New Moon Taurus April 21 2012

click to enlarge all graphics

The New moon chart is set for London [universal time 7.20 am April 21] just as an example of the general pattern [the layout is location specific -so would be flipped in the southern hemisphere eg NZ]

Taurus = earthly delights of all kinds, so money, pleasure, sensuality, food, material things in general are all part of that basket-load of corresponding energies.
In this lunar month period take opportunities for pleasurable excursions - or if you are more an indoor type -reading and writing for pleasure - due to Venus being in Gemini.
With Neptune in Pisces closely linked to the New Moon another category of pleasures/indulgences will be in the escapist/addictive realms provided by alcohol, smoking, drugs, gambling, fantasy, movies.

There is also an accident pattern involving Mars-Uranus-Mercury in the 3-6 degree range [if you have planets at these degrees take extra care - I do and I suffered a foot sprain on Friday - assisted by this pattern and for me, Saturn's position.
Conflicting urges continue on the general collective level re indulgent spending vs saving & thrift -you may find yourself swinging between the feast/famine modes when it comes to self control.
update: In the 2 weeks time frame from this april New moon 2012 til the May 2012 Full Moon in Scorpio a pattern involving Mars, Neptune and the lunar nodes puts several issues into the spotlight:
addictive behaviours in general, smoking, alcohol, drugs, poisoning, toxicity, chemicals
and the health/dietary issues connected to such issues are up for discussion and the source of news, raising issues of beliefs, philosophy and ethics surrounding these issue.
In addition it is a good time to put energy into studying/writing about/discussing/analysing film/photography & image-making in general
Other Neptune issues liable to arise relate to fraud, fakery & maritime/marine environment issues

New Zealand is having a fantastic autumn/fall with hot sunny weather over most of the country during April 2012. According to common logic - and consumer studies such as this from the University of Miami - [link below]  warm, sunny weather encourages the release of serotonin in the brain, which makes people alert and cheerful and they found happier places had higher retail sales. Now I know why our multi millionaire Prime Minister smiles a lot. It's a  don't frighten the horses technique for keeping the nation comatose while his policies sink the ship. So the good weather in April 2012 ought to be encouraging the Jupiter in Taurus acquisitive imperative in New Zealand and anywhere else with warmth and sun, but the Saturn in Libra factor is likely to curtail those urges in places that are currently cold, grey, wet, stormy or environmentally threatening.


Our world continues in a Big Changes phase but much more profound stuff is to come over this and several years, in the context of earth changes as well as the nature and balance of power held by authorities and institutions.

Uni of Miami study

SOLAR CYCLE 24 is Odd, Very Odd

Commentary on the sun's 24th sunspot cycle continues to consider the unusual ingredients in this cycle, pointing towards a significant low sunspot period unfolding.
This NOAA space weather graphic prediction shows the low level tracking of the sunspot totals since Cycle 24 started in December 2008. The totals are expected by normal calculations, to track along the red trace.
Scroll to end for 2014 updates

click to enlarge all graphics

 Jan Alvestad's site Solen provides a lot of cycle graphs for historic comparisons and he freely shares his work. His analysis suggests Cycle 24 may mimic Cycle 10 to some extent.
Cycle 10 began in December 1855, ended March 1867 [ 11years, 3 mo]
Cycle 10 peaked after 50 months in Feb 1860 with a peak around 95 on the number axis.

So here's an interesting proposition: if Cycle 24 has a similar beginning trajectory
Beginning December 2008
Peaking February 2013 ( 50 months in)
Does Cycle 24 unfold as expected, ending around 2020?
Or could this cycle effectively end much sooner than expected  - i.e. decline unusually quickly, with subsequent Deep or Grand Minimum of sunspot activity.

A significant consensus says a minimum event is on the horizon but there are lots of different theories suggesting why.
One indicator I will be watching re the question whether Cycle 24 has any connection to Cycle 10 is the position of Saturn. In November 2014 Saturn will reach the same position as in March 1867 which marked the end of Cycle 10. From this point a clear and dramatic decline in the sunspot levels of Cycle 24 may be underway.

