Moon Gets Mugged by Meteoroid, And NO-body Calls Cops!

By Milky Way Maid

[CNN story with video clip from NASA --- http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/18/tech/moon-explosion]


The continuing disrespect for the heavenly bodies we have been blessed with in this solar system is just appalling!

A Look at the new Pope Francis's astro charts

by Milky Way Maid

Last March 13, at 7:06 pm Rome time, white smoke appeared, signaling that the Cardinals had elected a new Pope to head the Catholic Church. We soon found out that the former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elevated to head the church that he had dedicated himself to since 1969 in such a humble and just manner.

What kind of man is he, and what can we find in his transiting or progressed charts to signal such an elevation of rank?

Pope Francis's entry in Wikipedia is very heart-warming, and gives the casual Church-watcher reason to believe that a just man has been elected. What do I mean by a just man? I mean someone who stands up for the right, instead of acting as a collaborator with the high and mighty as they crush the poor and working peoples under their feet.

The natal chart for Pope Francis (see inset) is set for his birth at Dec. 17, 1936 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I have printed it with the speculative time of 12:30 am, a time chosen by astrologer Dave Roell, of AstroAmerica dot com fame. While we cannot confirm or dismiss this time yet, there is some reason to believe that this is a workable chart that fits what we know of the former Jorge Bergoglio.

I also calculated a transit chart for the election of the new Pope – set for 7:06 PM Rome time on March 13, 2013, and used a guesstimated chart for his progressions to age 76.5. They revealed some interesting contacts.

First the birth chart. The early birth time puts Neptune rising in the first house, suitable for such a humble person who has eschewed the trappings of higher church office, and also suitable for someone who immersed himself in religious matters. Even more interesting, though, is that this Neptune (at almost 19 degrees Virgo) is opposite Saturn (at 16 degrees Pisces), which represents The Powers That Be, the Establishment, Big Business, etc. This is a guy who has spoken up against the government in favor of the poor and working classes. From Wiki: “Oliveira described the future Pope as "anguished" and "very critical of the dictatorship" during the "Dirty War".”

Also notable is the Moon-Venus conjunction in selfless Aquarius. Bergoglio is the son of a railway worker, and his sympathies with the working people (Aquarius, representing the proletariat) have carried over into adulthood. Venus in an air sign is more objective and idea-oriented, not given so much to sensual pleasures or earthy pursuits.

Also notable are the Mercury-Jupiter (religious dialogue) conjunction in Capricorn trine Uranus (foreign languages and beliefs) in Taurus. This may account for his remarkable ability to forge connections with representatives of other religions. He has befriended clergy representing the Jewish, Muslim, Eastern Orthodox and Protestant faiths. In fact, many civil and religious leaders from the Islamic world attended his installation as Pope – as did the head of the Eastern Orthodox Church, Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople. A Saudi Arabian newspaper stated that his public call as pope for increased dialogue with Islam "comes as a whiff of fresh air at a time when much of the Western world is experiencing a nasty outbreak of Islamophobia". (Wiki)

When a Jewish Community Center was bombed in 1994 in Buenos Aires, Bergoglio was among the first to sign a petition condemning the attack and calling for justice. Bergoglio also made the Cathedral in Buenos Aires available for interfaith ceremonies. Once such event was an interfaith prayer for peace in November 2012, attented by leaders from the Jewish, Islamic, Evangelical and Orthodox Christian faiths.

There is much more that one could say about any natal chart, but let's go on to the chart for the election to the papacy. The chart for his election (not shown) has 4 degrees Libra rising, with natal Mars at 19 degrees in his first house, inconjunct natal Saturn. This reminds me that an astrologer friend insisted to me years ago that while Libra was the sign of peace, it was also the sign of war. With Mars on an angle in the election chart, I feel that he will be rather a bulldog in standing up for the poor, as he has always done, against governmental or other oppressive forces (Saturn).

The Ascendant is inconjunct natal Uranus in Taurus, opposite transiting Mars and Uranus in Aries, inconjunct transiting Neptune and Mercury in Pisces – forming a Yod with that Mars-Uranus conjunction at the release point. Mercury-Neptune speaks about ideals. Mars-Uranus can get violent – I think he is going to face some virulent opposition (literally) to some of the things he will speak out about. And Uranus in Taurus represents, I think, the working people, the “salt of the earth” types who keep everything going. We could write a book about all these influences but let's go on to the other Yod.

Other Yod? Did you say “other Yod”? Yep, another Yod is found in this chart. Look at the stuff at around 11 degrees here. We have 4 items: the transiting Part of Fortune at 10 degrees, 53' Virgo. Transiting Saturn at 11 degrees Scorpio. Natal Mercury at 10 degrees Capricorn, conjunct transiting Pluto at 11 degrees Capricorn. And transiting Jupiter is in orb at 9 degrees Gemini in the ninth house of religion. So the two legs of Saturn in Scorpio and Mercury-Pluto in Capricorn support the triangle topped by religious Jupiter in the house of religion and world views. The Yod is said to have a fated quality, and perhaps Pope Francis was always destined to lead the Catholic Church in this new millennium. 

Perhaps that is another meaning of the retrograde Mercury conjunct Neptune here – perhaps this election was in a sense, a re-do of the prior election of a Pope, the now-retired Pope Benedict. (Neptune here would represent not only religious matters but the idea of a Symbol, and the Pope is a symbol of non-material values and eternal truths.)

And finally, just a quick look at the progressions that may have brought Cardinal Bergoglio to his elevation to Pope. What I notice are the following: Mars conjunct a late Moon in Scorpio – Moon-Mars is impassioned feelings and beliefs, trine natal Pluto in Cancer, possibly denoting the vast power of the papacy giving new weight to his pronouncements. The Sun is three days shy of a conjunction to natal Saturn, but his inauguration on March 19 would exactly coincide with the enormous responsibility now invested in him. Not sure what to make of this, but the true North Node at 10 degrees, 13' of Sagittarius is conjunct is natal IC, and sextile natal Mars in Libra, square natal Neptune on one side and square natal Saturn on the other. The end of the matter (IC) is his growth into the top job of his chosen profession, the Catholic Church? And this role will put him in a VERY challenging and stressful position of balancing defense of the poor against the powers of temporal authority. This is somewhat past the natal positions of his Sun and North Node in Sagittarius.

