Month: April 2026

 When will the US stand up for the edicts of its founding fathers of whom it used to be so proud, who laid down the constitution defending democracy and created the institutions which have stood the test of 250 years?

  Trump’s relationship with the USA in essence is chained together with a composite Sun trine Pluto sextile Saturn – but even that is beginning to come unstuck this year with a disappointing, undermining tr Neptune square the composite Sun starting late this April to late May, dissolving the ties that bind; with serious tensions erupting from this July onwards as tr Uranus is square the composite Saturn, followed by a pressure-for-change tr Pluto square the Pluto to the year’s end. Tr Uranus will continue to ratchet up tensions till May 2027 and tr Neptune will continue to sink the ground under his feet till early 2028. He won’t let go easily but whether through unpopularity or ill-health or both, he will find his grip on the nation loosening fast. Tr Saturn squared the composite Sun recently in mid March two weeks after the Iran attack when it became clear this was no speedy in-and-out venture.  

  The Supreme Court is managing to find a backbone having  recently ruled his administration had no authority to use emergency powers to impose tariffs. The justices were not willing to give Trump a blank cheque to bypass Congress and the courts.  They now appear sceptical about his executive order limiting birthright citizenship, which is a key element of his immigration agenda. The decision is expected in June. A loss would be a setback to Trump’s immigration agenda and would also represent a larger blow to his efforts to aggressively expand executive power since returning to office.

  The Supreme Court, 2 February 1790 New York, has a Sun Pluto conjunct in Aquarius which seems fitting for the new era. But it will be facing a monumental battle ahead with the Progressed Mars square the Sun in 2027 as well as being conjunct the Scorpio North Node. So it may come to a considerable standoff and collision, almost existential, so it will test their resilience as tr Pluto opposes the Uranus in 2027/28 as well threatening to upset the applecart.

 DT’s relationship with the Supreme Court chart hints at bitter arguments this year and next. With John Roberts there will be ongoing differences into 2027 though one argument may be ducked this year.

 His relationship with virtually all the justices will be stressed ahead apart from Samuel Alito and Brett Kavanaugh. Even Amy Barrett is having a meltdown with him, as well as the other liberal or more moderate justices like Neil Gorsuch, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and especially Ketanji Brown Jackson. Ketanji has a bitter-dislike composite Mars conjunct Pluto in her relationship chart with DT which is being triggered by tr Uranus in June and across the New Year.

George Washington:

“The constitution vests the power of declaring war in Congress; therefore no offensive expedition of importance can be undertaken until after they shall have deliberated upon the subject and authorized such a measure.”

“Truth will ultimately prevail where there is pains to bring it to light.”

“The Constitution is the guide which I never will abandon.”

“If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.”

“Guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism.”

“Observe good faith and justice toward all nations. Cultivate peace and harmony with all.”

“For happily the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good…”

  Pet astrology is fun and works better than you might expect even if you can only find a rough approximation of their sun sign. Pedigree or breeder friends, even better, can proffer, the exact time.

Tashi, small fluffball Lahsa apso, 17 September 2025 8.15pm Aberdeen, has a busy, busy 6^th house Virgo Sun and vocal Mercury opposition a not-always practical 12^th house Saturn. A flashy and attention-demanding 5^th house Leo Moon and Leo Venus give her confidence; and a 4^th house Jupiter hints at happy-home-time. Plus a determined, get-my-own-way 10^th house Pluto trine a wayward 1^st house Uranus may make her tricky to train.

Prior to this 4 kilo squiggle, was a 40 kilo grey Weimaraner, named Turtur (colour like a dove), 5 May 2012 11.30pm Salernes, France. A boisterous Sun Jupiter in Taurus in the entertaining 5^th house she insisted on being centre of attention at all times – greeting everyone with rapturous glee and knocking them over, stealing canapes and anything else that was not stored in a locked cupboard. She had an Earth Grand Trine of Sun trine Mars trine Pluto and was all physical vitality demanding endless exercise of 10 kilometres a day at least. And for a breed known at best for what is politely called ‘dominance’, her Mars Pluto could be seriously defiant and strong-minded.

 When I moved from France back to England, tr Uranus was conjunct her Sun as she was wrenched away from her beloved vineyards where she could be let off the lead and went snake hunting, non-poisonous there mercifully. Weimaraners were bred to hunt wild boar but they only came out at night in that region and she only met one who got away. In rural England she had to make do with diving into hedges on the end of a lead and coming out with a poor assassinated pheasant.

Before her were two brother felines – Camembert and Roquefort, 14 April 2005 4am Port Vendres, France, whom the vet unkindly dubbed les chats du guttieres – alley cats. They had charming and high vitality 3^rd house Sun Venus in Aries though they were very different temperaments – one pushy and the other quieter. Sun Venus trine Pluto with Mars Neptune on the midpoint did give them chutzpah. Sadly when the transiting North Node was conjunct their Pluto and tr Saturn was conjunct their Jupiter, one ran away over a house move and the quieter, sweeter brother died suddenly a few weeks later of a heart attack.

