An astrologer predicting an imminent death may have shifted the course of English history a fraction. In the febrile period after Henry V111’s death, he was succeeded by his son Edward V1, then 10 years old. Next in line Mary Tudor, his half-sister, was persuaded to stay in England by the prospect of his approaching death, despite him being young and healthy. He did die aged 15 probably of tuberculosis and she stepped up to be crowned Queen Mary I.
He was born 12 October 1537 JC 1.44am London and had his Pluto on the cusp of his 6th house of health conjunct a late Capricorn Moon and opposition Uranus Mars in Leo. Heath issues were likely with such an afflicted bunch of planets homing in on his 6th and 12th houses. When he died after a longish illness tr Neptune was square his Solar Arc Moon; and the transiting North Node was opposition his Moon. Tr Neptune was also just passed an opposition to his SA Sun. His death 6 July 1553 JC 8.30pm London.
Astrology in those days was different with no outer planets known so I have no idea how his death would have been predicted.
Add On: King Charles 1, 29 November 1600 11pm was beheaded on 30 January 1649 – would an astrologer have predicted it? Tr Pluto Saturn conjunct in Gemini were opposing his Sagittarius Sun Mercury exactly which feels pretty bleak. Significantly his Solar Arc Saturn was approaching and within less than a degree of a conjunction to his Mars, which is a traditional assassination signature. His Progressed Saturn was exactly conjunct his Part of Fortune hinting his luck had run out.
Lady Jane Grey, 5 October 1537 3.14 am Leicester (not verified), who reigned for nine days, was beheaded after a coup on 12 February 1554. At that point (birth date being sound) tr Uranus was conjunct her Libra Sun; and a formidable, high-risk transiting Mars, Pluto, Sun in Pisces were opposition her Venus.
The Boxing Day tsunami in 2004 was caused by an underwater earthquake, measuring 9.2 on the Richter scale, that struck off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. A massive tsunami with waves up to 30 m (100 ft) high, devastated communities along the surrounding coasts of the Indian Ocean, killing an estimated 227,898 people in 14 countries. It is the one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history, and the worst tsunami disaster.
The astrology is oddly vague with nothing much that would flag up such a devastating event. There was a Jupiter in Libra trine Neptune sextile Venus Mercury in Sagittarius which was light hearted; a slightly edgier Mars square Uranus but that is nothing pass remarkable. The midpoints have a few pointers including Pluto square Neptune/Node which is a natural disaster signature.
The October eclipses immediately prior both had Jupiter in the 10th located to Banda Aceh but nothing too ominous in terms of aspects. The April 2004 Solar Eclipse did have a high-risk Mars opposition Pluto but nothing else that would indicate the magnitude of the horror at the year end.
On the tsunami chart the 8th and 16th harmonics do look brutal and devastating with Mars Pluto Sun Venus aspected on one; and Mars Pluto Neptune Moon on the other.
There may be an astro answer in there but my flu-fogged brain can’t see it. Comments welcome.
James Bond fans will be chewing their fingernails at the delays over their next favourite movie as producer Barbara Broccoli and Amazon, the new owners of MGM, appear to be at a standoff. Old school versus the algorithm generation don’t appear to be a good mix with no sign of a script or replacement for Daniel Craig in the offing.
Barbara Broccoli, 18 June 1960 9.55am Santa Monica, California, who took over the franchise when her father Cubby died three decades back, is a confident, friendly 11th house Sun Venus in Gemini opposition Jupiter in Sagittarius; with a feisty Moon Mars in Aries in her 9th square Mercury in Cancer which in turn opposes Saturn in Capricorn. A lady who will fight her corner with vigour especially with a defiant and unconventional Uranus in Leo on her Ascendant.
She is not at her best at the moment with tr Neptune square her Sun and Jupiter now till March 2025; and a confusing, disappointing Solar Arc Pluto conjunct her Neptune through 2025 as well. Plus her SA MC is conjunct her Saturn now for slow progress. Where her luck turns good will be by 2027 with tr Jupiter crossing her Ascendant and her SA Jupiter opposing her Pluto for a major confidence surge.
