Comet Lulin makes its closest approach to Earth today, leaving many of us to wonder whether there is any astrological significance to this rare phenomenon and comets in general. What do you think?
As usual, feel free to leave us a detailed comment.
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P.S. For more about Comet Lulin, see Pat’s Weekly Forecast for February 23.
As the stars came out for the Oscars last night, another “star” was making a rare debut.
Reports are trickling in of naked-eye sightings of Comet Lulin, which until last week was visible only with binoculars or a telescope. Now that we can see it, more people are paying attention, and I’ve been asked several times whether Lulin has any astrological significance.
The answer is, “I don’t know.” Throughout history, astrologers have interpreted comets as omens — and not usually good ones. That’s about all we know, but predicting disaster has fallen out of favor these days. We’re in the New Age, where being spiritual means thinking positive and collectively envisioning the new paradigm.
I say that tongue-in-cheek, of course. Those of you who regularly read my columns know that I have a unique take on being “spiritual,” which I define as being able to see the energy patterns underlying material manifestation. And by “seeing,” I don’t mean with the eye but with a different kind of vision. This concept may be one of the messages that this strange visitor is relaying to us.
What else is it saying? We might find some clues in the uncanny coincidences surrounding Lulin’s appearance this week as it makes its closest approach to Earth.
For starters, Lulin is coming out of hiding at the New Moon, and not in just any sign, but in Pisces, the sign most associated with seeing beyond material existence into other realms. (For more on this subtle but extremely powerful New Moon, read Neith’s report on RealAstrologers.com.) As if that’s not enough, on Tuesday Lulin conjoins Saturn, lord of time and the material universe, which currently is locked in opposition with Uranus, planet of electrical energy, technological innovation, and radical change.
Although Lulin was just discovered in July 2007, it has been inside our inner solar system since the mid-1990s. Throughout that time, it remained in the sign of Pisces, and from an astrological perspective, we might say that Lulin came from Pisces. On September 11, 2001, it was very close to the degree of Pisces that Uranus is now occupying in its opposition to Saturn. Lulin moved into Aquarius in August 2007 and remained there for about a year before gathering speed in its trajectory around the Sun.
The most curious thing about Lulin is that it is moving backwards, unlike any comet observed in human history. It also is displaying two tails. Past and future, meeting in the present?
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, nominated for 13 Oscars, is about a man who lives his life in reverse. A defining moment in the story is the “conjunction” of the hero and his love interest as their ages converge, he moving backwards and she moving forward. The trailer includes the tagline, “Life can only be understood backward; it must be lived forward.” Coincidence?
It is not too far-fetched to believe that Comet Lulin will force conventional science to reexamine its limited view of material reality. Indeed, there is a new theory that comets aren’t balls of rock and ice, but bodies of pure energy with powerful electromagnetic fields. Lulin’s appearance also may herald a change in how we view time. We’re told that time isn’t linear, and while we understand that concept intellectually, most of us haven’t assimilated the greater truth of time.
And so, dear ones, that is what I see as the biggest news in the sky this week, although its meaning is beyond the scope of astrology and takes us into new territory that may take years to fully explore and comprehend.
Looking at this week’s planetary movements, Mercury is out of his post-retrograde shadow period and also is entering unfamiliar territory, a land of innovative ideas and new possibilities. On Monday, the Messenger conjoins Jupiter, perhaps aiding in the dissemination of Lulin’s gift of knowledge. He sextiles Venus on Wednesday, facilitating the communication of love and friendship. Get it while you can, because the conjunction of Mercury and Mars on Sunday threatens to unleash quite different sentiments. Make a commitment beforehand to speak from the heart. If the truth hurts, so be it, but don’t say anything deliberately hurtful.
The only other aspects worth noting this week are Tuesday’s New Moon, followed by the Moon’s opposition to Saturn and conjunction with Uranus on Wednesday. Do pay attention to what comes up on this day, as it will provide you with hints of what to expect at the Full Moon on March 10. Neith and I will have more about that soon.
Wishing you all much love and courage …
Pat
Image: Comet Lulin on Feb. 21, 2009. Photo by Conrad Pope of Kelly, NC.