Before that – Sophie, a Maine Coon, 5 July 1994 11.47pm London, was clingy affectionate and not even-tempered – a Cancerian with a Moon Mars in Gemini. She co-habited with a midget rescue tortoiseshell called Peppermint who had to have been Gemini since she never stopped vocalizing and disappeared every night out of the cat flap to go terrorizing the neighbourhood cats.

Back a step on the pet ladder there was an English pointer, exquisitely beautiful but oh so stupid and neurotic, named Dizzy, who was terrified of Slasher (renamed Tom Pom) a stray black cat, bruised and battered who moved in without an invitation and stayed.

 First pets were two Jack Russells – one called Demon (not by me) who was anything but demonic in nature, a sweetie, except if you were a rat or a rabbit.  Totty bought to keep him company turned out to be a fiend and had to be rehomed.   

Pets have a short lifespan compared to human and when they go it is painful. But the consolation is that they have had a good life and it is their time.

“There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.” Bernard Williams

“Cats are intended to teach us that not everything in nature has a function.” Garrison Keillor

“Dogs laugh, but they laugh with their tails.” Max Eastman

“The better I get to know men, the more I find myself loving dogs.” Charles de Gaulle

“Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea.” Robert A. Heinlein

“Outside of a dog, a book is a man’s best friend. Inside of a dog it’s too dark to read.” Groucho Marx

Nasa has launched four astronauts on a 1mn km flight around the Moon and back, the next step in the US space agency’s plans to establish a long-term presence on the lunar surface. The 10-day mission will take humans further into space than ever before, and is designed to test many of the technologies that Nasa will use for Artemis IV, scheduled to land on the Moon in 2028. Last week Nasa laid out a phased programme to build a $20bn Moon base. It will start with occasional human visits to build infrastructure on the lunar surface and then eventually transition over several years to continuous human habitation. This launch marks the first time since the Apollo 17 mission of December 1972 that humans will have left lower Earth orbit.

 Artemis 11 took off at 6.35pm 1 April 2026 from the Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island, Florida with a successful Jupiter in the 10^th square the Full Moon; Uranus in the far-travelled 9^th, a costly Venus in Taurus in the financial 8^th, Pluto in the grandstanding 5^th and Saturn Neptune together in the 6^th fittingly for the first woman and first black man to go into space.

  NASA 29 July 1958, will be on tenterhooks and under great pressure with tr Pluto square its Mars exactly now and moving to oppose its Leo Sun in 2027. Tr Uranus will also square its Pluto Mercury from mid May and throughout the rest of the year which will either cause an upset to plans or bring a renewed push with innovative projects. It is certainly facing a challenging year and on as tr Pluto moves to oppose the Sun/Uranus midpoint in 2028/29 and then oppose the Uranus for a major turnaround.

 There is nothing like as difficult or calamitous in the NASA’s astrology as there was for the Challenger disaster in 1986 when there was a destructive Solar Arc Mars square Pluto.

  Astronauts are beyond brave – or have a different mentality to ordinary folk. Living on the edge.

ADD ON: Victor Glover, pilot of Artemis was born 30 April 1976 6.17 am Pomona, California (thanks Astrodienst). He has a Sun Jupiter conjunction in Taurus close to his Ascendant and Moon in Taurus in his 1^st – steady, practical, unflappable. His Sun Jupiter South Node oppose Uranus in his 6^th and his Descendant North Node, which will suit him for an experimental career. A tough-minded, disciplined Mars Saturn conjunction in his 3^rd are square Venus Chiron in Aries. An 8^th house Neptune is sextile Pluto for a yod inconjunct Sun Jupiter, designing him for a singular role in life, highlighting his personality and giving him luck though at times a tendency to over-confidence.

 He does have a catastrophic tr Uranus square his Mars/Pluto midpoint at the end of April to mid May with more unsettling challenges in June and beyond but overall, assuming a happy re-entry, he has a run of fortunate Pluto transits to his Jupiter/Uranus midpoint and then Jupiter in coming years.

  His Taurus heavy chart is similar to Chay Blyth, the Scottish lone round-the-world yachtsman, born 14 May 1940, 4.30am Hawick, Scotland. He was also a Sun Taurus in his case conjunct Uranus with Mercury Saturn also in Taurus, plus Neptune in Virgo in his 6^th house with a Taurus Ascendant close to Jupiter and a Capricorn Midheaven.  

 Charlie Dalin, who won the world’s toughest solo, non-stop, unassisted round-the-world yacht race, rounding the three great capes (Good Hope, Leeuwin, and Cape Horn) is also a Sun Taurus . See post Charlie Dalin, 11th January 2026 which also has Chay Blyth’s chart.

 Cosmic or oceanic – earthy Taurus appears to be a surprising asset.  

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Latest addition to the household who is a welcome distraction from calamities and catastrophes elsewhere. All she worries about is who is going to steal her carrot. If life could be so simple for the rest of us?

On the threshold of the new era with Uranus poised to be the final piece of the jigsaw to fall into place in late April as it moves into Gemini, there are several minor planet conjunctions to help or hinder the way ahead.

