Solunars by Aldebaran Sidereal Academy

I started making plans for this upcoming SSR last year. In fact, I made tentative plans for the next 4ish years last year (none of the LA charts are acceptable, unfortunately, so I'm gonna travel for all of them). Since this year's is coming up in a little less than 2 months, I need to settle on a course of action.

On the one hand, Milwaukee, WI is purely benefic aside from some harsh Moon aspects I'll get regardless.
On the other hand, Wichita, KS is both even "more benefic" (by Jim's category scores), but also a lot wilder and a bit harsher.

I'm curious what my esteemed colleagues think between these 2.

Milwaukee, WI

T. Uranus on Zenith 0°14’ 100%
T. Venus on WP 0°16’ 100%
R. Pluto on IC -7°11’ 89%

T. Uranus opp r. Pluto 1°12’ M
T. Moon sq t. Mercury 1°26’
T. Venus sqr r. Pluto 1°28’
T. Moon sqr r. Mars 2°05’ M
T. Moon op t. Saturn 3°58’

Also:
T. Mars op r. Venus 48’

Benefic = 9
Malefic = 0

The angularities are positive and not dragged down by ill aspects, except it's worth noting that the transiting planets both aspect natal Pluto relatively closely, so there's some stark confrontation going on this year amid the themes of pleasure, thrill, evolution, and pure change.
Solar Moon's aspects are harsh but not extremely potent; it mostly looks like I'm just feeling rowdy and irritable.

The ecliptical Mars opposition to natal Venus is very interesting, because...

Wichita, KS

T. Venus on Dsc -0°07’ 100%
T. Pluto on WP-a 0°26’ 99%
R. Venus on WP 0°53’ 97%
T. Mars on EP 1°41’ 91%
R. Pluto on Nadir 2°27’ 83%
T. Eris MC +9°37’ (77%)

T. Eris sqr r. Venus 0°29’ M
T. Moon sqr r. Mars 0°35’ M
T. Mars op r. Venus 0°48’
T. Moon sq t. Mercury 1°26’
T. Venus sqr r. Pluto 1°28’
T. Mars sqr t. Eris 1°38’ M
T. Moon op t. Saturn 3°58’

Plus:
t. Venus sq r. Sun 0°08’ p

T. Uranus opp r. Pluto 0°38’ M

Benefic: 12
Malefic: 3

...This version of the chart puts that (plus transiting Eris) on angles, and we pick up transiting Pluto and drop transiting Uranus.

On the one hand, we get double Venus foreground under a degree, which is always great. Transiting Pluto, unaspected, is fine. Even transiting Mars is mostly well-aspected (although we don't quite know how to think of Eris, and its impact seems to feel more malefic than benefic, I'm still inclined to consider it neutral like Pluto for now; honestly, much of the time even Pluto comes across as more malefic than benefic in my experience, at least in the moment). Solar Moon to natal Mars is now much closer in mundo. Taken together, these frankly seem like pretty sexy aspects, even though they're a bit harsh. That's why I'm considering this chart.

Natal Sun is widely background, but on Vertex, so we get a close PVP square with transiting Venus - which is lovely if that is valid.

So the choice is between a clearly benefic and exciting chart... and one that may be even more benefic, but is also far spicier and with more profound transformation.

What would you pick?

If you asked me to guess what the consensus would be, I would suspect the forum would vote for Milwaukee. That's what I would advise someone else, as well - it's just the safer pick.

But I'm leaning towards Wichita.

Well, if you want somethingga little bestial and randy, then Wichita is your better choice.

Personally, I know Milwaukee and it's charming. We could tell you numerous lovely things to do if you gave yourself a few days there (four or five of them on the same block). By comparison, I haven't been to Wichita, partly because it sounds boring as shit. You're a travelling Sagittarian and curious Virgo, so I suspect you know that half the goal of astro-tourism is to pick the perfect chart and the other half is to get to explore someplace you'd really love to see. (That's why I first picked Memphis for a great chart even when the technically better one was St. Louis.)

So... I wonder just how good can it get it we make Milwaukee as perfect as possible. It's already exceptional (barring the lunar aspects you mentioned - which, in my opinion, is a reason to have the most overwhelmingly precise benefic angularity bias you can swing). For the center coordinates of town, 43N02 87W55, you get:

t Venus WP +0°17'
t Uranus Z +0°15'

These orbs are nearly the same. Also, since Milwaukee has Lake Michigan on its eastern edge, it's good that both of these orbs are + (meaning that the angle has to be reduced to be exact). Both of these are improved by reducing the angle, i.e., going west.

