Astrological analysis

During the next few days you can see Mars and Saturn together just after sunset. First find Venus, now low in the north-east after sunset. To its left you will see a yellowish 'star', which is Saturn. Above Saturn are two other stars, making a long triangle. These are the Gemini twins, and will help you make sure you're looking at the right thing. Close by Saturn is a much fainter pinkish 'star', which is Mars.

Whatever happened to the glorious torch that was Mars last summer? Well, quite simply, he went away. Mars is now on the other side of the sun to us, over 200 million miles away, appearing much smaller and fainter. Mars takes just over two years to go round the sun, so for skywatchers that means that he will alternate between being close and bright one year, and dim and distant the next. Since Mars governs Aries, it might be interesting to see whether Arians find this rhythm holds true in everyday life as well: one year bright and prosperous, the next year far less so.

In old astrology books, Mars and Saturn are called 'malefics' or bringers of ill fortune, and to have the pair of them close together was obviously not the combination to wish for. But it's not all bad - Saturn is a planet of authority and Mars a planet of force and energy, so all it really meant to the skywatcher of old is that the king was likely to declare war on somebody, and there would be armies of knights galloping all over your farm, stealing your grain to feed the soldiers. Bad news if you were a farmer, sure; but not so bad if you were the king. What Saturn and Mars really do is rock the boat, and set things in motion - which in all old fortune-telling systems is seen as a bad thing, because it's easier to stay with what you know than to try to survive upheaval. And as for Mars and Saturn bringing on military activity, then at the moment there's plenty to choose from.

Somehow, though, I don't think they will be creating quite so much chaos as they have in the past. Why? Because they are in a part of the sky where their powers are reduced. And because helpful Jupiter is not far away, in alignment with both, and making sure they behave themselves.