Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil’s new far-right President, a deeply divisive figure and infamous for his racist, homophobic and misogynistic remarks, was sworn in at 4.50pm on January 1^st in Brasilia. A former army captain he was voted in on a ticket of promising to free the country of corruption, crime and economic mismanagement. He was shot and wounded during the campaign and still has further surgery to come.

His Term chart isn’t inspiring with a nebulous Neptune in the 10^th in an over-hopeful square to Jupiter, hinting at promises made and not delivered.  With a hidden Sun Saturn Pluto in the financial 8^th suggesting not only considerable economic problems but also dirty dealings out of sight. Pluto opposes the North Node squaring onto innovative, revolutionary Uranus – so there will be radical changes for good or ill.

Born 21 March 1955 2.45pm Sao Paulo, he has a formidably strong, power-hungry and ruthless chart with an ambitious 10^th house Mars in a hard-edged opposition to Saturn in Scorpio square Pluto opposition Venus and Moon in Aquarius.

His chart sits exactly on top of the axis of the Brazil 7 September 1822 4.08 pm Piranga chart, so he clearly strikes a chord with an essential strand of the country’s psyche.  That chart does have the same military/cruel Mars opposition Saturn which is sextile/trine Neptune Uranus in Capricorn and is no stranger to military regimes.

The Brazil chart shows signs of upheaval, disruption and aggravation from May 2019 onwards with tr Uranus opposition Mars; and a swampy sense of confusion till late 2019 with tr Neptune opposition the Virgo Sun.

Bolsonaro looks conflicted over the next few months which could be health as well as other issues from a couple of unhelpful Solar Arcs; but will push ahead bullishly nonetheless and will start throwing his weight around in 2020 with a perhaps over-confident series of initiatives. This will lead into a sharp change of direction in 2020 as tr Uranus is conjunct his midheaven.

Actress Keira Knightley has been letting fly in all directions with some fruity and forthright opinions on the status of women, banning her daughter from watching Cinderella – waken yourself up, don’t wait for a rich guy to come along. She’s been acting since she was six, was a tomboy as a child, had a breakdown after too much success in her early twenties and doesn’t see why she shouldn’t tell it like it is. She was in Stars Wars at 13, Pirates of the Caribbean at 17, then Bend it Like Beckham, then Pride and Prejudice.

Born 26 March 1985 in Teddington, London, she’s not surprisingly a feisty Sun Aries square Neptune; but what drives her chart is a do-or-die determined Mars in Taurus opposition Pluto square Jupiter in Aquarius (similar to Antarctic solo explorer Colin O’Brady: see post Dec 27.) Plus her Mercury in upfront Aries conjunct Venus is trine Uranus, which will give her a charming and direct way of speaking.

The interview below is worth reading.

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/dec/28/keira-knightley-i-cant-act-flirt-or-mother-to-get-voice-heard

Nasa’s New Horizons space probe has survived its attempt to carry out a record-breaking exploratory mission four billion miles from Earth. The probe has made contact with Earth to confirm its successful flyby of the icy Ultima Thule space rock, a new record for the furthest object ever explored in the Solar System about a billion miles beyond Pluto, which was until now the most faraway world ever visited up close by a spacecraft. Ultima Thule is unique because it is a relic from the early days of the solar system and could provide answers about the origins of other planets.

The initial launch was on 19 January 2006 from Cape Canaveral, Florida at 19 hrs UT. This gives a final degree Capricorn Sun trine a Virgo Moon; with an adventurous Mars in Taurus opposition Jupiter squaring appropriately onto cosmic Neptune in Aquarius which is opposition Saturn – a Fixed Grand Cross for endurance and perseverance.

The harmonics are descriptive with a strong get-it-together 5H; an even more notable seeking-and-searching 7H; genius/exploration/breakthrough 13H; stamina 16H; and superstar22H.

Brian May, lead guitarist, with Queen released a new song celebrating New Horizons’ spirit of inquiry, adventure and discovery.

Scotland is standing on one foot watching the Brexit vote(s) with anxiety. Almost two thirds voted to remain within the EU and a shambolic exit might well tip the balance for a second Independence Referendum.

The Act of Union between Scotland and England took effect on 1 May 1707 (JC) and has a controlled and controlling Sun square Jupiter Pluto in the 8^th (assuming a midnight start), which would give rise to power struggles, but is nonetheless well-knitted together and will be difficult to separate.

