Traveling for Solar Return

[Jupiter Sets at Dawn]

I was looking at my upcoming solar return and thinking perhaps I should try traveling. I'm thinking maybe Denver. Can anybody suggest another place?

Birth data in the usual place.

I looked around and tried to find how long I should stay, but couldn't find it. I sort of remember 30 hours, but is that before, or after? Pretty sure it's not 15 hours before and 15 after.

[Jim Eshelman]

At least fkr the moment. My 30 hour suggestion (for after) is because the PSSR takes 30:09 on averave to unfokd. Given converse, one could say 30 becore and 30 after, but that's a theory.

I'll look at the charts later but i do like Denver

[Arena]

Denver:
https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2019 ... ation-vote

You will always be stuck with your residence angles as soon as you come back home.

[Jupiter Sets at Dawn]

Maybe I won't go back. Maybe I'll run away.
That a-way. Maybe.

[Jupiter Sets at Dawn]

The PSSR. That makes sense. Memorable too.

[Jim Eshelman]

Oh, definitely get out of Elkhorn!

I'm not so sure about Denver, though, unless there is something specific you have in mind that is lunar. Having Moon exactly setting and a fringe of Neptune basically means that you will acutely feel, quite magnified, everything else going on - and then you move back to Saturn on MC in Nebraska?

The best spot in the country is Santa Barbara. Can you travel this far out? Venus exactly angular, Jupiter square them both and square Neptune closely rising. At the very least, it would be a splendid vacation (and Venus-Jupiter + Neptune fits for what is arguably the best wine region in the Western hemisphere, plus ocean breezes cooling off the late August heat).

Ugh, the worst thing is that natal Saturn is 10' from square MC. But in the face of all that other stuff, it would be, at worst, you being a spoilsport and intend on not enjoying yourself as much as you could. But there's a lot of enjoyment to be had. You could, of course, pick another spot that in California that has those sweet planets angular (but I can't think why you'd pick Fresno or Bakersfield over Santa Barbara).

[FlorencedeZ.]

Jim, in Santa Barbara, Mars, Sun and Mercury are also angular. Especially Mars and Neptune angular may not be such a good idea to travel to, what do you think?

[Jim Eshelman]

Jim, in Santa Barbara, Mars, Sun and Mercury are also angular. Especially Mars and Neptune angular may not be such a good idea to travel to, what do you think?

A little, but nearly as much. If she shows interest, I'll do a full workup - getting the exact angularity of the natal planets is slightly tedious.

She will have Mars conjunct her Sun (partile) no matter where in the world she goes. That it is somewhat foreground in SB isn't a big deal in the face of exactly angular benefics. It's also better to have transiting benefics, even if you have to put up with natal malefics (the world treats you well), though of course it would be better to have neither.

It's the natal Saturn exactly square MC that bothers me more than the others.

[Jim Eshelman]

I'll go ahead and work up the Santa Barbara chart - I have a few minutes now (first morning back in town in over a week) - but it will dispel some mystery. Here are all the foreground and angular natal and transiting planets, all their aspects between themselves within 5°, all Moon aspects, and all other aspects within 1°.

r Mercury on Dsc -5°43'
t Neptune on Asc -1°33'
r Saturn sq. MC 0°10'
t Venus on Dsc +0°27'
t Jupiter sq. Asc 1°12''
t Mars on Dsc +3°12'
r Sun on Dsc +4°23'
t Mercury on Dsc +4°30'
r Jupiter on Asc +6°29'
r Pluto on Dsc +8°27'

t Moon conj. r Mercury 0°31'

t Mercury conj. r Sun 0°06' in mundo
r Venus-Pluto conj. 0°19'
t Mars conj. r Sun 0°26'
t Mercury conj. r Asc 0°34'
r Mercury-Saturn conj. 1°12' in mundo
t Mercury-Mars conj 1°17' in mundo
t Venus-Jupiter sq. 1°51'
r Jupiter-Pluto op. 1°58' in mundo
t Mercury op. r Jupiter 1°59' in mundo
t Venus-Neptune op. 2°00' in mundo
r Sun-Jupiter op. 2°06' in mundo
t Jupiter-Neptune sq. 2°25'
t Venus-Mars conj. 2°45' in mundo
t Neptune op. r Saturn 2°58' in mundo
t Mars op. r Jupiter 3°16' in mundo
t Venus conj. r Sun 3°56' in mundo
t Mercury op. r Pluto 3°57' in mundo
t Mercury-Venus conj. 4°03' in mundo
t Sun-Pluto conj. 4°05' in mundo
t Neptune op. r Mercury 4°10' in mundo
t Mars-Neptune op. 4°45' in mundo
t Venus op. r Sun 4°50' in mundo
t Venus op. r Saturn 4°58' in mundo


