The Witches Astronomy Journal for Saturday, July 7th

Your Daily Sun & Moon Data for Saturday, July 7th

The Sun

Sun Direction:↑ 349.60° N

Sun Altitude:-29.62°

Sun Distance:94.508 million mi

Next Equinox: Sep 22, 2018 8:54 pm (Autumnal)

Sunrise Today:5:41 am↑ 61° Northeast

Sunset Today:8:17 pm↑ 299° Northwest

Length of Daylight: 14 hours, 35 minutes

The Moon

Moon Direction:↑ 74.22° ENE

Moon Altitude:-12.65°

Moon Distance:238499 mi

Next New Moon:Jul 12, 20189:47 pm

Next Full Moon:Jul 27, 20183:20 pm

Next Moonrise: Today 1:23 am

Current Moon Phase: Waning Crescent

Illimination: 40.7%

Reference
timeanddate.com

Your Astrology of Today – Saturday, July 7th

• The Moon is in Aries until 8:50 AM, after which the Moon is in Taurus.
• The Moon is void from 3:08 AM to 8:50 AM.
• The Moon is waning and in its Last Quarter phase.
• The Last Quarter Moon occurred yesterday.
• Mars is retrograde (Mars is retrograde from June 26th to August 27th).

Moon in Aries

We’re motivated by a strong desire to start fresh. A gut instinct to start something new is with us now, as well as the gumption to do so. Our pioneering impulses are strong, and we feel energetic, spontaneous, and enthusiastic. We may also be tactless and impulsive now. Excess energy is best channeled into physical activity.

The Moon in Aries generally favors the following activities: Quick actions that yield immediate results. Undertakings that involve the self and the personality. (Staying power may be lacking). Self-assertion, taking on challenges, beginning short-term projects.

Daily Overview of Your Stars and Planets for Saturday, July 7th

The Moon continues its transit of enterprising Aries until 8:51 AM EDT, after which it travels through stable Taurus. With a Taurus Moon, we crave comfort and predictability, and its trine to Saturn today provides these things. However, the Moon also aligns with Uranus, and we’d be wise to embrace some level of change and progress. With the Moon’s square to Mars tonight, it can be all too easy for frustrations or impatience to interfere with these goals. The Sun’s contra-parallel to Saturn suggests we become especially aware of our responsibilities, commitments, and limitations today, mainly through our interactions with others.

The Moon is void from 3:09 AM EDT, with the Moon’s last aspect before changing signs (a trine to Venus), until the Moon enters Taurus at 8:51 AM EDT.

The sky this week for July 7 to 15

Saturday, July 7

Magnificent Saturn reached its peak 10 days ago, when it appeared opposite the Sun in the sky, and our view of the ringed planet remains spectacular. It is on display nearly all night among the background stars of northern Sagittarius, hanging in the southeastern sky as darkness falls and climbing high in the south by midnight local daylight time. Saturn continues to shine brightly, too, at magnitude 0.1. When viewed through binoculars, you’ll find the Trifid Nebula (M20) 4.2° to the west, with the even brighter Lagoon Nebula (M8) 1° south of the Trifid. Open cluster M25 resides 4.2° northeast of the planet and globular cluster M22 is 3.8° southeast of the ringed world. But the best views of Saturn come through a telescope, which reveals the planet’s 18″-diameter disk surrounded by a dramatic ring system that spans 42″ and tilts 26° to our line of sight.

Sunday, July 8

Although Jupiter reached opposition and peak visibility two months ago, it remains a stunning sight from evening twilight until it sets around 2 a.m. local daylight time. Jupiter shines at magnitude –2.3 and dominates the sky toward the south-southwest as twilight deepens. The gas giant resides among the background stars of Libra the Scales, 2.1° northwest of Zubenelgenubi (Alpha [a] Librae). If you view the planet through a telescope tonight, its disk spans 41″ and displays spectacular cloud-top detail.

