In 1961 America Nearly Nuked North Carolina

by Jude Cowell, partisan for the common good

If you've never read or heard about the 1961 Goldsboro/B-52 Crash when a bomber broke up mid-air due to a fuel leak and two nuclear bombs were dropped near Goldsboro, North Carolina, you're not in for a treat if you do so now.

Besides the perilous feelings that such a catastrophic event engenders in us all (or simply the thought of it), a further point of interest for me personally is that Goldsboro in Wayne County, NC was the site of a Civil War hospital during the fractious war and subsequently, a Civil War Memorial was created - in other words, there's a mass grave in which at least one of my twice-great-grandfathers rests. Notably, there are both CSA and Union soldiers resting there because casualties from both sides of the war were treated at the hospital with many soldiers dying from disease.

100 Years Later Catastrophe Avoided

Well, if the B-52's nukes that fell on January 24, 1961 - a significant event in US history and covered up at the time with details only surfacing in 2013 - hadn't turned out as it did with one safety switch doing its job, there would have been many more deaths in the Goldsboro NC area back in 1961. Yet sadly, not every airman aboard the B-52 bomber made it to safety. For further details, check out the event's Wikipedia page linked, above.

A Cosmic Time Link: 1961 to 1861

It occurs to me that certain horoscopes may be of interest to the curious reader. Generously marked by my scribbled astro-notes, below is a bi-wheel with the Civil War Horoscope of 1861 (inner) surrounded by a Horoscope set for January 24, 1961 and timed by the exact opposition between the Moon in Taurus and Neptune in Scorpio on that January day, merely as a symbolic chart.

This planetary pair suggests potentials for confusion, deception, illusions, exploitation, 'life crises caused by indolence or laziness' (R. Ebertin) so I must wonder if someone along the way may have been impaired by alcohol or other drugs - perhaps in the maintenance department? Alternately, the celebratory mood of the country on behalf of JFK's victory may have played a part. But these are only wonderings. Don't take them seriously!

Now as you see, the bi-wheel displays a few of the significant Sabian Symbols, plus, the 17 New North Eclipse Series in which 1961's horrific incident occurred. Notably, the 17NN Eclipse @28Virgo with its "hectic socializing" and "impulsive energies" also influenced two other major events: Election 1960 and JFK's Inauguration of 1961 - with his Oath of Office taken a mere four days earlier than the B-52 Bomber catastrophe over Goldsboro, NC.

You'll find 1960's 17NN conjunct the Descendant of the Civil War Horoscope and with 1961's 17NN opposing 1861 Neptune, potentials for confusion, chaos, and self-delusion are increased. Then if we wish to add 1961's 17NN opposing 1861 Mercury, wishy-washy decision-making enters the picture (R. Lineman):

So if you made it this far, dear reader, Thanks a Bunch for reading!

Reader's Note: Understandably, the current atmosphere of financial uncertainty affects many people's budgets, and my paid Patreon subscriptions have somewhat dropped off. Yet a cup of coffee or two would be much appreciated about now, and very encouraging to my work while helping defray expenses such as ink and paper! jc

Astro-Notes re: JFK's Unaspected natal Sun in Gemini

On the Occasion of the 58th Anniversary of The Day America Died

by Jude Cowell

November 22, 2021

Sun With Planets; NASA, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Often these days in Astrology, a native born with an unaspected Sun (personality, essence, vitality, adult self, the goal, the hero's journey) is considered to be charismatic and perhaps as self-centered, even vain. Plus, a special talent may also be described by the sign, sign ruler, planet, and the house placement involved. An unaspected natal Sun is the case for our tragically assassinated US President John Fitzgerald Kennedy (RR: A; May 29, 1917 3:00 pm est Brookline, MA; ASC 20Lib00, 8th house Sun 7Gem51, 11th house Moon 17Vir13; MC 23Can46 with Saturn 27Can09 and Neptune 2Leo40 conjunct MC from the 10th house side {Plac}).

If natal Saturn in natal 10th house of Public Status indicates one whose life and career include a "fall from grace" (if Saturn's demands are neglected), then I think JFK's Saturn-Neptune Conjunction there adds a large measure of loss, grief, and suffering to the cosmic picture of his downfall along with the planetary pair's tendency toward 'undermining circumstances' (R. Ebertin) and bad social conditions.

