ASTRONOMY
The celestial bull, Taurus, is now prime for nighttime viewing, and several celestial events will culminate here during November. Both Jupiter and Uranus will be in opposition to the sun in November — Jupiter on the evening of Nov. 2 to 3 and Uranus on Nov. 13 to 14. This means these planets will rise near the time of sunset and be visible throughout the night this month. Although Uranus is typically not visible with the naked eye, its proximity to Jupiter and relative brightness during its solar opposition will make it easier to find unaided by telescopes or binoculars. Uranus shines with a pale green coloration and will be located between Jupiter and the cluster of stars known as the Pleiades. The seven stars (known as the sisters) that form the dipper-shaped Pleiades cluster can be found by drawing a line through the belt of Orion and past the red star Aldebaran, which is the “bull’s eye” of the Taurus constellation. Check out this area of the sky, which contains some of the brightest and most recognizable celestial objects.
ASTROLOGY
As we move from November into December, we enter a dreamy dénouement of 2023. The shadow period of eclipses is behind us. It’s been a year for reflection with Mars and Venus undergoing retrograde cycles in addition to the six other astrological planets that retrograde annually. Pluto wrapped up its retrograde phase in October, and is followed by Saturn, for which retrograde ended in early November. Next up are Jupiter and Neptune, which both station direct in early December. Mercury will have one more three-week retrograde phase and, along with Neptune, will remain in backwards motion into 2024. The sun moves into Capricorn as the days shorten, an industrious sign that encourages us to put our efforts toward practical matters. But with Capricorn’s ruling planet, Saturn, in the early degrees of Pisces, what we are building may not take a concrete form. Although Capricorn’s quest is for social status and recognition, perhaps this year the markers of success are of a less material nature, and instead manifest internally. Like the hidden skeleton that holds our body aloft, Saturn in Pisces helps to reveal the principles that keep our character’s frame. As we move toward year’s end, we can reflect on what it is that allows us to have a strong backbone and stand tall, even in the face of challenge.
~ Dawn Andreoni is a yoga teacher and astrologer. You can find out more about her offerings at celestialdawnastrology.com or follow her at facebook.com/astronotions.
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