There are currently 5 planets in retrograde:

What's up, cosmic voyagers? It's your favorite astro nerd, here to drop some starry wisdom upon your eager minds. If you've been feeling like a computer on the fritz lately, blame it on Mercury in Virgo. This planet of communication and technology has been throwing more tantrums than a toddler at nap time.

#MercuryInVirgo is like that one friend who, when given a task, meticulously overthinks every detail until they're left staring at their shoes in existential crisis. It's all about the details, folks, and right now, Mercury is analyzing them like it's preparing for its next chess championship.

And then we have Venus, currently doing its diva impression in Leo. If you're suddenly feeling a bit more glamorous, a bit more "look at me, I'm fabulous", then it's all thanks to Venus. It's like she's prepping for her Broadway debut, belting out show tunes and demanding standing ovations left and right.

On the hashtag #VenusInLeo, expect a lot of drama, darling, but also a lot of passion and creativity. Just make sure you don't forget the little people when you're basking in your spotlight.

Meanwhile, Mars in Libra is like a warrior poet, wielding diplomacy like a sword and justice like a shield. This planet of action is all about balance right now, so if you're feeling an urge to resolve conflict and create harmony, that's Mars whispering sweet nothings in your ear.

As for Jupiter in Taurus, it's like an indulgent uncle, encouraging us to enjoy the finer things in life. Saturn in Pisces has us contemplating our responsibilities with a more empathetic, compassionate view, while Uranus in Taurus is shaking things up in the financial and material world.

Neptune in Pisces is blurring the lines between fantasy and reality, while Pluto in Capricorn is all about transformation and rebirth. So if you've been feeling like a phoenix rising from the ashes lately, give Pluto a high-five.

Remember, folks: life might seem like a chaotic mess of cosmic energies right now, but it's all part of the grand, interstellar dance. So grab your partner, do-si-do, and remember to laugh along the way. Until next time, keep looking up!

The moon is currently in Scorpio, at 12 degrees, 59' 23", at a velocity of 12.56 degrees per day.

The Waxing Crescent moon is currently 3.9 days old. It is 388964 km from the centre of the Earth.

The next new moon is at 17:55:08, 14 Oct 2023. The next full moon is at 20:24:27, 28 Oct 2023.

Solar wind parameters were indicative of a likely transient arrival and passage early in the day, followed by an interplanetary shock arrival as measured at the DSCOVR spacecraft at 18/1257 UTC. Total IMF strength had been ~10 nT much of the period until shock arrival, when total field increased to 22 nT by 18/1258 UTC. The Bz component was slowly rotating from south to north directed with the initial transient passage. There was little change in the Bz component with shock arrival and Bz remained mainly northward until about 18/1600 UTC when it turned southward and reached a maximum deviation of -18 nT at 18/1630 UTC. The Bz oscillated afterwards. Solar wind speed had initially rose to 484 km/s by 18/0207 UTC with the first transient arrival before it decreased to ~425 km/s. Speed promptly increased with shock arrival from the second CME and reached about 550-560 km/s before it slowly declined and was at 500 km/s by the periods end. The phi angle was mostly in a negative sector.

There is a 5% chance of solar activity, with a 30% chance of a minor event, a 35% chance of a moderate event, and a 30% chance of a strong event.