Your Milky Way Horoscope Jan. 2-8, 2011

By Milky Way Maid

What did I tell ya about Dec. 26 and the wipeout planet Pluto?? The Sun-Pluto conjunction occurred on Sunday night at 5 degrees of Capricorn, right on my third house cusp. My computer was attacked that night and I had to shut it down and reboot to factory condition. It wiped out my purchased software, which I had to reinstall, and also the column for this week which was about half-done. Dunce that I am, I did not keep backing it up as I went along. That is changing right here and now, you bet.
So anyway, a Solar Eclipse helps usher in the New Year belatedly on Jan. 4, at 4:03 am and at 13 degrees, 39 minutes of Capricorn. Also exact that day are a Venus-Neptune square (in love with love and not seeing the other person realistically), a Jupiter-Uranus conjunction (boon for electronic and technical breakthroughs), Venus trine that Jove-Uranus combo, Moon square Saturn (some hard-headed realism and practicality), and Moon conjunct Mars in Capricorn. Whew. This is some lunation, and you don’t often see so many EXACT aspects going on the same day as an eclipse. There is a lot of cardinal energy along with that megawatt conjunction in Pisces. It reminds me of that line about “go ahead and build your castles in the air, but then build a foundation under them.” The cardinal energy (Sun, Moon, Saturn, Mars) is going to buckle down and get some things done.
Venus enters Sag at 7:30 am Friday. Venus in Scorpio was very intense, but now she is looking for some adventure, possibly would like to take a trip or go skiing.
The Sun in Capricorn squares Saturn at almost 17 degrees Libra at 9 am Friday, This is probably going to be very frustrating for the Capricorns with natal planets at 17 degrees. Cardinal signs really hate anyone telling them ‘no’ or even ‘later’. However, on the positive side, both signs will be able to muster the fortitude and discipline to meet any goal.

Your Milky Way Horoscope Dec. 26-Jan. 1, 2011

By Milky Way Maid

Sunday the 26 of December is known as Boxing Day; this year it features the Sun conjunct Pluto at 5 degrees of Capricorn. This aspect helps one not only remake oneself, but can help you discover your own power to make or remake your life. Pluto is also sometimes called the wipeout planet; in this case you can wipe the slate clean and start over. Or you can clear out everything that you no longer need or use, and enjoy having enough room to breathe.

Mars in Capricorn squares Saturn at 16 degrees of Libra at 10:29 am Wednesday. Mars-Saturn squares often are accompanied by breakage, including of bones. Be careful out there, be safety conscious, and put salt on icy sidewalks.

That square comes the day before Mercury goes in direct motion, at 19 degrees, 38 minutes of Sag, at 2:21 am Thursday. Exercise the usual caution a few days before and after the direct station, as these are prime periods for rushed work and errors.

Friday has a lovely Moon-Venus conjunction in Scorpio, so assuming you get through the last days of the year in good order, you can relax with your significant other – preferably at home with the romantic dinner (or breakfast, as it is exact at 8:11 am Friday) of your choice.

NEW YEAR’S EVE: The worm turns. Saturn is rising in a chart for midnight, creating a rather serious and sober mood. The South Node at 2 degrees of Cancer is high at the Midheaven (6 degrees), which sometimes signifies the least-likely-to-succeed wins it all. (It was located there when 50-1 long-shot Mine That Bird won the Kentucky Derby.) So take a flyer on the door prize or buy the quick-pick lotto ticket, ‘cuz you never know. (Pluto and the nodes square the Ascendant, creating opportunity to remake one’s self and one’s life, go from rags to riches or vice-versa.)

The Moon at 2 degrees of optimistic and freewheeling Sag is also inconjunct the South Node, another indicator of an upset in the making. The public (Moon) is surprised by the outcome of events. This is akin to New Orleans upset of Indianapolis in last year’s Super Bowl. The Moon is also sextile the Ascendant at 5 degrees Libra. Do you have any natal planets or angles at 2 to 6 degrees of a sign? The year could get off to a very interesting start!

Yikes, I have a natal chart with 3 degrees rising, trining Mars at the same degree, and square Uranus in Leo also at 3 degrees. Hmmm, I will have to set aside a few singles for the Lotto and whatever else there is. Will see if I can find any events at New Year’s at any local spots. Wish me luck, guys, I really need it. I have felt so jinxed these last six months or so.

