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| JULY 2014 FORECAST ©2014 by Richard Nolle last revised JUN 30, 2014 |
If you were expecting some kind of sun sign nonsense, forget about it. This is real astrology for the real world, not some mystical mumbo-jumbo psycho-babble word salad. If it's real astrology for yourself that you want, you can get it by phone or in print. And if you need help deciphering the astrological glyphs in the graphics accompanying this article, see Astroglyphs: Astrological Symbols Guide. Please note: this forecast is expressed in terms of Universal Time (UT, aka GMT). Also please be aware that, while I never change a forecast once it's published, I do post errata to acknowledge typographical errors and the like.
PLEASE NOTE: This month’s forecast incorporates elements of (and refers to) my complete 2014 World Forecast Highlights (41 8-1/2 x 11” illustrated pages), focused, amplified and elaborated with details for the month as appropriate. The full version of my 2014 World Forecast Highlights is available in hard copy by mail ($75) or as a PDF document by email ($50). Orders may be phoned in (toll-free from anywhere in North America to 800-527-8761) and charged to any major credit card. PayPal orders may be placed direct from your own PayPal account page to rnolle@astropro.com – or by using the AstroPro PayPal order page.
It is my feeling that Time ripens all things; with Time all things are revealed; Time is the father of truth.
-- Francois Rabelais
Three themes dominate July; two carry-overs, and one new one. From the ongoing Mars Max T-Square to Uranus and Pluto and the wrap-up of the second Mercury Max of 2014, to the first SuperMoon full moon of the year, July is big: likely some of the biggest storms, quakes and volcanic eruptions of the year to date; lots of emotional drama too, as well as some of the worst outbreaks of man’s inhumanity to man. Toss in the start of a bull market in gold, and you’ve got yourself a pretty interesting month . . .
The vanguard of 2014’s summer trio of full moon SuperMoons begins this month. Full moons are always dramatic sights to see, particularly when the moon is just rising in the east as the sun sets. Any full moon near the horizon looks preternaturally large. A SuperMoon looks larger still, because it’s so much closer to Earth than usual. That’s what a SuperMoon is, per the original definition I gave it back in 1979: a new or full moon that occurs when the Moon is at or very near perigee - the point in its orbit when Luna is closest to Earth.
How much bigger does a SuperMoon full moon look, compared to a full moon that occurs with Luna at apogee (the most distant point from Earth in the Moon’s orbit)? Some critics have charged that you can’t tell the difference, which is just plain silly. A very close estimate of the difference in apparent size can be obtained from the ratio of the full moon’s distance at perigee, divided by the full moon’s distance at apogee. (The result from this method actually agrees to within less than one percent of the actual difference in apparent size as measured in pixels with a CCD.)
Take for example the March 19, 2011 SuperMoon, at 356,577 km. away. Compare that to the 406,434 km. distance of the apogee full moon on October 12, 2011: 406,434/356,577 = 1.1398. This puts the moon 13% (49,857 km.) closer to earth on the March 19 SuperMoon than it was on the October 12, 2011 full moon. The intensity of light being the inverse square of the distance between a light source and an observer, squaring this ratio tells us how much brighter the March 19 SuperMoon appears in comparison to the October 12 apogee full moon: 1.13982 = 1.299, or 30% brighter.
The July 12 full moon SuperMoon at 20° Capricorn will be a sight to see, as the great, big, glorious full moon rises in the east at sunset – rising especially huge over the horizon along the US and Canadian Pacific coasts at sundown – and bigger still when it sets at sunrise on the US/Canadian east coast, which occurs closer to the exact time of the full moon alignment (11:25 UT).