There's a LOT of stuff here. In particular, we often get a LOT of different aspects among foreground planets, particularly since we are combining three different sets of aspects (transit to transit, transit to natal, natal to natal). All of the above will be operative to some extent, but we can narrow it down to a smaller set of those factors that are within tighter orbs. With that we get:

t Neptune on Asc -1°33'
r Saturn sq. MC 0°10'
t Venus on Dsc +0°27'
t Jupiter sq. Asc 1°12'

t Moon conj. r Mercury 0°31'

t Mercury conj. r Sun 0°06' in mundo
r Venus-Pluto conj. 0°19'
t Mars conj. r Sun 0°26'
t Mercury conj. r Asc 0°34'
r Mercury-Saturn conj. 1°12' in mundo
t Mercury-Mars conj 1°17' in mundo
t Venus-Jupiter sq. 1°51'
r Jupiter-Pluto op. 1°58' in mundo
t Mercury op. r Jupiter 1°59' in mundo
t Venus-Neptune op. 2°00' in mundo
r Sun-Jupiter op. 2°06' in mundo
t Jupiter-Neptune sq. 2°25'
t Venus-Mars conj. 2°45' in mundo
t Neptune op. r Saturn 2°58' in mundo

It's not perfect. (Chart rarely are: I get very lucky this year in finding something so exactingly perfect.) And, of course, it's not the only place in the country to go. But it's enormously better than staying where Saturn is 1°30' supported by Moon and Uranus (current residence), and one can go back to the Saturn on MC with a fundamentally positive imprint. There are dark sides, especially the natal Saturn exactly angular (aspected by Neptune but also by Saturn), but in the company of friendlier planets.

What happens no matter where she is in the world are Moon conjunct her Mercury, Mercury conjunct her Ascendant, and Mars conjunct her Sun. What you don't get elsewhere is the transiting Venus-Jupiter-Neptune angularity and aspects. Also, some fascinating natal aspects are drawn out mundanely by the locale, including a closer and foreground Sun-Jupiter opposition and Jupiter-Pluto opposition, with transiting Mercury closely aspecting the Sun and Jupiter.

Anyway, it's just an idea, but I thought it would make a good example to work it out.

[Veronica]

The Finger Lakes are where God touched the earth

Its gonna be a beautiful summer here......

[Jupiter Sets at Dawn]

While it moves Saturn off the angles, Mars conj Sun would be on the ASC, opposing Jupiter, probably not the best choice. I'm concerned I'd have an expensive and ultimately futile altercation with a zebra mussel.

[Veronica]

Lol....
Yea the zebra mussels are pretty thick here and in the summer they seem to be everywhere.

But compared to saturn on an angle....

[Arena]

While it moves Saturn off the angles, Mars conj Sun would be on the ASC, opposing Jupiter, probably not the best choice. I'm concerned I'd have an expensive and ultimately futile altercation with a zebra mussel.

Having Jup aspecting those two makes it a positive aspect.
Ebertin says about Sun-Mars=Jup:
"A positive outlook on life, optimism, the striving for the attainment of power. - The fianc]e, the Civil Servant. - The acto of taking possessions, successful activity."

[Jupiter Sets at Dawn]

Sun-Mars-Jupiter, in my experience, means money going out faster than it comes in. It feels positive at the time, and there's a lot of enthusiasm, but at the end, your pockets are still empty.
Solunars are transits. You can read Mars-Jupiter here. That feels closer to my experience.
I was born with Sun sitting with 5° of my natal ASC, so going back to the area for this SR feels more like shouting "incoming!"

[Jupiter Sets at Dawn]

Santa Barbara is a place I've been before, and wouldn't mind visiting again, but it would be more than triple the cost of Denver, mostly the fare, but lodging is almost double too. (AirBnB won't load over the past couple days, BTW, so we're talking cheap hotels.)
I lived in California for awhile. Not fond of the Neptune, and frankly I think it's dangerous for me. Other people thrive under it, but I don't appear to. However, I did get to scare my mother by answering the phone before it rang every time she called.

[Jim Eshelman]

Santa Barbara is a place I've been before, and wouldn't mind visiting again, but it would be more than triple the cost of Denver, mostly the fare, but lodging is almost double too. (AirBnB won't load over the past couple days, BTW, so we're talking cheap hotels.)

I don't know your wishes for lodging. When Marion and I travel through that region a lot, our priorities aren't the room because we are almost never in it. (I know other people travel with different priorities.) As long as it's clean, has a sleepable bed, the shower works, etc., we're fine. The best motel prices we've found regionally are in Lompoc, 45 minutes north of Santa Barbara - sometimes as little as $50/night, but that's rare. That works if you have a rental car, and you're right in the midst of the great wine area and not far from the coast. Of course, Santa Barbara itself is great fun, they've built up the Funk Zone downtown more than ever and I always like the energy of the place, especially at night, and the nearby pier, especially by day - the negative ions and the happy buzz of the place fit well.

But yes, it's a longer flight and more expensive than Denver. I see Priceline with Omaha to Denver just over $300, or to LAX for about $250, whereas Denver starts around $150. (I'm not saying these are the best, I just picked one "deal" site I know to get a feel of the difference.)

I lived in California for awhile. Not fond of the Neptune, and frankly I think it's dangerous for me. Other people thrive under it, but I don't appear to. However, I did get to scare my mother by answering the phone before it rang every time she called.

