Miracle On The Hudson

US Airways Flight 1549 was scheduled for takeoff At 3:24 PM EST from New York’s LaGuardia Airport heading to Charlotte Douglas International Airport on January 15, 2009. The Airbus A320 took flight at 3:25 PM EST with 155 passengers and crew. A little over two minutes into the flight, the jet was hit by a flock of birds - Canadian geese - during its standard instrument departure climbout from LaGuardia. Pilots Captain Chesley Sullenberger and First Officer Jeffrey Skiles safely guided the plane to ditch in the Hudson River after multiple bird strikes caused both engines to fail. The aircraft hit the Hudson River at 3:31 PM EST. All 155 passengers and crew were evacuated and rescued by nearby watercraft. There were some injuries, but all 155 passengers and crew survived. The incident came to be known as the “Miracle on the Hudson.” Captain Sullenberger and crew were hailed as heroes.  

The astrological chart drawn over New York City at 3:31 PM EST on January 15, 2009 shows Uranus at the top of the chart (the MC at 18 Pisces) at 20 Pisces and Saturn at the bottom of the chart (the IC at 18 Virgo) at 21 Virgo. Airline disasters often happen during Uranus/Saturn hard aspect periods, and this opposition is certainly a hard aspect. The chart’s MC is on the sign of Pisces which rules large bodies of water such as the Hudson River. The Moon was transiting the fourth house and in a wide conjunction to Saturn there as well. Mercury (which rules birds) was in retrograde motion in early Aquarius (6 degrees) and conjunct Jupiter (ruler of air travel) at 2 Aquarius. Mercury/Jupiter are in a semisquare aspect (45 degree angle) to Uranus/MC in the chart. This aspect encompasses planetary energy that is in conflict and subtle determined tension. Control is required. And, Mercury/Jupiter are in a sesquiquadrate aspect (135 degree angle) to Saturn/IC in the chart. This aspect encompasses planetary energies that are in conflict and subtle determined tension. Calmness is required. The Sun (the leader - or, the pilot in this case) is in Capricorn (at 26 degrees) and is in a wide conjunction to Jupiter (air travel - or, the jet). They both trine (120 degree angle that is very fortunate) asteroid Pallas Athena in Gemini (at 4 degrees) and in the twelfth house. The pilot’s strategy to get the jet down safely succeeded. Yes, there was an element of luck here, but there was also great skill, planning, and strategy on the part of a very experienced pilot.

When a major event of this nature occurs, eclipse points are often activated. In this case Jupiter and Mercury were activating a solar eclipse that occurred on January 26, 2016 at 6 Aquarius. Saturn/Moon and Uranus were activating a solar eclipse that occurred on September 11, 2007.

The Captain, Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, was born on January 23, 1951 at 5:06 AM in Denison, Texas. His Sun is placed at 3 Aquarius, and transiting Jupiter was in a conjunction to his Sun at the time of the event. This is a very fortunate aspect. His natal Mercury is in Capricorn and is conjunct asteroid Pallas Athena and is in opposition to his natal Uranus. His ability to think quickly and strategically certainly came in handy that day. His natal North Lunar Node is at 20 Pisces, which is at the top (the MC) of this event chart and conjunct Uranus (which rules his Sun sign). It seems that this event was his destiny (or, at least a part of it). Asteroid Hudson is also located in the tenth house of his natal chart.

Interestingly, asteroid 1549 (Mikko) is located at 15 Pisces in the chart and conjunct the MC and Uranus (the unexpected happened on flight 1549, and the event became widely known). And, asteroid Hudson is in Libra at 21 degrees and in the fourth house (of foundational issues -- or, the ground in this case). Venus rules Libra, and it was conjunct asteroid 1549 at 13 Pisces. The jet ditched into the Hudson River.

Pisces rules the motion picture industry, and in 2016 this event was made into a biographical drama film - simply named “Sully” - directed by Clint Eastwood. The film was released by Warner Brothers in the US on September 9, 2016 as the Sun again conjoined the IC in this event’s chart.