NewsScope for June 1, 2004

The Astrology of Memorial Day

From 1868 to 1971 Memorial Day was celebrated on May 30, and after 1971 on the last Monday of May. This is a most significant date from an astrological perspective since the Sun is making its annual conjunction with the U.S. Uranus, located at nine degrees Gemini. Uranus here is given spectacular developmental potential since it's conjunct the first magnitude star Aldebaran.

Since ancient times Aldebaran has been associated with Mars, the God of War. Ptolemy further gave it the qualities of courage, public honor, and eloquence (according to Vivian Robson's book on the Fixed Stars). In the Scorpio Rising U.S. national horoscope, Uranus is found in the Eighth House of death, so that the annual passage of the Sun over this planet becomes a natural time to publicly honor the war dead.

The very first Memorial Day, as recognized by Congress a century later, was held in the New York town of Waterloo on May 5, 1866. The citizens of Waterloo began the tradition by closing their businesses and decorating the graves of fallen Civil War soldiers with flowers and flags. On this date Saturn (sometimes known as the Grim Reaper) was at eight degrees Scorpio (8SC35), which is the precise Ascendant in the Scorpio Rising U.S. horoscope.

This Memorial Day weekend was also exceptionally important. Jupiter, the planet of honor and pageantry, is currently in the military service sign of Virgo. Jupiter here was forming a square to the U.S. Uranus while the Sun made its annual conjunction. This configuration marked the official opening of the National World War II Memorial.

Genocide in Sudan

The United Nations calls the refugee camp of Darfur "the world's worst humanitarian crisis," but due to unprecedented global coverage of the events in Iraq , very few Americans are aware of this ongoing genocidal conflict. Sudan 's government has been fighting rebel factions for decades, with militias currently displacing some one million people in the Darfur region and 200,000 fleeing to neighboring Chad.

Sudan became independent on January 1, 1956, and the horoscope for this moment (set for 8:00 am in Khartoum *) describes the inherent challenges to this nation. The fractious tendency can be seen with the rebellious planet Uranus right on the Descendant, as it opposes a group of planets near the Aquarius Ascendant. Neptune in the Ninth House of beliefs adds a religious element to the conflict since it squares Uranus and the Ascendant.

Sudan's natal Saturn-Pluto square reflects how major turning points are tied to the Saturn-Pluto cycle. Sudan has been mired in Africa 's longest-running civil war that began in September 1983. At the time, transiting Saturn and Pluto were conjunct each other and aligned with Sudan's Neptune. The activating incident was the government's imposition of Islamic law on the non-Muslim southern tribes.

Last week, with the unheralded diplomatic assistance of the Bush administration, a significant peace accord was signed as transiting Jupiter formed an exact trine to the Sudan Sun. However, the Darfur region and the surrounding African nations that have supported rebel factions remain unsettled. A major progression* is now activating Sudan's Saturn-Pluto square, finally bringing its plight to the world stage for resolution.

Fantasia Crowned America's Idol

Last Wednesday the third season of Fox's TV talent show American Idol came to an end when North Carolina mom Fantasia Barrino was crowned the winner. A favorite of the acerbic judge Simon Cowell, Fantasia also received raves from judge Paula Abdul who said she's got "everything, from her name, to the way she looks, to the way she sounds, to her personality. ... She's just got it."

Fantasia Barrino was born a family-oriented Cancer (June 30, 1984; High Point, NC; time unknown), with her Sun conjunct Venus to give her plenty of warmth, charisma, and popularity. Fantasia's Sun opposes expansive Jupiter, which inflates her deep emotions and voice. Her Sun is also trine to Mars and Saturn, reflecting how hard she's worked to get to the finals.

Fantasia's Sun is also exactly sextile to Ceres, the parenting asteroid.** Ceres is tightly woven into her horoscope with many exact aspects to other planets. This connection makes her a natural mother, but with Ceres opposite taskmaster Saturn, she became a single, unwed mother. Saturn's influence here has tarnished her victory with some voters complaining that a single teen mother shouldn't be allowed.

At the time she won, transiting Jupiter was exactly sextile her Sun, trine her Ceres, and sextile her Saturn. Here, the beneficial influence of Jupiter made most voters agree that even single mothers can sing. Still, with transiting Saturn heading for her Venus and Mercury, she will continue to feel judged, as her potential to become a national star is assessed by her handlers.

*According to Campion in The Book of World Horoscopes . Sudan 's progressed Sun opposed Pluto and is now squaring Saturn. For background info, see Unwire and BBC News.

**Many readers have asked about asteroids. For more information, please visit my new web page on the subject. Asteroid reports are available, along with an in depth article on Ceres, and introductory material on the other main asteroids.

Personal readings are available from Michael WolfStar.