 Mercury in Pisces will conjunct Nessus on April 9^th. Usually associated with deceit Nessus has a positive role, making us better equipped to deal with risks and cons. It might suggest the ‘negotiations’ in the Middle East and elsewhere are hindered by treachery and insincerity. Nessus is also linked with ancestral and collective trauma – unresolved issues passed down through family lines or cultural groups which like the Shirt of Nessus slowly poisons or wounds. On the upside it encourages individuals to stand up against injustice and toxic patterns to ensure the past does not repeat itself, demanding that these hidden wounds be given voice and visibility. Which certainly sounds accurate for the ancient blood feuds of the Middle East.

On the 9^th Mars in Pisces is conjunct the Fixed Star Scheat, which generally is regarded as unfortunate, likely to occur with accidents, natural disasters and in this case because of combative actions.

On the 15^th the Aries Sun is conjunct Eris, the dwarf planet, recognized for its similarities to Pluto. Although thought to be a force that disrupts, provokes and shatters illusions, it can also be a potent force for personal evolution.  Both conflict and catalyst, it highlights fractures that already exist. It calls for a stand against falsehoods and prompts a confrontation with uncomfortable truths. With awareness it brings a moment where it is crucial to challenge distortions and say ‘No More’.

 On the 16^th the Aries Sun is conjunct the centaur asteroid Chiron which suggests that progress will not be made on the basis of pride, ego or ‘winning’. Healing can only come from a place of selflessness – which in a fight between alpha males, fuelled by ancient blood feuds and egged on by a rampant narcissist, may give the fates pause for thought.

 The Aries New Moon on the 17^th pulls together with the Eris Chiron conjunction – with all four tied in a bow. At best it could point to new beginnings where there are enough voices saying ‘no more’ and healing of collective and generational trauma can begin. But that does seem to be a gigantic ask and a Pollyanna delusion.

  For all that there is a message coming from the universe at the moment with the Chiron Eris conjunction which I cannot articulate but seems crucially significant. It has been in place since 2023 and moves out of orb before mid 2027. Perhaps part of it is about negative events having to reach crisis point before real change takes place – e.g. the Middle East saying enough is enough to Iran and Israel since this latest conflict had its beginnings in 2023 with the Hamas attack. And somewhat later, Trump going on a despotic rampage in the US since his election.

 To finish off April, Uranus as it moves into Gemini on the 26^th will conjunct the dwarf planet Sedna.  In mythology Sedna was betrayed by her angry, cruel father but survives her abandonment to become a mighty sea goddess and ruler of the monsters of the deep.

The myth of Sedna revolves around betrayal, abandonment, resilience, and the transformation of victimization into spiritual empowerment.  It prompts a confrontation with harsh truths to uncover inner strength.  Key Themes: The Survivor and Resilience: Sedna energy comes into play during extreme stress or situations where self-preservation is vital. It represents the ability to dive into deep, uncomfortable emotional waters and survive, turning hardship into a “backbone”.

  Quite what effect Uranus will have on Sedna remains to be seen – but one possibility is the innovative side of Uranus will come into play to ‘rescue’ a situation of hardship.

Interesting month.

King Charles is expected to be welcomed by Trump to a US state visit on April 27 to 30, assuming fate and the Iranian fiasco do not upset best laid plans.

 The Royals are used to smiling politely through gritted teeth when on duty no matter what their personal feelings are. Assuming it goes ahead on the stated dates Charles has tr Pluto conjunct his Descendant from late last month till after mid June so in general will be experiencing intense reactions in relationships with those he meets. On April 27^th as well, tr Mars in Aries will be in a short-fused conjunction with his Midheaven and just passed the conjunction to tr Saturn – so the mood will be fractious. Tr Mars is also in a suppressed frustration opposition to his Sun/Saturn midpoint and tr Pluto is in a marginally contemptuous conjunction to his Mercury/North Node. Nothing too alarming but not exactly a light-hearted romp.

On the synastry, Charles’ Scorpio Sun sits on Trump’s IC so he will make the president feel warm and fuzzy inside; though Charles’ Saturn in Virgo in DT’s 1^st will dampen his flamboyant approach a touch. Charles’ Mars in Sagittarius is conjunct DT’s Moon South Node and opposition his Gemini Sun which could be argumentative – though Charles’ Jupiter close by may mellow the interaction.

 There will be enough schmaltz from DT’s Jupiter conjunct Charles’ Venus in his familial 4^th to cover over much of the edginess, no doubt with much talk of the late Queen Elizabeth.

 Camilla will have a harder time with her Cancer Sun conjunct DT’s Saturn and her Saturn conjunct his Pluto for downbeat chemistry; and worse, her Uranus conjunct his Gemini Sun and opposition Moon so it will take all her well bred stiff upper lip to sail through without flinching or letting fly.

 And certainly she and Melania are not a match made for compatibility with Melania’s Uranus square Camilla’s Venus Moon; and Melania’s controlling Pluto square Camilla’s defiant Uranus – differing agendas and a tendency to upset the other’s plans.  Their relationship chart has an active-dislike composite Mars square Pluto, covered over by a superficially amiable Sun Venus although even that is hemmed in by a dutiful Saturn.

 If it comes to pass, the body language will be an entertainment.