Jupiter Returns for the 2012 Summer Olympics

by
Joy Usher
London 2012 will be the first Olympic Games to rival Sydney 2000 as the most spectacular five-ring circus
ever held.
Sydney had it all great facilities, incredible planning, full houses and a gorgeous city at its pristine best. The
city threw open its arms to the world for 16 amazing days and Olympic bosses say they wish they could have
bottled the magic of Sydney for future Games.1

he 2000 Sydney Games have been widely regarded as the finest version of the quadrennial
sporting extravaganza in modern times. A record 199 nations entered the Homebush
Stadium on 15th September 2000 for the Opening Ceremony; a ceremony on which then
IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch later commented, saying, For me it was the best I have seen.
An amazing statement, especially when we remember that Samaranch was the same IOC president
who flew home to Spain straight after the ceremony to attend to his wifes funeral, but who then
returned to Sydney for official duties, the following Wednesday.

Chart for 2000 Sydney Olympics Opening Ceremony

The tag of best Olympics ever is one all Australians (sport-mad or not) carry with pride, but the
chart for the Sydney Olympics, set at the beginning of its Opening Ceremony, gives a very different
picture; scattered clues that show the struggle to overcome huge obstacles, and to turn an
environmental disaster into a financial and global success, was no mean feat.The Sydney Olympics
was the worlds first Green Games with its winning bid in 1993 featuring an agenda set forward
by Greenpeace Australia listing 14 criteria for sustainable development. This agenda had a huge
effect on Sydneys success as host for the Games, but when it came to the committee putting its
money where its mouth was the cost to reclaim a former industrial site was astronomical, and
potentially could have been a disaster for both Australian economics and our national pride.
The chart for the Sydney Games has a near-perfect 90 degree angle between the Ascendant and the
Midheaven. Often, the tighter the aspect between the angles, the more likely that what is promised
by the Ascendant, is capable of being produced by the Midheaven good connection gives greater
potential for follow through 10th house action. Both the Ascendant and the MC are in mutable
signs and are presided over by the same ruler, Jupiter, suggesting again a connection between the
actions of one house leading to the success of the other, provided there is some adaptability and
openness to sudden change.

Jupiter Returns for the 2012 Summer Olympics Joy Usher 2012

Jupiter may be in its detriment in the 3rd house, and does not aspect the angles by degree, but it can
see both of its houses by aspect, as Jupiter in Gemini squares the sign of Pisces and opposes the sign
of Sagittarius2. Jupiter has a lovely trine in air to angular Mercury, its dispositor, and also the lord of
the opposing angles of the Ascendant (Desc) and the Midheaven (IC), so again a good relationship
between the lords of the angles often bodes well for an event. Mercury in turn, is conjunct Venus, in
rulership, in Libra, so all things Mercurial have the blessings of both benefic planets, Jupiter and
Venus. To complete the Grand Trine in air, we find Uranus in Aquarius in the 11th house, and
shows both innovation and courage needed to implement the Greenpeace 14 point criteria
mentioned earlier, and to lead the way, environmentally at least, for any future Games to follow
Sydneys example.
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Sydney 2000 Olympics Opening Ceremony Chart

Both Jupiter and Mercury make an aspect to the Moon in Aries in the 1st house Jupiter by sextile,
and Mercury by opposition. The Sun has just descended below the western horizon, so this is a
nocturnal chart, making the Moon now the prime luminary of the chart. The Moon is strong in the
1st house and not only sextiles Jupiter, the lord of the angles, but also trines Pluto, which is opposite
Jupiter. The Moon rules the 5th house, the house of sport and entertainment, where we find Mars
making a strong fire trine to the charts Midheaven in Sagittarius. Sydneys claim to be the peoples
Games seems to be reflected in this strong Moon statement as she connects with so many of the
key players in this chart.
By 15th September 2000 Jupiter has separated from Saturn, and the conjunction in Gemini of Jupiter
to Saturn occurred three months earlier on 1st June 2000 when major works were being completed
on the Olympic site at Homebush Bay. However, this was not the first time in 2000 that these two
great planets had come together for this cycle. One of the most significant facts about the

