85 Io

[Ava]

This is interesting...an asteroid sharing a name with one of Jupiter's moons. 

The asteroid's qualities might be tied to the mythological lover of Zeus...

Io was a priestess of the Goddess Hera in Argos, whose cult her father Inachus was supposed to have introduced to Argos. Zeus noticed Io, a mortal woman, and lusted after her. In the version of the myth told in Prometheus Bound she initially rejected Zeus' advances, until her father threw her out of his house on the advice of oracles. According to some stories, Zeus then turned Io into a heifer in order to hide her from his wife; others maintain that Hera herself transformed Io.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Io_(mythology)

Or maybe we can link this with Jupiter's moon, the distinctive physical properties of that?

Io (Jupiter I) is the innermost of the four Galilean moons of the planet Jupiter. It is the fourth-largest moon in the solar system, has the highest density of all of them, and has the least amount of water molecules of any known astronomical object in the Solar System. It was discovered in 1610 by Galileo Galilei and was named after the mythological character Io, a priestess of Hera who became one of Zeus' lovers.

With over 400 active volcanoes, Io is the most geologically active object in the Solar System. This extreme geologic activity is the result of tidal heating from friction generated within Io's interior as it is pulled between Jupiter and the other Galilean satellites—Europa, Ganymede and Callisto.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Io_(moon)

Io the moon was discovered in the 1600s. Its name was suggested back then, before all the science was known. 

It's just weird that Jupiter's moons were named after Zeus/Jupiter's lovers, and Io is affected so much by the friction between everything that she is exploding with volcanoes. 

I don't know about you ladies but if I had to deal with Jupiter like Io did, I would be a volcano, too.

It's peculiar:

* Io was discovered by Galileo on January 8th, 1610.
* Galileo died on January 8th, 1642.

Just reminded me of the saying, "Let sleeping dogs lie." I mean maybe Io resented being watched and got her revenge. 

Anyway, I have this asteroid conjunct my Pluto and I like it there. 

[Ava]

Oh my gosh, I'm not kidding ~ just wrote all of that before checking Io's current position, and it's my Io Return, exactly!

9.45 transiting Io
9.30 my natal Io

[12YearsABlob]

Ha! Greek mythology is wild. My "Io" is ~7° Cancer, exactly sextile Jupiter, ugh. And more widely (2° sextie Venus).

[FruityLlama]

What an interesting asteroid Ava ! I can't believe that Galileo died the same day he discovered her 32 years later. That is such a fascinating coincidence! And that you were researching her on your Io return!

She certainly seems like a funny character. I have Io conjunct Venus in the 10th and trines Jupiter.

Io also means I in Italian and moon in Ancient Greek. Perhaps she represents our volatile nature in the natal chart? What really gets us irked to the point of explosive anger? Or perhaps how our emotions evolve and grow to that point.
The myth is quite complicated as well, there's a lot packed into it, but it is fascinating!

[Ava]

Thanks FruityLlama , I was fascinated, too! Thanks for believing me that I didn't know it was my Return, lol.

I had no idea "Io" means "I" and "moon." Layers upon layers with this one.

I was thinking it could represent volatility, even though the mythological Io wasn't volatile, not that I know of. Looking at more of the story:

Io, in Greek mythology, daughter of Inachus (the river god of Argos) and the Oceanid Melia. Under the name of Callithyia, Io was regarded as the first priestess of Hera, the wife of Zeus. Zeus fell in love with her and, to protect her from the wrath of Hera, changed her into a white heifer. Hera persuaded Zeus to give her the heifer and sent Argus Panoptes (“the All-Seeing”) to watch her. Zeus thereupon sent the god Hermes, who lulled Argus to sleep and killed him. Hera then sent a gadfly to torment Io, who therefore wandered all over the earth, crossed the Ionian Sea, swam the strait that was thereafter known as the Bosporus (meaning Ox-Ford), and at last reached Egypt, where she was restored to her original form and gave birth to Epaphus.

Io was identified with the Egyptian goddess Isis, and Epaphus with Apis, the sacred bull. Epaphus was said to have been carried off by order of Hera to Byblos in Syria, where he was found again by Io. This part of the legend connects Io with the Syrian goddess Astarte. Both the Egyptian and the Syrian parts, in fact, reflect interchange with the East and the identification of foreign with Greek gods.

www.britannica.com/topic/Io-Greek-mythology

Io was a good swimmer.

I don't know what was up with these ancient people and their fixation on people turning into animals. I hope, back then, people really could transmigrate or be transformed. It's weird to think about. 

Io does seem very determined when it comes to being a mother. She also preserved herself ("I") through many challenges including losing her own body. 

The fact that Io the moon is exploding so much, you know it's almost like a mini sun, spitting so much fire. Some might say, there is a bit of the masculine principle there, or the "mother bear." 

No idea really but it seems intense. 

[FruityLlama]

Wow Ava I so admire your analysis with this! That makes a lot more sense, preservation through creation maybe? I love the idea of her being a mother bear as well!! Fearless/fierce femininity perhaps?