ASTROLOGY DICTIONARY

What the #&%@* does that WORD mean???

Many people think that astrology is a secret language. And in a way it is! It's full of symbols and
calculations and mystery...which can make it both exciting and confusing. But it's like any other
language once you begin to learn it, it starts to make sense.
This Glossary is like a dictionary or encyclopedia of astrology words and terms. Check out the
list of words below, presented both in alphabetical order and by category. Look up a word or
phrase that you don't understand.
There are lots of symbols, diagrams and illustrations in the Glossary that help make the meaning
clear and easy to understand. And don't miss the article on The Language of Astrology, which
can help you put it all together!
I add words to the Glossary regularly, so be sure to check back. And if there's an astrological
term you would like to see added to the list, please suggest it!
In Alphabetical Order
A
Age of Aquarius
Air
Angles
Aquarius
Archetype
Aries
Arrowhead
Ascendant
Aspect
Aspect
Configuration
B
Birth chart
Boomerang
C
Cancer
Capricorn
Cardinal
Centaurs
I
IC, Imum Coeli
Inconjunct
Intercepted Planet
Intercepted Sign
J
J upiter
K
Kite
Grand Trine Kite
Yod Kite
L
Leo
Libra
Lights, Luminaries
Lunar Eclipse
Lunar Nodes
M
R
Retrograde
Rising Sign
Rolling Conjunction
Rosetta
Ruler
Rulerships
Sa-Sh
Sabian Symbols
Sagittarius
Saturn
Scorpio
Semi-Sextile
Semi-Square
Sesqui-Quadrate
Sesqui-Square
Sextile
Shadow (planetary)
Shadow
(psychological)

Chart
Chiron
Collection of Light
Collective
Conjunction,
Conjunct, Conjoin
Cradle
configuration
Cusp
D
Declination
Descendant
Direct
E
Earth (element)
Earth (planet)
Eclipse
Ecliptic
Element
Equinox
F
Fire
Fixed
Full Moon
G
Gemini
God's Fist
Grand Cross
Grand Sextile
Grand Square
Grand Trine
H
Hard Wedge
Houses
Houses (meanings)
Mars
MC, Medium Coeli
Mercury
Mercury Retrograde
Midheaven
Modalities
Moon
Moons Nodes
Multiple
Conjunction
Mutable
Mutual Reception
Mystic Rectangle
N
Nadir
Natal Chart
Neptune
New Moon
North Node
O
Octile
Opposition
Orb
Out of Bounds
P
Part of Fortune,
Pars Fortuna
Pisces
Planet
Pluto
Points
Precessed Solar
Return
Precession of the
Equinoxes
Progressions
Q
Quadriform
Quincunx
Si-Sz
Sidereal Zodiac
Sign
Solar Eclipse
Solar Return
Solstice
South Node
Square
Station(ary)
Stellium
Sun
T
Taurus
Thor's Hammer
Transit
Transpersonal
Planets
Trapeze
Trine
Tri-Octile
Tropical Zodiac
T-Square, T-Cross
U
Uranus
V
Venus
Virgo
W
Water
Waxing/Waning
Wedge
Y
Yod
Z
Zenith
Zodiac

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The Language of Astrology

idja hear the one about the hit man who couldn't make a living? He had the Moon
in Pisces, and he kept bursting into tears and letting his victims go! ...Until one day
he met a confounded career counsellor with Pluto in the 10th square Saturn in the
7th: She kept lining up client interviews with her Godfather, but no one ever came
back to say how it went! Finally they started their own agency called Extortion
Employmentnow he shoots people with a camera and she makes them job offers
they can't refuse!"
If you are fluent in "Astrologese," this story will make sense and (hopefully) tickle your funny bone! The
story illustrates how astrology can add a unique dimension that helps us understand the characters'
behaviour and motives. Our poor, pathetic hit man can't disengage his compassionate and sensitive Pisces
Moon long enough to do his job, and our perplexed career counsellor doesn't get it that her Plutonian
Godfather is scaring off her 7th House clients! Together they create a solution in which the hit man can
still be involved in something underhanded (without killing anyone) by providing the means for his friend
to exert some Plutonian control over her 7th House clients.
Learning The Language
Astrology is a language of symbols which offers a profound model of human experience. It is a system
with an alphabet, words, grammar and sentences. The glyphs form the alphabet. The planets are the
functions or actions being done (verb/noun). The signs are the quality or style of action (adverb/
adjective). And the houses are fields of experience where the actions take place (clause/context).
J ust like a normal language, Astrologese can be translated into English. For example, when someone
discloses that their Sun is in Aquarius in the 9th House, they reveal something about their central sense of
purpose and identity (Sun), which expresses itself in an unusual, off-the-beaten-track way (Aquarius).
This person shines brightest when dispensing their unconventional insights to others (9th House).
"Astrologese" can describe the relationships between these concepts, functions and actions, as symbolized
by the aspects. Say our Aquarian friend also has J upiter in Libra in the 5th House: this alone says that s/he
expands and flourishes (J upiter) when interacting with others (Libra) in fun and creative situations (5th
House). If the person's Sun and J upiter are also in a trine aspect (120 ), we know that their unconventional
nature (Sun) and their fun, flirtatious quality (J upiter) combine easily and work well together (trine).
Learning any language requires you to grasp the basic spelling, grammar, rules and word meanings. You
can then build on this foundation to comprehend more complex and subtle concepts. For instance, you
must first understand the meanings of "a square peg" and "a round hole," before you could even begin to
fathom the idea of a square peg trying to fit into a round hole.
Similarly, students of Astrologese typically begin with basic keywords and associations of the planets,
signs and houses. They learn that astrological grammar follows certain guidelines: a planet resides in a
sign and house, not the other way around. ("YA, LIKE YOU'D NEVER TALK ABOUT HAVING PLUTO IN
URANUSAT LEAST, NOT IN PROPER COMPANY....") These symbols can then be synthesized to form
meaningful interpretations. Within the structure of these basics, it's possible to spin wondrous tales about
the dynamics operating in someone's life.
Your "Language Bagguage"
The process of translating from Astrologese into English can be a tricky one. The more skilled your use of
English (or whatever your language of choice is), the better your translation skills will be from
Astrologese. Besides our articulation skills, we also bring our entire worldview, beliefs, biases and
preferences to our use of Astrologese, greatly affecting the translated result. One astrologer will see your
chart in a certain light, while another astrologer will see a whole different side of you. This is not
necessarily a reflection of the astrologer's proficiency, but a natural phenomenon in which astrology
becomes coloured by the personal perspective of its interpreter.
Astrology is primarily a neutral medium. A horoscope is merely a snapshot in time: a two-dimensional
map of the three-dimensional sky at a specific cross-section of time and space. There is nothing in the
chart to say that its owner is a saint or sinner, male or female, black/red/yellow/white/green, or even that
its owner is human! ("IT COULD EVEN BE MY CHART, AND I AIN'T NO HUMAN!") It could be the chart
of a company, a boat launch, a planet's discoveryor even your pet iguana's solar return! ("I AIN'T NO
IGUANA EITHER...")
Because of it's neutrality, astrology becomes a willing, reflective surface upon which to project our
personal beliefs, biases, hopes and fears. It's often too easy, for instance, to see only the intimidating
control of Saturn in Scorpio, or the easy-flowing benevolence of J upiter trine Venus. Our worldview may
resist a more complex view of these configurations. For example, a Scorpio Saturn can also signify the
ability to keep clear, concise boundaries with people in intimate situations; and Jupiter trine Venus could
indicate someone who can't say no, even when it's in their best interest. Being aware of our personal
expectations and beliefs is crucial for alerting us to facets of the chart (and, therefore, the person) that we
may be blind to.
What's In A Name...?
To name a thing is powerful magic! When a language gives a name to something, it acknowledges and
validates its existence. It opens the door to further discussion, assessment and understanding of that thing.
This named entity then becomes incorporated into the worldview of whoever learns and uses that
language, permeating the perceptions, expectations and beliefs of that person. Similarly, to exclude
something from a language is to be ignorant of or deny its reality, or to presume its non-existenceany of
which shuts the door to further exploration.
It's awfully hard to talk about something we have no words for, and the lack of words may affect whether
we perceive it at all. As our understanding of life expands and matures, we search for more words to
name, examine and understand our experiences. This is why and how languages evolve: they develop and
grow in order to keep up with the changing experiences of its communicators.
To name a thing is to answer the question: What is it? But answers beg more questions: Why? How?
What if...? As we reach beyond the parameters of our known world, we require new words to describe
and explore what we find there. Sometimes the language obliges us with a word that echoes our
experience, but often it is ill-equipped to address certain obscure areas. Spirituality is a classic example,
where conventional language tends to fall short of a satisfactory and meaningful vocabulary. ("YA
EVER TRIED TO DESCRIBE THE GODDESS?") When people search for understanding and don't find it in
society's conventional worldview, they often turn to metaphysics. Students of astrology are typically
hungry for answers about aspects of life disregarded or overlooked by the mainstream culture.
Astrology is a cohesive system of names (planets, signs, houses, aspects), each of which governs a range
of seemingly unrelated experiences, ideas and things. J upiter, for instance, symbolizes language, teaching,
travel, law, higher education, religion, learning, philosophy, morals, expansion and understanding. The
archetype of J upiter is the common essence running through these fragments, and is harder to describe.
We can say that these areas all involve reaching for a broader understanding of life; that our J upiter nature
quests after a higher Truth, through which we may know the best of who we are.
However, just as words don't translate fully between languages, this definition is approximate and
incomplete ("AND IT'S JUST A WHOLE LOT EASIER TO SAY 'JUPITER'!") By cataloguing and
working with the forms of expression that are common to "J upiter-ness," we may come to an inner
knowing about the more abstract, underlying concept. It's comparable to identifying an image in the
background negative shape left behind by the foreground, like a donut hole is defined by the donutits
existence is implied more than decreed.
You Are What You Perceive
In the same way that a language is modified by its users to reflect their changing lives, language also
affects change in its users. The correlation between words not only reflects the experiences of its users,
but also shapes and directs their perception and evaluation of those experiences.
When you work with the vocabulary of astrological symbols (planets, etc.), you introduce fresh ideas into
your knowledge and belief system. Astrology offers a system of ready-made associations which converge
in specific archetypes (like J upiter's list of concepts, above). By stretching your mind to make connections
between these archetypal expressions, you shine new light on your experience of them. You begin to
create new negative shapes in your consciousness, which evolve into substantial ideas in their own right.
Naming something can also close the door to further discussion, which sometimes happens when
something is "labelled." We name things so that we can easily refer to them; however, labels can also
prevent us from seeing their deeper, more complex nature. For instance, if we label someone a "slow
learner," we may stop there in our experience of them, never seeing the unique person inside, with his or
her own virtues and faults, hopes and fears, talents and struggles, feelings, dreams and goals.
Convenience can block our candid perception of people and things, taking them for granted.
In the same way, Astrologese can be used to help us see certain characteristics in the person, or to blind us
to them. This is especially a danger when we look at the chart piecemeal, instead of as a holistic, changing
dynamic. Mercury in Pisces, for example, can indicate a person whose mental style is intuitive or illogical.
However, if that person's Mercury also trines Saturn and their Sun is in Aquarius, it can indicate someone
who is capable of conventional logic if they are allowed to reason things out at their own methodical pace.
Such a person may struggle with linear logic as a child, but learn this skill in adulthood. It is important to
remember that the chart is only the map, not the person's experience of the territory or where they are in
their journey through it.
What's An Astrology For?
In learning astrology, you have access to new insights and clues for dealing with life's problems. Suppose
you discover that your demanding, workaholic, @%#&*$ boss has Mars in Capricorn. For starters, it can
be reassuring to know there is something in their makeup that drives their behaviour; that you're not "just"
being triggered into your own struggles with authority figures. ("...REFLECTED, PERHAPS, BY YOUR
OWN SUN SQUARE SATURN?")
Knowing this about your boss can help you find alternate ways to deal with him or her. Mars in Capricorn
tends to combine an ambitious, authoritative and (over)responsible approach (Capricorn) to one's
motivation and activities (Mars). This suggests your boss's Capricorn nature may be more accepting of
your allergy to overtime if you present it in an organized, respectful way, emphasizing other
responsibilities in your life which must take precedence (in other words, framed in Capricorn values).
However, it would belittle astrology to use it merely as a way of finding new and improved ways to duck
out of overtime or suck up to your boss. Ultimately, it is a "sacred science" through which we are
introduced to an esoteric and enlightened view of life. In learning astrology, we are initiated into a sphere
of knowledge which far surpasses the conventional wisdom and awareness of the masses. We have access
to a higher understanding of human nature and the meaning of life, which requires a disciplined mind and
an ethical spirit to use it wisely and responsibly.
As you continue your learning in astrology, using it in your personal and/or professional life, ask yourself:
Are you are using it simply as a quick-and-dirty oracle for finding easy answers? Or, are you open to
being shaped and realigned by its transformative magic? Astrology is not a foolproof recipe showing the
right and wrong ways to live your life; nor is it a static stone tablet imprinted with indelible
commandments of who you must be. It is a profound linguistic map that portrays the dynamic, evolving
territory of your psyche and life. Whether you navigate through it or get lost in it, preserve it or pollute it,
how you traverse and explore that territory is always up to you.

EncyclopediaofAstrology

Theotherdictionaryentries:
A
AbovetheEarth
Whenaplanetislocatedabovethehorizon,namelyanywherebetweentheascendantand
descendantviathemidheaven.Ifaplanetisfoundinthe7th,8th,9th,10th,11th,or12th
houses,itisabovetheearth.
AbscissionofLight
Preventionoftheculminationofanaspectbytheinterventionofanother,thus"cuttingoff"the
light.UsedinHoraryAstrology.SeeFrustration.
Abscissor
Killingplanet;cutteroffoflight.
Absides(Absis)
Thepointswherethemajoraxisofanellipticalorbitmeetstheorbitalpath.SeeApsides.
AccidentalDignity
Planetdignifiedbyfavourableposition,motionoraspect,butnotinEssentialDignity.See
Dignities,AccidentalandEssential.
Acronichal(Acronycal;Acronychal;Acronical)
1. AcronichalthepointoppositetheSun
2. AcronichalRisingastarorplanetrisingatsunset
3. AcronichalSettingastarorplanetsettingatsunrise
TheoppositeofCosmical,thisisoneofthethreeGreekideasoftherisingandsettingofstars:
Acronichal,CosmicalandHeliacal,bywhichtheymeasuredthelengthoftheyear.
Adept
Onewhohasconsciouscontrolandunderstandingoftechniques.AnAdeptisonewhois
proficientinastrological,alchemical,mysticaloresoterictechniques,usuallyaninitiateintoone
orotheroftheMysterySchools.
Adherence
Hellenisticastrologicaltermforconjunctionofplanets.
AdverseAspect
Unfortunateaspectbetweenplanets,orotherchartfactors.SeeMaleficAspects.
Aether(Ether,ther)
1. Alchemicalquintessence:thefifthandhighestelementafterAir,Earth,FireandWater;
oncebelievedtobethesubstancecomposingallheavenlybodies.SeeAkasha,also
Quintessence.
2. Amediumthatwasoncesupposed(originallybyLeibniz)tofillallspaceandtosupport
thepropagationofelectromagneticwaves.SeeDarkEnergy.
3. Intheosophicalterms,itisasubtleenergeticfield,orlevelofconsciousness
immediatelysurroundingandinterpenetratingthephysicallevelofourfivesenses.See
EthericBody.
ReadmoreontheAether.
Affinity
Whenplanetsorotherfactorsaresimilar,inharmony,orhaveamutualcompatibility.
Affliction
Anadverseaspect,orposition,creatingproblemsintheexpressionoftherelevantenergies.
Aspectsfrommaleficsarealmostalwaysadverse,sotheaspectedplanetissaidtosuffer
affliction,orbeafflicted,butbeneficscanalsoafflictifpoorlyplacedinthechart.Aplanetcan
alsobesaidtobeafflictedifitisdebilitatedbychartposition(forexampleifinfallordetriment,
orbyrulershipoftheunfortunatehouses:4th,6th,8thand12th.).
Age,Astrological
ThelocationofthevernalpointinthesiderealzodiacdefinesthecurrentAstrologicalAge.An
AstrologicalAgehasadurationofsome2,160years,asthevernalpoint(0AriesintheTropical
Zodiac)precessesthroughthesiderealzodiacatarateofsomethingoveronedegreeevery72
years.Thetwozodiacscoincidedinapproximately200AD(dependingonyourayanamsa)
markingtheendoftheAgeofAriesandthebeginningoftheAgeofPisces.Ithasnowprecessed
toaround5Pisces,sowearegraduallyapproachingtheendoftheAgeofPiscesandhave
enteredthetransitionalphasetowardsactualisationoftheAgeofAquarius.
AgeofAquarius
TheAstrologicalAgethatbeginswhenthevernalpointprecessesbeyondthefirstdegreeof
siderealPiscesandintothelastdegreeofsiderealAquarius.Theexactyearofthiscosmicevent
isindispute,butismostlikelytobesometimearoundthemid2300'sAD.Oneargumentin
favouroftheAgeofAquariushavingalreadybegunisthecuspargumentpromotedbyPtolemy
andothersthattheactualcuspofahouseiseffectiveuptofivedegreesbeforetheactualcuspal
degree,butthisisshakyinsofarasitappliestohousesratherthantosigns.However,itis
supportedbytheexperienceofthedeathsofmillionsinthetwentiethcenturyunder,Hitler,
Stalin,Mao,theWorldWarsetc(markingtheendingoftheAgeofPisces)andtheemergenceof
theindividualistic,technologicalculturethatarrivedduringthe1960's.Thisissuewasofintense
interesttoearly"NewAge"astrologersinthetwentiethcentury(andindeedstillis),asitwas
supposedtointroduceanewageofbrotherhoodandharmonyandthecoming"sixthrace"of
advancedhumans.Youcandrawyourownconclusionsonthat.
AgeHarmonics
Techniquefordrawingupaharmonicchartfortheageofaperson,orotherastrologicalsubject.
Thislittleknownbutpowerfultechnique,especiallyusefulforbirthtimerectification,andfor
synastryanalysis,wasdiscoveredbyAustralianastrologerRossHarveyin1983.
AirElement
Oneofthefourastrologicalelements.Amasculineelement,itstandsforintellect,media,
matterstodowithcommunicationsandsoon.Theotherelementsare,Fire,WaterandEarth.
AirSigns
Libra(cardinal),Aquarius(fixed)andGemini(mutable).
AiryTriplicity
TheAirSigns:Libra;Aquarius;Gemini.Thesesignsarehotandmoistbynatureandsanguineby
temperament.
Akasha(Akasa)
Themysticalfifthelement,orquintessence.Thecosmicspiritualessencethatpervadesand
underpinsthematerialelements,Fire,Air,EarthandWater.Asanscritwordmeaning"shining",
itisalsoknownastheAstralLight,orcollectiveunconscious.
AkashicRecords
The"BookofLife";interactivecosmicstorehouseofkarmicimpressionsmadebyeverythought,
wordanddeedintheAkasha,orcosmicmind,thecollectiveunconscious.
Albedo
1. Alchemy:secondstageoftheGreatWork;whiteningandpurification;theMoon;female
2. Astronomy:fractionofsunlightreflectedbyaplanetorsatellite(noastrological
connotations).
Alchemist(Alchymist)
OnewhopracticesAlchemy.
Alchemy
Ancientartoftransformingsubstancesfromanimpuretoapureformusingocculttechniques
(theGreatWork),primarilythetransformationofbasemetalsintogold.Alchemyalsohada
profoundlyspiritualsymbolism,enablingthetransformationofthegrossconditionofmanintoa
refinedandessentiallypurerealisationofdivinespirit(thesymbolicalGreatWork).Substances
(herbs,gems,metals,etc.)accordingtotheLawofCorrespondenceswereappliedusing
astrologicalrulershipsandtechniques,energisingtheworkbyplanetaryhours,aspects,phases
etc.Thekeylayin
1. themanufactureofthePhilosopher'sStone(acatalystintheGreatWork);
2. thedevelopmentoftheUniversalSolvent(capableofdissolvingallsubstances);and
3. theUniversalPanacea,anelixirbelievedtobethecureforallills.
Alchemy,theforerunnerofmodernscientificchemistry,isstillpractisedinitsownright(as
distinctfromherbalism,chinesemedicineandayurveda,allofwhichemployalchemical
techniques).SomemodernpractitionersclaimtohaveachievedtheMagnumOpus(Great
Work).
Alcocoden(Alchochoden,Alcoccoden)
Alchochoden,"thegiveroftheyears",meaningtheplanetwhich,inthenatalchart,revealsthe
numberofyearsthatthepersonisgoingtolive.Itisdeterminedbyfindingtheplanetthathas
mostessentialdignity,whilstbeingingoodaspecttothehyleg.
Aldebaran
AmaleficFixedStarinthe10thdegreeofGemini,knowntraditionallyasthearchangelMichael,
theWatcheroftheEast.Abehenianstar,itisoneofthefourRoyalStars.
AlfonsineTables
EphemeridestabulatingSun,MoonandplanetsunderthepatronageofKingAlfonsoXofLon
andCastile.Histeamofsome50astronomersatToledorevisedandimprovedPtolemy's
geocentrictablesintheAlmagest,freshlytranslatingfromArabiceditionsintoCastilian
(completedc.1252).OncetranslatedintoLatinin1320,theyremainedthestandardinEurope
untilsupersededbyJohannesKepler'ssuperiorRudolphineTables,publishedin1627.See
RudolphineTables.
