Charts of Michael Jackson and Lenny Henry (born on the same day)

Lenny Henry was born on August 29, 1958, the same day as Michael Jackson. He is a British actor, writer and comedian.

Quote:
"Henry has said he saw parallels between himself and Othello.

"I’m used to being the only black person wherever I go...There was never a black or Asian director when I went to the BBC. Eventually I thought ‘where are they all?’ I spent a lot of time on my own. Things have changed a bit, but rarely at the BBC do I meet anyone of colour in a position of power."

That special position is one of the parallels with the life of Michael Jackson, who was the first black world famous super idol (perhaps only beaten by Barack Obama:). Both men are/were used to being 'special' (Sun half semi square Uranus; being different or ...controversial) and making a change, changing their world (Sun half semi square Uranus AND square Pluto*). Another similarity is that Lenny Henry has six siblings. Lenny Henry 'did' Michael Jackson's Thriller in 1984, on stage. That was the year of the Pepsi Cola incident (Michael Jackson's hair was set on fire) but MJ also had his Victory Tour in 1984 and received eight awards.

Another similarity is their talent and generalism. Henry is an actor, writer, stand-up comedian, entertainer, and director and lately graduated in English literature and ...he is studying to be a screenwriter. Michael Jackson was a songwriter, dancer, singer, actor, screenwriter and choreographer. Was he also a director? Perhaps! They are 'multiple talents'!

Also, Lenny Henry cares about children (Children in Need) and so did Michael Jackson.

PATTERN
The artistic pattern in the chart of Lenny Henry is the artistic pattern in the chart of Michael Jackson, partly. Partly, because the hours of birth are not known. Both men have the Moon in Pisces for sensitivity and empathy. They both have Venus 75 degrees from Neptune (artistic talents), Venus conjunct Uranus (artistic aspirations, sense of rhythm) AND Venus 15 degrees from Pluto. Venus semi square Jupiter/Pluto promisses success in arts or entertainment.

Many positions in their charts are similar (though not the most important onces!). There are differences between them. They will not have the same Ascendant, Midheaven, position of the Moon and angularities and there will be other tight aspects and midpoint combinations (like Sun/Moon and ASC/MC). And of course: there is also a big difference in the way that they were educated and brought up. They have different genes, other backgrounds (and culture), other experiences in life...It is the fine combination of all that that makes a person an individual.

BTW As far as I can see the most important difference is that Lenny Henry looks so much happier than Michael Jackson ever did.

*) The combination of Sun, Uranus and Pluto is frequent in cases of arrests (cariac arrest AND imprisonment) as it refers to a sudden and unexpected dramatic change.
(No, Lenny Henry was never arrested).

Astrology chart Thom Hoffman

Thom Hoffman is an actor and a photographer. Just like the other photographers (Anthony Armstrong Jones and Henri Cartier Bresson, click the label 'photographers' to see their charts) he has an aspect between Mars and Uranus (a creative quintile in this case) for using flashes. Uranus is the symbol of flashlight and electricity.

He has the pattern of artistic talent in his chart like this:

Pisces on Midheaven
Cancer Ascendant with an elevated Moon
Venus in Pisces
Venus trine Neptune (very tightly)
Moon inconjunct Netpune
Venus semi sextiele Neptune
VEnus half semi square Sun/Moon
Venus sesqui-semi square ASC/MC
Venus conjunct Midheaven

In other words: Neptune (dispositor of the Pisces MC) is connected with the Moon and Venus. This is reflecting sense of art,style and beauty with artistical talent related to a profession or to the public function. And with Venus sesquisquare Jupiter/Neptune he will have fans and followers.

Astrology chart Anthony Armstrong Jones

Anthony Armstrong Jones (more famous as the former husband of Princess Margareth than as a photographer) has Mars in mutual reception with Uranus and they are the final dispositors of the Midheaven routing (Sagittarius, Jupiter in Gemini, Mercury in Aquarius, Uranus in Aries <> Mars in Aquarius). Just like in the chart of Henry Cartier Bresson he used flashing (Uranus) tools (Mars) in his job. Of course, in Tony Armstrong Jones'chart there is a strong pattern of artistic talent. Venus (no aspect within 5 degrees, 'calling') is connected with the Moon (by a creative quintile for sense of style and arts), with Neptune (by a minor aspect of 157.5 degrees = sesqui square + half semi square; for artistic talents, probably frustrated) and the Midheaven (for public function).

See Astrology & Love for Jones'match (or match not:) with Princess Margareth...