Monday, July 9

Venus dominates the western sky after sunset. The dazzling object shines at magnitude –4.1 among the background stars of western Leo. Venus appears 14° high an hour after sundown and sets shortly before 11 p.m. local daylight time. And this evening, the solar system world meets Leo’s brightest star, 1st-magnitude Regulus. The planet appears 1.1° north (to the upper right) of the star and shines more than 100 times brighter, so binoculars will provide the best view of the conjunction. When viewed through a telescope, Venus appears 17″ across and two-thirds lit.

Tuesday, July 10

Mars remains a stunning sight all week. It rises around 10 p.m. local daylight time and climbs nearly 30° high in the south by 2:30 a.m. Although the Red Planet won’t reach opposition until the end of July, it appears noticeably brighter than it did just a week ago. Shining at magnitude –2.5, it appears brighter than Jupiter and ranks as the second-brightest point of light in the night sky after Venus. If you point a telescope toward Mars, you’ll see its 23″-diameter disk and perhaps a few subtle surface features — though most of these are currently obscured by a major dust storm.

The waning crescent Moon rises shortly before 3:30 a.m. local daylight time this morning. Earth’s satellite lies next to the V-shaped Hyades — the large star cluster that forms the head of Taurus the Bull. The Moon stands just 1° northeast of Taurus’ brightest sun, 1st-magnitude Aldebaran. From parts of Canada and the upper Midwest, Luna passes in front of this ruddy star.

Wednesday, July 11

Mercury pops out of the twilight glow this evening as the sky begins to darken. Look for it 30 minutes after sunset, when it lies 9° above the western horizon. The innermost planet should be fairly easy to spot because it shines brightly, at magnitude 0.4. (Use binoculars if you can’t see it with your naked eye.) Mercury lies 26° east of the Sun tonight, its greatest elongation for this evening apparition. Through a telescope, Mercury appears 8″ across and slightly less than half-lit.

Thursday, July 12

Today marks the peak of Pluto’s 2018 appearance. The distant world reaches opposition, which means it lies opposite the Sun in our sky and remains visible all night. It glows dimly at 14th magnitude, however, so you’ll need an 8-inch or larger telescope with good optics to spot it visually. Pluto currently lies in northeastern Sagittarius, some 0.2° west of the 6th-magnitude star 50 Sagittarii.

New Moon occurs at 10:48 p.m. EDT. At its New phase, the Moon crosses the sky with the Sun and so remains hidden in our star’s glare. At least, that’s what it will do for more than 99 percent of Earth’s population. But if you find yourself between southeastern Australia and Antarctica, you can watch the Moon pass in front of the Sun and cause a partial solar eclipse. From Hobart, Tasmania, the eclipse lasts from 2h52m to 3h56m UT, and the Moon blocks 10 percent of the Sun’s diameter at maximum. Remember that when viewing the Sun during a partial eclipse, you need to protect your eyes with a safe solar filter.

Friday, July 13

The Southern Delta Aquariid meteor shower starts to ramp up this week. The shower won’t peak until the end of July, but you should see some of its meteors in the hours before dawn. The best time to look is between 3 and 4 a.m. local daylight time, just before twilight begins. Viewing conditions are great the remainder of this week because the Moon is out of the morning sky. Unfortunately, our satellite will show a fat gibbous phase at the shower’s peak the night of July 29/30. To tell a Southern Delta Aquariid meteor from a random dust particle burning up in Earth’s atmosphere, trace the streak of light’s path backward. A shower meteor will appear to originate from the constellation Aquarius the Water-bearer.

The Moon reaches perigee, the closest point in its orbit around Earth, at 4:25 a.m. EDT. It then lies 222,097 miles (357,431 kilometers) away from us. Since perigee arrives less than six hours after New Moon, residents of coastal areas can expect to see tides rise higher than normal for the next couple of days.

