The Re-Discovery of Neptune

By Len Wallick

The Moon made its way into Aquarius early this morning (overnight, in most time zones), forming a supportive sextile (sixty degrees of separation) with Uranus in the first degree of Aries. A luminary in the sign of the collective speaks to the deep emotions many of us share. An aspect of acknowledgment to Uranus on the Aries Point lends historic weight to Luna’s transit as well as a fiery passion. What remains to be seen is whether the fire will be transmuted to compassion. Please be kind to all today. Encourage an awareness that what really matters is what we have in common. More so now than ever.

The connection between the Moon and Uranus also brings to mind another Aquarius-Aries connection today. That is something we will work up to. We start by exploring a little mentioned consequence of the Uranus transit over the Aries Point.

Neptune has been in Aquarius for a long time, having first entered the sign Jan. 29, 1998. Up until recently Neptune’s transit of the fixed air sign has been in close association with Uranus. For nearly six years they shared the same sign (Aquarius). For nearly seven years thereafter they were in what is called mutual reception, though this is using modern planets in that idea when it really applies to traditional planets. But for our purposes we can expand it a bit.

The phenomenon of mutual reception is when two planets simultaneously occupy the signs ruled by the other. Ideally this functions to combine and reinforce the mutual energies of both the planets and the signs involved. With Neptune and Uranus, however, this is not a such a simple matter. First of all, since Uranus and Neptune are of scientific and comparatively recent discovery, there has never been a consensus on the sign disposition of either. Many astrologers feel a greater integrity sticking with the original ruler of Aquarius (Saturn) and Pisces (Jupiter).

Perhaps most significantly, Aquarius and Pisces are adjacent to each other. Hence, in traditional astrology, they are in what is called aversion — a neither-here-nor-there relationship symbolized by either 30 degrees of contact (the semi-sextile) or 150 degrees a quincunx (both are referred to as inconjuncts, meaning they make no aspect — though as astrology has evolved, we now understand the energy relationships of 30 and 150 degrees). Thus, even if Uranus and Neptune were somehow universally adjudged to be appropriate depositors of Aquarius and Pisces, their mutual reception would not be considered as strong.

Nevertheless, for better or for worse, the energies and expressions of Uranus and Neptune have been intertwined, co-mingled and just plain mixed up with each other for well over a decade. That’s a long time — a generation of confusion, where we’re either unable to discern clearly or re-defining what discernment means. Uranus into Aries put an abrupt end to all that, at least for now.

Now we enter a period of opportunity, the first in a long time, to get clear again on just what is what and what just happened. Uranus is the easiest to get a handle on. Associated with the sudden, the dramatic, the quantum leap forward and the revolutionary places it in stark relief. It is nearly never in the background. It is felt up front and center.

Neptune, on the other hand is a little harder to put a finger on. One suspects that even if we could, it would not stay there. It to be expected that it will take us a while longer to get a feel of its singular essence once again. Make no mistake however, the effort will not be wasted. The re-discovery of Neptune will be essential if we are going to regain the 20-20 hindsight that, it seems, we somehow lost along the way.

As with many recently discovered objects in the solar system, it would make sense to go to the discovery chart. That, however, is where the foggy problem of Neptune actually begins. Galileo observed it in late 1612 and early 1613. The French astronomer Jerome Lalande spotted it in 1795. John Herschel (son of William Herschel, discoverer of Uranus), noted it in 1830. Each time, each of these fabulously skilled and intelligent astronomers recorded it as a star. Each time, not even close, and no cigar. Neptune is nothing like a star. And, it moves where stars keep the same longitude for a long time.

Indeed, it is perhaps mathematics itself that should get the credit for Neptune’s discovery because its elusive position was nailed by the numbers before any human ever saw it and knew what they were looking at. That gets to the root of it, really. With things Neptune, repeated observations are part of what it takes to get a grip on its slippery expression. In addition, when the numbers add up, we know where to focus.

So, let’s take a flyer and look at Neptune’s commonly accepted discovery chart for Sept. 23, 1846; half an hour before midnight in Berlin, Germany, and compare it to today’s.

Neptune was discovered in the late degrees of Aquarius, conjunct Saturn. Today Neptune is in the late degrees of Aquarius, in its discovery region: we are at the first Neptune return of Neptune.

It’s in a rather precise quincunx with Saturn in Virgo. Since (as per the subject of yesterday’s entry) Saturn is in currently in memory mode, there would seem to be a message here. Something like what was caught together is now torn asunder. Or perhaps that famous term of ambiguous aversion — irreconcilable differences, or a slow, challenging set of adjustments.

Let’s go back to the Neptune discovery chart where the Neptune-Saturn conjunction was in a neat sextile to Pluto in late Aries. So what is Neptune in sextile to today? Well, well lookit here, in late Aries, sextile to the degree, the asteroid Persephone, named after Pluto’s spouse under duress. Doesn’t that just keep it all in the family?

In the Neptune discovery chart Neptune-Saturn is sextile to Pluto — part of a yod with Mars (in late Virgo) at its apex. A yod is a 60-60-150 triangle of planets that gets them working all together. Today, it is Saturn in Virgo that is being yod’ed by Neptune and Persephone. Which brings to mind the adage that the more things change…

Which brings to mind, just where is Pluto today? Oh yes, slowly following after Ceres, Persephone’s mother, both are retrograde in late Capricorn, approaching a cardinal point where the personal and political become one and the same. In addition to being Persephone’s mother, the Ceres of mythology was the one moved the Ceres of mythology was the one moved by losing her daughter to end eternal summer-land on Earth. It looked like the end for sure, but a compromise of Persephone’s custody was worked out. She would spend half the year with her husband, half with her mother, thus initiating a cycle of seasons. Constant abundance was no more, replaced by alternating production and dearth.

[Eric adds: However, in some modern interpretations, this raises a question. Isn’t Persephone an adult? Doesn’t she get to choose? Who are these people deciding a custody agreement for a goddess?]

Ceres retrograde is asking: is there enough?

Helpfully and hopefully, Ceres in Capricorn and Chiron in Pisces is applying in sextile to Ceres today. As Greek mythology’s closest thing to Mother Earth, Ceres is in need of some holistic awareness as the dark representation of irresistible transformation slouches close behind.

And Mars? The yod’s focus of pressure in the natal chart is applying some pressure of its own. In late Leo, it applies to oppose – you guessed it, Neptune. Which takes us full circle as we find out in the next few days what synchronicity that polarity will reveal about The Foggy One.

So how does it all come together? Neptune is stepping away from its previous identity, that of being in combination with Uranus — and is also at the very end of its cycle through Aquarius: we are approaching another sign of the end of a long era. Neptune is somehow, undeniably a part of what’s going on right now. The key to Neptune’s current role can be found in its discovery. The planets, signs and aspects in the discovery chart are the players now, but some of the roles, at least, have changed. There are two new elements, a mother and a daughter cycling through estrangement and reunion. That awareness of these cycles, mediated by Chiron, takes us back to the first degree of the cardinal signs where so much else is happening; the coming weeks will tell.

Offered In Service. Edits by Eric Francis.