Look at Lovely Luna, Oh So High. A Quick Discussion of Declination and the Eccentricity of Being Out Of Orb.

     This year we are in a wonderfully unique position to witness the Moon rise and descend from its absolute furthest Northern wanderings, for the next 18 years.  To explain why this is, we'll take a quick trip into technical land, before getting back to my own observations and experience. 

    The Moon, and every orbiting body, moves in an ellipse around the center of gravity which it orbits,  which is moving within its own path, orbiting another, larger bodies path through the cosmos.  To continue following the motion of the parent body requires this push and pull tugging effect as the orbiter moves closer, and then lolls off further back before whipping closer again.  This motion will alter where in the orbital path a body comes to its furthest north and furthest south over many iterations of the orbit.  Where the Moon, (and all the planets in the solar system) cross the path of the Sun, from the Earth's perspective, are called the nodes.  The Moon's nodes are used commonly in astrology, whereas the nodes of the other planets, which move much more slowly due to far slower orbits, are used much less frequently, if the astrologer is even aware they exist!  

   The Moon takes 18 years before it will return to crossing the ecliptic north or south in the same place.  Adding to this cycle, we have to take into account the tilt of the Earth in respect to the path of its orbit, which is about 23 degrees.  At the apex of this tilt, where the poles are facing exactly towards, and away, from the Sun at either end, are the solstitial points; where the Sun is at the Summer and Winter solstice.  Currently, the Moon's nodes are aligned such that they are exactly squaring the Solstitial colure, meaning that the maximum northern and southern path align with the tilt of the Earth in the northern hemisphere.  As such, the Moon, approaching the cusp of Gemini and Cancer, will also have the advantage of the Earth's Northern pole facing towards it, accentuating how far North, and how far South it can travel. 

   For our purposes, in the Northern hemisphere, set some time aside on January 11 to watch the waxing gibbous Moon culminate and set from a place where you are used to seeing the Sun and Moon set, and you might become eerily affected.  The Gemini full Moon at the end of 2025 will also be impressive, but not quite as exactly aligned.  I noticed this last year during the Cancer full Moon in January.  I was getting up to go to work, and saw that the Moon was setting, large and impossible to ignore, to what my confused bearings told me was due north.  It felt positively apocalyptic, like those dreams we all have where the world is coming to an end, and bizarre things are happening in the sky to let us know that this is it.  I believe this is where the concept of Out of Bounds planets in Astrology first came from, noticing, from someone who watches the sky every day for years, just how eerie it is to see a planet, especially the Moon, in a place it really shouldn't be. 
    

   A planet is considered Out of Bounds when its natural Northern or Southern path aligns with the tilt of the Earth such that it causes a planet to reach a northern or southern declination of 23:27 degrees or more; which is the maximum northern and southern path of the Sun.  An Out of Bounds planet is a wandering wolf who's gone into business for himself.  OOB planets operate outside the bounds of normal, respectable society.  They are difficult to control, and wildly eccentric.  Some astrologers view the concept of OOB as a distasteful, modern addition to the art, often as a revulsion to the pop astrology trend of using it as a, "look how special I am" descriptor.  Those who think that an OOB planet is a prideful gold star is somewhat of a foolish take.  OOB planets tend to cause more harm than good.  To have a planet out of the normal path of the King is an extremely dangerous life to lead.  While the eccentricities of an OOB planet can occasionally be put to powerful use, it usually just results in difficulties with assimilating into functional society. 
 

   For example; I noticed that a very conspicuous number of people with ADHD had Mars out of bounds, to the north specifically.  Mars in Gemini adds an additional layer of hyper-activity, but part of that overly bright to the point of being annoying energy Gemini has IS that it is so high in the sky!  Piss off Sun!  Where's the shade?  The opposite end of the spectrum, having a planet at its furthest southern inclination winds up being problematic in a more internal, chthonic direction, at least in the Northern Hemisphere.  Consider that in the Southern hemisphere a planet at its southern most apex in Sagittarius or Capricorn will rise higher and be more brilliant in the sky.  Digging deeper into that is a story for another day, as is the realization that Pluto will be going out of bounds for the final time this year.

   From a phenomenological perspective, out of bounds planets are shocking and extremely noticeable to those who are attuned to their local skies.  I am certain that the Babylonian astrologers, vigilant on their ziggurats through the long desert nights, would have taken note of this when it happened.  So take a moment during the culmination and or setting of the Moon on January 11th, let the palpable sensation that this is not right seep into your bones, and be thankful that your Moon is not Out of Bounds.  If it is however; book a consultation and let's talk about it!