Jupiter Returns for the 2012 Summer Olympics Joy Usher 2012

Jupiter/Saturn cycle of 31st May 2000 was that it occurred in Taurus, and as such, would be the last
throwback into an earth sign, before moving into the element of air for the next 200 years.
Jupiters involvement in this chart is critical to the ventures success, and certainly an opposition to
Pluto gives a hint of the moving heaven and earth that had to be done to achieve this success, but
the symbolism of Jupiters detriment and his placement in 3rd house may not be so obvious at first,
until we look at a report published earlier this year entitled The Olympics and Sustainable Urban
Regeneration.3 The following information comes from this report and is a reminder of what was
achieved in 2000.

Sydney 2000 The Green Games

Learning from the mistakes of Barcelona where the different venues were scattered around the city,
Sydney proposed to build the entire layout in one location: Olympic Park 2000, which was situated
at Homebush Bay, formerly an industrial site west of the city. However, Homebush Bay in the early
1990s, at the time of the successful bid, was described by one firm of US consultants, as the most
contaminated site in the southern hemisphere and in their opinion, the worst they had ever seen.
Homebush Bays industrial history included:
1)

Newington armaments dump containing toxins and heavy metals.

2)

Former Brickworks.

3)

The Olympic stadium site was a former landfill site contaminated with household waste.

4)

Wilsons Park a former coal gas plant, closed in the 1970s, turned into a park, and then
closed again in 1990s, due to dangerous pollution.

5)

And, worst of all, Union Carbide (Aust.) had a chemical plant here also heavily
polluted by dioxins, recorded at that time as 6500x the safe limit for humans.

The job to clean up the Olympic site was monumental, and added to that the weight of the
Committees promise to adhere to Greenpeaces 14 criteria would have been both a burden and an
inspiration, but this challenge only strengthens the resolve of a Jupiter having to come from a place
of detriment and disadvantage, and to turn it around to produce a triumph.
Homebush Bay is the third house (cadent but sextiling the Ascendant) a suburb of low socioeconomical standing, an environmental disaster which, without the impetus of the Games, might
still have fallen into the too hard basket for any Australian government. With so much riding on
the demand for Australia to deliver a world-class Games, something radical had to be done, and I
believe the chart shows thats exactly what happened. Jupiters aspects to Saturn, Mercury, Venus,
Uranus, Pluto and the Moon, and the interlinking aspects between the Moon and Pluto and Mercury
demonstrate the potential for things to happen if all stops are pulled out.
Under the Greenpeace edict non-toxic building materials were to be used in all construction work.
The materials were selected for their insulation, ventilation and recycling ability. Air conditioning
was avoided, and renewable sources of energy were used, with storm water and recycled water used
wherever possible. During the Games, cars were banned in the area, except for use by Olympic
officials, and admission tickets included the price of public transport. A rail link and ferry from
Sydney were created to carry the flow of people. All aspects of the same chart, coming through with
strength and determination, and steered by Jupiter in detriment.
So, having spent a fortune to create Olympic Park 2000, was the venture a financial success? The
total economic benefit from the Sydney Games ranks among the highest for recent Games. Income
Jupiter Returns for the 2012 Summer Olympics Joy Usher 2012

from the Games brought huge benefits including A$1.1 billion from the sale of broadcast rights to
the Games, A$680 million in sponsorship revenue, record ticket sales of over A$600 million, A$6.1
billion worth of international publicity, and A$6 billion in spending from an additional 1.6 million
visitors during 2001.4
The following year after the Sydney Olympics, almost to the day, on 9th September 2001, the world
watched in horror as Twin Towers of New York crumbled. The Sydney Olympic chart shows
Saturn in retrograde motion, but by the end of January 2001, Saturn had turned direct again, and was
headed for the first of three oppositions to Pluto, occurring in August 2001. Looking back at the
chart for 15th September 2000, it may have been our optimism that things were improving, that we
could build a better world, and that we had finally shaken off the terrible cloud left by the tragic
events of the 1972 Munich Games a full Saturn cycle earlier which brought us resounding
success. The first Games of a new millennium held hope, promise and anticipation for better timers
ahead, so how are we faring now 12 years, and a Jupiter cycle further on?