For small orbs, RA (geographic longitude) changes are nearly the same as longitude. What happens if we move the geographic longitude 0°17' west, to 88W12? It's a hair too much... we need to make it 88W11. That gives MC 20°41' Aries, square Venus to the minute.

For the same longitude, Asc is 28°54' Aries, or 0°03' greater than Uranus 28°51' Aries. Experimentation shows that going south increases Ascendant's longitude. We get an exact Uranus on Zenith at 42N56.

Your ideal location in that area, the, is 88W11 42N56. That's a little west (southwest) of Milwaukee on Highway 43 - maybe it's still in Milwaukee, in fact (it's in the urban area) ne he Living Word Apostolic Church. You can find it on a map here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/hJq87gT3RqvyLEus6

It's coordinates are 42N55'55'', 88W10'47''. For that exact location, the chart is:

r Pluto IC -7°30'
t Uranus Z +0°00'10"
t Venus WP +0°00'27"

t Moon-Mercury sq 1°26'
t Moon-Mars sq 2°04' M
t Moon-Saturn op 3°58'

t Uranus op r Pluto 1°08' M
t Venus sq r Pluto 1°28'

I always like to drop out Class 3 angularities just to get a more "core" look at the chart (even though they need to be added back eventually). In this case, it drops natal Pluto and its two aspects. The chart is entirely a 10" Uranus and 27" Venus (through the roof precise!) plus the inevitable Moon aspects (of which Moon-Mercury is closest).

Marion and I would be off to find this church and see how late its doors are open. It's a Friday evening and the church is Pentecostal, so it's probably not open even a few nights before Christmas, but we'd be off to see what we could learn about it anyway. Here's their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/LivingWordNewBerlin/

Here's their information page: https://www.faithstreet.com/church/livi ... -berlin-wi

Not my first thought of where to spend a Venus + Uranus intersection, but... who knows what surprises, eh? (I'm laughing. You'd probably enjoy the cheese and beer pairing on 3rd Street more. But who knows?)

PS: You asked for opinions. I gave opinions

Wisconsin sounds like a wonderful place to visit. I think you would have much more fun there, for sure a place to make some memories. I have beloved childhood memories playing at a KOA camp on the Lakes shore with my family. Kansas in late fall early winter sounds very not nice for me.

You said it. Milwaukee is the straightforward winner between the two.

But, thought: Weigh it against your other prognostic factors for the course of the solar year (especially, of course, SLRs). If there is no severe cluster of particular nastiness throughout (or no more than you are willing to take), you may find that you want Wichita without reservation. (An idea.)

I appreciate all of your opinions on this (and the help to narrow down the exact location, Jim).

I think I'm going to plan for Milwaukee, but give my lunar returns a look across the year just to see if maybe I can justify having a little bit wilder of a year. (I did browse all of my major transits already; nothing particularly crazy goes on besides some heavy but routine Saturn transits in the first half of the year, but there's also a lot of Jupiter transits going on.) Milwaukee was my original plan anyway; I've just been second-guessing myself over the last week or so.

Jim Eshelman wrote: Thu Oct 31, 2024 9:39 pm By comparison, I haven't been to Wichita, partly because it sounds boring as shit. You're a travelling Sagittarian and curious Virgo, so I suspect you know that half the goal of astro-tourism is to pick the perfect chart and the other half is to get to explore someplace you'd really love to see. (That's why I first picked Memphis for a great chart even when the technically better one was St. Louis.)

Curious Virgo, absolutely. Traveling Sagittarian, technically yes. Sag who likes traveling... surprisingly not. I'd hate to disappoint you, but I've never identified with that theme (despite my Sag friends who are avid travelers). I have to confess that I dread travel and try my best to get out of it. It's a control thing, I think - whenever I travel, I have to settle in for a long period in which I will have far less control over my surroundings than I like, and I find the whole thing exhausting, not rejuvenating. If I were traveling with someone else, that would probably change my feelings a decent amount - but as it stands I don't get a lot of satisfaction out of solo exploration. I consider these "business" trips.