NeptuneCafe

08/30/2026

September’s Top Five Astro-Events

1. Saturn squares Ceres on the 18th, linking their current placements in Aries and Cancer in challenging ways. This aspect is in effect from the 14th through 20th and most readily influences how you take care of yourself and those around you, especially family members.

2. Jupiter is trioctile Neptune on the 22nd, and an influential combination from the 18th through 26th. Jupiter in Leo linked to Neptune in Aries can bring some exalted feelings about self and/or someone else, like a celebrity, politician, or acquaintance who has done something extraordinary.

3. Uranus in Gemini turns retrograde on the 10th, an unusually volatile astro-event since Mars in Cancer simultaneously forms an octile to Uranus (exact on the 12th). This makes the 9th through 12th a highly volatile phase when anything could happen.

4. Juno turns direct in Capricorn on the 16th while squaring Eris. Juno’s slowing motion into this retrograde station matches Eris’s naturally slow motion, making their square a high value astro-event all month.

5. The Full Moon on the 26th conjoins Neptune in Aries, a dreamy, hazy, potentially deceptive phase lasting several days before and after the actual astro-event. The only true choice at this time is the one that comes from your intuition, from your inner knowing.

The above are brief excerpts from this week’s NewsScope. Get the full picture here:
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08/23/2026

Neptune’s Cycle and Tecumseh’s Curse

Until Ronald Reagan’s term in office, Tecumseh’s Curse has brought the death of every president elected in a year that ends in zero, which is every twenty years. William Henry Harrison died in 1841 and was the first to fall because he led the military expedition against Tecumseh and his confederation of Indian tribes. Tecumseh was killed in the 1813 Battle of Thames and the surviving brother placed a curse on “The Great White Fathers.”

Since Reagan (elected in 1980), George W. Bush (2000), and Joe Biden (2020) all survived their terms, historians have dismissed Tecumseh’s Curse as an urban legend based on coincidence. However, when one investigates these historic patterns with astrology, it begins to make sense and remains an ongoing danger. The caveat is that the pattern only becomes apparent when using the Scorpio Rising US chart, set for 2:21 pm on July 4, 1776.

The natal potential is shown in a unique 8th harmonic configuration centered on the Mars-Neptune square. Mars is located in the 8th house of death and is fatefully octile (semisquare) to the North Node, located at 7º Leo. This North Node is, in turn, square the Ascendant at 8º Scorpio. Neptune is octile the North Node-Ascendant square, creating a tight bridge of stressful interactions.

Reagan didn’t die in office but he was shot and seriously wounded in 1981. And then he had life-threatening surgery on July 13, 1985 when transiting Neptune was at 1º Capricorn and precisely tri-octile the US Midheaven. George W. Bush was nearly killed on May 10, 2005 when a live hand gr***de was thrown at him during a public event. At the time, transiting Neptune was at 17º Aquarius and opposite the US Midheaven (+1º).

Neptune’s 8th harmonic aspects to the US Midheaven are a little slower than the twenty-year cycle of Tecumseh’s Curse. So Biden missed this weird pattern, but Trump is right in the middle of it. Trump has been under this Neptune cycle since he took office in January 2025. Transiting Neptune turns direct this coming December at 1º Aries — tightly tri-octile the US Midheaven. Will he survive?

The above is an excerpt from this week’s NewsScope. Get the full picture here: https://neptunecafe.com/NewsScope

08/16/2026

OpenAI Security Incident

On July 16, 2026 the AI start-up company Hugging Face reported a unique cyberattack that was carried out by “an autonomous AI agent system.” As it turned out, Hugging Face was hacked by a rogue OpenAI research model that had secretly broken through its guardrails, its “sandbox.” The incident evokes several sci-fi films where artificial intelligence takes over the world, such as the HAL9000 computer in 2001: A Space Odyssey or in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.

OpenAI was incorporated on December 8, 2015 (time unknown) with its headquarters located in San Francisco. The Sun in Sagittarius is closely trine Uranus in ground-breaking Aries, identifying the company’s founders as tech pioneers. OpenAI was designed by a team of computer scientists and entrepreneurs, including Elon Musk, Sam Altman (the current CEO), and Greg Brockman (OpenAI’s president). The inherent danger and internal strife in this AI company is shown by the natal Mars-Uranus opposition.