Tr Saturn in Scorpio was putting the dampers on good feelings in 2014 for the first referendum conjunct the MC, opposition Sun and square Pluto Jupiter but wasn’t strong enough to cause a split. Tr Uranus might be the catalyst for a more obvious parting of the ways as it conjuncts the Sun and squares Pluto in 2023/24. The last time tr Uranus was in Taurus was in the 1930s when the Scottish National Party was formed. At the very least it will bring the issue centre foreground again with major disruption.

The relationship chart between Scotland, 25 November 1034 JC, Perth and the UK – again with a chained-together-and resenting-it chemistry from Saturn opposition Pluto square Node –  starts to show major wobbles from 2020 onwards with tr Uranus square the composite Pluto, culminating in 2022/23 with tr Uranus square the Saturn.

On the Scotland chart, 2021 is a key moment since tr Uranus will square the focal point Saturn on the apex of a Yod to Mars sextile Neptune, which points to a fated change of direction, starting with a jolt.

The England 11 May 973 JC chart is in for a phase of major confusion/devastation from 2021/22; being forced to take stock of what comes next with tr Uranus opposition Uranus; and being rocked on its pedestal by tr Uranus conjunct the Sun Mars and square Pluto in 2024/25. The last time tr Uranus came round to elbow the England Sun Mars and Pluto was over the Battle of Britain in 1940, the most dangerous phase of World War Two when a German invasion was a real possibility. The Royal Air Force fought off Luftwaffe planes and gave rise to Churchill’s memorable “Never was so much owed by so many to so few” speech.

A rocky ride ahead more, so for England in many ways than Scotland. Though the possibilities of an independent Scotland stepping rapidly back into the EU look remote with major disappointments between Scotland and the EU through 2022/23.

It needn’t come to an outright split with England/UK but there will certainly be ructions,  bitter arguments and a need to revise agreements.

Elizabeth Warren has become the first high profile Democrat to toss her hat into the ring for 2020, announcing she is forming an exploratory committee. A former law professor, she gained prominence for her critique of Wall Street after the 2008 financial crash, has been a senator since 2012 and gained fans for standing up to Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell on the Senate floor. But she is seen as a divisive figure and may be too polarizing to fit the times.

Born 22 June 1949, Oak Hill, OK, maybe 1.51 pm (unverified astrotheme), she’s a rebellious and innovative Sun Uranus in Cancer in a sensible sextile to Saturn in Virgo.  Her Saturn is widely square Mars Mercury in Gemini, giving her grit and an argumentative streak.

She’s got an uphill battle at the moment with tr Pluto opposition her Mars/Saturn midpoint and that runs throughout  2019; but where she really starts to dip is between March 2020 and late September 2020 with tr Neptune in hard aspect to four of her key midpoints. She may decide to call it quits before 2019 is out and if she doesn’t I doubt with all that Neptune around that she’ll get the nomination.

She’d have more luck in 2024 when tr Pluto will conjunct her Jupiter.

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Hong Kong with an 8 degree Cancer Sun is another country in line for Eclipse challenges through 2019. They are under increasing pressure from the authoritarian Chinese government – ‘mainlandisation’ and clamp down on moves towards self-determination – despite the pre-1997 promises of “one-country, two-systems” protecting existing rights and freedoms.

On the 1 July 1997 midnight chart the January and December Capricorn Eclipses fall in HK’s 10^th house conjunct the midheaven, suggesting a crisis around direction and ambitions. With the Solar Arc  Sun opposition the HK Neptune this year and Solar Arc Mars opposition Neptune in 2022 there seems little hope of a move towards more freedom though there will be some efforts in 2020 with tr Uranus square the HK Uranus.  The Solar Arc Midheaven will catch the repressive tr Saturn Pluto opposition in 2019/2020 which suggests a standstill.

The 25 January 1842 HK chart, with Saturn Jupiter at 8 Capricorn,  is no more cheerful – with attempts at positive change as tr Uranus squares the Sun from May 2019 onwards for a year meeting with disappointment which will drag on. Tensions with China will escalate in 2021 and worsen towards 2022/23.

HK Chief Executive Carrie Lam’s Swearing in chart with a 9 degree Cancer Sun and 9 degree Libra Moon will also be considerably rattled through 2019.

