There is no doubt that we are engulfed in a time of great change and intensity. Many of us talk about a 'New Age' dawning. But what does that mean exactly?

 

The changing of the Ages is related to the movement of the Earth known as the 'precession of the equinoxes', which, for example, causes the identity of the pole star to change over time. The Sun's annual cycle appears to recede very slowly backward by one degree every 72 years, or by one constellation every 2,160 years. This backward movement is 'precession' and is due to a slight wobble in the Earth's axis as it spins. (This wobble can be compared to the way a spinning top wobbles as it slows down.)

 

Looking back at recent 'Ages', the March Equinox Point (a marker for what 'Age' it is) could be seen against the constellation of Taurus in about 4525 BC and left Taurus to move into the constellation of Aries in about 1875 BC. The March Equinox Point could be then seen against the constellation of Aries from about 1875 BC and left Aries to move into Pisces in about 100 BC. The March Equinox Point can currently be seen against the constellation of Pisces, i.e. astronomically we are currently still in the Age of Pisces. The Vernal Equinox Point entered the constellation of Pisces in about 90 BC and will leave it to enter Aquarius in about 2600 AD.

 

THE PRECESSIONAL CYCLE

So, from the perspective of astronomy, the Age of Aquarius isn't on the schedule until 2600 AD. This is because the International Astronomical Union (IAU) defined the edges of the 88 official constellations in 1929; and the edge established between Pisces and Aquarius technically locates the beginning of the Aquarian Age at around 2600 AD.

 

Some astrologers dispute the approach of the IAU because of the varying sizes of the zodiacal constellations and the overlap between them. As a result, from the perspective of astrology, well, the date of the beginning of the Aquarian Age is difficult to pinpoint. The date literally varies depending on who you ask, and is based on numerous justifications. Here is an interesting chart that illustrates this: http://bit.ly/VYNaP9 

 

In general, the dates for the Aquarian Age according to astrologers range from as early as 1433 (the discovery of the New World) all the way to the year 2725. Astrologer Nicholas Campion reviewed published material on the subject, from astrological sources. He says that most writers claim the Age of Aquarius arrived in the 20th century (29 claims). The 24th century is in second place (12 claims). http://bit.ly/12g1Ahp 

To help determine when the Age started we can look for signs of its characteristics emerging in our world. Aquarius is associated with (just to name a few): electricity, technology, democracy, artificial intelligence, extra-terrestrials, space travel, freedom, humanitarianism, idealism, modernization, astrology, revolution, nonconformity, philanthropy... among many other things.

 

Perhaps 1776 is the beginning of the Aquarian Age? Due to the American Revolution, the Industrial Revolution, and the discovery of electricity we could say that the Age of Aquarius began in the late 18th century. Astrologer Neil Spencer states that the rise of scientific rationalism combined with the fall of religious influence is possibly an indication of the Age of Aquarius. He also maintains that the increasing focus on human rights since the 1780s is another indicator.

 

Certainly the exponential growth of technology, especially of computers and the Internet, plus the advent of flight and space travel are examples of the dawning of Aquarius, going on all around us right now.

 

REGULUS

Perhaps most interestingly, Samael Aun Weor, the founder of the Gnostic movement, came up with a most specific date: February 4, 1962. "On that day, during a solar eclipse, a grand conjunction of the classical planets occurred for the first time since 1821. It included all 5 of the naked-eye planets (plus the Sun and Moon) in the sign of Aquarius, all of them within 16� of one another. Saturn, Jupiter, Mars and Venus were on one side of the Sun, while Mercury and Earth were on the opposite side. Weor (and others) believed that such a congregation of planets is extremely rare and heralded the beginning of an Age.

 

Some astrologers say the Age of Aquarius actually does begin in 2012. That's because they believe the star Regulus in the constellation Leo the Lion marked the ancient border between the constellations Leo and Cancer. This star moves to within 30o of the September equinox point in 2012, meaning that Regulus leaves the sign Leo to enter the sign Virgo this year. Presuming equal-sized constellations in antiquity, that places the border of the constellations Pisces and Aquarius at 150o west of Regulus, or at the March equinox point. By this calculation, the Age of Aquarius starts in 2012. http://bit.ly/12g1Ahp 

 

Dane Rudhyar - a pioneer of modern transpersonal astrology - gave an estimate of the year 2060 for the beginning of the Aquarian Age.

 

Astrologer Mark Lerner proposes the date of 2087, based on the idea of a 90+ year time-cycle - starting with the recent 7-year Uranus transit of Aquarius (1996-2003) and ending with the next 7-year Uranus transit in Aquarius (2079-2087) - as "bookend" markers for the total dawning of the Aquarian Age.

Three Moon Ocean
Carol Ann Ciocco
Astronology