2011 August 2 Mercury Retrograde with Regulus
Cayelin
by Cayelin K Castell
The upcoming Mercury Retrograde on August 2 is worthy of our attention as Mercury stations retrograde near the fixed star Regulus, also known as the heart of the Lion. Regulus was one of the four “royal stars” of the Persians around 3000 BC when it marked the marked the Summer Solstice (zero Cancer) and one of the fifteen Behenian stars identified by medieval astrologers. The Behenian stars were consider magical stars whose energies were most potent whenever a visible planet was within 6 degrees of the star.
Regulus is moving into Virgo November 28, 2011
Regulus entered the sign of Leo in 156 BC, and is currently located at 29 degrees and 59 minutes of Leo. On November 28, 2011 after more than 2000 years in the seasonal sign of Leo Regulus is moving into the sign of Virgo according to the astronomy program in the software program Solar Fire.
It seems to be more than just a coincidence that Mercury is stationing retrograde near Regulus as it prepares to move into a whole new archetypal energy about 4 months later.
Mercury Data
The window for this Mercury Retrograde activation began when Mercury crossed 18 Leo 43 on July 15 because that is the degree Mercury stations direct at on August 26. The window closes on September 9 when Mercury crosses 1 Virgo 12 the degree of its retrograde station.
Mercury is hanging out within one degree of Regulus from July 28 to August 10 and makes its last pass by Regulus on September 8 and 9.
On August 2, 2011 Mercury (1 Virgo 12) goes retrograde at 8:50 pm Pacific Time, conjuncts the Sun during its retrograde on August 16 the same day Venus is also conjunct the Sun (the Sun Venus and Mercury are all around 23 Leo) and then stations direct on August 26 at 3:03 pm at 18 Leo 43.
Astronomical Regulus Data
Egg shaped Regulus and our Sun as a visual scale
To the ancients Regulus was known as one of the four key stars in the heavens along with Aldebaran, Antares, and Spica as these four stars are located closest to the ecliptic (the path the planets travel) and can be occulted by the Moon in a regular pattern. There are certain periods of the 19 year lunar cycle where these stars are occulted regularly. Regulus is NOT currently in an occultation cycle and won’t be again until Dec 8, 2017.
Astronomically speaking, Regulus is much bigger than our Sun, as well as 160 times brighter, and also spins faster even though it is a much a bigger star. The Sun spins once around its axis every 24 days at the rate of about 4,500 miles per hour. Regulus spins way faster at the rate of 70,000 miles per hour even though its diameter is five times greater than our Sun. The rate of spin causes Regulus to bulge at its equator so it actually looks like a large egg. This also means that Regulus is 5 times brighter at its poles than it is at its equator. The surface of Regulus is so hot it is 350 times brighter or more luminous than our Sun though nearly 80 light years away from Earth.
Our Sun is only 93,000,000 miles from Earth, while Regulus is nearly 80 light years away. This means the light from the Sun reaches the earth in about 8.33 minutes, where as the light from Regulus takes almost 80 years to reach the Earth telling us the light we see each night from Regulus was generated almost 80 years ago according the way we measure time here on Earth.
Summary of Mercury Retrograde with Regulus
This Virgo Perigee Crescent Moon and Mercury station Retrograde at one degree Virgo in the window of the Lammas Cross-Quarter (See Aug 7 Celestial Timings to be posted by end of July) is a message reminding us of the importance of honoring the natural rhythms of the Earth and Sky as they relate to the seasons and planetary motions.
This Mercury Retrograde featuring Regulus, the heart of the Lion, is also a message about the importance of tuning into our heart-knowing for guidance and speaking from the heart when communicating. This is generally true at any time but during Mercury Retrograde reliance on logic and reason is far from reliable. For more on navigating through our heart knowing see the Introduction to the August Celestial Timings to be posted by end of July)
Note times and dates given are for Pacific Daylight Time.
Also see Mercury Retrograde article
More on the Fixed Star Regulus http://www.constellationsofwords.com/stars/Regulus.html
July 20th, 2011 at 2:53 pm
Cayelin, thanks so much for the post! I am fascinated with this area of the sky. (My natal Mars at 28 degrees 30 minutes Leo was conjunct Regulus.) And now, having reached the ripe old age of 79 this coming November, transiting Mars will be conjuncting its natal position and Regulus just a couple weeks before Regulus moves on into Virgo.
When you comment “featuring Regulus, the heart of the Lion, is also a message about the importance of tuning into our heart-knowing for guidance and speaking from the heart when communicating” my entire being resonates! The June ecllipses were fabulous…especially the last one (I believe) featuring Cancer and Capricorn as it ended one cycle and began a new one that will not end until 3200 or so. Twelve hundred years to make a marriage between the mind and the heart! Wow.
My belief is that the globe is entering into a new cycle emphasizing the heart rather than the head. I am personally experiencing a shift into the mind-heart and so hopeful that this is one of the Harbingers of the Turning of the Ages. It can only get better…Mercury gives us a taste of what is coming; Mars tops it off in early November and Regulus moves into Virgo late in November. What more could we ask for…..hmm, Venus over the Sun next year?
July 20th, 2011 at 7:21 pm
Beautifully said Jo…thank you for your insights and wow your age 79 Mars return with Mars back at Regulus…really emphasizes how precise and close that age 79 Mars return is!!! I am looking forward to hearing about your experience with that!
July 21st, 2011 at 9:44 am
Thank you so much for this information…absolutely fascinating. I was more than a little interested in a connection I made when I recalled reading about the New Madrid fault line…and its first major series of quakes…2000 years ago. What I know is that everything is connected with everything else…in/out, above/below. I feel a sense of awe as we move through this process.
Blessings
Susan
July 31st, 2011 at 9:06 am
thank you for your accurate attention to the shamanic gaia relationships in the cosmos…astrology also shows that we are indeed entering the age of empathy, of compassion, of heart wisdom….
August 5th, 2011 at 6:49 am
Thank you for this explanation. Question - if my birthday is November 28 (1956) how will this impact my life?
August 5th, 2011 at 9:15 am
It is a good question Lisa and since this is not something that has happened in a couple of thousand years and also without knowing how you might have a personal connection to this area of the sky - the best that I can say and this is ultimately true anyway - is to tune into your own heart knowing for guidance and answers. Knowing this is happening, knowing it is about the heart energy, and knowing that humanity is reaching a maturation point in attuning to inner guidance, while releasing reliance on getting our guidance from outside as we have been programmed to do, suggests this is an opportunity for a major assemblage point shift in how we experience reality from a heart-based perspective.