A Celestial Christmas

Earth, Venus and Jupiter as we seldom see them - from "out there." This

photograph was taken by NASA's Stereo-B probe just today...apparently our

solar system has the Christmas lights on!

As if to get us thinking, as of Christmas Eve the fine folks at Spaceweather gave us the above image – one taken by NASA’s Stereo-B probe and dated December 24, 2013.

(And I don't think Space probes ever fudge dates...do they?)

It is thought by some that the Star of Bethlehem in the story of Jesus’ birth was actually a major planetary conjunction, the merging of which would have created what the ancients saw as a singular star…a singular metaphysical sign of miraculous things to come.

It is never my purpose to preach religion here at astroPPM, but I think the idea of that – the ‘singular sign’ is true whether you believe in Divinity or Jesus or any of it. It’s simply a fact – that time came and went and the person born mortal who has come down to us as Jesus, complete with everything which surrounded the life of Jesus, was a singular sign. The rise and spread of Christianity – simply as a religion as potent as it is – changed the world as it was known at the time.

The world is going to keep changing. Every once in a while cycles converge and things fall into line and we both break free and get closer to who we are and who or what we love all at once. We’re all going through some of that…life is feeling sticky exactly in the same moment that it’s beyond control and yet ours to manage.

From Stereo-B’s perspective, Earth and Jupiter are less than a degree apart. For the spiritual, this may look like the view from Above…a ‘regard’ for those of us living on our beautiful, luscious blue planet.

That aside, in a more simple astrological sense, to have Earth and Jupiter together is a happy image which looks like nothing more than that most treasured blessing we all say now and again:

Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Mankind.

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

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Comet ISON: “Cancel the Funeral”

Provided by the SOHO solar space observatory, Comet ISON is clearly

visible near the top, emerging from its encounter with the Sun

(photo credit: SOHO, NASA, Spaceweather.com) 

While much of America dashed off in the middle of the night to partake in Black Friday shopping…while a friend of mine back east studiously ignored his Thanksgiving Day sink load of dishes (I got the email, which is how I know about this sulk)…and while the blog astrologer tried to sleep off chasing the NASA and Spaceweather feeds (that’ll show me…)…

While I slept, Dr. Tony Phillips and the rest of the gang at Spaceweather (and NASA) had a busy night of proving we had all subjected ourselves to a serious case of pre-demise. And the above  - “Cancel the Funeral” was exactly what as of this morning (November 29th) was the official word on ISON.

Link to: Spaceweather.com

In other words, Comet ISON is still there. If you go to Spaceweather and click on the film loop, you can now see the comet approach...apparently dive 'into' the Sun and then - miraculously - reappear.

(Says a lot about just how dense rock can be, doesn't it? And what does that say about us?)

Among other things, this says we should be getting some pretty brilliant sky watching in the next little while as ISON comes out from behind the Sun (behind vis-à-vis our position here on Earth). And by the by…if you think it’s unusual for scientists, astronomers and astrologers to be caught out looking dim when confronted with the universe, uh…thanks, but that wouldn’t exactly be the truth. We who are fascinated with watching and figuring out and correlating what we knew with what we’re learning – we do this stuff all the time.

In astrology (so you know) there are really a couple of schools of thought on this stuff. A large proportion of the astrological community is still wedded to ancient texts in a way which would make you think there’s nothing new under the Sun (any sun, anywhere in the universe) which is just a silly thing to assert. With all due respect to those who read this post and are religious, this same ‘all the truths were spoken back then’ stuff seems unlikely to the max. After all, if Deity existed then Deity still exists – what makes us think that a Deity who allegedly ‘cared’ so much about us a couple of thousand years ago that we were given chidings and lectures…why wouldn’t that Deity care enough about us not to communicate with us in modern times?

(I just don’t get that.)

As for astrology and astrologers, a lot of astrologers haven’t even gone beyond the classical to asteroids, dwarf planets and such – never mind following the NASA/Spaceweather feed around.

If nothing else, you know where I was over Thanksgiving, right?

Personally, I’m thinking of this whole Comet ISON affair as (in part) a now-you-see-it, now-you-don’t reflexive dealing with our lives. The science part will sort itself out over the next weeks, months and years of course.

As for ISON…considering the worldwide press on this comet, at this point we are dealing with an object which at least represents something ‘out there’ which has our attention. We thought it was over…but it isn’t over. And now, according to science, whatever this ‘thing’ is in our life…it is going to become a ‘brighter factor’ as we move forward. Whether this pertains to something you thought you had lost which now you realize isn’t lost…or something you thought was a negative which has revealed itself as a positive which will be a ‘light’ to you in weeks to come.

Something 'out there' which has been maybe physically, but maybe mentally or emotionally 'heading towards us' remains intact.

But then, so do we. And what that means in each of our lives has yet to be revealed. Some of it will be evolving in present tense, but just as ISON entered our

Being someone who tries to take their cues from a world and universe which is always trying to get me to pay attention to said cues…I’m prone to letting this matter go now. After all, the ‘survival’ image provided by the SOHO image (above) – of all things labels royal fixed star Antares.

You know…the star which tells us not to obsess?