We have a family get together today, so I decided to pull this article based on family birth data going back a generation or two.
Whenever I wish to do some astrological research I have my family birth data to draw upon going back a couple of generations. In this instance, I was curious to see what the patterns were within the family for reversed Moon’s nodes for couples and their children.
My personal experience of relating to another person who has the opposite nodes suggests proximity is an important factor. I have several cyber-friends with north node in Sagittarius very close to my south node in Sagittarius and there are no problems at all. It seems to take the day-to-day interchanges to up the irritation factor – like working with someone or living with them.
What I found after looking up all my extended family’s birth dates was very interesting. Out of all the couples in both my parent’s generation and mine, only one had reversed nodes! In fact, only a few parents and children had reversed nodes, and most of the time it was the mother, not the father, involved. These were children that left home at the first opportunity, usually going off to school halfway across the country.
It is my aunt and uncle who live closest to us who have the reversed nodes. They will have been married for fifty-five years this year and it has been a stressful relationship most of that time. My uncle is ten years older than my aunt, who is my mother’s youngest sister; and they have five children, the oldest of whom is nine years younger than I. I don’t have birth times for either person so I will just review the astrology using the shorthand method.
My aunt is an Aquarius Sun, Capricorn Moon and my uncle has a Taurus Sun and very likely an Aquarius Moon. If this is the case, the luminaries form a trine and conjunction by sign – very compatible! Their Moons would be semi-sextile (Capricorn to Aquarius) and that does seem to fit. My aunt is extremely well organized and always had neatly written lists of chores for her kids posted about. =grin=
Their Mercury’s are trine too. Her Mercury is in Capricorn and his in Taurus and they are both practical sorts and can take care of business when they need to.
His Mars is in Libra trine her Venus in Aquarius and her Mars in Capricorn is trine his Venus in Taurus. However, with their Mars square by sign, they have a difficult time agreeing on how to work together. And their Venuses are square giving them very different ideas of enjoyment. Once their children were grown they quit attempting to vacation together at all, and my uncle would go hunting with my dad, his friend since childhood, and my aunt would fly off to Europe by herself.
Saturn plays a role here too with Saturn-Venus intra-aspects, always a good indicator of durability. Plus his Mercury-Venus conjunction in Taurus are exactly conjunct her Chiron-North Node in Taurus. He has his Sun conjunct his South Node in Taurus and is quite comfortable living in home he was born in and grew up in . . .
I believe it is the combination of very compatible elements, the Saturn-Venus intra-aspect and the tidy synastry stellium in Taurus, noted for staying with the known quantity, which has contributed to them staying together. They are both fixed sign types too and the nodal axis here is Taurus-Scorpio, noted for tenacity. But I know first hand how bitter things are and how unhappy they have been for much of their married life.
Based on my own experiences and this example, I have to say if I saw reversed nodes in a couple’s synastry, I would caution them to really consider carefully what type of relationship they wish to have.
posted by Neith . . .
Image: This is an old family photo taken on a camping trip when I was ten years old. What a different world it was.
This week’s question comes from Jan in Brisbane, Australia:
The triple conjunction of Chiron, Jupiter, and Neptune is happening on my Ascendant at 25 degrees Aquarius. What do I need to do?
Pat’s response:
This is a great question, Jan, as it allows us to talk a little bit about this year’s Jupiter-Neptune conjunction. The Saturn-Uranus opposition has been getting all the press, but this very important conjunction — which, as you note, also includes Chiron — has some serious implications, and with your Ascendant at the hub of the activity, you are going to witness the effects firsthand.
Like most outer transits, this one will have three parts. The first pass occurs on May 27 at 26 degrees Aquarius. The second falls on July 10 at 25 degrees, and the third and final pass is on December 21, the Winter Solstice, at 24 degrees. The first conjunction occurs just as Neptune and Chiron are turning retrograde, making this conjunction all the more powerful and far-reaching. The second two passes occur with the Moon also in conjunction, so their energies will be further amplified as well.
