Often a Moon-to-Sun Return chart will have several planets in angular houses, but not near the angles. As a consequence we might at first dismiss the chart as not being very exciting. For the practiced astrologer, such is not the case. The following charts will serve to illustrate the way in which we need to look at a Return chart in terms of it likely yielding a significant period during its two week cycle. On Nov. 3, 1981, Tolkachev had a precession-corrected t/Moon-opposite-n/Sun Return, the n/Sun being in the 10th house.
That chart is shown below.
Other than n/Pluto being within a degree of the MC angle, note the distance of all other bodies from their nearest angles: n/Sun 12d from the MC, n/Venus 13d from the MC, t/Saturn 12d from the Asc., n/PoF 16d from the Asc., t/Mercury 17d from the Asc., t/Moon 12d from the IC, and n/Chiron 6d from the Desc. Recognizing that the chart angles advance about 1 degree per day, we can see from our listing that several planets are located about twelve degrees from their nearest angle. We can, with most software packages, step forward day-by-day to explore any patterns that are not anticipated.
As far as this rather ‘mild’ Return chart goes, the major considerations are the t/Moon-opposite-n/Sun in the 10th, and n/Pluto-MC. This Moon-Sun pattern suggests, according to the book Personal Moon-to-Sun Returns2, Difficulty with plans relating to family or jointly held resources. Public image is affected by stated plans. Divesting property to raise cash. Private and public life clash. Renewing something essential to one’s well-being is considered. Doing the unexpected. n/Pluto at the MC suggests, within the context of one’s life, wishing to exercise some level of control. We will explore these chart indications, taking into account that we will need to adjust these meanings to fit within a context of ‘spying’.
CIA agent David Rolph had not had contact with Tolkachev for several months. The signal to meet, a lighted kitchen window at a given period, high up in the apartment tower where Tolkachev lived, had not been lighted. As it turned out, a second signal had been set up to indicate the need for a meeting; this had been Tolkachev’s small battered sedan parked a certain way at a certain spot. Rolph had thought that this signal would not go into effect until November and had not checked on it. As a result of this misunderstanding, several possible meeting dates had been missed.
So, back to our assessment of several planets near 12 degrees from their nearest angles. Seven days after the Return chart, on Nov. 10th, 1981, the kitchen window light was lit. Rolph went to a nearby park where they were to meet. Tolkachev greeted Rolph warmly and suggested the go to his car and sit there while they talked. This made Rolph nervous as anyone might note them and stop and ask for identification and questioning. In a parked car there was no way or time to separate or dispose of incriminating materials. Let us first look at the Advanced chart for the 10th of November.
What has changed? n/Sun-n/Venus is now close to the MC. A friendly and supportive event will be part of his ‘spy-career’ experience. n/Chiron at the Desc. angle is also ‘close’, only a degree away. Adjustments will be required by or for another person. t/Saturn is not yet overly close to the Ascendant, still 7 degrees distant. But, Saturn is Saturn and often insists on making itself felt. Plans will be discussed, caution will be needed.
Now, let us look at the alternative planets — natal for transiting planets, transiting for natal planets. As soon as we play this astrological hopscotch game we find some interesting facets. With n/Sun-MC and n/Chiron-Desc. forming an angular or ‘paran’ square, we will take note of t/Sun which opposes t/Chiron. We have a doubled up Sun-Chiron; our intentions and direction in life will need to be adjusted, past difficulties will need to be corrected or adapted to.
With t/Saturn-n/PoF in the first house, we can take note of n/Saturn-opposing-t/PoF across the 11th-to-5th house axis. Saturn and the Part of Fortune do not impress us as being well-paired. What should we make of this pair? Resistance to change. Unexpected conflict over what has to change. Change is not what it seems to be. Any of these statements might be applicable. Let us get back to our story and see how the story and the chart line up.
Tolkachev took Rolph to his car. If anyone of the ‘neighborhood watch’ were to notice the fogged up windows and make an inquiry, they would have trouble on their hands. A moving car is not as safe as it might seem; talking and driving stresses one’s memory of decisions and information after the drive is over. As nervous as Rolph was about meeting in a car, Tolkachev was happy and very animated. The summer had not been as productive as he had hoped. Security had been tightened up, so signing out documents was hampered. With summer, less clothing was worn and he couldn’t smuggle documents out of his office at noontime to be photographed back at his near-by apartment. Still, 23 rolls of film were handed over. A new Pentax camera was provided along with batteries. Stereo headphones for Tolkachev’s son, and 32,400 rubles were handed over. Also, a new radio transmitter was provided for urgent communications. New meeting signals were agreed upon. Tolkachev wanted a miniature tape recorder, books. The meeting ended after some twenty minutes.
At this time, while Tolkachev was bleeding critical intelligence from the Soviet Union, they were in the midst of an intelligence hi-jacking effort of their own. The French caught wind of it and shared the information with the CIA. Faulty electronics and equipment was allowed to ‘fall into’ the hands of the Soviets for their gas and oil industry usage. In a short while, valves failed, pumps seized up, over-pressure conditions burst piping and the biggest non-nuclear explosion ever witnessed in the Soviet Union set their industry back for several years. Such was the spy game — real consequences flowed from its successes and failures.
Note: Some charts have greatly distorted angles and houses due to the high northern or southern latitudes they represent. In these cases, the MC angle will continue to advance at about one degree per day but the Ascendant-Descendant angles may move very little or a great deal — two or more degrees per day. This has to be kept in mind when assessing when chart angles might advance to contact planets that are several-many degrees away.
The Moon and the Part of Fortune can be used differently Each will move some 12 to 14 degrees per day — or one full sign every two or two-and-a-half days. You can easily estimate the number of signs, and the number of days, it will take for the Moon or PoF to reach the next angle.
The Ninth House 3 