Maybe we should all fasten our seat belts. This could be a bumpy ride. 

The Best Book About Ancient Astronomy that isn't about astrology, per se

by Milky Way Maid

One of the best books I can recommend to anyone interested in learning how and why ancient peoples kept track of sky markers is one that has nothing to do with astrology. The book is “America B.C.” by Barry Fell, who is a bit of a renegade when it comes to attributing ancient peoples with the ability to make notations of the important stuff like the spring equinox.

One of the most interesting and exciting parts of the book are where he explains the translation of the strange markings above a rock doorway in old New England. First I have to explain that Mr. Fell is a bit of a radical in that he believes that peoples from ancient Celtic and Mediterranean lands were able to reach North America and left written records on stone markers and monuments. But he has shown that the attempted translations of these markings result in coherent astronomical or historical statements.

As he writes at the beginning of Chapter 13, 

“In Chapters 5 and 6 it was shown that the New England Celts employed an Ogam alphabet of at least 12 symbols, identical with those used in Portugal and Span in the late Bronze Age, about 800 BC. The New England signs also carry the same sound values as those of the Iberian peninsula . . . The chances that two such similar events can take place independently can be calculated by the mathematical theory of probability. It turns out that there is less than once chance in 430,000,000 that identical 12-letter alphabets could arise independently in two unrelated civilizations. For the 17-letter Ogam alphabet of Monhegan, Maine and Ireland, the chances of independent origin in these two places are less than one in 300 trillion.”

The outer lintel of the winter solstice temple at South Woodstock, Vermont, and a nearby stone called the Beltane Stone found lying prostrate on the ground have inscriptions that help date the temple by its calendar information. The inside entrance piers of the solstice temple were “used in observation of the lunar track and in the prediction of eclipses.” The exposed face of the first lintel bears a dedication inscription. The shadow of the lower edge of the outer lintel coincides with sunrise with the end of the observatory porch on the equinoxes, March 21 and September 21. The temple is twenty feet long, providing a clear and accurate view of the Dec. 22 sunrise in a notch in the distant range of hills when the observer stands on the altar area.

The Beltane stone, discovered in 1975, has Latin lettering for the words “day 39”. The stone probably was once part of the calendar circle before it fell over; it was later moved to the Mystery Hill museum. What is the significance of day 39? this is where some historical sleuthing reveals that after Julius Caesar instituted his new calendar in 45 BC, the date of the spring equinox was set at March 25 and the new year on January 1.

The Celts of New England apparently retained the OLD-style calendar. Beltane, the Druid holiday celebrated on May 1, fell on the 39th day of the year if one counts from the old-style New Year occurrence on the Aries ingress, the first day of spring. Beltane currently falls on Day 43 of the Celtic calendar, but due to precession, the Equinox day would have fallen in late March (rather than March 21 as in modern times). 

The Beltane stone therefore dates from the time of Christ, “but not later than about the third century AD.”
Perhaps you prefer to study the standing stones of the Mystery Hill, New Hampshire site. No Ogam scratches on these stones. Discovered in 1965, or more probably re-discovered, since somebody obviously placed them, they mark the sunrise and sunset of the major markers of the quarter year. Bob Stone wrote of his discovery:

“My first suspicion was that the area around the so-called Table of Sacrifice might be the primary viewing site, and that the standing stones might mark positions of sunrise and sunset for particular days of the year, significant perhaps for the unknown people who had built the site. So I began to cut swaths through the woods to make it possible to see the standing stones from the central sacrificial area, also to bring into unobstructed view the horizon beyond the stones. Using a transit telescope and a compass I began to realize that some of the stones at least had a definite relationship to important astronomical axes. On December 21, 1970, after four years of of work, the sky remained clear and we now observed the sun slowly descending towards the monolith that we had recognized as marking the solstice. From the viewing area near the sacrificial table, some 500 yards away, we saw the sun above the monolith, behind which it then set.”

The Mystery Hill observation platform provided lines of sight to Midsummer sunset, Midsummer sunrise, Midwinter sunset, and Midwinter sunrise with only minutes of arc of deviation from their calculated values.
The ancient peoples of the world were keenly aware of and keenly observant of the motions of the sun and moon. If we only have eyes to see, we can find literally thousands of markers of their observations which they recorded for the benefit of those who followed.


AMERICA B.C., by Barry Fell, Pocket Books, New York, 1976. ISBN 067179079-x. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number-- 75-36269. 

Your Milky Way Horoscope June 2-8, 2013

By Milky Way Maid

MOON VOIDS this week--- Now here's the thing about the Moon here: it goes void-of-course 9:25 am Wednesday and remains void all Thursday till it enters Gemini at 11:32 pm, that's PM. Add to that the nearly full day that the Moon was void in Aries all of Tuesday morning, and you are looking at major gaps in this week when you normally would carry on with your business. On the other hand, a void Moon is said to offer unique opportunities when it is in the signs of Jupiter and its own place. Those signs are Sag, Pisces, Cancer, and TAURUS (because the Moon is exalted in Taurus). So- plan to initiate things where you want something to grow but which are not necessarily expected to impact your income streams. You might plant your veggie garden that you grow for your own use. You might start a personal blog which you do for your own satisfaction, not because you expect to make a profit. And so forth. But the Moon void in Aries is not expected to promise any similar ops.

Venus enters Cancer at 10:13 am Sunday. Venus in Cancer is very sweet indeed, and extra-nurturing. This is a very home-loving placement, and a native with this may prefer to work at home. Can be fearful of opening up their extreme empathetic nature lest they be rejected. Native sometimes cope with this by manipulating others' emotions to get the “right” response. But the richest relationships benefit from your no-strings-attached compassion and empathy – and your health likewise benefits from having an emotional outlet. (and no, a pet is not a complete substitute) Venus in Cancer likes its comforts and usually gets them. Famous people with Venus in Cancer include: Lyndon Baines Johnson, ballerina Margot Fonteyn, Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, Dean Martin, Harry Truman, trumpeter Louis Armstrong, former Yankees coach Casey Stengel, Princess Anne and author William Styron.