The asteroid Pallas plays an unusually key role in this chart for two reasons. First, Pallas’s vision goes beyond linear viewing. Pallas sees how all the elements fit together holistically, using her creative intelligence to come up with new ideas. And second, Pallas conjoins Pluto. Asteroid expert Demetra George describes the Pallas-Pluto combination as “the power of ideas to transform reality.” OpenAI’s Pallas-Pluto conjunction squares the Mars-Uranus polarity to form a volatile shape-shifting T-square.

Does this chart work in practice? ChatGPT was originally released on November 30, 2022 and changed the way the public uses and thinks about this new technology. This AI chatbot, developed by OpenAI, had 100 million users within its first two months. At the time of its public release, Uranus had advanced one sign and at 16ºTa**us was exactly quincunx the natal Sun. And transiting Pluto at 26º Capricorn was precisely trine the karmic North Node (orb: 0º04’). Also, transiting Saturn at 19º Aquarius was very favorably trine progressed Mars at 19º Libra.

The OpenAI rogue cyberattack was announced last month as transiting Saturn was turning retrograde while activating the natal T-square. More precisely, transiting Saturn at 14º Aries was exactly squaring natal Pluto at 14º Capricorn. And as it happened, progressed Mercury had advanced from its natal position at 28º Sagittarius to 14º Capricorn where it conjoined natal Pluto.

Yes, this horoscope works in practice, and the natal potential and manifested events are a clear warning that AI needs public oversight.

The above is an excerpt from this week’s NewsScope. Read the rest here:
https://neptunecafe.com/NewsScope

08/08/2026

Steven Forrest’s Books Reviewed

For 27 years I wrote Dell Horoscope’s book review column under the pen name Chris Lorenz. During that time, I had the opportunity and honor to evaluate seven of Steven Forrest’s books — all of which contain extraordinary vision and perspective. The top 334 reviews I wrote are collected in a book published in 2020 titled The Ultimate Book of Astrology Books,* and that’s where you can find the complete reviews of Forrest’s books. To whet your appetite, here are a few excerpts:

1. The Night Speaks was written to demonstrate that “astrology is intellectually plausible and spiritually healthy.” The basic problem for the astrological community is that it operates on a different paradigm than the dominant culture: astrologers believe that we live in a meaningful universe. Well after this book was written, Richard Tarnas echoed this idea by calling it “an enchanted universe.” As Forrest explains it, this underlying assumption is subversive territory to the scientists with their mechanistic worldview.
Forrest refers to the time before 1993 and the time after as the digital divide: “In the post-Uranus/Neptune digital age, identity is becoming non-local.” The digital revolution has actually fragmented society so that people are organized into like-minded groups with similar ideals rather than geographically. Of course, the digital revolution has brought a surge in popularity of astrology, especially the kind that goes beyond Sun Signs. And the advent of astrology software has erased the need to know the mathematics of setting up a horoscope. Still, astrologers only talk to the astrologically-savvy, and scientists stand outside and continue to criticize…. In that sense, nothing has really changed.

2. Locating and acting upon our powerful psychological reservoir is Steven Forrest’s subject in The Book of Pluto. We all have Pluto somewhere in our chart, and this is where something wolf-like in us knows no surrender, no compromise. As Forrest describes it, this energy is the most morally ambivalent force we humans possess. When allied with sane, healthy energies, this Plutonian intensity can manifest our greatest ideals. But it can also self-righteously destroy the world, wallow in depravity, or waste away in endless depression.
The difference between these two paths is the difference between living a fulfilling, meaningful existence, and an unreflective life-style shaped by the lies, shame, or cruelty of childhood experiences. Forrest provides a clear psychological framework for the moral perspective between these two paths, what he calls “high Plutonian work” and the distorted way. Wherever Pluto is located in the natal chart describes where the individual is vulnerable to distortions based on unprocessed wounding experiences. Getting back to the right path means uncovering the repression, and correcting the navigational error.

