for the period DECEMBER 27, 2019 to JANUARY 15, 2020
from the new Caplunar until the end of the current Capsolar
If you are unfamiliar with the methods and interpretations of Sidereal mundane astrology, please see my free book Sidereal Mundane Astrology. (A link to the current edition can be found near the top of the Publications sub-forum.) For standard interpretations, see Chapter 8 of the current (16th) Edition.
LONG-TERM (Solar Ingress) PATTERNS
For the United States, the 12 months that began January 15, 2019 have been dominated by Uranus on IC square Sun on Eastpoint. Sun-Uranus signals startling events such as surprise attacks, sudden changes in leadership, and technology breakthroughs.
URANUS forecasts explosions (literal or metaphorical), sudden rupture or eruption, shock, surprise, overflowing normal bounds, and revelations. SUN concentrates attention on the government (especially the head of state) with heightened perception of government’s presence in people’s lives. Sun's aspects to Uranus and Pluto infer rebellion against present leadership and rejection of prevailing political views. Sun-Pluto brings disrespect for the law or those that create or enforce it (which sometimes means removing those in power).
MERCURY CONJOINS SATURN in the foreground. As expected, the year has seen restrictions, delays, failures, or calamity in transportation and communication, efforts to interrupt or ration Information flow, and increased vulnerability in data integrity: cybersecurity remains a higher priority than cyber-expansion. Economic narrowing has not occurred as anticipated, but commerce has been impeded (even blocked) by reciprocal tariffs. More newspapers and retail have closed their doors: For example, this may be the last Christmas anyone remembers Sears.
MARS SQUARE JUPITER, which exists only mundanely in Washington, has brought further government shutdowns and wild-ride economic roller-coasters. Resources have been squandered, stretched past capacity (and other resources in nature have become more vulnerable to exploitation, if not outright raped). Belief-driven aggression has accelerated. Bigots have had louder voices. Nature and humans both have had more stormy weather.
MERCURY CONJUNCT PLUTO rightly anticipated collisions of information, communication, and ideas. Investigations have dominated much of the year, drilling deeply into untapped data to disclose information that has reframed how people think. Cyber attacks have increased and become more threatening.
With Saturn in Sagittarius all year, immigration, aviation, elitism, hierarchical economic separation, and nationalism (anti-internationalism) have dominated the public discussion.
Libsolar (Oct 18)
Sun square Pluto dominates the Libsolar, which lasts through January 15. Sun on MC squares Pluto on EP. This has been especially about impeachment: Sun-Pluto motifs routinely include removing or at least assailing those in power plus an element of disrespecting and disobeying the law. More widely, Sun-Pluto is common for bombs, wars, high-impact national disasters, and anything that circumvents the odds to upend expectations, especially with themes of operating outside the bounds of conventional behavior or law.
Additionally, Moon opposes Jupiter (0°34'), a different voice than the Sun-Pluto. It has reflected overall upward trends in markets and a few more diplomatic successes. Within the U.S. political landscape, I forecast cronyism, wherein elitism offers protection and advantage to the few. (Moon-Jupiter's most common themes are "our people first!")
MEDIUM-TERM PATTERNS (The Bridge)
- Pluto conjoins Capsolar EP until the Capsolar expires January 15. Its distinct effects will be reflected in its combinations.
- Jupiter conjoins Capsolar Ascendant until December 30, overlapping Pluto. For these few days, events challenge or assault existing value systems, ideologies, and the political and other power systems that support them, leveling what has been built over time. The courts may be a venue of much of this.
- Saturn conjoins Capsolar Eastpoint along with Pluto December 30 until the Capsolar expires January 15, building to the SATURN-PLUTO conjunction January 12. Saturn-Pluto signifies apocalyptic feelings - a great, irrevocable loss or separation from which there is no going back to what was before. Sometimes it forms harsh, dramatic tragedies or hardship, catastrophic disasters laying waste to a landscape. Great cities and even nations have fallen under this combined influence, never to rise again - though that, of course, would be an extreme and (thankfully) less likely outcome.
- Dec 27-29. Pluto Jupiter.
- Dec 30. Pluto Saturn Jupiter.