PS: Well, so far this was not a good week for me. I was sick a good part of the week with chills – in bed, in fact – and offline much of the rest of the time. So I did not finish the column. Please forgive me. Or cut off my head, whatever. Just get it over with in either case…

Your Milky Way Horoscope Dec. 19-25, 2010

By Milky Way Maid

The Moon inconjunct Pluto and Mars in Capricorn on Sunday, Dec. 19 can make many of us frustrated with the powers that be. Try some attitude therapy: repeat that little prayer of St. Francis about gaining the wisdom to know the difference… The Moon is actually the focal point of a Yod, with Venus in Scorpio making the other leg of the elongated triangle. (You may have to give up the tug-of-war with a loved one, and accept them as they are.) My personal experience is that Yods are not lucky at all. I know someone with a birthday on this day, so it should be an interesting year of changes for him. (Also, Venus, Pluto and Mars can also relate to issues with cash and debt; many of us may be forced to deal with money in a much more controlled way. Venus is cash and income, Mars is debt, Pluto is the holder of the debt, the mortgage, or having to declare bankruptcy.)
Mercury in Sag squares Uranus at 26 degrees of Pisces at 6:30 pm Monday. Do not buy any mechanical or electronic items the previous weekend, and wait till this aspect passes. Trines and sextiles are much better for buying such items, if you want them to be as trouble-free as possible. It is good for brainstorming or inventing (well, tinkering might be a better word). Oh, and do be careful when setting up holiday light displays; watch for safety, and don’t overload fuses.
The Sun enters Capricorn at 6:38 pm Tuesday, Dec. 21. Happy birthday to all Capricorns this month. The ingress is marked by a Full Moon this time, at 29 degrees Gemini (opposing Mercury), plus a lunar eclipse on the Winter Solstice. The Sun is nearly conjunct Pluto and Mars, while Mercury squares Jupiter (exact at 8 pm Tuesday). Late degrees can be very fortunate, and a Full Moon at the end of Gemini could signal an upswing in the fortunes of newspapers, media, writers in general, and brokers.
A chart for the Sun ingress, set for Washington DC, has the Moon in the twelfth house, and Sun-Mercury-Mars-Pluto-North Node in the sixth house of health and jobs. The unemployment reports will be a big concern for the public (Moon, which squares the Midheaven). Jupiter and Uranus square Sun-Mercury in Capricorn, probably magnifying the distress and worry over bad news. It is hard for me to find some reason to expect good news from this transit, and I can only hope that people go ahead and have a cheerful if modest holiday celebration. Christmas comes only once a year, and we all take comfort in our annual traditions.
The Ascendant at 24 degrees Cancer puts the accent on family, home, traditions, and our emotional connections with others. So pull out the oldest ornaments and hang them on the tree, dig up the most traditional carols and sing them together, and in general just have yourselves a merry little Christmas now.
On Christmas morning, the Moon opposes Neptune at 4:28 am (and trines Mercury), giving everything a glamorous and magical shine. People will tend to want to cocoon this morning, and possibly nip a bit too much of the eggnog. Music will seem more beautiful and truer, so play all your seasonal music and enjoy it to the hilt. Rock around the Christmas tree, if that’s your style, but make room for Bing, too.

Your Milky Way Horoscope Dec. 12-18, 2010

By Milky Way Maid

Monday is an amazing day (Dec. 13). Not only does the Moon illuminate Jupiter and Uranus, all in Pisces, but Mercury, Mars and Pluto will all converge in practical Capricorn.
Let’s look at Moon-Jove-Uranus first, at 24 and 26 degrees of Pisces: Moon-Jupiter intensifies feeling while Jupiter magnifies everything. Uranus in the mix can bring emotional upsets, impatience, a yearning to kick over the traces and strike out for new frontiers. Uranus with the Moon can make people very rash, indeed. Therefore I am not eager to see this aspect comes around, especially with the very antagonistic Capricorn conjunctions also in play.
Now Mercury-Mars-Pluto at 4 degrees of Capricorn: This series of closely-spaced conjunction all occur around 11 pm ET. This really sounds to me like the well-connected friend (or uncle or boss) who can call up just the right person and in no time, get something straightened out that you or I would need months to do (if ever). Now, this action could be good or bad; it can also mean a personnel dept. that hands out hundreds of pink slips in a day, so keep an eye on what aspects this thing makes to natal planets. Mercury is retrograde, people, so the effects may only be temporary. Mars and Pluto also signify police and the military, so errors in communicating orders on the battlefield could occur. Pluto is power plays; who knows what kind of maneuvers the new GOP-controlled Congress might try to do.
This thing, for example, closely opposes my own natal Mars in the ninth house, and sextiles my Ascendant, so I rather expect that transit and communication issues could be fouled up. Perhaps the car won’t start in cold weather, or key emails bounce back to me as undeliverable.

Book Excerpt on Death of Pluto

by Milky Way Maid

Hi, Readers.

Came across a book excerpt at The Atlantic about the ‘murder’ of Pluto. This author wrote a book on how he discovered Xena, which was large enough to be deemed a planet on its own. However, its discovery ignited a controversy over how to define a planet, and in the ensuing brouhaha, Xena was denied planet status and Pluto was demoted.

You might want to pick up the book after reading this excerpt, online free at http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2010/12/how-i-killed-pluto-and-why-it-had-it-coming/67242/

So far I give it a B+.