3. 4. In Skymates II: The Composite Chart, Steven and Jodie Forrest unveil the third technique for exploring relationship patterns, which is investigating the chart made from averaging the two partners’ horoscopes into a single, composite chart. This way of analyzing relationships is meant to come after the first two ways are fully explored. In other words, the astrologer first looks at the individual natal charts, and then the bi-wheels for getting a grasp of relationship potentials. These techniques were fully developed in their first volume, Skymates: Love, S*x, and Evolutionary Astrology.

5. Yesterday's Sky is about story-telling, about interpreting a horoscope from the view of the lunar nodes as if they describe past lives. While no one may be certain that we have past lives, the story that emerges from the South Node is often an incredibly accurate description of current tendencies and real-life conditions. Over the past two or three years, many astrology books have been published about the relevance of the lunar nodes, but here we have the master of this technique as he presents the philosophical framework, the cookbook reference sections, and the clear interpretive methodology.

6. Forrest has begun writing a four-part series about the elements and their correlations to the planets and houses. The first, The Book of Fire, is now available, and a superb entry point into mastering our craft. Readers will absorb exceptionally astute perspectives about the interconnections between the three Fire signs, the Sun, Mars, and Jupiter, and the 1st, 5th, and 9th houses. And in the process of fine-tuning your interpretation skills, you will contribute to upgrading the overall quality of the astrological community.

7. Astrologers may intuitively know that Neptune and spiritual growth are interconnected, but the exact process of how this works becomes crystal clear in Forrest’s latest publication, The Book of Neptune. He asserts that Saturn’s “one-size-fits-all” religious rules ended with the discovery of Uranus in 1781. He invites readers to leave behind Saturn’s repressive influence and discover a more personal path. And the way to do this is by understanding the role Neptune plays in your horoscope by house, sign, and aspects to other planets. Forrest’s Neptune is filled with helpful reference material on Neptune’s natal placement, but it’s also a masterful guide on the tenor of our times as seen through Neptune’s multi-faceted symbolism.

* TUBAB is available through Amazon here:
https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Book-Astrology-Books-Collection/dp/B08DSSCLP4/

08/02/2026

Natalie Harp, Trump’s 12th House Assistant

Last week President Trump went on yet another spree of social media posts, which included plenty of bizarre AI-generated content. The posts appeared on Truth Social after hours and into the early morning, and explains why he fell asleep during the White House Correspondents Dinner and Lindsey Graham’s funeral. According to The Wall Street Journal and other sources, Trump’s young personal aide Natalie Harp is responsible for many of these posts.

Ms. Harp was born with her Leo Sun squaring a Mars-Pluto opposition (August 8, 1990; San Diego, CA; time unknown). Mars in conservative Ta**us opposite Pluto gives an intensely competitive nature, often with a desire or need to win at all costs. This fierce Mars-Pluto dynamic challenging her Leo Sun has put her in the far-right political spectrum, which she has expressed as a host on Fox News and later as a presenter for OANN, the conspiracy-driven extreme right news channel.

After her stint at OANN, Harp joined Trump’s 2024 campaign as a staff member, and she’s been unusually close to him ever since. Some sources indicate a different or unknown birth date, but when comparing her chart to Trump’s, this date works well. Most obviously, this is shown by her Leo Sun in Trump’s 12th house. She works behind the scenes, often in his private quarters that are generally open only to Melania and family.

Also, Harp’s Ceres at 22º Leo is in a tight sextile to Trump’s Sun at 22º Gemini. This connection is echoed by her Leo Sun closely aligned with his Ceres in Aquarius. A doubled Sun-Ceres interchange describes their mutual interest in wanting the best for each other. Sun-Ceres brings a beneficial, devoted, and loyal caring, much like a loving parent to a child. For Harp it describes her caretaking function, both in watching over his physical health and in issuing his social media posts.

