Solunars by Aldebaran Sidereal Academy

One of the greatest charts we could find would be that of the greatest author of English literature, the immortalized William Shakespeare. The chart necessarily must be extraordinary (one expects more Pluto than the fact that his Sun was in Aries), something to show a master of language, and other features that make it stand out as exceptional.

When in high school, I was fascinated with all the astrological references in Shakespeare's writings and came up with the idea that he might be hiding his own chart in his remarks. I wrote an article on this that I submitted to American Astrology and it was (I think rightly) rejected. I note, though, that my fascination with the chart dates that early.

We know he was born in Stratford-Upon-Avon, England. He was baptized April 26, 1564 and, usually, baptism was on the third day after birth. Accordingly, scholars usually date his birth as April 23, 1564 (time unknown). This places Moon in the middle of Virgo, the only constellation (I submit) where it could go. This gives us access to any birth time on April 23, 1564. (He died, btw, on an April 23 also, in 1616, either with a new SSR or the fading hours of an old one.)

Allowing for ambiguity in the birthdate, I submit that, in any case, he was born while Moon was in the constellation Virgo, which, ibn LMT for Stratford, was April 21 5:30 PM to April 24, 5:52 AM. The middle point of this period was April 22, 11:41 PM but, for now, I'll start with a noon April 23 chart for investigation.

Ignoring the SSR idea until we have a strong sense of a possible time, does anything else single out a death date of April 23, 1616?

Transits aren't very helpful. Saturn squared his Jupiter which likely referred to a family scandal (about a son-in-law) during his last weeks. Uranus was near conjunct his Mars, which might have referred to various related events (and might have been angular somewhere). Mostly not useful.

Progressed Moon, though, squared natal and progressed Neptunes, which fits the most common story (and several other possibilities). This suggests a birth either at or soon after noon (Moon to natal Neptune) or about four to five PM (to progressed Neptune). An exact progressed Mars-Jupiter conjunction seems unrelated and, in any case, not significant for rectification. Progressed Moon would have squared Uranus if the birth were 9 AM (p Uranus) or near or just after noon (r Uranus).

These all give us a lay of the land. Nothing here is definitive, though I have a few facts for the back of the brain.

I am assuming his death was April 23 Old Style - according to the Julian Calendar - since England didn't adopt the Gregorian calendar until the 18th century. Also, scholars give Shakespeare's age at death as 52, which is only true if he'd reached his 1616 birthday. There is ambiguity, though, in how history recorded such things.

His 1615 SSR (under which he at least wrote his will while describing good health and had a family scandal; and he may have died under it) most suspiciously had a Mars-Pluto square. It touched nothing in the natal and may have been angular in the return. Nothing else evidently touched his natal in that chart, unless he was born in the late afternoon or early evening and had SSR Moon conjunct his Saturn.

The 1616 SSR, if he lived to see it, had a Mercury-Mars conjunct and Venus-Uranus square. These aren't as obviously meaningful (though we know so little of the conditions of his death). That Uranus was atop his Mars may be significant, and Moon may have aspected his natal Uranus and Neptune; we haven 't enough to say.

Since he may have died on his birthday, the SSRs stay ambiguous. Less ambiguous is when his final SLR occurred - provided we have the calendar right!

If his death was April 23, 1616 in the Julian Calendar, Moon was in Scorpio and his SLR occurred a few days earlier. His SLR occurred April 29 NS (SF insists on converting it), a day when Sun conjoined Pluto, Mercury conjoined Mars, and Venus opposed Neptune. I think the odds are quite good that the Sun-Pluto conjunction was angular.

What times would this produce? For a noon birth, the SLR would have occurred at 5:32 AM. A sunrise SLR would have put Pluto over 15° below the horizon, but within a degree of Sun ecliptically; and would have given a mundane Sun-Saturn conjunction (0°11') exactly rising. A Sun culminating SLR would have put natal Sun also near MC, but Pluto's RA puts it off MC. One needs to get an ecliptical contact such as Sun-Pluto sq. Asc, which gives a 10:34 AM SLR with Mercury-Mars at MC on natal Mercury (which might be right depending on how he died). Sunset is symbolically nice but keeps Saturn and Pluto out of the picture. Other times are mixed. Sun-Pluto square MC in the west is perhaps the most interesting, with Saturn-Pluto straddling Dsc to the degree.

So, if Sun-Pluto was indeed angular in his final SLR, we are realistically left with the SLR occurring at sunrise (or a little after to draw Pluto in more), 10:34 AM, or 6:12 PM. These give natal Moons of 18°52' (or a bit later), 21°59', or 26°03' Virgo.

These give approximate birth times of 7:35 AM (when Mars rose exactly square Moon, and Neptune was on WP), 1:50 PM (with Venus-Pluto and Uranus-Neptune near meridian, and a close but not partile Moon-Mars square), and 9:59 PM (with Moon-Mercury not far from MC and natal Venus setting (Neptune nearby).

