Volcano Ash Plume from Iceland comes to Northern Europe

Astrology Horoscope of the Volcanic Ash Plume from Iceland

The horoscopes for the 2nd eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull are discussed below the paragraphs describing the present situation as at 17 April 2010 caused by the Iceland volcanic ash cloud hanging over Europe. The horoscopes for the March 2010 eruption have been posted here.

Even the exact location of the Eyjafjallajökull eruption was difficult to pinpoint, and in this respect the astrology charts below may be off by a minute of arc or two. The eruption occurred on 13 April 2010 at 22h59 (GMT+2) at 63°36'48" N and 19°39'21" W.

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The astrological charts for this event took some time to set up because I could not find published articles on the Internet which quoted the exact time of the swarm of earthquakes which led to this eruption until quite late this afternoon, apart from this only one official source.

Northern and Western Europe has had no flying planes for several days owing to the Icelandic Volcano Ash Plume travelling over it. This is the first time airspace has been forbidden for more than three days since 9/11. Thankfully, owing to this measure, no plane has crashed after ingesting molten lava dust which turns to glass when clogging aircraft engines. It once happened that a British Airways plane lost all 4 engines in a volcano ash cloud. Luckily, the crew just about managed to restart the engines before crashing and all were saved - video reconstructing the flight of BA009 in three parts 1, 2, 3 (warning, viewers discretion applies, it's very realistic).

Little talked about is the question of the just-in-time system which has been thoroughly damaged. Trying to buy pineapples from Costa Rica in the United Kingdom is going to be an adventure. Perishable goods are rotting in cargo terminals at the other side of the world. Trying to secure spare parts for one's Japanese or American car in Europe could become a problem. Industry depending on imports to refine products may have to slow or stop activities. Important mail will be late.

As at 22 May 2010, the volcano is now spewing blue sulfur gas. Health advice concerning the breathing of the noxious volcanic ash has been given by the World Health Organization (WHO). The ash will be brought down by rain, and scientists in Norway are analysing if this rain water will be dangerous to drink. Link: What to do in case of ashfall (pdf, 18 pages, in Icelandic). Link: Volcanic Ash and Health, Advice for the public (pdf, 12 pages, in Icelandic). (Use Google Translate to read in English).

This event is costing millions of euros in lost revenue, and not just for aviation. If this volcanic cloud remains there for more than a few days, there will be airlines going bankrupt and many people without jobs.

The airlines are not complaining that much at the moment despite this difficult situation. Either they lose money not flying planes, or they lose money in litigation if planes crash flying in the ash cloud. The accountants must have made their sums! (Graph/Picture: Forecast for Volcanic Ash in Iceland for period 22 to 24 May 2010).

The Icelandic Eyjafjallajökull Volcano Astrology Charts for the 1st eruption on March 2010 did not reveal immediate danger. The Moon was void of course. Aspects, although typical of an Earth event, were mostly non-threatening. However, some planets were placed in vulnerable positions and the scientists themselves were already fearing more problems. This volcano has a rather big brother (some say it's a sister) called Katla. In the past, whenever Eyjafjallajökull erupted, its sibling also blew up.

Astrologically speaking, they are two distinct volcanoes. The vulcanologists themselves emphasize that their geology is different. The fear resides in the fact that when Eyjafjallajökull wakes up, its lava melts the ice cap on top of Katla, adding to geological pressure capable of waking up Katla. Going back to the astrology charts for the 1st eruption, Neptune and Chiron were placed on the IC and this position did show the possibility of flooding.

The 2nd eruption happened very close to an Aries New Moon, when Moon was square the Nodes. Sun is angular to the DSC from the VIth. Uranus in Pisces in the Vth makes a quincunx to the Asc and a sesqui-square to the MC. Both aspects become exact within minutes of the first earthquakes of the swarm.

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Retrograde Saturn in Virgo is applying to the opposition of Uranus which will take place on 27 April 2010. At the same time, this retrograde Saturn is also applying to a quincunx to Neptune in Aquarius in the IVth. Neptune = "watery clouds" which aptly describes the steam plume which would soon be invading European skies. With Saturn in an exact semi-square to the MC (exactly, by one second) representing "ashes". Saturn had just separated 2 days previously from a quincunx to Chiron. This aspect is a bad aspect, really bad (and this aspect will come back when Saturn goes direct again).

