Program: Heavens Above
Channel: Discovery Channel
Screened (USA): July/August 1997 Produced by: York Films

Richard Noone's prediction that the ice build up at the South Pole will upset the Earth's Axis spreading ice and water over the surface of the planet at the time of the Great Alignment in 5th May 2000, is expected to be the central theme explored here.

Richard wants to sell his house on the beach in Florida. I think I want to buy it (I've always like Florida).

What's the Great Alignment?

Richard Noone's choice of the 5th day of 5th month. However a quick check of my ephemeris shows that on 3rd of May 2000 there's a rare and extraordinary line-up. What is happening is that all the five visible (with the naked eye) planets Mercury through to Saturn plus the Sun and the Moon are lined up in the (tropical) sign of Taurus.

This stellium is rare. Richard Noone, who claims he is not an astrologer, says it last occurred 6,000 years ago. My ephemerides don't go back that far, my software is not accurate enough in ancient times and I don't know of any records from Babylonian stargazers of such a line-up. Perhaps this was tied in with Noah and the Ark. (If there's an astrologer out there reading this who knows better, e-mail me please).

Is this a case of more PMT (Pre Millennial Tension)?

Well it's an exceptional line-up - but then again all line-ups are exceptional in their own way. Am I being an ante-deluvian astrologer for being sceptical. The fact is that most line-ups seem to act as pivotal points in changing humankinds consciousness and orientation. The alignment in Capricorn in the eighties was personified on many levels - most famously the yuppie and the predominance of conservative values.

So what can we expect from the Great Millenial Line-up?

There's going to be social and psychological change. Taurean values will predominate as they did in the late Victorian age. While ideas, information and communication are key issues today with the strong Aquarian influence, advances will relate to solid objects and tools. Perhaps on the back of the current ideas revolution will be a focus on robotics. Architecture, buildings in space, vehicles will become both comfortable and practical. Agrarian developments may involve a return to the land as a source of pleasurable employment. I would expect growth on a stable base to occur in fields such as farming, banking, property (real estate).

But how long does this influence last?

Lots of ways of seeing this, but I don't see it as lasting more than 14 years in it's essence. People born at that time will express this concentrated energy in the world in their adult lives. I would expect many great musicians, sculpters and architects to be born during the year 2000.

Why 14 years?

Well, the most distant planets in the alignment are the relatively fast moving Jupiter and Saturn who work on a 14 year cycle together. They will next meet in the year 2014.