Astrology chart Henri Cartier Bresson

Henri Cartier Bresson was a famous photographer in the 20th century. He was born 22nd August at 15:00 hours in Chanteloup with the pattern of artistic talent in his chart. He also sketched and painted. No wonder that Moon, Venus and Neptune were close together in Cancer, square the Midheaven in Libra. He died August 3, 2004. He is considered to be the master of modern photo journalism and is one of the founders of Magnum, a cooperative picture agency. He maried a Javanese dancer and travelled all over the world. Not surprising is that Jupiter, symbol of the international, is conjunct his natal Sun and that Sagittarius is the Ascendant, with Sun in the 9th equal house.

Mars is semi square Uranus. The midpoint Sun/Moon is connected with Mars and Uranus for using new techniques. And perhaps for a hot temper? I thought. I didn't find it on Wikipedia, but www.bookenthousiast.com mentions a biography and the hot temper that the writer of it mentions.
Using techniques or modern electronical tools is part of being a photographer. Anthony Armstrong Jones (another example on this blog) has Mars in mutual reception with Uranus and they are the final dispositors of the Midheaven routing (Sagittarius, Jupiter in Gemini, Mercury in Aquarius, Uranus in Aries <> Mars in Aquarius).

Astrology chart Antoni Gaudí

Who doesn't know Antoní Gaudí? He is the famous architect whose work can be admired in Barcelona. In his natal chart the Moon, Venus and Neptune are linked and related to the Midheaven in Taurus. That shows us that he had sense of art and style and artistic talents that he could use for his profession. In the chart above I noted the pattern. Here are some shots of his art (made by me in Barcelona).

Astrology chart Courtney Love

There is artistic talent in the chart*) of Courtney Love. Here is the chart with the indications:

- final dispositor of the Midheaven routing (Leo, Sun in Cancer, Moon in Cancer) is the Moon in Cancer.
- Moon is 112.5 degrees from Neptune (square + half semi square)
- Venus is biquintile Neptune, reflecting creative artistic talents.

So the final dispositor of Midheaven is in contact with Neptune and Neptune with Venus and there is a creative aspect between the symbols of talent and arts.

Courtney Love is above all 'an act' and an actor (Moon in Cancer elevated), using her voice at any level of communication (Mercury).
Watch the position of Mars (the first outer planet rising before the Sun) for instruments (hitting them) and you notice the guitar player.
Another interesting observation: the Sun in the 18th degree of Cancer sextile Jupiter in the 20th degree of Taurus and trine Neptune in the 16th degree of Scorpio with Jupiter opposition Neptune. The Jupiter-Neptune combination refers to fans and followers and a 'devoted or believing' empathic audience (like in the movies).

Courtney sings, plays the guitar ánd is an actor. She is rather controversial (or trendy) with Uranus related to Sun/Moon (for the reigning need to be different:). And a big success. Jupiter and Pluto are in hard aspect with the midpoint Ascendant/Midheaven, the cross point of the chart to reflect that.

*) Moon, Venus, Neptune and the related signs in combination with Midheaven show artistic talent in natal charts.

PS About the situation in 2009 (Courtney Love and her diet) see
http://astropost.blogspot.com/2009/06/saturn-ceres-and-skinny-courtney-love.html

Astrology chart Igor Stravinsky

The astrological pattern of artistic talent consists of:
Venus, Neptune, the Moon and the signs that belong to them (Taurus, Libra, Pisces and Cancer) in aspect with each other and the Midheaven...The quintile and biquintile have the meaning of 'creative connection' and the quindecile (165 degrees, but also 75 and 105 degrees) shows a strong focus. You will notice that all of the charts of artists (writers, composers and actors) on this blog have such a pattern. So has Igor Stravinsky. It is his birthday today and google.com features a Google doodle to honor him. Art&Astrology honours him with the reading of his chart today:).

PATTERN OF THE ARTIST
Composer Igor Sravinsky was born June 17, 1882 in Oranienbaum at 8:29 GMT with the Moon and Venus in Cancer. This position increases sense of arts and feeling 'what the people need'. Venus was conjunct the midpoint ASC/MC, the cross point of horizon and meridian (Midheaven). That means that style, beauty and entertainment was crucial for the person born at this hour and place. Venus is in aspect with Neptune, a 167.5 degree aspect (sesquisquare + half semi square). And then of course Neptune is also in aspect with ASC/MC (a 67.5 degree aspect, a sesqui semi square). Finally, Neptune is half semi square Moon, the final dispositor of Midheaven.

