for JANUARY 15-23, 2020
under the current Caplunar and the new year's 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 beginning January 15, 2020 are dominated by two primary themes and their interaction: One is Uranus on Eastpoint. The other is a triple Sun-Saturn-Pluto conjunction (with some Mercury) at Midheaven. It will be a difficult year with more challenges than blessings. Perhaps our best way to use this year is to prepare for the even more severe patterns coming in 2021.
URANUS gives the main flavor of the year, which will be full of surprises. Uranus forecasts sudden rupture or eruption, shock, surprise, revelations, and the overflowing of normal boundaries and limitations. These generalize through destructive events such as explosions, structural collapses, earthquakes, and floods. Uranus events actively caused by people include shooting massacres and other surprise attacks, sharp changes in foreign relationships, and changes in leadership, whether through death, coup, or abdication; as well as riots, revolts, and other populist uprisings.
However, the year's main story likely will be told by the more widely foreground cluster of Sun, Saturn, and Pluto. Every four years, the U.S. enacts the ritual deposing of our head of state (it's called a presidential election). For over half a century, in every election year except 1984, Pluto has been on Midheaven of the Capsolar, a perfect symbol. This year, with Pluto conjunct Saturn as the closest aspect (0°15') and within about 2° of a culminating Sun, the momentum to overthrow the seated monarch is more than ceremonial: It seems, from this chart, that it is the focus of the national soul. By one means or another, it seems astrologically inconceivable that Donald Trump's presidency will survive both the the constitutional impeachment process and the constitutional election process.
This will be a horrible struggle, probably with great damage caused along the way. SATURN CONJUNCT PLUTO signifies dramatic tragedy or hardship including catastrophic disasters often laying waste to a landscape. The planets' symbolism together describes a feeling of irrevocable loss or separation, a seemingly apocalyptic moment. The last time the United States had an angular Saturn-Pluto this powerful was in 2001, for the 9/11 attacks. Historically, the aspect has marked the downfall of cities and even nations (though that would be an extreme expression), including the destruction of the Second Temple, the sack of Constantinople, the fall of Saigon, the deposing of the final Roman emperor, and several civilization-leveling earthquakes.
Part of this effect will not be political. In the U.S., the Sun-Saturn-Pluto triplet is exactly angular in southern Florida, New Orleans, and coastal Mississippi (as well as in Yucatan). I fear there is no way these areas will make it through 2020 without a devastating (likely Category 5) hurricane after the fashion of Hurricane Andrew, just as the Mars line through the Santa Barbara region makes it seem certain this year's fires in that area will be much more severe than the already-terrible ones of the recent past. You can see the impact of these lines outside of Washington, DC here.
SUN-SATURN marks primarily sad events. (Even happy events occur under arduous conditions.) Examples include the death or other restraint of national leaders; government gridlock or other lockdown involving restrictive, controlling, or failing government that causes or worsens disaster; financial crisis; structural collapses, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, and other events mandating government oversight and response. SUN-PLUTO events can be highly diverse, from severe natural disasters to political confrontation, but routine motifs include removing or assaulting those in power, rebelling against prevailing conventions, and disrespect for and disobeying the law.
Uniting these two primary themes, Uranus forms mundane squares to Sun, Saturn, and Pluto. In order of strength, SATURN-URANUS signals bubble-bursting forced confrontation with harsh reality. Expect wide swings of great tension between opposites such as freedom-restriction, liberality-conservatism, or the forces of change and status quo, with political and practical gridlock until one side gains dominance. URANUS-PLUTO is destabilizing, eruptive, revolutionary, revising, remapping, anti-establishment, and often anti-government, with a spirit of revolution that dismantles current systems and tears down existing, iconic structures (metaphorically or literally). People are willing to ignore, challenge, or forcibly reject precedent, custom, convention, and authority. SUN-URANUS signals sudden, startling events that are psychologically (and sometimes physically) explosive such as surprise attacks, sudden changes in leadership, and life-altering technology breakthroughs.
