This week we have the second New Moon in Aquarius. Lately New Moons have been happening close to the beginnings of signs, such as on the very day the Sun changes signs. This has been going on for a while, at least as far back as September.
The Star — the tarot card representing Aquarius. This version was painted by Lady Frieda Harris, with some help from Aleister Crowley.
Of its own, this has been an interesting pattern to track. For reasons I have not been able to figure out, the solar cycle and the lunar cycle have been hugging one another. If someone understands the astronomy of this, please do explain it in the comments area.
On Jan. 20 there was a New Moon in Aquarius. That occurred a few hours after the Sun had ingressed Aquarius, and 15 minutes after the Moon had ingressed Aquarius, once again impressively close to the Sun’s transit into the new sign. Now it’s exactly one lunar cycle later, and we’re about to have a second New Moon in Aquarius.
This week’s happens at 29 degrees, 59 arc minutes and 54 arc seconds of Aquarius. Said another way, that is just ridiculous — the New Moon happens a mere six arc seconds away from the edge of Aquarius. (These are measures of space, not time. An arc minute is a sixtieth of a degree and an arc second is a sixtieth of an arc minute. The zodiac comprises 360 degrees — or 1,296,000 arc seconds.)
Translating that into time seconds, the New Moon happens at 6:47:14 pm EST (23:47:14 UTC) Wednesday. The Moon ingresses Pisces 10 seconds later. The Sun ingresses Pisces two and a half minutes later, at 23:49:47. I guess you would have to have a certain kind of sense of humor to appreciate that, but it’s hilarious. I have never seen anything like this and it would be fun if someone would take a trip in Solar Fire (the best astrology research program) and figure out the last time anything like this happened.
It’s fair to say the New Moon takes place in both Aquarius and in Pisces. By the time the Sun arrives in Pisces, the Moon is just two arc minutes ahead of the Sun, still well within the closest conjunction recognized by astrology — 11 arc minutes or closer (referenced in the classical literature as ‘cazimi’, a conjunction of about one-fifth of a degree or less).
And what have we here? What is this telling us? Well, the implication is a seamless union of Aquarius and Pisces, two signs that benefit from one another’s presence and mutual awareness. That is handy — Aquarius is the sign of the water bearer and Pisces is the sign of water. Pisces has the vessel that it needs and Aquarius has the water to fill that vessel. This is an image of fulfillment, of contact, of completion.
Nessus, one of the earliest-known centaur planets, is currently in the first degree of Pisces, and will be welcoming the New Moon. This is a way of saying that you can create anything you want, and a reminder to take responsibility for what you create.
This is a spectacular, if subtle, welcome to the Sun’s transit through the last sign of the solar year, with the Moon and Sun arriving simultaneously at what is in truth both the headwaters and the delta of the zodiac. The year ends on an equally stunning note — with a total solar eclipse in the last degree of Pisces, on March 20. But we have some time before we get there. Granted, the Sun never seems to be in Pisces for long enough, though for the past few weeks we have had Venus and Mars opening up the energy, joining Neptune and Chiron.
Yet we also have an equally impressive message about Aquarius. I will leave you with something called the Sabian symbol for the last degree Aquarius, one of my favorites of the lot. The Sabians are a set of degree symbols wherein each degree gets a picture or a little story. They make up a mysterious little world, which came into being around 1930 and is an important foundation for modern astrology.
Here is the symbol for 30 Aquarius: Deeply rooted in the past of a very ancient culture, a spiritual brotherhood in which many individual minds are merged into the glowing light of a unanimous consciousness is revealed to one who has emerged successfully from his or her metamorphosis.
So be it.
That is one great little story, I love the thought of it. So be it. Thanks, Eric.
“Well, the implication is a seamless union of Aquarius and Pisces, two signs that benefit from one another’s presence and mutual awareness. That is handy — Aquarius is the sign of the water bearer and Pisces is the sign of water. Pisces has the vessel that it needs and Aquarius has the water to fill that vessel. This is an image of fulfillment, of contact, of completion.”
Surely Pisces has the water that needs the vessel, and Aquarius has the vessel..? Or am I the one who has it backwards?
