| Astrology Notes by Eric Feeling a little weird? There's a solar eclipse this week. Not the most stunning eclipse ever, but a solar eclipse indeed, and the first in Sagittarius since Nov. 22, 1984. It seems that the last time eclipses swept through the Gemini/Sagittarius axis, the solar ones kinda skipped over the fiery side (there were lunar eclipses, however). What does it mean? Eclipses are energy release points; they are thresholds. The effect is a bit like what we saw in 1998, 1999 and 2000, after eclipses had skipped over Leo for about 18 years, and about a ton of energy was released through that sign. Sagittarius has been trying to get our attention for quite a while, like, for the past five years, and especially all of 2001 (with Mars retrograde, three Chiron-Mars conjunctions and lots more happening). There have been anti-globalization protests in Seattle, Washington and Genoa; there have been many "little" wars fought in the name of expanding capitalism; the world became one place on Sept. 11, though this did not last long. That big Centaur up there is saying, "We live in one world, little children. Remember! All you spiritual people, it's time to get out of your heads and into your community, time to view the world as one community, time to take action, and time make your ideas tangible. Stop pretending you have no clue about what you know so well. Pay attention!" This eclipse happens in the same sign as the current Saturn-Pluto opposition; Venus is involved, exactly conjunct Pluto at the moment of the eclipse, which is at 12:49 pm Pacific Time and 3:49 pm Eastern. Astronomy Notes by Lane At maximum eclipse 21% of the Sun will be covered by the Moon as seen from northern New Mexico and many other regions at this latitude, and south; Roswell, you might see an additional percent or so, since the main path of the eclipse will occur in the Pacific Ocean near the equator. The further south you are, the better for this eclipse. Please remember that this type of eclipse is the kind that you cannot and must not look at without proper equipment and/or proper techniques! Dec. 7 was the earliest sunset of the year. The latest sunrise won't occur until January 5th, but since most of us do not witness sunrises on a regular basis, the days will appear to get longer from today on. The winter solstice will occur at 12:20 pm MST on Friday, December 21st. For real, the days will get longer from that day onward. Eclipses usually come in pairs, so there will also be a penumbral eclipse of the Moon in the early morning hours of December 31st. This one you can watch without special equipment or precautions, if you are willing to get up on a cold December morning at 3:30 am MST. Since the Moon will not actually be entering the main part of the Earth's shadow, expect only a very slight dartkening of the Moon's limb. These eclipses, while not dramatic, can be very beautiful because the Moon is partially darkened, lighting up the space around it. The Geminid meteor shower will occur on the night of December 13-14. This most likely will not be nearly as impressive as the Leonids, but it does occur earlier in the evening - you may see some meteors as early as 10:00 or 11:00 in the evening. No special equipment is required - sit in a lawn chair and look to the northeast and you will probably be some meteors to be seen. The Geminids are a lot slower moving than the Leonids, but they can be pretty bright and beautiful. Since the Moon will be eclipsing the Sun on the 14th (as detailed above) it will not be interfering with this meteor shower, so get out and enjoy it. While looking at the Geminids, check out Jupiter, which is right in the middle of Gemini. It is the brightest object in the sky right now and hard to miss. Saturn is pretty close by - in Taurus. Once you find Jupiter, look up and to the right to find Saturn. They will be making a nice pair in the late evening sky this winter! | Sign dates below are approximate. They now overlap by one day -- this is the day the Sun changes signs in 2001. The date and time of the Sun's ingress to the new sign changes a little each year, so check with an astrologer if you want the exact positition of your Sun. The reason for this is that our calendar is still not accurate, or rather, natural. Note to readers:
I have revised the Gemini annual horoscope as of Dec. 12. Thank you. | | Aries (March 20-April 21) | | The other you has a message for you. What other you? C'mon sweetie, the one that knows exactly what you're supposed to be doing in the world, the one that knows what you want, the one that lives in peace with the truth. The you whose vision of your life goes beyond what you live with now. Listen well, because the time for action is approaching faster than you think. but the other you knows that. | | Taurus (April 21-May 20) | | With Venus making a conjunction with Pluto, you may feel like you're life is a burning house, with you sitting at the kitchen table casually drinking a cup of tea. What's really happening is that you are going through an initiation process, an actual threshold into a new life. Not easy enough for you? The mystics all say there is a high price to pay for our illusions: giving them up! Please