Astrology of Today’s News

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Osgood Perkins is a child and adult actor turned horror movie director which could be a run-of-the-mill Hollywood tale. Except his father was Anthony Perkins and his mother was killed in one of the 9/11 plane crashes.

 What struck me as astro-intriguing is his connection, albeit unwanted, to key historical events which resonated with the spirit of the times. His father starred in one of the most iconic movies of the past fifty years – Psycho – was gay and died of AIDs having fathered two children with Berry Berenson, a photographer, sister of actress/model Marisa Berenson. His mother died as her plane was crashed into the North Tower on 9/11.

  Osgood, 2 February 1974, no birth time New York, is an upbeat Sun and Jupiter in Aquarius in a go-ahead square to Mars in Taurus; with his Sun in an ambitious trine to Pluto and sextile Neptune. But most significantly he has a talented Air Grand Trine  of Uranus trine Saturn trine Mercury Jupiter, formed into a kite by Saturn opposition his North Node. Putting his North Node, indicator of the spirit of the age, as the central and driving point of his chart.

 When his father died in 1992, he was on a Nodal Return. And at 9/11 the transiting Saturn (opposition tr Pluto) was exactly conjunct his Solar Arc Mars. The transiting Moon was conjunct his South Node and Saturn exactly.

He made his directorial debut with the horror film The Blackcoat’s Daughter (2015) and has since became known for directing horror films such as I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House (2016), Gretel & Hansel (2020), Longlegs (2024), and The Monkey (2025).

Snippets from the Trump bin.

Kash Patel, former lawyer and federal prosecutor, now Director of the FBI, is heading into car-crash territory more obviously than most of the controversial Trump nominees. He is the  promoter of multiple conspiracy theories about the “deep state”, false claims about 2020 election fraud, COVID-19 vaccines, false claims that the FBI instigated the January 6 United States Capitol attack and the QAnon conspiracy theory.

  Born 25 February 1980 New York, no birth time, he has a Pisces Sun opposition a ‘might makes right’ Jupiter Mars conjunction in Virgo. His Saturn in Virgo opposition Mercury is in a can-be-neurotic-and-paranoid square to Neptune.

  His Solar Arc Sun opposition SA Mars is heading to sit on top of his Pluto by 2026 if not before which will be a grind-to-a-halt phase over several months – frustrated, trapped, scary. Because his Jupiter is tied into the equation he may go a step too far which rebounds. Even before then he is in real trouble at the moment, worsening in May/June from various midpoints, repeating September and January 2026.

 The FBI 22 March 1935 chart is not responding well to his leadership with his Pluto conjunct the FBI Mars for a hostile interface; and his gung ho, bellicose Mars Jupiter opposition the FBI’s Saturn.

 Robert Kennedy Jnr in Health is hitting setbacks soon; panicking from May onwards, stumbling through confusion this year and much worse in 2026 when tr Neptune Saturn oppose his Mars/Pluto midpoint.

Petee Hegseth causing waves in Defence, another Saturn square Neptune, is spreading chaos and confusion through this year, panicking as tr Neptune moves into Aries in April and opposes his Mars/Pluto midpoint for a run of calamities thereafter, worsening in 2026.

  Susie Wiles, chief of staff, is facing a loss-making, downhill slide in 2026.

JD Vance will be panicking and not winning from May onwards as tr Neptune moves ahead in Aries and that runs into a worse 2026 with tr Saturn joining in. He’ll be rattled badly come June this year and also from August onwards. He will have the odd upbeat influence but mainly the other variety.

 Musk’s problems start with Uranus moving into Gemini come this July escalating in 2026.

  Being president is never an easy run for the main occupant or for underlings. But there do seem to be hints of the wilder Trumpian vision running into real trouble ahead.

On other present Republican associated charts.

CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference), 25 January 1974, at which Trump has been grandstanding this weekend talking about himself for 75 minutes,  has Venus Sun in Aquarius which is ramped up this year with tr Pluto conjunct the Venus though with some setbacks along the way as well. 2027 is its nadir when the Solar Arc Mars square the Pluto.

 The USA Tea Party, 16 December 2007, will have its confidence and optimism brought down to reality through this year in April May and beyond; and is in trouble in 2026/27.  The Heritage Foundation (Project 25) will be hitting meltdown in 2026/27. As will Kevin Roberts the CEO.

 There seems to be a pattern overall that Neptune Saturn moving into Aries and Uranus into Gemini will not bring the expected breakthrough into the promised land that has been punted by the pro-Trumpers.

Suleiman the Magnificent who expanded the Ottoman Empire to become the pre-eminent influence in central and eastern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa in the 16^th Century, ruled during Pluto in Capricorn and in Aquarius and finally giving way to old age midway through Pluto in Pisces. His early rule was dominated by military land grabs, was gory and flamboyant but he mellowed during his middle reign to become Suleiman The Lawgiver.

 A new Book In The Golden Throne by Christopher de Bellaigue vividly evokes his reign.

 Born 6 November 1494 he was a Sun Scorpio with Pluto in Scorpio square Uranus in Aquarius and Neptune in early Capricorn.  By the time he acceded the throne Pluto was three years into Capricorn with Neptune about to leave Aquarius.  He exited when Pluto in mid Pisces was square Uranus opposition Neptune.

 During the next Pluto in Capricorn/Aquarius Catherine the Great of Russia came to the throne. She usurped her husband in a coup and during her long reign, Russia experienced a renaissance of culture and sciences, which led to the founding of many new cities, universities, and theatres, along with large-scale immigration from the rest of Europe and the recognition of Russia as one of the great powers of Europe.

 Born  2 May 1729 2.30am she was a Sun Mars in Taurus sextile Saturn in Pisces inconjunct Pluto, with Pluto in a pushily confident square to Jupiter and trine Neptune.

 She was crowned when Pluto was at zero degrees Capricorn and died when Pluto was in final degree Aquarius.

  Roll back a few Pluto in Capricorn and Aquarius, and it gets to Charlemagne, who united most of Western and Central Europe. His reign was marked by political and social changes that had lasting influence on Europe throughout the Middle Ages.

 He acceded when Pluto was in Sagittarius in 768 and reigned through Pluto in Capricorn and Aquarius, dying when Pluto was in the final degrees of Aquarius.

  This is only of passing interest since these were different days – but the Pluto in Capricorn and Aquarius eras did seem to have an outsize influence on the culture of the times especially in Europe.  

Uranus, trailblazer and light-bearer for a darkened world, a progressive agent for change. OR a defiant and lawless disruptor so intent on upending the status quo that anarchy and chaos result since the Uranus energy is not well designed to lay the foundations for the new era. Good at wrecking what has outlived its usefulness, not so great at rebuilding.  

 Puzzling over the phenomenon of Trump, it strikes me we have been so invested in seeing him as The Capitalist Clown that his Uranus conjunct North Node and his Sun in his 10^th has been overlooked.   

   All chart signs, houses and aspects have a spectrum of meaning from negative to positive and none stand alone from the rest of the chart.  But it is illuminating to consider others who have Uranus in their 10^th house of career.

 On the political side there are startling examples from revolutionary socialist Karl Marx to Mao Tse Tung, China’s revolutionary leader who wreaked destruction on the old culture, Italian fascist Benito Mussolini, Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro and Palestinian Yasser Arafat.

   On the US side the less than salubrious examples of J. Edgar Hoover and Joseph McCarthy pop up – neither were enlightened but both were intent on doing damage.

 Criminals also feature amongst the less desirable Uranus in the 10^th examples – Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, Carlos the Jackal as well as Martin Bormann and Heinrich Himmler. Lawless and defiant.

 There are obviously reams of other positive examples of Uranus in the 10^th from creative types, original thinkers, explorers to inventors and those who influenced society for the better.