How this conjunction will affect individuals depends on where it falls in their charts and whether it forms aspects with key natal planets. In your case, I see no cause for concern and every reason to be hopeful. I’ve written a lot about the conjunction of Neptune and Chiron being a powerful healing agent, both for individuals and the collective. Jupiter’s energy promotes expansion and growth, so we can expect that deep healing will lead to personal growth. In your case, there even may be opportunities to help others heal and grow.
I see two ways that you can take advantage of the positive side of this conjunction. First, if you have any unresolved issues from childhood or from your family’s past (we do carry these in our energy field), you can work on them during this time with a minimum of disruption. Those of you who have undertaken deep healing work know that it can interfere with your normal day-to-day activities. I see less chance of this happening with Jupiter in the mix.
Second, this is an ideal time to help others. If you are in a healing profession, you could have an extraordinary influence on your patients or clients. If you aren’t in a healing profession, find some way to do community service work. This could be anything from donating food or time to organizations that help the poor, to tutoring students who are behind in their studies. Or, find some other way to use your skills and talents to help others along.
This also is a great time to study astrology and other metaphysical subjects. Just take care that you don’t get involved with any groups that promise results such as money and love without having to do anything to earn it. Sitting on the couch visualizing money won’t cause any great harm to anyone in the long run, but it would be an unfortunate waste of the good you can do with this powerful energy that will be channeled directly into you.
Stay in touch and keep us posted!
Neith’s response:
Hi Jan, what I see as the greatest challenge with this transit is keeping some perspective because Jupiter is likely to inflate Neptune’s wonderful ideas for the betterment of all, and your Taurus Sun likes consistency with solid, well thought out plans.
Neptune transits to the Ascendant can be tricky to navigate due to a lack of clarity about how others see us, and how we see others. Projections and expectations can crop up unexpectedly and leave all parties shaking their heads and wondering what the heck just happened. Frankly I don’t believe Jupiter will be of much help with these issues and may even add to them. I’m of a mind Jupiter acts more as an amplifier than as a beneficent.
Chiron’s role here may have to do with bringing to the forefront the uncomfortable differences between who you are at home (your Taurus Sun in the fourth house) and the way others see you out in the world (Aquarius rising). Once those issues are highlighted, then healing is possible. You have already experienced your Chiron return, and during July 2009 when Chiron is conjunct your Ascendant, Venus will be conjunct your Chiron by transit – sounds favorable to me!
As someone with a preponderance of earth and water, Jan, staying calm and focused in the moment may be the ticket. The rulers of your Ascendant and your fourth house, Uranus and the Moon, are trine in earth signs giving you a natural sense of how to handle the unexpected.
Hey, please let us know how this transit goes for you! We always love feedback on the real world events in people’s lives because that is how we all learn more about the inner workings of astrology.
Good luck!
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Does anyone else feel like the past week contained several weeks compressed into one? Eclipses will do that. I’m still reeling from this latest pair.
Although the dust still hasn’t settled, it does feel like we’re getting a better idea of where events are headed. We still don’t know why or to what ultimate ends, and this could remain a mystery for some time to come. That said, we should get some clues this week, with Mercury back in Aquarius and out of the post-retrograde shadow as of Saturday. But I’m getting ahead of myself — typical Aquarius!
An energetic three-way aspect between Venus, Mars, and Jupiter begins on Monday, with a sextile from Venus in Aries to Jupiter in Aquarius. Mars and Jupiter conjoin on Tuesday, and then Venus forms an exact sextile to Mars on Wednesday. Rather than taking these aspects individually, I’m looking at them as a whole, and I’m going to stick my neck out here and throw the asteroid Juno into the picture, too.
Juno is one of the bodies in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Many astrologers use the asteroids in individual chart readings, especially for women. The only one I routinely use is Ceres, who is no longer classified as an asteroid but is in the new category of dwarf planet, along with Pluto. I’m going to make an exception this week, though, because Juno is just a degree from Jupiter (the exact conjunction was last Wednesday, with the lunar North Node at the exact degree and minute as well), and she’ll be crossed by Mars this Friday.