don't worry, you're headed for a lot better life. | | Gemini (May 20-June 21) | | An eclipse in your opposite sign indicates a change in a relationship, or a new relationship, or both. Be sensitive to issues of closure right now, even if you feel like you still want to continue with your current situation. Closure means telling the whole truth, and hearing it, which is the toll to pay at this particular gate. And if your relationship life has been boring, this is a signpost that it's likely to be a lot more interesting soon. | | Cancer (June 21-July 22) | | Don't let any capitalist holiday mirth get in the way of your true mission, which is in high gear and issuing a rare calling this week. Even if your workload is high, remember that an important aspect of your calling at this moment is connecting with people in your community; it's worth the time. One particular meeting in your home could prove to be very important. And not to sound like the Cosmo horoscope, but eat well and do some yoga. | | Leo (July 22-Aug. 22) | | I see you about to take some kind of unusual risk with your feelings. You have a lot of pent-up emotion and it's true that you're in a potent release point right now. But be aware that your actions this week will affect you for many months to come, and whether you do anything daring, or not, the words you say and the words you hear can guide you to the place you want to be. So your first priority needs to be relating to the world with your heart, which is your smartest organ. | | Virgo (Aug. 22-Sep. 22) | | In order to get out of the sense that the rug is being pulled from under your feet, just keep telling yourself that the past is over. In the potent words of the Course In Miracles, you might use the prayer, "The past is gone. It cannot touch me." Be thankful for this; what you thought gave you security back then turned out to do nothing of the kind. But you have other options now -- so choose well. | | Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) | | Your current threshold of change requires you to change your mind, more than anything. What we call life is a constant transposition between the mental world and the material world, and you are in a moment where your thoughts have unusual power to direct the course of your life. You can face something very difficult and get it over with, then your deeper process of growth will have a lot easier time of it. | | Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) | | A key individual in your life is about to see things your way. It's strange when that happens. But you would do well to wonder where, how or why the actual contact point occurred. On what level of thought or belief did the switch take place? What experience or thought process prompted the revelation? It would be wise of you to keep working on that level, and to do your best to forgive all the time that has been wasted; it can be made up for rather quickly at the moment. | | Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) | | The first solar eclipse in your sign for many, many years may find you feeling a bit nervous about what feels like an inevitable change. But feeling is the key word here. It's easy for the Sagittarian psyche to rearrange the energy of any situation and "transcend" feeling entirely. But that won't help you now, or any time in the near future. The stars are saying follow your lust. It will lead you beyond where you are now, which is what counts the most. | | Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) | | Most of the world entertains dreams of fancy but is terrified to do much of anything meaningful. Do you ever wonder what everyone is so afraid of? Well, what are you so afraid of? What do you really have to lose by daring to take action, or by placing your money on the bet known as yourself? Well, you would need to stay awake all the time, that is all, but you've arrived at the point in your journey where sleep and haze are no longer options. | | Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) | | Who are all these people around you, and can you really trust them all? Aquarius is the sign of groups, and at the moment this is an understatement; your ideas, feelings, beliefs and desires reach out to as wide a circle of friends and community as ever before in your life. But within the great mix of people and potentials, something has a profound gift for you. Receive it graciously, and the change that it brings. | | Pisces (Feb. 19-Mar. 20) | | Mars has entered Pisces, and this brings power and energy just when you need it the most. Mars represents the blessing of allowing you to be yourself fully, with no room for debate, within you, or from anyone else. Yet knowing your own agenda is crucial now. You may not be able to finish everything your heart desires, but you can wrap up many old projects, and set the course for several key new ones. But more to the point, what you say and do now will make a lasting impression: so say and do it well. | Search | Horoscopes | What's New | Index | Updates | Consultations  Space graphics above from the Rosette Nebula in Hydrogen, Oxygen, and Sulfur.
Credit: T. A. Rector, B. Wolpa, M. Hanna. Planet Waves logo by Eric, and Via Davis. |