Alfridaria
DerivedfromthemixedArabicandPersian"alfirdar",thealfridaria,oralfridaries,areasystem
ofplanetaryperiodsofPersianoriginfirstdescribedasfarasweknowbyAbuMashar.Originally
intendedforthelongtermforecastingofhistoricalevents,theycanalsobeusedinpredicting
forindividualcharts.MoreaboutAlfridaria.
Algol
CaputAlgol,amaleficfixedstarcurrentlylocatedinthe27thdegreeofTaurus.MoreonFixed
Stars.
AlienSigns
SignsinAversion.SeealsoDisjunct.
Almuten
Aplanetwhich,becauseofitsplacing,dignities,fortitudesandaspects,comestohavemore
importancethantheruler,beitofthewholechartorofanyparticularHouseofthechart.
Alpheta
GiverofLife.ThealpheticalplacescorrespondwiththeplacesofHyleg,forwhichthisisan
alternativename.
AlphonsineTables
AlfonsineTables,q.v.
Amavasya
JyotishtermforNewMoon
AmmoniusSaccas
SecondCenturyAlexandrianmysticandphilosopher,teacherofOrigin,Clement,andPlotinus.
ThefounderofwhateventuallybecameNeoplatonism,hesoughttoresolvereligiousand
philosophicalconflictsbyrevivingtheancientWisdomReligionanddevelopingauniversal
humanbrotherhood.Ammoniusrevealedtheessentialidentityofallreligions,acquaintinghis
studentswiththevarioussystems.PlatoandPythagoraswerecomparedwiththephilosophies
oftheancientEast;theJewishQabbalawiththeancientEgyptianteachings.Herevivedthe
systemofOrpheus,inwhichasingleSupremeEssence,unknownandunknowable,emanates
thesoulsoftheworldandthepeopleinit.Hetaughttheurgy,theartofusingthedivinepowers
ofmantoruletheblindforcesofnature.Althoughunwritten,hisphilosophy(throughfollowers
suchasPlotinus,PorphyryandIamblichus)hashadapowerfulandenduringinfluenceon
Astrology,HermeticEsotericism,Qabbala,Christianity,Gnosticism,Judaism,IslamandPaganism.
Anabibazon
Dragon'sHead(northlunarnode).
Anareta
AplanetseverelyafflictingtheHylegatbirthandbydirection.Usuallyamalefic,butanyplanet
canbetheAnareta,particularlythelordofthe8th,thealmutenofthelordofthe8th,orany
planetplacedinthe8thhouse.Knownasthe"killingplanet",itisbelievedtoportendthecause
ofdeath.
AnareticDegree(AnareticPlace)
1. The30thdegree(2900'2959')ofanySign.Itisalsoknownasthedegreeoffate.
Planetsandotherfactorsthatoccupytheanareticdegreerevealdeepissueswhich
generatesignificanttrialsinlife.
2. ThedegreewhereintheAnaretaisfound,accordingtoDeVore.
3. ThetermsoftheinfortunesarealsoknownasAnareticDegrees.
Anaxagoras
Anaxagoras(c.500428BCE),apresocraticGreekthinkerandfriendofPericles,firstproposed
thattheMoon'slightreflectstheSun,lunareclipsesbeingcausedbyEarth'sshadow,withsolar
eclipsescomingfromtheMoonobscuringtheSun.HedeclaredthattheMoonhadmountains,
andthatthestarswerefardistantfromtheEarth.Holdingthattheuniversewasorderedbythe
cosmicmind(nous),hedistrustedtheevidenceofthesenses,preferringreasoning.Hisideason
theoriginsofmatterwereaprecursoroftheatomictheory.
Androgyne(Androgynous)
1. Expressingcharacteristicsofbothsexes.Mercuryisconvertibleandandrogynous,ashe
canbeeitherdry,ormoist,dependingonhispositioninthechart.
2. Inancientmythologies,primordialgodsandgoddessesareregularlydepictedas
androgynes(hermaphrodites),revealingthepolarnatureofcreation.Weseethistooin
thelightanddark,theyinandyangofthecosmos.
3. Inalchemy,SolandLunaareseenascomplementaryhalvesoftheonewhole,thesoul
andbody.AncientastrologyassignedSunandMoonascorulersofbothLeoandCancer,
thoughthisisnolongeracceptedinmodernastrology.
4. Actualhumanandrogynes(hermaphrodites)wereonceconsideredincarnationsofthe
divine.Twentiethcenturymedicinedeniedtheexistenceofhermaphrodites,often
assigninggendersurgically.Anumberofthesethirdsexindividualshavesurfacedin
recentyearstoreclaimtheiridentities.
Angles
Inorderofpower:
FirstHouse(AscendantEastAngle)
TenthHouse(M.C.SouthAngle)
SeventhHouse(DescendantWestAngle)
FourthHouse(I.C.NorthAngle)
TheAnglesarethemostimportanthouses.Planetsinanglesarethestrongestandmost
significant.
AnglesofaMalevolent(Infortune)
Tenth,SeventhandFourthsignscountedinrelationtothesignholdingamaleficplanet(Marsor
Saturn)asifitweretheAscendant.Alsowhenincorporealconjunction(i.e.asifintheFirst
HouseoftheMalevolent).Planetsplacedhereareconsideredunfortunate,butthenegativityof
thepositioniscancelledbyreceptionifapplicable.
Angular
PertainingtotheAngles.Angularhousesarethestrongestandangularplanetsmustbe
especiallynoted.
AnimaMundi
The"SouloftheWorld",orWorldSoul.Accordingtoancientphilosophy,theessentialgroundof
consciousnessthatpermeatesandvitalizeseverythinginnature,diffusedthroughthesmallest
subatomicparticlerightuptothemostadvancedformsofplanetaryconsciousness.Inthisway,
everythingontheEarthisconnectedandrelatedataprofound,subliminallevel.SeeThema
Mundi,thepostulatedchartofthebeginningoftheworld.
Animodar(ofTetrabiblos)
Ancientmethodofbirthtimerectification,datingatleastfromPtolemyandapparentlyusedby
Galileointherectificationofhisownchart.
Annular
Inanannulareclipse,theMoondoesnotcompletelyblockthelightoftheSun,leavingathin
ringoffire(Annulus)visible.ANewMoonnearapogeeisnotsufficienttocoverthefaceofthe
Suncompletely,soitsdarkumbracannotreachtheEarth'ssurfacetogenerateatotalsolar
eclipse;hence,theantumbrapredominates.
Antares
AbeneficFixedStarinthe10thdegreeofSagittarius.OneofthefourRoyalStars.
Antipathy
Inharmoniousrelationsbetweenplanets,particularlythosewhichruleorareexaltedinopposite
signs.
Antiscion
Apointequalindistanceontheoppositesideofthesolsticialaxistoaplanet'sposition.Itis
effectivelythe"shadow"ofaplanet.Themidpointofaplanet'spositionanditsantiscionis
alwaysthepointofthesolstice(1Cancer1Capricorn).Forexample,whentheSunisinthe
tenthdegreeofTaurus,thisisasfardistantfromthefirstdegreeofCancerasitwouldbeif
placedinthetwentiethdegreeofLeo,itsAntiscion,soenergisinganyplanetinthatdegreeor
whichcastsanaspecttothatdegree.Onceheldtobeapowerfulfortitudeequivalenttosextile
ortrine,thisisrarelyconsideredbymodernastrologers,perhapsbecauseitisageometrical
abstraction,ratherthanarealrock.MoreonAntiscion.SeealsoContraAntiscion.
Antumbra
TheantumbrainanannulareclipseisthesectionoftheshadowthatreachestheEarth,the
bodyoftheMoonbeingtoodistantfortheumbra(darkestpartoftheMoon'sshadow)toreach
thesurfaceoftheEarth.Anannulareclipsecanbedarkerthanapenumbralorpartialeclipse.
Aphelion
Theplaceinaplanet'sorbitwhichisfarthestfromtheSun(gk:helios).SeePerihelion.
Apheta
Giveroflife.SeeAlpheta.
Aphrodite
Greekgoddessoflove,beautyandprosperity,cognatewithRomanVenus.
Apoapsis(Apoapse;Apapsis)
Theoutermostpointofanellipse(asinaplanetaryorbit).Theinnermostpointiscalledthe
Periapsis.
Apogee
Theplaceinaplanet'sorbitwhichisfarthestfromtheEarth.SeePerigee.
ApparentMotion
Thecelestialbodiesappeartoriseintheeastandsetinthewest,butthisisnowadays
consideredanillusioncreatedbytherotationoftheEarthonitsaxis.
Application
Theapproachofoneplanettoanotherbyaspectorconjunction,ortoasensitivepointinthe
chart,suchasacusp.SeeSeparation.
Applying
SeeApplicationq.v.
Apsides
PluralofApsis.AccordingtoTheAphorismsofCardan,"changesoftheAbsidesofthePlanets
causemutationsingovernmentsandlaws,whichisapointverymuchtoberegarded".
Apsis
Thepointofgreatest(apoapsis;apapsis)orleast(periapsis)distanceoftheellipticalorbitofa
celestialbodyfromitscentreofattraction(thecentreofmassofthesystem).Thepointswhere
themajoraxisofanellipticalorbitmeetstheorbitalpath.TheLineofApsidesisthemajoraxis
oftheellipse,thelinepassingthroughthelongestpartoftheellipse.
Aquarius
Theeleventhsignofthezodiac.Aquarius,theWaterbearer,isafixed,airsign.Moreabout
Aquarius.
AquarianAge
AgeofAquarius,q.v.
Aquary
ObsoletenameforAquarius.
ArabicParts
Significantpointsontheecliptic,derivedfromtherelationshipbetweenothersignificantpoints
orplanets.PartsarealsoknownasLots.SeeParsFortun(PartofFortune).MoreaboutArabic
Parts.
Arc
Distanceasmeasuredindegrees,minutesandsecondsalongthecircumferenceofacircle.
Thereare360degreesofarcinthecircumferenceofacircle;aminuteisone60
th
ofadegree
andasecondisone60
th
ofaminute.Onesigndescribes30degreesofarcalongthe
circumferenceofthezodiac.Somescientificauthorsarenowusingdecimalfractions,insteadof
minutesandseconds,thoughcuriouslytheyarestillusingdegreesfromtheancientBabylonian
sexagesimal(base60)mathematicalsystem.
Archetype
Originalpattern,model,prototype,orblueprint.Accordingtomodern,psychologicalastrology,
archetypesaretheprimordialimagesthatformthestructuralbasisforoursubconscious
motivations,expressedsymbolicallybyplanets,signsandotherastrologicalmotifs.Thoughthe
selfactualisationidealsofmodernastrologywereconceivedinthetheosophicalschoolsofthe
19thcentury,usingarchetypesasmotivatorsderivesfromthe20thcenturypsychoanalytic
theoriesofJung.
Ares
Greekgodofwarandfertility,cognatewithMars.NottobeconfusedwithAries,thesignofthe
Ram.
Aries
Thefirstsignofthezodiac.Aries,theRam,isacardinalfiresign,commencingintheTropical
systematthevernalequinox.MoreaboutAries.
AriesPoint
ThefirstdegreeofAries(butalsobyaspecttheotherthreecardinalpoints,thebeginningsof
Cancer,LibraandCapricorn).Wherethesepointsfallinthechartisheldtobehighlysignificant
intermsofthewayanindividualispushedintothespotlight.Itisusedmainlybypractitionersof
Uranianastrology(a.k.a.Cosmobiology),butalsohasancientreferences.Itismorewidely
knownastheVernalPoint.
AristarchosofSamos
Aristarchos(c.310230BCE),aGreekastronomerandmathematicianborninSamos,Greece,
wasthefirsttoproposeaheliocentricmodelofthesolarsystem,countervailingthe
predominantgeocentrictheoriesofAristotleandthemajorityofancientthinkers.Using
geometrictechniques,healsocalculatedthesizesoftheSunandMoonandtheirdistancesfrom
theEarth,andproposedthatthestarswereinfinitelydistantfromtheEarth(toaccountfortheir
lackofparallax).Modernobservationsshowthathiscalculationswereincorrect,butthathis
techniqueswereontherighttrack.HisheliocentricideasinspiredCopernicussome1800years
later.
Aristotle
ApivotalGreekphilosopher(384322BCE),studentofPlatoandtutorofAlexandertheGreat.
Hewrotewidelyandhisinfluentialideasonphysics,metaphysics,poetry,theatre,music,logic,
rhetoric,politics,government,ethics,biologyandzoologyweredominantuntilmoderntimes.
Hisgeocentriccosmologicaltheoriesformedtheuniversalbackdropfortheancientand
medivalworldviews,notablywithregardtoastrologyasformulatedbyPtolemy.
Ascendant
1. ThesignanddegreeonthecuspoftheFirstHouse,theeasternhorizonofthechart,in
mosthousesystems.InsomesuchastheWholeSignsystem,ortheEqualHousesystem
basedontheMC,itisasensitivepoint,notnecessarilyinthefirsthouse.Technicallyitis
thepointontheEclipticwheretheEclipticintersectstheHorizontotheEastofthe
Meridian.SeeRisingSign.
2. InHorary,thecuspofthehousethatrepresentstheparty:e.g.thecuspofthe5thisthe
ascendantforachildofthequerent.
MoreabouttheAscendant.
Ascending
Aplanetissaidtobeascending(rising),whenmovingviatheascendantbetweenthefourthand
tenthcusps,i.e.intheeasternhemisphereofthechart.
AscendingNode
NorthNode.SeeNodes.
Ascension
SeeLongAscensionandShortAscension.
Ashtakavarga
Sophisticatedpointsystemofcalculatingthepowerofplanetarytransits,particularlyinviewof
aplanet'sstrengthwithregardtoeveryplanet,includingSunandMoon.UsedinJyotish(Indian
Astrology).
Aspect
Particularangulardistancesbetweenplanets,orplanetsandothersensitivepoints,measuredin
degrees(),minutes(')andsometimesseconds(")ofarc.Inancienttimes,planetswereheldto
"see"otherplanetsatparticulargeometricpositionsdeterminedbytheirrays,hencetheytook
onanaspectofvision.Modernastrologersgenerallydonottakethisview,butsimplyconsider
geometricrelationshipsasaspects.Conjunctionisalsonowadaysconsideredanaspect,even
thoughtheancientsdidnotcallitsuch.
MinorAspects
MajorAspects
MaleficAspects
BeneficAspects
PtolemaicAspects
KeplerianAspects
Conjunction
Aversion
AspectscanbeZodiacal(readalongtheEcliptic)orMundane(readalongtheEquator).See
MundaneAspects.
Asterism
Smallerconstellation.SeeLunarMansions.
Asteroids
SmallplanetoidsorbitingbetweenMarsandJupiter.Therearemanyofthem,butrecentlya
smallnumberhavemanagedtogetthemselvesconsideredusefulinastrology,notablyCeres,
Juno,PallasAtheneandVesta.Theseareallconsideredtobefeminineinfluences,or"goddess
planets".MoreaboutAsteroids.
Astral
Starry.OftenusedasashorthandfortheAstralPlane,orAstralBody.
AstralBody
Subtle,interpenetratingbody,orlevelofthehumanenergeticfield(aura),primarilyconcerned
withprocessinginformationandprana(chi)attheemotionallevel.
AstralLight
MaterialexpressionoftheAkasha,orselfluminouscollectiveunconscious.
AstralPlane
Intermediatelevelbetweenthespiritualandthephysicalworlds;theemotionallevelofthe
bodymind.Thesouloftheworldbeing.LowerleveloftheAkasha.
AstralTravel
SeparationoftheAstralBodyfromthephysicalandvisitingotherlocations.Thismainlyhappens
unconsciouslyinsleep,butsomeadeptscanconsciouslycontrolanddirectthemovementofthe
astral,whetherinthesleepingorthewakingstate.
Astrolabe
Amechanicaldevice,predecessortothesextant,wherebymarinersdeterminedthetimeofday
bytheSun,ofthenightbythestars,andtheheightanddepthofmountainsandvalleys.
Source:TheEncyclopediaofAstrology
Astrolatry
Starworship;adorationoftheheavenlyhost
Astrologer
OnewhopracticesAstrology.
Astrologian
Astrologer[obsolete].
AstrologicalAge
SeeAge,Astrological.
Astrologist
1. Astrologer(rare)
2. Believerin,orfollowerof,astrologythoughnotnecessarilyanactualastrologer
Astrology
Thescienceofthestars,astrologyseeksthemeaningandapplicationoftheplanets,starsand
othercelestialphenomenainourlives.Averyancient,yetstillvitaldiscipline.
Astrometeorology
MeteorologicalAstrology.Weatherprediction,includingpredictionofstorms,floods,coldspells,
etc.,usingancientastrologicalmethods.Keplerhimselfwasanexpertinthisfield,havingkept
meticulousmeteorologicalrecordsfordecades,matchingthemwithplanetaryaspects,and
publishingweatherpredictionsinsomeofhisalmanacs.
Astronomer
OnewhopracticesAstronomy.
Astronomy
Thescienceoftheobservationandmaterialoriginsofstarsandothercelestialphenomena.Of
relativelyrecentorigin,thisdisciplinehasbecomeseparatedfromandgenerallyhostileto
astrology,withwhichitwasonceintimatelyinpartnership.
Atma(Atman)
Spiritualessence,orsoul.
Atmakaraka
SoulindicatorinaVedicastrologychart.Revealsstronglyingrainedtendenciesandaffinities,
providingthegreatestopportunitiesforsoulprogress.Therearetwo,theSun,thenatural
atmakarakaandthetemporal(charaatmakaraka),whichisdeterminedbyplacementofthe
planetsinthesigns,alsodefinedasthatplanetwiththehighestdegreeoflongitude.
Aura
Aluminousspiritualatmosphereorhalomadeupofsubtleenergyfields:patternsofenergy,
vibratingatinterwovenfrequenciesandintensities.Thesecomprise,surroundand
interpenetratethebodymindthroughseverallevelsofconsciousness.Theenergeticplanetary
signaturesaffectusviatheaura.SeeAstralBody.
Avatar
1. Powerfulspiritualincarnation.
2. AccordingtoVedicAstrology,therearenineplanetaryAvatars,oneforeachofthe
visibleplanets,plusRahuandKetu,theMoon'sNodes.
AvatarPoint
Thepotent15thdegreeofeachoftheFixedSigns.Heldbysometomarktheentrypointof
divineenergyviatheplanetaryAvatarintothecosmos.
AverageDailyMotion
Theaveragemotionofaplanetovera24hourperiod.Travellingslowerthanaverageisheldto
beadebility.SeeMeanDailyMotion.
Aversion
Alackofacknowledgementbetweenzodiacsignsbasedonaspectsof30and150degrees.Some
hellenisticastrologersthoughtaversiontobecancelledbylikeengirding,equalpower,or
commandingandobeyingrelationships.Thisaspectwasconsideredveryunfortunatebythe
ancients,butisnotheldtobeundulyevilbymodernWesternastrologers.
Ayanamsa
ThedifferencebetweenthestartingpointsoftheTropicalandSiderealZodiacs,duetothe
precessionoftheequinoxes.ThereareseveralinuseinIndiatoday,buttheofficialgovernment
sanctionedLahiriayanamsa(2227'37.7")isthemostwidelyused.Theotherpopularayanamsas
areKrishnamurti(2221'50")andRaman(2100'52")thoughitshouldbementionedthatthere
areatleast3differentversionsofLahiri,plusotherlesserusedmodels.
Ayurveda
TraditionalIndianholistichealingsystem,basedinthehumoralrelationshipsofplants,oils,
gemsetctothehumanbody.Ayurveda(ayur:"life"&ved:"knowledge")isaspiritualdiscipline
aswellasamedicalone,seekingbalanceofthebody,emotions,mindandspirit.Strongly
rootedinastrology,themethodemploysherbs,diet,exercise,yoga,massage,aromas,gems,
tantras,mantras,andmeditationtoovercomeexcessesordeficienciesinelementallifeenergies.
MoreonAyurveda.
Azimene
Deficientor"Weak"degreesthataretraditionallyheldtocausetendencytolameness,
deformity,orotherdisabilitysuchasblindness.SeeTable.
Azimuth
Angularbearingofacelestialobjectmeasuredindegreesonthehorizonfromthenorthpoint,
relativetothepositionofanobserver.Itwasformerlymeasuredfromthesouthpoint,butthe
advantagesofthisarenegatedwheninthesouthernhemisphere.
B
BaZi
ShiChenBaZi,theFourPillarsofDestinyinChineseAstrology.TheFourPillars(BaZi)areYear,
Months,Days,Hours.MoreonChineseAstrology.
BalsamicMoon
ThefinalphaseoftheMoonbetweenthelastquarterandthedarknessoftheNewMoon.See
MoonPhases.
BarrenPlanets
Sun,SaturnandMars.Traditionally,theseplanets(alongwiththeDragon'sTail,orMoon'sSouth
Node)tendtopreventthebirth,orcauseearlydeath,ofchildrenwhenlocatedineitherofthe
parents'fifthoreleventhhouses,especiallyifpoorlyaspected.Manymodernastrologersalso
considerUranusbarren.
BarrenSigns
Gemini,LeoandVirgo.Ariesisalsoconsideredratherbarren.Ifonfifthoreleventhhousecusps
theytendtoreducethenumberofoffspring.Goodfortilling,badforplanting.