It’s hard enough to make predictions anymore based on one aspect alone, but when you’ve got three or four planets involved, it gets even trickier. In order to make some guesses about how these energies might interact, I decided to go back to the mythology and examine the relationships between these two couples. You have to give the ancients credit for making up stories about gods and goddesses. In our ignorance, we say they were superstitious, but anthropomorphizing hidden energies and then creating stories to describe their interactions was a quite ingenious way of helping us understand how they play out in our lives.
In classical mythology, Mars was the son of Jupiter and Juno, and he had an adulterous affair with Venus. It’s interesting to note that in the Greek version, Ares was hated by his parents because of his blood-thirsty temperament, but his reputation in Roman mythology was much better, probably because the Romans expanded their vast empire through bloody conquest.
So we might imagine Jupiter and Mars as swaggering father and son, off to conquer a neighboring territory. Or maybe they’ve decided to have a little boys’ night out of drinking and philandering. They’re full of themselves and expect that they are invincible, women will swoon at the very sight of them, and they will get anything and anyone they want.
That, in a nutshell, describes the exuberance and exaggerated self-confidence of a Mars-Jupiter conjunction. If you are faced with a seemingly impossible task, this energy is just the extra boost you need. Depending on where this aspect is hitting your chart, it may give your self-confidence a much-needed lift, and that in turn could translate into achieving a goal. The potential downfall in this mix is hubris and a sense of entitlement.
That is where the ladies come in. I expect this testosterone-laden pair to be tempered by the close presence of Venus and Juno. After their little escapade, Mars is going to have to face his mother, and heaven forbid he should be implicated in any of dad’s shenanigans. If, on the other hand, their hunt or conquest was with their women in mind, mom will be mightily pleased. The moral of the story, then, is to contemplate your purpose as you sail on these strong and swift currents. There is no higher calling than love, be it love for a romantic partner, friend, or family member, or for generic love of one’s fellow humans (the collective, a keyword for Aquarius). Remember, too, that there is a difference between selfishness and enlightened self-interest.
After that big bang of Aquarius energy, the Sun enters Pisces on Wednesday, leading up to a new lunar cycle and interaction with Uranus and Saturn. Don’t be surprised if you suddenly feel more emotional or intuitive, maybe both. In the watery realm of Pisces, a lot of things don’t make sense on an intellectual level, and it’s better not to even try. That won’t prevent me from making up stories about our new cast of characters, though!
Speaking of which, newcomer Comet Lulin is still out there and about to make an appearance, probably next week. I’m working on that article, honest, and will post as soon as I can.
Much love to all…
Pat
P.S. You might have noticed that my personal blog is down. It may be off-line for several weeks, but I’ll posting here regularly.
Image: Jupiter and Juno, by Annibale Carracci, part of a massive fresco in the Palazzo Farnese in Rome, completed in 1608. Not surprisingly, images of his philandering were much easier to find than this rare depiction of him with his wife.
Hermia and Lysander, by Julius Simmons, 1870. Hermia and Lysander are lovers in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, from which we get the famous line, "The course of true love never did run smooth."
I started thinking about the greatest love stories of all time and then ran across a Live Science feature in the news headlines that began like this:
Nothing celebrates Valentine’s Day quite like a good love story. And by good, we mean tragic, of course.
How true! When you think of the greatest love stories of all time, do you remember the ones with the happy endings? Of course not. We remember those where the heroine poisons herself, the hero dies after one night of passion, or someone betrays the lovers, dooming them to remain separated forever.
The Live Science story cites five tragic tales from the history books, but fiction is just as tragic, if not more so. When we think of star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet come immediately to mind. In Celtic mythology, we have Tristan and Isolde, and we might think of Lancelot and Guinevere as well. In contemporary film, there’s Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio in Titanic, Nicole Kidman and Jude Law in Cold Mountain, and Winona Ryder and Gary Oldman in Dracula. Indeed, in Francis Ford Coppola’s rendition of that age-old tale, the hero is cursed with becoming a monster through betrayal that results in the death of his true love.