Yet instead of re-publishing the JFK Assassination Horoscope (November 22, 1963 12:30 pm cst Dallas, TX), here are a few general details concerning a natal unaspected Sun for the curious including info on other planets when not tied in with or connected to other planets via Ptolemaic (major) aspects in a natal chart.

DC Horoscope JFK Inauguration 1961: a Look Back

If you're curious, check out this Historic Footage: JFK Inauguration 1961 (7m23s). And below is the 1961 Inauguration Horoscope with John F. Kennedy's natal chart outside it (contacts between the planets are circled--1917 vs 1961). As usual, my messy notes are scribbled upon the charts and there are five primary contacts of note from the Inauguration 1961 chart to his natal planets--two are notable since they involve powerful Pluto but JFK's natal Saturn and Uranus are also activated by transit, plus, other transits and progressions occur as well, both positive and negative but these five are the ones that 'pop out' at me in this inaugural horoscope although you'll spy others, I'm certain, especially if you look at *future transits to the 1961 Inauguration Horoscope:

1. 1961 Pluto square natal Sun denotes potentials for a need to overcome those with more power and influence; loss-of-power issues; threats received; integrity challenged; benefits are gained but with much frustration and possible setbacks; determination is tested; achievement of ambitions may be delayed or transformed; willpower may be paralyzed temporarily.

2. 1961 Mars Rx conjunct natal Pluto indicates a period when karma comes into play as energies are intense, purposeful, and require patience and direct channeling for best results; male relationships are prominent and one male in particular (brother Bobbie, one assumes--see Mercury @10AQ03 in 10th house with the presidential Sun) may be a guiding or a driving force; negative conditions can involve provocation, blow-ups, jealousy, and/or revenge, plus, investing assets and deep research are on the menu.

3. 1961 Uranus Rx in Leo opposes natal Uranus at station in Aquarius three times from September 1960 through July 1961--this is the "mid-life crisis" transit of disruption when one may behave uncharacteristically and generational clashes occur with 'no meeting of the minds'; however, well-handled changes are beneficial and are not too disruptive, with moving forward the objective;

4. 1961 Saturn @21Cap54 opposes natal Saturn three times from March 1961 through December 1961 indicating a harvesting time when rewards may be reaped if hard work has been done in the past and responsibilities have been met; past mistakes, if any, need correcting, and legalities may temporarily get in the way of progress.

5. 1961 Venus square natal Venus suggests potentials for imperfect timing; wrong or unpleasant settings or environments; something amiss but not entirely useless; values are blocked in some way or are not quite appropriate; or, things don't work out as they should but they'll 'have to do'.

Note that both the Prenatal Solar Eclipse Saros Series ('PE') for 1961 and for JFK's birth and their themes are listed on the chart, lower left (1961) and lower right (1917). And if you're looking for any hints of the tragedy to come, may I suggest the usual suspects--Mars (to natal Pluto), Saturn (conjunct 1961 IC of Endings), Uranus (oppo natal Uranus, a time of instability and perhaps unusual characters in the environment--plus, 1961 Uranus is apex in a YOD crisis pattern suggesting Jack Kennedy's 'special task' of moving our nation toward a new direction which quite a few folks took great exception to); then there's hidden hand Pluto blocking his natal Sun (goals) while Venus, possibly scorned, adds her hints of jealousy and revenge.

In addition, we must include masking, deceptive, shady Neptune--both 1961 Neptune in intense Scorpio (angular and conjunct natal Eros, the piercing) and JFK's 1917 Neptune in Leo opposing his PE in the 9 New North Series.

*Two transits I'll mention here between the 1961 Inauguration Horoscope and the JFK Assassination Horoscope of November 22, 1963: in progress was a Nodal Half-Return across the Cancer-Capricorn security axis (see my scribble in the center of the bi-wheel concerning Sun-Saturn = MC) suggesting broken relationships, and transit Uranus which had met and crossed the 1961 Pluto-North-Node conjunction (the "tiger by the tail" duo) and thereby formed a midpoint picture of: "big upsets within the community; and, emotional suffering through separation" (Ebertin). Yes. That.

A Closely Related Post: Horoscope: LBJ Sworn In November 22, 1963.