Her official job title is Executive Assistant, but as a headstrong Leo, she’s not a team player. She provides sources, images, and content for Trump’s social messages without the approval of other staffers who might recognize any potential damage. Comparing their two charts shows little or no sexual chemistry. But they both have Venus in Cancer in close aspect to Saturn. Trump has the Venus-Saturn conjunction while Harp has her Venus opposite Saturn in Capricorn.

Venus in Cancer often reflects a love of family with specific relationships further defined by accompanying aspects. Venus-Saturn is about the father figure. Trump’s relationship with his father has been the subject of innumerable commentaries, generally focusing on how his father taught him how to be tough and competent, but not offering any direct love or affection. Natalie Harp’s relationship with her father was similar, ending when he committed su***de in 2020.

Both Trump and Harp are psychologically seeking a loving father-child relationship. They found it in each other. Meanwhile, Trump’s late night social media posts have become a nonstop MAGA propaganda machine. With transiting Jupiter in Leo now, and heading for Harp’s Sun and Ceres, we can only expect that she will take more liberties with her role as Trump’s protected and loyal content provider.

The above is an excerpt from this week’s NewsScope. Get the full picture here:
https://neptunecafe.com/NewsScope

07/26/2026

August’s Top Five Astro-Events

1. Jupiter conjoins Hygeia on the 6th at 8º Leo but this duo is influential from the 1st through 11th. Hygeia, the third largest asteroid, is an important archetype with her health, hygiene, and medical associations. In this favorable combination with Jupiter, opportunities arise to clean up your act both metaphorically and physically. It’s a good time to get rid of clutter and organize your stuff, which clears the way for problem solving. Hygeia-conjunct-Jupiter may also bring insight into long-term health issues, especially regarding the chemicals and drugs your body finds toxic and those that may improve your well-being. Jupiter urges one to look at the Big Picture, and with Hygeia, the health of our planet. Those with prominent placements at 6º to 10º of the fixed signs are favored to take advantage of this dynamic.

2. The Solar Eclipse on the 12th takes place at 20º Leo. Many may find this partial eclipse pleasant since the Sun and Moon are exactly octile (45º) Venus at 5º Libra. However, with nine of the ten traditional planets in Fire and Air, global warming events become problematic within a few days of this eclipse, especially extreme heat and wildfires. Those with angles or planets located at 19º to 21º of Leo or Aquarius are especially influenced by this eclipse. Endings and new beginnings can be expected within a few days of the 12th, particularly concerning personal and family relationships. Look for the light where you can shine proudly and comfortably to express your creativity, leadership, and generosity. Superficial, critical, and condescending attitudes will backfire at this time. Acting on your moral convictions will be rewarded.

3. Mars conjoins Ceres on the 9th at 28º Gemini and then the two enter Cancer on the 11th and 12th respectively. Together, Mars and Ceres are a noticeable influence from the 6th through 12th. Those with pets, children, or aging parents under their care will have their hands full as Mars catches up to Ceres. Mars can bring squabbles but is otherwise action oriented. That makes this a good time to support those you love through recreational or creative activities. Become proactive by planning ahead of time what you’ll be doing with those who rely on you. When Ceres enters Cancer on the 12th, she becomes super nourishing and caretaking, especially toward family members. This Ceres-Mars combo loves to cook tasty meals. Make sure you’ve stocked up on healthy, nutritious food.

4. Vesta and Black Moon Lilith are in a tight trine all month. Vesta slows into her retrograde station on the 25th when she makes the exact trine to the mysterious Lilith. Although these two feminine archetypes aren’t generally deployed by most astrologers, those with natal placements at 27º of any sign will be feeling this duo. Vesta is in Aries where she brings energy and drive to those activities that you feel are sacred or special to your personal destiny. Lilith in Sagittarius promotes decency, moral behavior, and an openness to all people. Not finding that makes her extremely angry, and she may do whatever is possible to right the situation. The Vesta-Lilith combination can heighten your psychic ability, especially concerning the people and events that influence your personal path or your sense of what’s true and right.

