20061220

A New Moon and a newly ascending Sun

"The December Solstice occurs on Dec 21-22 just after the New Moon and just after the a wonderful Moon-Venus conjunction in sidereal Sagittarius.

"The December solstice is the point in Earth's orbit at which the north pole is tilted directly away from the Sun. Thus, the Sun arrives at its most southern latitude on Earth, creating the longest day in the southern hemisphere and the shortest day in the northern hemisphere.

"The December solstice has a quality similar to a New Moon in the lunar cycle, independent of the hemisphere in which we live. It marks the beginning of the new annual cycle for the entire Earth.

"The December solstice marks the new birth of Sun (Son) or Sol (Soul) expression in our daily lives. It marks the true astronomical new year. As Earth continues in her orbit, the Sun's 'eye' (by line of sight to Earth) begins to move northward, awakening Earth life anew.

"The solar fire continues to move upward (from south to north) and then crosses Earth's spatial equator on the March equinox. The March equinox is much like the First Quarter Moon in the lunar cycle, a time that provides stimulus to action.

"The Sun's eye arrives at its most northern latitude on the June solstice. This is like the Full Moon in the lunar cycle, a time of fulfillment, vision and realization. Later, the Sun's eye crosses back over the equator (from north to south) on the September equinox, which is much like the Last Quarter Moon in the lunar cycle, a time that signals a need to change.

"The movement of the Eye of the Sun across Earth's latitudes occurs because of the 23.5° tilt in Earth's orbit. The movement of the Sun and the Earth's tilt are, of course, responsible for the seasons. Thie Sun's apparent motion also creates the analemma, which is a figure-eight pattern traced by the Sun when it is observed from the same location at the same time each day for an entire year."

All text from Nick Anthony Fiorenza's Lunar Planner