PLANETARY ALIGNMENT 2002

PLANETARY ALIGNMENT 2002

During the period from late April through mid-May, 2002, the five visible planets in our solar system appeared to line up and were visible at the same time. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn were all within a 35 degree span in the evening western sky, the closest grouping of the sun, moon and the planets occurring on May 15. When viewed from deep space, far above the plane of our solar system, the sun, moon and planets actually appeared to be lined up, and thus were said to be in “alignment.”

The planetary alignment of May, 2000, was an even closer grouping of these same five planets, but was difficult to observe because it occurred so close to the sun. The 2002 alignment was much easier to observe.

The occurrence of two planetary alignments within two years is quite unusual. The next close gathering of the five visible planets, in which they will line up within a 9 degree span, will occur after sunset on September 8, 2040. The other future alignments during this century will occur before sunrise in July, 2060 (23 degree span), and in November, 2100 (17 degree span).

GALACTIC ALIGNMENT

Even more rare is a galactic alignment. It occurs only four times in every 25,820 years, or once ever 6000-6500 years. 25,820 years is the length of one precessional cycle. The Mayan calendar entered its final years in August, 1987 at the time of the Harmonic Convergence, and is due to end on the Winter Solstice, 2012. This will mark the end of the current precessional cycle and the beginning of a new one. We are at this time experiencing an awesome galactic alignment which is guiding us toward a new galactic calendar in a New Age.

THE SACRED HOOP

Creating the galactic alignment, a configuration of stars is visible in the winter and spring evening sky called the “winter hexagon” by many astronomers. This configuration was called the “Sacred Hoop” by the Lakota Sioux and other Plains Indians. Beginning at the top of the hoop, the stars that form the hoop are: Pollux, Castor, Capella, the Pleides, the Hyades, Rigel, Sirius and Procyon. The Ecliptic, which is the plane of our solar system, and the Milky Way are at this time crossing through and intersecting in the middle of the hoop, in effect creating a cross within the circle. On June 21, 2002, the exact placement of the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere (0 degrees Cancer) will fall on this intersection.

The 2002 planetary alignment has taken place within this hoop, with the Moon joining the planets between May 13 and 16. Venus will exit the hoop on June 10, Jupiter and Mars on or near July 4, 2002, followed by Mercury on July 18. Saturn will not exit the hoop until May, 2005.

For further information on the meaning of the current galactic alignment, check out the following website: www.ShamanicAstrology.com

Acknowledgement is given to Daniel Giamario and Carolyn Brent, shamanic astrologers, for information on the galactic alignment.

RETURN