Astrology of the Kepler Space Telescope Voyage

The United States launched a space telescope Kepler on 7th Mar 09 at 10:49 pm from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. The telescope was built at a cost of US$600 million and its mission is to find Earth-like planets in a faraway pathc of the Milky Way galaxy. The historic voyage may be the first mission capable of answer the age-old question: "Are there other worlds like ours out there?" This telescope is capable of observing about a hundred thousand stars which are between 600 and 3000 light years away.

The chart is rich with historical space symbolism. The transit North Node and Moon is conjunct the national South Node showing the significant timing and historic nature of the historical moment. Transit Pluto is opposite national Venus. Pluto rules outer space and space flight. Venus in this aspect denotes the connection with which we want to make with other worlds in the galaxy.

Transit Uranus is opposite natal Neptune and square Mars. Uranus rules science, technology and exploration whereas Neptune is symbolic of space and spaciousness. Mars on the other hand represents the air force. Moon, Uranus and Neptune are all planets that are symbolic of the telescope. Transit Mars and transit Neptune are in a quincunx to Mercury, and Mercury is a planet of flight, representative of the space launch.

Transit Jupiter is trine natal Saturn. Jupiter also symbolises distant voyanges and exploration and Saturn rules boundaries and limits. Hence this aspect is apt symbolism for space exploration.

Lightning strike of Singapore's Merlion - 28 Feb 09

The Singapore Merlion is a national symbol and icon of the country. Its statue at One Fullerton was unfortunately struck by lightning on 28th Feb 09 at 4:30 pm with the resultant loss of its top left mane and part of its right ear. About 20-30 people was nearby when the incident occured by no one was hurt. Nonetheless the event is very symbolic one, with the Lion representing Singapore and the body of the Fish symbolic of the country being surrounded by sea.

A biwheel astrological chart is cast for the moment of the event against Singapore's National Chart. Several significators are immediately obvious:

(a) Transit Uranus is at an exact conjunction with natal Chiron, indicating the suddenness and unpredictability of the event and the injury it has caused to the country's icon. Uranus itself rules lightning. Both planets are in the sign of Pisces, and Pisces is symbolic of the Fishes.

(b) Transit Mercury forms a T-square with natal Sun and natal Neptune. This is indeed striking as the Sun in a National Chart represents the government or the icon of the country. Sun is also the ruler of Leo which signifies the lion whereas Neptune is the planet of the sea and signifies the relationship of the Merlion with the sea. Furthermore as Mercury rules the ears, it is most apt that the Merlion's ear has been damaged.

(c) Transit Mercury is quincunx natal Venus and transit Venus is conjunct the natal IC. Venus is symbolic of statues and the damage done to this particular strikes at the innermost sentiments of the country.