Solunars by Aldebaran Sidereal Academy

USA Mundane Forecast
for the four weeks beginning AUGUST 17, 2024

• Outer Planet Sign Transits
• Pres. Biden's Lunar Returns

CAPSOLAR (Jan 15)
Effective Jan 15, 2024 to Jan 14, 2025. For the full interpretation of the 2024 "year chart," click here.

ARISOLAR (Apr 14)
Effective Apr 14 to Oct 17. For a full interpretation of the 2024 six-month Arisolar, click here.

MEDIUM-TERM (The Bridge)

• START-8/22: Pluto Uranus Mercury
• 8/23-8/26: Pluto Uranus Mars Mercury
• 8/27: Pluto Uranus Mercury
• 8/28-9/6: Uranus Mercury
• 9/7: Uranus Mars Mercury
• 9/8-9/11: Uranus Mars
• 9/12-END: Uranus

Uranus' transit of Capsolar Ascendant and progressed Capsolar Moon square Mercury continue the spirit of surprise, refreshment, renewing, and breaking loose (already correctly forecast for last month). Two Mars hotspots intersperse (worldwide) from Mars' square Capsolar Moon Aug 23-26 and Mars square progressed Capsolar Moon Sep 7-11.

Concurrently, the USA natal chart continues progressed Moon aspecting natal Mars-Neptune, with progressed Moon opposite natal Neptune exact on Aug 19. This is volatile and historically has put the life and well-being of the president at risk. It fuels emotional volatility and many kinds of threat. Compounding this, transiting Mars squares the Moon-Neptune Aug 28-29 followed by a transiting Mars-Neptune square Sep 3. It seems Mars-Neptune (in various forms) is a major sub-theme of this four-week period.

• Aug 19: USA p Moon op r Neptune
• Aug 19: Jupiter-Saturn sq 22°22' Tau-Aqu
• Aug 24: t Mars sq USA p Sun, co r Mars
• Aug 27: Mars enters GEMINI
• Aug 28: t Mars sq USA r Neptune
• Aug 29: t Mars sq USA p Moon
• Sep 1: Uranus stationary 2°10' Tau
• Sep 3: Mars-Neptune sq 3°55' Gem-Pis

CAPLUNAR (Aug 17) Effective Aug 17-Sep 13
Transiting Neptune (2° from Dsc) is the only truly foreground planet. Neptune is in PVP aspect to Saturn: One way to show this is the azimuth wheel above showing them conjunct on Vertex (though an undisplayable Saturn-Neptune PVP square 0°32' is closer than this conjunction).

Neptune dominates this month that is centered on the presidential election. In fact, this first week overlaps the Democratic National Convention in Chicago Aug 19-22. Neptune (especially afflicted Neptune) doesn't match the tone we currently expect from this month, which suggests we are about to see changes.

First, the easy part: Political campaigns have familiar Neptunian elements including theatricality, crowd-rousing, and less than full honesty from many quarters (maybe even a juicy scandal). We should expect at least as much of this as usual - perhaps more.

But this Saturn-Neptune is a darker aspect. At best, it means malaise and loss of energy. It often means mourning or dark, brooding, anxious, fear-fueled emotions. This is surprising, given the tone of the prior weeks leading to this. Given the U.S. chart's progressed Moon to natal Mars-Neptune (ignited by transiting Mars Aug 28-29), we have several forms of negative Neptune playing to the worst side of our imagination and vulnerabilities. - The best outcome would be if some incredibly dark, scary horror movie emerges to own the box office for a month.


