Copyright 2023, Michael R. Svehla

An explosive event: an astrological analysis of the Chernobyl incident




The Chernobyl event (April 26 1986, Chernobyl, Ukraine, 1:23 AM) dramatically affected Europe and its citizens. It was a level seven nuclear accident, the worst possible rating for that type of event (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl_disaster). The purpose of this article is not to delineate the Physics of the Chernobyl disaster, but to demonstrate how the event correlates in an uncanny way with the configuration of the heavens, at the moment of the event. The accident occurred as a result of a safety test (wiki) which created conditions for two explosions. The second explosion was the equivalent of 0.3 kilotons (https://chernobylphoto.com/about-chernobyl/) and the explosion and subsequent fire in the reactor released an enormous amount of radioactive material into the atmosphere.

The accident occurred almost exactly three months after the United States experienced the loss of seven astronauts and the Challenger space shuttle, via an explosion. The analysis is in the context of two world superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union, each on distinctly separate paths during the Cold War. Many radioactive elements were released into the air and spread over various parts of Europe after the accident. It included two elements with half-lives of about thirty years, Strontium-90 and Caesium-137 (wiki). Iodine-131 has a half-life of about eight days, but appeared to have caused the most health problems to people who were exposed, including an increased incidence of thyroid cancer, particularly among children. Generally, the increased incidence of rates of various types of cancer has been studied and assumed by casual observers to be higher, although this has not conclusively been proven to be the case (wiki).

A design flaw in one of the reactors precipitated the explosion. Negative news about the Soviet Union was inevitable – a raging fire releasing nuclear radiation resulting from an accident in a nuclear power plant is impossible to cover up. One might speculate that the Chernobyl event helped lead to the Soviet Union collapsing several years later in late 1991. Indeed, Mikhail Gorbachev has mentioned the Chernobyl incident as a probable catalyst that led to the demise of the Soviet Union (https://slate.com/technology/2013/01/chernobyl-and-the-fall-of-the-soviet-union-gorbachevs-glasnost-allowed-the-nuclear-catastrophe-to-undermine-the-ussr.html).

The astrology of the Chernobyl event

The safety test facilitated a cascade of events that led to the explosions, and everything happened very quickly. The 1:23 AM time is exact and the nuclear explosion, the second of the two explosions, happened at approximately 1:24 AM. The event chart demonstrates two key factors pertaining to the event: one, many planets, points, and objects are essential in explaining the accident and show without doubt that conditions in the heavens reflected precisely what happened on earth in Chernobyl; and two, the position of the heavens at that point in time, on that point on earth, set up almost perfect planetary conditions for the event. The symbolism of an accident resulting in a nuclear explosion, which is exactly what happened, repeats itself time and again in the event chart.

Mars, Zeus, and Vulcanus

The fourth reactor (fourth of four) in Chernobyl literally turned into a nuclear cannon in the middle of the night, on April 26 1986. Hypothetical Transneptunian Zeus is very active in the event chart and demonstrates the nature of the unexpected explosion. Zeus at 22 degrees Virgo – exactly conjunct the ninth house cusp – forms a square to Uranus in Sagittarius, also at 22 degrees of his sign. Both are retrograde, and the tense square between Uranus and Zeus is the first of many conditions setting up the nuclear explosion. Uranus rules electricity, and the power plant was designed to generate electricity! Uranus also symbolizes technology, which in this case is flawed (and failed during Uranus in retrograde). Zeus symbolizes focused energy, and he is also associated with industry. A tense, almost exact square among Uranus and Zeus occurred during the horrific, destructive, massive explosion. The blueish glow extending skyward from the reactor (a result of ionization in the air, created by conditions from the accident) is a combination of Uranus and Zeus. Uranus and Zeus at 22 degrees of their signs additionally provides evidence of the more difficult nature of the 22nd degree in astrology.

Mars (energy associated with accidents and destruction, among his more negative manifestations) is expected to be prominent in this type of event. Mars at 13 Capricorn definitely has a strong showing in the event chart. Mars is in exaltation; in a critical degree of Capricorn; in the first house (his own house) of the event chart; and he is just within orb of an opposition to Vulcanus (Transneptunian/mighty force). A clearly powered up Mars is part of the heavenly configuration that existed at the moment of the accident. While Vulcanus is not particularly associated with anything nuclear, an explosion of approximately 0.3 kilotons easily passes as a symbol of the enormously powerful second explosion that night. Mercury in Aries squares Mars and has an additional connection to Mars via dispositorship, and Neptune in Capricorn squares Mercury and conjuncts Mars. Among other things, clearly the misunderstandings inherent in the event (Mercury square Neptune) contributed to the devastating accident (Mars).

Sun and Pluto

Sun at 5 Taurus is exactly opposite Pluto at 5 Scorpio, Pluto's dominion. Pluto is associated with nuclear energy and Sun creates another tense opposition in the event chart with Pluto. In a way, the Sun-Pluto opposition imitates the Mars-Vulcanus opposition. The energy of each point/planet is being elevated via a spiraling feedback loop. The symbolism of the oppositions matches what happened in the nuclear reactor. A diverging surge of energy resulted in a nuclear explosion. Of interest, the fourth and tenth houses, in which Sun and Pluto reside, match what is happening with Mars and Vulcanus, by virtue of the sign placements. Sign and house are similar, but not the same. Vulcanus in Cancer and Sun in the fourth house near the imum coeli suggest the secretive nature of the event – done in the middle of the night. Pluto in Scorpio also suggests the secrecy associated with the test, but the impossibility of covering it up. Nuclear material was flung into the atmosphere and continued to spew out due to raging fires, which characterizes Pluto near the Midheaven. An iridescent blue glow flashing into the sky basically advertised the terrible accident, in the middle of the night. Mars in Capricorn, a very public sign, also characterizes the nature of the accident and the difficulty of keeping it a secret, despite the best efforts of the Soviet leaders.