Saturday, July 14

A slender crescent Moon passes 2° above Mercury in this evening’s sky. Binoculars should deliver the best views of the pair set against a colorful twilight sky.

Sunday, July 15

The Moon moves approximately 13° eastward relative to the starry background every 24 hours, and that motion carries it near Venus this evening. The crescent Moon appears just 2° to the brilliant planet’s right. The stunning duo stands 15° high in the west 45 minutes after sunset. This conjunction provides a nice photo opportunity. If you shoot the twilight scene before 9:30 p.m. local daylight time, you’ll also capture Regulus to the lower right and Mercury even closer to the horizon.

Reference
Astronomy Magazine

In the Sky This Month

Source

StarDate

Your Cosmic Calendar for Saturday, July 7th

All things considered, the first five days of July have not exactly constituted a pleasant walk through the garden of earthly delights. In the place of cheerful exuberance, you may have encountered a fair amount of solar, lunar and planetary interference in social, familial and partnership matters. Don’t allow a new crisis atmosphere to send you to the back of the class with a dunce cap on your head as the last quarter sun-moon phase (activating 15 degrees of Cancer and Aries) becomes exact at 12:52am. Any face-off of 90-degrees between the two lights of the heavens can contribute to crises that need resolution without delay. Helping you tune into notes of harmony and contentment is an uplifting, 72-degree rapport between the sun and Juno (12:55am). This fortuitous solar-Juno interaction occurs only a few hours after last night’s more volatile Juno-Uranus convergence. Travel aboard the love boat to exotic ports of call this evening as a flowing trine between the moon in Aries and Venus in Leo becomes exact at 12:10am tomorrow.

[Note to readers: All times are now calculated for Pacific Daylight Time. Be sure to adjust all times according to your own local time so the alignments noted above will be exact for your location.]

Reference

Astrology.com

The Witches Current Moon Phase for Saturday, July 7th

Waning Crescent
Illumination: 38%

Tomorow the Moon will be in a Waning Crescent phase. In this phase the Moon’s illumination is growing smaller each day until the New Moon. During this phase the Moon is getting closer to the Sun as viewed from Earth and the night side of the Moon is facing the Earth with only a small edge of the Moon being illuminated. This phase is best viewed an hour or 2 before the sunrise and can be quite beautiful if you’re willing to get up early. It can also be a great time to see the features of the Moon’s surface. Along the edge where the illuminated portion meets the dark side, the craters and mountains cast long shadows making them easier to observe with a telescope or binoculars.

PHASE DETAILS FOR – SATURDAY, JULY 7, 2018

Reference

MoonGiant

What It Means For You When The Moon Is Waxing & Waning

For all your magickal needs in 2018, think Magickal Necessities

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Pagan Ways

Upon my altar a crystal ball,
An athame, candles and chalice tall,
A pagan goddess, a pagan god,
All laid upon my altar cloth,
A bell to help me celebrate,
Offerings placed upon a plate,
My pagan tools I now display,
How I love my pagan ways.

I’ll cast my circle upon the floor,
Then call upon the quarters four,
Earth, Fire, Water, Air,
The God and Goddess may join me there,
I may sing, or I may dance,
I may even dare to chant,
As pagan music softly plays,
How I love my pagan ways.

My ritual over, now time to seek,

I’m feeling light upon my feet,
I’ll walk among the trees and plants,
And search for berries upon the branch,
I’ll feel the breath of natures kiss,
At one with all is total bliss,
I wish I lived in bygone days,
To learn first hand these pagan ways.

—Pagan Ways
Alan Faraway

\Friday Is Ruled by Venus

Archangel: Anael

Candle colour: Green or pink

Incenses: Rose or geranium

Crystals: Jade or rose quartz

Use Fridays for spells for love, fidelity, healing, for anything to do with beauty, the arts and crafts and for all spells concerning the environment.