Mercury at 5 degrees Gemini trines Neptune in Pisces at 3:18 pm Monday. This is followed by Mercury trine Saturn at 9:22 pm. This is a great example of a trine not being a favorable aspect, because trines involving malefics can do a lot of damage. In this case, Mercury trine Neptune can easily lead you to accept false or even fake data. From there I might infer that you make a mistake in terminating (Saturn) Something. Example: you read a blog post or watch a slanted news broadcast and then decide to sell a stock – a stock that has profited you handsomely over the years and which you now forfeit its lovely dividends, alas.

Venus at 5 degrees Gemini trines Neptune in Pisces at 7:46 am Friday. The effect of this aspect is compounded by the fact that Neptune has a Retrograde Station at 4:26 am! (SR at 5 degrees 23' Pisces) Venus proceeds to trine Saturn at 11:23 am Friday. Here is another case where a trine just makes it too easy to shoot yourself in the foot. Also a word of caution to anybody who has even a slight case of diabetes – because Venus rules sugar and Neptune seems to be a signature for diabetes, take special care to stay on your diet this week.

Mars at 5 degrees Gemini squares Neptune in Pisces at 7:58 pm. Having two malefics square each other usually produces some concrete event. The most obvious effect is that this will probably sap everyone's energy; we will need to take to conserve our energy and get adequate rest. Neptune is enervating, and Mars often brings fevers, so be careful of things like Lyme disease. (keep covered on walks in the woods and so forth) The other effect is to cause a load of doubt, insecurity and discouragement. This square generally re-occurs every six months or so, so you might think back to your last bout of self-doubt. Your resolve is tested; you may have to tweak the plan a bit to stay on track, but most of the time it is better to stay the course.

You see all those 5s up there? Anybody with natal planets at 5 degrees (orb about 3 degrees) will certainly feel the enervating effects of Neptune. Get your sleep hours in.

We have a New Moon at 11:56 am, Saturday, June 8. It is at 18 degrees 01' of Gemini. The only close aspect to the NM is Juno at 19 degrees Aquarius, favoring progress made by partnering with one's spouse, business partner, coworker, etc. A T-square in cardinal signs is formed by Mercury, Pluto and Uranus at 11 degrees of the signs. Natives of cardinal signs will of course be most affected by that T-square. Everyone else would benefit from examining their natal charts to see where the T-square falls.

Please look to the right-hand column on Blogger if you would like these articles translated into Spanish, French, German, Japanese or any other language. Link: http://milky-way-astrology.blogspot.com/

ALSO – see my popular article on late degrees of all the signs. Link: http://milky-way-astrology.blogspot.com/2008/08/planets-in-late-degrees-what-do-they.html

ALSO – see new article on The Goddess Archetypes: The Pallas Athena Myth at http://milky-way-astrology.blogspot.com/2011/07/goddess-archetypes-pallas-athena-myth.html --- also as you read it you may also avail yourself of the excellent QUESTIONNAIRE on the Goddess-Power website at http://goddess-power.com/questions.htm to determine your own goddess profile.

GREAT WEBSITES – In no particular order of importance: Check out Astrology.com -- free lessons online. Watch astronomic animations at http://shadowandsubstance.com/. Go to http://www.solarsystemscope.com/ for a view of our solar system and nearby stars. This guy called the correct winner of the 2012 election, and he puts out a monthly column: http://www.howardbeckmanvedicastrologer.com/wordpress/

This guy writes a cool weekly astrology newsletter and sells astro books: Dave at www.astroamerica.com.

Readers can follow not only their Sun sign horoscope but also their Ascendant for further clues to how your week will develop. NOTE: some aspects are exact on a weekend but may find opportunity for expression on the Friday or Monday nearest the exact aspect. Times given are in Eastern Standard or Eastern Daylight Savings Time depending on the season.

ARIES - March 20-April 19 – Neptune's activity this week may require you to keep a keen eye on water safety re family members. The Moon is in Aries from 2:33 am Sunday till midday Tuesday. Early risers will find high energy for a sunrise run and chores Sunday. Venus enters your solar fourth house Sunday; you may plan to paint and refurbish your home. Monday favors getting errands done with a minimum of fuss. Stick to routine matters Tuesday morning. Friday afternoon favors having a friendly chat with the boss. Saturday's New Moon may bring an intensified relationship with someone met at club meetings.

TAURUS - April 20-May 20 – The Moon is in Taurus from 11:53 am Tuesday till late Thursday. Tuesday afternoon favors asking for breaks from relatives or merchants. Be very careful of friends who spin tales, tho. Try to chat with your mentor early Wednesday. Stick to routine matters from mid-morning Wednesday thru Thursday. Beware of anything offered for free this week from so-called friends, neighbors or relatives, due to the activity of Neptune this week. Saturday's New Moon may bring a working partnership that furthers your career goals.

GEMINI - May 21-June 20 – Neptune's activity this week may threatens your bank account, whether via a shopping spree or via fraud. Also your inclination is to focus on bad news and let insecurity govern your money decisions; hold to your resolve. The Moon is in Gemini from 11:32 pm Thursday till midday NEXT Sunday. Your emotions run high mid-morning Friday; try to stay in professional mode in meetings. Friday does favor finding strong financial advice regarding debt; ask a counselor for a list of advisers who will help you for free. Midday Saturday is the New Moon in your sign, promising better times and a qualified legal advisor.

CANCER - June 21-July 22 – Neptune's activity this week may bring offers of free items related to college, religion, publishing, etc. but choose carefully. Stick to routine matters Tuesday morning, most of Wednesday and all of Thursday. You may be upset Friday afternoon by a spouse's Nay vote on your plans; agree to give each other the veto over specific items. Saturday's New Moon may bring involvement in a fulfilling creative partnership.