Might one of these be the approximate birth time of William Shakespeare? The third one (at the moment) is most interesting to me: half because the SLR was the most perfect of these, half because the time I picked half a century ago similarly had a Moon-Mercury opposition along the meridian.

For his death, none of the times is overly exciting by transits, progressions, or solar arc. The first two have progressed Moon in orb of one or another Neptune. The third is most interesting because the progressed Asc hits a Saturn, among other things. I leave this up in the air at the moment.

No birth date is known for his wife, Anne Hathaway. He married her (eight years his senior) at age 18, probably about November 27, 1582. His daughter Susanna was baptized May 26, 1583. His daughter Judith and son Hamnet were born February 2, 1585. Hamnet died young and was buried August 11, 1596. The Globe Theater burned down June 29, 1613, though I'm unclear of the impact on him since he had retired soon before and turned it over to a successor.

The first time (at or soon after 7:35 AM) is easy to rule out with the first few events. I won't even list these below, they are so bad. That leaves two times to choose between.

Wedding (soon after November 27, 1582). Transiting Sun = r Venus-Pluto for all of them. (1:50 PM): The Su = Ve-Pl is also t Sun sq. his Asc. d Moon sq. r Saturn 50'. (9:59 PM): d MC sq. r Jupiter 12'.

Daughter Susanna born (c. May 23, 1583). Both have t Pluto ~sq. r Mars. (1:50 PM): t Sun on r MC. (9:59 PM): t Sun on r Dsc. d MC sq. r Jupiter 16'.

Twins born (c. January 31, 1585). Both have Mars return + p Venus co. r Mars (sep). (1:50 PM): d Mars co. r Saturn 01', d Moon sq. r Jupiter 06'. (9:59 PM): d Mars co. r Saturn 12'.

Son died (c. August 11, 1596). Both have t Uranus co. r Mercury (wide), d Pluto co. r Mercury, p Sun = r Ve-Pl, p Mars co. r Saturn. (1:50 PM): t Saturn sq. r MC 1°13'. t Venus co. r Moon. (9:59 PM): t Saturn sq. r Asc 2°+. p Moon-Pluto sq. 61' sep. d MC op. r Sun,

Globe Theater burned down (June 29, 1613). (1:50 PM): d MC co. r Saturn 05', d Saturn co. r Asc 24'. (9:59 PM): p Mo-Ma-Ju co. d Asc op. r Saturn 36', d Sa = r Ve/Pl.

These are both quite good, with the last event looking like a race between them. I can't sort between them from this alone (though they both distinguish themselves admirably from the early morning time). I'll use SLRs to finish them off.

Wedding (soon after November 27, 1582).
(1:50 PM): SLR t Me, Pl; r Ve 99%, r Pluto 100%. r Ve-Pl dominates with natal Ur-Ne-Pl mundane aspects. DSLR t Ju & Sa 100%, Ve 99%, r Su, Ur, Ne. Mixed aspects with a lot more Saturn (shotgun?). Overall, these two charts, though imperfect, are great.
(9:59 PM): SLR t Mercury, with Neptune close; r Mercury, Venus, Pluto. (This is technically the day of getting the license.) The latter fits very well. Aspects fit or are neutral. DSLR t Saturn and Uranus are strongest (some Jupiter). The aspects aren't great (but t Ju-Ur is most obvious). I give points to the SLR but don't think the demi fits (from what I know).
CONCLUSION: Both are good, I'm not sure I can pick one over the other. (Both Demis have Saturn so you can't hold it against either of them.)

Daughter Susanna born (c. May 23, 1583).
(1:50 PM): SLR weak angularities except r Ur, Ne 100%. Mo-Pl op. op, Moon also sq. r Venus (25'). Pluto transits Mo-Ve-Ma. DSLR t Pluto 100%, r Mars 100%, Pluto square Mars strongest, then natal Ur-Ne. Not great charts.
(9:59 PM): SLR emphasizes Ur, Ne, Pl, some t Sun. Sun's transit to natal Uranus-Neptune is the main foreground transit. This seems neutral to the event with a slight positive trend
CONCLUSION: Neither is fabulous, but #2 is clearly stronger, clearer (#1 seems wrong).

Twins born (c. January 31, 1585).
(1:50 PM): SLR t Jupiter & r Saturn strongest. Aspects not on target except t Sun op, r Jupiter 0°02', t Jupiter sq. r Saturn 50', r Ju-Ve co. Pretty good for family growth & stability.
(9:59 PM): SLR t Ur, Ne (and others), r Sa, Ju (and others). Aspects are a little unclear, though t Ve-Ur is a classic, t Sun to r Ju-Sa foreground the same, t Ju sq. r Saturn all for family growth and stability. DSLR r Venus leads it all; of transits, t Venus is closest, with Venus sq. r Venus the main aspect.
CONCLUSION: #2 easily is the best and quite good.