Where possible, work in any enclosed beautiful place outdoors, for example a botanical garden, a field, park or your own garden – even in a circle of plants indoors.

Your Honey Do List for Friday

Fridays are days of loving enchantments and passionate emotions.

See how many ways you could add a little loving enchantment into your life and the lives of your loved ones. If you wish to explore the topic of love and romance witchery even further, then check out my book How to Enchant a Man: Spells to Bewitch, Bedazzle &Beguile. If cat magick has tickled your fancy, then for further study read my book The Enchanted Cat: Feline Fascinations, Spells &Magick.

In the meantime, try sharing red berries with your partner some enchanted evening. Work that meditation, and see what other mysteries Freya has to teach you. Wear a Venus planetary color and call on the Goddess for a little inner sparkle. Burn some floral incense, light up some rosy candles, and set a romantic mood. Try wearing a little copper jewelry, and see how it affects you and your Friday magick. Get those potpourri and philter recipes going, and see what you can conjure up.

Advancing your magickal skills takes drive, ambition, and passion. Work with Eros to discover just how much enthusiasm, inspiration, and drive he can bring into your days, for the imagination is a place where dreams flourish and ideas come to fruition.

Call on these fertile and romantic powers, and create your own unique spells and charms. Just think of all the magickal information that you can now add to your repertoire of witchery. Lastly, remember this: when you combine imagination and a loving heart with magick, you’ll succeed every time.

Source

Book of Witchery – Spells, Charms & Correspondences For Every Day of the Week
Ellen Dugan

The Wisdom of Buddha

It is a man’s own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways.

Well, I might grow up to be a lion!

Your Ancient Symbol Card for Today

The Magus

The Magus is the physical embodiment of decisive action based upon knowledge and aimed squarely at specific goals. Thoroughly Yang by nature and firmly set in the material world, he none-the-less has a powerful spiritual connection as well. His knowledge, wisdom and skill are all encompassing. He is complete. His power as a creator is unmatched on our earthly plane. He is self-aware and unafraid to act. His enormous strength gives him the freedom to act as he chooses. However, responsibility comes with that freedom. Because he is not bound to the restraints of others he must choose how to act. The question that always lies before him is should he act morally, or forsake ethics for personal gain.

As a daily card, The Magus suggest you currently possess a tremendous power and freedom to move your life in any direction you choose. In short, you can make things happen. Your true challenge at the moment is to move forward without trampling the dreams of others. Fortunately your moral fiber is strong as well, and will guide you down the right path.

Psychic Tip of the Day

Part of the Daily Insight Group ©2018

If You Were Born Today, July 4

You have strong business sense, but you are also quite wise when it comes to people. You are independent, and although you’re attached to family and loved ones, you need to feel as if you are free in order to function at your best. You are creative and very clever, sometimes in a self-serving way, and have a youthful quality that remains with you throughout life. You need to avoid expecting inhuman things of humans! Many of you have a great fondness for history and research. Famous people born today: Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ann Landers, Abigail Van Buren, Eva Marie Saint, Neil Simon, Bill Withers.

Your Birthday Year Forecast

With the Sun and Moon in harmony in your Solar Return chart, the year ahead should be satisfying and balanced overall. You are in comfortable demand and personally popular, and you are able to achieve a decent balance between work and play; personal and professional life. For the most part, you are on top of your game this year, and positive connections with others can be made fairly easily. With the ability to handle your emotions successfully, there is less stress on both your mind and body. Your self-confidence and positive attitude will reward you!

This is an excellent year in which to advance projects revolving around communications – writing, speaking, selling, and so forth. Your reputation may be enhanced through word of mouth. Making new contacts through learning and mental pursuits figures strongly as well.

Even so, watch for impatience, especially with your communications. You may not always have follow-through when it comes to your projects as you may be experimenting with new ideas and hobbies. Ups and downs may lead to new commitments nevertheless.