 But when Uranus gets stuck in its law-unto-itself mode and hell-bent-on-destroying-the-old without thought for tomorrow it ends up in disorder and confusion. The new becomes a chaotic vacuum which is worse than the old for all its flaws.

  What strikes me about Trump is that his targets for change are understood by a good many people which is why he gets support. 1. Government waste (in which the US is not alone. Over the past five years, one UK government department mistakenly paid more than £500m in state pensions and credits to people who had died – never mind all the other egregious examples of UK state failures in recent times.) 2. Europe not pulling their weight on the defence front. 3. Gaza and Ukraine both seemingly unending conflicts (and both costing the US money). 4. Undue emphasis on ‘woke’ topics which do not align with ordinary people’s lives.

  And OK his remedies are worse than the disease and his motives are suspect – imperial and money-grubbing which is why his poll ratings of approval are not great. But he has homed in on situations which were crying out for an almighty wake-up call.

  Change or transformation is never a simple linear process. The old has to be destroyed which only comes through turmoil as old stabilities and securities are upended and it feels like a step backwards (and is). What is crucial in the process is allowing Saturn to take over to provide a new structure. Too much Saturnine energy before the change leads to stagnation but not enough after the initial destruction means the new era will not be built on solid foundations.

  I am not a great believer in assuming everything happens for a reason but seeing Trump as an agent, albeit clumsy and self-seeking, for changes that needed to be dragged into centre foreground may put him into a broader context. His Uranus is after all conjunct both his North Node and his Sun tying him firmly into the zeitgeist (spirit of the age).  He stands on the threshold of a new era and while he may not provide healthy answers for what lies ahead, he may be cutting a few ties with the past that needed to go or at least forced a radical rethink.

 Mind you that may be overly cheerful since I cannot think of anything positive that McCarthy did or Edgar Hoover or the criminal bunch. 

 Musk is also Uranian with a Sun square Uranus – inventive, an innovator and a saboteur.

Thoughts to ponder.

Pope Francis, 89 this year, in hospital with pneumonia in both lungs may well be facing tough decisions about whether to resign like his predecessor Pope Benedict.

 He was elected on 13 March 2013 at 7.06 pm in Rome, with a Pisces Sun which is about to catch the transiting Saturn conjunction towards the end of this March. There is also a socially influential Jupiterian yod inconjunct Saturn sextile Pluto which is about to catch the tr Saturn square the focal point Solar Arc Jupiter also this March. So a downbeat time.

  His birth chart of 17 December 1936 9pm Buenos Aires, Argentina, is also under Saturnine stars with tr Saturn square his focal point Sagittarius North Node and Sun late March and in April this year.  Plus he has his Solar Arc Midheaven conjunct his Pluto at the moment which is blocked in terms of progress.

  The Vatican, 7 June 1929 11am Rome, is uncertain at the moment with tr Neptune square the Vatican Saturn and tr Saturn square the Vatican Mercury. The first half of June this year will be a time of upheaval, perhaps some relief but also high anxiety with tr Uranus conjunct the Jupiter Midheaven and square Neptune. Which could coincide with a scandal or two emerging given Jupiter Neptune’s inclinations.

Juno is considered one of the four major asteroids and named after the Roman goddess of marriage and queen of the gods. In addition to commitment, fairness, love and relationships and wealth her meaning also encompasses betrayal through infidelity. She is deemed a protector of women, especially during childbirth. She is often fused with the Greek goddess Hera, although Hera was more actively jealous and vengeful. Juno was loyal and stayed in an unfaithful marriage to Jupiter – making the most of her connections.

   A new book on JUNO, More Than Meets the Eye by Lianne McCafferty breaks new ground by covering Juno in depth with mythological background and multiple chart examples both personal and mundane as well as in synastry.

  As an ingenue to the world of asteroids I am still struggling to grasp the impact of Juno in signs and houses. So this is open forum for other more informed comments.

