The Mood of the Earth

by Johannes Kepler

⁵⁶ I should write about the summer and also whether the year itself or the Earth will be in good condition this year. But as the universal cause of energetic disposition of years is not known, and also astrological estimations for certain year are not exact due to such a great lack of knowledge of causes, I think that my forecast deserves someforbearance. These astrological estimations are not useless, because they deal with the subject which is undoubtedly very important, and we hope that those hitherto unknown causes will be gradually clarified in time.

I think that the beginning of June will be warm and clear, without clouds. After Full Moon, dangerous disturbances, floods and frequent lightning will occur. Should the overall disposition of Earth incline to dryness, then there will be no danger. On the contrary, should it incline to humidity, then there will be continuous cold rains.

Towards the end of the month, stable period continues regarding the aspects. Thunderstorms will occur. I guess that June will be slightly colder due to bigger humidity, unless the whole year 1602 would be like this. Should the whole year incline to dryness, it will be much more evident during this month.

date 06/01/1602 06/02/1602 06/03/1602 06/07/1602 06/07/1602 06/08/1602 06/08/1602 06/14/1602 06/14/1602 06/17/1602 06/21/1602 06/22/1602 06/22/1602 06/23/1602 06/23/1602 06/25/1602 06/26/1602 06/28/1602 CET 15:05:38 12:51:18 09:28:10 12:02:22 23:58:32 03:18:29 17:13:29 00:11:40 12:17:42 03:41:50 21:13:54 15:26:41 23:58:49 00:47:35 14:20:47 23:37:40 07:17:05 09:46:20 planet Mercury Mercury Sun Venus Mars Sun Mercury Sun Venus Mercury Mercury Mercury Sun Venus Venus Mercury Venus Sun TAU TAU GEM GEM VIR GEM TAU GEM CAN GEM GEM GEM CAN CAN CAN CAN CAN CAN sign 17 10 18 19 12 18 22 48 16 46 16 49 27 15 22 26 01 24 12 20 22 03 23 40 01 00 11 52 12 33 00 53 15 52 06 09 04 09 11 04 18 59 12 05 30 51 27 24 38 05 41 37 54 05 aspect opposition +biquintile +trine +biquintile +sextile +square +trioctile +biquintile +trioctile +trine +biquintile +square +trioctile +quintile +square +trioctile +trine conjunction planet Saturn Jupiter Jupiter Saturn Saturn Mars Jupiter Saturn Saturn Jupiter Saturn Mars Saturn Mars Jupiter Saturn Saturn Mercury SCO LIB LIB SCO SCO VIR LIB SCO SCO LIB SCO VIR SCO VIR LIB SCO SCO CAN sign 17 10 12 19 12 18 16 48 16 46 16 49 12 15 16 26 16 24 12 20 16 03 23 40 16 00 23 52 12 33 15 53 15 52 06 09 04 09 11 04 18 59 12 05 30 51 27 24 38 05 41 37 54 05

⁵⁷ For July, as this month has 18 aspects, the forecast is similar and equally uncertain.

Each year has approximately 150 aspects and this year most of it culminates in summer half of the year. On July 1, 2, 5 and 6, the weather will be of average character, windy with precipitations.

July 8 will be rainy and cold, July 9-11 windy. Days of July 12, 13 and 14 will be adversely afflicted by the conjunction Venus/Mercury, which occurs repeatedly four times this year, and it can cause severe storms.

Heavy rains and thunderbolt will alternate on July 18, 19 and 21. Then, clear sky and very hot weather will follow, because on the beginning of August Jupiter conjuncts Mars.

