A while back I started a series of pieces about "things electrical." Published to date are entries titled

• "A drift of electrons"
• "Sweet induction"

This is the third installment.

When I first started studying electronics, I came across this statement in my textbook and was intrigued:

A charged particle moving in an electric field generates magnetism.

Searching on "charged particle in electric field", I couldn't find this statement anywhere to verify that I remembered it correctly. Then I remembered my son's series of books on science.

In 1819, a Danish scientist, Hans Chrisian Oersted, discovered electromagnetism. Oersted found that a nearby compass needle would move each time he switched some electrical equipment on or off. Normally, the needle pointed in a north-south direction. But, when Oersted switched on his equipment, the needle swung around to point in a different direction. It returned to its original position when the equipment was switched off.

Oersted found that the effect was caused by the electric current flowing through a wire near the compass. For some reason, the wire acted like a magnet when the current flowed through it. ... Oersted had discovered electromagnetism, although he did not discover why electricity should give rise to magnetism. In fact, even today, scientists do not understand electromagnetism fully...

Growing Up with Science: vol.5, "Electromagnetism;" H.S.Stuttman; 1987
[I've omitted a lot of the repetition--it's a children's book, after all.]

As far as I'm concerned this answers my guery. But, during my search, I found other information that is also intriguing. One interesting reference to Einstein's paper "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies" in the wikipedia states that it

...reconciles Maxwell's equations for electricity and magnetism with the laws of mechanics, by introducing major changes to mechanics close to the speed of light. This later became known as Einstein's Special theory of relativity.

In some of the articles I found online, the only particles referred to are photons. Other sources stated that light is an electromagnetic wave. Be careful though. If you consider the double-slit experiment, it's a toss-up on whether and when light is a particle or a wave or a charged particle is a particle or a wave. It can get pretty messy. Here's a great animation from YouTube explaining the experiment.

From the wikipedia again, here's a definition of electromagnetic radiation:

...a time-varying electric field generates a magnetic field and vice versa. Therefore, as an oscillating electric field generates an oscillating magnetic field, the magnetic field in turn generates an oscillating electric field, and so on. These oscillating fields together form an electromagnetic wave.

For an interactive illustration of an electromagnetic wave, try Molecular Expressions. You may be prompted to download and install the Java Runtime Environment to view the animation. It's well worth the effort.

Journal entry dated 6 May 2007
Category: Whatis Aquarian, Food for thought

Here is the chart for this New Moon. The Sun-Moon conjunct occurs at 4:14 AM on June 15th Greenwich Mean Daylight Time.

Lisa Dale Miller at Astrowisdom.com says about the New Moon being in Gemini:

One last thing, Gemini rules change. This is the best night to work on managing your fear of change. Everything changes; it is the nature of Maya, the field of relativity. When we ride the changes and make surfing the waves of change a vehicle for success, we actualize the highest expression of Gemini. This is the New Moon to celebrate the power knowledge holds to broaden our perspective and open our minds!

Jeffrey Kishner at Lunar Tunes Astrology talks about the newsy nature of the sign Gemini and its ruler Mercury:

But we have to be careful of how we ingest the news. Our minds crave distraction from the humdrum of our daily lives, yet how often does our media diet contribute depth and substance? Are we, as a collective, over and done with Paris Hilton, as low as she's sunk? Could it be that the press is a tool of the government, trying to control us so that we don't question our nation's destructive foreign policies? Does the Bush administration own TMZ? Are Paris, Britney and Lindsay nothing but pawns of the American Enterprise Institute?

I'm not a conspiracy theorist, I'm just making a point. Gemini can be superficial and gossipy, oblivious to the dangers perpetrated by those in power. Sometimes we get so stuck in absorbing mindless information that we don't pay attention to world affairs.

What captures my attention in this chart are the three sextiles contained in the eastern hemisphere by the opposition between Neptune in Aquarius and Saturn in Leo. Reading in the direction of the signs (counter-clockwise) from Neptune to Saturn, we see Neptune sextile Mars in Aries sextile Sun-Moon in Gemini sextile Saturn (and vice versa). In addition Mars forms trines with Saturn and Pluto in Sagittarius. What to make of this soup?

Neptune in Aquarius and Saturn in Leo have been playing tag, going in and out of the oppositional aspect since late 2005. I think the Sun and Moon are essentially markers here, indicating the beginning of the monthly cycle and maybe a longer one — Mars in Aries marks the beginning of a cycle, as well.

That leaves Mars. All of its aspects here (sextiles and trines) are what more traditional astrologers call "favorable." Yet it sits on the midpoint between Neptune and the Sun-Moon combo.

As noted before, the Neptune-Saturn opposition indicates, in part --

A leadership which goes to excess and exhausts itself on impractical schemes; inflation which drains resources; budget deficits; drug problems; promises made but not backed with substance or intention. (Michael Munkasey, Midpoints: Unleashing the Power of the Planets, ACS Publications, 1991)

Mars in Aries is rash, aggressive, self-centered and short-tempered. I think the favorable aspects alleviate it for now, but there is a growing anger in America about how things have been and are being run.