SUCCESSES
In the 45-degree range these are the seven indications for success in the midpoint combinations:

Sun conjunct Mercury/Jupiter (successful communications)
Moon semi square Jupiter/Neptune (popular, having fans, devotion)
Venus semi square Jupier/MC
Jupiter conjunct Sun/Pluto
Northern Node opposition Jupiter/Neptune
Midheaven conjunct Jupiter/Pluto
Midheaven semi square Mars/Jupiter

There are nine more in the 22.5 degree range, a total of 16 indications that could not be missed! Complete this with Jupiter and Pluto on either side of Midheaven and the picture is clear.


INTERNATIONAL CONDUCTOR
When you look at the picture of the chart, you see that Jupiter is on top (square Ascendant), rising before the Sun and half semi square Sun/Moon. Jupiter is the symbol of successes, travelling and 'the international', but also of 'guiding'. Stravinsky was, apart from a composer, also a conductor. He was born in Russia, he has been French and he died as an American: he was an international, too.

To conduct an orchestra you need to have leading and guiding qualities. Stravinsky had them. He had a prominent Jupiter and the Sun is 112.5 degrees (square+ half semi square) ASC/MC. To be in the middle of attention was of crucial importance. So was success. But the combination of being famous and being an international also had it's less pleasant sides. His self confidence was sometimes disproportionate. He could be rather arrogant.

ARROGANCE?
In the natal chart the Sun is inconjunct Jupiter, so this aspect 'perfected'. The inconjunction is the aspect of the 'but...'. Sun-Jupiter refers to self confidence (if not arrogance) and to the will to travel, succeed and grow. Perhaps it was not easy for him to deal with his success and that explains his attitude towards servants. Success perhaps got him out of balance**).
Another indication for arrogance (in the eyes of others) is Uranus conjunct Ascendant, symbolizing a presentation that might irritate others. The usual interpretation of the angular Uranus is 'being friendly to everyone regardless status, race ...' but I don't think that that is true. Uranus is not 'friendly', Venus is nice. Uranus'influence makes rather distant, independent, an individualist, different from the rest, not a 'follower'. Other people might feel uneasy when they meet a person with Uranus on the horizon. They are so 'different' and 'strange'. Stravinsky, of course, was a stranger in NY. He was 58 when he became an American. In whatever he did, he would be 'different'.

OBSESSIONAL REPEAT AND RETURN
The work of Stravinsky used to be considered as 'revolutionary'. Look at the drawing: Uranus and Pluto are on the angles. Together they symbolize dramatic change (revolution). The combination of Jupiter, Uranus and Pluto as most prominently placed planets might be 'read' as: sudden, unexpected great success or revolutionary success. There is a 105 degree aspect between Uranus and Pluto. Wikipedia quotes Paul Griffiths regarding Stravinsky's works using the words 'obsessional need to repeat and return'. One of the characteristics of Pluto is the 'come back' (reverse) and of Uranus: repeating (a signal). The products of an artist strongly relate to the personality of the artist.
With Uranus and Pluto angular you are bound to be influencial and original. With Sun/Moon in aspect with Saturn classical music is not far away. Uranus conjunct Ascendant adds rhythm and something new. The semi square between Sun and Uranus tells us that he always wanted to be different from the rest (and was controversial in a way).

ARREST
No one can have a prominent Uranus and Pluto (and in aspect with each other) without being controversial or without being arrested. On April 15, 1940 Stravinsky was arrested in Boston because of reharmonization of the National Antheme. That was with transit Uranus square Progressed Sun (for the upheavel and for being in the news), activating the existing natal semi square between Sun and Uranus.

MARRIAGE
I like to point at Venus in Cancer. Often this position of Venus leads to marrying a person that you knew from childhood, someone to remember. Also Ceres (symbol of the roots and genes) is in the seventh house of marriage.
Igor Stravinsky married a family member in 1906. His wife Katarina Nossenko. She died in 1938 after a long period of illness (Tuberculosis) when progressed Midheaven was conjunct his natal Venus. The midpoint Saturn/Neptune is related to disease. Venus is sesqui-semi-square this midpoint. The conjunction of the Midheaven with Venus reveals that a new period in his love life started.

In 1921 he met Vera de Bosset, a dancer who divorced her husband for him and married him in 1940, after the death of his wife. It is not unusual for an artist to have affairs. The combination of artistic talent (Venus-Neptune) is also one of the indications for a divorce in the charts of males.*) Pisces is a 'double sign' and Pisces is on the cusp of the seventh house of marriage. Another indication is Uranus on the Ascendant (opposition Descendant) for an unusual relationship. The fact that he did not divorce could be attributed to the position of the ruler of Pisces (Neptune) in the fixed sign Taurus.

There is so much more to say about the life and chart of Igor Stravinsky. Blogs have to be short, however. The life of Stravinsky was very long. He died April 4, 1971 with transit Saturn conjunct Saturn, the aspect that shows us the disadvantages of age and time...