Tr Uranus was crossing her Taurus midheaven when the Amazon MGM acquisition was signed in 2022 so it was always going to shift her career direction considerably.
The first ever Bond which was Dr No, 5 October 1962, has Jupiter in Pisces opposition Uranus which happily coincides with her lucky spot in 2027.
Ariane Grande’s tumultuous love life strewn with a series of short-lived flings and a recent two year marriage followed by a divorce has managed to wreck another marriage. Co-star of her recent movie Wicked Ethan Slater left his childhood sweetheart, wife of several years and mother of his months’ old baby, to hook up with her.
She was born 26 June 1993 9.15pm Boca Raton, Florida, and has a hard-working 6th house Cancer Sun square an easy-going Moon Jupiter in her 9th. But there is little overall that is laid-back about her chart. A highly-strung, unpredictable Uranus Neptune in Capricorn on her Ascendant opposes her Mercury. To call her mercurial would be an understatement. She has an influential and controlling 10th house Pluto square her Sun/Moon midpoint and opposition Venus in Taurus making for overly-intense, high-passion relationships that sink under the strain. Most relevant of all is probably her 8th house Mars opposition Saturn which hints at intergenerational trauma and deep-seated anger issues.
He recent short lived marriage to Dalton Gomez, 7 August 1995, did have the advantage of his Leo Sun Venus falling in her 7th house of partnership. But was always going to be a stormy affair with a composite Sun opposition Neptune Uranus, trine/sextile Mars and trine/sextile Pluto.
Her present hope Ethan Slater probably has a Cancer Moon conjunct her Sun which is a good crossover; though his Mars in Aries squaring her Uranus Neptune will bring explosive differences. What is notable is that his Sun Venus in Gemini are conjunct her South Node and her Sun is conjunct his South Node – as if both pull each other back into less evolved patterns of behaviour.
Their relationship chart is a wonder of complications with a yod of Pluto sextile Uranus Neptune inconjunct Sun South Node – a ‘fated’ connection that will define their lives. There is a composite Sun Mars conjunction (sparks of attraction fly early on but tend to turn to competitive arguments) and that is in an impulsive square to Jupiter. Venus opposing Pluto for passion squares a cold, blocked Saturn which may oppose the composite Moon. It won’t be an easy relationship to split.
She is moving into a tricky patch ahead with tr Saturn moving through her low profile, less successful First Quadrant for several years. Tr Uranus will oppose her Pluto exactly now into March 2025 for an unsettled career patch with questions about future direction; and tr Uranus moving into Gemini will square her Saturn in July and by 2026 will be square her 8th house Mars which will be emotionally and financially stressed. By 2026 as well tr Neptune Saturn in Aries will square her Sun for an uncertain disorienting time.
The mind-numbing stories from Gaza of a starving, traumatized population in mid winter, described by an Oxfam director as “apocalyptic” with no help in sight from an international community seemingly incapable of taking action is a sobering indictment of the times. The Israeli liberal newspaper Haaretz, now sanctioned by the Netanyahu government, relates stories from IDF soldiers about civilians, even children, being treated as combatants. ‘The regime of arbitrary, even competitive killing, was described as “the wild west on steroids”. Hospitals and refugee camps are being bombed, aid convoys are being blocked. The independent Famine Review Committee (FRC), warned there is a “strong likelihood that famine is imminent in areas” of the northern Gaza Strip with warnings that “starvation, malnutrition, and excess mortality due to malnutrition and disease, are rapidly increasing.” in north Gaza.
Gaza stays in mind where other atrocities like the Sudan, Myanamar, even Tibet fade, partly because they are further away and because they seem beyond help. But Gaza is a western-created problem instigated initially by the USA and Britain.
