modern planets, is a co-ruler, and associated with alcohol and gases in general. Fiery Mars aided the brewing at this New Moon.

Full Moon in Gemini — December 03, 2017, 15:47 UT

Sunday, December 3rd, 2017

Today you may have an exceptionally easy access to your subconscious mind. Pay attention to your dreams. The Full Moon at 11+ degrees of Gemini is a SuperMoon. The Moon is in conjunction with the trans-Neptunian object Altjira. Mercury is the ruler of Gemini, and Mercury is stationary at the Galactic Centre in Sagittarius.

The Moon symbolizes our instincts and reactions, and it is a container for our experiences. The Gemini sign is one of the three air signs. Quoting Stephen Arroyo, “The Air realm is the world of archetypal ideas beyond the veil of the physical world; in the air element, the cosmic energy is actualized into specific patterns of thought.” Gemini is the sign of gathering and sharing information. Connections and communicating belong to Gemini.

Every Full Moon is an opposition of the Sun and the Moon. The Sun is at 11+ degrees of Sagittarius. Mercury, the ruler of the Gemini, is about to turn retrograde in the last degree of Sagittarius. Mercury is stationary at the moment. Stationary planets are powerful. Mercury is in conjunction with Saturn and the Galactic Centre. Melanie Reinhart describes planets at the center of our home galaxy in her article published by The Astrological Journal:

“When the last five degrees of Sagittarius are stimulated by transiting planets, a process of awakening is initiated. The arrow of the centaur points ‘beyond what we know’, and at the same time refer us symbolically to ‘what we have always known’ in our inner depths.”

The Roman god Mercury is equivalent to Greek Hermes, the messenger of the gods. Hermes was a god of transitions and boundaries. He was a guide to the underworld. He was able to move freely between the worlds of the mortal and divine. He was the bringer of sleep and the conductor of dreams, and thus we can also consider him as a messenger between the conscious and unconscious parts of the mind.

The Full Moon in Gemini is in exact conjunction with 148780 Altjira, a binary trans-Neptunian object discovered in 2001. The secondary was discovered in 2007. It is large compared to the primary and for some reason it has not been named yet. The orbital period is 294 years.

148780 Altjira was named after the sky god of the aboriginal people of Australia. Altjira was the central god of the Dreamtime, a sacred era which existed before the life of the individual began, and continues to exist when the life of the individual ends. In the beginning Altjira created the Earth and gave the humans everything they needed for survival. Then he retired to the sky. The Aboriginals believe that the Dreamtime is a return to the real existence, and that life in this time is a passing phase. They also believe that during sleep a person leaves their body and temporarily enters the Dreamtime.

In recent years sleeping disorders have become a growing health problem around the world. Perhaps Altjira’s current journey in the mutable air sign Gemini has something to do with this. Altjira entered Gemini in 2007-2008. The energy in this sign can be nervous and make the planets in the sign more scattered.

The ruler of Sagittarius is Jupiter, which magnifies everything it touches. Jupiter at 11+ degrees of Scorpio is forming exact aspects to the luminaries. Neptune rules the oceans, and the ocean is a symbol for unconscious. Dreams belong to Neptune’s dominion. Neptune at 11+ degrees of Pisces squares the Sun and the Moon.

A SuperMoon is a term launched by astrologer Richard Nolle. It happens when the Full Moon coincides with the Moon’s closest approach to Earth in its orbit. If you have a clear sky, you can see the Moon shining brighter and larger than usual.

Full Moon in Pisces — September 6, 2017, 7:03 UT

Sunday, September 10th, 2017

Typhon, a mythical monster in Greek mythology, is the father of the winds. His name is considered to be a possible etymology for the word typhoon, a term which means a tropical cyclone. A typhoon differs from a hurricane only on the basis of location. A typhoon is a storm that occurs in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, a hurricane occurs in the Atlantic Ocean and northeastern Pacific Ocean.

“From the thighs downward he was nothing but coiled serpents, and his arms which, when he spread them out, reached a hundred leagues in either direction, had countless serpents’ heads instead of hands. His brutish ass-head touched the stars, his vast wings darkened the sun, fire flashed from his eyes, and flaming rocks hurtled from his mouth.” — Robert Graves, The Greek Myths.

Indeed, there is a monster rumbling first through the Caribbean island chain, and now about to make its landfall in the mainland of Florida. Hurricane Irma is an extremely powerful hurricane, which already has caused devastation and death on its path. It is one of the most powerful Atlantic Ocean hurricanes in recorded history. When Irma on Sept. 5 strengthened into a Category 5, it even showed up on seismometers designed to measure earthquakes.

Uranus is currently in a tight opposition to 42355 Typhon, the namesake of the Greek mythological monster. 42355 Typhon was discovered in 2002. It is considered the first known binary centaur, when using an extended definition of a centaur.

The Uranus-Typhon opposition was exact on the Great American Eclipse chart of Aug 21, 2017, and it was still very tight on the Full Moon chart of Sept 6, 2017. The Full Moon at 13+ degrees of Pisces was in conjunction with Neptune, named after Roman god of the sea. In the Full Moon chart the retrograding Mercury was occupying the Total Solar eclipse degree at 28+ Leo. The Full Moon in Pisces was transiting exactly over the Sun of Florida at 13+ Pisces, and it is where the transiting Neptune has been hovering already several months (the state of Florida joined the United States of America on March 3, 1845).

The Total Solar eclipse on Aug 21, 2017, at 28+ Leo was aspecting tightly Uranus at 28+ Aries and Typhon at 28+ Libra. Hurricane Harvey made its landfall on Aug 25, 2017, at Port Aransas Texas. Heavy rain and flood caused great damage in Houston. The Moon of the landfall chart at 26+ Libra was in conjunction with Typhon and in exact transit square to Typhon of the city of Houston (Houston was incorporated on June 5, 1837). The current Uranus-Typhon opposition was aligning with Houston’s nodal axis of the Moon at 29+ degrees of Aries and Libra.

On Sept 6, 2017, just before the Pisces Full Moon, Hurricane Irma made its first landfall on Barbuda. On both charts Mercury is stationary about to turn direct at 28+ Leo, thus activating the Total Solar eclipse degree again.

In the Greek myth Zeus captured Typhon underneath Mount Etna in Sicily, and there he causes volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. On Sept 8, 2017, a strong 8 magnitude earthquake hit the coast of southern Mexico. Tsunami alerts were issued for the entire Pacific coast of Central America.

There is a connection between global warming and extreme weather phenomena. We have to accept our shared responsibility in stopping the climate change.

Full Moon in Aries / Penumbral Lunar Eclipse — October 18, 2013, 23:38 UT
Full Moon in Aries — September 30, 2012, 03:19 UT
Full Moon in Sagittarius — June 07, 2009, 18:12 UT