2012 London Olympic Games

The Olympic Games were initially created to celebrate and honour the Greek god Zeus, so it seems
fitting to look at the astrological significance of Jupiter, his Roman counterpart. A Jupiter cycle is 12
years long, so Jupiter will be returning to the same sign, and roughly the same degree as it was in
2000, so there is little surprise that throughout the preparations for the 2012 London Olympics,
there has been constant comparisons in the world press between the Sydney Olympics in 2000 and
the Games coming up in London in July/August 2012.
The Stratford site chosen for the London Olympics echoes the 1990s state of Homebush Bay,
except that Stratford has had 200 years to accumulate its industrial waste, rather than just a few
decades. During the Industrial Revolution Stratford was the centre of some of the citys unwanted
industries including chemical plants, soap-creation and ink-making, and later became the centre for
carriage and train-making. More recently it was a site of old warehouses and weedy dereliction, and
as one journalist reports, It smelled of the oil and paint and chemical effluent that had leached for years into the
land around the Hackney Marshes.5
The estimated cost of the 2012 Games is 20 billion pounds double the origin budget but it just
might pay off. Already the London Olympics is the most financially successful Games: more tickets
have been sold more quickly for both the main Games and the Paralympics than ever before, and
the pure logistics of these Games is overwhelming.

Jupiter Returns for the 2012 Summer Olympics Joy Usher 2012

The 16 days of the London 2012 Games will involve:

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17,000 athletes in 300 events, with 5,000 6,000 coaches and officials, attended by 4,000
5,000 other members of the Olympic community.

Over 7,000 sponsors.

An estimated 20,000 newspaper, radio, TV, and internet journalists who will be housed in
the largest building on site, the Media Centre, a giant white hangar housing a multitude of
studios and production facilities.

Over 9 million tickets in total on sale, and 500,000 spectators a day at events in and around
London.

63,000 operational personnel, of whom 47,000 will be volunteers (another source states the
count for volunteers is now up to 70,000 alone).

So, bearing in mind these gargantuan numbers, and the fact that we know Jupiter will once more be
in its sign of detriment, what exactly does the chart for 2012 Olympics hold for their English hosts?

Isles of Wonder Opening Ceremony

The London 2012 Opening Ceremony has been officially titled Isles of Wonder, inspired by
Shakespeares The Tempest, and due to commence at 21:00 BST with the ringing of a 27-tonne bell
inscribed with the words of The Tempests Caliban : Be not afeard, the isle is full of noises.
But the Shakespearean theme based on The Tempest has not been without its critics. Simon Jenkins of
The Guardian recently wrote: Have those Olympian corporates actually read the play? Caliban, monster
offspring of a witch, makes no mention of isles of wonder. Instead, he inhabits an island awash in conflict, drink, sex
and dark arts. He does at one point call it an isle full of noises, sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt
not, but that is when he is trying to seize it and return it to primeval anarchy. This is to be achieved by driving a
stake through saintly Prosperos head, helped by two drunken hooligans.6
Artistic director, Danny Boyle, director of movie hits Slumdog Millionaire and Trainspotting, has the
huge task of organising this event drawing from the pooled financial resources of 81 million pounds
allocated for all official ceremonies of both the Olympics and the Paralympics. When asked about
past opening ceremonies Boyle said: Youre standing on shoulders of giants you cannot but live in the
shadow of your predecessors. Boyle described the 2008 Beijings opening ceremony as extraordinarily, eyewateringly spectacular and that of Athens 2004 as incredibly beautiful. But Boyle said he would be most
honoured if his spectacle was compared to the opening of Sydney 2000 a wonderful peoples
Games.7

Jupiter Returns for the 2012 Summer Olympics Joy Usher 2012

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London 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony Chart