LEO - July 23-Aug. 22 - Neptune's activity this week may bring insurance offers that look too good to be true; discard them or at least check them out carefully. Stick to routine matters Tuesday morning, most of Wednesday and all of Thursday. Friday afternoon favors getting a second opinion regarding health concerns; it will be a relief to find out what the real problem is. Saturday's New Moon may bring success thru teaming up with a partner when performing in public.

VIRGO - Aug. 23-Sept. 22 - Neptune's activity this week may activate charitable causes; if there is something that you were going to donate anyway, then fine, but otherwise avoid being talked into giving more than you can spare. Stick to routine matters Tuesday morning, most of Wednesday and all of Thursday. On Friday do not be overly swayed by friends who are critical of your artistic pursuits. Saturday's New Moon may bring success thru teaming up (Juno) with a coworker on company projects.

LIBRA - Sept. 23-Oct. 22 - Neptune's activity this week may bring discovery of unscrupulous behavior on the part of a coworker. Stick to routine matters Tuesday morning, most of Wednesday and all of Thursday. Have tea with a mentor Friday afternoon, as you pick his/her brain for pearls of wisdom. Saturday's New Moon may bring a serious romance with a marriage-minded (Juno) person.

SCORPIO - Oct. 23-Nov. 21 - Neptune's activity this week may bring attention to your photography or other artistic gifts. Stick to routine matters Tuesday morning, most of Wednesday and all of Thursday. Select an affirmation Friday afternoon that you can believe in. Saturday's New Moon in Gemini may bring success in a home-oriented venture; and with Juno in your fourth house, you rule your own roost.

SAGITTARIUS - Nov. 22-Dec. 21 – Inspect your roof and gutters this week, since Neptune's activity this week may let leaks damage your home. Stick to routine matters Tuesday morning, most of Wednesday and all of Thursday. Friday does favor finding strong financial advice regarding debt; ask a counselor for a list of advisers who will help you for free. Saturday's New Moon encourages you to learn more about that interesting new neighbor.

CAPRICORN - Dec. 22-Jan. 19 - Neptune's activity this week may cause missing messages or packages; be sure to get tracking numbers. Stick to routine matters Tuesday morning, most of Wednesday and all of Thursday. You may be upset Friday afternoon by a spouse's Nay vote on your plans; agree to give each other the veto over specific items. Saturday's New Moon may bring progress if you allow your spouse to help keep the books.

AQUARIUS - Jan. 20-Feb. 17 - Neptune's activity this week may threaten your bank account, whether via a shopping spree or via fraud. Stick to routine matters Tuesday morning, most of Wednesday and all of Thursday. Friday afternoon favors getting a second opinion regarding health concerns; it will be a relief to find out what the real problem is. Saturday's New Moon may accent partnerships of all kinds, while you check your ego at the door.

PISCES - Feb. 18-March 19 - Neptune's activity this week may confuse you; make sure to have maps or other needed info; on the plus side, you may really enjoy working with children. Stick to routine matters Tuesday morning, most of Wednesday and all of Thursday. On Friday do not be overly swayed by friends who are critical of your artistic pursuits. Saturday's New Moon may mean attending workshops with a writing partner. 

Your Milky Way Horoscope May 26-June 1, 2013

By Milky Way Maid

The Sun at 5 degrees Gemini squares Neptune in Pisces at 6:27 am Sunday. This is such a problematic aspect because we fool (Neptune) ourselves (Sun) into thinking the situation is better or at least different than it really is. Hold off on any decisions until you have bounced your ideas off your fave sounding board. This aspect sometimes brings something we've denied out into the public eye. The Moon is also void for most of the day so adds to the futility of trying to start anything new. Stick to routine chores.

Mercury at 23 degrees Gemini is conjunct Jupiter at 3:56 am Monday. Mercury in good aspect to Jupiter is excellent for academic studies, although the conjunction could make your ideas or mental processes too fast to pin down. You may need a notebook or Dictaphone to capture your thought for later analysis. Also good for all hand-eye coordination whether in sports, art or crafts.

The major and minor benefics, Jupiter and Venus, are conjunct at 23 degrees Gemini at 3:29 pm Tuesday. (Mercury is only a half-step ahead of them.) One thing to watch out for is over-indulgence in food, and in sweets especially. You can really give yourself the mother of all belly aches with this aspect.

Mercury enters Cancer at 3:07 am Friday. Everybody seems to love Cancerians but Mercury here does have a downside (in immature natives) and that is that they can continually appeal to others' sympathies in a way that expects indulgence. Mature Cancerians reach out to others with their intuitive emotional antennae (their silent communicators), and readily show they sympathize and care. Theirs is the warm shoulder to cry on, and the ever-ready cuppa tea, and the sage advice. They will not endlessly hold your hand, but they will soothe you until you can go out the door and face the world again.

Mercury in Cancer is good for scholars, historians, antique dealers, and lawyers who rely mostly on legal precedent. Famous people with Mercury in Cancer include: Nelson and David Rockefeller, pianist Van Cliburn, Igor Stravinsky, and educator Thomas Mann.

Mars enters Gemini at 6:39 am Friday. This Gemini is able to use words as a weapon, either in formal or informal debate, in politics, or academia, and the goal is to show that he has the sharpest and fastest mind. Reminds me of Cyrano de Bergerac, who created a rhyme as he dueled with his sword – demonstrating that his wit was as rapier-sharp as his sword, indeed. However in real life someone with this approach can win his battles but lose the war, as modern folks are less admiring of cleverness when it is so aggressive. A positive side to this placement is a real eagerness to learn. You may find lifelong students here.

Mars in Gemini can use words as a call to action, even tho the native may not be very active or athletic. Examples of that include Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Martin Luther King, Jr. Other famous people with this placement include: comedienne Phyllis Diller, Prince Philip, author Ernest Hemingway, Barbra Streisand, author Virginia Woolf, dictator Benito Mussolini, and painter Marc Chagall.