The burning Mars-Pluto quincunx is separating (it was exact 2 days previously) which it must have been when magma started to move upwards. Mars in Leo is in the IXth, as well as the South Node Ketu in Cancer.

At the time of the chart at 22h59m, the lava starts going upwards to the glacier. It is still underground. ASC is at the end of Libra.

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At about 23h52m, the MC has progressed to the opposition of Neptune and the ASC is now in Scorpio. Mercury sets on 14 April at 00h42 (GMT+2). Within 30 seconds, when Venus sets, Jupiter anti-culminates and this is within one minute of the last earthquake and when lava erupts freely outside, on 14 April 2010 at 01h15m, melting the ice cap of the volcano.

Saturn for 01h14m25s (GMT+2) is angular in the MidHeaven, throwing a very nasty portend to the whole affair. Venus is immensely strong by being angular in the DSC and in Taurus, and so is Jupiter, being in the IC in Pisces. Something huge was happening.

Turning to the heliocentric chart at 22h59m, there are many indications that show something big is coming: there's a formidable opposition between Mercury (conjunct Mars), both in Virgo, and Jupiter in Pisces. Mars in Virgo - burning earth and making ashes (ashes on the ground) which are carried with Mercury. If one cares to use the minor planets, it's in fact a grand square which involves Ceres and Juno also. Saturn is dignified in Libra and applies to the square of Pluto in Capricorn (fire in the earth) which will be complete in June. With the proviso that one could perhaps use houses in helio charts, Uranus in Pisces (shaking water) is exactly quincunx the airy Libran ASC while Neptune in Aquarius (fog) trines the same ASC.

Earth was shaken by Eris and Sedna 2 days previously. As Sedna represents everything that is corrupted, it should come as no surprise if the fumes or ashes of this volcano represent some danger to humans, plants or animals.

Advancing the helio chart to 00h50m46s on 14 April, one starts to see there might be a big problem: Mars is conjunct Mercury and Vesta on the MC (if one uses the houses). And this lot of three is opposing, exactly, an immensely powerful Jupiter in Pisces smack on the IC. In addition to this opposition exactly square Juno and Ceres. The fear factor, Sappho, is exactly conjunct the ASC.

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This eruption heralded the start of the volcanic ash plume as well as floods down the valley. Eruptions have continued and the scientists are duly worried as some of the earthquakes in the last few days have been strong. Astrologically speaking, there are a number of problematic aspects becoming exact at the end of April and beginning of May. And a few more in June also. Trying to pinpoint an end to the cloud over Europe is difficult. As it is also not easy to determine whether the volcano will get back to sleep or whether is has just started to wake up Katla. In addition, Mercury has turned retrograde just after this new eruption. It's quite typical of transport problems, but it also means that we don't have all of the information to be able to assess the situation in an objective manner.

I like to be optimistic, although a comparison with Iceland's Independence Astrology Chart shows that there may be difficult moments ahead for Iceland. One might wonder however, if this is the proper chart to compare it with, because at the moment, the trouble the volcano is causing is not really happening in Iceland, but elsewhere in Europe. Sure, there are going to be damages in Iceland, if only those roads that had to be broken to let the flood go more freely. The agriculture in that area will also suffer. That being said, and apart from the few tourists that courted death by going too near the volcano or getting lost in the mountains, the volcano has, for the moment, not caused huge problems for Iceland.

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Still, the astrology of Iceland bears watching carefully, because its radical ASC at 2°38' Libra is conjunct Neptune at 1°28', and transiting Saturn is going to come back soon to attack these two vulnerable points in June. Transiting Uranus in Pisces will soon square Iceland's radical Saturn and will soon be in Aries, tickling and shaking Iceland's chart. As for transiting Pluto in Capricorn (fire in earth), it's retrograding on top of Iceland's IC and will make the aspect twice in the next few weeks and months. As for transiting Jupiter, it will be dangerous to that country the moment it goes into Aries.

