Mars At Its Brightest, the Size of a Full Moon? Is Pluto "No Longer A Planet?"

by Robert Wilkinson

There seems to be quite a buzz about these two revelations now making the news. What they're not telling you is far more than what they are, so today I figured I'd combine these two topics to give you my take on these late breaking, somewhat bizarre stories.

First, the rumor going around that Mars is going to be as big as a Full Moon, super bright and all that other dramatic stuff we're told hasn't happened for a long time, and won't happen again for thousands of years. I'm sorry to shatter some illusions, since some of the pictures making the email circuit are very pretty, but this just isn't so. The Sun is approaching a conjunction to Mars, something that occurs every two years plus a few weeks, give or take.

When the Sun conjuncts Mars, we cannot see Mars. We would have to be able to look directly at the Sun, and distinguish a relatively tiny object just next to it. If you've tried this, you know a) it's impossible, and b) you probably went blind doing it, unless you were wearing welder's goggles. Even then, it's pretty risky business, even if Bruce Springsteen did sing, "...Mama always told me not to look into the sights of the sun, Oh but mama that's where the fun is..."

The Sun conjunct Mars occurs on October 23-24 at 30 Libra. The last time they conjuncted was in September 2004 at 25 Virgo. After the coming on, the next one will be in December 2008 at 15 Sagittarius. Right now you might be able to see Mars in the western sky just after the Sun sets, but soon it'll be too close to distinguish. So as much as we'd all like to see Mars appear the size of the Full Moon on Earth, that's not likely unless you're living on one of the Moons of Mars.

As for the recent news that Pluto has been dissed. Given the recent disruptive political battles among astronomers (yes, even they have turf battles!), it comes as no surprise that last week they named several other bodies as planets, and now that's been reversed and they've all been demoted to non-planetary status. This was decided on the votes of about 300 out of 2500 astronomers in attendance, so a relatively small number decided something. So much for "global consensus." I figure astronomers, being brainheads, can say whatever they want to promote their separate agendas, but they've defined planets in various ways throughout history.

Ceres, a huge asteroid well known in astrology to have significant effects where it falls in a map, used to be called a planet, until it was demoted some time ago. Does that mean it has no effect in a chart? They also had to make a determination about the distant rock UB313, aka Xena, as well as Charon, one of Pluto's Moons, which became planets not long ago until this latest development demoting them, along with Pluto. Now they're "dwarf" planets, whatever that's supposed to mean.

Pluto was well known to the ancients as part of the Invisible Triad of Transpersonal forces beyond the visible seven planets of antiquity. And anyone who has been touched by Pluto's purifying and transforming energies would never claim it has no existence or influence. So I suppose the astronomers will continue their eternal quibbling, much as did those who Gulliver met in his famous travels, particularly in Laputa. However, for us astrologers, Pluto will without doubt continue to exert a significant influence on us all. Any of us dealing with the Grand Irrationality anchored by Neptune and Pluto will concur.

Even if you agree with the astronomers, just wait till Pluto transits over a significant point in your chart. I guarantee you'll note some version of its astrological planetary influence. On a final note, I have found that as with Saturn, if you make Pluto, the "Lord of the Underworld," your friend, it's not as scary as it seems. Heavy and profound, life altering, Transformer of Worlds, but it does not have to induce fear. In fact, nothing should. To give Pluto his due, in the ancient Sanskrit words of India, Aum Namah Shivaya!

Comments

[dcu]

It's my understanding that Mars was close in its orbit last year, August 2005. The internet being what it is, the news got recycled this year and distorted. As for Mars being as big as a full moon, last year one person put up a photo on a site to demonstrate the optical illusion of what happenned. The photo got misconstrued and widely forwarded.

As for Pluto, I have Mars conjunct Pluto in Leo. My favorite symbol is the snake flag from our first revolution-"Don't tread on me."

[D.]

Somehow I think Pluto will get back at those astronomers :p

[Robert]

Hi again dcu - Yes, well, as you know, when the Sun opposes Mars during the Mars' retrograde periods, Mars is conjunct the Earth and therefore VERY bright. It began when you said, and culminated in November 2005. The next time will be Christmas Eve 2007. And yes, Pluto does not like being "tread upon." I suspect the Solar System's smallest and most potent planetary influence will wait back in its "underworld" until every one of those scientists experiences its power, whether they know what brought it on or not.