*)
The aspects for no or more than 1 marriage in a woman's chart are:
- Sun afflicting or conjunct Mars or Uranus,
- Venus afflicting or conjunct Uranus and/or
- Mars afflicting or conjunct Saturn
- and/or afflictions between the 1st and 7th house
When there 3 or more of such indications, the woman might prefer to remain single.

In a male's chart the indications are:
- Moon in conflict with Saturn
- Moon in conflict with Neptune
- Venus in conflict with Neptune
- Mars in conflict with Uranus
- and/or afflictions between the 1st and 7th house

**)Find out more about the effect of the inconjunction. Read the article on Astropost..

Astrology chart Filippo Palizzi

Filippo Palizzi was born June 16, 1818 in Vasto at about 1 A.M. The patter of the painter in his chart consists of Venus in Cancer, trine Moon and 157.5 degrees (sesquisquare + half semi square) Neptune and semi square Sun/Moon. Venus is positioned square the Ascendant and at the lowest spot of the chart, a crucial spot. On his day of birth there was a clear picture in the sky pointing at sense of style and beauty (Moon/Venus) combined with artistic talent (Venus-Neptune). At the hour of his birth the Sun/Moon midpoint highlighted style, beauty and culture.

Astrology chart Jean Sibelius

Jean Sibelius was a composer born December 8, 1865 at 21h30 in Tavastehus in Finland. The astrological pattern of artistic talent is like this:

1. Taurus Midheaven
2. Moon biquintile Venus (for creative sense of style)
3. Crucial position of the Moon (popularity and 'sense for what the people need')
4. Venus biquintile Uranus (for sense of rhythm)
5. Venus quindecile MC (obsession or focus on an artistic profession)
6. Neptune square ASC/MC (crucial vision, fantasy and empathy: art)
7. Jupiter semi square Venus/Pluto (great success in art or in love)

Sibelius is the Finish composer who is the most characteristic for the Finish identity. Why?
1. Pluto (symbol of politics) is on the Midheaven.
2.The Moon (symbol of the people and roots) is on the Ascendant.
3. The Sun sheds her light in the fourth house of family, country and background.

Astrology chart Charles Aznavour

Charles Aznavour is a singer and an actor, but since February 12, 2009 he is also an ambassador. At age 84 Armenia asked him to be the ambassador in Switzerland, a mostly ceremonial function. Armenia is independant (again) since 1991. From 1920 to 1991 it was a (conquered) USSR Republic.

Uranus is the first outer planet rising before his natal Sun (followed by the important dwarf Ceres, the symbol of the 'roots'*). In my (Dutch) book Astro I.D. I give several examples of the effect of the oriental Uranus. Often this indicates a peculiarity or specialty, like for example getting very old. Pope Benedict has Uranus oriental, too, by the way. Aznavour's Uranus is right in the middle of Sun and Moon. Sun, Moon and Uranus are in hard aspect with the crucial midpoint ASC/MC (the crosspoint of time and place of birth), in the 22.5 degree range. This tells us that these three (Sun, Moon and Uranus) are of crucial importance for the development of Aznavour. He is in heart and soul an outsider, different, peculiar, special and adventurous.

Saturn is on top of Aznavour's chart and that is most often reflecting conservatism, the classical way or ...ambition and administration. It also tells us that the influence of the parents is substantial. His parents were artists.
Saturn is 'calling' (not making Ptolemaic aspects in sign or orb 5 degrees), too (just like in the chart of the pope).

Aznavour is not a pope, but an entertainer (songwriter, acotr and public activist). He has no major aspect with the Sun (Sun is 'calling') and that reflects leadership or performance (drawing attention) at any possible level. Entertainment is a good way to draw attention and to be in the center of the public eye.

The importance of Saturn and Uranus might refer to the fact that his parents fled the masacre in their homeland Albania in 1915.

The pattern of artistic talent is like this:

1. Moon opposition Venus
2. Venus in Cancer
3. Moon septile Midheaven
4. Neptunus square Midheaven
5. Venus semi quintile Neptune

And he has a lot of fans:
Sun sesquisquare Jupiter/Neptune
Jupiter 157.5 Sun/Neptune, Pluto conjunct Sun/Neptune
Neptune 157.5 Sun/Jupiter

He was discovered by Edith Piaf in 1946 (progressed Sun square the important Uranus!). He wsa noted in the newspapers (and had the first critics, too) in 1950, with Moon and Midheaven conjunct Jupiter. From 1956 he was a 'vedette'. At that time in his life, the progressed Sun had changed sign and the progressed Moon was square Jupiter, Mercury opposition Jupiter.

*) Charles Aznavour was born in a family of artist.