The world of astronomy was shaken on February 18, 1930, with the discovery of Pluto, the Solar System’s ninth planet. This finding, attributed to American amateur astronomer Clyde Tombaugh, stood as a testament to human perseverance and the capability of telescopes.
Initially regarded as a full-fledged planet, Pluto turned out to be a small, icy world. Its orbit is so eccentric that it actually crosses Neptune’s path. This feature, coupled with its modest size, led to Pluto’s reclassification as a dwarf planet in 2006, sparking fervent debate and necessitating a reevaluation of the very definition of a planet.
Nonetheless, some maintain that this tiny sphere, smaller than our Moon and situated at an average distance of 5.9 billion kilometers from Earth, exerts a quite notable impact upon us.
A correspondent for chel.aif.ru looked into where and how this dwarf planet, named after the ancient Roman god of the underworld, has manifested or continues to manifest its influence.
The Ninth “Under-Planet”
So, Pluto. It is terribly distant from us. At its closest approach, the separation is about 4.3 billion kilometers, stretching to 7.5 billion at its farthest point.
For light to traverse such a distance requires a little over five hours. If one were to walk without stopping, the journey would take over 134 thousand years. Traveling by car at 100 km/h would necessitate approximately 6,293 years. A flight at 900 km/h would mean roughly 680 years en route. The New Horizons spacecraft, moving at an average speed of about 58 thousand km/h, took 9.5 years to reach Pluto—from January 19, 2006, until July 14, 2015.
An image of Pluto’s surface captured by the New Horizons mission camera.
An image of Pluto’s surface captured by the New Horizons mission camera. Photo: ru.wikipedia.org/ New Horizons; color Multispectral Visible Imaging Camera
Pluto has a diameter of approximately 2,380 kilometers. For context, the Moon’s diameter is 3,480 km. This means Pluto is about one and a half times smaller in size than Earth’s satellite, reaching roughly two-thirds of the lunar diameter. Significant differences exist in mass as well: the Moon weighs six to seven times more than Pluto. This clearly illustrates how minuscule a celestial body Pluto is, especially when compared to other imposing moons in the Solar System.
The discovery of this object taught scientists important lessons, according to astronomer and astro-mechanic Boris Alperovich. Specifically, the need to investigate regions where nothing seemingly interesting should be, as revolutionary discoveries often lie hidden there.
“Clyde Tombaugh’s work, characterized by patience and methodology, underscored the value of persistent effort. More broadly, it’s an indication that ‘if you struggle long enough, something will work out.’ Without his painstaking efforts, we might still be unaware of this sector of space,” the celestial researcher explained to the chel.aif.ru correspondent. “And surprisingly, the history of Pluto’s study is far from over. Every subsequent image, every new scientific paper, every discussion about its classification serves as a reminder of the inexhaustible nature of cosmic mysteries. And we, as astronomers, have the honor of being the explorers of these wonders.”
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Affecting Everyone and Everything
Among the first to react keenly to the appearance of a new object in the Solar System were astrologers. They endowed Pluto with all the necessary “fateful” characteristics and, despite its rather unimpressive size and colossal distance, attributed to it the capacity to influence events on Earth.
“On an astrological level, Pluto symbolizes transformation, death and rebirth, deep psychological processes, power, and control,” explained astrologer Alyona Savchenko to the chel.aif.ru correspondent. “Its slow movement through the zodiac means its influence is felt over decades, affecting entire generations. Pluto awakens hidden passions, forces confrontations with the shadows of one’s personality, and initiates radical changes that, although painful, lead to purification and the acquisition of new strength. It compels us to explore the subconscious, to overcome fears, and achieve profound self-knowledge.”
Photo: freepik.com
Astrologers interpret Pluto’s transit across the Sun between 1989 and 1991 as an indicator of the fundamental restructuring that led to the dissolution of the USSR. Another significant moment cited is the terrorist attacks in the USA on September 11, 2001, which they link to the opposition between Saturn and Pluto on that day.
