Friday August 9th 2002 - edited by Bernard Fitzwalter This week in Astro News: ~ Planets and seasons ~ ~ AstroDiary ~ ~ Astrology & Fertility - Can you help with some research? ~ Planets and seasons We're now in what some journalists call the silly season, when the politicians are on holiday, nothing much seems to be happening. It's not really a silly season, just a quiet patch – and believe it or not, astrology has them too. When the planets clash with each other all sorts of events in the wider world are triggered, and astrologers have plenty to write about. Similarly, when planets change signs, little ripples of change run through our lives, and astrologers comment on that too. But right now we are in a little two-week period where the planets are so extraordinarily well-placed that there's hardly any celestial conflict at all, and that's very rare. Each of the planets have 'home' signs, the signs where they feel safe and secure. A planet in its home sign is considered stronger, more able to produce good effects; when away from home, the planet is weaker, and at risk of misfortune or accident. Just like you and me, really. Right now, the Sun is in its home sign, and so are Mercury, Venus and Uranus. Mars and Jupiter are both visiting Leo, a fire sign as their own home signs are; if you wish, you can think of that as staying with friends. The Moon will do the same quite soon, thus making a total of seven planets in good places. Saturn and Pluto, who gave us so much trouble earlier in the year, are now far enough apart to have stopped fighting, and that just leaves Neptune, who is minding his own business in Aquarius at the moment. Peace and quiet all round. It won't last, of course, because the planets are always on the move; but just for a few days, it's rather nice. The Sun and Mars are together tomorrow, in Leo. This happens every two years and two months, never in the same sign twice running. They were last in Leo in 1970; the next time will be in 2017. It's a fiery and energetic combination, but since they're in a fire sign as well, I'm wondering whether this might actually be too much. We should expect more warm weather – but we might also see some international incidents where things have become, well, overheated. AstroDiary August 16 – 18: Faculty of Astrological Studies Annual Residential Summerschool, Brasenose College, Oxford. Call 0700 079 0143 or visit www.astrology.org.uk. Email: summerschool@astrology.org.uk If you are one of the thousands who would like to know much more about astrology, now is the time to book for the major UK event: The Astrological Association of Great Britain Annual Conference takes place in Swansea next month (September 6-8). It is largely a residential event, but members' day passes (£49-£59) are available. Details, including membership information, call 0208 880 4848 or visit the online shop at www.astrologicalassociation.com. Email: astrological.association@zetnet.co.uk Please double-check with the organisation before attending any events listed here - we cannot accept any responsibility for events changed/cancelled. Are you holding an astrological event - especially one outside London!! - that you would like others to know about? Write to jon@cainer.com with subject heading: Astro Events with website links. Please note - we cannot promise to include ALL submissions but will do our best. Research into Astrology and Infertility by Pat Harris, MSc., D.F.Astrol.S. I would like to thank everyone who has responded to my earlier notices on Jonathan's website and who volunteered to take part in the research that I am conducting as part of my PhD in astrology and health psychology at Southampton University, UK. I now have quite a number of people taking part which will help me in conducting my study into factors that may or may not correlate with fertility treatment outcome. I should have a progress report out soon. However, I am still looking for women who are currently pregnant - not necessarily as a result of fertility treatment - and who would like to contact me about details of my research to see if they would like to take part. My email address is: pharris@interalpha.co.uk New Service is Top for the Charts The Astrological Association of Great Britain is proud to announce that you can now speak LIVE to an expert astrologer. For an instant in-depth telephone consultation about your full horoscope call 0845 120 1416 or +44 207 436 9101 (a confidential 30-minute reading costs £29.50, payable by credit card. Or cheque/postal order from UK.) Lines are open 9am-9pm GMT, Monday to Friday. A few weeks ago, the Astrological Association of Great Britain launched this new, live fixed-fee, telephone chart reading service. It has since proved big hit with callers from all over the world. AA President Roy Gillett told Astro News: "I am delighted with the warm response that we have had. Once, if you wanted a reading of your full birth chart, you would have to struggle to find a genuine, reputable astrologer. Then, you would have had to make an appointment and travel miles. Now, at last, there's a quick and easy way to get your questions answered by a real expert - from the comfort of your own home." Mirror reader Julie Roberts from Rochester was equally enthusiastic. "I rang last Tuesday and spoke to an astrologer called Maria. Within moments, she was telling me details about my childhood that she could not possibly have known... then she said some fascinating things about my future. If you missed any of Friday's Astronews articles, click on the Archive Thought for the Day link in the left hand frame.