This particular full moon is caught up in a Grand Cross that includes the year’s signature Uranus-Pluto square; plus Mars Max. Consequently, along with the typical SuperMoon seismic, hydrological and weather extremes, this time we’ll also see another rash of the "fires, crashes, clashes and explosions" stuff – some of it due to natural conditions, but a lot of it owing to human inattention, haste, recklessness or outright malice aforethought. Much of this will be individual (e.g. mass shootings, spree killings and the like; but the ghastliest will be collective in nature – wars civil as well as international, and a good deal of domestic protest, riots and rebellion in many nations. A rough patch in the northern hemisphere wildfire season . . . more on this later.
I make the geophysical shock window for the July 12 SuperMoon as July 9-17; extended a couple days by the moon’s July 16 northward crossing of the celestial equator. This is the time slot to expect the customary SuperMoon paraphernalia: a notable increase in severe storms with high winds and heavy precipitation (followed in many cases by flash floods); also extreme tidal surges along the coasts; plus a bumper crop of moderate to severe (M5 and up) earthquakes, and news-making volcanic eruptions.
I’m not saying that these things don’t happen in the absence of a SuperMoon, despite what silly critics imply. Of course they do. There’s just a surge of ‘em when SuperMoon looms large in the heavens. SuperMoon tidal turbulence stirs up the skies over the whole of planet earth, even if its effects on the crust and seas are more localized to the coastlines and fault lines of our home planet. The bottom line is that it’s prudent to have your emergency kit, supplies and plans ready just in case, no matter where you’ll be for this particular SuperMoon. You should know the drill: bottled water, canned goods, backup power if possible, a full tank of gas in case you need to evacuate, and some extra cash. Don’t count on being able to get cash at an ATM, by the way. Weather alone can knock out the grid and render ATMs useless. But this particular full moon occurs during Mercury Max – on the very last day in fact, as Mercury reaches its maximum elongation west of the Sun. (Look for Mercury rising well before the Sun early in the morning.)
That’s one of the five critical points within any Mercury Max cycle, and those critical points generally correspond – within plus or minus 2-3 days – with an outburst of solar activity. This adds weight to the increased probability for storms that disrupt travel, communication and power infrastructure. Have a backup plan and if possible a backup power supply, and make sure your files are all properly backed up. And if traveling, having alternate routes and plans is highly advisable.
Look for an increase in strong solar flares (including high M- and X-class), Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs), and elevated geomagnetic activity (Kp 5 and up). There’s a lot more to solar storms like this than a chance to enjoy lovely aurora displays at lower latitudes (farther from the poles) than usual. And in fact there’s more than just this one critical Mercury Max solar storm vulnerability this month. More about that in a moment. For now, suffice it to say that the July 9-16 SuperMoon shock window is a time for battening down the hatches if you’re in or traveling through a place subject to the fury of Mother Nature.
There may be some pointers as to areas of special vulnerability during this SuperMoon shock window. Looking at an astro-locality map for the event. The meridian line running from Eastern Canada through the US Midwest, the Gulf of Mexico and Central America identifies a prime focus for the event. The same line emerges in the eastern hemisphere to cross eastern India, western China and Mongolia; and on into central Russia. Just east of this particular meridian is a Mars line through the eastern US. (Plus there are horizon arcs that sweep through western Africa and central Europe, across Scandinavia and northern Russia before turning southward to cross Kamchatka and the central Pacific Ocean. Also, note the Saturn meridian line that runs through West Africa and Western Europe (including the UK) in the western hemisphere, and right through New Zealand in the east.
Remember: just because you might not be under one of the astro-locality lines in the above map when the SuperMoon hits, that doesn’t necessarily mean you get off scot-free! This is an astronomical alignment, which means it's planetary in scope - and that no place on Earth is immune to the extreme tides rippling through the crust, seas and skies at a time like this.
Other Geocosmic Stress Windows
The SuperMoon full moon is easily the most significant geophysical shock signal of the month, but it’s not the only one – and it’s not by any means the longest. For example, there’s July 2-4 (surrounding the Moon’s southward crossing of the celestial equator on the 2nd). And there’s the rather extended one that runs from July 22 all the way into August 1. This one is anchored by the new moon at 3d 51’ Leo on the 26th, but extended fore and aft by the Moon’s north declination extreme on the 23rd, and southward equatorial crossing on the 31st.
