Month: August 2017

… which is exactly what may happen on Monday (Aug 28th) when the Moon is Void of Course from 10.39am until 8.49pm (both times BST)—in other words, pretty much the whole working day. There’s a couple of doozies in September, too.

Mundane and/or horary astrologers—and those with even a passing interest in same—will have read the term, ‘Void of Course Moon’ and its interpretation, ‘nothing will come of the matter’. To others it may just be an esoteric term to be glossed over. Well, not any more!

The Moon is said to be Void of Course when it has no further major aspects to be made before it leaves a particular sign. Major aspects are conjunctions, oppositions, squares, trines and sextiles. This state of affairs can last from a few seconds up to two and a half days—the approximate time it takes for the Moon to travel completely through one sign. It sounds a bit complicated but it’s actually quite easy once you’ve got your head round it. Let’s look at a couple of examples.

The Moon is in Scorpio and is square to Uranus over in Aquarius (Figure 1, above). It is at exactly the point of the square—from here the two bodies are separating. Also, from here the Moon is Void of Course because it doesn’t make a major aspect to anything until it enters Sagittarius where, apart from anything else, it has a whole raft of conjunctions in store.

On this particular occasion—it’s a real-world example—the Moon’s VoC period was 14 hours and 42 minutes. The next VoC period—after a conjunction of the Moon with Mercury in Capricorn—was just an hour and 24 minutes.

The two and a half day stretch doesn’t happen often. That occurs when most of the rest of the Zodiacal planets are all in one or two places. Let’s have another look.

This one has to be made-up as a real example isn’t easy to find. So, in Figure 2 put the Moon in Sagittarius. Then stick the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Uranus and Neptune in Aquarius and, for the sake of argument, Jupiter in Leo, Saturn

in Taurus and Pluto in Sagittarius. So, the Moon’s last aspect is to Saturn at the back end of Sagittarius, at which point it goes Void of Course. It gets into Capricorn a little later—and is Void of Course again immediately because there are no major aspects to be made until it enters Aquarius a couple of days and a bit further on.

So that’s the technical bit over and done with. But what does a Void of Course mean astrologically?

It’s a period when one should do ongoing stuff and get shot of unfinished business. Clearing out, finishing off and planning what to do next is also good. But don’t start any projects, don’t initiate any new schemes. Either they won’t get off the ground at all or they will start and then fizzle out. It’s sort of similar to retrograde Mercury but much shorter and a bit more general.

Ever wonder why that guy you met at the bar/pub/club seemed so promising at the start but any sign of attraction had gone the next day? It has to be said that some blokes should be left in dark places but that’s by the bye; the chances are that the Moon was Void of Course that night and it just wouldn’t work out.

Or the time when everyone in the office really got behind a new idea and pushed—and it still bombed? Either the idea wasn’t as good as it looked or you all got going when the Moon was Void of Course.

One other situation which is specific, I think, for writers, artists, musicians and any other creative types. You may find that doing anything at all is difficult during such a period and I have a theory. Because painting, composing, writing or even throwing a pot is continuous creation, rather than just starting a project and then letting it roll, you may find yourself short of inspiration or unable to settle to a job. I used to wonder why it was that I could stare at a blank piece of paper (nowadays it’s a screen) and get nothing all day—and then be writing furiously from 10pm onwards. Now I’d put it down to a Void of Course Moon period.

That’s apart from those infuriating times when brain-fade is the culprit—or ideas just stay away in droves!

Just in case you’re wondering, one may edit and correct ‘til the cows come home. That’s not creative.

So there you have it. Now you know about Void of Course Moons—and the little table (below) will show you when they are for the next three months so that you can observe and avoid them. But don’t try using them as an excuse for not doing something…

Void of Course Moon Periods September—November 2017
Please note: all times are GMT

From                       To
Date         Time          Date        Time

August 26   5.40am         August 26   8.54am
August 28   9.39am         August 28   7.49pm
August 31   4.43am         August 31   8.20am

September 2 4.31pm        September 2  8.07pm
September 5 5.17am        September 4  5.29am
September 6 8.30pm        September 7  12.02pm
September 9 3.53pm        September 9  4.24pm
September 11 0.55am       September 11 7.30pm
September 13 6.37pm       September 13 10.13pm
September 15 9.24pm       September 16 1.10am
September 18 0.56am       September 18 4.53am
September 20 5.31am       September 20 10.07am
September 22 1.06pm       September 22 5.41pm
September 24 7.34am       September 25 4.02am
September 27 11.09am      September 27 4.25pm
September 30 0.15am       September 30 4.41am