I would say it works all three ways…
Great answer Eric. Also, I just put an extra comma in my comment that seems like my name is Eric. Weird but funny, didn’t realize it until it was too late and I had already pressed the mighty post comment button. Maybe it’s because of the unanimous consciousness thing you referred to. See ya, thanks again.
What an inspiring description and gorgeous and illuminating Sabian symbol. I have Aquarius rising and I think north node in Pisces, so I am happy to learn more about their energy as they dovetail. Thanks as always, Eric, for your concise yet poetic perspective.
Eric, I loved this post about the New Moon, in both Aquarius and Pisces. The Sabian symbols I hadn’t known about until this past year, and I love the one you referenced for the last degree of Aquarius. It has me both hopeful that I could be a part of it and and wanting to learn more about the Sabian symbols – another course of study to add to my list. Thank you for an early Monday morning gift; a great start to the day here on the west coast.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3QvYIx0mfQ
Wonderful video! Great memories and a shivering expectation of renewal.
It was hard to choose a video among all the version there are of that song on youtube. I chose this one because of all the astrological imagery. But there are quite a few other fun ones of that same song.
Thank you for posting this
Eric – It looks like your inclusion of the Sabian symbol for the last degree of Aquarius has resonated with a number of us. I, too, greatly appreciate seeing this here.
I likewise noticed when you alluded to this degree in a post a week or two ago and described its meaning. As a Sag with an unaspected Saturn in Aquarius at 29° 41′ — and having had great trouble throughout the years bringing my goals to fruition — this insight into this degree is not only encouraging for me, it is timely. Though far from out of the woods, much as clicked in this ‘season of last degrees’ that previously has not.
Anyway, a true kernel of knowledge that really alters certain perspectives. Thanks – Rob
If i may inject, This is all a preliminary rehearsal of the all important Total solar eclipse next month, a new cycle of the Zodiac marked by an occulted sun on 0′ Aries (Roughly speaking), will signal a new chapter to all of us as a collective and as Indivisuals. This will be good let’s hope.
All the Best.
Posting a link to a piece on Nessus from the archives.. http://www.planetwaves.net/smallworlds/contents/planets/nessus.html
This lunation is hours before my solar return, and just went back to look up Nessus.. For the New Deal that this year is, for me, is definitely informed by healing from some dark shit, and I didn’t really realize that Nessus was still on me. Chiron on my Moon, Nessus on my Sun.
Rob, what else can you tell me about your Saturn? Were you born during the day or at night? What is your rising sign?
I don’t have any additional chart-related knowledge about my Saturn. Glad to relate key experiences at key periods if of interest.
Birth data: 12-11-1964 12:10pm Central Time Zone Pisces Rising, Pisces Moon
Plus plus, successful metamorphosis and birth: Hope so Eric!
Skyscraping Match Points – Venus and Mars ~ 17 Feb 2015 too.
http://www.philipsedgwick.com/
just fab.
Late to the party again…but here’s something y’all might like to see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metonic_cycle
There was a New Moon at 29AQ36 on Feb 18, 1996 at 23:30 UT. The nearest one that cycle was 29SC53 on Nov 22, 1995 at 15:45 UT – interesting chart, worth a look.
My journalling has been quite intense, as with my theatrical pursuits. Tonight there’s a brainstorming meeting on the next phase of the show I am working on and my heart feels like its welling up.
I guess my entire being is feeling and taking advantage of this New Moon’s conjunction to the natal degree of my Mercury. This isn’t riding a wild bucking horse, its communing with dolphins — telepathically.
Thank You Eric….close encounters with the singularity and bringing that back to share feels oh so right, about NOW.
Eric, with regards to tracking the hug between lunar and solar cycles, well as the myth goes, the ancient ones speak of the sun as our grandfather and the moon as our grandmother; us being the children of the sun. Delightful ‘n cherished warmth and comfort ahead i’d say.
À PROPOS: “Deeply rooted in the past of a very ancient culture, a spiritual brotherhood in which many individual minds are merged into the glowing light of a unanimous consciousness is revealed to one who has emerged successfully from his or her metamorphosis.”
“So be it.”
that’s all i could come up with eric along with tremendous continuous gratitude for all you all do and share here at our planetwaves home. A grand folk of shining lights, or otherwise said, sunshiners
mucho HUGS y’all
LindeeLou