The Autumnal Equinox

Autumnal Equinox, Sunday, September 22,  4:44:08 pm  EDT +4:00  chart for Washington D.C., by Marlene Pfeifle, CAP
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The entrance of the Sun into one of the four cardinal signs - Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn - are the most important solar ingress charts of the year. 

The arrival of the sun, moon, or planet into a zodiac sign is known as an "ingress". Mundane astrologers draw up charts based upon the moment the ingress, and they apply their interpretation of the influence of the planetary phenomena to nations and large communities.

The entrance of the Sun into one of the four cardinal signs of the zodiac form the background in which various other astrological events take place during the seasons - Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter . These charts furnish, what H. S. Green calls, "a framework or skeleton outline of the year."

The ruler of the rising sign of the chart and the Sun's placement in a solar ingress chart govern the energy of the chart. It is important to note that the ingress chart influences, but does not override, the impact of eclipses and major outer planet transits that take place during the season.

Listed on the web site article, in the column on the right, are the significant astrological events that may create volatility in the market this season.

Come senators, congressmen
Please heed the call
Don't stand in the doorway
Don't block up the hall
For he that gets hurt
Will be he who has stalled
There's a battle outside
And it is ragin'
It'll soon shake your windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'... - Bob Dylan

The 2013 Equinox chart for the Washington, D.C. is governed by an extreme level of challenging energy. Aquarius rises in the Equinox Chart giving Uranus and Saturn rulership over the chart. The Libran Sun in the eighth house strongly supports the planetary influence of the rulers. Aquarius is a "fixed" sign, therefore the energy governing the chart will be a strong and enduring influence throughout the season.

There is a sextile - and mutual reception - between Saturn and Pluto supporting Saturn's influence, which adds intensity to Saturn and bestows more authority to Pluto in the challenging square between Pluto and Uranus.

Virgo on the cusp of the eighth house - where the Libran Sun resides - adds magnified observation, critical precision, and a refined level of intensity to all matters associated with the eighth house, Scorpio's natural domain. Venus, the ruler of Libra, is in Scorpio - a sign where astrologer's describe Venus as in its "fall"- a sign that inhibits positive attributes of Venus. Add to that, Venus is conjunct Saturn. Whew, that's a lot of restrained, frustrated, challenging energy!

And yet there is more! Magnifying this energy is an applying T-square with Venus-Saturn, Moon, and Mars. Astrologers are known to quibble over the size of orbs allowed between aspects - the opposition shown in the chart above from the Moon to Venus and Saturn squares Mars within three hours of the Sun's entrance into Libra, however, had I allowed for a wider 5 degree orb instead of a tight 3 degree orb, the chart would show red lines drawing a stressful T-square between the Moon, Mars, and Venus-Saturn.

Saturn, Uranus, and Pluto dominate the season - Expect challenge and uncertainty. But... look around, read the news - one can surely recognize that Bob Dylan's song, which captured the tumultuous spirit of the '60's, could have been written today...

"The line it is drawn, The curse it is cast, The slow one now Will later be fast, As the present now Will later be past, The order is Rapidly fadin', And the first one now Will later be last, For the times they are a-changin'..."

 (Read chart analysis and discussion of astrological events..)