LOL! Ah, yes, your natal has Neptune on IC almost exactly at LA. Great for the ocean and much else here, but by no means great for everything. Not trying to sell you on an area, even though I love it much - I also love Denver and much else around Colorado. Estes is spectacular in the summer, and the peaches will be ripe in the Grand Junction area (some of the best grown anywhere: screw Georgia if they don't change their inhuman laws).

I was only noting some excellent Solar Return patterns for the SB area and I don't see anything helpful in Denver. (But at least there's nothing hurtful.) Since you will get the add-on effect of returning home to Saturn on MC, having a neutral SSR elsewhere doesn't buy you much - so I was looking for a strongly positive, affirmative, fun spot to burn in strong positives to take home with you, and there is no place that concentrates benefics in the U.S. for this SSR like the Santa Barbara area. (Hint on housing: The Jupiter line looks like it crosses exactly at about Summerland, a miniscule town 6 miles south of SB - one I know well because we usually stop for gas and bio breaks and I happen to know it's the exact longitude my natal Venus is 00' from IC). Tiny places may have tinier prices.

A totally different (and closer) approach, but not as inherently pleasurable as either Colorado or California: You have a Uranus-Pluto crossing just south of Chicago. For Chicago itself, Pluto is 1°09' off MC, Uranus 0°45' above Asc, mundane square 0°24'. It does put natal Mars on Dsc (but not aspecting either of them or anything else), so it won't be gentle (or, rather, you won't be gentle),but it's a different kind of experience than we've been talking about - if that sort of adventure is what you'd like. (But, as you know, that part of the Midwest is gummy in late August.)

Milwaukee has Pluto even closer, and Uranus nearly as close (17' mundane square) nut your Mars is just over 1° above Dsc (which means mundane aspects of Uranus opposite your Mars 2°13' and Pluto square your Mars 1°56', which I wouldn't recommend.) - OK, I'm changing my mind about Chicago now that I calculate your Mars' angularity more closely, it's only 1°37' above Dsc, which means Uranus to Mars is 2°22' and Pluto to Mars 2°46' in mundo. Probably too much. But I'll leave this in here for discussion purposes anyway.

[Jim Eshelman]

For Colorado, remember my concern was that the closely angular Moon and marginally foreground Neptune would simply hyper-sensitize you to everything for a year - and then you'd fly home to Saturn on MC.

However, if you're clearly targeting Colorado, add to your considerations the western side of the state, around Grand Junction. That moves MC 3° which edges Saturn a bit further away. You still get the Moon - it squares MC 11' for Grand Junction - and to the widely foreground Neptune you add Venus - turning Moon edged by Neptune into Moon + Venus-Neptune.

Moon sq. MC 0°11' (3°39' above Dsc)
Neptune 6°41' above Asc
Venus 8°26' below Dsc
-- Venus-Neptune op. 1°45' in mundo

You're still have easy car access to almost anywhere in Colorado - 4 hours from Denver across majestic Rockies. The Grand Junction area is one of the great (small, but magnificent) produce areas in the nation with the orchards coming ripe about then, and 5-10 miles away in Palisades is the heart of Colorado's best wine producing. You're an hour or so from Paonia, that has a little altitude and is beautiful. Lot's of pleasant, beautiful places to indulge a new Venus-Neptune.

In the other direction, you're 2 hours from Moab where three of Utah's great national parks are located, including Arches, so there are plenty of tourism opportunities.

[Veronica]

Sun-Mars-Jupiter, in my experience, means money going out faster than it comes in. It feels positive at the time, and there's a lot of enthusiasm, but at the end, your pockets are still empty.
Solunars are transits. You can read Mars-Jupiter here. That feels closer to my experience.
I was born with Sun sitting with 5° of my natal ASC, so going back to the area for this SR feels more like shouting "incoming!"

Which is why I thought it might be a fun time

[Jupiter Sets at Dawn]

Oh, Vegas. Usually can find cheap airfare and a package at a casino-hotel.

Natal Moon a little close to relocated MC, but transiting Moon moved away from transiting DC and vertex .

Naw. Still has all that Neptune.

[Jupiter Sets at Dawn]

Phoenix looks good.
Jim if you have a chance, I'd like to know what you think of Phoenix. I don't think Jupiter on the vertex is much, but it looks like everything else has moved off the angles.

[Jim Eshelman]

Phoenix looks good.
Jim if you have a chance, I'd like to know what you think of Phoenix.

Similar to western Colorado but with a surprise stronger impact of your natal Mercury-Saturn (which is at least of some concern). Here are the angularities for Phoenix, which really highlight solar Moon on natal Mercury:

t Moon on Dsc -6°24'
r Mercury on Dsc +0°31'
r Saturn on Dsc +1°54'
t Neptune on Asc +4°57'
t Venus on Dsc +7°03'

t Moon conj. r Mercury 0°31'
r Mercury-Saturn conj. 1°23' in mundo
t Venus-Neptune op. 2°06' in mundo
t Neptune op. r Saturn 4°08'

[Jim Eshelman]

Have you decided where you're going?

[Jupiter Sets at Dawn]

I might go to Santa Barbara, if I can find a decent place to stay AND afford the airfare AND find someone to feed the cats.