The Sun at 11 degrees Gemini sextiles Uranus in Aries at 9:46 pm Saturday. Sun-Uranus aspects almost always bring unusual people or foreigners into our lives in some way. We sit next to some very interesting people at a dinner or play, the company brings in a consultant who was born in another country and has the most fascinating accent, etc. We are exposed to those who live or think or talk very differently from ourselves, and that can be a real mind-opener.

Please look to the right-hand column on Blogger if you would like these articles translated into Spanish, French, German, Japanese or any other language. Link: http://milky-way-astrology.blogspot.com/

ALSO – see my popular article on late degrees of all the signs. Link: http://milky-way-astrology.blogspot.com/2008/08/planets-in-late-degrees-what-do-they.html

ALSO – see new article on The Goddess Archetypes: The Pallas Athena Myth at http://milky-way-astrology.blogspot.com/2011/07/goddess-archetypes-pallas-athena-myth.html --- also as you read it you may also avail yourself of the excellent QUESTIONNAIRE on the Goddess-Power website at http://goddess-power.com/questions.htm to determine your own goddess profile.

GREAT WEBSITES – In no particular order of importance: Check out Astrology.com -- free lessons online. Watch astronomic animations at http://shadowandsubstance.com/. Go to http://www.solarsystemscope.com/ for a view of our solar system and nearby stars. This guy called the correct winner of the 2012 election, and he puts out a monthly column: http://www.howardbeckmanvedicastrologer.com/wordpress/

This guy writes a cool weekly astrology newsletter and sells astro books: Dave at www.astroamerica.com.

Readers can follow not only their Sun sign horoscope but also their Ascendant for further clues to how your week will develop. NOTE: some aspects are exact on a weekend but may find opportunity for expression on the Friday or Monday nearest the exact aspect. Times given are in Eastern Standard or Eastern Daylight Savings Time depending on the season.

ARIES - March 20-April 19 - Monday and Tuesday are very favorable for shopping, or socializing with relatives or neighbors. Thursday favors rambling around with friends on a jaunt. Mercury enters your solar fourth house, leading you to ramble thru the old hometown or browse old scrapbooks. Mars enters your solar third house; you may a lot more assertive verbally, or talk about Mars stuff: sports, surgery, tools, men, cars.

TAURUS - April 20-May 20 - Monday and Tuesday are very favorable for your finances; you could get a large tip or gift. Thursday is very nice for finances re a career advance or perks. Mercury enters your solar third house, increasing the pace of your daily life and increasing the number of messages. Mars enters your solar second house; you may make money from fees or commissions, but watch out for impulse spending.

GEMINI - May 21-June 20 - Monday and Tuesday are very favorable for getting your point across or making a sale. Thursday can be a power day for air signs; do some brainstorming and make notes of random ideas. Mercury enters your solar second house, when you try to determine what you are really worth to an employer or to society. Mars enters your solar first house Gemini; the adrenaline flows and you focus on getting even big projects DONE.

CANCER - June 21-July 22 - Monday and Tuesday are very favorable for writing retreats or other getaway trips – maybe you get accepted and take off as soon as Thursday. Mercury enters your solar first house, when you are prompted to talk more than you ever have with more and more people. Mars enters your solar twelfth house; this Mars is the passive-aggressive type, where we stomp around while denying anything is wrong.

LEO - July 23-Aug. 22 - Monday and Tuesday are very favorable for associations with organized groups; you may get an award from a non-profit. Thursday favors going somewhere with your mate and some friends. Mercury enters your solar twelfth house, possibly increasing your gifts for silent communications, but also possibly pulling you into talking about secrets, especially family secrets. Mars enters your solar eleventh house; you may join a sports league or handicapping contest.

VIRGO - Aug. 23-Sept. 22 - Monday and Tuesday are very favorable for career matters; schedule interviews or sign up with headhunters. Thursday can be very favorable for career or workplace matters; ask for an office redecoration. Mercury enters your solar eleventh house, when you talk more about your causes or the teams you support. Mars enters your solar tenth house; while disputes are possible with authority figures, this Mars thrives on stressful situations.

LIBRA - Sept. 23-Oct. 22 - Monday and Tuesday are very favorable for legal matters or publishing; you may get a generous settlement or advance. Thursday can be a power day for air signs; do some brainstorming and make notes of random ideas. Mercury enters your solar tenth house; you may chair meetings or make the Power Points. Mars enters your solar ninth house; this is the most eager Mars to learn or travel, or even make a long-distance move.

SCORPIO - Oct. 23-Nov. 21 - Monday and Tuesday are very favorable for insurance or tax matters; you may actually be glad to get a letter from the IRS. Mercury enters your solar ninth house; you seek to expand your mind with travel or a class. Mars enters your solar eighth house; you have disputes over taxes or insurance, but the good news is that this is a pretty steamy place to have transiting Mars.

SAGITTARIUS - Nov. 22-Dec. 21 – The Moon is in Sag for most of Sunday. Sunday has the Moon void in Sag, which is supposed to ordinarily be an opportunity period; however, with hard aspects to that Sun-Neptune square, I would lie low if I were you. Mercury enters your solar eighth house; you talk about the hard stuff, like making a will or filling out a Medical Directive. Mars enters your solar seventh house; suppressed resentments can now boil over into arguments with partners.

CAPRICORN - Dec. 22-Jan. 19 – The Moon is in Capricorn from 5:28 pm Sunday till Tuesday afternoon. Early Monday someone may reply to your search for an instructor or tutor, and it will be a good one. Midday however offers some family crisis that may call you home. Tuesday afternoon favors putting great effort into a project; also you may get a favorable ruling on a legal matter. Tuesday also favors starting new employees or servants. Mars enters your solar sixth house; work off anger and tension in a proactive exercise routine.

AQUARIUS - Jan. 20-Feb. 17 – Monday and Tuesday are very favorable for creative pursuits or working with children. The Moon is in Aquarius from 5:48 pm Tuesday till Thursday night. You may meet a compatible new friend early Wednesday. Thursday offers more chances to get to know a romantic interest. Business may pick up beginning Friday, or at least more quotes are requested. Mars enters your solar fifth house, heating up the romance sector also beginning Friday. Take your date on the town Saturday night.

