SSR of a friend

[FlorencedeZ.]

Hi Jim,
a friend of mine, date of birth May 14 1952, 2.24pm, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, living in The Hague
has Sun and Moon on MC and Jupiter conjunct IC. A nice SSR. The year seems to go extremely well professionally however it has been one of the busiest years so far her being on several committees and everything seems hectic, also being in the spotlight quite a bit with little rest in between. There's a bit of a burden regarding her mother who is demanding and degrading her and who had to be moved places which was exhausting. Family relations are the most difficult difficult this year she said with mother, brother and sister being in disagreement and conflict.

Sun and Moon both octile Saturn and I was wondering Jim, is this a huge impact on the year? Would you say after all it is still going to be a good year despite of these difficult aspects? Especially professionally?
Regards,
Flo

[Jim Eshelman]

That is indeed a strong, positive Solar Return - but not one for a calm year.

For your specific question: Remember I recommend reading a Solar Return twice. On the first pass, treat it just like a natal chart for the year, and apply whatever you would for a natal; then put the natal planets on an inside ring and tighten up the rules.

So, on the first read, like a new natal, yes, Saturn partile sesqui-square both luminaries 11' apart in Aries at Midheaven would show a powerhouse of a person who takes on quite a lot. But notice (since we're looking at it as a new natal) that it's her Saturn - her drive to work etc. - not a "drag me down" transiting Saturn.

What I think is happening here is that the Moon-Sun conjunction (especially that close 0°11' and so angular) is, itself, enormously busy (and, of course, very much "in the spotlight"). There is a lot in motion! Here is the text on Moon-Sun aspects from my book, Interpreting Solar Returns:
https://solunars.com/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=225

She doesn't have any natal planets close to angles (except Sun, of course), so the SSR itself is pretty much the whole story.

[FlorencedeZ.]

Thank you very much Jim.

But notice (since we're looking at it as a new natal) that it's her Saturn - her drive to work etc. - not a "drag me down" transiting Saturn.

A useful reminder, very helpful. And the drive to work is enormous indeed this year. This aspect is also in her natal and she says she is used to it, she can take it.

She doesn't have any natal planets close to angles (except Sun, of course), so the SSR itself is pretty much the whole story

Is natal Pluto foreground?
t.Jupiter squares r.Pluto orb 2'30
Or is it too wide?

[Jim Eshelman]

She doesn't have any natal planets close to angles (except Sun, of course), so the SSR itself is pretty much the whole story

How about natal Pluto?
t.Jupiter squares r.Pluto orb 2'30
Or is it too wide?

The transit isn't too wide if foreground, but let's look at the Pluto angularity.

Ecliptically, it's tempting to think Pluto is foreground. Pluto is 25°03' Cancer, Ascendant is 7°15' Leo - that already looks pretty wide. We don't get to count Pluto square MC because that's more than 2° (the orb within which squares to MC seem to work).

Her Pluto is 9° above the ecliptic (latitude 9N02). Though it is at 25°03' Cancer, it rises when 17°22' Cancer is on Ascenant, so it's probably close to 20° above the 7° Ascendant. Calculating carefully, I find her Pluto is 15°54' above Ascendant. I wouldn't call that foreground.

[FlorencedeZ.]

Thank you Jim. I have always found this difficult, to be able to calculate natal planets foreground and this step by step explanation made everything much clearer.
Regards, Flo