JUPITER/VENUS CONJUNCTION

On the evening of February 23, the planets Jupiter and Venus will come to a very close conjunction. The closest point of conjunction between the two planets will be within 1/10th of a degree from one another as viewed from the earth. In order to view the closest point of conjunction, one would have to be near the middle of the northern Atlantic Ocean. Even so, Jupiter and Venus will put on a good show for the rest of the planet. They will be seen within 1/2 of a degree from each other in the United States, and will appear very close to one another as seen from Israel. Chart 87 shows the positions of Jupiter (God or the King of Righteousness) and Venus (Jesus Christ) as seen from Jerusalem on the evening of February 23, 1999. The planets are in the constellation Pisces which represents the nation of Israel.

Jupiter and Venus will not be this close in a visible conjunction again until August 27, 2016. They will pass much closer on May 17, 2000 (1/95th of one degree), but will be too close to the sun to be visible. The planets pass within 1/60th of a degree from each other about two times per century. During the well noted conjunction of June 17, 2 B.C. (see A Voice Crying in the Heavens, 2nd edition, pp. 76, 79), Jupiter and Venus passed within 15" or 1/240th of a degree from each another. The two planets have come as close or closer than 15" eight times since that event. Three times out of the eight, Jupiter and Venus were too close to the sun to be visible during the conjunctions. None of the other five conjunctions came as close as the June 17, 2 B.C. event as seen from the Middle East area, specifically from Baghdad to Jerusalem.

All through February, Jupiter and Venus dominate the early evening skies. On the 17th, the first crescent light of the new moon will be seen just below Jupiter. On the 18th the crescent moon will be seen cradled between Jupiter and Venus. The star or planet below Venus is Mercury, and the fairly bright star above Jupiter is the planet Saturn. Saturn will be immediately above Venus after February 23, until Venus passes it on March 20.

Well, don't hold your breath. I believe that the next millennium will begin long before then, but there is a very interesting celestial event that takes place on Rosh Hashana in the year 2040. Actually, it is the greatest foreseeable celestial sign of the next millennium and somewhat beyond. In early September, 2040, all five visible planets (Jupiter, Venus, Mars, Mercury, and Saturn) will be closely massed in the constellation Virgo (the Woman). Furthermore, on September 8, 2040, the new crescent moon will be nestled in the midst of the planets and will produce quite the spectacle in the early evening skies above Jerusalem (see Chart 88). This is the beginning of the first day of Tishri, Rosh Hashana or Day of Trumpets. It will also be the beginning of the first day of the Muslim holy month Ramadan.

Rosh Hashana and the first day of Ramadan fall on the same day every 33 years for three consecutive years. The next years that this will happen are 2005, 2006, and 2007. Then it will occur again in 2038, 2039, and 2040. The last time that this occurred was in 1972, 1973, and 1974. What was called the Yom Kippur War by Israel in 1973, was called the Ramadan War by the Muslims.

The Muslims start Ramadan with the first naked eye sighting of the first crescent light of the new moon. Because the Muslim calendar does not add in an extra month now and then to bring it into sync with the solar calendar, as does the Hebrew calendar, Ramadan drifts through all of the seasons. This is why it coincides with the month of Tishri every 33 years for three consecutive years instead of every year.

At any rate, the celestial event that will occur on September 8, 2040 is a very rare event. This will not occur in the constellation Virgo (the Woman or faithful remnant of Israel) on Rosh Hashana for at least another 26,000 years. This is the first time since the creation that this will occur. The planets are closer in alignment on this date than the much talked about and hyped up alignment of early May 2000, which is rumored to topple the earth on its axis (NOT).

Speaking of creation, it is well rooted in Jewish tradition that the "Creation" of the world occurred on Rosh Hashana. In A Voice Crying in the Heavens, p. 67, I calculated the creation year to be 3962 or 3961 B.C. This may or may not be correct. But it is interesting that from Rosh Hashana 3961 B.C. to Rosh Hashana 2040 there are exactly 6,000 solar years. That would make 2040 the beginning of the year 6001 or the Seventh Millennium if that creation date is correct. And what a sign we have here. It is a great and wondrous sign, but there are not many foreseeable rare or pertinent celestial events surrounding it. The events occurring between 1996 and 2002, taken as a whole, far outweigh the sign of 2040. The sign of September 8, 2040 may be a memorial of some sort. With various events now rapidly unfolding on the planet, I just do not see this age lasting another 41 years. But, in the event that things do not continue to unfold within the next few years, or are put on hold, this is one to hand down to our grandchildren.

Chart 89 shows the position of the moon and planets in Virgo shortly after sunset on September 7, 2040. The moon is seen here almost dead center in the crown above the head of the woman. The moon at this time is not well illuminated and very low on the horizon. There is a slight possibility that the first crescent light of the moon will be seen on this date, but it will most likely not be seen until September 8. No man knows the day or hour.

Midnight.....
There is no sound in the forest -
only the phantom murmur
of the far wind
and the wind's shadow drifting
as smoke
through ebon branches; there a single star
glistens in the heart of night....
A star!
Look skyward now...
and see above...INFINITY
Vast and dark and deep
and endless....your heritage:
Silent clouds of stars,
Other worlds uncountable and other suns
beyond numbering
and realms of fire-mist and star-cities
as grains of sand....
drifting...
Across the void....
Across the gulf of night....
Across the endless rain of years....
Across the ages.
Listen!
Were you the star-born you should hear
That silent music of which the ancient sages spoke
Though in silent words....
Here then is our quest
and our world
and our Home.
Come with me now, Pilgrim of the stars,
For our time is upon us and our eyes
shall see the far country
and the shining cities of Infinity
which the wise men knew
in ages past, and shall know again
in ages yet to be.
Look to the east....there shines
the Morning Star...soon shall the sunrise come...
We await the Dawn.
Rise, oh eternal light;
Awaken the World!
With trumpets and cymbals and harp and the sound of glad song!
And now...
The clouds of night are rolled away;
Sing welcome to the Dawn,
Of the bright new day!
Author Unknown