SINCE 1999, four outer planets orbiting our Sun have been discovered and named for water-related deities. – – – Then there was ((Huya, discovered in 2000 (the rain god of the Wayúu Indians);)) Varuna, discovered in 2000 (the pre-Vedic supreme deity, who was later demoted to rulership of all bodies of water); Sedna in 2003 (the Inuit goddess of the frozen waters, who created the whales, seals and dolphins); and Orcus in 2004. While Orcus is technically not a water god, think of orcas, the ‘killer whales’ (which are under most circumstances really quite friendly) that bear his name.

Orcus (provisional name 2004 DW, catalogue number 90482), another Plutino, was discovered in 2004, and has a 246 year orbit — quite close to Pluto’s. While this is an underworld god, not specifically a sea-god, it is the namesake of orca whales, sometimes called killer whales (who tend to be friendly to humans), so I’m including it. Orca whales despite their name are friendly to humans, but they are in a serious fight for survival. They are, by the way, practically the subject of a massive folk religion in the Seattle and Vancouver areas, where they are revered. Sedgwick proposes that this planet can symbolize “a person of one’s word, [one who] challenges broken promises, is aligned with a spiritual creed, [and is] accountable for personal thought, word and deed.” On the more difficult side, he suggests, “hypocritical, fault finding in the ways of others, blame assigning, ducks responsibility for word and actions, unable to keep promises.”

Francesco Sciavinotto suggests that this planet is involved in the fight for survival. I would add that there is a feeling of the ethics that one would apply or adopt when faced with such a fight, and the psychological and emotional steps toward getting there.