Solar Storms of 1859 & 2012
Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2018 7:49 am
Two powerful solar storms with large, fast, coronal mass ejections have occurred in the last couple of centuries. One in 1859 hit Earth rather squarely, flattening what few electrical systems existed at the time (primarily telegraph lines). One in 2012 missed Earth. A quite valid concern raised by Steve this morning is that, if one of these hit Earth squarely today it would take down much of civilization. (I've long thought we shouldn't be quick to give up physical books in exchange for storing all the learning of the species digitally.)
Such events are called Carrington Events, after one of the first two scientists to report the 1859 storm. You can read about the two events here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_storm_of_1859
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_storm_of_2012
For solar events, we would examine these heliocentrically. However, those charts aren't very helpful for looking forward. Both events happened near the peak of the 11-year sunspot cycle, and both had obvious heliocentric triggers, but these are triggers that happen frequently, e.g., the 1859 storm occurred under a partile Mars-Saturn conjunction heliocentrically.
I'm more interested, then, in the more selfish, less theoretical question of: Was there anything astrology discloses on the question of why Earth caught the bullet for one and dodged the bullet for the other?
What Could Show This?
Because the consequences affected the entire planet, we are limited to looking at tools without the use of angles - something that would give the same message everywhere at once. These boil down to:
(1) Something in the sky at the time, like planet sign transits or mutual transiting aspects.
(2) Solar ingress (especially Capsolar and Cansolar) Moon aspects and transits or progressions to those Moons.
When Did These Happen?
In 1959 the solar eruptions began August 28, but the impact on Earth was September 1-2. Two British amateur astronomers, Carrington and Hodgson, observed the solar eruptions shortly before noon (presumably London time).
In 2012 the CME occurred July 23.
Solar Storm of 1859
Considering mutual transit aspects, not a great deal occurred. The most interesting is that Sun was exactly square Uranus and trine Pluto. With the various auroras and limited electrical damage, the world did, indeed, experience some weird phenomena for a day or so. Mercury conjoined Venus, strange for negative impact on a communication system. None of the outer planet sign placements ring any special bells for me.
For the entire world, CAPSOLAR MOON conjoined Pluto 1°09'. This would account for some unprecedented weirdness. The Arisolar echoed something similar with Moon square Uranus 1°54'. The Cansolar brought nothing in this regard (nor did the Month or Week charts). Other than the brief curiosity-stirring transit of Mercury square CanQ Moon, there were no transiting or progressed aspects involving Capsolar or Cansolar Moons or their progressions.
LIBSOLAR MOON is interesting only because a planet hadn't moved on. The Libsolar also had a Moon-Pluto square, and transiting Pluto was 0°21' from square Libsolar Moon when the CME hit Earth. Additionally, progressed Libsolar Moon (LibQ Moon) was opposed by Saturn 0°07', a solid hit (in a minor chart) for what damage occurred.
So, everything indeed was Uranus and Pluto driven - at least weird, unusual, and unexpected - except for one clean negative aspect that was world-affecting. I'm sure there was no way to predict exactly what came down, but I'm satisfied that the general tone was shown ono a planet-affecting level. However, these appeared mostly in minor charts (certainly for final timing) where we were likely to miss them.
Solar Storm of 2012
When the 2012 CME occurred - missing Earth but providing great learning opportunities for Earth's scientists - we had more volatile aspects. The Uranus-Pluto square was partile and Mars had been moving through them (making a tight, impactful T-square in the Cansolar from a week earlier). These aspects would have serious impact on various locales over the following 12 months - SMA has numerous 2012-13 events where these planets are a big deal - but I don't know that we can attribute events around the CME to these.
The Capsolar and Cansolar give us nothing (looking only to Moon aspects). Same with the Arisolar. Only the long-past Libsolar had anything, with a 2° Moon-Pluto opposition that would be effective anywhere all three other ingresses were dormant.
Similarly, there were no transits to Capsolar or Cansolar Moon. However, progressions were another matter, and I don't particularly like the message. Just as in 1859 there was an exact Saturn transit: Transiting Saturn conjoined CapQ Moon 0°21' the d ay of the flare. If we credit this with damage in the 19th century, we should expect damage from it in the 21st.