The incoming Trump administration is unlikely to improve matters for the Palestinians given son-in-law Jared Kushner’s suggestions earlier this year about moving Gaza residents into the desert and possibly into Egypt and salivating over the prospect of Gaza’s ‘very valuable’ seafront property. And there being no constructive steps taken to preventing West Bank Israeli settlers expanding their territory illegally and driving Palestinians out of their homes.
The Palestine Declaration of Independence, 15 November 1988 Algiers, with its Mars at one degree Aries square Saturn at zero Capricorn conjunct Uranus – is being heavily undermined by tr Neptune Saturn in hard aspect from early 2025 through till 2027; with the Solar Arc Sun conjunct the Saturn and square Mars between 2025 and 2027. Disappointments and setbacks of considerable magnitude.
Hamas, largely destroyed, though the bitterness will breed problems down the line, 14 December 1987, has the Solar Arc Mars conjunct the Sun exactly now – with the SA Mars Pluto moving across the Hamas Sun Saturn for the next three/four years for a dead-halt, scary, totally trapped phase.
Hezbollah, 16 February 1985, has its Mars at 10 degrees Aries in line of the recent October Solar Eclipse and the late March 2025 one putting them in a combative mood. Tr Uranus opposition Saturn and square the Hezbollah Sun all through 2025 suggests a tumultuous year. Though they may be pushing confidently ahead nonetheless in patches with tr Pluto conjunct their Jupiter. 2027/28 see their Solar Arc Sun conjunct their Mars and SA Pluto conjunct their Uranus which will be an almighty clash and turnaround so nothing settling soon on that front.
The same goes for Israel which is facing years of challenge, stress and jeopardy ahead. Tr Uranus is now for the final time in a disruptive conjunction to the Israel 8th house Taurus Sun picking up a couple of days ago and running till mid March 2025, followed by tr Uranus square the Israel 10th house Mars late April to mid May 2025, the latter bringing a shock, sudden explosive turn of events with resulting insecurity and perhaps over hasty reactions.
Through 2026/27 tr Pluto will square the Israel 10th house Leo Moon putting pressure on the ruling classes from a mutinous population. The Solar Arc Mars square Pluto late 2025/26 will be blocked, high-risk, with no obvious way forward. That is mirrored in the Solar Arc Midheaven conjunct Neptune creating indecision and confusion about future direction around 2026/27. The Solar Arc Neptune is opposition Uranus for a highly-strung 2025 and then in a dented-hopes conjunction to Jupiter by 2028. Tr Neptune Saturn square the Venus will make for international unpopularity and financial repercussions in 2026/27. The Bank of Israel is showing panic and losses through 2025 and beyond.
Then into the early 2030s both tr Pluto and the Solar Arc Sun will start to exert pressure on the Israel 10th house Pluto and then Saturn. Nothing that looks like peace anytime soon.
The Israel/USA chart was never as seamlessly well matched as events might suggest with a fractious, differing-agendas composite Sun Uranus square Saturn plus an over-hopeful Jupiter Neptune conjunction. That latter will be undermined by tr Neptune Saturn opposition the Jupiter Neptune in 20925 and more in 2026 so some of the shine may come off.
Trump is fairly well-chained together with Israel with a composite Saturn Pluto conjunction in the relationship chart. There will be a few cool moments in March/April 2025 with major jolt and perhaps eruption in May 2025 and again January to mid March 2026. That could be a difference of opinion or a joint reaction to an outside disruption.
The most intractable conflict of the 20th Century seems destined to drag on.
The Dalai Lama XIV evidently once remarked, “If a problem is fixable, then there is no need to worry. If it’s not fixable, then there is no help in worrying”.
Normally I would agree but in this instance it is deeply depressing. A Palestinian was quoted recently as saying only the leaders wanted to fight – the ordinary people just wanted to get on with their lives. Much the same in Northern Ireland and it partly took the mothers standing up to say enough before peace talks got under way – with substantial input from the USA. Much the same as the end of the Russia invasion of Afghanistan when a Committee of Soldiers’ Mothers stood up and made their voices heard.