BehenianFixedStars
Fifteenstarsconsideredespeciallyusefulformagicalapplicationsinthemedivalastrologyof
EuropeandtheArabworld.ThenamederivesfromArabicbahman,"root,"aseachwas
consideredasourceofastrologicalpowerforoneormoreplanets.Eachisalsoconnectedwitha
gemstoneandplantusedinritualsintendedtodrawthestar'sinfluence(e.g.,intoatalisman).
Whenaplanetwaswithinsixdegreesofanassociatedstar,thisinfluencewasthoughttobe
particularlystrong.ForAgrippa'stable,seetheBehenianFixedStars.Foradifferentviewpoint,
seetheTableofHermes.
Behold
1. Aslowerplanetissaidtobeholdafasterplanetwhichisapplyingtoanaspectwithit.
2. Also,whentwoplanetsarewithinorbofanaspect,theyaresaidtobeholdoneanother.
3. Or,whenoneplanetisinaspecttoanother,eachinBeholdingSigns,theybeholdeach
other.
BeholdingSigns
Signswhichhavethesamedeclination,orareatequaldistancesfromthetropics,ie,Aries/Virgo;
Taurus/Leo;Gemini/Cancer;Libra/Pisces;Scorpio/Aquarius;Sagittarius/Capricorn.Thisrelation
ofcourseonlyholdswhenplanetsareappropriatelyconfiguredinthem.SeeEqualPower.
Beibenia
Medivaltermforthebrightestofthefixedstars.JeromeVitaliinhisLexiconMathematicum
(1668),saysthatbeibeniaarethemainstarsofthestarryimages,inparticulartheirheartsand
thestarsofthefirstmagnitude.
Beltane(Beltaine;Bealtaine)
OneoftheCrossquarterdays;anancientfertilityfestival,nowgenerallycelebratedasMayDay.
MoreaboutBeltane.
Benefic
Beneficial,good,favourable.
BeneficAspects
MajorBeneficaspectsare
1. sextile(60)
2. trine(120)
Conjunction(0)canbebeneficifplanetsarethemselvesbeneficorifotherwisewellaspected.
Minoraspectsusuallyconsideredbeneficare
1. semisextile(30)
2. quintile(72)
3. biquintile(144).
Thereareotherbeneficaspects,butthesearethemostwidelyusedandunderstood.See
MaleficAspects.
BeneficPlanets
seeBenefics.
Benefics
Jupiter(thegreaterfortune)andVenus(thelesserfortune).Theseplanetsareconsideredto
benefitthenative,unlessafflicted.Anonymousof379statesthatMercuryisabenefic(perhaps
asahealer,beingtheLordofVirgo)andPtolemystatesthat"theancients"alsoincludedthe
Moonasabenefic,chieflybecauseofitssofteningandhumidifyingpower.Notethatbenefics
donotalwaysbringoutwhatmaybetermed"beneficial"outcomes,especiallywhenpoorly
placedinthechart.Modernpsychologicalastrologersdenythatanyplanetmaybedeemed
"benefic"(orindeed"malefic"),onthegroundsthatnaturalforcesshouldnotbevalueladen
andthatallexperiencesareultimatelybeneficialaspartofagrowthprocess.CompareMalefics.
Besieged
Aplanetisbesiegedwhenitliesbetweentwomalefics,orwhen,havingseparatedfroma
malefic,thenextaspectitmakesiswithamalefic.Traditionally,aplanetisbesiegedifitlies
betweenMarsandSaturnandinthesamesignwiththem,forexample,Marsat22Pisces,Sun
at24PiscesandSaturnat27Pisces,seeninmyson'schart.Theword"besieged"means
surroundedorcrowdedinbyhostileforces,thesebeinginthiscaseMars(enemies;conflict;
passion)andSaturn(restriction;sorrows;karma),whoaresurrounding,crowdingandassailing
theSun(innerself;individuality).Besiegementinabirthchartisusuallyovercomeby
progression,butstillremainsabasicvibration.
BestialSigns
Aries(Ram),Taurus(Bull),Leo(Lion),lasthalfofSagittarius(Centaur/Archer),fronthalfof
Capricorn(Seagoat).Eachofthesesignsisthussymbolisedbyananimal.
Bhava
AstrologicalHouseinVedicastrology.
Bhukti
Planetarysubperiodwithinamajorperiod(dasa)inVedicastrology.
Bicorporeal(Doublebodied)Signs
Gemini(twins),Sagittarius(partman,partbeast)andPisces(twofishes).Theydenotedual
experiences,twinsetc.,whenonthecuspoffifthoreleventhhousesandespeciallyonthe
ascendantorwhenpopulatedbymanyplanets.PtolemyincludesVirgo.Histwististhatthese
foursignsarecalledbicorporealbecausethey"followthesolid[Fixed]signs,andaresocalled
becausetheyarebetweenthesolidandthesolsticialandequinoctialsignsandshare,asitwere,
atendandbeginning,thenaturalpropertiesofthetwostatesofweather."
Biothanatus
Violentdeath.
BirthChart
Anatalchart(nativity),orhoroscope.Itisamapofhowtheplanetswerealignedwhenaperson
(thenative)wasborn.Thebirthchartpresentsanastrologicalblueprintforaperson'slife.More
abouttheBirthChart.
BirthPlace
Placewherethenative'sfirstbreathwasdrawn.Longitudeandlatitudeofthebirthplaceare
requiredtoconstructanaccuratenativity.
BirthTime
Momentoffirstbreath;importantinerectinganaccuratenativity.
Biquintile
Aminoraspectof144degrees,derivedfromKepler.
BlackHole
Anextremelydenseobjectinspace,withagravitationalpullsostrongthatnothing,noteven
lightcanescapeit.Astronomersbelievethattheimplodedremnantofamassivestarmay
becomeaBlackHole,thoughthereareotherproposedcauses.Somemodernastrologerstake
someofthemintoconsideration,especiallytheGalacticCentre,avastlypowerfulsupermassive
blackholeatthecentreofourgalaxy.ReadWikipediaonBlackHoles.
BlackMoon
AlsoknownasDarkMoon,orLilith,asensitivepointthatcanbecalculatedfromtheMoon's
orbitaroundtheEarth.TheMoon'sorbitisnotcircular,butslightlyellipticalandanellipsehas
twofoci.TheEarthtravelsinonefocus;theotherisempty,buthasbeendesignatedasthe
BlackMoon.Usedbysomemodernastrologers.ThereisalsoanasteroidcalledLilith.
Blavatsky
HelenaPetrovnaBlavatsky(18311891),cofounderandprimemoveroftheTheosophical
Society(TS).Anaturallygiftedpsychic(andtalentedpianist,artistandwriter),HPBwasbornat
EkaterinoslavinwhatisnowUkraineintoaprominentRussianaristocraticfamily.Shewas
marriedat17toGeneralN.V.Blavatsky,fromwhomshequicklyseparated.Shetravelledwidely
inEurope,AsiaandtheAmericasandisbestknownasauthoroftheprofoundlyinfluential
esotericworks,IsisUnveiledandTheSecretDoctrine.LiterarygiantssuchasWilliamButlerYeats
andJamesJoyceacknowledgedherinfluence,alongwithoccultleaderssuchasAleisterCrowley,
A.E.Waite,S.L.MacgregorMathers,etc.,andpsychologistsincludingCarlJungandRudolph
Steiner.MahatmaGandhihimselfwassetonhispathbymeetingherinLondonin1890and
studyingherKeytoTheosophy.Theleadingastrologersofthelater19thandearly20th
Centuriesweredeeplyaffectedbyherwork.EsotericAstrologyandmodernpsychological
astrologyhavegrownoutofTheosophicalteachings.Havingsetamassivewaveinmotionthatis
reverberatingstill,shediedinLondonin1891.MoreonHPBalsomoredetailhere(bothoffsite).
BlueMoon
WhenaFullMoonoccurstwiceinthesamesigninanygivenyear,thesecondofthetwoFull
MoonsiscalledaBlueMoon.[Recentlythisphenomenonhasbeenmisunderstoodtomeana
secondFullMooninacalendarmonth.Calendarmonthscrossoverthecuspsofthesigns,hence
thissocalled"BlueMoon"isnotasignificantastrologicalphenomenon.]MoreontheBlue
Moon.
Bode'sLaw
HypothesisoriginatedbyGermanastronomersTitiusandBodein176668thatbodiesinorbital
systemsorbitatsemimajoraxesinanexponentialfunctionofplanetarysequence.Thisformula
fitsthespacingofthethenknownvisibleplanetsandledtothediscoveryofUranus(1781)and
Ceres(1801),butdidnotfitforNeptune(althoughitpredictsthatNeptuneshouldbewhere
Plutoisfoundinthesequence).ScientistsnowholdthatBode'sLawisnotalaw,butsimplya
rulethatgenerallyworks.Ithasnoovertastrologicalsignificance,butfitsthemysticalformul
expressedinthesacredgeometrywhichhadbeenakeytotheMysteriesforlongcenturies
beforeJohannElertBode.Bodedidhoweverpredict(andeventuallyname)Uranus.
Bounds
Oneofthedignities(alsoknownas"terms",fromthelatinterminus),thoughtofasdelimitinga
certaincircumstancewithinacertainconfineoflife.Oftenusedinlifeexpectancycalculations.
Brihaspati
AVedicnameforJupiter.
Budha
AVedicnameforMercury.NottobeconfusedwithBuddha,thecentralfigureofBuddhism,
thoughbothmean"awakened".Budharefersto"awakenedintellect",asMercurystandsforthe
intellect(Buddhi),asopposedtotheinnocent,receptivemindrepresentedbytheMoon.
C
Cabala(Cabbala)
Esotericteachingsthatdealwithmysticalideasofcreationandconceptsofaspiritualnature,
basedintheHebrew/Gnosticscriptures.Cabala(Cabbala,Kabbalah,Qabbala,orothervariant
translationfromtheoriginalHebrew)featuresinterpretationsoftheTreeofLife,the
Zohar,numericalkeystotheBibleetc.
Cabalist(Cabbalist)
OnewhopractisesCabala.
Cacodmon(Kakodmon;Kakodemon)
1. Nowobsoletenameforthetwelfthhouse,whichwasheldtobethemainbaseforevil
inthechart(esp.theSolarChart).
2. Sometimesdepictedasaflamingserpent,theCacodmonwasamalevolentshape
shiftingdemon,asopposedtotheAgathodmon,alovingspiritorguardiandragon,the
divinelogos.OntheTheDemoticMagicalPapyrusofLondonandLeiden,theincantation
includes"Agathodmon,thealmightyfourfaceddmon,thehighestdarklingandsoul
bearingPhox".Alsotheevildmon,theexpressionofmalevolenceandunhappiness;as
opposedtotheeudmon,theguardianspiritorgeniusthatbringsthehappystateof
flourishing,eudmonia,recommendedbyAristotle.Thedmons,goodorbad,were
heldbytheGreekstobelivingbeingsofintermediatestature,occupyingrungsbetween
thedivinegodsandmortalmen.SeeDmon.
3. TheconstellationPerseustheChampion,withparticularreferencetoCaputAlgol,the
demon'shead,whichheheld,havingsevereditfromthebodyofMedusatheGorgonas
apartofhisrescuebidforthelovelyAndromeda.
4. Onanotherlevel,thepersonalKakodmonisbornfromtherejectedpotentialsand
energiesofanindividual'ssoul.This"EvilDmon"canbemadeanallythrough
increasedconsciousnessandhasenergythatmaybeharnessedtoworkforone'shigher
purposes.Itholdsgreatpower,whichmaybereclaimed,forbyreclaimingthelostparts
ofoursouls,webecomemorecomplete.
"FormanycenturiesWesternculturehasrejectedanddeniedtheEvilDaimn,both
individualandcollective(forthecollectiveconsciousnessofaculture,nation,orreligion
alsocreatesitsKakosDaimn);thisisthereasonthesedestructivepowersare
rampagingungovernedaroundourworld.Theycannotbebanished;theonlysolutionis
acooperativeallianceinconformitywithmodernsocietyandethics."JohnOpsopaus
CadentHouses
"Fallingaway"(fromtheangles).Third,sixth,ninthandtwelfthhouses.Planetsaregenerally
weakerthere,beinglessstableandmorechangeableintheireffects,unlesstheyarethenatural
rulersofthehouses,aswithMercuryinthethirdorsixth,Jupiterintheninthortwelfth,
Neptuneinthetwelfth.Accordingtotraditionalastrology,planetsinthesehousesonlyfunction
at25%oftheirpower,comparedwithapositioninoneoftheanglesofthechart.
Calendar
Asystemoforganizingtimeforsocial,religious,agricultural,commercialoradministrative
purposes.Namesaregiventolengthsoftime:typicallydays,weeks,monthsandyears.We
currentlyusetheGregorianCalendarintheWest,butthereareseveralothersinwidespread
use,suchastheIndianCalendar,theIslamicCalendar,theHebrewCalendar,theBaha'iCalendar,
andmore.CalendarsareusuallybasedeitherontheperceivedmovementoftheMoon(Lunar
Calendar)ortheSun(SolarCalendar),oronacombinationofthetwo(LuniSolarCalendar).A
keyvalueistokeepthecalendarintunewiththeseasons.Othermoderncalendarsadoptpurely
mathematicalbases,independentofSunandMoon.Calendarstendtoadoptsignificant,usually
religiousdatesastheirstartingpoint,suchasthesupposedbirthofJesusChrist,which
determinesthecommencementofthecurrentGregorianCalendar.Unfortunatelythisisa
disputeddate,butthehabithasstuck.
Campanus
Asystemofhousesbasedonequaltwelvefolddivisionoftheprimevertical,asopposedtothe
ecliptic.Inthe13thcenturyCampanus,amathematician,popularisedthissystemintheWest,
butitwasusedbyAlBiruniinthe11thcenturyas'thesystemofHermes',suggestingamuch
earlierorigin,perhapsdatingbacktoManilius.
Cancer
Thefourthsignofthezodiac.Cancer,thecrab,isacardinal,watersign.RuledbytheMoon,itis
theexaltationofJupiter.MoreaboutCancer.
Capricorn
Thetenthsignofthezodiac.Capricorn,theseagoat,isacardinal,earthsign.RuledbySaturn,it
istheexaltationofMars.MoreaboutCapricorn.
CaputAlgol
TheGorgon'sHead.Amaleficfixedstar,causingoneto"loseone'sheadinthesituation",
locatedinTaurus26.
CaputDraconis
TheDragon'sHead(Moon'sNorthNode).MoreabouttheMoon'sNodes.
CardinalCross
OccurswhenplanetsformaGrandCrossinCardinalSigns.Especiallyimportantwhenlocatedin
theearlydegreesofthesigns.Whenthenodes,Jupiter,Saturnandtheouterplanetsare
involved,majorsocialchangesareindicated.
CardinalHouses
SeeAngles.
CardinalPoints
ThefirstdegreeofeachoftheCardinalSigns.
CardinalSigns
Aries,Cancer,LibraandCapricorn.AlsoknownasMoveableSigns,theystandfortheseasonal
changes,markingthefourquartersoftheyear.Cardinalsignsontheanglesofachartdenote
prominenceinrelatedfields.
Cardines
CardinalPoints.TheShorterOxfordDictionarysaysthisisthepluralformofCardo,butIhave
seenCardineusedinthesingular(inatranslationofDorotheus).
Catabibazon
TheDragon'sTail(Moon'sSouthNode).
CaudaDraconis
TheDragon'sTail(Moon'sSouthNode).MoreabouttheMoon'sNodes.
Cazimi
Aplanetwithin17minutesofarcoftheSun'seclipticposition,the"heartoftheSun",isstrongly
fortifiedbyCazimi,anArabicterm.Thetraditionalbeneficenceofthispointisdisputedbysome
authorities,includingLilly.SeeCombust.
Celestial
Aheavenlybody,suchasaplanet.Celestialsareoftenconsideredtobebeingsratherthan
objects.Thisnotmerelynaive,butrecognisingthatthephysicalbodyexistsinthematerial
worldofdarkness,whilethenuminousspiritualbody,orsymbolicentityofmindandspirit,
existsconceptuallyinthedivineworldoflight.Asabove,sobelow.
CelestialBody
seeCelestial.
CelestialEquator
TheprojectionontotheCelestialSphereoftheplaneoftheEarth'sequator;inotherwords,the
projectionoftheEarth'sequatorontotheheavens.TheSuncrossestheCelestialequatortwice
ayear,creatingtheseasonsasweknowthem.
CelestialLatitude
HavinglocatedabodyhorizontallyinCelestialLongitudealongtheecliptic,westillneedto
describeitspositionverticallyinordertopinpointitspreciselocation.IntheEclipticSystem,this
isdoneusingCelestialLatitude.Abody'spositionisexpressedindegrees,minutes,andseconds
ofarc,withreferencetoitsdistanceaboveorbelowtheplaneoftheEcliptic.Abodyabovethe
EclipticisexpressedasNorthCelestialLatitude,justasapositiononEarth'ssurfaceabovethe
EquatorissaidtobeNorthlatitude.Similarly,abodybelowtheEclipticisexpressedasSouth
CelestialLatitude.[source:DwightEnnis]
CelestialLongitude
ThepositionofaheavenlybodyismeasuredintheEclipticSystemusingCelestialLongitudeand
CelestialLatitude.CelestialLongitudeismeasuredhorizontallystartingat0ofAries.Positionis
measuredindegrees,minutes,andsecondsofarcinacounterclockwisedirectionalongthe
Ecliptic.Forexample,aplanetlocatedat15ofTauruscouldalsobesaidtobelocatedat45of
CelestialLongitude(the30ofAries+the15intoTaurus).[source:DwightEnnis]
CelestialPoles
TheEarth'sorbitaroundtheSuntakesapprox.365.25days,anda'day'is,ofcourse,definedas
theEarthspinningonceonitsaxis.TheEarth'saxisofrotation,tiltedat23.5degreestotheline
ofthepolesoftheecliptic,givesusthedirectionstothenorthandsouthcelestialpoles.The
brightstarPolarisiscurrentlyshowingusthedirectionofthenorthcelestialpole.Likeaspinning
topthisaxisisprecessingaroundtheeclipticpole,withaperiodofsome26,000years
CelestialSphere
Theimaginarysphere,withitscentrebeingthecentreoftheEarth,ontowhichthezodiac,
constellationsandplanetsareprojected.
CelestialSpheres
InPlato'sGeocentricModeloftheUniverse,thestarsandplanetswereembeddedina
concentricseriesofrotating,theric,crystallinespheres.Theineffablesoundmadebytheir
movementwasknownastheMusicoftheSpheres.Versionsofthismodeldevelopedby
Eudoxos,Aristotle,Ptolemyandothersbecamethedominantcosmologicaltheoryuntilafterthe
"CopernicanRevolution"ofthesixteenthCenturyAD,whenthemodern,heliocentricmodel
begantobeexplored.Planetsarenotnowimaginedtobeembeddedincelestialspheres,as
theyarenowthoughttobelargeballsofmatterorbitingtheSun,subjecttotheforcesofgravity
andinertia.
Centaurs
Arecentlydiscoveredclassoficy,cometlikeplanetoidsthatorbittheSunbetweenJupiterand
Neptune.ThemostastrologicallysignificantisChiron,butothersareconsideredbysome
modernastrologerstobeimportant.
Ceres
TheGreatMother,mythologicaldaughterofSaturnandOpsandsisterofJupiter,Neptune,
Pluto,JunoandVesta.Anasteroidseenbymodernastrologersassignificant,nowarousing
considerableinterest.Despitebeinglaudedasthe"GreatMother",Ceresappearsgenerallyto
beamalefic,especiallysignifyinggriefandloss.Cereswasthefirstasteroidtobediscovered
(January1,1801byGiuseppePiazzi,usingBode'sLaw).Itwasreclassifiedbyastronomersin
2006asa"dwarfplanet".MoreaboutCeres.
Chakra(Cakra)
1. Asanskrittermmeaningwheel,orchartinJyotish(Vedic)Astrology.
2. Hiddenenergycentresinthehumanbodyarealsocalledchakras("wheels").Theseare
partofthesubtleenergysystemofthehumanauradescribedbyyoga,tantraand
mysticdiscoursesofallcultures.Chakrasaredynamicconsciousnessprocessingorgans
andcanbeactivatedthroughsubtletechniquesintantraandthelike.Eachchakrahasa
particularvibration,mantraandassociatedgodsorgoddesses.Someastrologersassign
planetaryrulershipstothem.
ChakraFracture
Damagetoachakrainthebody'ssubtleenergysystem,creatingemotional,physicalormental
dysfunction.Causedbyenvironmentalstressofonekindoranother,unsoundrelationships,
overload,orotherstressonthechakraconcerned.
ChaldeanOrder
TheorderofvisibleplanetsasheldtohavebeenproposedbytheancientChaldeanastronomers:
Saturn,Jupiter,Mars,Sun,Venus,Mercury,Moon.ThisreflectstheirpositionintheCelestial
PlanetarySpheres(SaturnintheoutermostandMoonintheinnermost).Fromamodern
perspective,theorderexpressestherelativespeedoftheplanets,fromslowesttofastest.
Chaldeans
Ancientastrologers,originallybasedinBabylon,acityinMesopotamia(Iraq),thebirthplaceof
WesternAstrology.Subsequentlyatermforastrologersingeneral.
Chandra
VedicnameforMoon.
ChandraLagna
Moonascendant.TheprocessofdefiningachartwiththeMoonsignastheascendant,a
processusedinVedic(andHellenistic)astrologyinadditiontotheregularchart.
