Astrology in July 2015 - Venus Conjunct Jupiter in the Setting Sky

by Robert Wilkinson

Right now, Venus is exactly conjunct Jupiter, and very bright in the western sky after sunset because Venus is still almost as far from the Sun as it can be. To address one misconception floating around the web, this is NOT “the Star of Bethlehem.”

This is the first of three Venus conjunctions with Jupiter this year. This one is at 22 Leo, a degree of a world server, and “the return of the soul-energies to the central Self after a significant experience.” We are told it’s a degree of “practical enlightenment.”

Dr. Jones says this is about “the unlimited service of life… to the special requirements of an individual’s intelligence or understanding” and our ability to learn what we need to know when facing unfamiliar things. He says this is a “universal sensitiveness of mind” which “commands all knowledge” and receives messages through intuition. The keyword is ENLIGHTENMENT, and when functioning positively, is “a complete mastery of all things.”

So this begins the activation of these themes wherever 22 Leo falls in our chart. The next conjunction of Venus and Jupiter at 29 Leo will occur on August 4 with Venus retrograde. The final conjunction will happen at 16 Virgo on October 25.

Obviously this should help us “capture” Jupiter somehow, or perhaps “expand” Venus. These two will be in conjunction through mid-August, and then be fairly far apart until mid-October, when they’ll be back in conjunction. So we get one Venus/Jupiter fusion at 22 Leo, and another at 29 Leo, over the next 6 weeks.

So if you can, take a moment after sunset to check out the western sky, and you’ll see a very bright “twin star” phenomenon that is really quite beautiful. We probably won’t be able to see the second conjunction since the Sun will be too close, but the final conjunction in mid-Virgo should be bright and visible in the eastern sky just before sunrise.

A brief note on why it’s not “the star of Bethlehem.” Though no one has the exact date, and many of the historical bible references could not have happened (census, tax time, and more) if we use the “star of Bethlehem” as a guide, then it is likely the historical Jesus was born sometime in 7 BC. That year we had a Jupiter conjunct Saturn in Pisces, which would have been extremely bright and on the Midheaven during Virgo late at night that year.

Over the years, I’ve found that most astrologers who have investigated when such a “star” could have occurred accept that the Jupiter/Saturn alignment was the true “star of Bethlehem” that guided the Magi Astrologers to find the child. And of course, it would have been easier to travel from “the East” during Spring and Summer, arriving at Bethlehem when the Sun was in Virgo and Jupiter and Saturn were on the Midheaven in the middle of the night. I have my guess about the exact day and time (Moon in Sagittarius!), but that's for another article.

So while we moderns just love to make every extraordinary celestial event into something of major historical significance, perhaps we should just enjoy this Venus/Jupiter conjunction as promising us something expansively sweet or valuable in the life area in which it falls. And of course, we should expect significant movement of these themes and the meaning of the conjunction when Mars crosses 22 Leo during the second week of September.

© Copyright 2015 Robert Wilkinson

Comments

[dcu]

Thank you for this explanation. I have been watching this conjunction since a week ago when the moon swept over it. Now you can see Regulus if you look slightly up and to the left of Venus and Jupiter.
May we all experience abundance and a radiant awakening from these stellar influences.
All My Relations

[hillary adrian]

Hi Robert,
Thank you for this post regarding the Venus-Jupiter conjunction. I have this conjunction in my natal chart: Venus 29 degrees, Jupiter 28 in Aquarius in the 5th house, and can feel a huge burst of love from them when they get so close in the sky. . Thank you!

[Ann]

Hi Robert, Had a beautiful view of Jupiter and Venus after a stunning winter sunset this evening.

[Pratyatosa Dasa]

"Venus is still almost as far from the Sun as it can be." Thinking like an astronomer, not an astrologer, at first I took this statement literally, and wondered what it had to do with anything. Then I realized that "from our perspective" is implied.

[Nic]

Thanks Robert, very clear and to the point.
Blessings be to all

[Lebo]

I have also been tracking the two dance every night since last week. It is such a beautiful sight, beyond words to explain it! Yesterday I could swear they were not just dancing but close enough to be a kiss:) I wonder if I will still have the pleasure of seeing them tonight, last night was a bit cloudy.

[margomac]

Lucky, lucky me! The chart for the offer/acceptance of my new leadership role at work (education, learning difficulties/ disabilities) has this wonderful conjunction just 2 degrees before the midheaven, trine moon in Sag and Uranus in Ar. The latter might explain the wonderful surprise! Nice sextile to my natal ruler Mercury sitting on my natal Venus in Gem (M n V in mutual reception natally). Job of my dreams I think! :) Thank you Robert for this rather exciting article! How radically life has changed for me since I began to read your site. Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom and for helping us all carry even the tiniest sparkling gems of it forward into the world around us. Arohanui.

[Robyn Pickens]

Hello Robert,
The brilliance of Venus and Jupiter in the New Zealand night sky prompted me to investigate. Thank you for your article. I wonder if you would consider emailing me a link to the full source of excerpts you quote by Dr Jones?
Thanks very much

[Robert]

Hi all - Thanks for checking in. Great light show indeed!

Hi Robyn - The notes from the original Jones class comes from The Astrology of Personality by Dane Rudhyar, and Rudhyar's other comments come from his Astrological Mandala. The Jones comments come from his book The Sabian Symbols in Astrology.

Because these are books that are under copyright and in print, there is no website that can legally reprint the full interpretation of the symbols from any source. There are some who have reinterpreted the symbols, but that's their take, not Rudhyar or Jones.

I literally transcribe every symbol and possible interpretations from the source books, giving attribution since I run a non-profit educational site. Of course, having worked with them for over 40 years, I have my own notes on each that I include in my interpretations. I probably could write THE magnum opus on the symbols, but I'm already in the middle of writing two other books, and have a third one I'll get out once I locate my notes (which got lost in my last move!)

Your best bet is to find a used copy of Marc Jones' original work. Or go through my site since I've been offering them for each Lunation, planetary station, inferior conjunction, and other significant event for years. Best of luck.