Venus in Virgo squares off with Pluto over the next few days, creating potential crises in relationships (Venus) as issues that may have been buried are dredged up by Pluto. However, the sextile (60 degrees) between Saturn and Mercury will encourage a commitment (Saturn) to communicate (Mercury) and resolve any dissonance that arises. Neptune has been trine Mercury as well which adds a creative influence and perhaps more compassion (from Neptune). Of course we are still in the throes of the opposition of Saturn to Neptune, even though the two planets are about three degrees apart. It will be early October before they leave each other’s orbit and meanwhile the confusion remains.

Jupiter is square Neptune now, expanding (Jupiter) the danger of illusion (Neptune), and perhaps bringing us into conflict between our belief systems (Jupiter) and our experience of truth (Neptune). Mercury joined this system over the past few days, bringing us a step closer to divine intelligence and conscious awareness of the more subtle influences that surround us. Mercury is moving towards a sextile to Pluto (on the 27th) that will help us to process the Jupiter/Neptune expansion through the mental realm where it can be converted to understanding and wisdom.

Meanwhile, Spaceweather.com reports that a “solar wind stream hit Earth last night, sparking geomagnetic storms over Canada and some northern US states.” Joseph Shaw of Bozeman submitted this incredible photo of an aurora against the backdrop of the Milky Way.