Chariot
InancientHellenisticAstrology,aplanetisheldtobeinitsownchariotwheninitsowndomicile,
exaltation,orconfines(terms).
Chart
Anearthcentredastrologicalmapoftheheavens,usedintheinterpretationofcosmicfactors
withregardtotheireffectsonpeopleandevents.
Chi(Ch'i)
Subtleenergyofthelifeforce,thecontrolofwhichisoneofthegoalsofyoga,tantra,taichiand
similardisciplines.AlsoknownasQi,KiandinYoga,Prana.
Chiron
TheWoundedHealer.DiscoveredbyCharlesT.Kowalin1977,thisplanetoidlocatedbetween
SaturnandUranushasdevelopedaconsiderablefollowingamongmodernastrologers.More
aboutChiron.
CholericHumour
CorrespondingtotheFireElementand,accordingtoCulpeper,ruling"thespumeandfrothof
theblood".Fireingeneralsymbolisesenergy,dynamismandexpression,andisassociatedwith
thecolourred,whichcorrelateswiththedynamicandexpressivecomponentoftheblood.
RuledbyMars,itworksthroughtheYellowBile.SeeHumours.MoreabouttheCholericHumour.
Chronocrators
1. TimeLords,orMarkersofTime.JupiterandSaturnareknownastheGreat
Chronocrators,thoughotherplanetscanbechronocrators.ConjunctionsofJupiterwith
Saturnintheheavensoccureverytwentyyearsorso(minims,orspecialis),recurring
every200yearsinasignofthesameelement(media,ortrigonalis).Theconjunctionin
Sagittariusrecursevery800960years(climacteria,ormaxima),markingsupreme
epochsinthehistoryofmankind.
2. PlanetaryrulersoftheSevenAgesofMan.
Chronos(Kronos)
GreekforSaturn,fatherofJupiter.
CircleofPerpetualApparition
Theboundaryofthespacearoundtheelevatedpoleofanygivenplacewithinwhichthestars
neverset.Itsdistancefromthepoleisequaltothelatitudeofthatplace.
CircleofPerpetualOccultation
Atanygivenplace,theboundaryofthespacearoundthedepressedpole,withinwhichthestars
neverrise.
Citrinitas
Inalchemy,thethirdstageoftheGreatWork;yellowing;spiritualising;enlightening;theSun;
male.
Climacteria
MajorconjunctionsinSagittariusofJupiterandSaturn,occurringevery800960years,marking
significantdevelopmentsinhumandestiny.
ClimactericalPeriods
Every7thand9thyearinthelifeofaperson,enterprise,politicalentity,etc.TheMoonsquares
herownplacebytransitevery7thday,andbydirectionevery7thyear;andtrinesitevery9th
dayandyear.Saturntoohashisgreatestpowerintheseyears.Thustheclimactericalperiods
occurattheagesof7,9,14,18,21,27,28,35,36,42,45,49,54,56,and63years.Themost
portentousarethoseofthe49thand63rdyears,whicharedoublyclimacterical,7x7and9x7.
Whenevildirectionscoincide,thesearegenerallydeemedtobefatal.The63rdyeariscalled
theGrandClimacteric,andthegeneralpresumptionisthatmoredieintheir63rdyearthanin
anyotherfrom50to80.The49thand81styeararecalledbysometheGrandClimacteric,being
respectively7x7and9x9.Inancientmedicalpractice,climactericalperiodsarecountedinthe
numberofdaysfromthedecumbiture,orfallingill,beingregisteredasCriticalDays.
CoalescentChart
Atechniqueforcreatingrelationshipcharts,originatedbyLawrenceGrinnellinthe20thCentury.
Similartocompositechartsbutbasedonharmonics,adifferentharmonicbeingusedforeach
planet.Thesechartsareheldtoshowunusualsensitivitytotransits,henceusefulforthe
developmentofrelationshipsbetweentwopeople,orforapersonandanevent.
Colel
ThevenerableruleofColelincabalaandgematriaholdsthatonedigitcanbeaddedtoor
subtractedfromthenumericalcontentofawordwithoutaffectingitsvalue.Thisispermitted
becauseunityisdivineandsoabletocomeorgoatwill,withoutaffectingtheoutcome.See
Gematria.
CollectionofLight
Whenaheavierplanetreceivesaspectfromtwootherlighterplanetswhicharethemselvesnot
inaspect,thisbringsthemeffectivelyintoaspect.Inhorary,itsignifiestheperfectionofa
matter.ThrasherinJubarAstrologicumdeclaresthatthelighterplanetsmustbothalsoreceive
theheavierin"someoftheirEssentialDignities".
Combust(Combustion)
1. Aplanetplacedwithin8degrees30minutes(butnotwithin17minutes)oftheSunis
saidtobecombust.Meaning"burnt",thisisnotafavourablecondition,especiallyfor
theMoonandinnerplanetswhendirectinmotionandapplyingtothecorporeal
conjunction.Marshowevercanbefortified.Combustioncanoccureitherinoroutof
sign,asitistheSun'smoietythatisthedecidingfactor.Astronomically,combustplanets
areinvisible(hiddenbytheSun),andsolessfortunate.Regardedasparticularlymalefic
inhorary,wherecombustioncompletelynegatestheplanetinquestion.SeeCazimi,
alsoUnderBeams.
2. AccordingtoBonatus,inAnimaAstrologi:"wheretheMooniscombust,thatistosay
undertheSun'sBeams,whichiscountedfrom15degreesofthebodyoftheSunasshe
appliestohimto12degreesdistancefromhimassheisseparatingfromhim;andthe
impedimentisgreaterwhensheisgoingtotheSunthanwhensheisgoingfromhim;
becauseasshegoesoff,whensheisgotfivedegreesdistant,sheissaidtobeescaped,
thoughnotwhollyfreed.Aswhenafeverhathleftaman,heissaidtoberecovered,
althoughhebeweakandfaint,becauseheissecurenowthatheshallobtainhishealth
again."
CombustDegrees
TheseareadebilityfortheMoonand,accordingtoBonatus,theworstarethe12degrees
beforethedegreethatisdirectlyoppositetothedegreeinwhichtheSunisplaced.
Comet
Abright,icycelestialbodypursuinganeccentric,oftenextremelylengthyorbitoftheSun.The
luminous"tail"ofthecomet,comprisingmeteoricmaterialandgases,streamsintospacedueto
theheatoftheSun.Traditionally,cometsareconsideredtobeillomensbecausetheyseemto
breakthenaturalorderofthecosmos.
CommandingSigns
Aries,Taurus,Gemini,Cancer,Leo,Virgo,theNorthernSigns.AccordingtoPtolemy:"Thesigns
inthesummersemicirclearecommanding;thoseinthewintersemicircle,obeying:forwhenthe
Sunispresentintheformer,hemakesthedaylongerthanthenight;andwheninthelatter,he
producesthecontraryeffect."Thisfactorwouldpresumablybereversedifviewedfromthe
southernhemisphere.
Common(Mutable)Signs
Gemini,Virgo,Sagittarius,Pisces.
Complexions
Elements.
Composite
Achartmadeupofthemidpointsbetweentheplanetsfromtwopeople'sbirthcharts,forthe
purposeofrelationshipanalysis.Thistechniqueisarecentinvention,notfoundintraditional
astrology.
ConcordantinItinerary
Signsruledbythesameplanetaryruler(suchasGeminiandVirgo,bothruledbyMercury).See
Likeengirdling.
Confines
RobertH.Schmidt'stranslationoftheHellenisticGreekwordhoria,conventionallytranslated(in
accordwiththeLatinversion:termini)asTerms.SeeTerms.
Conjunct
Twoormoreplanetsareconjunctwhentheyarecloselyassociated(within8ofarc)inthesame
sign.Iftheyarecloselyassociatedbutinadjoiningsigns,thestrengthoftheconjunctionis
diminished(see"outofsign").
Conjunction
Wherethechartfactorsconcernedarewithin8orbofarc,theyare"conjunct"orin
conjunction.Aconjunctionisusuallyahelpfulenergywhichcreatesselfnurturing,inner
strengthandambition.Dependingontheplanetsinvolved,italsocancreateintensity,stress
andconfusion.SeeCombust.
Considerations(BeforeJudgement)
1. Particularconditionsinahorarychart,especiallythosewarningthatthechartisnot
radical,meaningthattheastrologermightbepronetoerror,orthattheastrologermay
belikelytogivetheclientbadnewsshouldapredictionbeundertaken.SeeStrictures
AgainstJudgement
2. Generalobservationsregardingafuturecircumstance,asopposedtoaspecific
prediction.
Constellations
Definedgroupsoffixedstarsareknownasconstellations.Ancientastrologyhadonly48named
constellations,althoughmodernastronomershavenamedmanymoreforconvenienceof
location.Since1930,theIAUhaslimitedthenumberofconstellationsto88,usedtodefine
locationsonthecelestialsphere(nostar,knownorunknown,isthereforenotinawaypartofa
constellation).Therearehowever,noactualfixedstarsinthetropicalzodiacofthesigns,which
isasymbolic,mathematicalsystembasedintheseasons;onlyplanetsinhabitthezodiac.Signs
shouldnotbeconfusedwithconstellations,eventhoughforhistoricalreasonstheymaybear
thesamename.SeealsoLunarMansions,whicharebasedonAsterisms,orminorconstellations.
ContraAntiscion(Contrascion)
Thepointintheoppositesign,degreeandminutetoaplanet'santiscion,orthepointlying
equidistantfromandattheoppositesideoftheequinoctialaxis(0Aries0Libra)toaplanet.
Thiswasformerlyconsideredapowerfuldebility,equivalenttoasquareoropposition,butis
rarelyconsideredbymodernastrologers.SeeAntiscion.SeealsoEquipollent.
ContraParallel
Anunfortunateaspectbydeclinationorlatitude,similarineffecttoOpposition.Oppositionby
declinationiswhenoneplanetisnorthofthecelestialequatorandtheotherissouth,within
onedegreeoforb.SeeParallelAspect.
Converse
Contrarymotiontothenaturalmovementoftheplanetsthroughthesigns.UsedinDirections.
Converse[Directions;Progressions;Transits]
Calculatedbyexaminingtheephemerisforthedaysprevioustobirth.Eachdaysymbolisesa
yearoflife,soforexampletheplanetarypositionstendaysbeforebirthprovideinsightintothe
eventsofthetenthyearofthenative'slife.Theseareusedbysomeastrologerstogive
additionalinsightstothosegainedbythedirectorforwarddayforyearprocessofprediction.
Coordinates
Twoormorenumericalfactorsthatdefinethepositionofapointonachart,symbolisingapoint
inspace.LongitudeandLatitudeareexamplesofcoordinates.
CopernicanSystem
HeliocentricversionoftheSolarSystem,developedbyCopernicusinthe16thCenturyAD,
thoughanticipatedbysomeancientGreekthinkers,notablyAristarchosofSamos(3rdCentury
BC),butincludingPythagoras(6thCenturyBC).EvenearlierIndianVedictexts,notably
Yajnavalka'sSatapathaBrahmana(8thCenturyBC)mayhaveinfluencedhim.ArabicandPersian
mathematiciansfromaroundthe11thtothe14thCenturyAD,suchasAlbiruni,Avicennaand
BinTusimostassuredlydidinfluencehim(astheytoowereattemptingtoimproveonthe
Greeks).HissystemeventuallyreplacedthegeocentricsystemformalisedbyPtolemyinthe2nd
CenturyAD,eventhoughitwaslessaccurate,atleastuntiladvancesinplanetarymotion
discoveredbyKeplerinthe17thCentury.TheinfluenceofAristotlewassogreatthatCopernicus
feltcompelledtoretainthearistotelianideaofcircularmotion(asthemostperfectformof
motion)fortheplanets,whichKepler'sdiscoveriesdisproved.AlthoughKeplerwasalsoa
marvellousanddedicatedastrologer,thismarkedthebeginningofthecurrentalienationof
astrologyfromastronomy.Sinceastrologyisprimarilyconcernedwiththeeffecttheplanetary
forceshaveuponthebeingsthatinhabittheEarth,mostastrologersstillfavourthegeocentric
system,atleastforastrologicalcalculations.
Copernicus
NicolausCopernicus(14731543)wasaPolishastronomerwhodevelopedthefirstmodern
theoryoftheheliocentricsolarsystem.
CorLeonis
TheLion'sHeart.Regulus,themostroyalofthefourRoyalStars.
CorporealConjunction
Whentwoplanetsareconjunctinthesamesign.Strongerthanan"outofsign",ordissociate
conjunction.
Correspondences(LaworPrincipleof)
TheLawofCorrespondencesholdsthatourpersonalworldcorrespondstotheexternalworldin
everyway,withspecificreferenceinastrologytothecosmicvibrationsinherentincelestial
influencecorrespondingtonaturalsubstancesandthehumanbody,aswellasthegeneral
cosmicinfluencesthatarereflectedintheeventsanddestinieshereonplanetEartha
profoundcorrespondencebetweenthelawsandphenomenaofthevariousplanesofexistence.
"Asabove,sobelow;asbelow,soabove".ToparaphrasethewordsoftheKybalion,this
Principleistheuniversallawofapplicationandmanifestation,onthevariousplanesofthe
material,mental,andspiritualuniverse.
CorrespondinginCourse(Itinerary)
Signsofequalpower,iewheninequalascension,orthesignsthatreflecteachother's
declension,sharingthesamenumberofhoursofdaylightandofnight.Signsbeingthesame
distanceoneithersideofthesolstice.
Coruler
Wheremorethanoneplanetrulesasign,orothercosmicattribute,theplanetsconcernedare
knownascorulers.Beforethedevelopmentofthetelescope,theknownvisibleplanetswere
assignedrulershipofsigns.Eachplanetwasconsideredtoruletwosigns(theSunandMoonare
usuallyonlyassignedoneeach,thoughrecentscholarshipsuggeststhattheymayhavein
ancienttimesbeengivencorulershipofeachother'ssigns,LeoandCancer).Manymodern
astrologersassignrulershipofcertainsignstotherecentlydiscoveredplanets,Uranus,Neptune
andPluto(evenChiron!),butothersallowthemcorulershipwiththetraditionalrulers.
Traditionalastrologershoweverdenythemanyrulership,evenifallowingthemsomeinfluence,
becausetodosowouldbreakthesymmetryandthusthesymbolismofthezodiac,whichisa
spiritual,notaphysicalconcept.
Cosignificator
1. Anyplanetorsignwhichisnaturallyassociatedwithanotherintherulershipofafaculty
ormatterunderconsideration.
2. Inhorary,thecosignificatorisaplanetinaspecttotheplanetgoverningthematter,ifa
benefic,aiding,butifmalefic,hinderingtheoutcome.
Cosmic
PertainingtotheCosmos;somethingvast,grandandinsomesenseharmonious,oratleast
ordered.
CosmicCross
GrandCross.
Cosmical
1. CosmicalwhenastarorplanetisconjuncttheSun
2. CosmicalRisingastarorplanetrisingatsunrise
3. CosmicalSettingastarorplanetsettingatsunset
TheoppositeofAcronichal,thisisoneofthethreeGreekideasoftherisingandsettingofstars:
Acronichal,CosmicalandHeliacal,bywhichtheymeasuredthelengthoftheyear.
Cosmobiology
ReinholdEbertin'sastrologicalsystem,ignoringhousesbutemphasisingmidpointsandthe
following"hard"aspects:semisquare,square,sesquiquadrateandopposition.Developedin
Germanyduringthe20thCentury.
Cosmogram
Ebertin'snameforahoroscopebasedonhissystemofCosmobiology.
Cosmogony
Ascientific,religious,ormythologicalaccountoftheoriginsoftheuniverse,inparticularour
SolarSystem.
Cosmology
Philosophicalandastrophysicalstudyofthehistory,structure,anddynamicsoftheuniverse.
Cosmos
1. Theuniverseconceivedasanorderly,harmonioussystem.Allthatexistsintimeand
spaceincludingspectraoflight,forcesofbodies,cyclesoftheelementslife,
intelligence,memory,recordanddimensionsbeyondphysicalperception
mathematicallycalculatedastheevidenceofthingsnotseenasyet,butwhichdo
appearintheSpiritcosmosthatcoexistswithandinterpenetratestheMattercosmosas
agridoflight.Source:GlossaryofAscendedMasterTerms&Definitions
2. AsoutlinedinPlato'sTimus,theCosmosistheworldofbecoming,thematerialworld,
asopposedtotheeternalworldofideas,orforms,uponwhichitismodelled.Henotes
thateverythinginthisworld"comestobeandpassesaway,butneverreallyis".Ableto
begraspedbysenseperceptionandopinion,itisacreatedworld,artfullycraftedonto
preexisting,formlessmaterial(theelements,comprisingatomicplatonicsolidsinspace)
bytheDemiurge,orcreator.TheCosmosisalivingbeing,subjecttotimeandspace,and
ofcourse,astrologicalconsiderations...
CriticalDays
Periodicalcrisistimesinanillnessoranevent,whentheMoonmakessuccessive45transiting
aspectstoitsoriginalpositioninthedecumbitureoreventchart.Favourablecrisesoccurwhen
theMoonmakessuccessive60aspectstoitsradicalposition.
CriticalDegree
DeterminedbythemovementoftheMoonacrossthecuspsoftheLunarMansions,aplanet's
strengthinthechartisincreasedwhenplacedinanyofthesedegrees,orwithinanorbof3
degreesofthecriticaldegree.TherearecriticaldegreesineachoftheSigns(seetable).
CrossquarterDays
DaysontheCrossquarterpointsmarkingthemidpointsbetweentheEquinoxesandthe
Solstices,holidaysdatingbacktopreChristiantimes.Stillcelebratedinmanypartsoftheworld
esp.theUKandnorthernEurope,theyarealsoimportantinWiccaandneoPaganismaspartof
theeightpointedWheeloftheYear.SeeCelticFireFestivals.
CrossquarterPoints
ThefifteenthdegreeofeachoftheFixedsigns:Taurus,Leo,ScorpioandAquarius.Alsoknown
astheAvatarPoints,theysignaltheCrossquarterdays.
Culmination
1. ThearrivalofaplanetatthedegreeoftheMC.
2. Theculminationofanaspectiswhenitiscompleted(i.e.partile),regardlessoftheMC.
Culpeper
NicholasCulpeper(16161654),aninfluentialEnglishastrologer,physician,botanistand
herbalistofthe17thCentury.AfriendandcolleagueofWilliamLilly,hisunderstandingofherbs
andtheirastrologicalcorrespondencesisunsurpassed.Hisworks,particularlyTheEnglish
Physitian(1652)andTheCompleatHerbal(1653)remaininprintandarewidelyread,although
somemoderneditionsleaveouttheastrologicalreferences.
Cusp
Thestrongestpoint(usuallythebeginning)ofahouseorsigninthechart.Thesignonthecusp
ofanyhouseanditsrulingplanetarethedesignatedrulersofthathouse.Planetsnearthecusp
aremoresignificantthanotherwise,especiallyifinanangularhouse.Manyastrologers,
followingPtolemy,holdthatplanetsupto5degreesbeforethecuspmaybeconsideredtobe
alreadyinthehouse,especiallyifitisanangle.
Cytherea
GreekgoddessAphrodite(knowntotheRomansandsotousasVenus),believedtohavebeen
bornfromthefoamofthewavesneartheislandofCythera(Kythira)southeastofthe
Pelopponese,northwestofCrete.AnothernameforVenus.
Cytherean(Cytheran)
PertainingtoVenus.Nowmoreorlessliteraryifnotobsolete.Consideredmorestylishthan
Venusian,Venerean,or(yikes!)Venereal.
D
Dmon(Daimn)
Inclassicalmythology,thedmons(daimnes)wereguardianspirits,orinspirationalpowers;
divinitiesofanintermediatestaturebetweengodsandmen.IntheHellenisticperiodthese
weredividedintogoodandevil,achievingthestatusofdemigod,orangel.ThewordinChristian
timescameexclusivelytomeantroublemakingevilspirit,or"demon".Anyofthegodsof
competingpaganreligionsthuscametobeclassedasdemons.SeeCacodmon.
Dark(degrees)
Certaindegreestraditionallybelievedtocauseadarkcomplexionwhenontheascendant,or
whenoccupiedbytheLordoftheascendant,theLordofthefigure,ortheMoon.Darkdegrees
arealsobelievedtoaccentuatedeformity,shouldthisbepresent.SeeLightandSmokydegrees.
DarkEnergy
Darkenergyisamystery.AccordingtoNASA,"roughly70%oftheuniverseismadeofdark
energy.Darkmattermakesupabout25%.EverythingonEarth,everythingthatwehaveever
observedwithallofourinstrumentsnormalmatteraddsuptolessthan5%oftheuniverse".
Incosmology,darkenergyisahypotheticalformofenergythatpermeatesallofspaceandhas
strongnegativepressure,counteractinggravity.Currentlyexplainingtheobservationsofan
acceleratinguniverseaswellasaccountingforasignificantportionofthemissingmassinthe
universe.Couldthisbethether,thealchemicalquintessence,byanothername...?
DarkMatter
Invisiblematterparticlesinspacethatcannotbedetectedbytheiremittedradiationbut,
accordingtothelatestcosmologicaltheories,whosepresencecanbeinferredfromgravitational
effectsonvisiblemattersuchasstarsandgalaxies.MostofthematterintheentireUniverseis
invisible!FritzZwickydiscoveredevidenceformissingmassingalaxiesinthe1930sandnamed
it"DarkMatter".DarkMatterinitselfhasnoastrologicalsignificance.SeealsoDarkEnergy.