A third stark and strong opposition consists of Moon in Scorpio across from Venus in Taurus. Neither is necessarily directly associated with a nuclear accident, but each has a compelling role in the event nonetheless, particularly in an opposition. Scorpio Moon is in Pluto's domain and thus associated with the nuclear (Scorpio/Pluto) aspect of the event. The two feminine planets, Moon and Venus, are both associated with tragedy due to their placements in the zodiac. Moon in Scorpio is in her sign of fall, and Venus at 28 Taurus conjuncts fixed star Alcyone. The opposition repeats a symbolic feedback loop, again in the Taurus-Scorpio axis. Venus in dominion overpowers Moon in her fall. The unfortunate conjunction to Venus to Alcyone, and Moon roughly opposite the Pleiades constellation in addition to being in Scorpio, alludes to what happened in the control room that led to the accident.

Pulling the trigger

In addition to Zeus conjunct the ninth house cusp, drawing chart ruler Jupiter further into the event, Uranus is in the same degree as the ascendant – which happens to be 22 degrees, just as the ninth house cusp is at 22 degrees – and pushing on the ascendant angle. The chart is loaded with symbolic detonators ready to go off. Zeus and particularly Uranus fit this symbolism. Of interest, Poseidon (Transneptunian) in the tenth house is conjunct the Midheaven within a degree, and retrograde. In addition to Jupiter suggesting that the theory and more abstract operations went awry and contributed to the accident, Poseidon (theory) is awry and rather than providing clarity in the event, he is actually contributing to the lack of understanding in the control room via a retrograde. Amazingly, another trigger consists of Moon's Nodes just having entered the anaretic degrees of Aries and Libra – and aligning within four degrees of the gravitational axis! Although the Moon's Nodes are in the fourth and tenth houses – quite a familiar theme at this point – the Moon's Nodes are actually pushing on the fourth and tenth house cusps, due to the retrograde motion of Moon's Nodes. The Moon's Nodes are edgy and very recently moved backwards into new cardinal signs. This contributed to the initiation of the nuclear explosion.

Jupiter in his classical dominion contains a fair amount of influence in the event, albeit indirectly. Jupiter expands Uranus, via a tense square, and by virtue of Uranus dispositing to Jupiter, the two have a second connection (Uranus in Sagittarius is a theme of “expanding knowledge,” and in the event chart, an expanding feedback of energy that could not be contained relates heavily to Uranus). A notable fourth opposition includes Saturn in the mix: Saturn forms an opposition to Chiron in Gemini. Chiron is often associated with tragedy (prior work pertaining to assassination events and Bruce Lee by author have demonstrated this, for example). Chiron also has a complex position in the chart, because he aspects three of the hypotheticals. This fact itself gives amazing insights about the event. For example, Chiron's aspect to Apollon helps to explain the number of explosions, two. Chiron also squares the chart ruler, Jupiter, and Saturn is the third planet in that t-square.

An overwhelming amount of factors contributed to conditions pertaining to the accident in Chernobyl. No less than four factors triggered the event, including the most important planet activating the event, Uranus. Mars and two of the hypothetical Transneptunians, Zeus and Vulcanus, easily explain the astrological causes behind the unfortunate explosion, and Sun/Pluto and several other planets provide additional support for the accidental blast. Not one planet has been left out as an at least indirect supporter in conditions that created the supernal backdrop for this major event in 1986. Chiron and at least half of the eight hypothetical Transneptunians were also significant actors in the event.

Oversight of the decommissioned Chernobyl plant continues to this day.

Takeaways, in no particular order:

1) Mars is expected to be prominent in destructive accidents. He was clearly active in the Chernobyl incident. Additionally, Zeus and Vulcanus, associated with concentrated energy and massive energy respectively, were clearly also active.

2) Pluto, an overtone of Mars, was also active at the moment of the explosion. Pluto would be expected to be active in a nuclear accident and the exact opposition to Sun is arguably sufficiently active.

3) Uranus is overly active in the event chart! The accident involved technology, electricity, and was quite a shocking event. Just as integral to the event was Uranus' position, highly agitating the ascendant, and in the 22nd degree of Sagittarius, leading to the next point.

4) This case study lends credence to the significance of the 22nd degree pertaining to malefic events. Uranus, Zeus, the ascendant, and the ninth house cusp fit in logically with the nature of the event and all reside in the 22nd degree of Virgo or Sagittarius.

5) Moon's Nodes just having entered new signs appears to be important in the event, combined with the alignment with the gravitational axis. Author had not previously considered retrograde motion to be associated with agitation of the four angles, which analysis of the event uncovered.

6) While the chart contains squares, the main aspect behind the event appears to be oppositions. Perhaps this is because accidents involve imbalances, or for other reasons associated with oppositions. In any case, the analysis supports the idea of oppositions as potential main contributors to accidents.

7) Retrogrades appear to play an important role in certain types of accidents; in the Chernobly accident this is definitely true.

8) Does the event chart demonstrate a fated event meant to occur at a certain time, when everything in the heavenly mix aligns? While nobody can prove such an idea at this point in history, comparing the Chernobyl event chart with a random transit chart, for example casting one for this moment in time as author finishes typing this sentence, makes a cogent case for astrological influences in mundane events.



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