Moon Forecast Archive

New Moon 16th December 12:03 GMT

Sun at 24° 40' Sagittarius
Moon at 24° 40' Sagittarius

The wind has been howling and the rain has been pouring. The fields around Herefordshire are saturated. Some swans have taken up residence on one of the many lakes that have appeared. The storms seem like they have been raging since before the last new Moon. I live on the top of a hill and have had quite a few restless nights of late. It’s amazing how quickly the wind gets up, one-minute - stillness and silence and the next – it’s a full on gale. The trees have been shaken free of all their leaves and whatever apples were still on the branches, now lie on the ground.

I do love this time of year; there is this wonderful freshness in the air. The evergreens are being revealed and the old man’s beard covers the scrub.  There is still a lot of colour in the hedgerows. Have you ever noticed how many different colours there are in the bare branches? Nature is so abundant and beautiful. I give thanks to my senses continually.

The night sky

Jupiter, the biggest planet in our solar system, is still shining bright in the southwest sky after sunset. Mars the red planet rises about 8.30pm. How lovely it has been to see this planet again. Mars is smaller than Earth but has a mountain that is larger than Everest and a canal, which is four and a half times deeper than the Grand Canyon. Saturn is also visible later in the evening. How amazing is it that another larger ring has been found around Saturn? This is truly a beautiful planet to view through a telescope if you ever get the chance.

The chart of the New Moon

The Sun and Moon are in the sign of Sagittarius in the 9th house, which is the natural domain of Sagittarius. They are together with the planet Venus and make harmonious aspects to Mars and the ongoing conjunction of Chiron, Jupiter and Neptune in Aquarius. Sagittarius is the sign that rules the higher mind and long distant travel. Sagittarians have a love of learning and will debate anything! They have an interest in belief systems and are fascinated by what makes people act in the way they do. They are concerned with the search for meaning and have very high morals. They are the upholders of the truth. Sagittarians say it as it is. There is an argumentative side to Sagittarius. Sometimes they make a mountain out of a molehill and it has been said that they have “foot in mouth” disease. My Moon is in Sagittarius and sometimes I know my mouth goes into action before I have thought things through. Sagittarius has a love for freedom and space. It’s a very outgoing sign and likes to have a good time. Maybe, with the combinations that are in this new Moon chart, a lot of people will be feeling like they want to have a good time and face up to any harsh realities in the future.

Uranus is conjunct the Ascendant of the new Moon chart and is in a challenging aspect to the Sun, Moon and Venus, so there is likely to be something very sudden and unexpected about this lunation. Maybe there could be surprising news concerning banks from different countries.

I get the feeling that lots of people are going through lots of changes. The heavens are alive with activity. Afghanistan is in the news continually and America has recently announced that more troops are to be sent out.  The question on a lot of minds is why?

Mars, the red planet, goes retrograde on the 20th December and does not turn direct until the 10th March 2010. When a planet turns retrograde it can give the opportunity for problems to be resolved. Mars highlights how we deal with conflict, giving us the chance to see how we assert ourselves, how competitive are we and how do we go about getting what we want. To the Romans Mars was known as the god of war. Apparently it was the convention that a Roman general would invoke Mars before setting out for battle.

Donna Cunningham says some parts of Mars- like anger, competition and sexual drive –may be uncomfortable to many in our culture but they are as normal and natural as breathing and just as inevitable.
Mars in Leo is giving us the chance to become clearer about what we want, to think for ourselves and to connect with our own truth.

Winter solstice 21st December 17:48 GMT

This is the time of the longest night and shortest day. The sun rises really late, south of east and sets really early at the most south-westerly point it can, transiting the sky really low on the horizon. The ancient people used to think that the sun was dying, but it soon became apparent, when the days started to get longer that the sun would continue to pour out its life force.

The word Solstice means to stand still. At this time the path of the sun remains at the same low declination in the sky giving the impression that it is at a standstill. This is a natural time to stop and take stock; to experience a state of Being. We are at the darkest, most internal time of the year. It’s a good time to go within and reflect on the past months and plant the seeds for the future. Decorate your space with holly and ivy and light candles. Remember the life force continues and the light will return.

Partial Lunar Eclipse of the Full Moon 31st December at 19:14 GMT

What a way to end 2009. Not only do we have a full Moon, it is also a partial eclipse. We are currently experiencing a series of Eclipses, with the next new Moon being a solar eclipse. These are very powerful times. The ancients saw eclipses as important portents of future events, having an ominous or prophetic significance.

Often people notice dramatic changes in their lives around solar and lunar eclipses, making an impact which can have an effect for years to come.

This full moon is a partial lunar eclipse and it will be visible over most of Asia, Australasia, Europe and Africa.  This eclipse will be difficult to see with the naked eye, as only a tiny sliver of the moon will be in the Earths shadow. [Thanks Tim Astro Calendar 2009.]

The full Moon chart has a very dynamic energy to it, there are lots of oppositions which will ask us to be aware of others. The mood of the people is very prominent in this chart. There is a suggestion that we need to find new ways of doing things. We need to think out of the box.

During this full Moon, a tiny sliver of the Moon will be blocked out by the earth’s shadow. It is said that lunar eclipses are not as significant as solar eclipses. I’m not so sure I think that this is the case. After all, the Moon is our closest neighbour, having an amazing affect on our oceans and seas and due to our bodies being made up mostly of water it must also have an affect on the bodily fluids.

I feel that lunar eclipses affect our emotions and work on a subconscious level, although due to the moon being blocked out by the earth’s shadow it could take some time before we become aware of what’s going on.

I leave you with a quote.
‘There are many songs within the land. But only one is born of you. Dance its colour and its tune. Celebrate your uniqueness. Dare to be different, that makes the difference.’
Origin unknown to me.

Blessing of the new Moon.
Happy winter solstice, happy full Moon and all the best for the New Year.
Linda Day.