US Solar Return 2008

Well this is a BIG year for the US – so if solar returns really can deliver the goods, there should be some quite significant planetary action going on in the 2008 solar return chart. The upcoming election is hugely significant for Americans but also for the rest of the world, can the solar give us any clues about what’s ahead? The horoscope

The Moon is the planet to look out for in a solar return chart. Here it is in the Sign Leo – as it was in the 2000 solar return. However here it is at the start of the sign as opposed to the end. It is in fact located very close to Barack Obama’s radix** Sun which is as 12 degs. 32 Leo, and is conjunct with the US radix North Node (at 7 degs. 35). ** Retrograde Jupiter -natural ruler of the US ascendant and ruler of the solar ascendant is moving into opposition with the US Sun. The Sun in a mundane chart represents a country’s elite, the head of the Government. Could this suggest a break with the Republicans? The opposition falls at 17 degs. 27 – which is just over 4 degrees from where the Sun stands in the solar return. 4 degrees could point to four months, the election is in November.

Jupiter also the natural ruler of foreign countries. Has the US really had enough of the Irak War – enough to want to change direction? Again Jupiter retrograde opposing the Sun suggests turning. The planet must turn direct. Mercury too is playing a very interesting role in this horoscope. At 22 degs. 2 Gemini – it is conjunct with US radix Mars in the 7th house . Not only is Mercury it in its own sign here Gemini – cunning and hugely intelligent – it is also about to aspect all of the trans-personal planets and in the right order, first Uranus, then Neptune and last but not least – we will see the opposition with Pluto. The US has its radix Mars in the 7th house, the house of open enemies. So could there be the possibility of some intelligent decision making with regard to Irak ? Of all the planets – Mercury really does seem to hold the most promise. For once intelligence might just win the day. Though it must be said the square to Uranus is troublesome particulary as Uranus is in the 3rd house. Fear of the unknown can even make Mercury jittery. A lot of people are not really sure what Barack Obama’s all about. He still has a lot of work to do for sure.

Staying with Mercury. After Uranus come Neptune and the North Node – this pair have serious pulling power.  This is vision with a capitol V. This is the way to go. Finally the strength of the Obama message “We can Change, Yes we Can” … can do a lot to sap Pluto’s strength before it starts to make its run of oppositions with the radix US planets in Cancer. Let’s face you can do a lot better working with Pluto than against Pluto.. With Mars in Virgo – ruled by Mercury – the chart really holds a lot of promise. There seems to be quite a lot of thought guiding the actions here, and perhaps some very serious pulling of strings.

What I do find very un-settling about the chart –  is that the midheaven in the US solar return chart – is conjunct with John McCain’s ascendant and Pluto rises in the Solar. The cold invisible hand of Pluto. There is great power behind the throne.

***Radix is a word astrologers use to refer to the placement of a planet in the person’s birth chart. In this chart the Sun and Moon are in mutual reception