In the chart set for 27th July 2012 at 21:00 BST in London Jupiter is indeed in Gemini, the sign of its
detriment, just one degree short of what will be its Jupiter Return to the position it held in Sydney in
2000.
Jupiter sits at the base of the chart on the nadir, ruling the MC, and conjunct the South Node at 3
degrees of Gemini, so we already know Jupiter is a big player in this chart. Both Sydney and London
have a Sagittarian Midheaven, but Sydneys MC is in late degrees, whilst Londons sits at 7 degs.
Sagittarius, opposite its ruler Jupiter.
It is interesting to note that London will be the first city ever to have hosted three Games (1908,
1948, 2012), and that London will host these Games during the British Royal Familys celebration of
Queen Elizabeth IIs Diamond Jubilee 60 years on the throne five cycles of Jupiter displayed
with pride by a Jupiter on the IC as Queen Elizabeth II officially opens the 2012 London Olympics.
Although Saturn rules the Ascendant, and there is no aspect between the two rulers of the angles,
Jupiter does have a partile trine to the Ascendant which shows its involvement in the success of the
venture, and similar to the Sydney chart, Jupiter does have an aspect to its dispositor Mercury, but
by sextile rather than trine. London 2012s Mercury is in difficult straits though, being cadent,
retrograde, and having just set with the Sun, is combust, as it is situated just short of 2 degrees from
the Sun.

Jupiter Returns for the 2012 Summer Olympics Joy Usher 2012

Ground-to-Air Missiles on London Rooftops

In breaking news today, a UK judge has rejected an attempt by residents of a London apartment
complex to block a ground-to-air missile system being installed on the roof of their London building
during the Olympic games. Judge Charles Haddon-Cave said that protecting the Olympic Park from
terrorism outweighs the concerns of local residents who fear that the missiles will make their building
a target.8
Both the Mercury/Sun and Jupiter on the IC have an inconjunct or quincunx aspect to Pluto in the
11th house. Together, these inconjuncts form a modern aspect pattern known as a Yod, with Pluto at
the apex and the Mercury/Sun sextiling Jupiter at the base of the Yod.
Even without Plutos presence, Yods are infamous for their unpredictability and propensity for
drama, so it will be interesting to see if this Yod plays out behind the scenes in which case we
wont see the paranoia, the hair-pulling, or the near-misses it will create or just maybe, as Pluto is
positioned in the house of group activity, we are witness to some major event which marks these
particular Games, and becomes part of the mythology which ultimately surrounds the Games and
mimics its past Herculean history.
At the apex of the Yod lies Pluto, making this planet the major player of this configuration, so the
square from Pluto to Uranus is worthy of note. Upheaval and a break from tradition are also the
hallmarks of the synodic cycle involving Pluto and Uranus, and the fact that these two are about to
celebrate their waxing square only adds weight to the idea of change, and a destruction of the old
ways.
The Yod combination of Pluto, Jupiter, the Sun and Mercury (suggesting paranoia and overreaction) seems to already be playing a part in these 2012 Olympics, producing unprecedented
events whereby an implied or perceived threat overrules the rights and concerns of London
residents. Even though Mars will have passed the close degrees of the Pluto/Uranus square by the
Olympic opening, the aspect of the T-square is currently fully engaged, and actions such as placing
potentially volatile weaponry in a densely populated area will have an effect on how people
remember these Games.

Void of Course Moon in Fall

Once more the Moon is featured as the Sun has just set and the chart becomes nocturnal, but rather
than being part of the character of the Games (Sydneys Moon is in 1st house), this Moon has some
significant problems, beginning with its lack of connection to the rest of the planets as its sole aspect
is a separating inconjunct (150 degs) to Venus. Even this aspect is not considered a true Ptolemaic
(conjunction, sextile, square, trine or opposition) aspect, and in fact the last aspect the Moon would
have made under these terms would have been the square to Mercury in Leo at 6 degrees of Scorpio,
and this would have occurred the day before on 26th July at 3:39pm over 24 hours earlier! The
term void of course describes a Moon which will make no further Ptolemaic aspects to another
planet before it leaves its sign and in traditional astrology, it was often considered to be the deathknell for an event chart, or a chart electing for a fortuitous event. A natal chart with a void of course
Moon was considered unfortunate, but unavoidable for the native, but in an event chart, where a
better time for the Moon could be chosen by either timing the event earlier, or waiting until the
Moon moved into the next sign, was the mark of a poor astrologer if they did not observe this basic
rule of movement.
Unfortunately, Moon is also placed in her most difficult sign: Scorpio, the sign of her fall. The
Jupiter Returns for the 2012 Summer Olympics Joy Usher 2012

