Solunars by Aldebaran Sidereal Academy

The version of TMSA just released (0.4.5) has a wonderful new feature I requested called a Cosmic State report. It is added to the bottom of the natal chart page. While the first two tables give lots of technical information in a way that lets you quickly zoom in on the core elements of a chart, the Cosmic State report shows all the factors that affect each planet individually so that you can deep-dive into planet-by-planet examination.

I'm not going to give an exhaustive natal analysis but, rather, show how you can get a gist of each planet and round it out with details. This is the same sort of thing I've done for decades in my head - without a written report like this - and the report makes it much easier. I'll use the example of Adolf Hitler, born April 20, 1889, 6:30 PM LMT, Braunau am Inn, Austria. Here are the reports at the bottom of Hitler's chart (with just conventional planets to simplify the example):
We can use the top two sections of the report exactly as before and quickly get the essentials of Hitler's character. We see he was an Aries-Sagittarius (and, if we bother to look a little lower, that he has three other planets in Aries with Sun). He had Mercury, Sun, and (more widely) Uranus foreground. From this, we already have a strong sense of his imperial, even dictatorial, character, his shrewdness and strategic mind, and more. Looking at Class 1 aspects, we add the familiar details of his close Moon-Jupiter conjunction in Sagittarius, the cruel passions of his Venus-Mars conjunction square Saturn, and the less-mentioned octile of rising Uranus to Pluto ("reverse the whirlings of the earth on its axis") plus his "I want to write the new model for the world" Neptune-Pluto conjunction.

So far, so good. (In fact, so far GREAT.) The chart is familiar and we already have enough to write a long article or two. And yet, there is more to get, especially in terms of understanding each of the fundamental needs or energies of the chart on their own terms. In brief: How does each planet do on its own?

Look lower, at the Cosmic State section. Let's just make a few observations about each planet (though you can dig much deeper):

MOON is background in Sagittarius closely conjunct Jupiter and moderately trine Sun. (See how easy it is to see the relative importance of each factor?) In contrast, SUN is foreground, exalted in Aries, with no close aspects; but its closest are moderate aspects to Mercury and Moon and a wide trine to Jupiter. From these two lines, we quickly see that the character is far more solar than lunar - that tells us several fundamental things! - though Moon is quite positively placed, strongly influenced by imperial planets (especially Jupiter), and the very strong, very solar Sun is positive (successful?) on balance. - From these few observations of the Moon vs. Sun balance and their condition, you can draw much more knowledge from your familiarity with human behavior.

VENUS is in her detriment in Aries and we are immediately reminded that Sun in Aries makes his character even more un-Venus. Venus isn't off to a good start; and we then immediately see that she has a partile conjunction with Mars and a not-too-wide square to Saturn (plus a somewhat wider mundane conjunction with Pluto). Venus in detriment, in a fundamentally non-Venus character, afflicted by two malefics and further alienated by Pluto, is a bad Venus - one that will give problems. If Hitler were your client, sitting in front of you, you'd see quickly that probably there are Venus problems to talk about throughout the life, that maybe affection, kindness, and pleasure weren't his easiest areas.

In contrast, MARS is in Aries in partile conjunction to Venus. This is quite a different story! It's also closely conjunct Saturn, so it's not an entirely benefic Mars, but already we know it's better than Venus. We can conclude that, just as the character is balanced much more strongly toward Sun than Moon, he's also going to lean more toward Mars than Venus - Mars needs (aggression, energy, strength, dominance) are going to flow more smoothly than Venus needs. He'll get better feedback from life by being strong than by being affectionate. And yet, we know there are problems in the whole Venus-Mars mix with that 3° square of Saturn to both of them. This gives us plenty more to dive into in understanding his life path, not only in sexuality (an obvious area) but the entire Venus-Mars mix of how he interacts with other people.