The heliocentric comparison of the chart of Iceland with that of this 2nd volcanic eruption is not so bad... except that transiting Saturn is sitting on the ASC of Iceland's chart, and that may well indicate that the problem will be long-lasting. I could be wrong, but the possibility of awakening Katla is not the greatest as taken from the chart. The helio of Mercury-Mars-Vesta to Iceland's Mars is finished and will not come back for a long while.

On a purely intuitive hint, I'd say it's more likely that some side of the volcano is destructed or explodes when Saturn conjuncts the ASC or Neptune, because at that time the square between transiting Neptune and Pluto will be almost exact. Finding out whether Katla the big brother (or sister) will wake up would take a much longer analysis than the above charts.

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Before you go read the serious scientific links further down, here are a few Iceland volcano jokes collected The Telegraph. Have fun!

I see that America has declared war on Iceland. Apparently they are accusing them of harbouring a “weapon of ash eruption”.
It was the last wish of the Icelandic economy that its ashes be spread over Europe.
Iceland goes bankrupt, then it manages to set itself on fire. This has insurance scam written all over it.
Iceland, we wanted your cash, not your ash.
Waiter, there's volcanic ash in my soup. I know, it's a no-fly zone.
Richard Curtis is working on a new rom-com about people stuck in an airport who fall in love. The working title is "Lava Actually".
I came out my house yesterday and was hit on the head by a bag of frozen sausages, a chocolate gateau and some fish fingers. I realised it must be the fallout from Iceland.
Volcano in Iceland. What next Earthquake in Asda?
Woke this morning to find every surface in the house covered in a layer of dust and a foul stench of sulphur in the air. No change, I’ve been married to that bone-idle slob for 20 years.

Some photographs of the Icelandic volcano ash that is disrupting air travel and a list of interesting links.

European Space Agency (ESA)

Boeing 747 jet engine damaged by volcanic dust

Boeing 747 jet engine damaged by volcanic ash

UK Met Office - Lots of interesting articles
UK Met Office - Picture Gallery and Animations
Institute of Earth Sciences - Historical Data for this Eruption with lots of graphics and pictures (the "Devil" picture comes from there)
Radar images - pdf file
Science Blogs - a number of short articles
NASA satellite images - almost real time
NASA earth observatory - fantastic pictures
Ash in Scotland - on helicopter, cars
Live webcam - good quality pictures
Accuweather - ash will stay till Thursday (22 April 2010)
GPS measurements in Iceland - 1999-2002 - Very technical article (pdf, slow to load)
Detailed history of this volcano from 14 April 2010, with very good pictures and graphs (in Icelandic language - use Google translation: http://translate.google.com)
More fantastic pictures - (in Icelandic language - use Google translation: http://translate.google.com)
Yahoo Editors' Pick of Galleries - Almost all the best photos
National Geographic is making a documentary on this eruption - (in Icelandic language - use Google translation: http://translate.google.com)
Drivers do not see the road due to ash fall - (in Icelandic language - use Google translation: http://translate.google.com)
Volcano News around the world. Very detailed.
Earthquake locations in Iceland - (in Icelandic language - use Google translation: http://translate.google.com)
Icelandic Met Office - A 2009 Study on the possibility of eruption of the volcano (pdf, slow to load). Lots of pictures and graphs. Very technical.
The Volcanism Blog
Study on the Katla and Eyjafjallajokull Volcanoes - (pdf, slow to load). Very technical
GPS time series - very technical (specialists only!)
Good graph on the two eruptions - (pdf, one page but slow loading)
1821-1823 Eruption Study - in Icelandic - too big for Google translate. Good map dated 1949.
2009 Thesis on Eyjafjallajökull - Morphology and magma-ice interaction in an ice-confined silicic fissure eruption (very technical)
BBC article explaining why plane do not fly in volcanic ash
Weather forecast satellite - World - Very good site and contains lots of interesting articles on the volcano and the ash plume
What Icelandic volcanoes are capable of: the Laki eruption in 1783-1784 - Wikipedia article
Christopher Lund's fantastic pictures of the volcano
Jetstream forecast - that's the fast wind that makes our climate and which carries the volcanic ash to Europe