3.8 Earthquake in Illinois

ADDING NOTE: This earthquake was probably a result of the extreme weather that is dumping snow all over the East Coast. Maybe that's a Pluto-Moon conjunction thing in the 1st House? Just a guess. Where's the Weather Astrologers?

I think that President Lincoln rolled over in his grave or something on Wednesday because Illinois suffered an earthquake, a small one, dinky, as a matter of fact. As a matter of fact, this earthquake happened on a day which was celebrating both a Solar and Lunar Return for this great President. I got a request to look at the chart so I'll list here what I found.

The earthquake was very small but strangely was widely felt in about 3 nearby states (I can't remember exactly which ones or how many). I've only been looking at earthquakes that are larger. And I mostly am looking at California/West Coast earthquakes and we don't even get the most devastating ones, er, at least not yet, the Oregon Coast/No.California coast is due for a huge one, actually.

3.8 Illinois Earthquake
Feb. 10, 2010 3:59:33am (LT) 9:59:33 UTC closest to Pingree Grove, IL

Sun 22 Aquarius; Moon 12 Capricorn; ASC 25 Sagittarius; MC 19 Libra; NN 20 Capricorn

The widely orbed Saturn-Uranus-Pluto t-square which is coagulating in the skies right now was connected with the angles.

Saturn was in House 9 which means that it had just passed over the Midheaven.

Uranus had just passed over the IC (rules land, environment) and was in the 3d house. Uranus (shock, sudden events, earthquakes) was unaspected to other planets indicating that he could not find a proper vent for his energies and so would tend to act out. He was, however, squaring the Sagittarius ASC to the degree. Uranus is one of the few planets that likes to act when in exact aspect (my opinion).

Pluto was very prominent in this chart placed in the 1st House and in conjunction with the Moon which in turn was in conjunction with the North node. Pluto and Moon are both water planets so perhaps this is why so many people could feel the earthquake. Also, the earthquake woke them up out of their sleep. We usually get rush hour earthquakes in California it seems. If you've ever seen the Sun set over the Ocean it's easy to understand what all that hullabaloo is about -- the earth goes crazy as well over the beauty.

At any rate, the Nodal Axis is very prominent as well. North Node in first house squaring the IC/Midheaven Axis and in conjunction with the Moon in a Cardinal Sign. I'm increasingly thinking that Cardinal Signs tend to be prominent in earthquakes, possibly because they represent the Solstices and Equinoxes and the beginnings of the Seasons, and the Poles of the Earth.

So Uranus often will rule or be on an angle directly in a big earthquake. It wasn't any of these. Mars ruled the IC from H8 and was opposing Mercury 1 Aquarius in H1. Perhaps inner planets are more prominent in smaller earthquakes? I know that Mercury likes to rule angles in earthquakes.

Mars in this chart is Singleton which gives it extra oompf. It is also Retrograde. It is also apex of a Yod (from H8) to a sextile of Pluto and Jupiter. Both these planets are related to H1. Jupiter rules that house, and thus the entire chart. Pluto is placed in that house. Yods will show some sort of inherited problem in families. At least that's how I understand Karen Hammaker Zondag's interpretation on it in her book. So, perhaps Lincoln really was rolling over.

Guess this is more interpretation than anyone could ever possibly slog through. Sorry that Abe wasn't around to write it.

I tried to look at the chart in order to understand why it would hit at this area. Uranus usually shows uniqueness and unusual events so I suppose it's prominence in the chart could be the reason. We are heading into the Summer when the t-square will be close to exact. And for this chart Saturn and Pluto are within pretty tight orb of a stressful square while Uranus is not aspecting anything. If you know anything about Uranians you know that they need to feel connected to huge networks at all times or they get a little freaky. Venus is ruling the Midheaven which can how the event comes across. She is conjunct Neptune and Chiron in Aquarius in the 2d house of this chart.