DarkMoon
AlsoknownasBlackMoon,orLilith,asensitivepointthatcanbecalculatedfromtheMoon's
orbitaroundtheEarth.SeeBlackMoon.
Dasa(Dasha)
AmajorplanetaryperioddelineatedinVedicastrology.CompareAlfridaria.
DavisonRelationshipHoroscope
Horoscopecreatedfortheexactmidpointbetweentwobirthdates,timesandplacesforthe
purposesofRelationshipAnalysis.DevisedbyRonaldC.Davison,20thCenturyEnglishastrologer,
thistechniqueisnotfoundintraditionalastrology.CompareCompositeChart.
DaySign
Eachoftheclassicalplanets,apartfromthetwoLuminaries,rulesovertwosigns:aDaySignand
aNightSign.TheLuminariesruleonesigneach,theMoonCancerandtheSunLeo(though
thereisevidencethattheLuminariesoncewereassignedcorulershipofeachother'ssigns).The
planetsareassignedtothesignsinorderfromthefastest(Mercury)totheslowest(Saturn).
DaySignsarethemasculine,orpositivesigns;NightSignsarethefeminineornegativesigns.
DayStars
Jupiter,Saturn,Sun.Mercuryisconvertible,andmaybeeitherDiurnalorNocturnal.Moon,
MarsandVenusaretheNightStars.
Debility
Aweakenedplanetarycondition,duetounsympatheticaspect,motion,orposition.SeeDignity.
Decade
Decan.
Decan(Decanate)
Aonethird(tendegree)sectorofasign.Eachsignhasthreedecanates:110degrees,1120
degreesand2130degrees.Eachdecanhasitsownruler,basedontherulershipofthefirst,
fifthandninthsignofitstriplicity,countingthecurrentsignasthefirst.Forexample,thefirst
decanofAriesisruledbyMars,thesecondbytheSunandthethirdbyJupiter.Accordingto
AlanLeo,eachdecanisalsodividedintotwofaces,apositiveandanegative,eachwithitsown
ruler.Ptolemyhasadifferentdecanrulershipsystem,seePtolemy'sTable.Decanates
themselvesarealsoknownasfaces.DecansoriginallyderivefromancientEgyptianastrology,
wherethedecanswereconsideredparamount,beforebeingsubsumedinHellenistictimes
undertheChaldean12signzodiac.Thecircleofthe36decanswasdeemedtoliebeyondthe
zodiac,eachonebeinggovernedbyaparticularspiritualentity.
Decennial
AncientTimeLordsystembasedonphasesof10years&9months.Itisderivedbyaddingthe
minoryearsoftheplanetstogether(192years)anddividingby12.Eachofthe7planets(Time
Lords)arethenassignedaperiod,startingwithSun(diurnalbirth)orMoon(nocturnalbirth).
Eachofthe7periodsisthus129months.AsintheHindudasabhuktisystem,eachofthe
periodsisdividedintosubperiods,inorder,ruledbythevariousplanets.
Decile
Minoraspectof36.Consideredfortunate,alsoknownassemiquintile.
Declination
Inordertoobtaintheverticalpositionofacelestial(asopposedtoitshorizontalpositionalong
theecliptic)wemeasurethedistanceofaplanetnorthorsouthofthecelestialequatorfrom
whichtheyaresaidtodecline(eithernorthwardorsouthward).Everypartoftheecliptichas
declination,exceptthebeginningsofAriesandLibra(000'),becausetheplaneoftheeclipticis
notparallelwiththatofthecelestialequatorandthosetwopointsarewherethetwoplanes
intersect.TheSunhasmaximumdeclinationof2328',whenitreacheseithertheTropicof
Cancerinthenorth(23N28'),ortheTropicofCapricorninthesouth(23S28').Declinationis
duetotheinclinationoftheearthinorbit.TheParallelandContraParallelaspectsareaspects
ofdeclination.SeeParallel.
DecreasinginLight
WhenaplanethaspassedtheoppositiontotheSunitissaidtobedecreasinginlightandis
correspondinglyweaker.ThisespeciallyappliestotheMoon.
Decumbiture
Achartdrawnforthetimethepatientfallsill,forthepurposeofdiagnosingillness.Alternatively
drawnforthetimethepractitionerisfirstcontactedbythepatient.MoreonDecumbiture.
Deep(degrees)
DegreesinwhichtheexpressionofthenativeisimpededshouldtheMoonorrulingplanetbe
placedtherein.Theimageisthatofawellorapit,intowhichtheplanetorMoonfallsand
cannoteasilygetoutof.Alsoknownaspitted("inapit"),orputeal("inawell").Theterm
"pitted"refersto"beinginapit",andisnotacommentonthenative'scomplexion(unlikelight,
smoky,ordark,whichdoapplytothenative'sappearance).
Deferent
Planetarysphere.Inordertomaintainthearistoteliancircularmotionofplanetswhile
explainingtheretrogrademotionofplanetsintheancientgeocentricPtolemaicsystem,
epicycleswereintroduced.Theplanetsweresaidtorevolveinacircularmotionaroundapoint
attachedtotheappropriateplanetarysphere(ordeferent),whilemovingatauniformangular
velocity.Thisideaisnowobsolete,duetotheacceptanceofthemodernCopernicansystemof
heliocentricmotion,adjustedaccordingtoKepler'sLaws.
Degree
Thezodiacisdividedinto360equaldegrees,markedoutintointotwelvesignsofthirtydegrees
each,countedfrom1(thereisno"0"degree,justasthereisnoYear"0"inourcalendar).One
degreecontains60minutesandeachminutecontains60secondsoflongitudinalarc(inIndian
Jyotishastrologyevensmallersubdivisionsareemployed).Degreesthemselveshavemeanings,
distinguishedfromandoftenquitedifferentfromthemeaningofthesignanddecanunder
whichtheyaresubsumed.Traditionalastrologyreferstovariousclassesofdegrees,whichare
heldtoaffectthenativeaccordingtotheirnatures.Theseare:
Light(Lucid)degrees
Smokydegrees
Darkdegrees
Voiddegrees
Deep(PutealorPitted)degrees
Masculinedegrees
Femininedegrees
Anareticdegrees
Criticaldegrees
Azimenedegrees
Fortunatedegrees
Equipollentdegrees
EqualPowerdegrees
Delineation
Interpretationofthehoroscope.
DeltaT(T)
Driftinapparentclocktime,causedbyfluctuationsintheEarth'sorbit.Primarilyduetotidal
frictionsfromtheMoon,itisamatterofseconds,butisimportantforaccuratehoroscope
construction,timingofeclipsesandsoon.Computerprogramsforcalculatinghoroscopes
shouldhavebuiltinaccountingforthis.MoreonDeltaT(offsite).
DepressedPole
ThesectionofthePolewhichprojectsbelowthehorizonatagivenplace.SeeElevatedPole.
Descendant
Theseventhhouse(oritscusp),governingmarriage,partnershipandopenconfrontation.
Descending
Planetsappeartobedescendingwhenlocatedbetweenthetenthhousecuspviathe
descendantandthatofthefourth,whentheybegintoascend.Descendingplanetsare
consideredweakerthanascendingones.
DescendingNode
SouthNode.SeeNodes.
Descension
Obsoletetermforessentialdebility(specificallyfall).
Detriment
Aplanetisweakerandinitsdetrimentwhenitisinthesignopposingthatwhichitrules.For
example,MarsisindetrimentwhenplacedinLibra,theoppositeofAries,orTaurus,the
oppositeofScorpio.
Dexter
Anaspectreadtotherightbydiurnalmovement,i.e.clockwise,againstthezodiacalmotion,
whichisanticlockwise.ItisthuscontrarytothenaturalsuccessionoftheSigns.Considered
morepowerfulbecausemoredirectandinthelineofsight.SeeSinister.
Diametral(Diameter;Diametric)
Opposition.
Differentia
Typesofchartsusedbyancientandmedivalastrologerstodeterminelengthoflife.
Dignity,AccidentalandEssential
Aplanetisstrongerwhenplacedincertainsectorsofthechart,whicharecalleditsdignities.
AccidentalDignity
Aplanet'spositionbyhouse(angularhousesarestrongest),orbyotherbeneficial
factorssuchaswellaspected,increasinginlight,elevated,swift,etc.
EssentialDignity
Aplanet'spositionbysign(homesign,exaltation,terms,ortriplicity).SeePtolemy's
TableofEssentialDignitiesandDebilities.
AccidentalismoresignificantthanEssentialDignityintheinterpretation,althoughbothare
important.Theunfortunateinfluenceofamaleficisusuallydiminishedwhenindignity,whilst
thefortunateinfluenceofabeneficisincreased.
Tocalculatetherelativestrengthsofplanetsinachart,seeTableofPlanetaryValues.
DirectMotion
Planetarymotionthroughthezodiacinthenormalorderofthesigns.Theoppositeof
RetrogradeMotion.
DirectStation
AplanetwhenreturningtoDirectMotionthroughthezodiacafteraperiodofRetrograde
Motionremainsstationaryforabriefperiod.This"DirectStation"istheidealtimetomakeor
implementrelevantdecisions.Itisconsideredtobeamongthemostpowerfulpositionsfor
planetaryinfluence,especiallyinJyotish,orIndian(Vedic)astrology.
Direction
DirectMotion.
Directions
Aspectsbetweenplanetsinaprogressedhoroscope;alsotheiraspectstotheplanetsinthe
natalchart.SeePrimaryDirections.
DisjunctSigns
AccordingtoPtolemy:"Disjunct"and"Alien"arethenamesappliedtothosedivisionsofthe
zodiac...whichbelongneithertotheclassofcommandingorobeying,beholdingorofequal
power,and[arenotin]opposition,trine,quartile,andsextile,andareeitheroneorfivesigns
apart;forthosewhichareonesignapartareasitwereavertedfromoneanotherand,though
theyaretwo,boundtheangleofone,andthosethatarefivesignsapartdividethewholecircle
intounequalparts.whiletheotheraspectsmakeanequaldivisionoftheperimeter.".See
Aversion.alsoInconjunct.
Disposition
SeeDispositor.
Dispositor
Whenaplanetisinthesignruledbyanother,thatplanetissaidtobedisposedofbytheruler,
itsdispositor.Forexample,MarsinSagittariusinsaidtobedisposedofbyJupiter,therulerof
thatsign.JupiteristhusthedispositorofMars.Dispositionbyabeneficisfavourableand
especiallysoifthedispositoriselevatedormoreelevatedthanthedisposed.MutualDisposition
(whenplanetsareineachother'ssigns,eg:MooninLeoandSuninCancer)isveryfavourable
andreducesanysurroundingnegativity.DispositionisparticularlyimportantinHoraryreadings.
DissociateAspect
Aspectwithinorb,butnotwithintheboundsoftheaspectingsign.SeeOutofSign.
Diurnal
Duringtheday,markingplanetsabovethehorizon(betweenthefirstandseventhcuspsviathe
MidHeaven),versusNocturnal:belowthehorizon(duringthenight).
DiurnalArc
Thetimeinrightascensionthataplanetordegreeofthezodiactakestomovefromitsrising
pointtoitssettingpoint.
DiurnalChart
1. Nativityofpersonborninthedaytime,i.e.whentheSunisabovethehorizon.
2. Chartcalculatedforthedayatthenative'sbirthtime,butforthecurrentlocation.A
dailyreturnchart.
DiurnalSigns
Signsinthesouthernhemisphereofthechart(abovethehorizon),namely,Libra,Scorpio,
Sagittarius,Capricorn,Aquarius,Pisces.
Divination
Fortunetelling.
Divine
1. Todowiththedivinity(orGod).
2. Tofindasolution,eitherusingintuition;toolssuchasdiviningrodsorpendulum;or
symbolicsystemssuchasastrology,tarot,runesetc.
DivineYear
OneDivineYearissaidtoequal360solaryears.
Divinity
God.
DivisionalChart
AvitalpartoftheHinduVedicsystem,whereadditionalcharts(the16vargacharts)areerected.
Basedonfractions("divisions")ofeachsign,eachvargagiveslightonadifferentsideofthe
character.ThisancientsystemstronglyinfluencedJohnAddey,whowentontodevisethe
HarmonicChartsystemforWesternastrologyinthe20thCentury.
Dodecahedron
A12sidedgeometricsolid,particularlyonewith12regularfaces.AccordingtoPlatointhe
Timus,thedodecahedronisthefifthnaturalsolid,"afifthfigure(whichismadeoutoftwelve
pentagons),thedodecahedronthisGodusedasamodelforthetwelvefolddivisionofthe
Zodiac."
Dodecatmoria
Twelvefolddivision(ofFateAncientGreek)
1. Thetwelvesigns,ordivisionsofthezodiac,orthemundanehousesinHellenistic
Astrology
2. AncientGreek2degreedivisionofasign(onetwelfthof30degrees).Relatedtothe
MansionsoftheMoon.SeeDuadandDwadishamsha.
DomalDignity
Aplanetinitsownsign.
Domicile
Thehomesignofaplanet.
DoublebodiedSigns
Geminiisknownasoneofthedoublebodiedsigns(dualsigns)becauseithastwo"bodies"inits
symbol,thesymboloftheTwins.TheotherdualsignsareSagittarius(partman,partbeast)and
Pisces(twofishes).Theydenotedualexperiences,twinsetc.,whenonthecuspoffifthor
eleventhhousesandespeciallyontheascendantorwhenpopulatedbymanyplanets.Dualor
doublebodiedsignsoftenlovevarietyandaredrawntobeinvolvedwithtwopeopleatatime,
orhavetwoormorethingshappeningatonce,suchastwojobsetc.SeealsoBicorporealSigns.
Draco
TheconstellationoftheDragon,whichcirclestheNorthPoleandneversets.Thehundredeyed
dragon,Ladon,twinedaroundanappletreeintheGardenoftheHesperides,guardingthe
goldenapples.HewasslainbyHeraclesinhisEleventhLabourandlaterplacedintheheavens
byHera.Inanearliermyth,DracoguardedtheGoldenFleeceandwasslainbyJason,leaderof
theArgonauts.TheGoldenFleeceitselforiginallybelongedtotheram,Aries.
DraconicChart
ThenatalDragon'sHead(ascendingnode)becomesthefirstdegreeofAriesintheDraconic
chart,or'draconicequinox',andotherplanetsandpointsareadjustedaccordingly.
Dragon'sHead
CaputDraconis,orMoon'sNorthNode.ThesignanddegreeoccupiedbytheMoonwhen
crossingtheeclipticfromsouthtonorthlatitude.Itisusuallyconsideredsomewhatbenefic,and
istheoppositeoftheDragon'sTail(CaudaDraconis),theSouthNode,whichisconsidered
malefic.InIndianastrology,theDragon'sHeadiscalledRahuandtheDragon'sTailiscalledKetu
andbothareconsideredmalefic,thoughlesssoforKetu.Thesesignificantpointstraditionally
havethestrengthofaplanetandareespeciallyimportantindirectionsandtransits.Moreon
Dragon'sHead&Tail.
Dragon'sTail
CaudaDraconis,orMoon'sSouthNode.SeeDragon'sHead.
Drekkana
Vedic(Jyotish)termforDecanate.
Duad(Dwad)
2degreesectorofthezodiac,makingonetwelfthofasign.Therearethustwelveduadsper
zodiacalsign,eachonegovernedbyeachsigninorderandsorepeatingthroughouttheyear.
Thisindurationisapproximatelyequivalenttotwoandahalfdays,aboutthetimeittakesfor
thetransitingMoontopassthroughonezodiacalsign.SotheMoonpassesthroughallofthe12
signsoverthecourseofamonth,justastheSunpassesthroughall12signsinthecourseofa
year.Seedwadishamsha.
DualSigns
Gemini;Sagittarius;Pisces.SeeDoublebodiedSigns.
Dwadishamsha(Dwadasamsa)
DivisioninIndianAstrologyofthezodiacintosegmentsoftwoandahalfdegrees(i.e.one
twelfthofaSign).PopularisedinthemoderneraintheWestbyAlanLeo,thisdivisionwasalso
usedbytheancientGreeks,knownasthedodecatmoria.SeeDuad.
DwarfPlanet
Contentious2006astronomicaldefinitionofsmallplanetarybodieswithintheSolarSystem,
includingPluto,CeresandthenewlydiscoveredEris.Ithasnoastrologicalsignificance.See
Wikipediaonthesubject.
E
Earth
SometimescalledTerra,theEarthisthemotherplanetuponwhichwedwell,thebasisofour
world.Ourplanetrevolvesonitsownaxisevery24hoursandcompletesitsorbitaroundthe
Suninaround365.25days.ThecourseoftheEarth'sorbitliesbetweenthatofVenusandMars.
TheMoonistheEarth'sonlynaturalsatelliteandorbitstheEarthinapproximately29days.The
geocentric("earthcentred")viewplacestheEarthatthecentreofthesolarsystem(andindeed
theuniverse),whichisthewayitappearstobetothosewhodwellonitssurface.Thisviewis
favouredbymostastrologicalsystemsforthisreason(althoughthereisaheliocentricastrology
withsomefollowers).Theheliocentric("suncentred")viewplacestheEarthinorbitaroundthe
Sun,theviewfavouredbymodern,materialscience.Thisdoesnot,however,affectthevalidity
andaccuracyofgeocentricastrology,aspiritualscience.
EarthElement
Oneofthefourastrologicalelements.Afeminineelement,itstandsformateriality,solidity,
matterstodowithsecurityandsoon.TheotherelementsareFire,AirandWater.
EarthSigns
Taurus(fixed),Virgo(mutable),Capricorn(cardinal).
EarthyTriplicity
TheEarthSigns:Capricorn;Taurus;Virgo.Thesesignsarecoldanddrybynatureand
melancholicbytemperament.
East
1. Oneofthefourcardinaldirectionsorpoints,oppositeofWestandatrightanglesto
NorthandSouth.EastisthethegeneraldirectionfromwhichtheSunappearstorise,
becausetheEarthrotatesonitsaxistowardstheEast.
2. TheEastern(oriental)sectorofthehoroscopewheelislocatedonthelefthandsideof
thechart,unlikeageographicalmap,wheretheEastistotheright.Thedegreeofthe
ascendantistheeasternmostpointofthechart.
EastPoint
ThesignanddegreerisingovertheEarth'sequatoratanygivenmoment.
Easter
ChristianfestivalofChrist'sresurrection,coincidingapproximatelywiththefirstfullmoonafter
thevernalequinox.EasterisnamedaftertheancientGermangoddessofspring,Eastre.This
calendarfestivalfindsitsprimitiveoriginsinearlierEuropeanandMiddleEasterncultures,allof
whichhadmajorfestivals,usuallytodowithresurrectionand/orreleasefrombondage,based
aroundthevernalequinox.
Eclipse
SolarandLunareclipsesareimportantkeystopoliticalandsocialevents.Theyarealso
significantinnatalandprogressedhoroscopes.AneclipsehappenswhentheSun,Earthand
Moonalignsothat,inasolareclipse(attheNewMoon),thebodyoftheMoonobscuresthe
bodyoftheSunandinalunareclipse(attheFullMoon),thebodyoftheEarthobscuresthe
Moon.IneachcasetheSun'slightisobstructed,causingtheeclipse.
TotalEclipse
Whenthewholeoftheeclipsedbody(eitherSunorMoon)isblockedoutanddarkened.
AnnularEclipse
WhenthebodyoftheMoondoesnotcompletelyblockthelightoftheSun,leavingathinringof
fire(Annulus)visible.
HybridEclipse
Whenpartoftheeclipsepathisannularandpartofitistotal,usuallyannularatthestart,
changingtototalforthemiddleportion,thenswitchingbacktoannulartowardstheend.
However,somehybrideclipsesareannularonlyatthebeginningorattheendofthepath.
PartialEclipse
WhenonlypartoftheMoonorSunisblockedout.
Ecliptic
TheSun'sapparentpaththroughthezodiac,thecentrallineofabeltsome1518wide
aroundtheEarth.Thenamereferstoeclipses,whichcanonlyoccurhere.
EighthHouse
Theeighthsegmentofanastrologicalchart.Governsnaturalchangesinlifesuchasbirthand
death,clearingthewayforsomethingbetter,selfrevelations,marriageandbusinessassets,and
partner'sfunds;inheritance,endoflifematters;sex,deathandtaxes.
Election
Chartcasttoascertainthemostauspicioustimeforimportantevents,suchasmarriages,
movinghouseandsoon.
1. ParticularElection:constructedanddevelopedwithreferencetothenatalchart,thisis
consideredbyPtolemytobethebestmethod
2. UniversalElection:constructedonitsownbasis,withoutreferencetoanatalchart.
UsedinHoraryAstrology.
ElectionalAstrology
Abranchofastrologyinwhichachartiscasttodeterminetheidealtimeforanysignificant
action,suchasbuyingahouse,startingabusiness,gettingmarried,buyingacar,beginninga
journeyetc.
Elements
Thebasicstructuralcomponentsoftheworldareknownaselements.Inastrologyfourelements
arerecognised:Fire,Earth,AirandWater(theseelementsareeasilyobservedinnature,but
haveasubtlecharacter,nottobeconfusedwiththechemicalelementsoftheperiodictable).A
fifthelement,orquintessence,isheldtobetheunderlyingpermeatingspiritualessenceoutof
whichthefourmaterialelementsareprecipitated.Thequintessenceisnotusedinpractical
astrology.SeeTriplicity,alsoHumours.