5. The Lunar Eclipse in Pisces on the 28th squares Uranus in Gemini, making for some exciting and/or anxiety-inducing developments. With the Sun and Mercury in duty-conscious Virgo, this partial eclipse urges those under its influence to break free from relationships, job responsibilities, and daily life patterns that feel too restrictive. Contracts and other legal documents enter the picture for approval or shredding — think things through before acting impulsively. Consciously staying in stagnant situations will bring up uncomfortable nervousness or health conditions that seem unrelated. Now is the time to become more independent and to take a vacation from routines. Open your mind to let in new ideas. If life seems to be sailing along, the days around this Lunar Eclipse will wake you up, bring unexpected developments that force changes.

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07/19/2026

Iran’s Mercury-Mars Conjunction in Pisces

With the extended on again–off again Iran War, it’s worth a look at Iran’s national horoscope to gain further insights. Problematically, several charts are in circulation, with each reflecting a key moment in Iran’s 1979 transition from a CIA-backed monarchy to a theocracy. Nicholas Campion’s definitive The Book of World Horoscopes describes five potential primary charts for Iran which helps sort them out.

A good start for the Islamic revolution came on February 1, 1979 when the Ayatollah Khomeini returned from exile. Some five million followers welcomed him back — one of history’s most massive gatherings ever. Celebrations and fighting continued through February 11 when the Shah’s military surrendered. At least three valid charts can be set for this date. Then, the Ayatollah’s official announcement on April 1, 1979 created the Islamic Republic of Iran. In my view, this last one works best and it’s set for 3:00 pm Tehran.

The chart for Islamic Republic of Iran features Leo Rising with Black Moon Lilith conjunct the Ascendant. This illuminated dark force manifested as the cult of personality in the Ayatollah and his appointed leaders. And with the assertive Sun in Aries situated in the 9th house of religion, a militant theocracy was born. A Mercury-Mars conjunction in mystical Pisces confirms this background with Mars religiously accented by its square to Neptune and trine to Jupiter. Mars trine Uranus adds revolutionary fervor.

Iran’s natal Mars is also exactly octile (45º) its Midheaven at 10º Ta**us and describes the Islamic Republic as a hotbed of geopolitical turmoil. Iraq invaded Iran on September 22, 1980, launching an eight-year conflict. At the time, Iran was experiencing a progressed Mercury-Mars conjunction at 26º Pisces (orb: 0º11’) which was activated by transits from the three outer planets over the next few years. The day of the initial attack took place as the progressed Midheaven was exactly octile natal Mercury, which helps validate the 3:00 pm birth time.

Another historical checkpoint arrived on June 3, 1989 when Ayatollah Khomeini died. Several major transits and progressions were in effect at this time, notably, a transiting Saturn-Neptune conjunction was squaring the natal Sun. Also, the progressed Midheaven at 20º Ta**us was exactly opposite natal Uranus. Note how transits, progressions, and natal placements are all in sync during historic milestones.

And then an international agreement engineered by Barack Obama (the JCPOA) arrived on July 15, 2015. It’s aim was to limit Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. Again, several major transits and progressions were making tight aspects. One of the clearest was transiting Jupiter at 24º Leo conjunct progressed Lilith at 23º Leo with these two forming harmonious trines to progressed Mercury and Mars at 24º and 23º Aries.

Moving on to current events, Trump invaded Iran on February 28, 2026. On this date, Iran’s progressed Moon at 18º Aquarius had recently entered the 7th house of open enemies and was exactly squaring progressed Uranus at 18º Scorpio — a fitting astrological signature for a surprise attack. Transiting Uranus conjunct the progressed Sun aptly describes the assassination of the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei.

Iran’s Mercury-Mars conjunction in the watery sign of Pisces is a clear astrological message about the prominence of organized religion in shaping their current regime. But the amplified Pisces element may also refer to their military control over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital international shipping lane. On March 2 Iran announced that they were closing this seaway to unfriendly nations, just as transiting Mars entered Pisces.

Iran’s progressed Midheaven is now at 26º Gemini and its progressed Sun is at 27º Ta**us. These two are both tightly linked to the natal Mercury-Mars conjunction in Pisces. They suggest Iran’s immediate and long-term ability to militarily control the Strait of Hormuz. And since Iran’s Mars at 25º Pisces squares the US Mars at 21º Gemini (and Trump’s Sun at 22º Gemini), getting past military conflict won’t be easy.