This this is a rather random intuitive leap, updates will be added which reflect of the status of Cycle 24.
The theories of Landscheidt et al. referenced by Geoff Sharp pursue a wholistic solar systemic perspective compared to standard NASA research.

update April 20 2012

Piers Corbyn, UK forecaster expects Coldest May in 100 years for Britain in 2012 - report 

Update May 17 UT

Unusually large sunspot 1476  basically failed to deliver much of note as it crossed the solar disc in the past week - though on exit stage right -an M5.1 starting between 0:00 to 01:00 hrs UT,  plus CME seems to have knocked out spaceweather satellites, with ACE & GOES amongst others, blinking off for up to 3 hrs. Piers Corbyn supports the view of Japanese researchers who feel the north & south  solar polar fields have become out of synch, creating what Corbyn calls a 'magnetic muddle'. Is this responsible for the current underwhelming solar output?

update March 2 2013
NASA acknowledges 'something unexpected is happening on the sun & so a new prediction for the current solar cycle:

update March 13 2013
Going back in time when excitement was high over solar activity:
Solarham notes:
Between March 6th and March 19th, 1989 during Solar Cycle 22, a very large Sunspot numbered 5395 was making it's second trip across the Earth facing side of the Sun. The spot was so large, measuring over 3500 millionth's the Sun's visible Earth facing hemisphere, it could have swallowed up approx. 22 planet Earths. The behemoth was responsible for 48 M-Class flares and 11 X-Class flares during the transit, including a massive X15 event on March 6th, 1989. One of these large X-Class events on March 10th hurled a massive CME towards Earth and was responsible for a now legendary geomagnetic storm between March 13 and March 15, 1989. This particular storm was so intense, it knocked out the Hydro Quebec power grid for several hours and visible Aurora could be seen as far south as Florida and Cuba.


update April 25 2014
The sun is doing something odd.
The double peak of sunspots is now projecting much higher than the initial peak in this cycle
Standard solar physics says the cycle should now be weakening -not growing in strength.
This has implications for climate effects: more solar activity =more warming; less activity =more cooling
report

Resources, References, Further Reading
More Mini-Ice Age predictions

SOLEN
Are Uranus & Neptune responsible for Solar Grand Minima and Solar Cycle Modulation?
Astronomy Now on unusual aspects of Cycle 24
Outlook for Cycle 25
Is the sun about to shift from Bipilar to Quadrupolar?  - 2012 press release
Official view: Cycle 24 the smallest in 100 years

2010-2016 Water issues -too little, too much = imbalance, extremes

In the 21st Century -a Summary of aspects Repeating the 1930's:

1.  We are again in an era of dominant Cardinal sign placements held by the powerfully influential Pluto, Uranus and Saturn in 2011-2012. Plus, the mutable energies (primarily Sagittarius & Pisces) follow that group, as in the 1930's.

From July 2010 Saturn's drying and blocking influence has held sway in the cardinal sign Libra, relating to issues of  balance/imbalance in the environment . Saturn remains in Libra until October 6 2012, after which the sign of Scorpio follows for almost 3 years. The effects of Saturn now bring endings, transformation and new beginnings, commonly marked by the symbolism and actuality of death. 
( land, crops, pasture, stock die or are radically transformed)

2.  Saturn in mutable Sagittarius will square Neptune in mutable Pisces from December 2015-October 2016 - a significant drought indicator but most likely also in this timeframe to indicate environmental emergencies in places subjected to excess water
(Clear signs are building regarding very vulnerable places, nations, islands concerning flooding )


The imbalance is now set in place for such extremes.


3.  2011 sees the start of a long-term 90 degree square-off involving Pluto in Capricorn and Uranus in Aries (2011-2016). (in terms of elements: hot wind vs deep changes in lunar, tidal, fluid levels & earth structural conditions)


Essentially, the Pluto-Uranus cycle is being witnessed again as in the thirties, USA, dust bowl drought and the effects of Saturn on water are repeated in vulnerable places

update August 1 2015

The El Nino atmospheric pattern has been weak in the recent period:

The strongest event in recent decades was the 1997-98 El Nino.

Weak El Ninos occurred 2004-2007, Moderate in 2009-10.

The return of El Nino for 2015-2016 is potentially strong to very strong & if a run of El Nino years occurs as in 1930-1933 or 1939-1942 then the flow on economic effect will also be sustained.