Elevated
Thecloseraplanetistothemidheaveninachart,themoreelevated,andthereforethemore
potent,itis.
ElevatedPole
Thecelestialpolethatappearsabovethehorizon.
EleventhHouse
Theeleventhchartsegment.Governsfriendships,hopesandwishes,personalgoals,income
fromcareer,associations,groupaspirations,cooperation,betteringthecommunityand
humanitarianism.
Ellipse
Asomewhatflattened,elongatedcircle,orovalshape.Planetaryorbitsweredemonstratedby
Keplertobeellipses,ratherthancirclesashadpreviouslybeenbelieved.
Elongation
Distanceofaplanet,measuredindegrees,fromtheSun.
Emersion
AplanetcomingfromundertheSun'sbeamssoastobeseenafteraneclipseoroccultation.
SeeImmersion.
Empedocles
DistinguishedpreSocraticGreekmagus,healerandmysticphilosopher,borninSicily,who
flourishedinthe5thCenturyBCE.Amongothernotablescientificintuitions,herevealedthe
universalfourfoldstructureoftheclassicalelements,Earth,Air,FireandWater,whichhecalled
the"rootsofallthings"(rhizai),ashecamefromthetraditionofherbalmagicians.Heheldthat
theelementswerespiritualinnature,namingthemZeus(Fire),Hera(Air),Hades(Earth)and
Nestis(Water).NestisisPersephone,QueenoftheUnderworld.Hisideasprofoundlyinfluenced
theworld,especiallyviatheworkofPlato,Aristotleandtheirfollowers.
Empowerment
Thereceptionofspiritenergythroughthecrownchakra.Thefundamentalprocessuponwhich
theawakeningofhigherawarenessandotherhigherenergyfacultiesdepends.Empowerment
usuallycomesfromamorehighlyadvanced(empowered)person,butmayalsobeachievedvia
directpersonalcommunicationwithhigherpowers,asatapowerplace,orsacredenvironment.
Empyrean
Theplaceinhighestheaveninthegeocentricmodeloftheuniverse.Itwasbelievedbyancient
cosmologiststobeoccupiedbythefieryelement,orinthecaseoftheGreeksfollowingAristotle,
bythether.
Enthroned
Aplanetplacedinitsdomicile,orhomesign;ormorestrictly,wheninapartofasignwhereit
hasmorethanonedignity.
Ephemeris(Ephemerides)
Tablesofplanetaryplacesusedtofindtheirpositionsinthezodiac.Nowwidelyavailablein
computerisedform.
Epicycles
Circlesattachedtotheplanetaryspheres.Introducedtomaintainaristoteliancircularmotionof
planets,inordertoexplainretrogrademotionofplanetsintheancientgeocentricPtolemaic
system.Thisideaisnowobsolete,duetotheacceptanceofthemodernCopernicansystemof
heliocentricmotion.
EqualHouseSystem
Housesysteminwhichthezodiacisdividedinto12equalhousesof30each,commencingfrom
thefirsthousecusp,thedegreeoftheAscendant.ThismeansthattheMCisnotnecessarilythe
cuspofthetenthhouse,asitisinsayPlacidus,orKochsystems.ThustheMCisconsidereda
sensitivepoint,nomatterwhichhouseitappearsin.Analternativemethodbasesthehouse
cuspsontheMC,somakingtheAscendingDegreeasensitivepointratherthanthecuspofthe
firsthouse.
EqualPower
BeholdingSigns.Ptolemysays:"thepartswhichareequallyremovedfromthesametropical
sign,whicheveritmaybe,areofequalpower,becausewhenthesuncomesintoeitherofthem
thedaysareequaltothedays,thenightstothenights,andthelengthsoftheirownhoursare
thesame.Thesealsoaresaidto"behold"oneanother,bothforthereasonsstatedandbecause
eachofthepairrisesfromthesamepartofthehorizonandsetsinthesamepart."
EquallyAscending
Pairsofsignsthattakeequallengthsoftimetoriseoverthehorizon.
Equator
ThebandofmaximumcircumferenceoftheEarth,locatedat0Latitude.WhentheSunby
declinationislocatedabovetheEquator,thisisthetimeoftheEquinox.SeeCelestialEquator.
Equidistance(Eq)
MidpointbetweencentresofSunandMooninachart.Expressessubtle,unconsciousforces.
EquinoctialPoints
FirstdegreesofAriesandLibrarespectively.Astronomically,thecelestialpointswheretheplane
oftheequatorintersectstheplaneoftheecliptic.
EquinoctialSigns
AriesandLibra.Thesesignsholdthevernalandautumnalequinoxes.SeeSolsticialSigns.
Equinox
EqualNight.Pointintheeclipticwherethelengthofthedayandnightisofequalduration.
Interestingly,theactualequalduration(equilux)neednotoccurontheofficialEquinox,whichis
moreculturalandcelebratorythanscientific.IntheTropicalZodiac,thevernalequinoxisthe
firstdegreeofAriesandtheautumnalequinoxisthefirstdegreeofLibra(theseasonsare
reversedinthesouthernhemisphere).MoreontheEquinox.
Equipollent
Twosignsequidistantfromanequinoctialpoint,onebeingnorth,theothersouth.At0Aries
and0Librathenighthoursareequaltothedayhours.Thisrelationremainsconstantasyou
moveawayfromtheequinoxbyinversedegrees.Thislaterbecameknownasthecontra
antiscion.
Eris
TransNeptunian"dwarfplanet"formerlyknownasXena.Now(2009)knownbyastronomersas
a"plutoid",Eriswasfirstfoundin2003,butofficiallydiscoveredin2005.ThisKBO,themost
massiveobjectyetfoundintheKuiperBelt,ismoremassivethanPlutoandhasamoon,
Dysnomia.Itisalmost10billionmilesfromtheSun(threetimesfartheroutthanPluto)and,at
557years,takesmorethantwiceaslongasPlutotoorbittheSun.ErisistheGreekgoddessof
discordandstrife.Shestirsupjealousyandenvytocausefightingandangeramongmen.Atthe
weddingofPeleusandThetis,theparentsoftheGreekheroAchilles,allthegodswiththe
exceptionofEriswereinvited,and,enragedatherexclusion,shespitefullycausedaquarrel
amongthegoddessesthatledtotheTrojanwar.ItsmoonisnowofficiallynamedDysnomia,
afterErissdaughter,ademonspiritoflawlessness.Erishasalreadydevelopedsomethingofan
astrologicalfollowing,asaharbingerofcatastrophicconditionsandfeministpower!SeeXena.
EssentialDignity
SeeDignity
EtaCarin
ThisisForamen,asupergiganticFixedStarinthekeel(Carina)ofArgoNavis.Visiblemainlyin
theSouthernHemisphere,itisamassivelybrightstar(asbrightas4millionsuns!),orrathera
supernovalikeevent,surroundedbyabeautifulnebulawhichisrapidlyexpandingandrushing
towardsusatmillionsofmilesperhour.Itisrelativelyclose(7,500lightyears),sowhenitdoes
finallycollapse,themassivegammarayburstislikelytohittheEarthlikeasuiteofexploding
nuclearbombs.Let'shopetheatmosphereprotectslifeonearth,orwemighthaveamajor
extinctionevent.MoreonForamen.
Ether(Aether,ther)
1. Alchemicalquintessence:thefifthandhighestelementafterAir,Earth,FireandWater;
oncebelievedtobethesubstancecomprisingallheavenlybodies.SeeAkasha,also
Quintessence.
2. Amediumthatwasoncesupposedtofillallspaceandtosupportthepropagationof
electromagneticwaves.SeeDarkEnergy.
3. Intheosophicalterms,itisasubtleenergeticfield,orlevelofconsciousness
immediatelysurroundingandinterpenetratingthephysicallevelofourfivesenses.See
EthericBody.
ReadmoreontheEther.
Etheric
PertainingtotheEther.OftenusedasshorthandfortheEthericBody,ortheEthericPlane.
EthericBody
Subtleenergeticfield,orbodyimmediatelysurroundingandinterpenetratingthephysicalform.
Itisasemimateriallevelthat,netlike,bondsthemorerefinedlevelsofthesubtlebodytothe
physical(soultobody,ifyoulike).Thislevelisthemostreadilyperceivedofthesubtleenergetic
levels,orbodiesbeyondthephysical.SeeAura.
EthericPlane
Asubtleenergeticlevel,whichliesbetweenthephysicalandtheAstral.
EventAstrology
Abranchofastrologyseekingtoexplainaneventfromitstiming.RobertSchmidtsays:"For
example,supposeyoureceivealetterormessagefromsomeoneandyouwishtoknowthe
intentionsofthesender,whetherthemessagewastamperedwithinsomeway,etc.;tofind
thesethingsout,castthechartforthemomentyoureceivedtheletter.Orsupposeyouwishto
knowthecourseofsomeone'sillness;castthechartforthemomenthetooktohisbed."See
Decumbiture.
EventOrientedAstrology
IncontradistinctiontoPsychologicalAstrology,thismoretraditionalviewpresupposesawayof
lookingattheworldasaseriesofevents,ratherthanpsychologicalstates.Inthiswayitcanbe
seenasaproductofDescartesandNewton,butthereismoretoitthanthe"clockwork
universe".Humanbeingsareseenasproductsoftheenvironment,butthisprimarilyconsistsin
theinteractionofcosmicenergies,theexpressionoftheAnimaMundi,orworldbeing.Although
onthesurfaceitmayseemdeterministicandevenfatalistic,itactuallyreflectstheunderlying
viewthattheworldismoreabeingthanathingandthatritualandotherremediessuchas
gems,mantrasetccanaffectdestiny,attractinggoodfortuneanddeflectingtheslingsand
arrowsofmisfortune.
Exaltation
Essentialdignityofaplanet,possiblyevenmorepowerfulthanbeinginitsownsign.
Traditionally,however,exaltation(4points)isconsideredlessimportantthandomiciliary
rulership(5points)onthescaleofplanetaryvalues.SeeTableofPlanetaryValues.Ram
RamakrishnanhasanremarkableexplanationofhowExaltationisdesignatedaccordingtoa
planet'slatitudinalmovement.SeeTheGospelAccordingtoGrandpa[14].
Exile
Obsoletetermforthesignofaplanet'sdetriment,opposingitshomesign,ordomicile.A
debility.Whenaplanetisinexile(detriment)itgeneratescontraryinfluences.Nowrare.
Extraconditione
Apowerfulaccidentaldebility,accordingtotheancients.Aplanetisextraconditionewhenitis
outofsect,andeffectivelyinthecontrarietyofHayz.Thetermisnowprettymuchobsoleteand
notusedinmodernastrology.
F
Face
Eachsignofthirtydegreesisdividedintothreesegmentscalleddecans(decanates)often
degrees,eachwithitsownplanetaryruler.ThisderivesfromancientEgyptianastrology,where
thezodiacwasdividedinto36decanatesoftendegreeseach.Inmodernastrology,eachdecan
isdividedintoapositive(active)andanegative(receptive)faceoffivedegrees,expressingthe
polarityoftheplanetaryrulerofthedecan.Thus,accordingtoAlanLeo,eachsignhassixfaces,
threepositiveandthreenegative,dependingontherulershipofthedecanates.Decanates
themselvesarealsoregularlyreferredtoasfaces,especiallyintraditionalastrology,somany
astrologersusethetwotermsinterchangeablyanddonotconsiderthesocalledpositiveand
negativeapproachtofaces.
Fall
Aplanetisinfallwhenplacedinthesignoppositetothatofitsexaltation.Adebility.
FallingAmiss
Atraditionaldebility,occurringwhenaplanetisinasignwhichisinaversiontoitsdomicile.
Familiarity
Anyaspectorreceptionbetweenplanets.
Fatalism
Thedoctrinethatalleventsarepredeterminedbyfateandarethereforeunalterable.A
widespreadcriticismofastrologybyitsopponentsisthatastrologyentailseitherafatalistic
beliefincosmicdeterminismandadenialoffreewill,oratleastanacceptancethateventsin
lifearebeyondhumancontrol,becausethestarsdetermineeverything.Thisisdeniedbymost
astrologers,whofollowthemaximthat"thestarsincline,theydonotcompel".
Fate
1. Inexorableeventsbeyondanindividual'scontrol,predestinedbyasupernaturalpower
2. Apoweroragencythatpredeterminesandordersthecourseofevents
3. Inmythology,threeancientgoddesses,TheFates(moir),determinethepathand
durationoflife:
o Clotho,"thespinner",spinningthethreadoflife
o Lachesis,"themeasurer",preparingone'slotinlifeandmeasuringitsduration
(viathehoroscope)
o Atropos,"shewhocannotbeturned",cuttingthethreadwithherdreaded
shearsattheappointedmomentofdeath
Eventhegodswereheldsubjecttothesestern,implacablepowers.MoreonTheFates
[offsite].
4. Destinyisfatewithapurpose.Itisheldthatonecantransformone'sfateintodestiny
byconsciouslyfulfillingthehighercallingimplicitinone'snatalchart,asopposedto
merelyfollowingtheunconsciouspromptingsofthecosmicforces.
SeeKarma,alsoAstrology,Destiny&Intent.
FemininePlanets
Moon;Venus;probablyNeptune,despitethemythology.SeeMasculine&FemininePlanets.
Somemodernastrologersassigngendertoasteroidsalso,sowehaveCeres,Juno,Vestaand
PallasAthenaallbeingconsideredfeminine.Thisissupposedtorightthegenderbalance.
FeminineSigns
Taurus;Cancer;Virgo;Scorpio;Capricorn;Pisces.SeeMasculine&FeminineSigns.
FengShui
"Wind"and"Water".Designedtocontroltheflowofnaturalenergiesinthehomeandbusiness,
thisisanancientChinesedisciplinestillwidelyemployedamongChinesecommunities.Oncean
essentialpartofbuildingandlandscapedesigninChina,itwassuppressedbytheCommunist
regime,buthasrecentlyenjoyedarenaissanceandhasalsobecomepopularintheWest.
FeralSigns
Leo;lasthalfofSagittarius
FertileSigns
Cancer;Libra;Taurus.Scorpioisconsideredfertilebymostmodernastrologers,despitebeing
ruledbyMars(probablybecauseitisfeminineandwatery).PiscesandSagittariusaredescribed
byPtolemyas"fecund".Piscesisfertileandfruitful,butisSagittarius?Sagittarius(hotandmoist)
certainlylikestoscatterseedtothewinds,butdoesnotseemparticularlynurturesometome.
Still"fecund"doesnotmean"nurturesome",merely"abletoreproduceprolifically"soitmust
bebecauseprolificJupiterrulesthemboth.LillytoosaysSagittariusisfruitfulduetothe
influenceofJupiterbeingdignifiedtherebybothdomicileandjoy.
FiducialDegree(FiducialPoint)
Theaccepted,ortrusteddegreeforthebeginningofthezodiac:0AriesintheWesternTropical
System(Latin:fiducia=trust).
FieryElement
Oneofthefourastrologicalelements.Amasculineelement,itstandsforaction,positivity,
matterstodowithspiritualityandsoon.TheotherelementsareWater,AirandEarth.
FieryTriplicity
TheFireSigns:Aries;Leo;Sagittarius.Thesesignsarehotanddrybynatureandcholericby
temperament.
FifthHouse
Thefifthsegmentofachart.Itrepresentsrecreation,creativity,hobbies,gambling,risks,
children,loveaffairsandtheextensionoftheselfthroughchildrenorloverelationships.
Figure
1. Chart,horoscope,map,nativity.
2. Inhellenisticastrologyafigure(schema)ismorespecificallydefined,namelywhena
planetformsanapplyingschematicrelationshipwithregardtoanother,inoneofthe
majorwholesignaspectualrelationships:hexagonal(sextile),tetragonal(square),
trigonal(trine),ordiametrical(opposition).Figurescanbecompletedeitherbyimage
(sign)orportion(degree).Afigureneednotbeacompletedaspect,whichisdefinedas
beingthreeportionseithersideofthepartileaspect.
FingerofFate
SeeFingerofGod.
FingerofGod
AlsocalledtheFingerofFateorYod.Comprisestwoplanetsinsextile(60)aspecttoeachother,
eachmakinga150aspectfocusedonthesamethirdplanet(opposingtheirmidpoint).
Indicativeofaspeciallifepurpose,itcreatesthesensationofsteadiness,specialpassion,deep
aspirationandastronginnerdrivetoaccomplishsomethingveryimportantandspecial.
Firdar
seeAlfridaria
Fire
seeFieryElement
FireSigns
Aries(cardinal),Leo(fixed),Sagittarius(mutable).Firesignstendtobeoutgoing,active,
energetic,egocentric,dynamicandspirited.
Firmament
Thesky,orthevaultoftheHeavens.IntheancientGeocentricModeloftheUniverse,the
celestialspheretowhichthefixedstarswereattached.(Latin:firmamentum=strengthening
support).
FirstHouse
seeAscendant.
FixedHouses
2nd,5th,8th,11thhouses.
FixedSigns
Taurus,Leo,Scorpio,Aquarius.Fixedsignstendtobestrong,stubborn,determined,controlling,
loyalandreliable.
FixedStars
Thesedonotmoveacrosstheecliptic,asdoplanets("WanderingStars").Thoseneartheecliptic
andofsignificantmagnitudehaveconsiderableinfluence.MoreonFixedStars.
FixedStars(Behenian)
Fifteenparticularlypowerfulstarsancientlyusedinmagicalapplications.SeeBehenianFixed
Stars.
FixedZodiac
SeeSiderealZodiac.
Fomalhaut
AbeneficFixedStarinthe4thdegreeofPisces.OneofthefourRoyalStars.
Forecast
Predictionsbasedonananalysisofplanetaryconfigurations.
Fortuna
PartofFortune,namedfortheRomangoddessofluckandwellbeing(Greek:Tyche).SeePars
Fortunae.
FortunaChart
ChartconstructedusingthedegreeofthePartofFortuneastheascendant.
FortunateDegrees
Certaindegreesaretraditionallydesignatedasabletoincreasefortune.AccordingtoWilliam
Lily,theseare:
Sign Fort.Deg. Sign Fort.Deg.
Aries 19 Libra 3,15,21
Taurus 3,15,27 Scorpio 7,18,20
Gemini 11 Sagittarius 13,20
Cancer 1,2,3,4,15 Capricorn 12,13,14,20
Leo 2,5,7,19 Aquarius 7,16,17,20
Virgo 3,14,20 Pisces 12,20
Notethatthedegreesaresetinthetraditionalmanner,i.e.,1=0001'0060'etc
Fortunes
JupiterandVenus;alsoMercuryandMoonunlessafflicted.TheSunandNeptunecanbe
fortunatewhenunafflicted,andingoodaspecttoJupiterorVenus.BearinmindthattheSunis
consideredaninfortune(malefic)inIndianVedicAstrologyandinWesternAstrologywhenin
conjunction(seeCombust),oropposition.Fortuneorotherwisehastodowiththebalanceof
sect,elementsandhumours;itmayalsobethatinhotclimatestheinfluenceoftheSunisfeltto
bemorehostilethanitisincolderclimes.SeealsoInfortunes.
FourPillars
ShiChenBaZi,theFourPillarsofDestinyinChineseAstrology.TheFourPillars(BaZi)areYear,
Months,Days,Hours.MoreonChineseAstrology.
FourthHouse
Fourthsegmentofanastrologicalchart.Itrepresentstheendofmatters,religiousand
philosophicalbeliefs,thehome,realestateandthequerent'sfather(thoughinmodern
astrologycanalsorepresentthemother,orparentalinfluenceingeneral).
FruitfulSigns
Cancer,Scorpio,Pisces;LillyconsidersTaurus,LibraandSagittariustobefruitful,duetothe
influenceofVenusandJupiter;healsoclassesAquariusas"withoutdoubtmorefruitfulthan
barren",butdoesnotgiveareason.
Frustration
Whenaplanetapplyingtoanaspectisdeflectedbyathirdbeforetheaspectiscomplete,itis
describedashavingbeenfrustrated.UsedinHoraryAstrology.
FullMoon
OccurswhentheMoonopposestheSun.Thisimportanteventhappensonceeverymonth,
whenthefaceoftheMoonisfullylitupbythelightoftheSun.LunarEclipsescanonlyhappen
attheFullMoon.
G
GalacticCentre
ThecentreofourGalaxy,theMilkyWay,currentlylocatedatSag2700'.Thispoint,predictedin
1918anddiscoveredin1932,isagiganticradiosource(calledSagittariusA)surroundingwhatis
thoughttobeasupermassiveblackhole(SagittariusA*)withthemassofsomefourmillion
timesthatofourownSun.Ithasasignificanteffectwhenaspected,incliningpeopletotakea
centralroleinaffairsandtohaveasenseofcosmicdestiny.
GalacticCore
GalacticCentre.
Galaxy
Avastgroupingofbillionsofstarsandassociatedcosmicphenomenaboundtogetherbygravity
andorbitingacommoncentre.Accordingtoscience,billionsofgalaxiesthousandsoflightyears
indiameterarescatteredacrosstheuniverse,withprettywellnothingmuchoccupyingthevast
spacebetweenthem(unlessofcourseyoucountthesocalled"darkmatter"postulatedbythe
latestcosmologicaltheories).Almostallofthevisiblestarsinthenightsky,includingourown
SolarSystem,arepartoftheMilkyWayGalaxy.Mostgalaxiesexternaltoourownrequirea
telescopetoseeclearly.NotableexceptionsaretheLargeandSmallMagellanicCloudsandthe
AndromedaGalaxy,whicharevisibletothenakedeye.Galaxiesassuchhavenoastrological
significance,thoughesotericteachingsholdthattheyareeacha"body"ofadivinebeing.