 Juno was discovered 1 September 1804 10.12 pm Lilienthal, Germany at 2 degrees Aries in a Cardinal Grand Cross involving Chiron, Saturn and Mars – all of which will be impacted by the transiting Neptune Saturn conjunction in Aries over the next three years and by tr Uranus square the Pluto opposition Sun in 2028 – so arguably our understanding of its meaning may undergo adjustments before the end of the decade.

  Madame Pompadour is highlighted in Lianne McCafferty’s book, the influential mistress of King Louis XV and patroness of the arts.  Born 29 December 1721 10.15 am Paris, she has Juno in Pisces in her 1^st house conjunct Chiron and Ceres.

 On a quick flip through the astro-archives – Imelda Marcos, Jackie Kennedy, Sarah Ferguson (Duchess of York), Zsa Zsa Gabor all have Juno either in their 1^st or conjunct their Ascendant – so a high profile marriage plus making the most of your connections seems to work. 

 But Rosa Parks, civil right activist and Betty Freidan, feminist civil rights activist also have Juno  in their 1^st, and close to the Ascendant. Which may point to Juno’s insistence on fairness.

 Prince William also has Juno in his 1^st.  

 Donald Trump has his Juno conjunct Chiron conjunct his 2^nd house Jupiter – for a wealth connection.  Several charts I looked at had Juno conjunct Chiron which appears to indicate a deep emotional need for healing and growth within partnerships and committed relationships. In Trump’s case definitely – responsibility where money commitments are concerned needs worked at.

The EU has moved into paralysis zone with the not-unexpected Trump withdrawal from Ukraine support. The Solar Arc Pluto has now moved onto the exact degree in opposition to the EU 8^th house Moon and square Uranus and will stay in effect throughout 2025. Blocked, stuck, in turmoil as it faces the cost of filling the gap left by USA finances and weaponry.

 Tr Uranus square the 12^th house EU Pluto from mid 2026 onwards into 2027 at the same time as a devastating financial meltdown from tr Pluto square the 2^nd house Neptune in 2026/27 suggest that dither and indecision amidst great confusion are more likely than incisive decisions and action in the time ahead.

  Both Ukraine charts – 24 August 1991 2.31pm Kiev and 22 January 1918 9.54pm Khrakov, are facing an uphill struggle ahead. The 1918 chart has tr Pluto conjunct its Aquarius Sun this year and moving on to oppose the Neptune Saturn from 2026 onwards. Plus their Cardinal T square of Pluto opposition Mercury square Mars is feeling the brunt of the tr Saturn Neptune hard aspects from mid 2025 on for several years, suggesting disappointment and losses.

 The Ukraine 1991 chart is depressed and discouraged this year with tr Pluto conjunct the Saturn; jangled with tr Uranus square the Sun from mid 2025 into 2026; and mired in confusion in 2026 with Solar Arc Neptune square Pluto.

 President Zelenzky, 25 January 1978 2pm Krivoj Rog, has an exact Solar Arc Saturn conjunct his Pluto now and through 2025 which suggests an insurmountable obstacle. Plus an undermining tr Neptune Saturn in late Pisces squaring his Jupiter denting his hopes; and tr Pluto continuing the long haul round his Mars in Leo opposition Sun Venus in Aquarius which has been putting him under immense pressure for the past two years and won’t give up until late 2027. Plus a jolting tr Uranus square his Saturn on and off till April 2026.

 His Term chart 20 May 2019 10 am which started in a late Taurus Sun, Mercury, Algol will catch the unsettling destabilizing tr Uranus conjunction to those planets through this year as well from May onwards into 2026.

  Of the other former Soviet satellite countries the start dates and times are not always certain. To a degree all look unsettled in the immediate few years especially Estonia and Bulgaria, Poland. But that could be for many different reasons.

