THE DEATH OF JOHN DENVER
Born 31 December 1943, 1555, Roswell, New Mexico
Died 12 October 1997, 1728, Pacific Grove, California*
*Moon is at 5 Pisces 48 at time of death.
Cause of Death: Crashed into ocean from about 500 feet while flying a kit-made experimental aircraft. The body was dismembered from the impact; official cause of death was “multiple blunt trauma”. Plane ran out of fuel in one tank, and Denver lost control while trying to turn the fuel tank valve behind him, causing his foot to press the rudder control and send the plane into a wild spin to starboard.
THE TRANSIT CHART
1. T. Mars opposes the natal Asc to degree (+47’).
Natal Mars, retrograde, is partile conjunct natal Uranus, both conjunct the Asc (+5°), of itself indicating possible death by sudden, unexpected, accidental means. The conjunction is in the Air sign of Gemini (cf. the position of Uranus in the event chart for Hiroshima, where the explosion occurred at 2000 feet above surface – aerial explosion). This is one of two contacts with natal angles; T. Neptune is octile the Descendant (46°25’) while conjunct lord of the horoscope (life ruler) Mercury in the natal 8th.
2. T. Venus is partile opposition the natal Mars-Uranus conjunction, brought to high intensity (extreme) by accompanying Pluto.
Venus rules Libra, which is intercepted in the natal Fifth House, governing “risk-taking.” Venus also rules the natal 12th, which is always associated with death, or “self-destruction;” thus, Venus suggests “self-destruction through assumption of excessive or unwise risk.” Note that Pluto is within 2° of the natal conjunction, applying; if we don’t consider Pluto yet within orb, his influence is carried forward by Venus.
3. T. Saturn opposes the transiting Sun-Mercury partile conjunction.
Sun is anaretic from first position in natal 8th (and Sun lord of end-of-life 4th). He is accompanied in that house (same sign, Capricorn) by Mercury, who is conjunct 9th cusp. Both planets are disposed by retrograde Saturn in 1st. The confluence of life-ruler Mercury in 8th with death-ruler Saturn in 1st is suggestive of death caused by the native himself. The two planets are in mutual reception, and may be considered as in quincunx (3°). The transiting opposition with Sun-Mercury partile occurred after the exact opposition, awaiting the conjoining of anaretic Sun with life ruler Mercury, both carrying the lethal influence of Saturn forward to their own meeting. The NTSB investigation concluded the crash was due to “pilot error.”
4. T. Moon is partile square natal Mars-Uranus conjunction.
This square repeats the less exact natal square. In the radix Moon is square the midpoint of Mars-Uranus/Saturn, linking the explosive, accidental nature of the conjunction with death lord Saturn. Moon is always co-ruler of the Ascendant. Notice that the T. South Node applies to the conjunction with natal Moon, in the shadow of the node.
5. T. Uranus is stationary direct (Rx) and within degree of trine to the natal Mars-Uranus conjunction from his sign of Aquarius. Uranus is thus very powerful in the transit.
Notice also that an exact transiting grand trine is formed here, completing the formation with natal Mars-Uranus and Neptune in the risk-taking 5th, with his lord Venus active in the transit (see 2.) and he himself tri-octile the Ascendant (see 1.) The grand trine is brought to focus (kite formation) on the transiting Venus-Pluto pair, which adds exceptional emphasis to the opposing natal conjunction of Mars-Uranus (which is the tail of the kite).
Every transiting planet except Jupiter participates in this web of death. There are a couple of other features in this chart that are of interest here, such as the conjunction of Pluto with the N.Node in the radix, and the yod formation pointing at Mercury.
Those interested in pursuing this interesting case should examine primary directions, secondary progressions, the annual profection and the solar return (probably not possible at this late date). Is the pre-natal eclipse involved? (Note that the New Moon before birth occurred precisely on the 8th cusp, thus implicating Moon in death.)
Born 31 December 1943, 1555, Roswell, New Mexico
Died 12 October 1997, 1728, Pacific Grove, California*
*Moon is at 5 Pisces 48 at time of death.
Cause of Death: Crashed into ocean from about 500 feet while flying a kit-made experimental aircraft. The body was dismembered from the impact; official cause of death was “multiple blunt trauma”. Plane ran out of fuel in one tank, and Denver lost control while trying to turn the fuel tank valve behind him, causing his foot to press the rudder control and send the plane into a wild spin to starboard.
THE TRANSIT CHART
1. T. Mars opposes the natal Asc to degree (+47’).
Natal Mars, retrograde, is partile conjunct natal Uranus, both conjunct the Asc (+5°), of itself indicating possible death by sudden, unexpected, accidental means. The conjunction is in the Air sign of Gemini (cf. the position of Uranus in the event chart for Hiroshima, where the explosion occurred at 2000 feet above surface – aerial explosion). This is one of two contacts with natal angles; T. Neptune is octile the Descendant (46°25’) while conjunct lord of the horoscope (life ruler) Mercury in the natal 8th.
2. T. Venus is partile opposition the natal Mars-Uranus conjunction, brought to high intensity (extreme) by accompanying Pluto.
Venus rules Libra, which is intercepted in the natal Fifth House, governing “risk-taking.” Venus also rules the natal 12th, which is always associated with death, or “self-destruction;” thus, Venus suggests “self-destruction through assumption of excessive or unwise risk.” Note that Pluto is within 2° of the natal conjunction, applying; if we don’t consider Pluto yet within orb, his influence is carried forward by Venus.
3. T. Saturn opposes the transiting Sun-Mercury partile conjunction.
Sun is anaretic from first position in natal 8th (and Sun lord of end-of-life 4th). He is accompanied in that house (same sign, Capricorn) by Mercury, who is conjunct 9th cusp. Both planets are disposed by retrograde Saturn in 1st. The confluence of life-ruler Mercury in 8th with death-ruler Saturn in 1st is suggestive of death caused by the native himself. The two planets are in mutual reception, and may be considered as in quincunx (3°). The transiting opposition with Sun-Mercury partile occurred after the exact opposition, awaiting the conjoining of anaretic Sun with life ruler Mercury, both carrying the lethal influence of Saturn forward to their own meeting. The NTSB investigation concluded the crash was due to “pilot error.”
4. T. Moon is partile square natal Mars-Uranus conjunction.
This square repeats the less exact natal square. In the radix Moon is square the midpoint of Mars-Uranus/Saturn, linking the explosive, accidental nature of the conjunction with death lord Saturn. Moon is always co-ruler of the Ascendant. Notice that the T. South Node applies to the conjunction with natal Moon, in the shadow of the node.
5. T. Uranus is stationary direct (Rx) and within degree of trine to the natal Mars-Uranus conjunction from his sign of Aquarius. Uranus is thus very powerful in the transit.
Notice also that an exact transiting grand trine is formed here, completing the formation with natal Mars-Uranus and Neptune in the risk-taking 5th, with his lord Venus active in the transit (see 2.) and he himself tri-octile the Ascendant (see 1.) The grand trine is brought to focus (kite formation) on the transiting Venus-Pluto pair, which adds exceptional emphasis to the opposing natal conjunction of Mars-Uranus (which is the tail of the kite).
Every transiting planet except Jupiter participates in this web of death. There are a couple of other features in this chart that are of interest here, such as the conjunction of Pluto with the N.Node in the radix, and the yod formation pointing at Mercury.
Those interested in pursuing this interesting case should examine primary directions, secondary progressions, the annual profection and the solar return (probably not possible at this late date). Is the pre-natal eclipse involved? (Note that the New Moon before birth occurred precisely on the 8th cusp, thus implicating Moon in death.)
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