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07/12/2026

Saturn Stations Opposite the US Saturn

On July 26 Saturn turns retrograde at 14º45’ Aries. In itself, Saturn turning retrograde is an annual event, so not unusual. But this time, Saturn’s retrograde station happens to be tightly opposed to the US Saturn at 14º48’ Libra, making a rare and exceptionally momentous opposition. How might this play out?

Since Saturn in the US chart squares the Sun in Cancer, we can expect some important developments concerning the nation’s leadership. The challenges Trump faces are coming to a head and will likely include watershed events around the war in Iran. His poll numbers continue to fall, his mental and physical health are obviously impaired, and his backers are withdrawing their unquestioned support.

Saturn in Aries challenging the nation’s Saturn in Libra brings a pervasive us-versus-them vibe. Originally, the nation’s Sun-square-Saturn in Libra brought a constitutionally framed balance of power, equally divided between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government. But Saturn in the me-first sign of Aries challenges this balance, as Trump has so actively demonstrated since his second term began.

The us-versus-them dynamic extends well beyond Democrats versus Republicans, as the historical record shows. Every 28-30 years, as Saturn transits through this particular degree, major movements have developed against the status quo that’s been seen as increasingly corrupt, stagnant, or immoral. The last time transiting Saturn went through 13º to 14º Libra was in 1997 and 1998 when Democrat Bill Clinton was president.

At the time, Republicans controlled the House and Senate, so the standoff between political parties that meant no bills could be passed. In that era, the third and final Saturn transit opposite the US Saturn took place on January 22, 1998, which was when the Monica Lewinski scandal erupted and severely undermined Clinton’s authority and ability to get anything done.

Beyond these political developments, the digital revolution had arrived. The World Wide Web initiated the Dotcom revolution, permanently upsetting the traditional way of doing business. A million websites were created in 1996-97, built under the motivated drive of Saturn in Aries. This kind of social upheaval was also a key feature of the previous Saturn in Aries cycle, which took place in 1967-68.

That Saturn passage corresponded to the anti-Vietnam War protests, the Summer of Love, and the sudden insurgency of the Civil Rights movement. This time, transiting Saturn made only one passage through 14º48’ Aries, and that happened on May 31, 1968. Martin Luther King was assassinated a month earlier, which brought violent riots across America. Bobby Kennedy had presented a youthful challenge to LBJ and the Vietnam War, but he was assassinated only one week after this key Saturn transit.

Going back one more Saturn cycle brings us to 1938-1939 when FDR was president. The us-versus-them framework played out in the US as the Allies versus N**i Germany and the beginning of US involvement in World War II. What social, geopolitical movement carries these kinds of momentous divisions in today’s world?

Trump’s authoritarian grab for ultimate power is one obvious area where the system needs fixing. In response, widespread protests under the “No Kings” banner are becoming more intense. In political sympathy, the movement known as Socialist Democrats is gaining in popularity under the leadership of a Jew, a Muslim, and a Latina (Bernie Sanders, Mamdani, and AOC).

As described in this month’s Top Five Astro-events, Mercury turns direct a few days before Saturn turns retrograde. This brings a kind of “changing of the guard” when key politicians, celebrities, and other public figures either exit or enter the field. Saturn retrograde indicates that some older politicians are fading out, clinging to power (or life, as in Lindsey Graham’s and Mitch McConnell’s cases). Mercury turning direct favors young people coming forth, taking over, initiating positive action.

Much remains unpredictable but, as the deaths of MLK and RFK in 1968 and the Monica Lewinski scandal of 1998 demonstrate, we can expect some history-making events that realign the current shape of the us-versus-them patterns.