October 2    11.14am      October 2    2.27pm
October 4    7.20am       October 4    8.41pm
October 6    10.39pm      October 6    11.57pm
October 8    1.46pm       October 9    1.46am
October 10   10.26pm      October 11   3.39am
October 13   4.01am       October 13   6.42am
October 15   5.29am       October 15   11.20am
October 17   11.28am      October 17   5.36pm
October 19   7.13pm       October 20   1.42am
October 22   11.36am      October 22   11.58am
October 24   4.46pm       October 25   0.13am
October 27   5.24am       October 27   1.00pm
October 29   4.23pm       October 29   11.47pm

October 31   9.09pm       November 1   6.44am
November 3   3.04am       November 3   9.47am
November 5   9.30am       November 5   10.27am
November 7   10.41am      November 7   10.46am
November 9   5.15am       November 9   12.30pm
November 11  8.57am       November 11  4.42pm
November 13  3.46pm       November 13  11.27pm
November 16  0.51am       November 16  8.20am
November 18  11.43am      November 18  7.00pm
November 21  0.28am       November 21  7.15am
November 23  10.34am      November 23  8.15pm
November 26  2.38am       November 26  8.05am
November 28  12.10pm      November 28  4.31pm
November 30  6.36pm       November 30  8.39pm

On August 21 2017 there was a Solar Eclipse visible through much of the USA which peaked at 18.26 (6.26pm) GMT. That’s 7.26pm British Summer Time, and variations in the USA on 2.26pm Eastern, 1.26pm Central, 12.26pm Mountain and 11.26am Pacific time. The variations depended on where you (in America) are and whether or not your local State, County or other public body recognises Daylight Saving Time. Like Arizona doesn’t.

That’s nice.

There was also the New Moon in Leo at 18.31 (6.31pm) GMT. I’m sure you can work out when it occurred for your position given the information above. Add one hour for BST, subtract four hours for EST, five for Central and so on.

That’s nice, too.

Just to round things off, the Moon was then Void of Course from 18.31 GMT until 20.26 (8.26pm) GMT when it entered Virgo. That’s plus one hour for BST… oh hang it, you know what to do.

A Void of Course Moon is potentially a bit of a nuisance because you may want to start something, like a project or job that needs doing, based on ‘new moon, new start’. Well, don’t. However, VoC Moons is another article.

Now, please don’t run away with the idea that the eclipse has any extra-special significance just because you were underneath it. Yes, eclipses are special but essentially a Solar eclipse is a New Moon with attitude. The old order may change—somewhat—but not right now. It’s the start of a process rather than the culmination of one.

I’m not going to go through stuff for the whole world because if I did you’d still be reading this next month. So I’ll start with the UK.

 

UK: To Brexit Or Not To Brexit?

The first thing to note is the constellation in 7th House comprising the Sun, Moon, Mars and the North Node in Leo with retrograde Mercury in Virgo. All except Mercury are making a trine aspect to retrograde Saturn in Sagittarius in the 10th House. The third item to note is the T-square of Venus in Cancer (6th House) to Pluto in Capricorn (12th House) all square to Jupiter in Libra (8th House). Of further interest (to me, anyway, but then I’m pedantic) is that those House positions correspond very closely with those in the UK 1801 chart which is what I’m using for comparison. There’s also Uranus in Aries in the UK’s 2nd House which is exactly trine to the eclipse.

So, what does it mean for the UK? All that going on in the 7th House means that partnerships of all sorts are going to come in for really, really intense scrutiny. Well, yes, that’s happening anyway with Brexit, I hear you say. Yes. But. My impression from this chart is that there will be a change in focus, quietly and in the background, from how to get the UK out of Europe to how to keep it in.

Of course, that means that there will be a lot of shouting from those ‘out’ voters who haven’t actually changed their minds yet. ‘Because there is an indication in the Eclipse chart that such a thing is rather more than a possibility. The Venus-Pluto-Jupiter T-square is another indicator of change but as much a change of heart than anything necessarily visible; this gives me to think that a sort of non-Brexit Brexit is very much on the cards, if not actually a volte-face by everybody (except the die-hards) which sees the UK essentially remaining in the EU. The change of heart is in the Venus-Pluto opposition axis with whatever damage-limitation necessary indicated by Jupiter in Libra in the 8th House, itself a further indicator of change. The Uranus factor is usually revelationary, revolutionary, unexpected or downright weird; in this case, its 2nd House placement may reveal unexpected costs (or possible benefits) for both pro and con Brexit but, either way, it’s very likely to throw a financial spanner in the works somewhere.

None of that will be easy; there will be a lot of shouting about ‘democracy’ and ‘the will of the people’ and it all may lead to the second referendum which everyone wants to avoid. We shall see.

