Venus Occluded by Moon

1
It was cloudy over London so I missed it but here is a link to a news article on the subject.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ire ... tml?via=mr

I did observe the sky the following evening and Jupiter was higher in the sky than Venus in Capricorn (trop zodiac) so what does it foretell ??

Using Al-Biruni's significators of religion we have Venus for Islam and Jupiter for Christianity.(I am aware of another one where the Sun represents Christians but Al gives that to the Mithras cult)

Islam has been in the news a lot this year but I think over the following month we will see more about the latter. Taking Capricorn to represent England there may even be a bit a revival in church attendance in this country.This will be more apparent as we approach the next lunation,also in the same sign.

Matt

2
There is another occlusion by the moon coming up on the 7th January from just before dark until 18:37. This time it is the Pleaides that disappear. According to Babylonian Lore this means that the country rises up against the leader. From an anglocentric viewpoint maybe it means that Brown will be given the push some time soon before he bankrupts what was the 4th largest economy in the world.

From memory the Pleaides is also a signifactor of blindness so maybe the conjunction of luminary means that the people finally see reality and not the illusion of him as some sort of safe pair of hands.

If skies are clear at sunset on the 4th look to the west with your binoculars to see Mercury,Jupiter,Venus and the Moon.If,like me,you struggle to understand planetary phase,occidental and suchlike concepts in the abstract this may help. I am sure Ptolemy would be on his rooftop with his astrolabe on a night like this.

Matt

3
There is another occlusion by the moon coming up on the 7th January from just before dark until 18:37. This time it is the Pleaides that disappear.
Thanks a lot for this one, Matt. I will get my telescope out. I wonder whether this occlusion could coincide with any effect on the currency market, which has been pretty unstable in the financial turmoil. Pleiades have been refered to as the 'Clucking Hens' or are like 'coins that jangle in your pocket', the latter being one of my observations. The occlusion also occurs in the Midheaven of the chart of Norway and I will also monitor the period for irregular shifts in the oil price. Brent is currently trading at USD 47,10 a barrel.
http://www.astronor.com

4
I was difficult to observe the Pleades with the naked eye this evening due to the brightness of the Moon. However, through the telescope it was a beauty to observe how the stars suddenly disappeared as the were occluded by the Moon's dark half.

There was no significant news concerning currency on this day but I did notice that the Bank of England cut interest rates to a historical low the following morning, and the interest rate and value of local currency are closely connected.
http://www.astronor.com

5
Venus Question so I thought I'd tag it onto the bottom of this Venus post. :) hoping someone could answer this for me. A few Months ago Both Venus and Jupiter were Very close together in the night sky in Aquarius apparently traveling side by side for a bit, does anyone have info on how often that alignment occurs? I mean a visible one, not just mathematical. :) thanks for your input

Granny

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granny_skot wrote:A few Months ago Both Venus and Jupiter were Very close together in the night sky in Aquarius apparently traveling side by side for a bit, does anyone have info on how often that alignment occurs? I mean a visible one, not just mathematical. :) thanks for your input

Granny
Hi Granny

About every year one can find a Venus Jupiter conjunction in the ephemeris. A way to find out is looking about 7 weeks before and after the conjunction of Jupiter with the Sun and see where the conjunction with Venus falls. Every year the conjunction of Jupiter with the Sun is one month further.

Further there are some overlapping planetary periods. Venus' synodical cycle (repeating of the same angular distance to the Sun) is 584 days. Five of these cycles is almost exactly 8 years so every eight years we see Venus in the same time of year (Sun in the same zodiac sign) under similar circumstances. Jupiter moves in 11.86 year through the zodiac so globally every 12 years when the Sun is in the same sign Jupiter is globally in a similar anglular distance to the Sun. 3 * 8 = 24 and 2 * 12 = 24 so you can expect many Venus Jupiter positions to be quite similar in a cycle of 24 years.

