As of the last 24 hours, five planets are visible to the naked eye. The traditional planets, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn align themselves in the pre-dawn sky in southern latitudes. This celestial feast will be on display until the middle of February. Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn have been visible in a cluster since the beginning of the year and are now joined by Mercury, which is moving from an evening setting (acronycal) to a morning rising (heliacal). As Mercury rises just before the Sun it will be hard to spot initially, but by early February it will be rising higher and will be much easier to see. The Moon will join the group touching each one in turn, beginning with Jupiter on January 28 and ending with Mercury on February 7. The Moon will touch Mars on February 1 and 2, Saturn on February 4 and Venus on February 6. This celestial sight will be visible again later this year in August, when the planets will be visible on the western horizon. This grouping was last seen in 2005 and we will not witness this again until October 2018.

What can we, as astrologers take from this clestial vision? Following in the foot steps of our predecessors, what would they have made of this? If we consider a chart for the first moment of visibility, we have a chart set for 5:31 am AEDT, showing the five planets rising towards the zenith with a very distinct and prominent Mercury-Pluto conjunction on the Ascendant.

Mercury-Pluto combinations describe a seriousness, intensity and obsession with ideas or a way of thinking. Mercury is also captured in the Uranus-Pluto square which has been a feature of the last 2 years, having made seven exact hits.

This combination of Mercury-Pluto squaring Uranus rises at the beginning of this five planet configuration, giving rise to a period of some very hard hitting debate, discussion or arguments about ideas which have the potential to both polarise and galvanise different sectors of the population. Uranus-Pluto has been a prominent feature over the last few years, challenging the status quo with the imminent threat of the destruction of old forms and attitudes with a level of anarchy or wilful destruction. Uranus and Pluto have their own characteristic styles of creating resistance and conservatism. They can push people up close and personal against their fears, exacerbating resistance to change by threatening insecurity, disaster or destruction.

We have seen a rising tide of dissent against existing neo-conservative stances in politics, finance and social issues and the fact that this time is heralded by Mercur-Pluto should make for some interesting debate which is only beginning to hot up. The Moon, in her role as 'translator of light' will be exact the degree of the conjunction and then conjunct Mercury between the 6th and 7th February suggesting that the 'truth' of the matters which have been aired over the past weeks are now revealed, warts and all.

There has been much conjecture on several issues including the scale of the impending financial meltdown ushered in by low oil prices, contracting economies and the continuing escalation of extermism in the Middel East and its subsequent effects on the rising tide of refugees. As this chart is set for Australia, we must look at what it says about its impact on the nation. We have to deal with these global issues in our own context and it is interesting that as I am writing this, the effects of Government policies are generating an increasing national concern.

These include the contracting of the mining industry and its 'special' place in Australian domestic and international relations. The big miners are now facing declining returns on their 'holes in the ground', exhaustion of ore and other deposits as well as rising community concern over environmental, social and health implications of these activities. There are bitter disputes both on the ground and in the courts over miners versus land owners rights which has seen the judiciary inclining to rule in favour of the land owner, something which in the past, was rare.

This momentum is also evident with the major social issue of same-sex marriage making international headlines this week when a UK couple suffered a tragic death and the same-sex partner was denied any say in arrangements as recognition of the partnership does not exist in the State of South Australia, nor in federal laws. The premier of the state issued an apology and was adamant it was time for change.

Again this week, the federal Government was attacked for its seeming lack of action on a report which exonerated a charity, Save the Children from accusations by contractors that charity workers encouraged asylum seekers held in off-shore detention to self-harm. Revelations show that there was outright lies spread which led to the expulsion of the charity from Manus & Nauru as well as the saking of the workers. There is now an increasing sense of outrage that misinformation is being used by Government paid companies to shore up policies.

Another major statement heralded in this chart is Jupiter conjuct the Nodal axis in Virgo. Jupiter, the great benefic, is in its detriment, and its conjunction to the Norh Node suggests that the detrimental effects of excess (Jupiter) is already manifesting as the Moon shines her light on Jupiter from 28 January. While these excesses may seem an old story, federal Parliament is due to resume on Tuesday 2nd February and it will be interesting to see the topics debated especially as both houses, the House of Represenatives and the Senate will be in session. Venus makes a tight square to Jupiter and the Nodal axis implying that women will be influential in what is brought to light and how it is dealt with.

Let's keep an eye out on how this develops because I think that we will see a very potent time as this alignment brings these matters into the collective in a way which can no longer be ignored. What has been kept secret is now being revealed.