 

USA: Shaking off the DTs

Working out this eclipse vis-a-vis the USA is a bit complicated, not least because we have to look at the Natal chart for its 45th President at the same time. On top of which several charts exist for the USA, owing largely to disputed times for the actual signing of the Declaration of Independence, among other things. I’m using the generally accepted one which is 7/4/76, 5.10pm local time, Philadelphia, Penn. Cover me, I’m going in…

The eclipse constellation of Mars-N. Node-Moon-Sun in Leo with Mercury in Virgo is stuffed into the USA’s 9th House. That’s point one. The Venus-Pluto-Jupiter T-square is, respectively, 8th-2nd-11th Houses. That’s point two. The eclipse takes place in exact opposition to the USA’s Natal Moon and the eclipse Venus is in exact conjunction with the Natal retrograde Mercury. That’s point three. Point four is Saturn in Sagittarius in the Natal 1st House with its trine aspects to Mars, North Node, Sun and Moon. Then there’s another little thing. Uranus in Aries in the Natal 5th House is exactly trine the eclipse. Let’s call that point five.

Short version; some kind of revolution.

The 9th House is about long-distance communication, philosophy and justice. A Solar eclipse in there would indicate change or changes in the Justice system; with a Mars conjunction involved the impetus for change is ramped up; with the eclipse in exact opposition to the Natal Moon in Aquarius (the revolutionary) in the 3rd House the American people, or a significant proportion thereof, is going to have a hissy-fit of monumental proportions and pretty much insist that Justice Must Be Done. Add Uranus in Aries into that and a creative (5th House) means of doing so will be found, right the hell now. For what, and in which field, remains to be seen as this chart is essentially for the USA as the Federal entity, rather than as the several States, and so there is the potential for some local injustice coming to the fore as well as whatever is going on in Washington DC. But it’s DC for which I have set the chart so that’s what I’m looking at. The thing is, this chart could topple a king.

 

 

The current incumbent of the Oval Office at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue has Sun in Gemini and Moon in Sagittarius. What you see on the news and in person, however, is the Leo Ascendant.

Leo Ascendant can look like a king; can sound like a king; really, really wants to be a king. But it can’t act like a king, can’t speak like a king and ain’t never gonna be no king. (I have Leo rising—I speak from experience. Add in my Taurus Sun and I can’t be arsed anyway).

As one American phrase puts it, No. 45 is all hat and no cattle.

Sun in Gemini is the speaker who can sway a crowd, but only with slogans, and charm the birds from the trees, but only temporarily. Moon in Sagittarius is capable of proper oratory but Mr. President’s Gemini Sun gets in the way of that with the quick fix (Twitter) rather than the slow burn (government). That Moon position is exactly what’s behind the ‘proclamation by Tweet’ that happens now and again—the Sagittarian propensity for saying the first thing that comes to mind and (usually) ending up with a case of foot in mouth. Trouble is that Sagittarius can also get away with it; but only up to a point.

So the eclipse versus Donald Trump stacks up this way: the eclipsed Sun-Moon conjunction is right on DT’s Ascendant and very close to his Natal Mars; the Pluto-Venus-Jupiter T-square affects his Natal Saturn-Venus conjunction in his 11th House and his 2nd House Jupiter in Libra; Saturn in Sagittarius is exactly (and I mean right on the nose) conjunct his natal Moon; and Uranus in Aries in in Trump’s 9th House.

Oh dear…

Without going into too much detail, as you may be getting bored by now, this could go one of three ways. One is with a gunshot but I don’t think so; the effect of the eclipse on the Federal chart will be that Justice must be seen to be done and an assassination would simply dissipate that into searching for the assassin. Second up is that Mr. Trump is persuaded, by family, friends, business associates or whoever, that he either has to change or resign. Somehow I really don’t see that happening.

But the effect of the eclipse on his Ascendant and Mars is to put out the kingly fire somehow; and the 12th House, among other things, is known as ‘the House of self-undoing’. It’s also associated with mental health. Top of my list are two things; a stroke of sufficient severity to render him permanently incapable of holding office (change imposed from without) or a mental breakdown with the same effect (change from within).

And if things do start to change that way Mr. Pence is going to start thinking that he’s sitting in the catbird seat. Probably not a good idea.

None of this is likely to happen right now. An eclipse, like any other New Moon, sets the scene for what is to come later, usually over the next six to twelve months, so don’t expect radical change just yet. But do expect change, especially in the Justice system and possibly in the political system, including but not limited to an Amendment which makes getting elected an entirely different prospect. You can also expect a change in both the House and the Senate with next year’s mid-term elections.

We will watch with interest. Great interest.