Planetarium

Michael Lutin

ARIES

March 21—April 19

There's something liberating right now about speeding through a yellow light with the music blasting. Blame it on the current transit of Mars through Aquarius, which lasts until March 27. During times like these, normally buttoned-up Marines go AWOL, and typical suburban matrons throw their apron on the kitchen floor and head for the nearest affair. Do something radical to undo any stereotype of your gender (an issue that has plagued you for years), but just don't get too wild. Mars enters Pisces at the end of March, and while you may be having a ball, bear in mind that hefty sins demand hefty penance.

TAURUS

April 20-May 20

You are more outer-directed than usual and much more concerned about what people think of you. Unchecked, you could become more obsessed with your public image than most of the candidates running for president. Mars, Saturn, Pluto, and Jupiter are playing a tense little number straight into April. This indicates a dynamic conflict between career and personal relationships, so do not bring the boss home for dinner. Luckily, a few planets in Pisces will take some of the pressure off. Find a friend who let ambition go a long time ago to remind you that there is definitely life after the casting couch.

GEMINI

May 21—June 21

Even when Mercury isn't retrograde, you get caught with three people penciled in for the same lunch and fifty-three things you'd like to do before the weekend. Overcommitment causes many Geminis to go berserk and flip, like the too tightly wound toy car that crashes into a wall and turns over with its wheels spinning. With Venus and Mars passing from your 9th house to your 10th, make an effort over the next four to six weeks to regain credibility. Mercury does go retrograde from March 16 to April 8, so although you will probably have absolutely no idea where you're going, be a good Gemini and go anyway.

CANCER

June 22-July 22

Cancers are particularly susceptible to extremes. You either yawn with boredom because nothing interesting is happening and probably never will, or you scream in terror because the horses have gone crazy and the wagon is headed for the canyon. Why not accept the fact that you are happiest in those calm moments after one disaster has been averted and before the next one strikes? With planets straddling your 8th and 9th houses until April, you had better add to your overpreparedness for earthquakes the heady feeling of having hope for the future. Could it be that you're ready to share control with the universe?

LEO

July 23—August 22

Whether it will ultimately prove to be in your self-interest or not, a curious and positive change has come over you. You've become aware of other people's needs. While you can still prattle on about the latest episode in your ongoing soap opera, you are more committed to making a relationship work. You are also more likely to follow through on your promises, and not just say anything to make yourself look good. Face it, though: empathy, monogamy, and loyalty are great, but they do get stale, as you'll discover right before and after the full moon on March 18. You have needs, too. Let people know about them.

VIRGO

August 23—September 22

With planets in your 6th and 7th houses, a full moon in Virgo on March 18, and Mercury going retrograde on the 16th, here's the dish for the next month: Virgos, of all people, need to be kissed on the neck until they can forget about all those things they have left undone in order to have a relationship in the first place. Fortunately, it doesn't take much to seduce you, since you can manage to get giddy just by sucking on a couple of rum balls. But can you really let go of your sober sense of sin, hygiene, and responsibility and not start thinking of the mess on your desk when someone is whispering in your ear?

LIBRA

September 23 —October 23

Here's the good news: while Mercury is retrograde between March 16 and April 8, you can postpone all major decisions even if partnerships stall or wedding plans falter. Though one person may be more up-front about it than the other, there are usually two pairs of cold feet involved in the act of withdrawal. Step back, take a breather, read contracts over carefully, ask questions, and listen to everything that is not said. Why is this good news? Because Libras are always relieved to hear they can delay decisions and keep options open, and do not have to get caught saying yes when they really mean no.

SCORPIO

October 24-November 21

You may have reason to believe that there is a spy in your outfit. True, one member of your little family now needs space to act out and be heard, but this is owing to a Mars-Pluto square in mid-March and a Satum-Pluto square later this year. Handling the situation will definitely require cautious diplomacy. If indeed little chicks are making hatching noises, don't just ship them off to Siberia or whack them out of existence as if you were splitting a carcass down the middle, just because they disagree with you. Discuss differences calmly and leave the guns on the table. There's creativity in the tension.

SAGITTARIUS

November 22—December 21

You've got com to pop, hot chocolate on the stove, and enough Duraflame logs to last till summer. And you're tickled to death when the weather report tells you to stay indoors and get cozy. You want to have a family again, to reach out, touch kin, and have homemade soup. You are a Sadge, though. Therefore, you've got the yen to do Ireland for a weekend and maybe hit Mexico for some sun. This paradox is due to a 3rd-and-4th-house pileup of planets and a 4th-and-10th-house full moon on March 18. The big question is: Do you get out there and appear on television or just stay in bed and watch it?

CAPRICORN

December 22—January 19

Your dilemma is one all creative people share. And contrary to what you may think, Capricorn is a creative sign. Cezanne was a Capricorn. Matisse was a Capricorn. Did they sit around fearing that if they went ahead and did what they believed in they'd be homeless in their old age? Maybe they did, but it certainly didn't stop them from producing. This is the time for you to produce. Simply find the happy medium between the images of yourself as the high-minded genius everyone should support and the Kafkaesque creature who sells atomic secrets to the highest bidder for the rent money.

AQUARIUS

January 20—February 18

Giving yourself over to a cause greater than yourself is probably the path toward salvation all right, but what do you do with all the energy and anger that is surfacing at the moment? By mid-March, Mars will be setting off a square between Saturn and Pluto that will culminate in about a year. There is potential for great achievement now. This is definitely a control issue, though, and the more you act out, the more entrenched and defensive other people could become. Still, you must act now, and you cannot remain silent. The only way to avoid war is to admit that it's already happening.

PISCES

February 19—March 20

Even under the best of circumstances, you're not sure if it really happened or if you imagined it—"it" being a combination of things you can't put your finger on but would swear on a stack of Bibles were going on Somewhere Behind Locked Doors. This is a handy talent when it comes to sniffing out conspiracy, but it's definitely not the ticket to peaceful relationships. The transit of Mars through your 12th house until March 27 will heighten this type of awareness, stimulate fantasies, and exacerbate feelings that people are laughing at you. That could really make you mad. Just don't mistake a loved one for a prowler.