Jack started studying astrology in 1969 and is mostly self-taught, although he has studied under Doris Chase Doane and Jayj Jacobs. He is a professional astrologer, who has worked in this field in San Francisco (with his North Node conjuncting the city's Capricorn Ascendant) since 1976 (when progressed Uranus opposed his natal Mercury).
With Mercury conjunct his Moon in Aquarius (which rules his Cancer Ascendant), Jack has written for a number of magazines and newspapers, and had a sun-sign column in the San Francisco Bay Times (a.k.a. "Coming Up!).
In 1982, Jack -- as Sister Boom-Boom -- of the Sisters of
Perpetual Indulgence, ran under the 'Nun of the Above' ticket in the race for Supervisor of San Francisco, winning 23 125 votes (as transiting Uranus on Boom-Boom's Sixth House cusp formed a Grand Trine with its natal position and the progressed Sun on his Equal House Midheaven).
Jack loves Opera (Neptune in Fourth trine both luminaries) and travel (Sun in Pisces in the Ninth trined by its dispositor, Neptune, which also rules the Ninth). He also
enjoys sky-diving (with Mars in Aries ruling his Midheaven, placed high in the sky and aspecting both Moon in the dare-devil Eighth and Uranus in the go-get-'em First, moreover with Moon & Uranus in Mutual Reception) -- just look at him contemplating the
thrill of the jump in the photo above!! With Jupiter conjunct Uranus (which opposes and disposits his Third House ruler, Chiron), Jack is a perpetual student of languages and, as he says, "supersexilingual!" (a manifestation of Chiron in the Eighth?!).
Jack will be spending the academic year 2000/01 in Florence, Italy, studying politics and government (with transiting Neptune -- ruler of his Ninth House of long-distance travel and tertiary education -- conjunct Chiron, ruler of his Third House of languages).
Jack enjoys debating skeptics who dispute the effectiveness of astrology. In his Fraknoi's
Complaint, he has cleverly refuted the claims of an astronomer who tries to discredit astrology. With his skeptical Chiron spurred along by the square from Mars, Jack has told me that,
"...astrologers are generally making a mistake when seeking legitimacy and acceptance
alongside astronomers. There's a strong division between the Natural ("Hard") Sciences and the Social Sciences. Our practice involves too much of the human element to qualify in the laboratory-oriented natural sciences. We can, however, prove our worth along side other studies of human experience."
I couldn't agree more!
In his article,
"Uranus: The Queer Planet," Jack explains that this planet is "a good indicator for queer community historical development," noting that Magnus Hirschfeld (founder
of the early homosexual rights group, The Scientific Humanitarian Committee) had Moon in Aquarius (Uranus' sign), and a Venus-Uranus conjunction. This article also maps a fascinating queer history as Uranus moved through the signs (with, e.g., the lesbian group, the Daughters of Bilitis, forming while the planet was in the sign Cancer), and offers a delineation of Uranus through the Signs & Houses, and by major Aspects.
Jack Fertig is available for astro-consultations via his "StarJack" website.