Journal entry dated 14 Jun 2007
Category: Whatis Aquarian

Here is the chart for this full Moon. The Sun-Moon opposition occurs at 2:04 AM on June 1st, Greenwich Mean Daylight Time. It occurs 4 hours earlier in New York. Note that at the full Moon the Part of Fortune is on the Descendant. This suggests that the new Moon is a personal point, because the Part of Fortune is on the Ascendant; and the full Moon is a relationship point--the Descendant being synonymous with the cusp of the 7th house.

About this full Moon I offer the following articles:

• Astrology in May-June 2007 - The Blue Full Moon in Gemini-Sagittarius by Robert Wilkinson
  

  The coming 11 Gemini-Sagittarius Blue Full Moon occurs at 6:04 pm 31 May 2007, early morning June 1 east of the Madeiras. The Solar degree is one of "new vistas of concrete, conscious development," and the Moon is one of "physical enlightenment" and "activity dominated by fate." The Moon is in the Grand Fire Trine quintile Neptune, with inspiration fed by the Sun in Gemini tredecile Neptune. This will bring powerful manifestations around 23 Leo, which no doubt will be crystalized over the next few weeks by Saturn. Be resolute and patient as you demonstrate your training while the Grand Irrationality swirls around us...

• About the Grand Irrationality (discussed in the previous article) author Wilkinson says:

  Aquarius Papers - Global Astrology: The Week of May 28-June 4, 2007 - Grand Irrationality in Full Swing, Mercury enters Cancer, Blue Full Moon in the Americas while Mars enters the Grand Fire Trine

  This week begins under the beams of the 26 Taurus May 16 New Moon, but takes a big turn on May 31 at the Full Moon falling at 11 Sagittarius-Gemini. Trust your body wisdom and get it in gear, since the Fire trine can give wings to what we've been working toward since March. The other big news is that Venus and Mars are in the Cancer and Aries zones of the Grand Irrationality, showing this time is one of making major decisions about where we're going and who we're going with...

• The following is included for its fire: Full Moon in Sagittarius: The Last Word

  For too long, the voice of “we, the people” – in media, in politics, and in public discourse - has been shrill, closed-minded, and downright mean. It’s only since Jupiter entered Sagittarius last November, for the first time since Pluto has occupied that sign, that we have begun to reclaim the positive power of our collective voice. Jupiter has opened the window and reintroduced light into our Pluto in Sagittarius dungeon, beginning to clear the fouled air while Pluto prepares to move into Capricorn in January…

Personally, my attention was drawn to two things in this chart:

• Midpoint of Sun/Jupiter (12 Pisces 52) conjunct Moon's North Node (11 Pisces 40).
  
  1. About the Sun/Jupiter midpoint in politics or business (Pluto elevated or in 10th house):
     

     Thesis: The reputation of the nation in the eyes of the rest of the world and the personal renown and acceptance of its leaders; the growth of the national character and reputation; the country's ability to lead others.

     Anti: A religious or philosophical system which ties the effective leadership of the country to a predetermined course of action; the executive of the nation battling with the legal and justice parts of the government.

     (Michael Munkasey, Midpoints: Unleashing the Power of the Planets; ACS Publications, 1991)

  2. About the North Node conjunct the midpoint:
     

     Meeting and influencing other people who can be central to assisting with your successes in life; more political awareness in pursuing your efforts; encountering others who provide the talent and resources you need now.

• Mercury in Cancer mirroring (contra-antiscion) Pluto in Sagittarius -- using midpoints again:

  1. Mercury/Pluto (interpreted as an opposition):
     

     You are very incisive and aggressive with your opinions. You have a tendency towards fanaticism and often want to impose your ideas on others, sometimes in a subtle manner and sometimes more imperatively. You will find yourself attracted by the occult and other mysteries but it is recommended that you avoid those subjects because they can generate certain fixations or obsessiveness. You must learn to control your impatience and impulsiveness, to think things over before speaking, and to respect the weaknesses of others.

     Alternate interpretation: Never satisfied with the face value of anything, you are always probing beneath the surface for deeper reasons and hidden motives - though you rarely reveal your own. You have a very suspicious, even paranoid, side. You mind is penetrating and deep and you have an aptitude for research, investigative reporting, or private investigation. You are keenly interested in the deeper aspects of the human psyche, with a sort of "x-ray vision" regarding the inner motivations and intentions of others. You are drawn to anything secret, hidden, or mysterious, and may pursue esoteric or occult studies. You are also a forceful and convincing speaker or writer, with the ability to influence peoples' thinking by the sheer power of your conviction. (Cafe Astrology)

  2. Moon influence (ruler of Cancer)
     

     Diminished capacity for enjoying sex with one partner; mood swings when you can not obtain you way with others; sensitivity to the sexual and intellectual need of others; obsessive needs for privacy or power. (Munkasey)

  3. Jupiter influence (ruler of Sagittarius)
     

     Need to control publishing sources and the presentation of material and information to the public; increased public relations or advertising expertise; a bias about what information you release to others. (Munkasey)

In closing here is a reference describing antiscion/contra-antiscion:
The Classical Basis of Antiscia and Contra-antiscia by Deborah Houlding. This is a well-researched article, clearly written.

Journal entry dated 31 May 2007
Category: Whatis Aquarian