With Mercury going retrograde yesterday, it doesn't strike me as a great time to begin loading a nuclear power plant with fuel rods.   See this link about the program:  nuclear power

If the loading takes 2 - 3 weeks, it would mean that Mercury will be retrograde the entire time.  Mercury goes direct again on September 12. 

In addition to Mercury's wanting to go back to take another look at this, Saturn squared Pluto early this morning (approx. 3 am, PDT).  Saturn signifies limitation, boundaries, crystallization, and hardship.  Saturn teaches us to forget about short-cuts and pay attention to the details.  Pluto is power.  Underground, raw power as in a volcano.  Think secretive, slow, and focused.  If put toward positive goals these 2 can signify an ability to do hard work to transform or rebuild.  Sustained effort is now most possible.  If either planet's powers cannot be balanced and aimed, the destructive, cruel manifestation can be unleashed with no regard to consequences. 

So, using these basic signals creatively, what we may see are delays, stoppages, changing of plans or outcome, revision, or endings.  At it's best, I could imagine an appeal to reason and responsibility with sustained guidance through an eventual elimination of a desire to destroy.  If, and when, the power is available to provide Iran with energy, it will not be without some destruction or accidents. 

Personally, I would love to see the planet without nuclear weapons and contamination. 

I haven't been feeling that well, but am feeling better every day now.  Sorry it's been so long.But I have to chime in. 

There are so many looking forward to toasting the results in November as great changes happen.  This will be good news and bad news for them.

By brief looks at Lunation charts (New Moons), Solstice and Equinox charts, as well as the chart for election day, change is taking place, alright, but not the kind they think.   Some are sure conservatives will return to power.  I don't see it.  Strictly astrologically speaking, it's not there.  I may be wrong, but we'll see. 

Saturn represents the conservative, "old ways".  Status.   Class.  On election day, Saturn receives no help from any of the other major planets. 

By contrast, Jupiter would represent liberal progress, according to some astrologers, and Uranus would stand for the detached, humanitarian change for the good of all.  All of humanity.  All.  Taken too far, Uranus can be too rebellious for the sake of change and may take a step only to see that the stepping stone hasn't been secured yet.  Jupiter can bloat, hardly trying to resist the urge to grow or increase.  Jupiter and Uranus are conjunct (in the same degree of the zodiac)on and off this year, combining their energies or signals.

Change is happening and we'll see more in the last half of 2010.  Stay tuned!

So many misconceptions out there!!! The sun-sign astrology columns are pure entertainment. There may be a tiny sliver of accuracy there.

The zodiac is best visualized as a 'belt' surrounding our solar system. You know a complete circle is 360 degrees, right? The Sun is the main life-giving force but at any given time only takes up one degree of that circle. There are 12 signs, 30 degrees in each sign. Many options for the Sun plus the Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto! I know someone could do the math to see, on a minimum scale, how many factors go into describing a chart. A chart is like a photo of the skies at any given time.

In fact, the planets on the angles (just rising, just overhead, just setting, and straight down beneath you and the earth) give a more accurate picture of characteristics, talents, and timing. Sun rising (if you were born at 6 a.m.) would give someone "presence", a leadership quality, and a noble demeanor, no matter what the socio-economic status. Each planet gives a certain neutral energy or signal, and when improperly managed (out of balance) the expression of those qualities would be too much or not enough. Too much Sun would bring excess pride. Too little would damage self-esteem and confidence.

If the Sun is in the 1st degree of Taurus and the Moon is in the 1st degree of Virgo, they are 120 degrees apart. This is called being in a 'trine' aspect. The aspects tell much more about a chart's potential or flavor than sun-sign astrology (which is mainly entertainment).

A serious astrologer has studied and often intuitively perceives how to combine these 'signs' to give very accurate information. This has been done since human beings first sat under the starry skies, observing. An early chart interpretation was found in stone in Nebuchadnezzer's library in modern Iraq. This dates from 500 years before Christ or the Common Era. There is a long history there. That's a lot of observation. It can be argued that Adam and Eve, as well as those in other clans, tribes, and areas around the globe, were the earliest astrologers.

Yesterday the Sun got a big boost for action from Mars, which got rid of obstacles to the goal.  The Sun also had a chance to share views with Saturn, hopefully letting him know progress and reform won't be a bad thing.  Maybe a situation in your own life could be loosely compared to a struggle for change. 

Each planet represents an energy, frequency, or signal that can be regarded as a person symbolically.  When these energies relate to each other by aspects, we see the results pretty easily.  An example would be when the Sun is in Aries (as it is) exactly 120 degrees from Mars in Leo.  This was a partial picture of yesterday's sky.  Gradually, the aspect will fade away, while others appear. 
 
Thursday we have the Sun 90 degrees from Pluto.  This is called a square aspect.  It can represent struggle, resistance between the 2 energies, or movement toward a new action not seen in the immediate past.  We're talking about  the center of the solar system, the life-giver, the Ruler, coming to agreement (eventually) with a powerful urge to transform or clear the way for a rebirth. 

There are many powerful outer-planet aspects happening now, and throughout this year.  This is evolution. 

I believe the health care reform bill will pass.  If you look at the active planetary line-ups of this time, it favors reform, progress, communication, details, and the mood of improvement, in general. 

The charts for the times (give or take a few hours or a day) when the Social Security bill was enacted and the civil rights bill was signed had that same emphasis.  The charts of progress and reform most often feature a strong Uranus.  This exists in all these charts.