Hi D. - Agree with what you say. It may not quite be "getting back at" so much as allowing 300 brainheads to have their momentary say, which doesn't have a whole lot to do with Pluto's long range influence. Pluto doesn't care what some erect bipeds on the 3rd rock from its Sun have to say. I suspect at some point in the future all the definitions will be re-written, and most of the present honk and blather will fade into yesterday's kindling.

[Jenni Dean Harte]

I'm thinking how funny this all is...really...scientists give us astrologers a hard time, tell say we're useless since we don't recognize precessional changes in our tropical zodiac, yet they dither and argue and bitch and backstab and in the end, like everybody have to admit things change. Happily, guys like Marsden and Brown are worth listening to, they have a sense of humour and more philosophical approach. Anyway, I'm laffin, Pluto will NOT be ignored, why worry? I'll work with Pluto, and Pluto will keep working with me!

[Robert]

Hi Jenni - Really, this is absurd. Open warfare among brainheads with nothing better to do with their time than "decide," with a God-like demeanor, what is and is not a heavenly body worthy of planetary status. Their criteria seemed shaky, given they demoted Pluto since its orbit cuts inside of Neptune. Pluto's seeds do need to go inside the realm of Neptune, the cosmic gestation/preserving field, to gestate and bring forth the return of whatever the seeds represent. Brown seems to be a great guy, but not much into rocking the boat. His discovery should have been given planetary status, as far as I'm concerned.

[Jenni Dean Harte]

I suppose it's ultimately about the uber-polarity of the moment, eh? It's a good thing most astrologers are sensible enough to rely on experience...the true basis of wisdom. Let the brainiaks (even such a small percentage) do what they do, WE know the cosmos is bigger than all of us and at least astrologers can read the programme! Such a shame the astronomers work in such a 2 dimensional reality. Sigh. Thanks for being there Robert.

[Robert]

Hi again Jenni - Yes, well, if world and religious leaders cannot come to peaceful coexistence, it's no wonder that a bunch of abstractionists are at odds! I believe that astrologers are deliberately shut out of such things, since scientists cannot admit anything not quantifiable by their own limited yardstick of the "scientific method," a flawed system if ever there was one. And of course you're welcome. I'm not sure I've ever been anywhere else, and given the immense suffering and chaos in this world, I'll probably still be here until the BIG graduation day in about 35,000 years.

At least humanity is on the "path of return," and it'll never be as dense and dark as it's been the past 12,000 years, if we're to believe The Secret Doctrine. We are remembering the electromagnetic nature of all creation, and there are greater things to come for many thousands of years, once the pandemic virus of fear has passed. We are witnessing the end of an era and the slow steady dawning of an entirely different way of regarding our reality and each other.

[chickie]

Your Highness

Today the asteroid Ceres arrives at it's very beginnings, 23 Taurus where she was discovered in 1801. I'm just discovering that she opposes my moon. What's also interesting, someone I thought of as the love of my life, later to learn that the relationship was just a very potent karmic connection has his north node at 23 Taurus and SN on my scorpio moon. I already know that he's been there/done that with me however learning that his NN conjuncts Ceres opposing my moon....how would you interpret that one, especially knowing my work "with the Mother."

[Robert]

Hi Chickie - Transiting Ceres is opposing your Moon, showing a passing matter, just as it conjuncts his NN, showing he's presently having his line of greatest development nurtured or "harvested." You're asking two things: A transit function and a natal SN-Moon connect. You already have described how the SN-Moon worked itself in your lives. I would think transiting Ceres opposed the Moon could show nurture through that which balances the Moon, exteriorizes the Lunar function, or shows your Moon "the other side of the coin" of its natural expression, the absolutely stable calm contentment of Taurus that opposes the Scorpionic discontent and intensity. All planets exteriorize through the opposing sign.

[chickie]

Your Highness,

"I would think transiting Ceres opposed the Moon could show nurture through that which balances the Moon, exteriorizes the Lunar function, or shows your Moon "the other side of the coin" of its natural expression, the absolutely stable calm contentment of Taurus that opposes the Scorpionic discontent and intensity. All planets exteriorize through the opposing sign." To bring it down a notch for my understanding, Ceres opposing my moon is giving me emotional balance?

[chickie]

Today is Mary's birthday....September 8. I asked that She and the rest of her divine ancestors watch over you my friend!

[Robert]

Hi Chickie - Yes, at present Ceres can help balance your Moon. And thanks for the Divine blessings!