The fixed star Antares, located at 09 degree 46 minutes Sagittarius is of a Mars – Jupiter nature and known as “In the heart of Scorpio”. It is one of the four Royal Stars.  The word, “Antares”, comes from Anti – Ares words. Anti – Ares means  “The Rival of Mars”. This fixed star is also called “Watcher of the West”.

Being “The Rival of Mars” is not easy. Antares is related to fearlessness, unexpected events, accidents.  In the statement, “Watcher of the West”, the word “West” shows us where we can look for the effects of the star.  In traditional definitions, Antares shows a wild nature, violent death by law or war. Antares also gives one a great success, fame or power depending on its rules.

In addition to these classical astrology definitions, we know that Antares has an insisting nature. As defined by the Mars – Jupiter nature, it has an active, aggressive spreading motivation. Antares has a power to achieve exactly what it wants, whether in a person’s or a country’s chart.  Also, as stated in traditional sources, “worry, obsessing, insisting” turns the success of Antares into a destructive energy.  It’s highly concentrated on the success that, it begins to create an opposite power to destroy the success itself. Trying to retain the circumstances for its benefit all the time and arrogance, both ruin the success which is gained by hard work and struggle rule of Antares. As it is admissible with other Royal Stars, Antares has a virtue test and it only gives great success if the person avoids the shadow side of power.

Another, “virtue teacher”, Saturn entered Sagittarius in 23 December 2014. This showed itself with limitations and tests in freedom, educations, academy, publishing and religion subjects. Saturn, within its 29 year circle, by entering one sign after another, shows what the case has become. This new transit of in the next sign, does not mean a total new subject. Saturn brings up the old skeleton of a certain responsibility to a next level, a new version. This new version of the test may seem a totally new event in our lives but in fact, it is still about what we could not solve and also what we solved and gained in previous sign. The skeleton of the real problem is generally in an area that is hard to face with.

Since the start of 2016, Saturn, Mars and Antares triple’s contacts have been awaited by astrologers.  Also, according to classical astrology which defines Saturn and Mars as two malefics, if these two find a chance to spread their energy with one of the luminaries, this also touches Antares’ energy and may cause highly powerful and if not managed well, highly destroying energies. The first contact of Saturn and Antares was in 20th of December 2015. While Saturn was in this way, it turned  retrograde until the 13th of August 2016. Also Mars is on its way, with direct and retro motions around Antares and is triggering it.  Mars’s last stationary position was very near to Antares, around 8 degree of Sagittarius, on the 16th of April, 2016.

Why are these retrogrades important?  In the whole “story”, planets such as Saturn which complete their cycle over a long period of time, are while on their tour, they  bring their concentrated tests with different topics each time, forcing us to complete the uncompleted issues with their retros.  So, it’s better to watch for the triggering points and times in our personal and country charts.

Antares, Saturn and Mars contacts last occurred as an important event in 15th of July, in 2016, around 21:45. This was an important day in Turkey’s agenda. There was an “Attempted Coup” in Turkey on that night. A group of soldiers stopped the traffic on the bridge, they made announcements that “Army gets the direction of the government and there is a curfew.” This chart shows the issues’ start:

The ascendant of the event chart is 17 degrees 53 minutes Aquarius.  The ruler Saturn is on the MC and it is only 1 degree away from Antares. The moon gets the light from Mars, bringing it to Saturn on its way. Moon, will carry the light of Saturn too and bring it to the Capricorn full moon. So it’s possible that in the full moon, the case will be clearer than now.

Saturn symbolizes elder people, authority, elimination, sometimes the hard nature of power and also fear.  At the same time, the position of Saturn in the top the chart shows a kind of fall and elimination. When Moon was having the light from Mars, the energy that it was bringing was intense, active and destructive.  Antares want to use this energy for its power and success. Saturn with Antares can be defined as a person or group of people or an event that insist to put its own strict rules and use its / their power for it. One of the Saturn’s meanings is rules and system and Antares also symbolizes soldiers.

In the chart below, Saturn, Mars and Antares are shown in the same degree and minutes. There will be different positions for sure until this time. But this certain time can show the process of Antares’s intentions, especially in the chart which Antares highlighted, just as in our country.

 

When we look at the actual date of the conjunction on Turkey’s natal chart, we see the actors on the sixth house which is defined as soldiers, services, employees.

Also an interesting point belongs to the Moon, which is the light and information carrier. Let’s take a look at the 9 degrees of Gemini, which Moon makes an opposition to the actors. The charts shown below are Turkey’s natal chart inside and the transit chart of 25th August 2016.

 

Our search for moon’s opposition brought us to 25th August, 2016.  I want to highlight the point that the moon makes this opposition from the 12th house. Also the axes of the 6th and 12th houses may show issues related to soldiers. This opposition may be explained as an event which makes the secret information is seen. This may also point at 12th house kind of processes about the country.

To conclude this article, we may say that Antares's influence will compel us to aim for “more”, and make things happen in our lives. One can use this energy – but carefully so – for positive success. This “virtue test” will not be easy of course but staying alert about the right use of power will help.

We may experience these energies in our personal lives as well as collectively.

Bibliography

Imsiragic Aleksandar, Pillars of Destiny

Döşer Öner, Temel Kavram