By Catherine Carlson
Celestially, the time period between December 13th and December 21st promises to be one of the most interesting and jam-packed of the entire year. The events taking place bring good luck and will have global reach. Do take the time to look up, there’s going to be plenty to see!
It begins Sunday and Monday, December 13 and 14, with the peak of The Geminids meteor shower, so named because the meteors appear to come from within the Gemini constellation. This will give anyone in the world an opportunity to witness up to 120 meteors each hour due to the new moon enhancing visibility. December 14 at 2 am will be the best time for viewing, no matter where you are.
The meteor shower, amazing on its own, is a prelude to another stunning event. The following afternoon, on December 14, all of Chile and parts of Argentina will have an opportunity to witness a total solar eclipse. Other parts of South America, South Africa, and Antarctica will be able to see a partial eclipse. If you happen to have the solar eclipse fall on your birthday, a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence, be sure to look for a livestream to watch and celebrate.
Eclipses usually come in pairs and the first, a full moon eclipse, occurred on November 30. The new moon is always the start of a new cycle and this new moon solar eclipse takes place in the sign of Sagittarius, the eternal optimist. This is the perfect medicine to help us heal from the enduring year, an opportunity for new beginnings and hope.
A week later, the celestial baton will be handed to the permanent resident of December 21st-the annual Winter Solstice. While our friends in the Southern Hemisphere are celebrating the longest day of the year, here in the North, we will experience the shortest amount of daylight of the entire year. For us it is a celebration of the return of the light. From this point through June 21st, the days will become incrementally longer. At the same time, deep within the soil, the first amount of life vitality is released for the new season of growth. Sunlight and Spring are indeed coming.
As if that weren’t enough, this year, December 21st also boasts a special planetary pairing occurring with Jupiter and Saturn moving close enough to touch. You can see the early stages of this right now if you look outside about 45 minutes after sunset on the Western Horizon. Every twenty years these two neighbors get together, however they haven’t been this close since 1623, and won’t be again until 2080. It is believed that the star of Bethlehem may have actually been this same bright conjunction in 7 B.C.
When planets come this close in proximity, their energies blend together. This particular meet-up is like Saint Nicholas hanging out with a school headmaster. One carries the energy of knowledge, expansion, and bestows gifts. It generally brings good fortune and prosperity, and really just wants to have fun! The other carries the energy of structure, discipline, tending to business, and doing your homework. Together these two suggest we are in a time where constriction and rigidity are really being amplified. We can see this playing out across the world. Jupiter finds all the restriction in Saturn’s close company frustrating and seeks freedom beyond the barriers. At the same time, their gift is showing what is holding us back from growth and new horizons. These planets will have just crossed over into Aquarius, known for being unusual, innovative, and liking the word “No”. Don’t be surprised if they bring a surprise.
To sum it up—that’s two big events that launch the week of December 13. As the week progresses you should be able to watch Jupiter and Saturn come together, being at their closest on a very busy Monday, December 21st, also Winter Solstice. Barring any cloudy skies here in Michigan, we should be able to see a meteor shower, the darkest day of the year, and two planets that appear to be in closer proximity than we are with each other! These events at year’s end are bringing in a clean slate for a fresh start. Light a candle, say a prayer, make a wish, or go stand in your garden to celebrate.
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Celestially, the time period between December 13th and December 21st promises to be one of the most interesting and jam-packed of the entire year. The events taking place bring good luck and will have global reach. Do take the time to look up, there’s going to be plenty to see!
It begins Sunday and Monday, December 13 and 14, with the peak of The Geminids meteor shower, so named because the meteors appear to come from within the Gemini constellation. This will give anyone in the world an opportunity to witness up to 120 meteors each hour due to the new moon enhancing visibility. December 14 at 2 am will be the best time for viewing, no matter where you are.