You might often get frustrated if results of your actions are not instant, but it’s best to cultivate some patience when it comes to realizing your goals. As well, if you are not getting the results you crave, consider that you might be aiming too high or too wide.

There can be a stronger tendency toward, or desire for, commitment and deep involvement in your relationships during this period. You may be taking love and/or friendship more seriously. There can be a willingness to make sacrifices if it seems the best way to make improvements in relationships and with money matters. You can be quite particular in your tastes, and better than usual with money and savings.

If there are health issues this year, look for blockages or constrictions since Saturn is involved with the Node.

Idealistic and humanitarian goals or impulses surface this year. Making connections with others from different backgrounds may figure strongly. Widening your mind through unusual or different experiences can be part of the picture. You more easily make personal sacrifices for what you believe to be the greater good this year.

Saturn forms an opposition to your Sun in January 2019. Saturn calls upon you to identify the weaker areas of your life and to fix or strengthen them. Take the time to sort out details, improve your work, and become more efficient this month. Taking a slow and steady approach to life is necessary during this period. Pushing too hard will likely lead to frustration and setbacks. Take it easy and work on self-improvement. Results are not immediate, but will eventually come and bring healthy rewards. Relationships may be (or seem) more challenging than usual while Saturn opposes your Sun. Fortunately, this is a quick pass transit, lasting only a month or so instead of the usual several months.

Cooperation brings rewards your way this year, although there can be some rebelliousness or assertions of independence now. These may be necessary to break free from a limiting situation, but be mindful when making sweeping changes. With work, you’re expanding your interests in satisfying ways. Do watch for a tendency to communicate impulsively. There can be increased steadiness and reliability in your social life, however.

2018 is a Number Four year for you. Ruled by Uranus. This is a year of work and development. It’s “nose to the grindstone” time. It’s a time to pay special attention to practical matters, and it’s not a time to be lazy or especially gregarious. Sometimes, it can be a year that feels hard, monotonous and routine, and/or lonely. Positive new relationships are often not formed in a Four personal year. However, it can be a wonderful year for building, development, and laying a solid foundation for future successes. Advice – get yourself organized, work to build your resources, keep busy.

2019 will be a Number Five year for you. Ruled by Mercury. This is a year of discovery and freedom. It’s a time when exploration and reaching out to others brings opportunities. It’s a good time to advertise, promote, and sell. Surprises are in store, and the routine is broken for the better. This is a year when exciting relationships can be formed; or, if you are already in a partnership, new life is breathed into the relationship. Advice – explore, look for adventure, keep your eyes open for opportunities, diversify, mingle.

Strange forces are always on the prowl to the nth degree when Chiron dominates the astro-psychic atmosphere of humankind. Right now this centaur-symbolized planetary orb makes a station at 3 degrees of Aries and turns retrograde (9:47pm) until December 8. Even though the precise pause in the heavens is listed, this is really an all-day influence. Check out the following themes associated with Chiron: keys opening doors to higher consciousness, synchronicity, the wounded-healer, holistic healing and alternative medicine, the twilight zone, shamans, mavericks and mentors, mantras, mandalas, sacred dance, oracles, feelings of déjà vu and mental telepathy, ESP, bridge-building between different dimensions of consciousness, UFOs and ETs. Adding to the complexity surrounding this 24-hour time-period are a potentially turbulent, 150-degree contact between Ceres and Chiron (3:30am), a frictional, 45-degree tie from Juno to often confusion-generating Neptune (6:27am), plus a 19 hour void lunar twilight zone in Pisces beginning at 2:48am and concluding at 9:51pm when the moon enters fiery Aries. Think more about fulfilling your higher destiny in this lifetime than on pursuing lower-level desires.

[Note to readers: All times are now calculated for Pacific Daylight Time. Be sure to adjust all times according to your own local time so the alignments noted above will be exact for your location.]

Copyright 2018 Mark Lerner & Great Bear Enterprises, Ltd.

Astrology.com