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 mundane 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) the complete version of my 2019 World Forecast Highlights (34 8-1/2 x 11" illustrated pages); focused, amplified and elaborated with details for the month as appropriate. The full version of my 2019 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 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.

"They say I'm old-fashioned, and live in the past, but sometimes I think progress progresses too fast!"
-- Dr. Seuss
 

The Skinny

If you paid attention to my December forecast, then you were already prepared (since last year) for the major "storm and seismic stress window" of the New Year; namely the "January 6 solar eclipse (with its wider December 30-January 13 shock window)." That’s one of the two primary geocosmic turbulence zones of January – the other being the SuperMoon total lunar eclipse of January 21 (in effect from the 18th through the 24th).

But aside from these two storm and seismic risk windows, there’s other turbulence this month – personal and social in nature. Natural catastrophes tend to focus fairly narrowly in time and space. The social and personal factors I refer to here are far broader, touching wide swaths of human experience. If you read the full version of my 2019 World Forecast Highlights, you’ve known all this since last year. Otherwise, now’s a good time to get a little caught up.

Geophysical Storm Signals

The partial solar eclipse of January 6 and the SuperMoon total lunar eclipse of January 21 are the two major storm and seismic indicators of the month. Each of these, within its effective shock window, is typically accompanied by an increased intensity and frequency of disturbances in the skies, seas and crust of our home planet; i.e. earthquakes of intensity 5 and higher, volcanic eruptions, extreme tides, and powerful storms accompanied by high precipitation.

These macro effects aside, there are also biopsychic extremes accompanying eclipses and SuperMoons: emotional intensity and confrontation being the obvious signs. January gets an extra helping of this stuff. It starts with a partial solar eclipse, and wraps up with a SuperMoon total unar eclipse.

Bear in mind that the typical SuperMoon stress window is plus or minus three days of the exact date of alignment. Sometimes the shock window is extended by other solar and lunar factors, including lunar declination extremes at or near the open and close of the SuperMoon window. Solar eclipses – eclipses are the third major type of lunar extreme – can extend the shock window even more drastically, to a week either side of the exact alignment in the case of a solar eclipse SuperMoon. (For more on SuperMoons and eclipses generally, and those of 2019 particularly, see pp. 20-29 in the full version of my 2019 World Forecast Highlights, published last year.) As described therein:

"Eclipses are much like SuperMoons in terms of their connection with storms and seismicity, but they tend to rank a little lower in magnitude. Don’t expect an eclipse to herald the kind of extreme tidal surges so typical of a SuperMoon, for example. But there remains a notable historical connection between eclipses and strong storms and seismicity, including moderate to severe (Magnitude 5 and up) earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions."

"My own rule of thumb for eclipses is that solar eclipses have a geophysical shock window that extends a week either side of the exact date, while lunar eclipses are effective within a plus or minus three day window. If the seven day-either way window for solar eclipses seems extravagant, consider that it represents an orb of only seven degrees for the Sun; and that solar eclipses can happen with the Sun within as much as 18 degrees either side of the lunar nodes. I'll not presume to proselytize, but I would point out that eclipses, as syzygies, represent a pronounced ripple in the local system's space-time continuum; which ripple radiates in all directions from the exact moment of the event. How far that ripple is noticeable may be arguable, and I'm not the argumentative type."

"The January 6 partial solar eclipse at 15°25’Capricorn strikes me as one of the year’s most significant eclipse alignments, occurring as it does in a sandwich between Saturn and Pluto in the sky, and Jupiter within a degree of an exact waning square to Neptune. Adding to the gravity of this particular lunation is that it occurs within just a few days of Earth’s 2019 perihelion (closest approach to the Sun), with Jupiter less than two degrees way from its square to Neptune."

"The January 6 eclipse is only visible from northeastern Asia and the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. Think Pacific Ring of Fire territory. Plan on a surge in notable seismic activity, including M5+ earthquakes and volcanic eruptions."

"Remember that, this being a solar eclipse, it comes with an extended geophysical shock window of plus or minus seven days: December 30-January 13, in other words."

"New and full moons - SuperMoons and eclipses included – are astronomical in scale, and planetary in the scope of their manifestations. Tides, for example, cover the whole of Planet Earth. Obviously they’re more evident along the coasts, but even the solid ground beneath our feet rises and falls to the tidal rhythms. Solar eclipses have a uniquely limited zone of visibility, but their reach extends to the whole of our home planet. Astro-locality mapping is one say to see what’s happening. For something of a primer on the subject, see the Astro-Locality section near the end of this forecast. For now, just consider that such a map features lines showing where the Sun, Moon and planets are rising, setting, culminating overhead and anti-culminating below at the moment of a timed event, be it a new or full moon, the birth of a person, etc. Those lines represent zones of significance for the celestial bodies at the moment of the event in question."

"Analyzing new and full moons always includes the lines for the Sun and Moon at the time; plus any planets that happened to be focal points in the sky then. Examining these lines gives a sense of where the storm and seismicity events associated with the new or full moon in question will be most in evidence. Again, we’re dealing with a planet-wide phenomenon. The lines on the map represent focal zones of prominence – but not at all the only places where the effects we’re studying will occur."

"For example, take the astro-locality map for the January 6 partial solar eclipse. The vertical (north-south) lines show where the Sun and Moon are directly above (solid lines) and directly below (dashed lines) at the moment of eclipse. The curving arcs show where these same celestial bodies are rising (white lines) and setting (black lines) at that same moment. As events unfold during the December 30-January 13 geophysical shock window, keep an eye on the places under these lines – most especially if you’ll be there at the time."

"The only SuperMoons likely to get any notice from the media in 2019 will be the full SuperMoons of January 21 (0°52’ Leo) February 19 (0°42’ Virgo) and March 21 (0°09’ Libra). You’ll see lots of dramatic photos, as usual. And if you happen to get clear skies and go out at sunset, looking to the east will reward your eyes with a visual feast. Alas, the SuperMoon storm connection means that some people won’t get a peep at the show. The January 21 full SuperMoon, for example, will anchor a nominal January 18-24 shock window. That’s the period when a surplus of strong storms and seismic activity is likely to make news."

Again, being astronomical in scale, this SuperMoon is potentially planetary in scope. That said, areas of special interest this time around are suggested by an astro-locality map for the event. These include the Mississippi River basin and the east and west coasts of the US and Canada plus the east and west coasts of South America.

The UK, Spain and Scandinavia are under the gun, along with the Middle East, eastern India, central China and Mongolia, southern Japan, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, plus eastern Australia and the whole of New Guinea.

Lastly, central Africa, Siberia and Kamchatka are under the Sun-Moon horizon lines for this full SuperMoon eclipse.

This is not by any means to imply that the indicated target zones on the map are the only places with an elevated storm and seismic risk during this SuperMoon window. As I said, this alignment is astronomical in scale and therefore planetary in scope.

But if I were in or planning to be in any of these areas, I’d want to be sure to have at least a nominal emergency kit handy, along with some contingency plans in case of heavy weather. At least.

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, QuakeWatch or QuakeZone apps for iPhone. Any market images are screen captures from the default iPhone Stocks app, unless otherwise noted. Weather images and storm tracks are screen captures from the Weather Channel 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