A sustained El Nino is highly consistent with the forecasting outlined above using contemporary and upcoming planetary indicators along with the historic record -see 2015 post on China and El Nino and the post on drought in the US

Further Reading with regular updates:
Dust Bowl Drought the Return of Cycles
also read a special report on Saturn including reference to the drought deluge issues

Indonesia, Mexico, NZ quakes April 11-12 2012

Using solar modelling techniques, astrophysicist Piers Corbyn applies his theories to earth events.
His methodology, anticipating the high risk of a very strong northern hemisphere quake in this current time frame at the tail end of Easter 2012, partly involves the massive vertical earth facing coronal hole that has been crossing the solar disc this week

USGS data gives 08.38 UT April 11 2012 - click to enlarge
Over 20 strong aftershocks have occurred to date including one M8.2

the dark area comprising coronal hole 512, capture from April 10 UT by NASA SDO

GEONET New Zealand's seismic network notices the quake

 A direct earth facing coronal hole sends a stream of solar charged particles in the direction of earth and the effect of this type of event is theorized as generating seismic unrest on our planet. Northern aurora have been noted in this time frame, despite the geomagnetic estimates being predominantly at very low levels during April ( mainly below G3 level) Aurora occur when the solar wind is able to enter earth's magnetic environment during the IMF  [Interplanetary Magnetic Field from the sun] negative phase. This has occurred in several periods of hours during  April 9. April 10 and April 11.
Piers Corbyn's method involves more considerations, including the speed of the solar wind, but he does not tend to elaborate in depth on the full details of his solar-earth forecasting.

This build up phase to the Sumatra region seafloor quakes can be seen to also involve the maximum south declination of the Moon [ exact on April 10] There are many who consider the extreme points of the Moon in high north, south or equatorial declination, to be trigger points for earthquakes.

National Geographic points to unusual factors resulting in no appreciable tsunami compared to December 2004 - the present situation involving slip strike events, a lesser magnitude than 2004 plus being intraplate - around 150kms from the nearest subduction zone -where the risks are much greater regarding tsunami due to megathrust effects.
We are also just outside of the usual window of influence of a strong lunation event -the first Supermoon of 2012 occurred on April 6 UT, but the strong gravitational effects of a closer lunar passage to earth than usual are logically factored in as well. See Richard Nolle's extensive website with his Supermoon information and forecasts.
From an astrological perspective, the usual suspects are not in extreme contention currently, though one of the main protagonists, Pluto in Capricorn has just reached it's retrograde station. The combined keywords of Pluto (transformation) and Capricorn (structure) are equally applicable to the earth, its constituents and all material form, as to the systems humans have created - and now face radical change. Soon we will see an intensification of Pluto's capacities with Uranus in Aries gaining in pace, to reach its first exact 90 degree standoff with Pluto - in June 2012. Events will build as this tightening angle closes.

updates
Mexico shakes to magnitude M7 quake April 11 local time
Christchurch M4.6 April 12 NZ time, gets its biggest quake since Jan 2012

Update April 16 2012

Further strong quake activity has occurred with the HSS high speed stream from the coronal hole impacting earth's magnetic environment.
This compiled graphic shows the rising magnetic reading [orange bars] which began around 18:00hrs UT on April 12, building to storm level [red] for the first 6hrs on April 13 UT [universal time] further level 4 activity occurred until the initial hours of April 14  .The solar wind speed rose to 600kms/sec and being consistently south pointing,  was magnetically plugged into the local environment
USGS reports these quakes over M6.0 in the time frame April 14-15

Further Reading
Piers Corbyn quake forecast for April 2012
Aceh April 2012 quake video news & summary
National Geographic report
Quakes and the Moon
More theories involving planets & quakes
Richard Nolle's astro forecast for April 2012

Full Moon April 6 2012 lunar month forecast

Full Moon in Libra.

The forecast for the lunar month ahead involves the balancing out of personal individual needs and wants versus the commitments of and needs of a partnership.

A big influence linking to this issue is the involvement of Venus and Neptune in a pleasurable/romantic/escapist combination which brings a great atmosphere around Easter vacation recreation especially when you take part in maritime activities, driving excursions or even just getting in touch by correspondence, messaging or just good old fashioned chatting. In locations lacking maritime recreation, Neptune energy can be expressed positively through watching movies, a photography excursion. Negative use of the energy can surpass moderation and result in addictive level behaviours including a binge on alcohol, drugs or gambling.

This is for most people a benign period -  the only dark cloud on the general horizon this lunar month is  on/around April 16 when relationship strains are accentuated for those with 26 degrees positions for the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars - especially in the cardinal signs Aries, Libra, Cancer, Capricorn.

Other planetary positions will be bringing issues up for those whose personal positions are aligned with those current patterns - determining this requires individual analysis of specific birth charts. For this reason the general themes only in this time frame are referenced.

More challenging times are ahead, this year, for a broader cross-section of people due to the patterns unfolding. These will be notified in due course.

update April 12 2012

Have to add that I did not specifically look at environmental factors when this write-up was posted but events on April 11-12 involving a spate of large earthquakes have led me to write up an extra update in a separate post on these events