Furthermore, astrologers observe patterns in earlier historical events. For example, the reign of Catherine the Great (1762–1796) is also correlated with Pluto’s sojourn in Aquarius, viewing this period as a flourishing time for Russia, marked by the incorporation of Novorossiya, Right-Bank Ukraine, the Sea of Azov region, Belarus, Courland, Lithuania, and the North Caucasus.
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The Instigator of the “Cold War”
Astrologers assert that pivotal turning points in history are closely linked to planetary movements, particularly conjunctions and aspects involving Saturn and Pluto. Such a conjunction in the 16th century, in their view, set the stage for the Reformation initiated by Martin Luther in 1517. The Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648) is explained similarly, with astrologers tracing its origins to the conjunction of these planets in 1616, which they believe provoked a Habsburg crisis and a pan-European conflict.
Astrologers also attribute the major wars of the 20th century to Saturn-Pluto conjunctions. World War I, beginning on July 28, 1914, coincided with a similar alignment, interpreted in astrology as a harbinger of the collapse of existing political orders. World War II (1939) occurred during a Saturn-Pluto square—an aspect associated with large-scale conflicts. Later, in 1947, a new conjunction between these planets aligned with the signing of post-WWII peace treaties and, according to astrologers, marked the beginning of the Cold War between the USA and the USSR.
Brezhnev and Nixon during the Cold War.
Brezhnev and Nixon during the Cold War. Photo: RIA Novosti / Eduard Peso
“Tension arises from the clash between the past and the future: old orders (Saturn) resist coming transformations (Pluto), and any concessions only intensify chaos,” Alyona Savchenko elaborated. “In an individual’s life, such an aspect might manifest as serious difficulties demanding perseverance and self-control, a confrontation with authorities, rigid rules, or influential figures. On a global scale, the Saturn-Pluto confrontation appears as political crises and struggles for influence, economic storms, redistribution of power, natural disasters, or technological catastrophes that expose systemic weaknesses, or reforms proceeding through conflict and resistance.”
The Red Fire Horse
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2026 — Pluto in Aquarius
In 2026, with Pluto situated in Aquarius, astrologers foresee significant shifts globally across technology, society, and international relations. Rapid progress is anticipated in artificial intelligence development, communication, and digital solutions. A surge in the popularity of digital currencies, the emergence of new payment methods, and changes in economic systems are forecasted.
A re-evaluation of existing structures is possible, leading to the rise of new social movements and evolving societal norms. The world can expect a change in the distribution of power, challenges for international alliances, and the formation of new coalitions.
Pluto will be retrograde from May 6 to October 16, 2026. During this time, astrologers believe the focus will shift inward. Individuals may gain deeper self-understanding, reassess the past, and shed old habits. In society, retrograde Pluto could intensify political disputes, trigger economic troubles, and increase instances of bankruptcy.
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The Barnum Effect
Science, however, does not recognize the influence of planets on human events or behavior. Such interpretations, in the view of scientists, belong to the realm of belief and symbolic thinking, not objective laws.
Engineer-astroinformatician and developer of astronomical software, Viktor Kolesnikov, commented to chel.aif.ru that astrology is categorized as pseudoscience in a memo from a special Commission under the Russian Academy of Sciences: “From the perspective of modern physics, the influence of celestial bodies on humans is infinitesimally small. The gravitational pull of planets and stars on a person is negligible compared to the influence of, say, surrounding objects or even the obstetrician at birth. If astrologers claim some form of ‘mystical’ or ‘astral’ influence, it lacks scientific substantiation and cannot be measured or experimentally verified. If that were the case, astrologers would need to consider the movement of not only Solar System planets but also billions of other planets in the Galaxy and the Universe. This renders the very idea impractical and absurd. Any subtle nuance could be blamed on the ‘influence’ of, for instance, the North Star, or some nameless little star in the Andromeda Galaxy. Or perhaps, an as-yet-undiscovered Black Hole.”
Meanwhile, cognitive psychologist Pyotr Dern explains the perceived ‘accuracy’ of astrological predictions through the so-called “Barnum effect.” This is a psychological phenomenon where vague, general, or ambiguous personality descriptions are perceived by an individual as being extremely accurate and deeply personal characterizations of themselves.
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