debility of fall brings weakness and peril to the planet involved, so that even though the Moon is
unaffected by aspects, its intrinsic nature has somewhat been spoiled. In both charts, Sydney and
London, the Moon is disposited by Mars, with Mars in the 5th house trining the MC, whilst this 2012
Mars in the 8th house, although in its detriment in Libra, sextiles the MC and trines the Ascendant.
With Mars steadily approaching Saturn throughout the 16 days of the Olympics, an exalted Saturn as
the ruler of the Ascendant makes me wonder if the well-publicised desire to rob Sydney of its crown
as the best Olympics ever will mean London is just trying too hard. One of the major complaints
of the 2008 Beijing Olympics was that the whole affair was conducted with military precision,
resulting in the feeling by those who attended that it was cold and impersonal, and lacked any
character, so it would be a shame if London were to repeat the same mistake.

Neptune at the Bendings

The Moons Nodes are also featured heavily in the London chart as the axis lies across the MC/IC
axis of the chart. Fortunately, the benefic North Node is at the Midheaven, with the South Node at
the bottom of the chart with Jupiter, but as it is considered to have malefic qualities, it somewhat
dims the lustre of Jupiter here. Add to that Jupiters poor condition in detriment, an overblown
budget may bring less fiduciary reward than is anticipated. Australia took the risk of hosting the
Olympic Games in 2000 partly as a hoped-for boost to its tourist industry, but the events of the
following year, and a fear of venturing too far abroad, meant the benefits were not as great as the
expectations. Given the current destabilized world economy, especially in Europe, coupled with an
abysmally wet summer season, the belief that Britain will make huge profits from tourism
throughout the summer season of 2012, may not come to fruition. The usual sporting events held in
June each year : tennis, cricket and motor racing, plus the celebrations of the Diamond Jubilee, must
be bleeding the purses of the British public dry, so the added financial expense of the Olympics may
be out of reach for many from the hosting country.
Neptune is placed neatly at the midpoint of the North and South Nodes, and this placement is
referred to as the Bends or the Bendings of the Nodes. In the same way as a sudden sharp turn in
the course of a river can mean the banks of the river holdfast or release under great strain, so too,
does a planet placed at the square to the Nodes hold a powerful position in determining the strains
and undercurrents of the chart. Neptunes symbolism can indicate great artistry or great sacrifice : a
much-needed spiritual uplifting, or an opportunity for saviours, persecutors and victims to come
together in unforseen circumstances. Given the extreme measures the British government is
prepared to go in the face of their fears of terrorism (Neptune again), one desperately hopes for the
former, not the latter.

Jupiter Returns for the 2012 Summer Olympics Joy Usher 2012

Elizabeth II and the London Olympics

Queen Elizabeth II will be officially opening the Games on 27th July 2012. This year has been
particularly momentous for the Queen as she also celebrates the 60th Anniversary of her accession to
the throne. The celebrations for her Diamond Jubilee have already begun, so it must give her great
pleasure to open the Games in her own city in the same year as her Diamond Jubilee. Interestingly,
the last time Elizabeth officially opened the Games was in her capacity as Queen of Canada at the
1976 Montreal Olympic Games three Jupiter cycles ago - when her own daughter, Princess Anne,
was a competitor in the equestrian events. The 2012 London Games will be the one and only time
she opens the Games in her native country, and she follows a family tradition as it was her father
King George VI who opened the last Games in England in 1948, and her great grandfather, King
Edward VII, who opened the first London Games in 1908.
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Queen Elizabeth II's Chart [outer wheel] and the London Olympics Chart [inner wheel]

