The Winter Solstice marking the ingress of the Sun into Capricorn on December 21st in the northern hemisphere is the shortest day and longest night. Since prehistoric times it has been a significant time of year in many cultures, marked by festivals and rites. Ancient monuments such as Newgrange, Stonehenge, and Cahokia Woodhenge are aligned with the sunrise or sunset on the winter solstice.
Capricorn associated with Janus, the Roman god, is two faced – not duplicitous, but looking back to the old year and facing up to the new. Which mirrors the astrological glyph for Capricorn, combining two opposites – the goat able to climb mountains and the fish swimming in the ocean.
Days may be short and the temperature low, but in olden times livestock were often slaughtered so they would not have to be fed during the winter, so it was almost the only time of year when a plentiful supply of fresh meat was available. Less light, more food.
Whether or not the ingress chart for the Winter Solstice or other Cardinal Ingresses are enlightening is questionable.
This one has Pluto trine Uranus in late Taurus sextile Neptune (Saturn) and Jupiter trine Neptune Saturn, sextile Uranus which is much the same information as can be gleaned from eclipse charts. Plus a Sun Mars conjunction; and Venus square Neptune Saturn.
This ingress does have the warlike Mars MC through Venezuela which may be significant.
Thanks Marjorie. Like Solaia, I’m wondering about how to interpret the various intersections on the astro-cartography map.
I also noticed that the Solstice Moon opposes the UK 1801 Moon in Cancer. It also happens to be the 17 Capricorn Moon for the UK’s Roman Invasion (Campion). A divided population perhaps? Also, possibly highlights finances, and other 8th house issues.
The t-square of Moon, Chiron, and Jupiter brings in the UK 1066 ascendant in Aries, which again seems to highlight turbulent feelings in the population. If the Sun represents our PM, then it rules the IC which doesn’t look good for him at all – as we are seeing in the news at the moment anyway.
And the Ingress ascendant here aligns with the USA’s Gemini Mars. Heated discussions to say the least?!
When Starmer formally became Prime Minister at Buckingham Palace at circa 12:15 on the 5th August 2024 the IC was at 2 Capricorn which is exactly on the Sun/Mars midpoint in the December 2025 Winter Solstice chart. Those transits to the Governments IC would indicate potential conflicts at home.
Parliament has broken up for the Christian recess. Quite often a juicy or sensational story breaks in the Weekend papers, to give politicians a Christmas cracker or alternative Christmas present to sale papers just before Christmas!
Thanks Hugh – very interesting. I notice that there was a New Moon on 4th August 2024 at 12 Leo, and then 5th August has the Sun at 13 Leo – the IC of this year’s Winter Solstice chart. Adding to the ‘messages’ about the Government is the fixed star Acubens, alpha star of the constellation Cancer, at 13 Leo. Elsbeth Ebertin notes:
“[Listed as Sartan and Accubens] Alpha Cancri has a Martian nature and a strong blending in of Saturnian influence, conveying an unbalanced and “jumpy” nature. If the chart is a disharmonious one to people effected by it and especially if Acubens is in conjunction with Mars, Sun or Uranus, this will make for an unsettled mentality and helplessness.”
Just to add – Keir Starmer’s natal Juno is 13 Leo, the planet of partnerships, often a marriage but I think other kinds of important alliance too. So it was aligned with the Sun (and difficult fixed star Acubens) on the day Hugh writes was the formal installing of KS as Prime Minister, 5th August 2024. And here’s that Leo degree appearing at the IC of the Winter Solstice chart, ruled by the Sun in the 7th house of partnerships and alliances – also the house of open enemies. There appear to be quite a few open enemies now, plus some hidden ones within Government.
Cafe Astrology says this about Juno in Leo:
“Juno in Leo: You can be utterly offended if others treat you as if you’re petty, calculating, stingy, not worthy, or not generous. These are triggers. You prefer that people treat you with respect and courtesy more than anything. You want to give off the air of success and being above pettiness, and you become frustrated if people expect or think less than these things about you.”
Be interesting to see if anything happens or culminates around the time of February 1st’s Full Moon at 13 Leo early next year.
Hi, if you create an astro-cartography chart on Astrodienst, you can click on any of the intersecting lines (as well as on any other part of a line or on any place on the map) and a side menu will pop up explaining the planets involved and the meaning thereof.
Thanks for reminding! I’ll check the chart!
Moon in the 8th House for London which suggests issues with death, taxes etc will be dominating the public mind in the U.K. Venus in Capricorn in the 7th house suggests a desire for long term partnerships in international affairs but is square Saturn in Cancer in the 11th House suggests it will face challenges politically especially as Saturn in Cancer is concerned with the home, borders and domestic security. One suspects that Starmer’s governments inability or unwillingness to address concerns about the latter will hamper his attempts to galvanise the UK public into supporting his policies with regard to international relations. The presence of Mars and the Sun in the 7th suggests that the leadership will potentially be over focused on that conflict. The presence of Neptune conjunct Scheat in the 11th House and Uranus in Taurus lurking in the 12th near Algol suggests revelations about secrets or hidden matters will possibly lead to storms that at the very least blow the government into stormy and unpredictable waters.
I always have celebrated the Winter Solstice . The birth/renewal of the Sun in the Northern Hemisphere. Many laugh, yet the Sun is our life, without it we would not exist. We take it for granted. However, when the Krakatoa volcano erupted in 1883 , killing 36,000 people, it did affect the sunlight by worldwide atmospheric particles . It was a bad harvest year for many. Both the Sun and the Moon play a huge part in our existence. For me, it is respect and gratitude for these two lights. This coming Solstice my family will humour me; they will sit down with me for my celebration meal at 3pm. They may joke about it, although every year they pencil in a meal with me on the Solstice.
Same here…Sun is said to be only visible God in Hinduism as it provides life.
Also, 2026 is numerologically 1 number which represents Sun and governments and their heads would particularly be in news.
Happy Solistice.
Lovely nugget, Rachana. Thanks!!
I love this time of year here in Canada.
The darkness, the cold, the warm sweaters and boots, the Xmas lights. For me it’s a “permission granted” time to slow down into a quieter rhythm.
Oddly, the days seem longer to me now!
Warm Blessings to all for the coming year.
As a Finn obsessed with cartography , I can say the d Mars D Pluto intersection is wild. Any idea how how to interpret that?
Astrologers have always been unconvinced about the usefulness of Ingress charts – and some suggested Libra was more informative. So I would not get over exercised about difficult astrocartgraphy.
@Marjorie, I think there is a reason solstices have always been more significant than equinoxes in Nordic and Arctic cultures. We live in such wild conditions both astronomically and astrologically, it somehow makes sense to me.
When looking at 2024 Capricorn Ingress chart, the Jupiter IC line ran directly through the Baltic Sea area that rose to prominence in combatting Russian Shadow Fleet. The Eagle S seizure that remains unresolved due to lack of clear path in International Maritime law would have been less than 50 marine miles East. I also see there’s a bundle of intersections in an area where Ukrainians have been droning Russian oil refineries. And this one of the cause for Russian economy sinking.