The fallout from the doomed domestic violence movie It Ends with Us rolls on with Blake Lively making accusations against her former co-star/director Justin Baldoni, filing a legal complaint claiming sexual harassment and making allegations of a coordinated PR effort to damage her reputation.
What is astro-intriguing are two coincidences. One is that she was born 25 August 1987 5.07am Tarzana, California. That makes her a Sun Mars in Virgo conjunction, the same as Dorothy Parker, Peter Sellers and the wife of the Korean president. A synchronous month for Sun Mars in Virgos. Blake Lively does have a reputation for ‘mean girl behaviour.’ See previous post below.
More than that, her stellium in Virgo of Sun, Mars, Venus, Mercury, Moon = earthy, highly-strung, critical and hard-working – sits across from Baldoni’s Scorpio stellium. He was born 24 January 1984 8.30pm Los Angeles and has Pluto, Moon, Mars, Saturn in Scorpio square an Aquarius Sun.
An overload of Virgo and the same of Scorpio might seem an uncomfortable combination given Virgo’s propensity, especially amongst the female of the species, to be self-sufficient. Scorpio needs intense closeness, almost enmeshment, which would put many Virgo’s need-space hackles on edge. What makes it marginally odder here is that Blake Lively’s husband of 10 years Ryan Reynolds, 23 October 1976 4.30 am Canada, also has a stellium in Scorpio of Sun, Moon, Uranus, Mars like Baldoni in his 2nd house.
Baldoni seems a touch more full-on so he will take control to a different level than Reynolds whose Moon Uranus will give him an inclination at least some of the time to want space and freedom to suit himself. Baldoni may be a Sun Aquarius but his instincts and relationships with women will all be driven by his fiercely possessive, controlling Moon, Mars, Pluto in Scorpio. At some level he is deeply frightened of women so needs to keep them submissive – and a Sun Mars in Virgo is not a one to give way without an argument.
Her Pluto in Scorpio hooks into both. A karmic magnet.
Now that I look, Principal Photography on the movie started 5 May 2023 in NJ with a Scorpio Full Moon in place which seems fitting. The Scorpio Moon was close to the Scorpio South Node for an early morning start.
Previous post: Blake Lively & Ryan Reynolds – Virgo Scorpio overload 16th August 2024
The battle of the egos between Elon Musk and Trump has not so far incurred any noticeable damage to their bro-romance. Though Musk’s $250 million contribution to the Trump campaign with an eye to more in the future no doubt plays a part. The recent kerfuffle over the spending deal had led some to conclude that Musk could be used as a effective weapon to pressure Congress and be a scapegoat for any backlash.
Musk born 28 June 1971 7.30 am (biography) Pretoria, South Africa, has a Cancer Sun exactly conjunct the USA Jupiter and square his Uranus. He has a neurotic and changeable Saturn in Gemini opposition Neptune in Sagittarius and Jupiter in Scorpio; with his scandal-prone, overly-hopeful Jupiter Neptune in an influential, lucky sextile to Pluto. Plus an inordinately stubborn Mars and North Node in Aquarius in his financial 8th which is square his 5th house Jupiter (on this birth time).
Tr Uranus moving into Gemini will alter his trajectory considerably -initially with a lucky break from tr Uranus opposition his Jupiter in May and late in the year, though since it is tied into his Neptune it could blow up a scandal caused by his instability through midyear and into 2026 as it moves to conjunct his Saturn. By 2026 his Solar Arc Pluto will square his Mars for a dead-halt, high-risk, enraging meltdown. By 2027/28 tr Neptune will be undermining his Sun by square.
His relationship chart with Trump for all the protestations to the contrary is feeling the strain with a rattled tr Uranus opposition the composite Mars now till mid March 2025; plus an uncertain tr Neptune square the composite Saturn now till early February, and then square the composite Sun in March 2025 and again late October to January 2026. March to early July 2025 and again on and off throughout 2026 tr Pluto will square their composite Neptune for major confusion and panic.