As an astrologer, I’m always looking for the astrological angle in these stories. Are there markers to indicate a tragic love? Unfortunately, our fictitious lovers don’t have birth charts, nor do we have precise data for couples from ancient history. However, I’ve seen enough charts to make some observations.
Venus rules love, while the Moon rules emotional attachments. For sexual desire and passion, we look at Mars and Pluto. Any of these planets in conflicting aspect to Saturn in a synastry chart between two individuals can mean trouble, as Saturn limits and also carries karmic implications. So, for example, a conjunction of Saturn and Venus might indicate a love affair that is hindered in some way. Likewise, a Moon-Saturn square could indicate great emotional suffering, while a Mars-Saturn square might indicate a violent breakup.
It’s also useful to look at the lunar nodes and chart angles, including the Vertex. For chart angles and also for the exact degree of the Moon, we need a birth time. The nodes and the Vertex in particular give us an indication of karmic connections; in other words, whether these two are soul mates.
As I’ve commented many times before, having a soul mate may sound romantic, but it’s hard work. Add to that the potential for a tragic ending, and you may start wishing that you never meet yours!
Happy Valentine’s Day.
Pat
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Happy Valentine’s Day from Neith
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This week’s question comes from Joe in Minneapolis, MN:
Would having natal Pluto in the first house make someone prone to have an extraordinary number of “ghosts” of family, friends, lovers and acquaintances that have gone on? They weigh heavily on my S.O., especially in January which is an anniversary month for almost all of these people’s deaths. Now another friend is preparing to go from liver cancer, and he is wondering why it seems like everyone he knows is dropping dead. I know everyone starts feeling like this at a certain age, but I just wondered if the feeling is more acute, having the Lord of Death in the house of the self.
Neith’s response:
Joe, as I see it there are two different parts to your question. First, why is January his “anniversary” month and second, what does having Pluto in the first house mean?
In your SO’s chart, Chiron in Aquarius falls in his sixth house and squares his Moon in Taurus. This past January, the solar eclipse in Aquarius conjoined his Chiron and likely brought many feelings about his losses to the surface. Even though he is past his Chiron return, planets passing over this sensitive point will trigger all aspects to it. Fortunately his natal Sun-Mercury conjunction is trine Chiron, providing the means to process his feelings through dialogue with others.
I believe having Pluto in the first house, Scorpio Rising, planets in the eighth house, or Sun in Scorpio, all help give one the ability to see and accept death and dying as part of the larger cycle of death and rebirth. In the case of your SO, you are correct about his age bringing more of this into his life but he is also a person with a strong Venus influence in his chart (Venus on the Ascendant, Venus ruling both Sun and Moon). This suggests a preference for using charm and tact with an appreciation of beauty. Coming to terms with the Lord of Death is not easy for him.
Pluto in Capricorn started squaring his Sun a year ago and will finish up later this year. Perhaps this uncompromising transit will help him come to understand and find some beauty in Pluto’s realm.
Good topic, Joe! We have only touched the surface!
Pat’s response:
Well, Joe, as you know, when our resident Pluto expert gets on a roll, there’s not a whole lot I can add!
I agree with Neith that having strong Pluto or Scorpio in the chart can predispose the native toward a focus on death. In extreme cases, it can indicate more contact with death and dying than most of us experience in the normal course of life.
Remember that before Pluto was discovered in 1930, Mars was considered the ruler of Scorpio and was associated with the eighth house. Your S.O. has Mars in the eighth house, in Pisces, which like Scorpio is a water sign and tends to be psychic. In fact, dreams and “supernatural” phenomena such as ghosts fall more within the realm of Pisces, the twelfth house, and Neptune, the modern ruler of Pisces. Before Neptune was discovered, Jupiter was the ruler of Pisces, and your S.O. has Mars in a very tight opposition with Jupiter. So I think it’s pretty safe to say that he is tuned into the “beyond.”
I also have Pluto at 29 degrees Leo, but in the seventh house, and my North Node is conjunct the Midheaven in late Scorpio. While I don’t have Pluto in the first house, I do have a first-house Moon in Pisces, so I, too, pick up these subtle energies. I would not say, though, that they weigh on me the way your S.O. describes.