Son died (c. August 11, 1596).
(1:50 PM): SLR t Venus 1°38' from MC, r Venus strong. Only r Ve-Pl widely foreground saves it at all. Non-fore aspects fill in with Mo-Pl and (01') Sa-Ne, but the main message is wrong. DSLR t Neptune 0°03' from MC, Sun 48' from MC, their conjunction partile but also t Su-Ju square. Together, these are poor charts.
(9:59 PM): SLR t Neptune (some Moon and Saturn). r Moon, Saturn exact. The main aspect is t Ne co r Sa 13' with both tightly foreground (plus other things, none are outright wrong).
CONCLUSION: #1 is quite bad. #2 is quite excellent. Easy win for #2.

Globe Theater burned down (June 29, 1613).
(1:50 PM): SLR t Mars 8° from Dsc, r Jupiter-Saturn partile angular. The natal Ju-Sa conjunction is the only foreground aspect and might mean loss of property. If Mars were closer, then this would read as a fire that impacts property interests.
(9:59 PM): SLR r Moon closest (backed by Venus, Mercury, Mars). Nothing transiting close. Overall it is too positive, though it does have transiting Sun co. r Mars 1°16' (so it's not a total lost cause). DSLR: Very strongest factors are r Saturn 0°05', t Mercury 0°44', backed by t Neptune within 1°; so there is loss (whether emotional or material). Planets are fitting enough but not fabulous, aspects could go either way (except that natal Ju-Sa).
CONCLUSION: #2 clearly paints the emotional tone (where #1 has nothing to really push an event).

Based on the foregoing, I'm very comfortable proposing that William Shakespeare was born April 23, 1564, in Stratford-Upon-Avon, England at approximately 9:59 PM.

Can we - say, by quotidians - pin this down better? Let's try!

Most of these events took place when Shakespeare was in Stratford. He seems to have gone to London about 1592 and had returned before the last two events; so only the death of his son is affected. (Also, Stratford isn't all that far from London.) Everything here is for Stratford and presumes noon for the events. For this purpose pluses and minuses indicate how much (and in which direction) the angle would have to be adjusted.

Wedding license (soon after November 27, 1582).
SNQ: r/p Uranus-Neptune along meridian. Not sure what I'd fine tune.
SQ: p Asc co. t Mars 1°11', but not sure it shouldn't tighten for this exact date.
CONCLUSION: No recommendation.

Daughter Susanna born (c. May 23, 1583).
SNQ: r Saturn +06', p Saturn +1°32', r Jupiter +2°57'. Seeming to fit exactly, p Sun on IC +38'. t Uranus +18'. All very paternal but really too negative for expectations.
SQ: s Jupiter -55'. t Saturn +58'. t Uranus 00', s Uranus -19'
CONCLUSION: These suggest no change, or possibly 1-4 minutes earlier.

Twins born (c. January 31, 1585).
SNQ: t Jupiter +1°10', r Saturn +03', p Saturn +1°01'
SQ: s Jupiter +03', t Venus -04'. To make sure this is clear, for noon on the day the twins were both this time produces s Jupiter 3°41' Pisces, t Venus 3°34' Pisces, SQ Dsc 3°38' Pisces. It's perfect!
CONCLUSION: Suggests no change. Suggests this is exactly right.

Son died (c. August 11, 1596).
(Besides location, another problem is that we don't know when he got the news.)
SNQ: t Sun hovering < 2° off the angle for days.
SQ: SQ Mars 0°51' sep., and he probably got the news a little later. A really unfitting thing is that SQW Moon conjoined natal Jupiter that day.
CONCLUSION: Difficult event to judge.

Globe Theater burned down (June 29, 1613).
SNQ: r Neptune -1°46', p Neptune +02', r Uranus -1°24', r Saturn -07'
SQ: r Mars +1°53'
CONCLUSION: From the SNQ, it looks quite on the money.

Death (April 23, 1616).
SNQ: Varius things close but p Saturn -41'.
SQ: SQ Moon-Sun sq. 08', small angularities that don't necessarily speak to the event
CONCLUSION: No need to change

For this birthtime of 9:59 AM, his 1616 SSR occurred April 24 at 5:54 UT, a bit before dawn the next day. It would have made a suitable death chart with Saturn 0°27' from Asc conjunct Pluto 1°27' the other side of Asc at Stratford - do SSRs have lead time? (they seem to) - but the chart hadn't occurred yet. He was till under the 1615 SSR (April 24, 23:49 UT) with Sun 0°04' from IC and transiting Pluto about 2° from the same angle.

I am willing to propose that William Shakespeare was born April 23, 1564, 9:59 PM LMT, Stratford-Upon-Avon, England. (BTW, he has a 0°09' Sun-Eris conjunction, an aspect that would be there for any time of day.) This time is essentially equivalent to finding a record that said 10:00 PM LAT.

Sun in Aries, Moon in Virgo (as we've long known), Mars in Gemini. Moon 0°16' from MC, Venus-Uranus next most angular, Neptune and Mars a little angular. The chart is most dominated by a Virgo Moon exactly culminating and opposite Mercury and Moon exactly trine a setting Venus; by Venus square Pluto and Jupiter conjunct Saturn, during a time everyone was born with Uranus opposite Neptune.