While hardly uperMoon class, the above-mentioned stress windows do up the ante for tidal extremes, moderate-to-severe earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and strong storms with high winds and heavy precipitation. Keep a sharp weather eye, watch the headlines: you’ll see what I mean.
The Mercury Max cycle that began on May 25 – and included the June 78-July 1 retrograde – comes to an end on July 12. For fuller explanation of Mercury Max, see my free online article on the subject. For now, suffice it to say that a period critical to thinking, planning, communicating and exchanging is now wrapping up. We can all drop back into sleepwalking mode soon, without it being such a handicap. But before you go on automatic pilot, don’t forget those two sharp rebukes to the sleepwalkers this month: July 1 and 12. Stay harp and focused, or pay the price!
2014 MERCURY MAX
Max-E S-Rx CNJ SU S-D Max-W JAN 31 FEB 6 FEB 15 FEB 28 MAR 14 MAY 25 JUN 7 JUN 19 JUL 1 JUL 12 SEP 21 OCT 4 OCT 16 OCT 25 NOV 1 As I mentioned earlier, several important points in the Mercury Max cycle mark times when solar storm potential increases – give or take 2-3 days. There are two such critical points this month: the 1st (Mercury’s direct station) and the 12th (when Mercury reaches its greatest elongation west of the Sun, marking the end of the Mercury Max cycle. The first of these critical solar storm windows is in effect from June 28 to July 4, while the second runs from July 9 to the 15th.
Things to watch for during these two shock windows: an increase in strong solar storms (M- and X-class), Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs), and increased geomagnetic activity (Kp 5 and up). Practical, visible manifestations include stronger auroral activity extending farther from the poles then usual; overloads on satellites, electrical grids and all kinds of electrical/electronic networks (including the Net, telecommunications systems and the human nervous system itself). A slight uptick in strong storms and seismic activity (Magnitude 5+ quakes and volcanic eruptions) are also associated with strong solar outbursts.
In closing – don’t shoot the messenger - I’m obliged to remind you that the Mars Max cycle which began last December 22 continues until August 9. So the amplified "fires, crashes, clashes and explosions" theme we’ve endured for so long already still has a bit more than a month to go yet. And it’s intensified from now through the end of July, as Mars conflates with the Uranus-Pluto square: economic and cultural crises amp up the violence, from murder and mayhem by individuals to atrocities in revolutions and warfare. (For more, see the full version of my 2014 World Forecast Highlights, published last year.) Stay safe out there, as best you can. In particular, be especially watchful, calm and focused around the SuperMoon on the 12th – give or take a couple days. Safety first!
July isn’t without redeeming qualities, mind you. From the 24th through the 26th, a combination of solar and lunar alignments with Mercury, Venus and the Moon are augur an outbreak of hedonism here and there – and the start of a bull market in gold. If you bought the precious metal starting a couple months ago, as suggested in the full version of my 2014 World Forecast Highlights, you should be on your way to good year.
All astrological charts as well as eclipse and astro-locality maps are calculated and produced using Esoteric Technologies’ Solar Fire Gold Version 7.0.8 Sky map images are screen captures from the Pocket Universe app for iPhone, or produced by Starry Night for Windows. Storm tracks are screen captures from The Weather Channel app for iPhone. Solar activity images are screen captures from the 3D SUN app for iPhone. And earthquake maps are screen captures from Quakes Pro Earthquake Alerts app for iPhone.
SPECIAL FEATURE: This month's birthdays of the famous and infamous (with astrological birth charts)
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Richard Nolle, Certified Professional Astrologer consultations/orders (AmEx/Discover/MasterCard/Visa) 800-527-8761 data/fax 480-753-6261 - email rnolle@astropro.com Box 26599 - Tempe, AZ 85285-6599 - USA www.astropro.com |
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