PISCES - Feb. 18-March 19 – The Moon is in Pisces from 8:30 pm Thursday thru the end of the week. Drink that second cuppa java before tackling the morning commute Friday. Mars enters your solar fourth house, raising the rate of arguments and strife at home; also possibly more home renovations, stuff that brings in heavy tools. Mercury enters your solar fifth house, possibly adding another child to the brood, or you tag along as chaperone on class trips. 

Your Milky Way Horoscope May 19-25, 2013

By Milky Way Maid

The Sun enters Gemini at 5:10 pm Monday. Gemini natives are chatterboxes and flirts who often change their minds and work hard at avoiding deep thought. On the other hand they are light-hearted, friendly, open-minded, congenial, and able to absorb oodles of data almost at a glance. Like the other air signs, they tend to me more objective than subjective. They do tend to be rather high-strung and need to make themselves get out for fresh air and exercise to work off some nervous energy.

Gemini is the original multi-tasker, with many conversations going and several hobbies or projects underway. Sometimes holds more than one job at a time, due to the fact that they often have many talents. Famous people with Sun in Gemini include: Judy Garland, Prince Philip, Richard Wagner, John F. Kennedy, poet Walt Whitman, educator Thomas Mann, comic Bob Hope, David and Laurence Rockefeller, former Beatle Paul McCartney, “happy warrior” Hubert Humphrey, quarterback Joe Namath, Anatoly Karpov, Josef von Sternberg, John Maynard Keynes, Maurice Sendak, Dr. Oz, and Anthony Eden.

Mercury is conjunct Venus at 18 degrees Gemini at 7:54 pm Friday. Economically, this is a favorable aspect for everything from the stock market to shopping, because the symbology is that the buyer (Mercury) finds proper value (Venus) in prices, and is inclined to buy. So don't be surprised at unusually high volume on the stock exchanges. And your items you've put out on your rummage sale are more likely to find a buyer, especially if this conjunction contacts natal personal planets.

We have a lunar eclipse at 12:25 am Saturday, May 25 at 4 degrees 8' of Sag. It is accompanied by a square to Neptune in Pisces, so this will be a stressful period for natives of mutable signs. Secret places and secret info (Neptune) meet the harsh light of day (Sun) leading to anxiety, fear, confusion, etc. Also be careful of bad effects from drugs or alcohol, anything that triggers allergic reactions from you, because your system is likely to be over-sensitive during the period that the eclipse is in force.

Please look to the right-hand column on Blogger if you would like these articles translated into Spanish, French, German, Japanese or any other language. Link: http://milky-way-astrology.blogspot.com/

ALSO – see my popular article on late degrees of all the signs. Link: http://milky-way-astrology.blogspot.com/2008/08/planets-in-late-degrees-what-do-they.html

ALSO – see new article on The Goddess Archetypes: The Pallas Athena Myth at http://milky-way-astrology.blogspot.com/2011/07/goddess-archetypes-pallas-athena-myth.html --- also as you read it you may also avail yourself of the excellent QUESTIONNAIRE on the Goddess-Power website at http://goddess-power.com/questions.htm to determine your own goddess profile.

GREAT WEBSITES – In no particular order of importance: Check out Astrology.com -- free lessons online. Watch astronomic animations at http://shadowandsubstance.com/. Go to http://www.solarsystemscope.com/ for a view of our solar system and nearby stars. This guy called the correct winner of the 2012 election, and he puts out a monthly column: http://www.howardbeckmanvedicastrologer.com/wordpress/ This guy writes a cool weekly astrology newsletter and sells astro books: Dave at www.astroamerica.com.

Readers can follow not only their Sun sign horoscope but also their Ascendant for further clues to how your week will develop. NOTE: some aspects are exact on a weekend but may find opportunity for expression on the Friday or Monday nearest the exact aspect. Times given are in Eastern Standard or Eastern Daylight Savings Time depending on the season.

ARIES - March 20-April 19 - On Monday the Sun enters your solar third house of daily life; you bump into people from your childhood, and may attend reunions. Friday night's Mercury-Venus conjunction helps you unload stuff at the block rummage; also, this aspect is sextile Uranus in your sign so siblings may make a surprise visit. Not only is the Uranus-Pluto square exact this week, Pluto also opposes Vesta in Cancer; I would make sure my belongings are covered by insurance and have an emergency fund to draw on.

TAURUS - April 20-May 20 - On Monday the Sun enters your solar second house of finances; you get more engaged in managing your own books, and there is a chance of a move. Mars is applying to a conjunction with Pallas; your anger is likely to take the form of a formal legal complaint, or at least consulting with an advisor on what to do. Friday night's Mercury-Venus conjunction may bring an exchange of gifts or a shopping expedition.

GEMINI - May 21-June 20 - On Monday the Sun enters your solar first house of self, and you are quite glad to chatter on about yourself and anything else that comes to mind while introducing yourself to lots of new people. Mercury squares Chiron in Pisces on Wednesday; take care of your hands, do exercises to avoid carpal tunnel syndrome, and pay attention to safety. Friday night's Mercury-Venus conjunction helps you dig up all the hot tips on new hairstyles and who is running specials.

CANCER - June 21-July 22 - On Monday the Sun enters your solar twelfth house of seclusion; you may sign up for a retreat, sometimes this is a forced retreat such as being confined to a hospital so go ahead and take care of elective procedures. You, too, are stressed by the T-square this week between Pluto, Uranus and Vesta; you may be called on to help in emergencies, but be proactive and prevent accidents before they happen. Friday night's Mercury-Venus conjunction may bring secret admirers or silent backers, or even a guardian angel working in your behalf.

LEO - July 23-Aug. 22 - On Monday the Sun enters your solar eleventh house of groups; people hear about what your causes are and what teams you back. Friday night's Mercury-Venus conjunction brings a feeling of camaraderie especially if you attend any reunions.