It does change though, the conjunctions won't take place in the exact same zodiacal degree. Last Venus Jupiter conjunction was December 1 2008 in 22? Capricorn. In 24 years and one week (Dec 12, 2032) it will occur in 1? Aquarius. December 15 2056 in 10?Aquarius. However it can't go forever like this. In january 2129 Venus will turn retrograde before she has the chance to reach the conjunction with Jupiter.
With this online ephemeris you can find more dates. http://www.astro.com/swisseph/swepha_e.htm

This is a fascinating subject. The Babylonian used these cycles and repeting phenomenae based upon centuries of observations for their calculations of future positions.

7
because its in the ephemeris doesn't make it visible. :)

they are perfectly capable of meeting behind the sun or in a constalation that is not visibble at night at the time of year they meet etc. I want to know how often a VISIBLE walk accross the sky occurs... ;-)

thanks, Granny

8
Well it depends. In ideal cases, for Jupiter I think a distance of ca. 15? from the Sun would be required. For Venus perhaps a 10? might be sufficient. But this in the most ideal circumstances when the observer is in the tropics. The planets will rise or set before or after the Sun in a diurnal path that is (almost) perpendicular to the horizon. There is more chance that the Sun is deep enough below the horizon to have a dark sky to see the planets.

In more temperate latitudes the ecliptic is in a more sharp angle to the horizon. And there is another difference. Planets that are visible in the evening after sunset in autumn (on the northern hemisphere) will be very low on the horizon. Planets visible before sunrise in autumn will be better visible. In spring or on the southern hemisphere the situation is reversed.
For example if the Sun is in 0? Libra then the declination is 0?. If the Moon is in 0?Scorpio and on the ecliptic then the declination is -11.5?. The Moon will set shortly after the Sun. If the Sun is in 0?Aries the declination is 0? If the Moon is in 0?Taurus the distance to the Sun will be 30? as in the autumn example but the declination is now +11.5?. This is a much better situation for the Moon will set much a longer time after the Sun. This week it is new moon, but you will notice that the moon is high in the sky after sunset just a few days after new moon.

Here are some images. I hope they make it a bit more clear. I didn't manage to find better ones.
http://knol.google.com/k/david-vansteel ... f_the_Moon

In short rule of thumb.
Northern hemisphere
Best visibility after sunset in spring.
Best visibility before sunrise in autumn.

Southern hemisphere (spring-autumn) reversed


Now back to Venus and Jupiter. I think that in the worst cases a distance of over 30? of Jupiter is required. (Perhaps in your area, California, it can be less Granny, moreover California has clear skies). In ideal cases 20? or less will be enough.

To make a long story short, I'd look in the ephemeris for the conjunctions that take place more than 20? away from the Sun. Sometimes a bit more, sometimes a bit less. To be sure I would forget about positions within 10? from the Sun.

Furthermore, for a visible conjunction there should be no clouds :) .

9
Now that is wonderful information! thanks you!

I"m at 34 N 11, and mostly clear, winter viewing is actually very very good. less chance of Fog, spring more chance of fog or haze. Also after August is good because again decrease in fog and haze. because I live near the ocean. :)

Granny

10
Thanks Granny

By the way.
There will be another Venus occultation by the Moon. Since this one occurs close to the Sun it will be a challenging one with the Moon as a small crescent early in the morning during dawn.

The event takes place April 22nd and will be visible from most part of the US.
http://www.earthsky.org/skywatching/lyr ... redawn-sky

Here some useful data for many US cities. http://www.lunar-occultations.com/iota/ ... 2venus.htm
Height above horizon and which direction to look at.

Due to bad weather I missed the December occultation here in the Netherlands :(. I hope you have more luck on the other side of the ocean.

Mars is in conjunction with Venus too but is very weak and probably may not be visible to the naked eye in dawn.

So here's a very interesting position. Moon, Venus, Mars in conjunction in 29? Pisces.

By the way there is another interesting Venus position these days. A Sun, Mercury, Venus conjunction spread over the weekend. Thursday joined by the new Moon. This all is invisible but interesting though.

I'll keep my astrological eyes and ears open to investigate if there are some mundane effects :) .