So... I dunno. It's rare to have such a clear "this affects the entire world" event. I'm not sure there is as much difference between the "good' event and the "bad' event as I'd like to see.
Such events are called Carrington Events, after one of the first two scientists to report the 1859 storm. You can read about the two events here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_storm_of_1859
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_storm_of_2012
For solar events, we would examine these heliocentrically. However, those charts aren't very helpful for looking forward. Both events happened near the peak of the 11-year sunspot cycle, and both had obvious heliocentric triggers, but these are triggers that happen frequently, e.g., the 1859 storm occurred under a partile Mars-Saturn conjunction heliocentrically.
I'm more interested, then, in the more selfish, less theoretical question of: Was there anything astrology discloses on the question of why Earth caught the bullet for one and dodged the bullet for the other?
What Could Show This?
Because the consequences affected the entire planet, we are limited to looking at tools without the use of angles - something that would give the same message everywhere at once. These boil down to:
(1) Something in the sky at the time, like planet sign transits or mutual transiting aspects.
(2) Solar ingress (especially Capsolar and Cansolar) Moon aspects and transits or progressions to those Moons.
When Did These Happen?
In 1959 the solar eruptions began August 28, but the impact on Earth was September 1-2. Two British amateur astronomers, Carrington and Hodgson, observed the solar eruptions shortly before noon (presumably London time).
In 2012 the CME occurred July 23.
Solar Storm of 1859
Considering mutual transit aspects, not a great deal occurred. The most interesting is that Sun was exactly square Uranus and trine Pluto. With the various auroras and limited electrical damage, the world did, indeed, experience some weird phenomena for a day or so. Mercury conjoined Venus, strange for negative impact on a communication system. None of the outer planet sign placements ring any special bells for me.
For the entire world, CAPSOLAR MOON conjoined Pluto 1°09'. This would account for some unprecedented weirdness. The Arisolar echoed something similar with Moon square Uranus 1°54'. The Cansolar brought nothing in this regard (nor did the Month or Week charts). Other than the brief curiosity-stirring transit of Mercury square CanQ Moon, there were no transiting or progressed aspects involving Capsolar or Cansolar Moons or their progressions.
LIBSOLAR MOON is interesting only because a planet hadn't moved on. The Libsolar also had a Moon-Pluto square, and transiting Pluto was 0°21' from square Libsolar Moon when the CME hit Earth. Additionally, progressed Libsolar Moon (LibQ Moon) was opposed by Saturn 0°07', a solid hit (in a minor chart) for what damage occurred.
So, everything indeed was Uranus and Pluto driven - at least weird, unusual, and unexpected - except for one clean negative aspect that was world-affecting. I'm sure there was no way to predict exactly what came down, but I'm satisfied that the general tone was shown ono a planet-affecting level. However, these appeared mostly in minor charts (certainly for final timing) where we were likely to miss them.
Solar Storm of 2012
When the 2012 CME occurred - missing Earth but providing great learning opportunities for Earth's scientists - we had more volatile aspects. The Uranus-Pluto square was partile and Mars had been moving through them (making a tight, impactful T-square in the Cansolar from a week earlier). These aspects would have serious impact on various locales over the following 12 months - SMA has numerous 2012-13 events where these planets are a big deal - but I don't know that we can attribute events around the CME to these.
The Capsolar and Cansolar give us nothing (looking only to Moon aspects). Same with the Arisolar. Only the long-past Libsolar had anything, with a 2° Moon-Pluto opposition that would be effective anywhere all three other ingresses were dormant.
Similarly, there were no transits to Capsolar or Cansolar Moon. However, progressions were another matter, and I don't particularly like the message. Just as in 1859 there was an exact Saturn transit: Transiting Saturn conjoined CapQ Moon 0°21' the d ay of the flare. If we credit this with damage in the 19th century, we should expect damage from it in the 21st.
So... I dunno. It's rare to have such a clear "this affects the entire world" event. I'm not sure there is as much difference between the "good' event and the "bad' event as I'd like to see.