I agree with Neith about the January timeframe. With Chiron in early Aquarius, your S.O. is always reminded of these unhappy events when the Sun and Mercury are in proximity to his natal Chiron, and that means they also are square his Moon, triggering a strong emotional response. This alone can be troubling for Moon in Taurus.
That may seem like a bit of a convoluted answer, but as is often the case in astrology, there is no simple answer that explains everything. The natal chart is a complex energy imprint, which makes sense, as most human beings have a complex psychology not easily summed up in a neat paragraph.
Thanks for this intriguing question!
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Since Jupiter moved into Aquarius and has started stirring the atmosphere, there seems to be a sharp increase in the amount of information whipping around the world via the Internet and other technologies – both good and bad. Has anyone else noticed this happening?
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Has anyone had experiences since Jupiter moved into Aquarius that were not what they had anticipated?
posted by Neith . . .
Penumbral eclipse of March 14, 2006. Photo by Tom J. Martinez of Cleveland, MO.
My eyes popped open at 6:30 this morning, and I hobbled outside just in time to see a very dusky Full Moon through the trees, about to set behind the Olympics. Not long afterward, the sky clouded up, so this was a rare treat indeed. It looked much like the lovely image here, of the penumbral eclipse in March 2006 (photo credit below). You can find more astronomical information — the scientific nuts and bolts — on NASA’s eclipse page.
Regardless of whether an eclipse is total or whether it’s visible where you are, it’s still astrologically significant. Not all astrologers agree with this, but from my own personal experience and from working with clients, I’ve observed that there are almost always developments in an individual’s life before or after an eclipse in a sensitive area of their chart.
Most of you probably have read Neith’s excellent Full Moon post, but in case you missed it, check it out now! As she noted, Monday’s eclipse falls at 21 degrees Leo, opposite the Sun and Chiron at 21 degrees Aquarius and Neptune just shy of 24 degrees Aquarius. This Full Moon brings to fruition projects started at the solar eclipse on January 26 or, in some cases, it brings events that began around that time to a head. It may take a few days for everything to fall into place, although it could be a month for some of you, as eclipses don’t always deliver results right away.
That said, I do believe we’re in for a lot of action and more than a little mayhem this week, as a cosmic dam of sorts finally bursts. It had been held back at the New Moon by retrograde Mercury and Mars in Capricorn. Mercury is now moving forward again and returns to Aquarius on Saturday, which also happens to be Valentine’s Day. Meanwhile, Mars has entered Aquarius and is inching ever closer to conjunction with Jupiter next week.
I’ve written a lot here and on my personal blog, The Pisces Chronicles, about old wounds that are healing, individually and collectively. Pay attention this week to how healing may be happening for you. In my case, I recently experienced a new injury, not related to any existing physical or emotional wounds, but I am seeing that the remedies for the back injury are spilling over into general healing as well. I’ll write more about this as developments arise and I gain some clarity as to the overall direction and meaning.
On Wednesday, the Moon conjoins Saturn in Virgo and opposes Uranus in Pisces. Saturn is the traditional ruler of Aquarius and still is considered its co-ruler by many modern astrologers. Pisces, meanwhile, is co-ruled by Neptune and Jupiter, both of which are in Aquarius. So you can see how all of this Aquarius energy is being amplified on one hand but constricted on the other. Wherever Uranus is transiting your chart is where you are being urged to be more authentically yourself, while Saturn’s position indicates where you may be limited in some way, perhaps due to practical considerations, pressure to “play by the rules,” or fear of trying something totally new and different.
The Sun conjoins Neptune on Thursday, raising the possibility of confusion, delusion, and foggy thinking. However, there’s also a positive, idealistic side to Neptune, and I’m betting that this mood will prevail. Sure, Aquarius can be naively idealistic, but it’s also a rational, intellectual sign. We might even find some creative solutions to thorny problems if we tune in to this higher frequency.
Ideas and innovative solutions get still another power surge when Mercury re-enters Aquarius on Saturday. There’s a continuum here; you may notice that an idea or project that began in early January and then got delayed is not only back on track, but better than ever.
