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). Location for all mundante charts is set for the Great Pyramid at Giza; the choice being strictly arbitrary in any case. 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 2017 World Forecast Highlights (38 8-1/2 x 11" illustrated pages); focused, amplified and elaborated with details for the month as appropriate. The full version of my 2017 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 or debit card. Orders may also be placed direct from your own PayPal account page to rnolle@astropro.com – or by using the AstroPro PayPal order page.

"The only function of economic forecasting is to make astrology look respectable."
-- Ezra Solomon (often misattributed to John Kenneth Galbraith)
 

The Skinny

The big stories as 2017 opens up are more social and political than geophysical. Yes, we’ll have periods of pronounced storm and seismic activity (a bit of a December leftover carrying into the 1st, but principally January 9-15 and January 25-31); nothing approaching SuperMoon or even eclipse intensity, however. But these pale in comparison to the social, political, economic, scientific and technological turning points we’re witnessing this month, and throughout 2017.

The Maxi

Venus Max and times of relative plenty seem to happen together, all else being equal. That’s good news, since the newest Venus Max cycle – the first since October of 2015 – takes effect on January 12, 2017 and continues until June 3 this year. Astronomically speaking, Venus Max is akin to a SuperMoon, in one important regard: it coincides with the close approach of Venus to the Earth, just as a SuperMoon is the close approach of the Moon to Earth. By the same token, Venus is at its biggest and brightest in the skies of our home planet during the Venus Max cycle; just as a full moon SuperMoon is noticeably bigger and brighter than usual. A bigger, brighter, closer Venus is a good thing, by and large. (See the full version of my 2017 World Forecast Highlights for the whole story on Venus Max.)

I expect Venus Max to usher in a period of relative prosperity, extending by and large into mid-year. Returns on investment will generally improve, through rising equities and interest rates. For the investor class, this makes for rising animal spirits; which tends to feedback on itself to the benefit of the financial markets. I suspect there’s a catch to this boomlet; namely that it’s based on unrealistic expectations. Venus is conjunct Neptune as this Max cycle begins, after all.

The Mash-Up

The January 19 Mars-Saturn square occurs with Jupiter still within a couple degrees from its exact opposition to Uranus; and Uranus in turn still only a few degrees away from its square to Pluto. A hard aspect like this between the Red and the Ringed Planets is always a sign of increased risk of loss and danger through violence and mishap; from “fires, crashes, clashes and explosions” to outright acts of criminality ranging from interpersonal to collective conflict. The fact that it melds Mars and Saturn with the Uranus-Pluto square and the Jupiter-Uranus opposition makes it social, political and international; and it conjures with those patterns from the 1930s as well.

This won’t be normal garden variety strife and conflict. An outbreak of ultra-violence hardly gets noticed any more, because it’s so common. This will be noticeable, but it won’t be the end of the world, either. A good time to get out of the line of fire, as best you can. (Who’s the Designated Survivor here, anyway?) I figure that much of January will be tense like this. The January 1 Mars-Neptune conjunction is within a few degrees of exact from December 28 through January 6: trust no one, watch your back, be aware of risks for chemical/radiological hazards. (How close is the nearest railroad track to your house? The closest chemical plant, etc.?) Think safety and security: the greatest threat is the one that is not recognized as such. And the January 19 Mars-Saturn square is wihin a few degrees of exact from the 13th through the 24th. Heads up, my friends!

The Muddle

Last but not least among the major themes this month is the first Mercury Max cycle of 2017 – which actually began on December 11,.and remains in effect through January 19. (For more on Mercury Max, see the full version of my 2017 World Forecast Highlights.) The key thing to remember about Mercury Max is that it’s a time for mental focus and acuity. Look sharp, be sharp, follow through and have a backup plan – and good backups, while you’re at it. This is especially true within plus or minus three days of the 8th and 19th, the two key pivot points in the cycle this month.

What’s special about these dates is that they up the ante of strong solar storms – M and X-class outbursts, CMEs (Coronal Mass Ejections), and strong geomagnetic storms (Kp 5 and higher). You’ll see signs of this in increased auroral activity, electrical and electronic interference, and disruptions in such infrastructure as electrical and electronic networks, satellite and computer systems, radio transmission and the like.

Acknowledgments

All mundane astrological charts as well as eclipse and astro-locality maps are set for the Universal Time (UT) of the event, and calculated and produced using Esoteric Technologies’ Solar Fire Gold Version 7.0.8. Charts are set for the location of the Great Pyramid - a purely arbitrary choice, since location is irrelevant to these charts. Unless sotherwise noted, sky map images are screen captures from the Pocket Universe or Star Rover apps for iPhone, or produced by Starry Night for Windows; storm tracks are screen captures from The Weather Channel app for iPhone; and earthquake maps are screen captures from the QuakeFeed ör Quake Alerts app for iPhone.

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

Richard Nolle, Certified Professional Astrologer consultations/orders (AmEx/Discover/MasterCard/Visa) 800-527-8761 data/message 480-753-6261 - email rnolle@astropro.com Box 26599 - Tempe, AZ 85285-6599 - USA www.astropro.com