Astrologers Forum

The Void Of Course Moon
by Zane B. Stein

I have a vision of the Moon, while making Ptolemaic aspects, as a kind of a clock, ticking away, measuring, working within the structure the aspects create. After the last of these aspects, I perceive the rest of the Moon's path while in that sign as outside of Saturn.....outside of routine, outside of the predictable, beyond controllable...where time seems bent into all kinds of odd shapes.
In fact, the Void time seems to be ruled by Uranus, Neptune and Pluto....check out the way things go off into uncharted directions during the next Void period. I'm not sure I understand how a Moon square Uranus keeps the Moon from being Void, yet the Void time feels in part like Uranus is in control of the moment. Perhaps it is the aspect itself which keeps Uranus-on-out in check, keeping events somewhat under control.

Zane B. Stein's article can be seen in full at: http://www.accessnewage.com/articles/astro/steiMoon.htm

Love the pic! Thanks.
Meanwhile, re Ptolemaic 'Moon void of course' matters, the http://www.accessnewage.com/articles/astro/steiMoon.htm raises some relevant issues re 'major' aspects (conj. sextile, square, trine) and 'minor' aspects (semi-sextile, semi-square, sesquisquare, quincunx, qiuntiles, septiles and...endlessy on).

So, when actually is the 'Moon Void of Course' ? Are these 'minor' aspects irrelevant?

The calculations are derived from the observation of the last Ptolemy aspect to the Moon's ingress into the next sign. In simpler terms, immediately after the Moon forms the last Major Aspect to another planet from the sign that the Moon is transiting, until the Moon moves into the next sign, the Moon is considered to be Void of Course. What is a Major Aspect? If we think of the universe in terms of a huge circle surrounding Earth, we can begin to think of slicing that circle up into sections. The aspects are merely angles formed within the 360 degree circle. A 90 degree angle is referred to as the Square Aspect. Other Major Aspects in Ptolemy are: conjunction, 0 degree; sextile, 60 degrees; trine, 120 degrees; and opposition, 180 degrees. There are many other degrees used in Astrology. In this case, for these VoC tables, only the major aspects will be used to determine the beginning of the Void of Course event.
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