Simply knowing that he is far more solar than lunar (though both are basically positive) and that Mars is more dominant and powerful than Venus (though both have problems) tells us enormous things about this person. We could dig all of this out from the basic details of the chart at the top (our first, basic observations), but it's easier and surer with the new report. - And we still have six planets to go!

JUPITER is background (the top section says strength is 2%) but it's well-placed in Sagittarius, closely conjunct Moon, and widely trine Sun. We are also reminded by the report that, given the Sagittarius Moon, the Jupiter ergie is already strong in this psyche. For a background planet, it's pretty strong: In particular, his ambitions, need for social recognition and high standing, etc., are pretty integrated into his character (especially his lunar side, the way he adapts and responds to his physical, psychological, and social environments). Because it's background (and has a faint, struggling aspect to his angular Sun), there is probably over-compensation, possibly feeling one-down and not respected, that he'll push back against. In comparison, SATURN, though middleground, is in detriment in Cancer (and the Aries Sun is un-Saturn in temperament). Saturn's close aspects are to Mars and Venus (Mars slightly closer than Venus) and a wide sextile to Uranus: Saturn is complicated, not easy to assess at a glance, probably pivotal in his social-sexual (mal)adjustment. These Jupiter vs. Saturn details give us a lot to think about in terms of how his psyche was primed to feel uplifted and praised vs. looked down upon (or however you want to voice the Jupiter-Saturn polarity). Neither is the strongest planet in the chart, but Jupiter's conjunction with the Jupiter-signed Moon takes the public lead, it seems.

URANUS is foreground, exactly octile Pluto. NEPTUNE is middleground and closely conjunct Pluto. Both aspects turned out to be important for him, but I might mostly take away from this that Pluto is worth a closer look.

PLUTO turns out to be quite important in the chart, though middleground. First, it's the Sun-sign ruler! We already have a fundamentally Plutonian character as much as we have a fundamentally solar character. (The Aries really shines!) Pluto is also exactly octile Uranus and closely conjunct Neptune. These aspects might not be all that important in many people's charts, but the Cosmic State of Pluto shows that they are the most important aspects of an important planet. How does he express his needs for authenticity and isolation? One might not have gotten that this would be through world dominion and fighting for genetic and cultural purity, but one would certainly have gotten that he was ready to upset every applecart in his way as he set out to create a new world order. (And Pluto is mostly well-aspected, with Uranus and a moderate Venus aspect.

This leaves only MERCURY. Mercury is foreground in Aries - the most angular planet in the chart, 1°27' from Descendant. (It's no wonder people - myself included - have often speculated he should have a strategic Virgo Ascendant: Mercury this angular is an even better expression of the same idea.) We're reminded that a Sagittarian Moon adds a non-Mercury cast to the basic temperament (which I think the acute angularity overwhelms). Moderate aspects to Sun and Uranus show how the Mercury works.

OK, that's a lot of words. Take a look at what we've learned, though, including things not immediately evident in our initial overview of the chart.

But wait, there's more!

In TMSA you can also turn on midpoints in the Chart Settings section. These then appear in the Cosmic State report for an even deeper look, shading the way the placements and aspects describe the planet. Here is Hitler's expanded Cosmic State report with only the barest information extracted from the midpoints. (You could get much more.) - I'm using partile conjunctions, oppositions, and squares to midpoints.
The only midpoint to angles is Ju/Sa on Ascendant. This is accurate enough, but not a big deal. It shows Jupiter-Saturn tendencies including an involvement in politics or economics (for example). My mind skips over it pretty quickly.

We previously learned that Sun is stronger than Moon, but both are pretty positive and ambitious. The expanded report, though, shows us Mo = Sa/Ne. There is something pathological about this adaptive ambition. Ebertin's paragraph is pretty good. The simple thing is that the report alerts us there is probable negativity and (psychological or physical) sickness.

