January is notable for having a conventional Blue Moon; that is, the second of two full moons to occur in the same calendar month. (The Gregorian calendar in this case, to be specific.) As indicated in my 1999 forecast, the Blue Moon lunar eclipse that closes the book on January is an especially rare celestial specimen. (More on that at the end of this forecast.) There are a total of three lunar syzygies this month: the two full moons at the beginning and end, and the new moon in the middle. Lots of geocosmic action here, lots of storms and seismic potential. Toss in the Mars-Saturn opposition on the 19th – the same alignment seen at the onset of the 1962 Cuban Missile crisis - and you're looking at some very high drama to christen the new year. Well, at least the major world equity markets should rack up some nice gains this month, as the Saturn-Neptune square builds into a crescendo of speculative frenzy. What a bubble we have forming here!

The January 2nd full moon, as described in last month's forecast, is in effect from December 30th to the end of the full moon window, which closes on January 5th. While this particular full moon isn't in the same league as a SuperMoon or eclipse, it will still up the ante for strong storms (including high winds, heavy rain or snowfall and/or flooding) as well as moderate to severe seismic activity (Richter 5 or greater quakes, volcanic eruptions). The January 2 alignment happens to be an AnteBlue Moon: the first in a pair of full moons to occur in the same calendar month. It will be followed by the Blue Moon eclipse of January 31st, one of two Blue Moons in 1999.

The new moon on January 17 – in effect from the 14th through the 20th – is, like the full moon on the 2nd, not in the same class as a SuperMoon or eclipse. But it will still pose an elevated risk for strong storms, flooding and moderate to severe seismic activity (including Richter 5 or greater quakes and/or volcanic eruptions). It's followed closely on the 19th by the first of this year's three Mars-Saturn oppositions. So the Mars-Saturn alignment is very much in effect as the new moon forms in the heavens. Given that complicating factor, I expect this to be one of the two strongest Sun-Moon alignments this month. So in addition to storms and seismic upheaval making headlines, expect an upsurge in . . . well, see the following paragraph.

The January 19 Mars-Saturn opposition at 27 Libra-Aries is within one degree of being exact from the 16th into the 22nd. This will be the peak period for the alignment, a time when conflict and tension run high. (Although the full moon on the 31st means this stress potential isn't entirely past until about the 4th of February.) On the personal and collective levels, this means heinous crimes of violence, terrorist atrocities, and military conflict. Danger of all sorts will tend to run high: fires, explosions, accidents etc. Hair triggers and short fuses are the order of the day whenever Mars opposes Saturn. Remember the Cuban missile crisis? It brought the world to within hours of a global thermonuclear Apocalypse, and it started under this configuration. For more on Mars-Saturn oppositions, see my 3000-year table of all such alignments from 600 BCE to 2400 CE. This particular Mars-Saturn opposition focuses tightly on the Sun in the natal chart of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, suggesting great danger for him and his nation around this time. Israel in turmoil is nothing new, but this looks extreme.

January draws to a close with the Blue Moon eclipse at 11 Leo-Aquarius on the 31st – the first of two Blue Moons this year, as noted. (In the entire 20th Century there are only three years that have two Blue Moons: 1915, 1961 and 1999. And there are only four Blue Moon eclipses this century: 1904, 1915, 1982 and 1999. For more on Blue Moons, see my table covering all of them in the 20th Century.) During this particular Blue Moon eclipse window – January 28 to February 4 – we're in for a stronger than usual bout of severe storms, flooding and moderate to severe seismic activity (Richter 5 or greater quakes and volcanic eruptions). I expect especially strong storms during this period. Like all Sun-Moon alignments, this one has global import. Still, as noted in my 1999 preview, there are some zones which appear to be at special risk: along a north-south line from western Australia through eastern China and from the center of South America up to western Greenland; north central Canada, the western quarter of Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, the Great Lakes area, the Carolinas, northernmost Great Britain, eastern Europe and east-central Africa round out the regions of apparent greatest vulnerability. (See for yourself: take a look at the Astro*Carto*Graphy map for this alignment.)

The January 31 Blue Moon eclipse marks an important time in the life of anyone born with significant placements around 11 degrees of the fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius). For example, there's Russian President Boris Yeltsin, born with the Sun at 11 Aquarius: expect yet another leadership crisis in the Kremlin as January draws to a close. Another example is US President Bill Clinton, born with a rolling Saturn-Mercury-Pluto conjunction with Pluto at 12 Leo. The President's chart was hard hit by two eclipses in August '98 (when the Lewinsky scandal hit critical mass), and is similarly under siege as the January 31 Blue Moon eclipse forms in the heavens. Given this President's "Wag the Dog" tendencies – not to mention the 15 Taurus Moon-Venus conjunction in the Iraq chart, let alone Saddam Hussein's natal Sun-Uranus conjunction at 8-10 Taurus - there's no small chance that the US military will once again be in action around this time. And then there's UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, born with the Moon at 11 Aquarius: late January is bound to be tough on his popularity ratings. Last but not least there's the Pope, who was born with several planets in the affected regions of Taurus and Leo . . .

SPECIAL FEATURE: This month's birthdays of the famous and infamous (with astrological birth charts)