- Dec 31-Jan 15. Pluto Saturn (conj. exact Jan 12).
SHORT-TERM (Lunar Ingress) PATTERNS
Caplunar (Dec 27)
The Caplunar, covering December 27 to January 23, is dormant. The December 20 Liblunar flows through: Mercury-Neptune sets the tone in the December 20 Liblunar (covering Dec 20 to Jan 4): Both planets are closely angular and they are square (1°31'). While Mercury-Neptune broadly connotes confusion, disorientation, and bad (confused) choices, its strongest characteristic is uncertainty in the form of wondering, “What’s next?” or, “What happens now?” Its appearance usually means that something significant has happened which suspends people's certainty about the near future. (Other Mercury-Neptune themes include impairment of transportation and communication.)
There is a sense of tragedy (or a foreshadow of pending tragedy): Moon forms close mundane squares with Pluto (0°14') and Saturn (1°30'). It seems people do not know what to make of a loss.
On 12/29, CapQ MC opposes ingress Mars - Be careful out there!. On New Year's Day, MC squares Saturn with Sun on EP (and on 1/4 Sun-Saturn cross EP), which may be a continuation of the Mars event or a negative recentering on the White House.
Arilunar (Jan 4) The Arilunar covers January 4-17 (due to a dormant Canlunar). Moon (Dsc 1°56') and Uranus (WP 0°53') are the most angular planets. More widely foreground, Saturn conjoins Pluto (0°43') with Moon square Pluto (2°31').
This chart covers the peak of Saturn conjunct Pluto in space and on the out-going Capsolar's Eastpoint. This aspect clearly is the token of the time. As already stated, it marks hardship, cold-heartedness, a sense of loss, isolation, and even desolation, all with a "you can't go back to before" irrevocability. Severe natural disasters, warring, and human cruelty are its legacy in history.
Something is different in this chart, though. Moon and Uranus demand their say. Circumstances are shifting, requiring new adaptation. Moon foreground represents powerful response by the people (the collective masses) feeling strongly about an event: the herd’s collective will, surging upward powerfully from mass mind, and manifesting as collective populist embracing of a focus or issue. (Sometimes this takes the form of events occurring in public spaces where the "herd" commonly gathers.) We expect events that move us, collectively and deeply, often centering on children. Uranus says that it strikes suddenly and takes us by surprise.
As this fortnight brings the new Capsolar, one thing we know the Arilunar's symbolism means is that we are on the cusp of change.
The strongest Saturn-Pluto emphasis is a line from central Michigan straight south through Atlanta to the Florida panhandle, plus a curve that roughly matches the Appalachian Mountains also terminating on Florida's upper west coast: Among other things, anticipate severe winter weather.
On 1/4, a Sun-Saturn conjunction is on CapQ EP, a tone of hardship or the burden on leadership. 1/5-7 may reverse the tone, though, as two different Jupiters cross CanQ angles (but in the company of Neptune: watch this day and take notes).
Canlunar (Jan 10)
The Canlunar covers January 10-17 and is dormant. Nonetheless, it has severe Moon aspects that affect the entire world: Moon opposes Saturn-Pluto (their conjunction being 0°08' wide for the world, 0°04' wide in mundo in Washington).
These are two of the three most common Moon aspects for disasters overall, especially where lives are lost. Their effect is ravaging - for example, both are common for volcanoes and wars (and, for what it's worth, for significant events involving Britain's royal family). For Washington, I will rest on the interpretation of the Arilunar with the added note that Saturn-Pluto elements are brought to a crisis level.
Venus flows down much of the West Coast including passing through Los Angeles. Mars anticipates trouble on a line from eastern Montana straight south through Denver to New Mexico. Also, Mars squares Ascendant roughly along on the east edge of the Rockies in contrast to Venus square MC a bit west of the range. Neptune sets at about the borders of six pairs of states, from the North Dakota-Minnesota border to the Texas-Louisiana border, and also cuts from Minneapolis due south to central Louisiana.
CapQ MC squares Saturn-Pluto 1/10: one piece of the anticipated tragedy likely will break that day (or, as with all quotidian crossings, within a day or two day either side).