 The two Russia charts – 8 November 1917 2.12am Leningrad and 8 December 1991 7.45pm Moscow – both point to 2027 as a devastating time of confusion, indecision and meltdown. So I doubt it will be strutting around in domineering mood.

As the Trump Administration sets about upsetting the global world order and undercutting internal securities, several thoughts to ponder.

Common sense from William Hague: “If wars are settled in ways that reward lawless attacks, displace populations and leave a burning grievance for the future, then the result is usually more war.” “ A settlement with Russia that humiliates Ukraine will leave both sides incentivised to resume the war in the future — one to finish the invasion they got away with and the other to reverse it.”

  “A solution to Gaza that removes the Palestinians will only enlarge the problem, destabilising Arab states and letting Israelis think they could do the same on the West Bank. In both cases, years of conflict would be turned into decades of struggle.”

A further minor though important point from James Marriott: “After more than two centuries of what seemed like progress, Texas is gripped by its worst measles outbreak this century — the state contains some of the least vaccinated areas of America.”

  On the 2025 Inauguration chart, the start of Trump Term 11, April 25 to May 2 this year look mired in confusion and explosive with two different sets of influences running. The first is tr Saturn conjunct the Neptune which could be a minor blip of uncertainty except that the Inauguration chart has the Uranus/Pluto and Sun/Uranus midpoints exactly conjunct the Neptune catching the same tr Saturn conjunction. That adds up to stubbornness, hatred, under great pressure, separation through force majeure as well as blocked action, unexpected events involving water or flying. [These influences repeat late September to mid-October 2025 and second half of January 2026.]

 At exactly the same time from April 27^th to May 13 tr Uranus will be exactly conjunct Algol and setting off a firestorm on various charts including the term chart – as tr Uranus is conjunct the Mars/Neptune midpoint and the Mars/North Node midpoint – sudden disadvantages, illness, accident and forced or violent separation of a partnership. 

  Sometimes these influences pass by in a flurry of minor chaos and irritation but are not calamitous. However that 26 degree Tr Uranus shows up on various Trump and Netanyahu’s personal charts given their Mars at 26 Leo. And also on Trump’s relationship chart with Saudi’s Mohammed bin Salman which would point to a Middle Eastern red alert. Trump’s relationship chart with Putin (assuming VP’s 1952 birth data) will be rattled exactly at that point as well and immediately after throughout the rest of May repeating again January to mid March 2026.  

   A high-risk, extremely agitated phase.

 Trump’s relationship chart with the USA is also panicked during those April 27^th to May 13^th days; with a drop in mutual confidence as tr Neptune moves into Aries in April, which may be a financial reality hitting home, which will worsen from July 2025 into and throughout 2026.

  On the USA chart itself, the Solar Arc Saturn square SA Sun are crashing and banging their way in hard aspect to the USA Mars square Neptune this year, in 2026 and 2027 so the turbulence is unlikely to settle anytime soon. Trump’s Gemini Sun North Node opposition Sagittarius Moon sits on top of that USA Mars square Neptune/SA Sun square SA Saturn – and they will all catch the tr Saturn hard aspects through this March for some discouraging moments.  

  On the USA chart as well tr Neptune after mid 2025 joined by tr Saturn in Aries in 2026 will be square the USA financial Venus, Jupiter and eventually Cancer Sun – so the USA will be facing disappointment, lack of confidence and less economic progress for some years to come.

All countries go through phases of internal crisis from which they eventually recover but rarely do their spasms extend out quite so far as this one. Trump is managing simultaneously to withdraw from previous global responsibilities summarily and at the same time to throw his weight around like a preening dictator, just because he can.

ADD ON: The Trump/Musk gauging-out of the US government is being likened to the Red Revolution in China in the mid 1960s when Mao Tse Tung’s henchmen ran amok for a destructive decade following. There are not too many similarities except from Algol. The Cultural Revolution started in May 1966 when the revolutionary, rebellious, status-quo-upending Uranus Pluto were together in Virgo. The one point of note is that the China 1 January 1912 chart has Mars Moon Algol conjunct in last decan Taurus and the transiting North Node in late Taurus was crossing the China Mars and Algol when it started.  The USA has nothing like those influences.