A modern equivalent of the most febrile period in English political history in the aftermath of the 17th Century Civil War is being re-run in Westminster for the next several years. Simon De Montfort’s first parliament chart, 20 January 1265 JC, has the same Solar Arcs running from 2016 to 2024 as were in place in 1652 to 1659 after the Parliamentarians revolt against the monarchy, with a Republic briefly in place and Oliver Cromwell at the helm. This is the first time in 360 years that these influences have repeated.

The De Montfort chart seems to work well, showing up the start of World War 1 and WW11 clearly.

Solar Arc Uranus is conjunct the Parliament Saturn, exactly now as Westminster faces one of the most difficult decisions in its history. Uranus is rebellious, a risk-taker, especially sitting close to Jupiter, and will certainly give rise to considerable tensions and outbursts. It won’t resolve quickly or improve with Solar Arc Uranus moving to form a highly insecure and fractious conjunction to Mars in 18 months’ time, which is when the Solar Arc Mars and then Saturn start to oppose the Parliament Pluto through an exceedingly stressed, bad-tempered and trapped phase up to 2024.

On transits tr Pluto will continue the dreary, discouraging slog of 2018 as it trines the Parliament Saturn through 2019, joined in April by tr Pluto in an infuriated, frustrated trine to Mars, on and off till late 2020. A dis-empowering tr Neptune square Pluto picks up in 2020 into 2021 as the same time as tr Uranus begins a jolting series of squares to the Sun, Neptune and Venus for forced change of direction due to fast-changing circumstances; and by 2022 tr Pluto will square the Pmnt Uranus for more disruptions.

Republicanism is unlikely to be a forefront issue though a national government is possible to deal with a chaotic political and/or economic  situation. So there’s not going to be a quick n’ easy end to this saga.

What was around for Brexit in 2016 was Solar Arc Jupiter conjunct Mars, which is adventurous, risk-taking, a what-the-hell moment to waken up torpor.

Nancy Grace Roman, “Mother of Hubble”, has died aged 93. An American astronomer, the first female executive at NASA, she was instrumental in planning the Hubble Space Telescope. Throughout her career, she was an active public speaker and educator, and advocate for women in the sciences.

Born 16 May 1925 in Nashville, she became interested in astronomy at school but had to fight prejudice against women taking up maths and the sciences. In later years she said she always used Dr in front of her name otherwise she wouldn’t get past the secretaries.

She was a Sun Taurus square Neptune in Leo – Neptune is often found prominently in the charts of mathematicians. Her Sun was also trine Jupiter in Capricorn, sextile Uranus in Pisces – giving her confidence and luck which provided the openings for her to further her career; and focussed onto innovative Uranus helpfully in cosmic Pisces it would give her a bent for research. She also had an ultra-do-or-die-determined Mars Pluto conjunction trine Saturn in obsessively conscientious Scorpio, which wouldn’t hurt either.

Her North Node in Leo gave her the capacity to be a leader.

Her two strongest Harmonics were the helper/healer 12H and the super-star 22H. Her genius/breakthrough 13H was also notable.

We women really don’t know how lucky we are nowadays. There may still be glass ceilings and misogyny in science but it’s nothing like it used to be.

Canada’s had a troubled and isolated year with repercussions from Saudi Arabia over a tweet about jailed human rights activists and from China, up in arms about the detention of the Huawei executive, wanted on a US extradition warrant for bank fraud and violating Iran sanctions. And no back up from the White House or anyone else globally on either issue, plus the trade arguments.

Tr Saturn has been opposing the Canada Cancer Sun Uranus through 2018 which is a sobering, separating influence and will spend 2019 squaring the Canada Neptune and Ascendant for more uncertainties and downbeat moments. The Capricorn and Cancer Eclipses will also be  in aspect to the CA Sun Uranus, so it’ll be a year of sharp questioning about direction. Tr Uranus will trine the CA Mars across the middle of the year into 2020, which will bring sudden moments of insecurity but will end well in 2020 with tr Uranus sextile Jupiter. A risk will prove worthwhile.

There will be financial concerns with a disappointing and undermining tr Neptune square the CA Venus till late 2019 and similar from Solar Arc Neptune square Venus in 2020/21. The Bank of Canada chart, 11 March 1935, looks challenged and tested through from April 2019 till late 2020, with some success and some serious failures. The economic stresses will run on till almost 2023, which fits the global pattern.

The USA/Canada relationship chart is edgy and explosive now till mid February 2019, jangled late March into April; with some relief after mid year.

Justin Trudeau, the PM’s personal chart, has hitches and glitches through spring and a downhill slide thereafter. His Term chart is also sagging badly from April onwards.