VIRGO - Aug. 23-Sept. 22 – On Monday the Sun enters your solar tenth house of career; the spotlight is on you whether you are posting your resume or collecting an award. The Moon is in Virgo as the week begins, until midday Monday. Early risers Sunday may make an elaborate baked treat for the family, but feel hurt when the dieters reject it; maybe it's better to sleep in? Your energies are productive in the evening when you focus on your own project. Monday is basically harmonious in the morn; you could organize a group over a business luncheon.

LIBRA - Sept. 23-Oct. 22 – The Moon is in Libra from 1:07 pm Monday till Wednesday afternoon. The Sun's move into Gemini on Monday puts it in a trine aspect to Libra for the month; you might be successful arguing your case in court, or you may go back to school. Best day may be Tuesday from mid-morn to mid-afternoon, with nice trines helping you ask a favor so nicely that no one can refuse. On Wednesday the Moon will be void until it enters Scorpio, so stick to routine. Friday's Mercury-Venus conjunction helps you get a good deal on that scenic trip you have been yearning for.

SCORPIO - Oct. 23-Nov. 21 – On Monday the Sun enters your solar eighth house of pooled finances; you might take up extreme sports, but please wear that helmet. The Moon is in Scorpio from 4:55 pm Wednesday till Friday afternoon. Midday Thursday favors having lunch with a mentor or power figure who can guide you in the right direction. On Friday the Moon is void from coffee-break time till the Moon enters Sag late afternoon, so stick to routine matters. Friday night's Mercury-Venus conjunction helps you obtain credit or loans, or plain old cash. Saturn will be trining Neptune in Pisces in June, and in this case a trine is NOT positive; be very careful about checking out new romantic partners.

SAGITTARIUS - Nov. 22-Dec. 21 – On Monday the Sun enters your solar seventh house of partners; you may link up with partners in all sorts of projects, or even be interviewed. With Gemini there, you are looking for someone that you can communicate well with. The Moon is in Sag from 5:49 pm Friday till next Sunday. Friday night's Mercury-Venus conjunction helps you say all the right things as you pour on the charm. The Moon trines Uranus midday Saturday, bringing fun and merriment to the first pool party of the season (but please brush up on water safety beforehand).

CAPRICORN - Dec. 22-Jan. 19 - On Monday the Sun enters your solar sixth house of health and work; you personally see that work projects get done, and you may start taking supplements in a proactive approach to wellness. Pluto in your sign is caught up in a T-square with Uranus and Vesta; examine the home for safety pitfalls and make sure everything is ship-shape. Friday night's Mercury-Venus conjunction may bring a new, loving pet in your life.

AQUARIUS - Jan. 20-Feb. 17 - On Monday the Sun enters your solar fifth house of creativity; you indulge in hobbies and are in a more playful mood. Juno in your sign is trined by the Mercury-Venus conjunction Wednesday; your mate may put you in touch with someone who wants to buy the whatchamacallit. Friday night's Mercury-Venus conjunction helps you flirt up a storm; you may collect everyone's phone number.

PISCES - Feb. 18-March 19 - On Monday the Sun enters your solar fourth house of home and family; you may become more home-oriented, altho that may mean brokering real estate, or it may mean hosting lots of parties. Friday night's Mercury-Venus conjunction may bring a flurry of appointments to either show the house or fix it up; these might have been put in motion on Wednesday, so keep your email and cellphone lines open. Saturday's lunar eclipse warns you not to shoot yourself in the foot with questionable ethics. 

Your Milky Way Horoscope May 12-18, 2013

By Milky Way Maid

Venus at 5 degrees Gemini squares Neptune in Pisces at 4:48 pm Monday. Venus square Neptune is telling you to guard your wallet or purse! A light-fingered person may lift your wallet, or a fast-talker may get you to sign a contract that does you no good, or a totally shifty person tries to romance you. The only good I can see for it is to go to the early show at the cinema. Another positive side: one's creative imagination and artistic sensitivity can be remarkable, so do practice your piano or write down those songs in your head.

Mercury enters its home, Gemini, at 4:41 pm Wednesday, which oddly enough is Woden's day, the Norse equivalent of Mercury. Those with Mercury in Gemini can be masters of the game Trivial Pursuit, knowing a little bit about a lot of subjects. Can make a fine editor or writer, since they have mastered clarity of expression. In debates, can deliberately omit a key assumption and arrive at a wrong conclusion, but it takes a sharp listener to catch the error. 

Sometimes Mercury in Gemini gives excellent manual dexterity, so they make fine seamstresses, craftsmen, carpenters, secretaries, etc. If a native with this placement continually lives on a high level of mental activity without balancing it with practical matters, one can too easily drift into mental strain and nervous breakdown. Famous people with Mercury in Gemini include: comic Bob Hope, onetime Defense Secretary Robert McNamera, former governor Laurence Rockefeller, author William Styron, and singers Bobby Darin and Steve Lawrence.

Mercury at 5 degrees Gemini squares Neptune in Pisces at 3:20 am Saturday. This is very similar to the Venus-Neptune square on Monday. We may be deceived, although this may be due more to confusion than deliberate trickery. But as with the other aspect, avoid signing any papers or contracts at this time. Also, people may feel a bit spaced out that morning, unable to stay focused on daily chores. People may make unrealistic decisions. Even if you give in to the vibe of the day and study mystical or metaphysical matters, one needs to stay grounded.

Venus at 11 degrees Gemini sextiles Uranus in Aries at 12:40 pm Saturday. Venus-Uranus aspects usually have something to do with meeting fascinating strangers, foreigners, or people who are unusual in some way. These are usually short-term relationships or chance meetings, but they do stretch one's horizons and sometimes force one to dispose of limiting beliefs.