How about Venus and Mars? Well, we already knew there was some pathology involving them with the pro-Mars un-Venus bias and both being closely square Saturn. But those problems get a little deeper when we see them at the Sun/Neptune midpoint. Sun/Neptune means ego-dissolution, fantasy, or forging an ideal. Venus especially gets off badly, being in detriment, conjunct Mars, square Saturn, and now at a major Neptune midpoint - all three malefics. (He really didn't have a nice, happy Venus!) Read Ebertin's summary of Su/Ne = Ve = Ma for some details; but notice that the report showed us (more or less at a glance) that this is a problem area.

Jupiter, which is a pretty positive planet, picks up the Saturn/Pluto midpoint so those successes will only come through hardship and struggle (with struggles early in life to get that much-sought esteem and high regard). Saturn, already a red flag planet in his chart, is at two Neptune midpoints, Me/Ne and Ne/As, bringing out the worst side of Mercury-Neptune with dark thoughts and morbid, dangerous states of mind, unreason and scheming, etc. Uranus is at the fascinating Mo/MC midpoint (which Ebertin describes much like a caricature of an emotionally out of control Hitler). Neptune, already seeming to tip the chart away from emotional normalcy, is at Moon/Mercury and Moon/Ascendant.

But his Pluto - that powerful, important Pluto - is at his Sun/Moon midpoint, increasing its importance in the chart, and has the positive expression of Sun/Jupiter. These tell us things not quite evident without the deeper dive.

Many of you won't want to add the midpoints. There is SO much to get from the simpler report. But the midpoint structures also add details and nuance we wouldn't get otherwise, provided we don't get lost in them, but look first at the primary Cosmic State of each planet (and remain open to seeing broad patterns, like the number of Neptune connections to emotional and already-malignant parts of the chart.)

Maybe a nicer example is worthwhile in contrast. Somebody everybody likes, such as Betty White born January 17, 1922, 6:38 PM CST, Oak Park, IL.

Here's her Cosmic State report section from TMSA. We can see her basic nature from the top sections I've not reproduced: A Capricorn-Virgo with closely angular Mercury and Mars (and some Neptune), etc. But let's see what a deep dive shows.
MOON is harsh: As a Capricorn, she's already un-lunar; then Moon aspects three malefics, one of them quite closely. Close Moon-Sun adds a psychic strength to her advantage, and we haven't unlocked all the Virgo Moon traits but, overall, this is pretty harsh. In contrast, SUN, though background, is closely trine Moon and aspected by two benefics. She's overall going to be okay and likely be a generous, caring person (but with her own early emotional wounds kept quiet - I don't know the details of these, but they're in the chart). One can't say that either Sun or Moon is stronger than the other (both are background, they trine each other), but we can say that Sun gets to function better than Moon.

VENUS is background and her Virgo Moon tilts the character away from Venus. The planet is positively aspected. MARS is closely angular in Libra, and her Capricorn Sun already marks a pro-Mars tendency in her character; but Mars is more unevenly aspected. One can guess that the Venus part of her life will go pretty well (as her long-term close marriage and broad popularity attest), but Mars will show up more in her edgy personality, especially expressed through squares to her foreground Mercury and Neptune.

JUPITER and SATURN are both background. The Capricorn Sun tilts the underlying personality toward Saturn and away from Jupiter, Nonetheless, Jupiter is strongly and positively aspected. Saturn's aspects aren't as inherently positive, with the strongest being a square to Pluto: There would be struggles, and taking on a great deal.

URANUS in her own sign is, by aspect, a bit outlandish (and more positive than not). Neptune foreground (but with a Virgo Moon in the mix) is a bit vicious by aspect. Work these out for yourself.

MERCURY is her strongest planets, being foreground (her most angular planet) and boosted by a Virgo Moon. However, it's aspected by all three malefics! She's a great example of how humor is a common outlet for this sort of malicious mental quickness

Excellent illustrations, Jim. The cosmic state report is really proving its worth for planet by planet in depth analysis.