The English population hold their Royal Family in great esteem, so I was interested to see if there
was any marked synastry between the chart for the opening ceremony (inner circle) and Queen
Elizabeth IIs natal chart (outer wheel).
Elizabeth has Capricorn rising as her Ascendant, so the two charts have a common ruler in Saturn.
Earlier I was speaking of the importance of a planet at the Nodes Bendings, so it is interesting to
note that the Olympic Saturn (23 Libra) is at the Bends of Elizabeths Nodal axis of 20 deg.
Cancer/Capricorn, with her South Node conjunct her Ascendant.
Elizabeths own Saturn lies at her Midheaven, and perhaps the most remarkable connection between
the two charts is the fact that Elizabeths MC at 25 Scorpio, and her Saturn at 24 Scorpio, are
conjunct the Moon in the London chart. The void of course Moon sits directly on Elizabeths
Jupiter Returns for the 2012 Summer Olympics Joy Usher 2012

MC/Saturn, so we can assume that her presence is critical to the overall success of the 2012 London
Games. This is not so surprising, given that she is a personification of tradition, honour and integrity
in her home country, but it must be remembered that she has just recently celebrated her 86th
birthday, so one wonders if she has the physical strength to maintain such a public profile during
these 2012 Games. Elizabeths natal Moon conjuncts the Olympic charts Descendant, and the two
Suns square each other, again reinforcing the importance of the Queens presence, or at least, those
who represent her, during the 2012 Olympics.
In a year of recession, following a global financial crisis, and with the gloom of Europe wafting over
the shores of the United Kingdom, the hope of the London Games putting the country back on its
feet, both financially and psychologically, must be prominent in the minds of those who rule this
once mighty Empire. In my opinion, the chart does not appear to deliver the salvation England is
desperately praying for.
In the words of Andrew OHagan, journalist for The Guardian when commenting on the frenetic
activity at Olympic Park: There are cranes everywhere. Hard hats. And a wobbly sense that, if we get this right,
everything will change for the better: the climate, the character, the ethos of the country.9 For Englands sake, lets
hope they do get it right, even if it does mean we lose our own coveted Olympic crown as the best
Olympics. If we must lose it, then it seems fitting that with the herald of a new Jupiter Return, it
should be London, the mother country that we lose it to.

Article in The Daily Telegraph, 27th December 2011

See essay on Sightings in Scala Coeli: The Ladder of Heaven
3 The Olympics and Sustainable Urban Regeneration by Bob Digby, University College School, London,
www.geography.org.uk/download/ga_prsydney.ppt
4 Source: PriceWaterhouseCoopers (2001 Evaluation of economic benefits of 2000 Sydney Olympics)
5 Article in The Guardian by Andrew OHagan, 10th February 2012 entitled In Stratfords Olympic park, you can smell the
ambition for London 2012,
6 Article from The Guardian, written by Simon Jenkins on 14/6/2012 entitled The Isles of Wonder Olympic opening ceremony:
I smell a rat
7 Article from BBC News UK, 27/1/2012 entitled London 2012: Isles of Wonder theme for Olympic ceremony by Jane Mower
and Michael Hurst, www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16747032, 11/7/12
8 Article by Bloomberg.com on 11th July 2012 by Jeremy Hodges entitled London Judge Throws Out Bid to Stop Olympic
missiles on Rooftops
9 Article in The Guardian by Andrew OHagan, 10th February 2012 entitled In Stratfords Olympic park, you can smell the
ambition for London 2012.
1
2

Chart Data:
2000 Sydney Olympics Opening Ceremony
15th September 2000
7:00pm AEDT 11:00
Sydney, Australia
2012 London Olympics Opening Ceremony
27th July 2012
9pm BST 1:00
London, England
Queen Elizabeth II
21st April 1926
2:40am BST 1:00
London, England

Jupiter Returns for the 2012 Summer Olympics Joy Usher 2012

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