Please look to the right-hand column on Blogger if you would like these articles translated into Spanish, French, German, Japanese or any other language. Link: http://milky-way-astrology.blogspot.com/

ALSO – see my popular article on late degrees of all the signs. Link: http://milky-way-astrology.blogspot.com/2008/08/planets-in-late-degrees-what-do-they.html

ALSO – see new article on The Goddess Archetypes: The Pallas Athena Myth at http://milky-way-astrology.blogspot.com/2011/07/goddess-archetypes-pallas-athena-myth.html --- also as you read it you may also avail yourself of the excellent QUESTIONNAIRE on the Goddess-Power website at http://goddess-power.com/questions.htm to determine your own goddess profile.

GREAT WEBSITES – In no particular order of importance: Check out Astrology.com -- free lessons online. Watch astronomic animations at http://shadowandsubstance.com/. Go to http://www.solarsystemscope.com/ for a view of our solar system and nearby stars. This guy called the correct winner of the 2012 election, and he puts out a monthly column: http://www.howardbeckmanvedicastrologer.com/wordpress/

This guy writes a cool weekly astrology newsletter and sells astro books: Dave at www.astroamerica.com.

Readers can follow not only their Sun sign horoscope but also their Ascendant for further clues to how your week will develop. NOTE: some aspects are exact on a weekend but may find opportunity for expression on the Friday or Monday nearest the exact aspect. Times given are in Eastern Standard or Eastern Daylight Savings Time depending on the season.

ARIES - March 20-April 19 – Talk over decisions with a trusted person Monday before impulsively signing anything. Mercury enters your daily-life sector on Wednesday; you may be busier than ever with calls, errands, and presentations. A charming foreigner may move into the neighborhood over the weekend. Chiron in one of your health houses demands that you pay attention to scheduling regular checkups.

TAURUS - April 20-May 20 – Try not to promise money you do not have early Sunday. Be especially careful Monday afternoon of your money and where you put your purse. Early Wednesday brings good will from women and the general public. Mercury enters your money sector on Wednesday; you may look for a tax advisor, or crunch a lot of financial data. Late afternoon Thursday you enjoy some private quiet time to yourself. Pallas was on the eclipse degree last week so you may find out what you are really good at, and become the go-to person.

GEMINI - May 21-June 20 – The Moon is in Gemini from Sunday till early Monday. The Moon is void most of Sunday, so stick to routine – except for the early morning, when your bucket of feel-good stuff overflows. Mercury enters your solar first house on Wednesday; you may have a lot more visitors be asked to do more speaking engagements. Thursday favors asking a favor of a friend over lunch. With Ceres and Vesta both well into your solar second house of finances now, you may not only manage your own money but others' funds as well.

CANCER - June 21-July 22 – The Moon is in its home of Cancer from 5:57 am Monday till Wednesday night. Early Tuesday may be stressful due to several broken business appointments; have a Plan B. Wednesday morning favors an early brunch with a friend. Mercury enters your “seclusion” sector on Wednesday; you may have a lot more confidential discussions or attend a retreat. A charming foreigner may propose a new career path Saturday, but think it over carefully. Ceres and Vesta are both well into your sign now; you may be more involved in family matters, possibly even being caregiver to a relative.

LEO - July 23-Aug. 22 – The Moon is in Leo from 6:38 pm Wednesday till Saturday morning. Mercury enters your solar eleventh house Wednesday; you talk more about your causes or your favorite team, and may get involved in the club newsletter. Mid-morning Friday may be spent in hurry-up-and-wait matters that may have to be redone anyway. The Moon is void early Saturday until it enters Virgo, so stick to routine. You may enjoy a very private lunch Saturday with a charming foreigner.

VIRGO - Aug. 23-Sept. 22 – Stick to routine on Sunday. Be alert Monday afternoon against a shifty business offer. Tuesday morn may be a bit hectic when you handle scrambled schedules. Mercury enters your career sector on Wednesday; you may do the Power Point presentations or field conference calls, or be asked to mentor a new associate. The Moon is in Virgo from 5:33 am Saturday thru the weekend. Saturday afternoon is best if you just relax. Dinner hour is a bit annoying because no one wants to talk about what you want to talk about.

LIBRA - Sept. 23-Oct. 22 – Avoid finalizing any legal or religious matters on Sunday. Mercury enters your travel sector on Wednesday; you look for ways to broaden your mind with travel or classes. You could meet a charming foreigner at lunch on Saturday. Chiron in your health house demands that you pay attention to your daily regimen and diet.

SCORPIO - Oct. 23-Nov. 21 – Indulge your artistic pursuits on Wednesday, when Neptune increases sensitivity and imagination. Mercury enters your joint finances sector on Wednesday; you may have to talk about those difficult subjects with your mate, things like writing a will or financial planning. You may also wonder more about other peoples' real agenda. A charming foreigner may join the company staff over the weekend.

SAGITTARIUS - Nov. 22-Dec. 21 – The week looks quite stressful with family members possibly being victimized by a scammer. Mercury enters your partnership sector on Wednesday; there's a chance you may meet a dead ringer for yourself, but more likely you will find out more about your mate. Juno in your solar third house suggests you may work closely with a relative or neighbor on some project.

CAPRICORN - Dec. 22-Jan. 19 – Maybe you should consider posting a warning in the workplace, possibly in the newsletter, about the latest scam or phishing alert. Mercury enters your workplace sector on Wednesday; Mercury fills your appointment book and brings calls two at a time, and you may also schedule health checkups. Vesta and Ceres in your opposite sign ask you to provide at least moral support for your partner.

AQUARIUS - Jan. 20-Feb. 17 – The week is filled with recurrent threats to the security of your finances; hang up on phone scammers. Mercury enters your entertainment sector on Wednesday; you may take charge of reserving a bus for an excursion or chaperone school class trips. Ceres and Vesta in your workplace sector suggest you are more involved in the caring professions. Pallas in your solar fourth house gives your more authority with the family.

PISCES - Feb. 18-March 19 – Always maintain scrupulous honesty in all personal dealings, and inform clients of their rights. Mercury enters your home sector on Wednesday; you may work on a family history project, such as videotaping seniors reminiscing about life “back when”. Authority may pass to a sibling as the head of the family. You may take or plan for a nice quiet retreat with your mate in a secluded spot.