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ASTRONOMY 9: HISTORY OF COSMOLOGY

Assignment #4

2000 January 28

Reading Assignment

Sproul, Primal Myths.

Please read the following myths from the Middle East and Europe before class on Monday 1/31:

Journal Assignment

Due: Wednesday, 2/2, at the beginning of class

The idea here is to have a little scientific fun with astrology, the history of which we will discuss in class on Wednesday.

For three days, record in your journal astrological forecasts from two newspapers or other sources of your choice (be sure to state what they are). Also record what happens in your life for those three days. Is there any correlation? Formulate and discuss a hypothesis to explain your results. What tests might you perform to confirm or falsify your hypothesis?

Also record your birthday, and record the number of the forecast below which best matches the sort of week (1/27-2/2) you have had (without knowing which forecast is for which sign, of course!). Finally, how many of your colleagues do you expect will pick the ``right'' forecast, and why?

1.
Remember the total solar eclipse in August and the Cassini spacecraft that was too close to Earth for comfort? Well, some of the planetary aspects in effect then are back. Cross the first hurdle put up by a square between the sun and Saturn in stubborn Taurus as the work week begins. Once you know what (or who) is standing in your way, cut through the red tape when the sun meets innovative Uranus on the 5th. That's also the day of a partial solar eclipse (that can't be seen in the U.S.) and the Chinese New Year. Enter the Dragon, exit the Cat.

2.
Breathe deep, take your meds, run many miles; do whatever you can to keep your excitement level under control. Not that you shouldn't thrill to the possibilities that come out of the meeting of Mercury and unpredictable Uranus on Friday, but the surprise you're hit with can be unnerving. However, if you're ready to set out in a new direction for the new year (4698 on the Chinese calendar), what ideas you come up with on the 28th can point the way. New, off-the-wall, rad and exceptionally clever.
3.
Invigorated by energetic Mars, Fish may try to bypass the shit about to hit the fan by going skiing (and praying there is no avalanche) or skindiving (likewise, a tidal wave). Don't have the bucks? Ask a friend to bankroll you while the sun tests Saturn in your money house on Sunday. No matter what you do or say this week, money will be an issue, but that can be resolved pleasantly on Wednesday. However, all bets are off for the new moon, solar eclipse, Chinese New Year on the 5th. Enter the unexpected.
4.
If you've got something to say or an announcement to make, do it Friday, when Mercury, the Herald, meets Uranus. Then, by Sunday, as the sun and Saturn face off, you'll be poised to receive the flak coming from the family. Neighbors are not very cooperative then, either, but they can be placated on Wednesday. A little charm to accompany your contriteness and, if necessary, some currency can resolve the problem. However, you may still be steaming inside. If you don't find a suitable outlet beforehand, you're scheduled to erupt on February 5.
5.
Pressure from a parent or your boss, maybe even the long arm of the law, can be frustrating, burdensome or a dozen other draggy feelings, because a dues-paying planet is in your sign. Happily, your ruler comes to the rescue on Wednesday, kisses the boo-boo and makes whatever hurts (on the surface) all better. This is the calm before the storm that's due at the solar eclipse on the 5th, the Aquarius new moon that inaugurates the Chinese New Year. How much like the solar eclipse in August (the end-of-the-world eclipse) is it? Very.
6.
The latest word about a medical procedure, a service project, even your pet's well-being, might apply to you, so listen up this Friday. Breakthroughs in experiments can occur when Mercury and inventive Uranus merge; in less than a week, colleagues and co-workers take action, your vet calls back with the good news. Writers and content providers are inspired by this annual meeting, because it puts you a step further into the future than the rest of the crowd. Next weekend, enchanted by a Pisces, you go off on another tangent.

7.
Now is a good time to take a break from the daily grind, to explore a new interest or simply to hide out from the madding crowd. For the next few weeks, your work scene could be erratic - many changes to adapt to and not enough appreciation for the effort. Monday can be particularly tough, with anxieties spilling out all over the place; however, a gentle touch midweek rewrites your worst-case scenario. The Chinese Year of the Dragon comes in with a big bang, electrifying and earthshaking - and that's before the fireworks go off.

8.
Money is the root of all evil as well as the reason to do good this week. So, what else is new? You could be stressed out by a child's or lover's need for more green (maybe by your own Super Bowl bet?), but even if you're strapped, you'll find a way out of the dilemma. Just don't let yourself get overwhelmed by the problem. Instead, dig into your wealth of experience and think creatively, so you can come up with a solution that works. You'll see proof when clever Mercury and far-seeing Jupiter align on the 4th.
9.
Although not as disastrous, we hope, as the earthquakes that followed the solar eclipse last August, the events of the next 10 days can be quite dramatic in themselves. When the sun squares Saturn in your house of partners this weekend, the problem between you two, or between your parents and your spouse, might seem insurmountable. Yet you gather strength Tuesday from one of those `phoenix rising from the ashes' rituals and marshal the resources to remove the bone of contention.
10.
Sunday is going to be tough, and you can't blame it on the Super Bowl. Exacerbating a long-standing problem is the challenging connection between the sun and Saturn that can affect you where you live. Not to mention the damage it might do to the house. Your relationship to a parent may become more of a burden and costlier, to boot. However, all is not doom and gloom. Thanks to affectionate Venus, you'll attract well-established people who operate ethically. Is there a date for Valentine's Day among them?
11.
Novel ways of dealing with a scientific project, a multimedia application or a political agenda - random thoughts that come to mind while Mercury and Uranus conjunct in Aquarius on Friday - can pay off, especially if other people provide the financing. You may hit a roadblock Sunday night/Monday morning, so don't go to a parent, boss, steering committee or government agency with your idea yet. Instead of a direct confrontation, take a roundabout route and let your better half (a charming partner) navigate.
12.
This weekend, something that is not fun can present a problem for the Aquarius and Taurus in your life, and there's nothing you can do about it until Wednesday. However, no matter what else is happening at home or with the neighbors, keep in mind that, come Groundhog Day, you (or another of your sign with a vested interest) have the power to soothe the hurt, ease the burden of, if not both parties, then at least the Taurus. A similar situation may have occurred last August at the spectacular solar eclipse, but who remembers?

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Up: Astronomy 9 Assignments
jonathan baker
2000-01-27