California Gold Rush

[Jim Eshelman]

California's Gold Rush is officially dated to January 24, 1848 when gold was discovered near Coloma, CA. The most remarkable thing about the planets on that day is that Jupiter squares Uranus! This aspect plays a big role in almost every chart in the set.

Sutter's Mill, where the discovery occurred, is 38N48'09", 120W53'41".

The new Capsolar 9 days earlier definitely shows unprecedented profit and expansion. Besides the partile Moon-Pluto conjunction (square Sun), the Capsolar surrenders its dormancy to Pluto 2°42' from IC and a Mercury-Jupiter opposition (0°20' in mundo) across the horizon square Uranus. How's that for the discovery of sudden windfall wealth?

The Caplunar was equally wonderful for profit. A partile Sun-Jupiter opposition is closely angular across the horizon - again, square Uranus! - with the Moon-Pluto aspect that was going to be in all lunars everywhere for a long stretch.

The Canlunar was dormant (though Jupiter rising is its closest angular planet). The flowing-through Arilunar has Venus rising (and, of course, Moon conjunct Pluto).

The CapQ has transiting Mars on IC, which is a bit strange, but Sun - gold - exactly rising, which is not strange.

But the humdinger is that transiting Jupiter was 0°19' from Coloma's Cansolar Midheaven, while transiting Uranus was 0°10' from its WP. The Jupiter-Uranus square in RA was only 0°40' wide.

Wow.

[Jim Eshelman]

I want to work this up more formally. I'll use noon, because I can't find a time for the discovery. Also, one might wonder whether the public announcement weeks later is the better mundane date, but these charts are so remarkable that they have to be shown.

January 24, 1848 [use noon], Coloma, CA (Sutter's Mill: 38N48'09", 120W53'41")

Year: Capsolar {+3}
(9 days before the discovery)
Pluto on IC 2°18'
Mercury on Asc 3°06'
Jupiter on Dsc 3°26'
Sun & Mars more widely foreground
-- Mercury-Jupiter op. 0°20' in mundo
-- -- Mercury-Jupiter sq. non-angular Uranus 1°39' / 0°07'
-- Sun-Mars sq. 1°00' ...
-- Sun-Pluto sq. 2°19'
Moon-Pluto conj. 0°45'
Moon-Sun sq. 1°34'

Bridge {+3}
CapQ Moon-Pluto conj. 0°19'
t Jupiter conj. Cansolar MC 0°19'
t Uranus sq. Cansolar MC 1°53'

Month: Caplunar {+3}
Sun on Dsc 2°01'
Jupiter on Asc 2°33'
-- Sun-Jupiter op. 0°27'
-- -- Sun-Jupiter sq. non-angular Uranus 1°33' / 1°05'
Moon & Mercury widely angular
Moon-Pluto sq. 2°19'

Week: Canlunar (Dormant.) Moon-Mercury Moon-Pluto.

Week: Arilunar {+1}
Venus on Asc 1°19' [sq. non-angular Saturn 1°36']
Moon-Sun sq. 0°07'
Moon-Pluto conj. 1°41' in mundo

Day: Capsolar Quotidian & Transits {+1}
p Moon-Pluto conj. 0°19'
p MC op. s Mars 0°03'
p Asc conj. s Sun 0°42'
-------------------------------
t Sun sq. MC 0°36'

Day: Cansolar Quotidian & Transits {+3}
p MC op. s Sun 0°18'
-------------------------------
t Jupiter conj. s MC 0°19'
t Uranus sq. s MC 1°53'


SUMMARY
Year (+3): Pluto (Sun Mercury Mars Jupiter). Moon-Sun Moon-Pluto Sun-Mars Sun-Pluto Mercury-Jupiter (Mercury-Uranus Jupiter-Uranus).
Bridge (+3): Pluto (Cap). Jupiter Uranus (Can).
Month (+3): Sun Jupiter (Moon Mercury). Moon-Pluto Sun-Jupiter (Sun-Jupiter Sun-Uranus).
Week (Canlunar): (Dormant.) Moon-Mercury Moon-Pluto.
Week (Arilunar, +1): Venus. Moon-Sun Moon-Pluto (Venus-Saturn).
Day (Capsolar, +1): Sun Mars Moon-Pluto (CapQ). Sun (transit).
Day (Cansolar, +3): Sun (CanQ). Jupiter Uranus (transits).

[SteveS]

Jim, I remember studying this event a long time ago and how it was one of the most benefic economic events to happen with a young Country because it greatly increased the gold supply in circulation. Whenever we see mundane happenings which affect the Country’s people as a whole, statistically speaking, beneficially or malefically, don’t we need to see prominent SMA angular symbolism with the Moon?

I have read in other mundane astrology books—the Moon symbolizes the People of a Country.

[Jim Eshelman]

Exactly right, the Moon is the people, the masses. I think the distinction here is that the great beneficial effects of this Gold Rush did not affect the people themselves, but the country of which they were part. It's a subtle distinction but, I think, a real one.

The people didn't get the wealth. The nation got the wealth.

[SteveS]

Thanks Jim.