The UK is also in Musk’s sights though for the opposite reason as he warbles on about “Britain is going full Stalin” and opining that “Civil war is inevitable”. He is also promising to give £100 million to Nigel Farage’s Reform Party.
Musk’s relationship chart with the UK hints at distrust, competitiveness, dislike and irritation with a composite Sun conjunct Mars opposition Mercury Uranus; with Sun Uranus square Saturn. There will be ripples of discontent in late March through April 2025 and tr Neptune thereafter opposition the composite Mercury and conjunct the Mars from April onwards for several years will be accompanying a further deterioration in relations.
His relationship chart with Farage has a composite Sun opposition Neptune which suggests a degree of delusion (misplaced idealism) leading to disappointment.
Strange times – a weird trailblazer/Pied Piper.
Add On: There’s an undercurrent of serious dislike on the J.D. Vance/Musk relationship chart with a power struggling Mars square Pluto. It would not come into play in any major way until 2027 – by which time Musk may well be out of the park.
Peter Sellers renowned for his comic skills in the “Pink Panther” series, as well as “The Mouse that Roared“, “Dr. Strangelove” and most notably in Being There is admired in a recent biography. Though reviews suggest it skips over what a monster he was in reality. He married four times; had four children, including one illegitimate daughter he never met. Once during a marital fight, he tried to kill a puppy. Haunted by death he took drugs to enhance sex and abused his friends, even writing his children out of his will. In the industry he was known as impossibly difficult and “basically not a nice man.”
He was born 8 September 1925 6am (memory) Southsea, England, the only child of variety-show troupers and grew up in theatrical boarding houses. He was close to his overbearing mother. He started in vaudeville, and moved into variety shows, radio The Goon Show and into the movies.
John Mortimer once described him as “a man who stood empty, waiting to be inhabited by other people”. Which he played to perfection in Being There as Chauncey Gardiner, a simple gardener who copies behaviour glimpsed on television screens.
His Sun Mars in Virgo (like Dorothy Parker) sat at one angle of a Half Grand Sextile with a pushily confident Jupiter in Capricorn opposition Pluto, sextile/trine Saturn in Scorpio. Talented, arrogant, stubborn, sharp-tongued. His Taurus Moon was square a 12th house Neptune Mercury, trine his Sun Mars and on one leg of a yod sextile Uranus inconjunct Venus – he’d be indulgent, stubborn, addictive-prone, escapist, head-in-the-clouds, evasive.
He had a second yod onto a defiant, lawless Uranus in his 7th house of relationships inconjunct Neptune sextile Venus – consistency and commitment were never his strong point. Though such a Uranus can have the capacity to act as a catalyst because of its intolerance of convention and tendency to cause disruptions. He had planets in all three Water signs and all three Earth signs – too wide for Grand Trines but still giving him a balance of creative and practical energy.
Sellers always sticks in mind from a comment in an astrology book about harmonics about his 13H chart. 13 in numerology is ascribed to breakthrough genius – which would mirror his Uranus on a yod – but is also associated with not having a strong sense of identity. His 13H has a Sun, Moon, Saturn conjunction square Jupiter – essentially depressed but given to highs as well. There was also a Pluto Uranus opposition Midheaven square Mars combining his disruptive streak with more than a touch of cruelty.
ADD ON: Robin Williams, 21 July 1951 1.34 pm Chicago, Illinois, had an upbeat 9th house Cancer Sun sextile Saturn in Virgo; with an emphasized zany, unpredictable, explosive Uranus Mars in Cancer on the point of a T square to Jupiter opposition Neptune. His sensitive Pisces Moon opposed Venus in Virgo giving him a sweet-natured feel. His Moon was also trine his overly excitable Mars Uranus.
His chart does not reflect depression so much as an over-stretched and chaotic nervous system.