date 07/01/1602 07/02/1602 07/03/1602 07/05/1602 07/08/1602 07/09/1602 07/10/1602 07/10/1602 07/12/1602 07/14/1602 07/18/1602 07/18/1602 07/19/1602 07/19/1602 07/20/1602 07/26/1602 07/31/1602 CET 13:49:46 20:14:40 15:40:57 21:19:07 06:05:49 01:52:46 04:54:43 20:43:37 01:54:15 05:13:11 00:25:50 15:26:33 05:40:59 17:06:35 09:47:57 23:49:05 01:22:20 planet Mercury Mercury Mercury Sun Sun Venus Venus Mercury Mercury Mercury Mercury Mercury Sun Venus Venus Sun Mercury CAN CAN CAN CAN CAN LEO LEO LEO LEO LEO LEO LEO CAN LEO LEO LEO VIR sign 12 59 15 40 17 22 13 17 15 32 01 32 02 55 01 42 03 58 07 50 14 24 15 26 26 01 14 35 15 26 03 26 03 32 24 22 10 37 54 58 49 14 15 57 04 16 44 03 11 37 04 aspect +square +trine +quintile +square +trine +quintile +sextile +quintile +sextile conjunction +sextile +square +quintile +sextile +square +quintile +quintile planet Jupiter Saturn Mars Jupiter Saturn Jupiter Mars Jupiter Mars Venus Jupiter Saturn Mars Jupiter Saturn Jupiter Saturn LIB SCO VIR LIB SCO LIB LIB LIB LIB LEO LIB SCO LIB LIB SCO LIB SCO sign 12 59 15 40 29 22 13 17 15 32 13 32 02 55 13 42 03 58 07 50 14 24 15 26 08 01 14 35 15 26 15 26 15 32 24 22 10 37 54 58 49 14 15 57 04 16 44 03 11 37 04

⁵⁸ In August, there will be finally warm and calm. On August 5 and also 9, it will rain, and on August 15 there will be storms with cold rain. There will be extreme hot then after, and on August 19, big storms.

date 08/02/1602 08/04/1602 08/08/1602 08/10/1602 08/12/1602 CET 02:57:08 06:25:15 20:03:59 15:44:50 06:44:54 planet Mars Venus Sun Sun Mercury LIB VIR LEO LEO VIR sign 16 15 03 37 15 45 17 30 15 52 13 24 05 01 11 aspect conjunction +quintile +square +sextile +sextile planet Jupiter Saturn Saturn Jupiter Saturn LIB SCO SCO LIB SCO sign 16 15 15 37 15 45 17 30 15 52 13 24 05 01 1108/14/1602 08/16/1602 08/22/1602 08/28/1602 08/28/1602 08:36:30 03:40:40 21:47:55 10:29:42 19:54:32 Venus Mercury Sun Sun Mercury VIR VIR LEO VIR VIR 15 18 29 04 16 56 08 18 39 41 59 23 39 36 02 +sextile conjunction +sextile +quintile +sextile Saturn Venus Mars Saturn Saturn SCO VIR LIB SCO SCO 15 18 29 16 16 56 08 18 39 41 59 23 39 36 02

⁵⁹ The beginning of September will be regular. Rain and fog on September 11, sultry on September 15 and 17.

September 20 will be very adversely afflicted by the conjunction of Mars and Saturn. If there had been hot weather before, tremendous storms will occur. If the year had been overall wet, there will be hard cold rains and fogs in these days. Fog will occur also on September 27. Other days will be regular.

date 09/03/1602 09/06/1602 09/10/1602 09/11/1602 09/14/1602 09/16/1602 09/20/1602 09/27/1602 CET 23:58:19 07:21:26 17:27:56 07:30:46 10:25:21 06:43:18 06:37:05 12:52:05 planet Sun Mercury Sun Mercury Venus Mercury Mars Mercury VIR VIR VIR VIR LIB VIR SCO VIR sign 11 01 08 49 17 34 05 37 23 43 06 01 18 21 19 01 30 06 37 20 34 24 57 47 aspect conjunction +sextile +sextile +quintile conjunction +quintile conjunction +sextile planet Mercury Mars Saturn Saturn Jupiter Saturn Saturn Saturn VIR SCO SCO SCO LIB SCO SCO SCO sign 11 01 08 49 17 34 17 37 23 43 18 01 18 21 19 01 30 06 37 20 34 24 57 47

⁶⁰ Cold rains will occur on October 5, otherwise the weather will be influenced by preceeding month of September.

As I have often stated, the kind of basic disposition of Earth in any month is very important.

October 3, 9 and 27 will be rainy and stormy, on 28 and 29 there will be gusty winds and rains, but I think the warmth will prevail, although the nature of certain winds can be very cold with regard to the region.

date 10/02/1602 10/06/1602 10/18/1602 10/22/1602 10/26/1602 10/27/1602 CET 01:31:54 03:31:40 06:01:32 15:47:34 07:20:37 04:37:54 planet Mercury Venus Sun Mercury Sun Venus VIR SCO LIB SCO SCO SCO sign 26 38 19 52 24 34 01 49 02 37 14 55 59 41 50 38 38 32 aspect +sextile conjunction conjunction conjunction conjunction conjunction planet Mars Saturn Mercury Jupiter Jupiter Mars SCO SCO LIB SCO SCO SAG sign 26 38 19 52 24 34 01 49 02 37 14 55 59 41 50 38 38 32

⁶¹ In November, there will be usual number of rainy days, on November 5, strong and sharp wind.

