PREVIOUS THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY January 31 2011 to February 6 2011 Monday January 31 Cryptic Ecliptic Dear Jonathan, If we're moving from the Age of Pisces to the Age of Aquarius aren't we moving backwards? Erik Dear Erik, The ages do go backwards. They happen because of the 'precession of the equinoxes', the very phenomenon that means constellations have moved over the last few thousand years. And having spent much time lately insisting that the constellations in astronomy are deliberately not the same as the zodiac signs, I now must explain that the only time astrologers refer to the actual constellations rather than equal divisions of the ecliptic is when they are referring to ages'. Tuesday February 1 Within the next fifteen years, we will resume serious space exploration with manned missions to Mars... and beyond. I've always dreamed of seeing the planets close up but I fear I won't qualify for a place on the rocket. A friend recently pointed out, though, that astronauts on a prolonged expedition can hardly take live cows, chickens or fish along with them. They might manage some tinned or frozen meals but the only fresh food they'll get will be vegetables, grown hydroponically, under special lights. Perhaps I might wangle myself a place on board after all... as a vegan cook! Wednesday February 2 Secret Stars We are now in the 'Dark of the Moon'. There's no moon to be seen at any time of night... or day. If you've got a clear view of the heavens tonight, you'll spot stars that are normally faint. The Moon creates a degree of what astronomers call 'light pollution'. Just as it's tricky to see the sky well from a city full of streetlights, it's easier to observe more subtle characteristics of the cosmos when that big bright banana is absent. That's one reason why tradition tells us that unseen secrets can be revealed at times like this. Thursday February 3 Chinese New Year Happy New Year. Unless you come from Tibet, that is. This year, Tibetan New Year does not coincide with Chinese New Year. It begins on the March New Moon, instead. That's one of the many ways Tibetan culture significantly differs from Chinese culture. Sadly, there's little of the real Tibet left these days. When I visited, some years ago, the Dalai Lama had been in exile for 50 years and trains from Beijing were bringing in 3,000 settlers per week. Since then, a local uprising has been brutally crushed. Still, though, the spirit of this amazing world lives on. Friday February 4 Campaign For Dark Skies The Campaign For Dark Skies would like us all, tonight, to look at the constellation of Orion. A little way above and below his famous belt of three jewels, four stars form a kind of 'frame' around the hunter. The question is, within that frame, how many stars can you see? If you're in a remote rural area you might count more than 30. If you're in the middle of a bright, busy city, you may see hardly any. Untold billions are wasted, each year, on badly-angled lights that blot out the stars instead of illuminating the roads. Saturday February 5 Your Week Ahead This week brings a conjunction of Venus and Pluto. That suggests much intense passion soon. The alignment takes place in Capricorn. That's the zodiac sign of Capricorn, not the constellation. Remember that recent news story about a 13th sign of the zodiac? There isn't one. Nor do the dates for each sign need to be changed. But it did highlight the need to explain that the zodiac signs are precise, exactly equal sectors of the sky. They are named after the famous constellations (or groups of stars) that we see in the sky. But they're in slightly different positions. Back to Index   Click here for Jonathan Cainer's Daily Zodiac Forecasts