As for Valentine’s Day, Saturday’s aspects aren’t the most romantic, with Venus in me-first Aries and Mars in commitment-phobic Aquarius. It doesn’t take an astrologer to predict how that energy mix could send a lot of dates south. The Moon in Scorpio squares Mars later in the day (Sunday in the Eastern Hemisphere), adding to the potential for arguments or, more likely, passive-aggressive behavior. I don’t think I need to lecture any of you on what not to do!
Much love to all…
Pat
This week’s question comes from Rossa in the U.K.:
Do either of you ladies have any insight into what effect the new Comet Lulin will be having astrologically during the next month? I’ve read that it is currently travelling through Scorpio and Libra towards Leo and will be at its brightest and visible to the naked eye on Feb 24. With an eclipse coming up in Leo on February 9, I wondered if there was any connection?There’s some info on it here: Techastronomy Article on Comet Lulin
Neith’s response:
Thankfully, Rossa, Pat has done more research in this area and on Comet Lulin in particular, because I admit to knowing little to nothing about the effects of comets. Traditionally they were considered malefic and harbingers of doom, but whether that is true or not may be a matter of perspective because human beings are very good at justifying whatever it is they wish to believe.
That said, this is an excellent opportunity to gather information about the effects of this particular comet over the next month. If those people with key planets or chart angles at 19-20 degrees Virgo are affected, please let us know. Perhaps the comet will amplify Saturn’s impact by transit, and if that is the case we will likely see greater rigidity and sticking with the status quo out of fear.
Good question, Rossa! Thanks for bringing this celestial event to our attention.
Pat’s response:
Rossa, first of all I want to thank you for this great question! Because it’s not visible with the naked eye, Comet Lulin hasn’t been in the news headlines, and with everything else going on in my life, it wasn’t even on my radar screen. As the old saying goes, “out of sight, out of mind.” I just love it when our readers alert us to things like this. This is the whole point of having not just a website, but a real community.
With my back injury, I can’t sit for long at the computer, but I’ve been researching this oddity little by little over the past week, ever since your question came in. Tseka also sent me some links to get me up to speed on the basics. All I can say is that this thing is bizarre, and I believe it is a wildcard that may invalidate any predictions based on known astrological patterns. Could that apply to individual charts? I think it might.
For example, we’ve just had the second pass in the Saturn-Uranus opposition. Well, Lulin will conjoin Saturn on February 24, the day before it reaches its closest point to Earth and when it also may be visible to the naked eye. With new technologies discovered over the past decade or so, astrophysicists are learning more and more about phenomena such as comets, and they now know that comets carry a powerful electromagnetic charge. How could that energy not affect planetary transits, especially considering that Lulin is moving very close to the ecliptic, the path that the planets appear to take around the Earth.
What’s more, Lulin is moving backwards, and so I am looking for clues that it may be somehow “undoing” the expected effects of certain planetary transits or perhaps causing them to manifest exactly opposite of how we might predict. This is just conjecture on my part, and there won’t be any way to know for sure until enough time has passed. According to some astrologers, the effects of comets aren’t noticeable until the Sun or Mars crosses the point of perihelion (the comet’s closest point to the Sun). Lulin was at perihelion on January 10 at about 18 degrees Scorpio by my calculations, so we may not know more until November.
By the way, note that when astronomers talk about a planet or, in this case, comet, being in a certain constellation, its position is slightly different according to the calculations of Western tropical astrology. It has to do with precession of the equinoxes, which is too complicated to get into here. But you’ll notice, if you look at star charts, that Saturn currently appears in late Leo, and that’s where the conjunction will take place on Feb. 24. For our purposes, the conjunction occurs at 19 degrees Virgo.
I am slowly working on an article on Lulin for my personal blog, The Pisces Chronicles, and hope to have it up in a few days. It will depend on how my back is doing. In the meantime, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for the birthday and get-well wishes. Due to time and energy constraints, I haven’t been able to respond, but I want you to know that all of your good thoughts mean a lot to me and I’m sure they are contributing to my healing.
Much love and many blessings to all…
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