Astrology Basics: The Square and Harlow Winter

A natal chart shows the placements of the planets in the sky at the time of someone’s birth. To the average person, it may just look like a lot of dots in a circle, but to an astrologer, it reveals the patterns and tendencies in that person’s behavior and needs. The planets, while very far apart in our sky, look closer together when placed in the natal wheel, and connections between them can be seen by tracing certain mathematical angles between the planets, such as the 90 degree* angle, called a square, which is featured in Harlow's chart below. The connections between planets are called aspects.

Birthday girl Harlow, daughter of Nicole Richie and Joel Madden, just turned 4 this week. She has a square aspect in her chart between the planets Venus (middle right) and Uranus (top middle). Venus is the planet of relationship. It's connected through the square to the planet Uranus, which is a planet that drives us toward freedom and individuality.

Venus is how we establish connection with others, but Uranus, valuing freedom, tends to avoid anything that will tie it down. Harlow's special challenge with Venus squaring Uranus is to get her needs met for connection without sacrificing her need for freedom and individuality. The feeling of planets squaring each other usually feels tense and uncomfortable, but it's that tension and discomfort that continues to get our attention, and pushes us to work toward finding a way to make our conflicting needs work! As she forms friendships, she will be working out this challenge of collecting friends, but feeling tense or cramped when they expect too much of her or want to latch on too tightly. But she'll get the hang of it as she grows and will learn how to be independent but not alone.

*A degree is a unit of measurement. They are marked by the degree symbol following the numbers by each planet in a natal chart. There are 360 degrees in a circle. Each sign is divided into 30 degrees, so counting restarts at 0 when entering a new sign. To find an opposition, locate any planet in a natal chart and note its degree number. Then count 6 signs from there in either direction and see if another planet lands in the same degree (give or take a few degrees) in the new sign. That’s an opposition! If you’re not sure, or you don’t have a copy of your natal chart, you can calculate one for free instantly online at Kiddiegram.com!

Happy Birthday Harlow!

Harlow celebrated her 3rd birthday (January 11th) a little early this year when her parents threw her a birthday shindig this last weekend (January 8th). Fab guests like Gemini Kingston and Leo Zuma Rossdale, Scorpio Ruby and Taurus Otis Maguire, and Gemini Honor Warren were among the many Hollywood princes and princesses to attend (and, of course, her Virgo brother Sparrow.

Harlow is probably a girl who knows what she wants! With a south node in Leo and a playful Gemini Ascendant, she might not mind being the center of attention, as long as it doesn't stand between her and what's grabbing her attention at the moment! With Gemini Rising, she's going to be an extremely curious child, and with Mars' added speed, mom Nicole and dad Joel have probably experienced just how fast this little one's hands can move to grab something shiny and interesting! More about Mars conjunct her Ascendant from Harlow's Kiddiegram:

Mars conjunct Ascendant

Frank, forthright, and direct, Harlow makes her presence and her will known very clearly. She is inclined to act first and think later. Decisiveness and initiative are her gifts; rashness or insensitivity to other people's needs and desires may be her downfall.

She appears self-confident and brave; others are inclined to follow her lead or at least to leave her alone to do what she wills.

The lesson? Don't stand in the way of Harlow and her birthday presents or she'll let you have it! Happy Birthday, Harlow!


Photo: JustJared

Nicole Ritchie Already Has Twins

Nicole Richie has laughed off reports that she is pregnant with twins. The mother of little Capricorn Harlow, announced in February that she and Joel Madden are expecting.



The Daily Express in London noted Ritchie laughed at the circulating rumors about her being pregnant with twins saying "I already have twins." referring to partner Joel Madden's twin brother Benji. Ritchie made the statement about the inundation of innuendos at a charity event in Los Angeles March 23rd.



Ritchie and Madden are pictured at the event Monday evening that raised almost 80,000 for UNICEF's Tap project . (To see a full shot of the pop philanthropists check out Popeaters.com.)

Richie and fiance Joel Madden united their charity (The Richie-Madden Children’s Foundation) along with Sony Cierge to raise money and awareness for UNICEF's TAP project, which delivers fresh drinking water to areas of the world where such a thing is hard to come by.


Harlow Winter Kate Madden's Kiddiegram Report and Kiddiegram Celebrity Star Kid Wheel,


Order a Kiddiecam for your child and send us a picture of your child holding their Kiddiecam so we can see their sign and we will donate $10 to UNICEF's Tap and send you a gift Deluxe Kiddiegram for your child. Offer will expire June 30, 2009.
Earlier posts on Harlow: Text C-h-i-l-d to 90999; A Walk In The Park; Better Than Winning An Oscar