On November 15, the weather will be changeable and warm for this time, caused by Venus/Jupiter sextile.

It will rain on November 18, but if the sky will be clear, first frosts will occur, although it seems to me that due to the position of Jupiter, Mars and Venus probably there will not be cold yet, but several warm, rainy and windy days at the end of the month. Occasionally, those aspects will bring about cold weather to some regions.

date 11/05/1602 11/15/1602 11/17/1602 11/28/1602 11/29/1602 CET 06:02:38 01:17:42 03:57:54 01:00:10 03:25:39 planet Mercury Venus Sun Venus Mars SCO CAP SCO CAP CAP sign 23 13 06 56 24 37 21 41 09 55 08 15 32 44 29 aspect conjunction -sextile conjunction -quintile -sextile planet Saturn Jupiter Saturn Jupiter Jupiter SCO SCO SCO SCO SCO sign 23 13 06 56 24 37 09 41 09 55 08 15 32 44 29

⁶² The winter will start on December 3, with snow and fog, although not very cold.

Then, the aspects will be calm, which will bring about clear and slightly cold weather.

It will snow on December 15. The cold will not persist, but on December 19 there will be strong wind and heavy rain. On Christmas, Saturn and Mars will be in sextile, therefore it will get colder, and then the sextile between Venus and Mercury will bring about a lot of snow.

date 12/02/1602 12/14/1602 12/18/1602 12/19/1602 12/20/1602 12/23/1602 12/25/1602 CET 06:45:38 17:41:18 13:18:11 19:09:31 00:40:11 06:56:41 22:47:38 planet Venus Venus Venus Mars Sun Mars Mercury CAP AQU AQU CAP SAG CAP SAG sign 26 24 09 49 13 47 26 01 28 01 28 45 21 09 23 38 00 00 09 27 54 aspect -sextile -quintile -square -quintile Conjunction -sextile +sextile planet Saturn Saturn Jupiter Jupiter Mercury Saturn Venus SCO SCO SCO SCO SAG SCO AQU sign 26 24 27 49 13 47 14 01 28 01 28 45 21 09 23 38 00 00 09 27 54

⁶³ I left out configurations between Moon and other planets for reason I stated above.

Nevertheless, for reasons that I already also explained, we cannot leave out neither her ecliptical meetings with the Sun before the beginning of the year, nor two ecliptical Full Moons on opposite sides of the sky, one at 17°GEM48´ which will start in the afternoon on December 9, at 5 hours 7 minutes, and will end at 8 hours 33 minutes, if observed in Prague.

It is very close to the calculation which had been made by Tycho.

Central annular eclipse of the Sun at New Moon, 12/24/1601, 02°CAP54´07´´

Eclipse at Full Moon 12/09/1601 18:56:23 Moon 17°GEM52´47´´ and Sun in opposition in SAG

Another eclipse of the Moon will occur on June 4, 1602, on 13°SAG32´. It will start below horizon at 4 hours 52 minutes after noon and it will end at 9 hours 6 minutes in the evening.

Eclipse at Full Moon 06/04/1602 19:17:00 Moon 13°SAG39´28´´ and Sun in opposition in GEM Eclipse of the Sun on December 24, as I calculated it, will start at 1 hour 17 minutes after noon and will end at 2 hours 42 minutes on 2°CAP53´, 10 grades above horizon, before the sunset. This eclipse is very remarkable; should the eclipses were able to influence something, then this one will have a great impact, mostly in northern regions, where it will also be best observable.

The eclipse was noticeable in northern latitudes from 47N52 to 59N48

I do not know if and how the effect would show up in forthcoming year.

According to the rules of Ptolemy, the effects are uncertain and not quite corresponding with nature. In 1598, there was total eclipse in Pisces. As the Sun was in September in opposite sign Virgo, there were abundant rains.

In 1600, there was an eclipse in Cancer. When the Sun enters the signs of Gemini and Cancer during eclipse, the weather will be wet not only at that time, but during the whole summer. Experts in those occurences can validate whether the considerations go ahead in correct direction, if I reject the forecast from this eclipse for December 1602 and the whole winter, and deduce from signs very cold weather.

