Planetarium

Michael Lutin

LEO

July 23—August 22 The south node of the moon remains in your sign until November. That's what has been sucking your energy and making you withdraw. It's no wonder, though. For the last fifteen months you have had to face some pretty sick truths about your dependencies and your wrinkles. Family issues continue to ooze out now, but as of August 18th there is good news. Jupiter enters Leo for a year, promising you a chance to feel a little of the old flair. Your self-esteem will rise immeasurably if you can just deal with the fact that you are no longer the same cute, datable high-school senior you were.

VIRGO

August 23—September 22 From the moment Mercury enters Virgo on July 29th, you get to live where you're most at home—in your head. You enjoy that controlling, clinical distance of experiencing kisses through a surgical mask. Your superrational (if naive) approach is refreshing, but it tends to be a bit cloying. To be complete now, you need a little more vulnerability. And here it comes in the form of an attractive young guru to help you solve your intimacy problems on or about August 18th. Caution: Make sure you know the difference between having a young helper and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

LIBRA

September 23—October 23 To see how quickly feelings can change and why it's crazy to think the bad moments are any more real than the good ones, check out the weekend of August 4th and 5th, when Venus opposes Saturn. You will experience the terrors of a tot lost in a department store with no one to hang on to. Then, as the planets move on, by Sunday the 12th, when Venus kisses Jupiter, you will be sailing along blissfully, feeling sane, happy, and beautiful. If you thought certain people could never be replaced, the time has come to pack your widow's weeds in a garment bag and call the Volunteers of America.

SCORPIO

October 24—November 21 You've gotten your hands a little dirty in politics lately, but don't be too self-critical if you've bet on a wrong horse or two. Your time might have been better spent hanging curtains in the guest room, but there are moments when the temptations of glamour, glory, and power are too great to resist. No sweat. As Pluto moves forward during the week of July 22nd, expect a rush of creative intensity and even greater control over those around you. You are not the most beloved of all creatures right now, but definitely one of the most respected. Panic attacks notwithstanding, enjoy your guruhood.

SAGITTARIUS

November 22—December 21 Look up. Jupiter, your ruling planet, moves into your 9th house the third week of August. This should mean a lot more freedom and travel for you in the coming months, whether airfares drop or not. Expect gains through publishing and education. Ever since Saturn entered your 2nd house in November 1988, you've felt grounded. Your usual spirited—if sometimes feigned— generosity has been dulled by practical concerns. Get ready to return to a style that will have passersby believing you're someone they should recognize. You'll even believe it yourself.

CAPRICORN

December 22-January 19 Some of the problems that have been bugging you are beginning to get solved. You've tried everything from meditation to voodoo to get your wheels out of the mud—all to little avail. It's funny how when you give up and stop believing there is any light at the end of the tunnel it usually appears. With the outer planets slowly moving forward between July 27th and September 24th, the tow truck will finally arrive. Expect inheritances, gains through trusts and wills, revitalization programs of all kinds, even new opportunities for great sex. And you were convinced that it was all over.

AQUARIUS

January 20-February 18 Since May 1989, the north node of the moon has been transiting Aquarius, telling you that you have to stand bravely on your own two feet and not count on seeing that certain face across the breakfast table. You've learned to let go of attachments that don't work, even at the cost of kissing a few dear people good-bye. After the lunar eclipse on August 6th, though, be prepared to welcome in a new era in relationships and maybe a nice, warm bosom to lay your head on. And if people complain because you're aloof and not so eager to be rejected for the umpteenth time, let them.

PISCES

February 19-March 20 Pluto going direct in your 9th house on July 25th gives you the go-ahead to smash a few more of those icons you used to worship so blindly. Since you thrive on psychedelia, it should be refreshing to have your mind blown with new views of the truth. It should prove once again that the people who claim to have the ultimate answer usually turn out to be frauds. Make sure you don't turn out to be one yourself. By summer's end, if you've been stuck in a dead job or out of work completely, a blessing will be bestowed upon you, possibly the Big One, which you can either seize or blow.

ARIES

March 21—April 19 Since Christmas, you've barely had time to tie your shoes, let alone have any fun. You've made yourself face the fact that life—yours, anyway—is not a forties musical. What you may not realize is that it's been highly therapeutic for you to let go of the wild and crazy romantic lead and play the friend upstairs who doesn't get the on-screen kiss. But with Jupiter entering Leo during the last two weeks of August... at long last love! Pluto is still in your 8th house, providing you with sexual honesty, so now all you have to do is match up your urges with your plumbing and you'll be in business.

TAURUS

April 20—May 20 Pluto is opposing your sun sign now, especially those of you born between May 5th and 10th. For all Tauruses, though, this means that an irresistible force (Pluto) is coming up against an immovable object (you). And the something that is going to have to give is you. Oddly, your happiness now depends on handling relationships with people you can't live without but whose presence in your life is wrecking you. Now that you've learned that The Cosby Show is fiction and The Waltons never happened, maybe you can open up to the whole human family and be nicer to in-laws.

GEMINI

May 21-June 21 The transit of heavy planets through Scorpio and Capricorn has put you in jeopardy over the past year and worn down your resistance. Now, however, as the 6th house is emphasized during the last week of July, health and well-being can be greatly restored if you make an effort to break all habits of instant gratification and wean yourself from poisonous substances. And rejoice. Jupiter's entrance into Leo plugs you back into the world. The lights go back on, phone service is restored. You become the communicator you were meant to be, and your life is enriched with new sources of gossip.

CANCER

June 22-July 22 It's ridiculous the way people tell you not to worry about money and then proceed to push your buttons on the issue of financial dependence. Be alert at the new moon on July 21st and right after. There's still that drain on your resources that's as scary as an earthquake. But you've learned all about community property and joint returns; now what you need is a little dough of your own. By August's end, you should know if fiscal autonomy suits you. By the way, Pluto is going forward in your 5th house, so you're no longer that little doll in calico. If you're wearing anything, it's leather.