Most of this week, though, national attention will be focused on Chicago and the DNC. As I finish writing this analysis, the DNC is expected to be unusually positive and celebratory. However, that's not what the Caplunar says. Mars (MC 3°14') and Saturn (WP-a 3°14') are closest to angles, reliable indicators of difficulties including combative conflict and other kinds of harm. There's a good chance it's all politics, with Jupiter square Saturn the closest aspect; but Mars square Saturn is also partile. The Saturn/Neptune midpoint is 0°04' from Descendant (mundo, of course), seeming to draw the Saturn-Neptune themes of the Washington chart to Chicago. - Of course, there are many mixed aspects, including Venus' aspects with both Jupiter and Saturn and a boisterous Mars-Jupiter. Expect Mars-Saturn (within Jupiter-Saturn) to set the tone.

ARILUNAR (Aug 23) -- CANLUNAR (Aug 30)
The Arilunar and Canlunar are dormant. The Caplunar continues as the sole active lunar ingress.

LIBLUNAR (Sep 6) Effective Sep 6-13
With other Mars-Neptune indications already primed for this month, the Liblunar places Neptune 0°16' from Washington's Nadir, Mars 2°10' from Descendant, and Mars-Neptune still square. With a Harris-Trump debate (perhaps their only debate?) scheduled for the middle of this week, we can expect histrionic aggressions, terror tactics, and siege mentality in the debate typical of Mars-Neptune.

Mars-Neptune near ingress angles most commonly match times of panic (including economic panic) and terror: events that combine surging adrenaline and heightened aroused emotion (positive or negative), with increased risks of treachery, sabotage, other betrayal, poisoned relationships, and scandal. People feel the ground fall out from under their feet. Fires, earthquakes, other violent natural events, bombs and explosions, leader deaths or crises, and populist uprisings, mobs, and the response they draw are more common. It being September, fire season begins in earnest in the west, though the Mars-Descendant line almost exactly defining the entire eastern coast sounds more like a setup for a large, long-traveling hurricane.

SIDEREAL LUNAR RETURN (Aug 23)
Effective Aug 22-Sep 20. Transiting Uranus is 0°24' past Ascendant and natal Sun 0°19' before Descendant. Uranus opposes Sun within 0°42' mundo, the aspect that defines his month. Uranus' transit to natal Sun is a fantastic aspect of change, renewal, and freedom. The aspect is self-expressive, creative, ingenious, progressive, and often rebellious and loving freedom, not yielding to other authority. Life seems more interesting and exciting.

In short, Joe Biden's month is scintillating! - And Joe may even seem surprisingly scintillating to the rest of us. This SLR occurs the day after the DNC ends and he is UNLEASHED.

The tone of the rest of the chart is similar. Not just natal Sun but also his Venus and Uranus are highlighted, with transiting Uranus touching all of them. Uranus is similarly close (mundanely) to opposition of his Mercury. By the particular rotation of the lunar return angles, his natal Uranus-Pluto come into close mundane square.

Biden changes this month; or, more than just changing, here, at what seems the end of his career in public service, he reinvents himself, bolts down new paths, seems to be starting all over again. It may be one of his most truly progressive months ever.

SIDEREAL DEMI-LUNAR RETURN (Sep 7)
Effective Sep 6-20. Transiting Uranus is 0°36' from MC and transiting Mercury 0°48' from EP. Their 0°16' square defines these two weeks. (Natal Mercury and Uranus are also near angles, but wider.)

Mercury-Uranus is an aspect of mental renewal, an independent mind, discovery, and surprise. I am expecting a startling announcement.

Natal Sun is closely angular. President Biden shines during this time. Mercury-Uranus transiting natal Sun-Venus shows a spirit of delight and discovery, feeling unburdened by old restrictions. He likely will speak boldly from his presidential podium.

A middleground exact Sun-Saturn opposition is somewhat worrisome. Were the chart as a whole not so positive and exciting, I might interpret this more adversely. As it is, I expect his vitality continues to lessen, though he remains commanding and (especially) interesting.

Biden is beginning ten consecutive weeks when transiting Jupiter squares natal Midheaven. His standing and esteem likely will be quite elevated between now and the election, which suggests that something big it cooking right now - and approaching a boil.

Why wait until October, when we can have a September surprise.

This is finished now.