Because if the eclipses gain their power from celestial sign, and all three eclipses will occur in aspects to Jupiter and Mars, therefore there are imminent adverse effects on Jupiter´s nature, thus, the following warmth and adverse strong humidity will cause bad harvest.

⁶⁴ On November 28, another eclipse of the Moon will be noticeable in West, and it will start, according also to Tycho´s calculations, here in Prague almost in the same moment when Sun rises and Moon sets.

Eclipse at Full Moon 11/29/1602 09:38:23 Moon at 07°GEM 0´12´´ and Sun in opposition in SAG

Here it is necessary to point out that all obtainable publications of this treatise in Thesis 64 mention the date November 28. Two explanations are possible.

The first one, which is obvious, is the misprint. Regarding the accuracy of Kepler´s work, which is evident in Thesis 63, it is possible to take into consideration the misprint which could be made already by the first typesetter, and which has been repeated due to simple copying of the treatise without control of calculations. Another, more interesting explanation could be the calendar.

*Translator’s Note: In Kepler´s time, days were counted starting from noon. Then, the November 28th, as the A.M. hour of the following day, would be correct. Which explanation is the right one, we leave to our inquiring reader to work out

Regarding the eclipse, which will be observable on the West on June 19, I wonder if it will cause tragic commotion?

Partial eclipse of the Sun at New Moon 06/19/1602 21:18:09 at 28°GEM 02´36´´

It is ridiculous when people think that the eclipse is ominous, regarding the fact how many of them occur each year.

As if there were not four or five eclipses every year, considering the whole circumference of Earth. Those people deceive themselves. Origanus, in his recently published Ephemeris, calculated many eclipses occuring all over the orb – such an information was not available before. As they did not know Origanus´computing method, those tragic loudmouths never felt eclipses which occured below our horizon. They pay attention to celestial occurences in vain, if they are surprised by the Origanus´method.

David Origanus (1558-1629) astronomer, professor of mathematics and Greek at the University of Frankfurt. Peak phases - Sun eclipse Sun sign CET [ ° 12/24/1601 13:48:26 CAP 02 05/21/1602 14:04:59 GEM 00 06/19/1602 21:18:09 GEM 28 11/13/1602 21:01:32 SCO 21 Moon sign ´ " ] 54 02 02 18 07 24 36 02 CAP GEM GEM SCO [ ° 02 00 27 21 ´ 48 09 55 25 latitude ´ “] 0 50 18 1 18 43 -1 13 27 -1 16 29 type of eclipse " ][ ° 43 43 38 14 central annular partial partial partialPeak phases – Moon eclipse Moon sign CET [ ° 12/09/1601 18:56:23 GEM 17 06/04/1602 19:17:00 SAG 13 11/29/1602 09:38:23 GEM 07 Sun sign latitude [ ° ´ " ][ ° ´ “] 52 47 0 32 09 SAG 17 50 07 39 28 -0 04 51 GEM 13 38 57 00 12 -0 08 45 SAG 07 01 31 ´ " ] duration penumbra 299 368 328 of eclipse [min] partial total 179 0 232 104 212 94

⁶⁵ Forecasts regarding harvest are naturally very uncertain; everyone knows about the divine providence. The harvest depends partly on occasional causes and partly on above mentioned natural dispositions of the year, the agents of which are impossible to foresee, because they are still being sought.

Even the astrological rules used by astrologers for corn, grapes, wine, olive oil, wheat etc. and also the characteristics of Jupiter in cardinal signs – all of it are but pointless dreams.

You ask why the grapevine didn´t grow well this year? It was so, because it has been a cold and wet year.

Anyone able to foresee this (the bad growth), could do so just and only on basis of this fact.

You may also ask, why the harvest has been rich in one region, and poor in another?

It happened because some regions were wet due to some internal and still undisclosed dispositions of Earth, as we discussed earlier, and the summer was sufficiently clear, whereas there was dryness in other regions, which damaged the fruits of Earth, and subsequently an earthquake could occur.

Sometimes the year is fruitful indeed, but suddenly in just a day a loss may occur, caused by ground frosts in mountains and by flood in plains, spreading over the whole region depending on the course of the wind. The nature of winds is of great importance, because those are very changeable in our region.

Thus, it is silly indeed to search for the causes of such an occurrencies in main points of equinox and solstice, when we have the obvious causes straight in front of sight. And lest I seem to be an upstart who ruins the art, I appeal to the authorities of Cardanus and Tycho.