birthday

Born on Mars? Your Birth Chart Could Look a Lot Different

The Great Space Race is still on. Government agencies and private investors eye the Moon, Mars, and beyond for human exploration. Billionaire Richard Branson and crew completed a successful suborbital test flight with the VSS Unity earlier this year. Jeff Bezos took a similar flight a week after Branson, and Elon Musk now eyes Mars for his first SpaceX colonization efforts. When the first humans will be born outside of Earth is anyone’s guess, but what will their natal charts look like?

How Birth Charts Are Made       

To understand how space colonization could affect birth charts, we should look at basic chart construction. When you view your chart, you’re seeing a snapshot of the sky as it appeared at the place, date, and time of your birth. It maps the positions of the Sun and eight major planets plus asteroids and dwarf planets like Pluto. You’ll also see key points such as your rising sign, midheaven, and lunar nodes.

To get all that complex data, astrologers and online birth chart tools ask for your birth date, place and time. They use your birth place’s latitude and longitude in drawing up your chart. That’s why Earth technically doesn’t appear on your chart — because astrologers design those natal charts from an Earth-centric view.

When There’s Life on Mars

The 2017 film “The Space Between Us” tells the tale of Gardner Elliot, the first human born on Mars. Desiring to find his father, the 16-year-old travels to Earth. He must deal with medical issues such as lower bone density and an enlarged heart. But if Gardner Elliot were real, how would an astrologer create his natal chart?

Toronto astrologer Franco Soulbody discusses this conundrum in one of his blog posts. Soulbody explains that Elliot’s birth chart would use Mars as the chart’s center, mapping planetary positions as they’re viewed from the Red Planet. A Martian day is just slightly longer than Earth’s, clocking in at 24 hours and 37 minutes. Therefore, a roughly 24-hour clock could be used to find the location of planets and points to record them on Elliot’s chart.

Scientists are still trying to figure out how timekeeping would work on the Red Planet. A Martian year is 687 days – almost 1.9 times longer than an Earth year. Astrologers working with Martian-born clients would have to use its calendar when drawing up a natal chart.

Cycles and Meanings

Soulbody adds that astrologers could still use our modern 12-sign zodiac on Mars. However, their movements and cycles may work differently than on Earth. Mars and Earth are usually several hundred million miles apart – as of August 30, they’re separated by about 392 million miles or 2.6 astronomical units. Considering that inner planets like Venus and Mercury lie closer to the Sun, the difference in distance could significantly impact their cycles as seen from Mars. But this may have lesser effects on slow-moving outer planets like Saturn and Pluto.

For Martian-born people, most planetary meanings and energies would remain the same. Jupiter would still rule the ninth and 12 houses along with Sagittarius and Pisces, for example. But what would happen with Mars and Earth? Soulbody proposes that Martians would have an Earth sign in their charts. But since Mars is traditionally the planet of drive, ambition, and passion, another body would have to take its place.

Other Lingering Questions

Astrology on Mars could be more complex than we think. Many more issues remain to be resolved. For instance, would Martian clients use Earth’s moon, Luna, or Mars’s two satellites, Phobos and Deimos? These types of questions await answers from the astrology world. But if off-world colonization remains possible, astrologers must eventually grapple with these cosmic problems.

Canada’s Maple Leaf Flag Turns 50 this Month

164181644On Sunday, February 15, 2015 the National Flag of Canada, also called the Maple Leaf, will celebrate its 50th birthday. Prior to the Maple Leaf, the Union Jack (flag of Great Britain) was the official flag of the Canadian people, because Canada was originally a British territory. The Canadian flag features two vertical red panels on either end with an 11 point red maple leaf emblazoned on a white center square. It is twice as long as it is wide.

History

Canada has had many flags over the years. After World War I, the quest for a new flag began in earnest, but it wasn’t until the 1960s that the movement made significant progress. In 1964, new Liberal Prime Minister Lester Pearson, winner of the 1957 Nobel Peace Prize, asked Parliament to appointment a committee to consider alternative flags. One of Pearson’s campaign promises had been to pursue a different flag for the country. Pearson wanted the flag of Canada to stand out and be distinctively Canadian. There were numerous people against the idea and political battles ensued on many fronts. However, in October of 1964, the flag selection committee picked the Maple Leaf over two other shortlisted options.

The origin of the design is still debated; some claim Dr. George Stanley, inspired by the flag of Kingston Royal Military College, deserves the credit and others attribute the Maple Leaf to John Ross Matheson, a Liberal PM. The Canadian Parliament approved the choice the following December and Queen Elizabeth II (also then referred to as the Queen of Canada), proclaimed the new flag in January. It was officially inaugurated and raised for the first time over Parliament on February 15, 1965.

Why the Maple Leaf?

Over the years, the maple leaf has been frequently used as a symbol of Canada. It has been worn on Canadian soldiers’ caps and badges since the 19th century, including during World Wars I and II. The maple leaf was featured on all Canadian coins between 1876 and 1901. Today it can be seen on the penny. Another reason why the maple leaf may have ended up on the flag is that it is relatively easy to draw. Maple leaves are also red in fall and red is one of Canada’s national colors with white being the other.

Fun Facts

  1. You can own a flag that has flown over Peace Tower and the Canadian Parliament. A Maple Leaf flies over Peace Tower 24 hours a day, but is changed each morning. After a flag is taken down, it is transported to a government office. Employees distribute each Maple Leaf that has been removed to people who have requested them. There is a 10 year waiting list.
  2. After the 1995 referendum for Quebec Independence was narrowly defeated, government officials gave away a million flags to promote unity. The gesture cost $15 million.
  3. The Largest Canadian Flag ever made was 40 yards by 83 yards and cost $15,000. It was unveiled at a football game and is too big to ever fly. Eighty pairs of hands were needed to carry it onto the field.
  4. During Game 2 of the 1992 World Series between the Toronto Blue Jays and Atlanta Braves, the Maple Leaf was held upside down by the U.S. Marine Corps when the national anthems were played during the pregame ceremony. The Blue Jays ended up winning the game, but the incident caused quite a stir. Many Canadian fans retaliated by holding U.S. flags upside down at Game 3 in Toronto.

The 50th birthday of the National Flag of Canada is a big deal and much has changed in Canada since 1965. Hopefully the Maple Leaf will fly over continued peace and prosperity during the next 50 years.