Mars-Uranus conjunctions occur at intervals of about two years on average. The aspect is occasionally repeated three times over the course of five to six months or so, due to a Mars retrograde during the alignment. This is a fairly rare occurrence: it happens only once or twice a century as a rule - and in some eras, several centuries can elapse between such alignments. (This was the case from 778 to 1129.) It is one of the very most momentous types of Mars-Uranus conjunction, since it occurs when Mars is retrograde and therefore at or near perigee (closest approach to Earth): Mars becomes much more prominent during such close passes.

The last "three-peat" Mars-Uranus conjunction occurred between 11 and 15 Virgo in 1964-65 - squaring Uranus and Mars in the US Declaration of Independence chart - during the beginning of direct US involvement in what was to become the Vietnam War. Past triple alignments of Mars and Uranus occurred in 1206-07 (Genghis Khan began his sweep across Asia), 1480 (the Spanish Inquisition), 1612-13 (the founding of Russia's Romanov Dynasty), and 1672 (beginning of the so-called Age of Enlightenment in Europe and the Americas). The next one won't come until 2041-42.

As the slower-moving of the pair, Uranus determines the sign placement of this aspect. Since Uranus spends an average of about seven years in a sign, the Mars-Uranus conjunction will occur in a single sign for close to that span of time - sometimes a couple years less, if Mars changes sign shortly after the conjunction. For example, the 1997 conjunction marked the first in the Aquarius series of these alignments that lasts until 2001. This happens to be a short series, because Mars aligned with Uranus in the last degree of Capricorn on January 8, 1996 - and then entered Aquarius later that same day. The previous Aquarius series of conjunctions took place between 1913 and 1919 (a period which included, of course, World War I). The next is from 2080 to 2086.

The Mars-Uranus conjunction signifies a penchant for the use of force and genius to solve problems. Rather than attempting to resolve contradictions, this alignment seeks to overwhelm them - or to redefine the situation so as to render inherent contraditions irrelevant. Such a revolutionary (or at least unconventional) approach tends to be erratic, and often produces unforeseen consequences that can be disastrous. But if focused and sustained, this kind of orientation can be spectacularly effective - in which case it ends up being hailed as a brilliant success.

While strongest when exact, the Mars-Uranus conjunction is effective throughout the time during which these two planets remain within orb of conjunction. The duration of this period is principally determined by Mars (the faster-moving planet), with a mean daily motion of about a half-degree per day. Thus if an orb of seven degrees be allowed, the conjunction can be in effect for a couple weeks before and after the exact (partile) alignment. (Lesser orbs will of course result in shorter effective periods.)

In a natal chart, the Mars-Uranus conjunction is generally most significant when at or near the angles or otherwise emphasized in the horoscope (e.g. by participation in a major aspect pattern).

Examples of people born under the conjunction of Mars and Uranus include actresses Anouk Aimee (Mars-Uranus angular at the midheaven, squaring Pluto), Ava Gardner, Katherine Hepburn, Shirley MacLaine (a Sun-Mars-Uranus conjunction) and Barbara Stanwyck (Mars-Uranus opposing a Venus-Neptune conjunction); baseball great Vida Blue; singers Rosemary Clooney (Mars-Uranus on the ascendant), John Denver (also on the ascendant) and Boy George; academic revolutionary Angela Davis; actors Johnny Depp (Mars-Uranus conjunct Pluto), Michael J. Fox (Mars-Uranus at the descendant), Lorne Green, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Robin Williams; latter day Malthusian Paul Ehrlich (Mars-Uranus square Pluto); former US Secretary of State General Alexander Haig; historic US President Herbert Hoover (a Moon-Mars-Uranus conjunction opposing Saturn at the midheaven); party girl Christine Keeler (born under a quadruple conjunction of the Moon, Mars, Saturn and Uranus); Dr. Death himself, Jack Kevorkian; TV football sportscaster John Madden (the guy who draws all over your screen); famed spy Mata Hari (a quadruple conjunction of Sun, Mercury, Mars and Uranus); educator Maria Montessori; dancer Valerie Perrine; John Bennett Ramsey (born with Venus opposing Mars-Uranus, the father of tragic murder victim JonBenet Ramsey); ousted Arizona Governor Fife Symington; and sci-fi pioneer H. G. Wells

Richard Nolle, Certified Professional Astrologer phone or fax 480-753-6261 - email rnolle@astropro.com Box 26599 - Tempe, AZ 85285-6599 - USA on the World Wide Web at http://www.astropro.com