Link to: Antares - Royal Star of Persia

Sometimes our ‘time cues’ seem odd because the flowing of energetic ‘waves’ caused by moving objects takes time to reach us. Fortunately with ISON we now have an opportunity to move forward feeling our own solar consciousness in action. This comet was only 'discovered' (brought to our conscious attention) back on September 12th - that being when this very ancient object got close enough that we of Earth took notice of it.

So whatever took almost three months to get here...it will like as not take time to resolve. Or complete. Or maybe it will take you that long to reach some decision.

Whatever it is, considering ISON's timing, we have an opportunity now to move forward and see - and feel ourselves seeing - some pretty brilliant things. So whatever comes of this solar system steeplechase, no doubt we yet shall see. In the meantime, it seems a good sign that we can cancel the cosmic funeral because there’s no comet demise which requires mourning.

Just thought you’d like to know.
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News Alert:: Geomagnetic Storm!

A sudden upsurge in solar wind as of February 4th has caused an alert to be sent out by NOAA's Space Weather group. Space Weather's front page also notes a small asteroid which won't hit Earth, but come very close during this time.

That this surge of solar energy arrives at Earth as there's such an upsurge of human will and human problems is an interesting reflection of solar power/magnetics as the ability to 'magnetize' our will and life situations. It would also seem to not only comment on how general astrology works, but why astronomy and astrology are 'sister sciences' and how much can be gained by both disciplines as hand-in-hand tools. 

LINK to Space Weather's front page. (If you use this link on any date other than February 4, use the date selection box at the top right hand corner to get back to the February 4, 2011 homepage.) 

LINK to the Space Weather/NOAA Prediction page.

Solar Eclipse - Photos galore and glorious!

Spectacular photographs of the recent Solar Eclipse have been submitted to SpaceWeather.

(If you use this link on anything other than January 4, 2011, be sure to set the date at the upper right hand corner of the home page to January 4, 2011 in order to see them.) 

They're just gorgeous, so take a look!

And yes - there are also all sorts of links to other sites

hosting more photos posted at SpaceWeather.com too!

What?
You didn't know about any Solar Eclipse?
Where have you been?!?!
Well...never mind that part - read up! Join in!
Get all the astro-info right HERE

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A Headache the Size of...Saturn?

 December 28, 2010

(Aries Wheel - afternoon)

The folks at SpaceWeather (dot-com) were nice enough to send out a little blurb today which in part said: A giant storm even brighter than Saturn's rings is raging through the planet's cloudtops.

Here's a link. Or just go to http://spaceweather.com  And if you arrive there at any point after December 28th, specify the date in the upper right corner to get to the page with the nifty picture of Saturn having a stormy day.

For us here on Earth, that this is happening as Mercury goes on station underscores the sense of challenge, need to think things through and decisions which may change the 'structure' of a situation or some status quo.

Let's call it a celestial exclamation underscoring of the point. What point? Well, with this photo being reported to us as the Moon has been moving through Libra (where Saturn is)...that suggests the need to think about our relationships and interactions with others. What are they worth? Where do we want to go with them? What are others responsible for, and what should we expect - or even ask - of anyone?

Yes, there will be more on this Mercury station in a day or so. But in the interim, I thought you might like to see Spaceweather's photo of Saturn. Somehow it makes me think the planet has a headache.

And if Saturn has a headache.... well! Need I say more? That's a serious bottle of aspirin needed - and maybe (just possibly!) for us as well? Hmmm....

SpaceWeather News for October 8

 Comet 21P (Giacobini-Zinner), source of the 

Draconid meteors (photo source: NASA-JPL)

DRACONID METEORS: Every year around Oct. 8th, Earth passes through a minefield of dusty debris from Comet Giacobini-Zinner, source of the annual Draconid meteor shower.

This year, forecasters expect Earth to narrowly miss several of the debris streams, resulting in no appreciable display for 2010.

Next year, however, could be different. On Oct. 8, 2011, Earth will have a nearly head-on collision with a tendril of dust, setting off a strong outburst of as many as 750 meteors per hour.  One year from now, sky watchers could see the strongest meteor shower since the Leonid storms a decade ago. Mark your calendars...

...And in the meanwhile for more information on this and much else, or to sign up for Space Weather's nifty, free alerts, visit... 

http://spaceweather.com

Astrologer's Note

This notice was sent out to those on the SpaceWeather feed late on October 7th.

I think there's a valid question to be asked here however...namely, what does it mean (metaphysically speaking) that Earth is not going to get a Draconid meteor shower this year?

Answering that will take a bit of research, so look for a post by the end of next week!

Flashes in the Sky - SpaceWeather News (Sept 22)

Did you know there was a trio of

explosive solar doings today?  

Did you hear a fireball streaked

across the New Mexico and

Texas sky yesterday?

It's a busy, busy world and 

thank goodness someone got pictures!

Here's the link. For those who prefer addresses, it's http://spaceweather.com/

What does this mean metaphysically? That the Sun erupted at 29 Virgo speaks to either a 'burst' of energy which may manifest as insight or activity. Virgo being a sign all about taking care of things which need doing, the spectrum was broad; so much solar energy suggests a 'breaking free' of restrictions.

To be noted, of course, is that we have now moved on - and that may be the biggest message of all. Tempus does indeed fugit (time flies). We have an opportunity to do things and if they are worth doing or need doing, we should do them.

That said, now we move on - it's a new day and a new season. Libra is in this moment, literally the sign of the times.