We are already in something resembling a new American civil war, at least with respect to culture. This chart portrays a nation hurled more deeply into that divided reality in 2020, perhaps closer to the spirit of a new American revolution. With Pluto at the end of Sagittarius, every solar or lunar cardinal ingress of the next two or three years, for every part of the world, will have Sun or Moon closely conjunct, opposite, or square Pluto.
We cannot ignore Mercury, 3° from Midheaven, especially since Sun and Mercury are conjunct and their midpoint is half a degree from MC. Compared to the above, the usual Mercury themes seem trivial. Beyond the obvious, one would hope that trade wars are over and the flow of international commerce resumes at its old pace. We can anticipate a year of technology altering everyday life at even a faster rate than currently anticipated (not limited to 5G and IOT, but certainly including them). Mercury is only 0°10' from square Uranus in right ascension, so these developments are well within its purview: We have a year of discovery and amazement ahead of us even as we endure a persistent sense of emergency and alarm.
MEDIUM-TERM PATTERNS (The Bridge)
- Uranus conjoins Capsolar Eastpoint beginning January 15. Explosion (literal or metaphorical) most characterizes angular Uranus: Sudden rupture or eruption, shock, surprise, and overflowing normal boundaries and limitations. Numerous events are possible that embody these experiences, including natural disasters, sudden attacks, structural collapses, changes in foreign relationships, and changes in leadership.
- Mars conjoins Cansolar Ascendant January 15-21, paired with Uranus in the Capsolar. This is the most volatile time, explosive with metaphorical or literal bombshells, sudden attacks, and hard-hitting conflict. These seven days will be marked by a sense of urgency if not emergency.
- Jan 15-21. Uranus Mars.
- Jan 22-23. Uranus.
SHORT-TERM (Lunar Ingress) PATTERNS
Caplunar (Dec 27)
The Caplunar, covering December 27 to January 23, is dormant.
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.
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.
On 1/16-17, Mercury and Uranus cross CapQ angles: A critical disclosure occurs with, perhaps, an air of emergency.
Liblunar (Jan 17)
The Liblunar covers January 17 to January 23. Neptune squares Ascendant (1°06'). Something in the prior fortnight has created great uncertainty and unease. Neptune's tone is tipped to the negative by the only other foreground planet, Mars, and by Moon's recurring aspects (this time they are squares) to Saturn-Pluto, which remain in partile conjunction.
Mars is so weakly foreground that I am disinclined to interpret it as a sense of threat. It is more like paranoia, strong uncertainty joined to an apprehension - perhaps we don't even know of what - that has everyone waiting for a second shoe to drop.
Moon not only squares Saturn and Pluto but also Sun. The three are packed closely together as in the Capsolar; in fact, Moon is only a single minute (0°01') from square the Sun/Saturn midpoint. In an apprehensive chart, this may be an aspect of fear and it has the tone of bereavement. Because Sun-Saturn is so tightly involved, we expect a matter directly affecting a head of state (e.g., a loss for Pres. Trump in the on-going impeachment process that nobody anticipates at the time I am writing this). It could, however, refer to any other public figure of outstanding leadership. (As an example, we may all wish for the continued good health of Justice Ginsburg at this time.)
Neptune is on IC on a line through Houston and due north. Mars cuts threateningly on a curve from central Louisiana through Memphis, Indianapolis, and much of Michigan. Venus is on IC in Albuquerque and due north. (See also the second Liblunar map to see where the squares of these planets to angles occur.)
Mercury and Uranus conjoin CapQ angles 1/17: They enhance any sense of emergency and likely bring disclosures or revelations. Also on 1/17, CanQ Ascendant touches the Cansolar's Venus-Saturn opposition, marking it as a day of heartbreak and loss. Uranus is angular again on 1/21 (and we are now under a Uranus-led Capsolar).