07/08/2026

Thomas Canfield, writing at astrocom, offers his insights into the US's Solar Return based on the Scorpio Rising national horoscope. He starts with the SR Midheaven at 7º Capricorn which happens to conjoin Eris, the planet of Discord, in the US chart. From this, he finds parallels in the 13 colonies having to deal with mad King George III and our current "Mad King." Read the rest here:

Eris on the Midheaven: The Age of DiscordAstrology / By Starcrafts Thomas Canfield Given the current upheaval in the country, it is appropriate that the Midheaven for the USA’s Solar Return chart is conjunct the Natal Eris in the 1776 chart. It may serve as a reminder of the discord that began the...

07/05/2026

Does the US National Horoscope have Scorpio Rising?

Following up on last week’s posting of the Solar Return for the US’s 250th anniversary, some questions arose about the accuracy of the national horoscope. In particular, those who use the popular Sibly chart set the Solar Return for 3:43 am on July 5. This one features Ceres on the Ascendant in contrast with Saturn on the Ascendant in the Solar Return based on the US Scorpio Rising horoscope.

What is the true Rising Sign of the US? Unfortunately, we have no AA-rated birth time for the signing of the Declaration of Independence, but a persistent myth about the so-called Sibly chart indicates that the time was 5:10 pm on July 4, 1776. Problematically, the astrologer Ebenezer Sibly lived in London and he published his Sagittarius Rising chart in 1787. In other words, the time used for the Sibly chart was given by an astrologer not living in the US, 11 years after the fact, and through unknown second-hand sources.

Comparing the two Solar Returns for this 250th anniversary, what makes more sense? Is our current national mood best characterized by the nurturing, caring empathy implied by Ceres on the Ascendant? Ceres is in Gemini and supported by a sextile to Saturn, which also suggests widespread freedom of speech. Or is our current mood shaped by the aggressive, authoritarian control of Saturn in Aries on the Ascendant? If the answer is as obvious as it seems, then you’re in favor of the US Scorpio Rising chart.

Another popular US chart features Gemini Rising. This chart was originally popularized by the famed astrologer Evangeline Adams and, according to Karen Christino’s biography, Ms. Adams got this chart from her teacher Luke Broughton whose practice was to put the ruling planet for an event on the Ascendant. Uranus, the natural ruler of revolutions, was therefore placed on the Ascendant, and since Uranus was in Gemini at the time, the US chart had Gemini Rising. The big problem here is that Uranus was rising at 2:15 am when everyone was sound asleep.

The Scorpio Rising chart was originally rectified by astrologer Marc Penfield who set it for 2:20 pm. After extensive research, I eventually came to agree with this Ascendant, though fudged it one minute to 2:21 pm. The intense drive associated with this Scorpio Ascendant is given a powerful urge for independence by the exact quincunx from Uranus, located at 8º Gemini. The Moon in Aquarius resonates with Uranus and provides the history-making counterpoint to the domineering Scorpio-Pluto vibe.

Astrologer Michael Baigent helped popularize the Sagittarius Ascendant when he wrote that it “symbolizes the great enthusiasm and adventurous spirit of the American people and their search for meaning, for the divine, for freedom.” But this happy interpretation ignores the institutionalized practice of slavery and the genocide conducted against Native Americans. The centuries of fixed national attitudes of the whites’ domination over the colored races is more suitable to Scorpio.

Scorpio is naturally associated with the eagle, the nation’s sacred national symbol. When Scorpio is rising, the Sun in Cancer is located in the 9th house, making the US a nation of immigrants. Scorpio resonates with the 8th house which, in the US chart, has four planets and the Part of Fortune. Scorpio and the 8th house are about borrowing money to build a business, or pooling assets to form corporations — the very nature of capitalism.

The US has had six Scorpio presidents — more than any other sign. Only three presidents were born with their Sun in Sagittarius. Consider that when Scorpio is rising, Leo is at the Midheaven, the point traditionally associated with leadership. And in the US, this Leo Midheaven also represents the Commander-in-Chief. Of our 46 elected presidents, 11 of them have Mars in Leo, a statistically mindboggling high number. Eleven presidents with Mars, the military planet, in Leo? It only makes sense when the US national chart has Scorpio Rising.

If you’d like to explore the Scorpio Rising chart some more, visit my page here: https://neptunecafe.com/scorpio-rising