Galen
Famous2ndCenturyGreekphysicianwhotaught,followingHippocrates,thatthebodywas
composedoffourhumours,sanguine,choleric,melancholicandphlegmatic(relatedtothefour
elementsofAristotle)andthathealthconsistedinmaintainingthebalancebetweenthem.His
treatmentswereprimarilyholisticanddesignedtorestorethehumoralbalance:diet,exercise,
administeringpurgatives,diureticsoremetics,andbloodletting.SeeHumours.
Galileo
GalileoGalilei(15Feb.15648Jan.1642),knownasthefatherofmodernphysics,wasa
supporteroftheCopernicansystemandmademuchuseofthetelescopeinhisobservationof
thesolarsystem.HediscoveredthefourlargestmoonsofJupiter,knownastheGalileanmoons
inhishonour.GalileofirstobservedandpublishedthephasesofVenus,thussupportingthe
heliocentrictheory,andmademanyotherdiscoveries,includingtheringsofSaturnandthatthe
fixedstarswereactuallysuns,perceivedassmallbecauseofimmensedistance.Heargued
vehementlyagainstAristotleandPtolemy.Hisviewsweredeclaredhereticalandalthoughhe
endedhislifeunderhousearrest,hehasbecomeoneofthemostinfluentialscientistsinhistory.
Gematria
Qabbalisticsystemofencodingmeaningusingthenumericalvaluesofthelettersofthe
alphabet,particularlytheHebrewalphabet.TheQabbalaisamethodofencodingand
interpretingesotericmeaningsintheHebrewscriptures.Otherancientalphabetsalsoserved
thedualpurposeofnumericalsystemsaswellasalphabeticalsymbols.Amongthem,theGreek,
theSanskrit,andtheRomanalphabet(usedinmostmodernWesternlanguages),alsopossess
numericalvalues,whichareusedinNumerology.
Gemini
Thethirdsignofthezodiac.Mutableandairy.RuledbyMercury.Emblem:TheTwins.More
aboutGemini.
Geminids
ImpressiveannualmeteorshowerpeakingaroundDecember14,arisingfromaradiantinthe
constellationGemini.Firstobservedinmoderntimes,thesehavenoknownastrologicalimport.
Genethlialogy
ThestudyofBirthChartsinNatalAstrology.
Genethliacal
PertainingtoBirthChartsinNatalAstrology.
Gender
Theuniversalspiritcontainsbothmasculineandfeminineprinciplesexpressedintheworldas
contrastingenergiesseekingcreativeunionandsoattainingbalance.Cosmicenergiesare
definedinastrologyandoccultworkingeneralaseither
o masculine(objective;active;conscious;outgoing;hot;dry;positive;penetrative;
creative;electric;bright;yang,etc.)or
o feminine(subjective;passive;subconscious;inwardlooking;cool;moist;negative;
receptive;nourishing;magnetic;dark;yin,etc.).
Fromthehermeticpointofview,themasculineprincipleisprimarilyacreativeandfertilising
force,orwill,whilethefeminineprincipleisprimarilyanimaging,formulatingandnourishing
force,orground,thatbringsthewillintomaterialform.Theseprinciplesarebynomeansthe
sameasmaleandfemale(althoughsexualityexpressesgenderatthebiologicallevel)anddo
notimplythatmalesexclusivelyexpressallmasculinecharacteristics,northatfemales
exclusivelyexpressallfemininecharacteristicsaslisted.Clearlybothsexesexpressamixtureof
polarcharacteristicsacrossabroadspectrum.SeePolarity.SeealsoMasculine&Feminine.
Geniture
TheBirthChart.
Geocentric
TheEarthasthecentreofobservationandinfluence.Astrologicalaspectsaregeocentric,asthey
relatetotheEarth.SeeHeliocentric.
GeocentricModeloftheUniverse
Dominantclassicalviewoftheuniversedevelopedbyinthe5thCenturyBCbyPlatoand
systematisedbyAristotle,whereintheEarthheldthecentralposition.Theplanetsandfixed
starswerebelievedtorevolvearoundasphericalEarth,affixedtocrystallinespheres.Ptolemy
inthe2ndCenturyADdevelopedascientificallyrefinedversionofthissystem,whichheldsway
untilthe17thCentury,whenitbegantobereplacedbythemodernHeliocentricModel
developedbyGalileo,CopernicusandKepler,andtiedtogetherbyNewton.SeePtolemy.
Geomancy
1. AstrologicalGeomancy:divinationbymeansoffigures,originallycreatedbymakingdots
inthesand,andlaterformalisedasdiagramsonparchment.Sixteenpossiblefigures
consistingofsingleorpairsofpointsaresetintoatableau.Eachfigurehasaname,
associationswithelements,planets,etc.,andgoodorbadqualities.Interpretation
dependsonthemeaningsofthefiguresinparticularlocationsinthetableau,andowes
agreatdealtothepracticeofmedivalastrology.Unlikeastrology,however,geomancy
requiresnoinstrumentsorcomplexcalculations.MoreonGeomancy(offsite)
2. Divinationusingstones,crystalsandothernaturalfeaturesofthelandscape
3. Shapingofthelandscapeandthebuiltenvironmentviageometricandnumericalfigures
inordertogainormaximisecontroloverthesubtleenergiesoftheEarth'sethericfield.
FengShui(China)andVaastu(India)aretraditionalmethodsofoptimisingthese
environmentalenergies.
GibbousMoon
ThephaseoftheMoonbetweenthefirstquarterandthefull(waxinggibbous)andbetweenthe
fullandthethirdquarter(waninggibbous),wheremorethanhalfoftheilluminatedsurfaceof
themoonisvisible.SeeMoonPhases.
Gnosis
Directknowledgeof,orunionwiththedivine.Theultimateaimofhermeticandesoteric
practice.Renaissanceastrology,alchemyandmagicwereparticularlyconcernedwiththe
attainmentofGnosis.
Gnostic
SeekerofGnosis.Inantiquity,gnosticsbelievedthatthedivinesoulinmanwastrappedin
matterandsoughttobeliberatedintoperfectunderstandingandhighertruth.GnosticChristian
sectsweredeclaredhereticalbytheearlyChurch.
Graha
Vedicastrologytermforplanet.
GrandClimacteric
63rdyear.SeeClimactericalPeriods.
GrandConjunction
ConjunctionofJupiterandSaturnintheheavens.A.k.a.GreatConjunction.
GrandCross
Twosetsofoppositionsatrightanglestoeachother.Anaspectrepresentingverydifficult
energy,itcreatesfrustration,anger,stress,intensityandthefeelingofalwaysbeingona
treadmill.Itpromotesselfgrowthandendurance.
GrandTrine
Anaspectpatterncomprisingthreeplanetsspaced120apartaroundthechart,soemphasising
oneofthefourelements.Atrineisagenerallyfortunateaspect,whichnourishesthecontinuous
useofnaturaltalentsandabilities,isanareaofcomfort,andcanassistthenativeinthe
expressionofharmonyintheareasdenotedbythehousesstimulated.AGrandTrinewould
seemtobeamultiplicationofthis,butcanbequitetheopposite,creatinglazinessand
overconfidenceinthenatalchartandundueoptimismwhenformedbytransits,dependingon
theplanetsconcerned.
GreatChronocrators
JupiterandSaturn.SeeChronocrators.
GreatCircle
Acirclecontainedwithinthecelestialspherethathasitscentreonthesamepointasthecentre
ofthecelestialsphere.
GreatConjunction
ConjunctionofJupiterandSaturnintheheavens.A.k.a.GrandConjunction.
GreaterBenefic(GreaterFortune)
Jupiter.VenusistheLesserBenefic(LesserFortune).
GregorianCalendar
ThemodernWesternCalendar,institutedbyPopeGregoryasamoreaccuratemodificationof
theJulianCalendar.TheJulianCalendar,introducedin45BC,hadgraduallyfallenoutofsynch
withtheseasons,duetotheprecessionoftheequinoxes.TheGregorianCalendarwasfirst
implementedon15thOctober1582inSpainandPortugalandpartsofItaly.Itwaseventually
acceptedbyothercountriesandbynowhasbeenwidelythoughnotexclusivelyaccepted.
Grid
Supposedinterlockingpatternsofsubtleenergiesthatcovertheplanet.Usingtheimageofthe
electromagneticgridoperatedbyphonecompaniesandthelike,ithasbeensaidtopower
UFO's,permitcontactwith"LightBeings",enablepsychictransmissions,oranynumberofother
uses.Itisnotgenerallypostulatedtoexplainastrologicalphenomena.SeeMagneticCurrents.
Guru
1. VedicnamefortheplanetJupiter
2. Spiritualguideorpreceptor.
H
HardAspects
Amoderntermformaleficaspects,includingsquare,opposition,semisquare,sesquisquare.
HardasopposedtoSoft.
Harmonic
Resonantrelationship,orovertoneofplanetaryaspects.Ifanaspectisexpressedasafractionof
360,thedenominatorofthatfractionistheharmonicnumberoftheaspect.Eachofthe
followingaspectsisfollowedbyitsharmonicnumber:conjunction1,opposition2,trine3,
square4,quintile5,sextile6,septile7,semisquare8,sesquisquare8,novile9,semisextile12,
inconjunct(quincunx)12.11thand13thharmonicsarealsousedonoccasion.Primenumbers
arefavouredinHarmonicAstrology,astheothers(subharmonics)areconsidered
intensifications,orbuttressesoftheirprimefactors.Hardaspectharmonicsareconsidered
moresignificant.
HarmonicAstrology
Adevelopmentofthelate20thcentury.Harmonicsaremeasuredintervalsofacompletecycle.
Anexampleofthisisthescaleofmusic.Harmonicsprovideameansoflinkingplanetstogether
inthemannerofmusicalintervalsandchords.Thisofcourseain'treallysonew,asPythagoras
inthe5thcenturyBCEalsohadasomewhatsimilaridea...
HarmonicChart
Chartbasedonanychosendivisionofthezodiac.Forexample,thefourthharmonicfeatures
planetsinsquareaspect(90beingthedivisionofthezodiacalcircumferencebyfour).Inthe
harmonicchart,theseplanetsareshowninconjunction.Harmonicchartsareveryimportantin
VedicastrologyandJohnAddey,theinventoroftheHarmonicsysteminthe20thCenturyWest
wasinspiredbyhisstudyoftheVedic"divisional"orharmoniccharts.
Hayz
Apowerfulformofaccidentaldignity,basedonsect,planetaryjoy,beingabovethehorizonetc.
AccordingtoWilliamThrasherinJubarAstrologicum,HayziswhenaMasculineandDiurnal
planetisabovetheEarthandinaMasculineSign;orwhenaFeminineandNocturnalplanetin
thenight[i.e.belowtheEarth]isinaFeminineSign.KeplerCollegestatesthat"Planetsthatare
intheirnaturalsectbyhemisphereandinasignwhichmatchestheirnaturalsectareinhayz.
Thisisconsideredaparticularlybeneficialandpowerfulcondition."Hardlyusedinmodern
astrology,butperhapsitshouldbe.
HeavenlySpheres
seeSpheres.
Heliacal
PertainingtoorneartheSun,esp.withreferencetoastarwhenfirstseentoriseorsetat
sunriseorsunsetafteraperiodduringwhichtheeventwasinvisible.
HeliacalRising
Whenaplanetorstar,afterpreviouslyhavingbeeninconjunctionwiththeSun(andso
invisible),emergesfromthelightsoastobevisibleontheeasternhorizoninthemorning
beforesunrise.
HeliacalSetting
WhenaplanetorstarsetsjustaftertheSun,i.e.,soitisvisibleonthewesternhorizonjustafter
sunset.
Heliocentric
"Suncentred",orfromtheviewpointoftheSun.ModernWesternastrologyisgenerally
Geocentric("Earthcentred",fromtheviewpointoftheEarth).Planetarypositionsappear
differentfromtheheliocentricviewpoint.SeeCopernicanSystem.
Helios
GreekgodoftheSun.
Heliosphere
ThevastmagneticbodyoftheSun,stretchingoutforbillionsofkilometres.Likeanimmense
bubble,itenvelopstheentireSolarSystem,extendingfarbeyondPlutoandtheKuiperBelt,
actingasabarriertoharmfulcosmicraysfromtheinterstellarmedium.Thuswearelivingwell
insidethesubtle,magneticbodyoftheSun.Althoughithasnoactualastrologicalsignificance,it
isaphysicalmanifestationoftheprotectivepowerofthecosmicsourceofourenergy.
HellenisticAstrology
AncientWesternAstrologyaspractisedduringtheHellenisticPeriod,sometwothousandyears
ago.Nowundergoingarevival,thankstoProjectHindsight.
Hermes
GreekgodcognatewithMercury.
HermesTrismegistus
"ThriceGreatHermes",anancientEgyptiansagesaidtohaveflourishedbeforeMosesand
reputedtobeanincarnationofthegodThothandthefounderofastrology.Theattributed
authorofTheDivinePymanderandtheCorpusHermeticum,aseriesofesoterictreatiseson
astrology,alchemy,magic,medicine,philosophy,religionandrelatedsubjects.Renaissance
thinkerswerevitallystimulatedbytheCorpusHermeticum,whichexpoundedtheHermetic
Philosophy.
Hermeticism
StudyandpracticeoftheHermeticPhilosophy.
HermeticPhilosophy
EsotericteachingsattributedtoHermesTrismegistus.Veryinfluentialinmedivaland
renaissanceeras,especiallyregardingastrology,alchemy,magicandgnosis.
Herschel
FormernamefortheplanetUranus,givenbyJrmeLalandeinhonourofitsdiscoverer,Sir
WilliamHerschel(whohimselfnamedit"George'sStar"inhonourofhispatron,KingGeorgeIII).
MoreaboutUranus.
HipparchusofRhodes
Bornc.190BCEinNicainBithynia(inmoderndayTurkey),hediedontheGreekislandof
Rhodesc.120BCE.AninfluentialscientistoftheHellenisticperiod,perhapsthegreatest
astronomerofantiquity,hedevelopedgeometry,trigonometryandarithmetic;hisaccurate
measurementsoftheSunandMoonledtoaprecisecalculationofthelengthoftheyearanda
methodofpredictingeclipseswhichwasunsurpassedinancienttimes.Hisremarkablestar
catalogue,basedonChaldeantables,wasemployedbyPtolemy,some300yearslater.Hismost
famousdiscoverywastheprecessionoftheequinoxes,althoughthephenomenonwasknown
muchearliertoinitiates,asevidencedbytheorientationofthepyramidsandotherearly
indicators.
Holistic
Theideathatasystem(natural,organic,environmental,politicaloreconomic)isakindof
organismthatismorethanthesumofitsindividualparts.ThisisopposedtoAtomism,theidea
thatasystemisbeststudiedbyreducingittoitscomponentpartsandaddressingthemin
isolation.Itisthefoundationoftraditionalmedicine,homopathicmedicine,humoral
physiology,yoga,ayurveda,chinesemedicineandsoon,asopposedtomostmodernWestern
technologicalmedicineandWesternscienceingeneral.
HoraryAstrology
Abranchofastrologydealingwithquestionsregardinganyimportantmatter.Achartiserected
forthetimewhenthequerent'smindismoststronglyfocusedonthematterinquestion.
Horoscope
1. Achartoftheheavenscastforaparticularmomentintime,asreflectedataparticularplaceon
theEarth'ssurface.Theconstructionandinterpretationofthehoroscopeisthebasisof
astrologicalpractice.AlsoanarchaictermforAscendant(seeHoroskopos).
2. Oftenusednowadaystorefertothebriefdailyforecastsprintedinnewspapers,magazinesor
online.
Horoskopos
AncientHellenistictermforAscendant.Thehoroskoposwasthefirsthouseforcounting
purposesinanychart,asinthecaseof,forexample,theMoonchartorthePartofFortune
chart,wheretheMoon'shouseorthePartofFortune'shouseiscountedasthehoroskopos,the
firsthouse,theotherhousesbeingnumberedaccordingly.
HourCircle
AGreatCircleperpendiculartotheCelestialEquatorandwhichpassesthroughaparticularbody
inspace.
HourMarker
AncientHellenistictermforfirsthouseinthewholesignhousesystem.SeeHoroskopos.
Hours
Eachdayisnowdividedinto24equalhoursof60minuteseach.However,inearliertimes,time
wasnotsorigid,asdiscussedbelowinHours,Planetary.
Hours,Planetary
ThehoursofthedayareruledbyplanetsintheChaldeanorderfromSaturninwardtotheMoon.
Bearinmindthatinearliertimes,hoursweremoreflexiblethantheyaretoday.Thedaysbegan
atsunset,notmidnight,andtheperiodofdaylight(ornight)wasdividedbytwelve.Thushours
couldbemoreorlessthan60minuteseach,asjudgedbytoday's"atomicclockstandard",
thoughnotbytheirs.MoreonPlanetaryHours.
House
OneoftwelvedivisionsoftheheavensasseenfromtheEarth.Eachhousehasaparticularfield
ofreferencetoeventsonEarth,orinthequerent'slife.
HouseCircle
AGreatCirclewhichisperpendiculartothePrimeVertical,havingasitspolestheNorthand
SouthpointsoftheHorizon.
HouseSystem
Thesystembywhichastrologersdividetheheavensintothehouses.Thereareanumberof
systemsinusetoday,themostwidespreadbeingPlacidus,KochandEqualHouse.Others,such
asRegiomontanus,Campanus,Porphyryetcalsohavetheirdedicatedadherents.Vedicand
HellenisticastrologersgenerallyuseWholeSignHouses.Itisacontentiousareaofastrologyand
somemodernastrologershaveabandonedhousesaltogether.
HPB
HelenaPetrovnaBlavatsky(18311891),cofounderandprimemoveroftheTheosophical
Society(TS).SeeBlavatsky.
HumaneSigns
Gemini;Virgo;Libra;Aquarius.
Humours
Traditionalfunctionsofthebodybyintermixtureofbodilyfluids,firstexpoundedinancient
GreecebyHippocrates(460370BCE):
sanguine(blood)
phlegmatic(phlegm)
melancholic(blackbile)
choleric(yellowbile).
Whenthesefourhumoursareinbalance,thebodyisinastateofhealth;whentheyarein
imbalancethereisdisease.TheyarerelatedtotheElementsinAstrology:
fire(choleric)
water(phlegmatic)
air(sanguine)
earth(melancholic).
ThehumourswereexpandedbyGalen(131200CE)todevelopatheoryoftemperaments,
whichhasbeeninfluentialintomoderntimes.MoreonHumours.
HumoralPhysiology
Anancientholisticsystemoftrainingthephysiciantolookatillnessintermsofmanifestationof
thevitalforce,andseekingwhatisneededtorestoretheflowofvitalforcethroughabalancing
ofthehumours.
Hyades
Aclusterofseven(six,orfive)starsintheheadofTaurus,knownasbringersofrain("the
WeepingHyades").Inmythology,theHyades,sevendaughtersofAtlas,werehalfsisterstothe
Pleiades,anotherimportantclusterofseven(orsix)starsinTaurus.
Hyleg
Theplanetorplacewhichisthegiveroflife.TheSunorMoonishyleg:
ifeitherisintheascendantbetween5aboveto25belowtheascendingdegree
orintheoppositeplacerelatingtotheseventhhouse
orbetweenthefifthdegreebelowtheninthcuspto25belowtheeleventhcusp
(encompassingthewholeofthetenthhouse).
Ifneitherluminaryislocatedinoneofthesehylegiacalplaces,theascendingdegreebecomes
thehyleg.
Jupiter,VenusorPartofFortunemaybedesignatedhylegiftheyarehylegiacal(strong;
dignifiedandwellaspected)andSun,MoonorAscarepoorlyplacedoraspectedby
malefics.
Hylegistraditionallyaffectedbythesectofthechart,whethernocturnalordiurnal.
Whenthehylegisafflictedthereisdangertolife.
SeeAlpheta.
I
Iamblichus
Iamblichus(c.250325CE),aninfluentialfigureintheNeoplatonicschoolofPlotinus.Bornat
ChalcisinSyria,hetracedhisancestrythroughanancientlineofpriestkings.Astudentof
Porphyry,thechiefdiscipleofPlotinus,hisinfluentialtreatiseTheurgia,orOntheMysteriesof
Egyptdescribesahighermagicthroughtheagencyofthegods.HesoughttoreconcilePlatoand
Aristotle,butheldthatPythagoraswasthesupremeauthority,revivinghisteachingsonNumber
asthebasisofallthings.Hetaughtthattheindividualsoulbecomeslostinmatterandcannot
graspthetranscendentrealitywithintellectalone,becausethetranscendentissuprarational.
Herecommendstheurgy,aseriesofritualsandoperationsaimedatrecoveringthe
transcendentessencebyretracingthedivinesignaturesthroughthelayersofbeing.Agrippa
refersfrequentlytoIamblichusinhisOccultaPhilosophia.Iamblichusalsohadastronginfluence
onotherRenaissanceoccultistslikeFicino,PicodellaMirandola,andGiordanoBruno.
