The 47-year cycle of Mars: after 47 years (22 synodic periods of 780 days each), Mars returns to the same position among the stars and is in the same relationship to the Earth and Sun. The ancient Mesopotamians discovered this cycle.The synodic period is defined as "the amount of time that it takes for an object to reappear at the same point in relation to two or more other objects ... the time between two successive oppositions or conjunctions is also an example of the synodic period." Source. In the case of Mars, the 47-year cycle relates to the positions of Mars and the Sun. After 47 years years, the Sun and Mars should return to their original positions. My calculations showed that the exact figure is 46.97856377 years which seems close but is actually almost eight days less than 47 years. Further calculations revealed that there is a much closer alignment after 79 years or 79.00940271 to be more exact. This turns out to be about 3.43 days past the 79 years.
It's a fairly easy matter to set up the calculations in a worksheet. The formula is:
where SP1 and SP2 are the sidereal periods of the two bodies of interest. The sidereal period by the way is "the amount of time that it takes an object to make a full orbit, relative to the stars." The table below, copied from my worksheet, shows the sidereal and synodic periods for the various planets.
The multiples of these synodic periods when divided by 365.24217 give the number of years that have elapsed. When the number is very close to an integer, it means that the configuration between the two planets at time zero recurs near the same point in the zodiac. For example, such a conjunction between Venus and Mars recurs after 31.99799406 years which is very close to 32 years (about 0.73 days less to be precise). The synodic period of Venus and Mars is less than a year (333.9 days) and for someone like myself, with the two planets conjunct, it is important but because of its frequency there is a tendency to undervalue its significance. The synodic cycle becomes more meaningful when viewed as part of a larger, "super-synodic" cycle in which the two planets return to the same relationship but in close proximity to their original zodiacal positions.
For Venus and Mars, this larger super-synodic cycle involves 35 synodic cycles and, because the prime factors of 35 are 5 and 7, the 5th, 7th, 10th, 14th and so on cycles become particularly important. They resonate with the larger cycle while the others (2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 8th and so on) do not. Other patterns emerge: the 14th/15th and 20th/21st cycles form twin resonating pairs and occur after 12.79919762/13.71342603 years and 18.28456803/19.19879644 years. The next pairing is the 49th/50th and 55th/56th occurring after 44.79719168/45.71142009 years and 50.28256209/51.1967905 years. In the life of an individual with Venus and Mars conjunct in the natal chart, the periods around the 44th/45th and 50th/51st birthdays should be significant, especially in terms of relationships. I can assure you that they were.
These resonating cycles can be applied of course to all super-synodic cycles. For example, the 47 year synodic cycle of the Sun and Mars occurs after 22 cycles. The factors of 22 are 2 and 11 so every even numbered cycle is resonant but so is the 11th. This means that the 10th, 11th and 12th cycles are all resonant and thus the energy of the Sun-Mars relationship will find emphatic release during the period from 21.35389262 through 23.48928189 to 25.62467115 years. This is illustrated in the diagram below:
For someone like myself with Sun conjunct Mars, this period from my 21st to 25th birthdays was a very energetic time. It is of course for most young people but during this time I was indeed very focused, completing a university degree that I had started years earlier but never finished. After this period, I rapidly lost focus again and never quite summoned up that same level of motivation and concentration ever again. The second time around the 32nd, 33rd and 34th cycles are all resonant corresponding to 68.3324564 through 70.46784566 to 72.60323492 years. Now that I'm approaching my 68th birthday, I'm hoping for a similar infusion of energy. I can only hope my old bones are up to it.
Of course with the outer planets of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, the synodic periods are less frequent. Jupiter and Saturn have a famous synodic period of a little under 20 years that has been linked to the deaths in office of United States president taking up office in 1960, 1940, 1920 etc. This pattern of deaths is known as the Curse of Tippecanoe or Tecumseh's Curse (source). While it is not likely that two outer planets will return to their natal positions during the life of an individual, their return would be important in mundane astrology.
For Venus and Mars, this larger super-synodic cycle involves 35 synodic cycles and, because the prime factors of 35 are 5 and 7, the 5th, 7th, 10th, 14th and so on cycles become particularly important. They resonate with the larger cycle while the others (2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 8th and so on) do not. Other patterns emerge: the 14th/15th and 20th/21st cycles form twin resonating pairs and occur after 12.79919762/13.71342603 years and 18.28456803/19.19879644 years. The next pairing is the 49th/50th and 55th/56th occurring after 44.79719168/45.71142009 years and 50.28256209/51.1967905 years. In the life of an individual with Venus and Mars conjunct in the natal chart, the periods around the 44th/45th and 50th/51st birthdays should be significant, especially in terms of relationships. I can assure you that they were.
These resonating cycles can be applied of course to all super-synodic cycles. For example, the 47 year synodic cycle of the Sun and Mars occurs after 22 cycles. The factors of 22 are 2 and 11 so every even numbered cycle is resonant but so is the 11th. This means that the 10th, 11th and 12th cycles are all resonant and thus the energy of the Sun-Mars relationship will find emphatic release during the period from 21.35389262 through 23.48928189 to 25.62467115 years. This is illustrated in the diagram below:
For someone like myself with Sun conjunct Mars, this period from my 21st to 25th birthdays was a very energetic time. It is of course for most young people but during this time I was indeed very focused, completing a university degree that I had started years earlier but never finished. After this period, I rapidly lost focus again and never quite summoned up that same level of motivation and concentration ever again. The second time around the 32nd, 33rd and 34th cycles are all resonant corresponding to 68.3324564 through 70.46784566 to 72.60323492 years. Now that I'm approaching my 68th birthday, I'm hoping for a similar infusion of energy. I can only hope my old bones are up to it.
Of course with the outer planets of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, the synodic periods are less frequent. Jupiter and Saturn have a famous synodic period of a little under 20 years that has been linked to the deaths in office of United States president taking up office in 1960, 1940, 1920 etc. This pattern of deaths is known as the Curse of Tippecanoe or Tecumseh's Curse (source). While it is not likely that two outer planets will return to their natal positions during the life of an individual, their return would be important in mundane astrology.
