By Len Wallick
How did that Capricorn New Moon and partial solar eclipse work out for you? About four hours after the near-exact luminary hook-up we get another auspicious conjunction of Jupiter and Uranus in very late Pisces. As promised, that will be the main subject of today’s blog.
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First, please remember that astrology is terra-centric — how we see things from our moving reference point on this planet. Not because astrologers believe that Earth is the center of the solar system or the universe rather because that’s where we are. Those who want a horoscope relevant to folks on Mars can take a seat in the waiting room.
Next, a conjunction is when two objects are at the same degree of longitude. That is another way of saying that they are at the same spot on the zodiac circle, a two dimensional diagram on a piece of paper. That’s fairly common. There is something like that nearly every day, usually involving the Moon, because its apparent motion is so fast. If you are fortunate enough to see that sort of common conjoining in the actual three-dimensional sky you would probably note that the two planets in question are close but not superimposed. Indeed, it is less seldom that a mash-up is one of both longitude and latitude, otherwise known as an occultation. An eclipse is a good example of that.
So, what does a conjunction mean? As always, it depends on the objects involved, how many, what sign/house they are in, the ruler of that sign/house, and any angular relationship from other objects elsewhere on the zodiac circle. In general, however, there is considered to be a merging of characteristics in the symbolic sense. There is also the gravitational expression when two objects are lined up with each other to one side of the Earth. This is especially noticeable when Sun and Moon combine to affect the tides of the ocean and of our cells. This is less empirically evident but just as true when two very large and far away planets line up from our perspective.