ADD ON 2: Previous occurrences of the Solar Arc Saturn square Solar Arc Sun colliding with the USA Mars square Neptune:

1846 to 1848: The Mexican–American War ran from 1846 to 1848.

1936 to 1938: A run of climate disasters with Pittsburgh’s worst ever flood. A Mississippi tornado kills 216.  A major heat wave and thousands die. The worst school disaster in USA history with a catastrophic natural gas explosion, killing nearly 300 students and teachers in Texas. The Hindenburg disaster. In 1938 with WW11 approaching President Franklin D. Roosevelt declares the US will remain neutral. And the New England Hurricane kills 600 in total.

ADD ON 3: General Randy George, 1 November 1964, Iowa, is the US Army chief of staff since 21 September 2023. What is clear whether he stays in his position or not is that he has an aggravated relationship with Trump with a composite Mars Pluto Venus conjunction – which has the potential to turn hostile. It is being rattled in that explosive patch mid May 2025 for a few weeks and again in early 2026. July 2025 onwards could see eruptions and separations with tr Uranus square the composite Sun.  His own chart will be in high alert, facing military action or considerable setbacks in May/June which could hint at escalating situations elsewhere breaking out into violence.

  George’s Term chart has been  undermined through this month with more uncertainty thereafter into early 2026.

Bo Burnham is an American satirist, stand-up comedian, musician, actor and filmmaker who came to success early at 16  on YouTube. In 2016 he described Trump as ‘joke proof’ and says he prefers to avoid politics, taking aim instead at cultural attitudes in general. Though his ‘That Funny Feeling’ – a litany of anxiety and dread – became a TikTok hit after the recent 2024 election.

 He was born 21 August 1990 at 2.10pm Hamilton, Massachusetts, and has a knowledgeable 9^th house Leo Sun with Venus, South Node and Jupiter also in Leo in his communicative 9^th. His chart is dominated by an Earth Grand Trine with Mercury in Virgo in his 10^th trine Saturn in Capricorn trine Mars in Taurus – and that is formed into a Kite by Mars opposition a 12^th house Pluto. Making Pluto, which plumbs subterranean depths in the 12th his driving planet. A more heavyweight chart than might be expected but all about getting a message across with a punch. Plus an Aquarius North Node in his chatty 3^rd which will demand a cause to focus his attention and energy.

 When he became an overnight success in 2006 aged 16 his Solar Arc Jupiter was square his focal point Pluto with tr Jupiter conjunct his Pluto – giving him a tremendous boost. His Solar Arc Sun was also exactly conjunct his Moon for a new beginning and his Progressed Mars was sitting on his Descendant exactly moving him in an upward direction – though none too tactfully.

 His early satire was sometimes misjudged for which he has apologised. He described it as “shock-jock offensive comedy done by a 16-year-old without any tact”.

  He’s one of the triple conjunction in Capricorn generation so very much at home across the social media. His chart is unlike earlier satirists Librans Oscar Wilde and Gore Vidal but with marginal similarities to Virgoan Dorothy Parker.

Quotes:

“I would say don’t take advice from people like me who have gotten very lucky. We’re very biased. You know, like Taylor Swift telling you to follow your dreams is like a lottery winner telling you, ‘Liquidize your assets; buy Powerball tickets – it works!”

“Being famous is complete luck, and that’s something you can’t bank on.”

“Your hard work and talent will not pay off.”

“I like to joke about being gay because it’s something teenagers would never joke about.”

“Uncharted territory is a good place to be in.”

“I fully embrace myself as a hypocrite.”

“I do weird things, and people watch.”

“It’s all about surprising people, and you’re not surprising people if you’re making them laugh every five seconds.”