Suns, stars and all things lunar: Looking up into the sky
Wednesday January 31st saw a rare super blood moon – turning a fabulous red colour in some parts of the world as the earth passes directly in front of it. The moon also appeared to be bigger and brighter than usual, especially at moonrise and moonset. The evening of Friday February 16th the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday starts with a new moon. Being a follower of the Royal Observatory on social media, perhaps I’m more interested in astronomy than others. I’ve certainly never ruled out the effects weather and nature more generally have on animals, plants and people.
I’m also not one to rule out the potential effects natural phenomena can have on investor psychology, market timing, and levels of activity. Which reminded me that many moons ago (pun intended) the STA invited Christeen Skinner to speak at our monthly meeting on her speciality – financial astrology. Also known as business astrology or astro-economics, Wikipedia’s entry is especially scathing, saying it’s a pseudoscience, while adding that it might be considered ‘heterodox economics’ and pointing out that it has been used since 463BC.
Then again, some people dismiss technical analysis because of its emphasis on patterns, trends and cycles. Add to that small-minded individuals resistant to new ideas, those with axes to grind, and the intellectually challenged. Throughout my career, I am pleased and proud to have kept an eye out for new and different methods and thinking, listened politely when an alternative topic is presented, and adopting some if appropriate.
Full and new moons are part of my standard toolbox and the time of high tide at London Bridge used for confirmation. For the latter Old Moore’s Almanac, first published in 1764 and continuously since then, is essential. From a village near Dublin, Theophilus Moore ran an academy teaching Irish, English, Greek and Latin, his forte was maths, and he loved astrology. The tables have been used by farmers and agricultural merchants for centuries.
A book our readers might be interested in was published by Wiley in 2015. Titled: A Trader’s Guide to Financial Astrology: Forecasting Market Cycles using Planetary and Lunar Movements it was penned by Larry Pasavento and Shane Smoley. Below are two websites on the subject.
Happy star gazing!
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