Iapetus
Saturn'sthirdlargestmoon,discoveredbyCassiniin1671.Thereissomediscussionasto
whetherthissatelliteisactuallyartificialplacedbyanunknownraceintheremotepastdue
toitsveryunusualfeaturesincludinganexceedinglydarkleadinghemisphere(possiblyacoating)
andarelativelybrighttrailinghemisphere;averylightdensity(isithollow?);andthemost
strikingthing:agiantridge(13kmhigh)thatgoesrightarounditattheequator.Itstwotone
effecthasbeenphotographedandlooksimpressivelyliketheYin/YangsymboloftheTao.We
shallhavetowaituntilNASAsendsanotherexpeditiontofindthefacts.InGreekmythology
IapetuswasaTitan,thesonofUranus,thefatherofPrometheusandAtlasandanancestorof
thehumanrace.Thoughfascinating,ithasnoknownastrologicalsignificance.Moreabout
Iapetus[offsite].
Iatromathematics
Medicalapplicationofastrologicalprinciples,especiallytiming,criticaldays,etc.Remedies,such
asherbsandminerals,arechosenbytheircorrespondenceandsignificancetotheenergetic
matrixofthesubject,ortothedecumbiturechart,throughtheirastrologicalsignatures.
IAU
InternationalAstronomicalUnion.Theprofessionalbodyforcontemporaryastronomers.No
astrologicalsignificance.
Image
Schmidt'stranslationofZoidion,theancientHellenistictermforZodiacalSign.SeeZoidion.
Immersion
Thebeginningofaneclipse,orofanoccultation.TheoppositeofEmersion,orcomingoutofthe
aspect.
Impedited
Debilitated,hindered,ordamaged.Aplanetisimpedited(impeded)initsnaturalactionwhen
afflicted,especiallybymalefics,orisinageneralstateofweaknessduetopositionorlackof
dignity.ParticularlyappliestotheMoon,whenafflictedbySun,MarsorSaturn.
ImumCoeli(IC)
Thefourthhousecusp.TheLowerHeaven,orNadir.Thenorthpointofthehoroscope.
Inconjunct
Widelyusedinrecenttimestorefertothequincunx,althoughtheclassicalmeaningis"notin
mutualaspect".Neithersemisextilenorquincunxareproperaspectsinthetraditionalsense,as
aplanetisunableto"see"anotherintheserelationships,unlessitalsobeholdstheotherby
virtueofbeingeitherantiscionorcontraantiscion(sonotinconjunct).DeVorestatesthat
inconjunctmeans"dissociate"andthataplanetisinconjunctwhenitformsnoaspectandisnot
inparalleldeclinationormutualdispositiontoanotherplanet,aswellasbeingeitherquincunx
orsemisextile.
IncreasinginLight
AplanetincreasesinlightasitprogressesfromtheconjunctionwiththeSuntotheopposition.
MainlyusedregardingtheMoon.
IncreasinginMotion
Aplanetmovingfasterthanonthepreviousday.
IncreasinginNumber
1. Waxing.See"IncreasinginLight".
2. Agenerallyobsoletetermfor"IncreasinginMotion".
Indifferents
Sun,MoonandMercury,accordingtoHenryColey'sKeytotheWholeArtofAstrology(1676),
areIndifferent,asopposedtoVenusandJupiter(Fortunes)orMarsandSaturn(Infortunes).
InferiorPlanets(Inferiors)
1. Traditionally,Moon,MercuryandVenus,planetsbelow(inferiorto)theSuninthe
ancientgeocentricschema.
2. PlanetsorbitingbetweentheEarthandtheSun(Moon,MercuryandVenusandthe
postulatedVulcan).Theorbitsofthesuperiorplanets,Pluto,Neptune,Uranus,Saturn,
JupiterandMars(alsotheasteroidsandtransplutonian"planets"suchasTransPluto)
liebeyondthatoftheEarthfromtheSun.
Infortunes
Traditionally,SaturnandMars.TheSunundersomeconditions,esp.inVedicastrology.The
Moon'sSouthNodeisaninfortune,whilstUranusandPlutoaremalefic,soinfortunes,though
modern;MercuryandNeptunewhenafflicted.Ceresisalmostcertainlyaninfortune,according
tocurrentresearch.Severalfixedstars,notablyCaputAlgolandFaciesaredistinctlymalefic,
thereforeactingasinfortunes.
Ingress
Entryofaplanetintoasign.UsuallytheSun'singressintoanyofthefourcardinalsigns.
Initiation
Gradual,stepbystepprocessofintroducingthecandidatetoanunderstandingofspecific
sacredwritings,symbolsandceremonies,generallytoareligion,secretsociety,oresoteric
school.AtypicalexampleistheinitiationintoCraftFreemasonry,withthefirstdegreebeing
thatoftheEnteredApprentice,thesecondtheFellowCraft,andthethirddegreebeingthe
MasterMason.OtherritesofMasonry,suchastheScottishRite,havemanyhigherdegrees.
Certainhigherdegreesinsomeesotericschoolsalsocontainanempowerment,wherebythe
initiate,havingreachedasufficientdegreeofadvancement,isenabledtoconductandmakeuse
ofspecificpowerswhichhadbeenpreviouslyinaccessible.Initiationandempowermentcanbe
dangeroustotheillprepared,somustonlybeundertakenfollowingthestrictestprotocols.
Intercepted
Whenasignisfullyenclosedbetweenthecuspsofahousewithoutactuallybeingoneither
cuspitisdescribedasbeingintercepted.Thisonlyappearsincharts;signsareneverintercepted
inthezodiac.SeeShortAscension.
Interfector
Killingplanet.SeeAnareta.
InvisiblePlanets
Moon'sNodes.Alsoothersensitivepoints,suchasVulcan,Lilith,etc.TheOuterPlanetsare
invisibletothenakedeye,andthoughUranuscanbeseenwithoutatelescopeunderrare
conditions,itisnotclassedasaVisiblePlanet.
Isopsphia
ThepracticeofcomputingthenumberdenotedbyaGreekword,foreachGreekletterhasa
numericalvalue.SeeGematria.
J
Johndro
Difficultaspectof165degrees,namedfor19thCenturyastrologer,EdwardL.Johndro,who
wroteextensivelyonit.CurrentlyenjoyingmoreprominencethankstoNoelTyl,whocallsitthe
quindecile(usuallyreservedforthe24aspect).SeeQuindecile.
Joys
Placesinthezodiacwhereplanetsrejoice,beingharmoniouslylocated,havingthemost
beneficialeffect.AccordingtoWilliamLilly,thejoysoftheplanetsare:
Saturn:joyinAquarius
Jupiter:joyinSagittarius
Mars:joyinScorpio
Sun:joyinLeo
Venus:joyinTaurus
Mercury:joyinVirgo
Moon:joyinCancer
LillyproposedcertainHousesasjoysfortheplanetstoo.ForexampleSaturnrejoicesintheFirst
House,because"heisthefirstamongtheplanets"(accordingtotheChaldeanOrder).Hellenic
Astrologyfeaturedadifferent,Housebasedsystem,nowrecognisedduetorecenttranslations
ofancientworks.Rarelyusedinmodernastrology.
JudicialAstrology
Thejudgementofeventsyettocomebymeansofconsultingtheplanetarypositionsandother
horoscopicfactors.
1. IntheformknownasMundaneAstrology,itrelatestotheforecastingofprincipal
eventswhichwillbefallacountryandpublicconditionswhichwillprevail.
2. ElectionalAstrologyisthejudgementofanappropriatetimetochooseforthesuccess
ofaventure(suchasabattle,awedding,ajourney,layingthefoundationstoneofa
building,etc.),usingastrologicaltechniques.
3. HoraryAstrologyseekstheanswertoaquestion,usingthechartofthemomentthe
questionarises.
4. NatalorGenethliacalAstrologyjudgesthecharacteranddestinyofanindividualbased
ontheastrologicalfactorsatworkatthemomentofthefirstbreath.
JudicialAstrologyis(orwas)distinguishedfromNaturalAstrology.
JulianCalendar
InancienttimestheRomanCalendarhadfallenintodisarrayandhadbecomealmostunusable
forthepurposesoftheRomanEmpire.In46BC,JuliusCaesargaveSosigenesofAlexandriathe
taskofdesigninganeasytouseandexactcalendar.Sosigenesassumedthattheyearhada
lengthof365daysandworkedouttheleapyearrule,bywhichthreecommonyearsshouldbe
followedbyoneleapyear,theformerhaving365dayseach,whilethelattershouldhave366
days.ThemonthswerenolongerdeterminedbytheMoon'sphasesandweregivenlengthsof
30or31days,exceptingFebruary,whichwasgiven28daysincommonyearsand29inaleap
year.
JulianDay
TheJuliandaynumbercanbeconsideredaverysimplecalendar,whereitscalendardateisjust
aninteger.Thisisusefulforreference,computations,andconversions.Itallowsthetime
betweenanytwodatesinhistorytobecomputedbysimplesubtraction.ItisbasedontheJulian
ProlepticCalendarwhichhasbeendesignatedtohavebegunonJanuary1st,4713BC,at
GreenwichNoon.
Juno
Thequeenofthegods;wifeofJupiter.Anasteroidseenbymodernastrologersassignificant.
Sheruleswifelyrelationships;theroleofwomanascovenanterandpartner;contractsand
bindingagreements.MoreaboutAsteroids.
Jupiter
Thekingofthegods,aplanetsymbolisingmatterstodowiththelaw,religion,authority,
expansion,fortune,thehighermindandsoon.RulerofSagittariusandPisces.ExaltedinCancer.
Thegreaterbenefic.MythologicalbrotherofNeptuneandPluto,sonofSaturn.Moreabout
Jupiter.
JupiterPluvius
TheaspectofJupiterasthebringerofrain.
Jyotish
Indian(Vedic)astrology.Thissystemisbasedonthesiderealzodiac,asopposedtothetropical
zodiacfavouredbymostcontemporaryWesternAstrologers.SeeVedicAstrology.
K
Kabbalah
Esotericteachingsthatdealwithmysticalideasofcreationandconceptsofaspiritualnature,
basedintheHebrew/Gnosticscriptures.Kabbalah(Qabbala,Cabala,orothervarianttranslation
fromtheoriginalHebrew)featuresinterpretationsoftheTreeofLife,theZohar,
numericalkeystotheBibleetc.
Kakodmon
Evilspirit.SeeCacodmon.
KalSarpaYoga
AveryseriousdebilityinVedicastrology,whenallvisibleplanetsarelinedupeitherononeside
orontheotheroftheNodalaxis,i.e.,betweenthenorthnodeandthesouthnode.(Theouter
planets,asteroidsetcarenotconsidered.)
Kaligni
AlternativeSanscritnamefortheMoon'ssouthnode(a.k.a.Ketu)usedmainlyinBuddhist
teachings.Lit."FlameofTime".
Kama
OneofthefouraimsoflifeintraditionalIndiansociety,namelyenjoyment,pleasure,anddesire.
TheotheraimsareDharma(righteousness),Artha(wealth),andMoksha(liberation).InIndian
astrology,thedomainsofKamaarethe3rd,7thand11thhousesfromtheradixascendantand
alsofromtheMoon.NottobeconfusedwithKarma.
Karaka
InVedicastrology,atermforsignificator,or"indicator".
Karma
1. Cosmiccauseandeffect,includingthemoralcontentofactivitiesofallkinds.
2. Reapingtheeffectsofpastactions,includingthosefrompreviousincarnations.
3. Hiddenenergiesdesignedtoawakenourspiritualawarenessthroughtheovercomingof
seeminglyintractableobstacles.
KatarchicAstrology
OneofthethreemainsystemsofHellenisticAstrology,whichcorrespondstodaytoaformof
ElectionalAstrologyandEventAstrology.Katarchicmeans"pertainingtoabeginning".
KBO
KuiperBeltObject.SmallrockybodiesorbitingbeyondNeptuneintheKuiperBelt.Plutohas
beenclassedbysomecontemporaryastronomersasaKBO.
Kendra
InVedicastrology,atermforangularhouse.SeeAngles.
Kepler
JohannesKepler,bornWeil,Wurtemburg,GermanyonDecember27,1571wasafamous
astrologerwhobecamethefatherofmodernastronomy.Apopularastrologycomputer
program,Keplerhasbeennamedafterhim,ashasKeplerCollege,anastrologyschooloffering
certificationand(untilrecently)degreesinastrology.
KeplerianAspects
MinoraspectsdefinedbyKepler,including72,135and144,developedasamusicallybased
extensionofPtolemy'sMajorAspects.
Kepler'sLaws
WhileworkinginPragueunderTychoBrahe,Keplerdiscoveredhisthreelawsofplanetary
motion,basedontheideathatplanetaryorbitsareelliptical,ratherthancircularasproposedby
Galileo.Thesehaverevolutionisedmodernastronomy,thoughtheyhavelittleastrological
significance.MoreonKepler'sLaws(offsite).
Ketu
NamefortheDragon'sTail,inIndianAstrology.SeeDragon'sHead.
KeyWords
Wordsthatencapsulatethemeaningofanastrologicalfactor.Forexample,Cancer:"Ifeel".
Ki
Subtleenergyofthelifeforce,thecontrolofwhichisoneofthegoalsofyoga,tantra,taichiand
similardisciplines.AlsoknownasChi(Ch'i)orQi,andinYoga,Prana.
KillingPlanet
SeeAnareta.
Kite
AGrandTrinewithoneoftheplanetsmakinganoppositiontoafourthplanetwhichinturn
makessextileaspectstothetwoothersoftheGrandTrine.Theneedtoplacecreative
expressionoftalentsinagroundedcontext,suppliedbytheopposition.
Koch
Atimebasedsystemofhousedivisionpublishedin1971byWalterKoch.Alsocalledthe
Birthplacesystem,itissaidtobesimilartoanearliersystemofAlcabitius.ThoughKochdidnot
himselfdevelophissystem(itwasinventedbyFiedrichZanzingerandHeinzSpecht),he
advocateditandheldthatitwasanimprovementonthepopularPlacidussystem,whichit
resembles.NeitherPlacidusnorKocharereliableforpolarlatitudes.
KoliskoEffect
Whenametalassociatedwithagivenplanetislessreactiveduringthatplanet'soccultation.
Metalsplacedinsolutionandallowedtocrystalliseproduceunusualandremarkablepatterns
whentheplanetrulingthemetalisunderoccultation,ifindeedanycrystallisationisobservedat
all.FirstdemonstratedbyLilyKoliskointhe1920's.
Krishnamurti
1. OneofthelesserknownAyanamsasusedtoconvertthetropicalpositionstothe
siderealinIndianAstrology.Ithasacurrentarcof2221'50".
2. JidduKrishnamurti(18951986),aninfluentialspiritualphilosopherofthe20thCentury,
intenselytutoredbyC.W.Leadbeater,AnnieBesantandothersoftheTheosophical
Society,whohadbelievedhimtobethenextgreatincarnationoftheWorldSpirit
(Maitreya).IncreasinglyuncomfortablewithhisroleastheChosenOne,hesplitin1929
withtheSocietyanddissolvedthemassiveworldwide"OrderoftheStar"thathadbeen
institutedtosupporthimandhiswork.ThisledtoacrisisintheTSfromwhichithas
neverfullyrecovered.Krishnamurticontinuedtoteach,butrepudiatedtheideathathe
wasamessianicleaderorguru,holdingthattruthwasbestfoundbyindividualsthrough
meditation,ratherthanfollowingtheteachingsofothers.HereceivedtheUNPeace
Medalin1984.SeeWikipediaonKrishnamurti.
KuiperBelt
Avastregionoficy,rockybodiesbeyondNeptune'sorbit.Ithasnoknownastrological
significanceinitself,butPlutoislocatedinthisgreatfrontierarea,some3billionmiles(4.8
billionkm)fromtheSun.
Kuja(sanskrit:"thefairone")
InVedicastrology,anameforMars.
Kujadosha
Marsaffliction,affectingmarriedlife.SeeMangalikDosha.
L
Lady
Obsoletetermforplanetaryruler,whentheplanetconcernedisfeminine,namelyMoonor
Venus.NeilGilesonthissiteregularlyrefersto"LadyMoon"incourtlyfashion,soit'snot
completelydeadthen...SeeLord.
Lagna
InVedicastrology,atermforascendantorfirsthouse.
LahiriAyanamsa
MostwidelyusedAyanamsa(2227'37.7").Thereisdisagreementamongauthoritiesonthe
precisearcofthisayanamsa.
Lame(degrees)
Deficientdegrees,heldtocauselamenessorotherdeformitiesanddisabilities.SeeAzimene
Latitude(Celestial)
Measurementofdistanceofanyplanetorstarnorthorsouthoftheecliptic.TheSunneverhas
anylatitude,asitisalwaysmovingintheecliptic.
Latitude(Terrestrial)
DegreeofdistanceofanyplacenorthorsouthoftheEarth'sequator.
Leo
Thisregalsignisthefifthsignofthezodiac.FixedandFiery.RuledbytheSun.Leo'ssymbolis
thelion.MoreaboutLeo.
Leonids
AnimpressivemeteorshowerassociatedwiththecometTempelTuttle.Theyappearduring
November,withtheirradiantintheconstellationLeo.
LesserBenefic(LesserFortune)
Venus.JupiteristheGreaterBenefic(GreaterFortune).
Libation
Aritualservingofwine,oliveoil,or(inIndia)gheepouredoutasasacrificialofferingtoadeity,
spiritorancestors.Thelibationceremonywaswidespreadinancientreligions,butisstill
performedtodayinmanycultures.NottobeconfusedwithLibration(q.v.).
Libra
Theseventhsignofthezodiac,Libraisthesignmostconcernedwithrelationships.Cardinaland
Airy.RuledbyVenus.TheexaltationofSaturn.Libra'ssymbolisthescales,orbalance.More
aboutLibra.
Libration
SlowoscillationoftheMoonthatallowsustoobserveapartoftheMoon'ssurface,whichis
normallyconcealedfromthevieweronEarth.NottobeconfusedwithLibation(q.v.).
Liferuler
SeeRulingPlanet.
Light(degrees)
Certaindegreestraditionallybelievedtocauseafaircomplexionwhenontheascendant,or
whenoccupiedbytheLordoftheascendant,theLordofthefigure,ortheMoon.Light(a.k.a.
"Lucid")degreesarealsobelievedtodiminishdeformity.SeeDarkandSmokydegrees.
Lights
SunandMoon.
Likeengirdling
Positiveaspectualrelationshipbetweensignsruledbythesameplanet,ieVirgo&Gemini,both
ruledbyMercury;Libra&Taurus,ruledbyVenus;Scorpio&Aries,ruledbyMars;Capricorn&
Aquarius,ruledbySaturn.Leo&Cancerfitintothisschemaandareconsideredtohavethe
sameruler,eventhoughruledrespectivelybytheSunandMoon.Inadditiontothegeometric
equilibrium,possiblythisideacamethroughthetwobeingbothLuminaries.
Lilith
1. Inmythology,LilithwasthefirstwifeofAdam,formedlikehimfromtheEarth,ratherthanfrom
hisrib,likeEve.Sheissaidtohaverefusedtoobeyhim,fleeinginordertoenjoyherown
independentlife.Sheisseenasapromiscuousdemonsuccubusanddestroyerofchildren.
Feministssometimesholdheroutasanarchetypeoftheindependent,selfrulingwoman,but
thisisdrawingalongbow.
2. The"BlackMoon",anenergyvortexintheSunMoonEarthsystem.Itisthesecondfocusofthe
Earth/Moonorbit,thefirstbeinglocatedinsidethebodyoftheEarth.
3. Thereisalsoreputedtobea"DarkMoon"Lilith,arealbutrarelyvisiblesatelliteoftheEarth,
onequarterthesizeofLuna,withanorbitalperiodof119days,some10daysineachsign.
4. AnasteroidLilith(1181)issupposedtoaffectusinrelationtoissuesofsuppressedrage,
resentment,sexualmanipulationandselfexile.
5. Lilith,theDarkGoddess,isaHebrewnameforCaputAlgol,theDemonStar.
Lilly
WilliamLilly(16021681),aleadingauthorityontraditionalastrology.
Logarithms
Tablesbywhichwhenaplanet'smotionisknownitspositionatagiventimemaybereadily
calculated.
LongAscension
Signsoflongascensiontakelongertoascend(riseovertheeasternhorizon)thansignsofshort
ascension.
Inthenorthernhemisphere,theseare:
Cancer
Leo
Virgo
Libra
Scorpio
Sagittarius
Longandshortascensionarereversedinthesouthernhemisphere.SeeShortAscension.
Longitude(Celestial)
Measurementalongtheeclipticinsignsanddegreesfromthepointofthevernalequinox(0
Aries).Thelongitudeofastarorplanetinthe126thdegreeofthezodiacis6Leo.SeeRight
Ascension.
Longitude(Terrestrial)
Distanceindegrees,minutesandsecondsofanyplaceeastorwestofGreenwich,England.Also
measuredinhours,minutesandseconds.
Lord
Oldertermforplanetaryruler,whentheplanetconcernedismasculine,namelySun,Mars,
JupiterandSaturn.Mercurycanalsobea"Lord"(butnota"Lady"),eventhoughconvertible.
Somemodernastrologersusetheterm"lord"(lowercase)foranyplanetaryruler,evenwhen
feminine(Moon;Venus),astheriseoffeminismhasdenigratedgenderspecificterms,asin
actor,aviator,benefactoretc,whichhavevalidbutnowquaintfemininesuffixes(actress;
aviatrix;benefactrix,etc).Oddlyenoughwenowhavetosayfemaleactor,femalebenefactor,
femaleaviatoretcifwewishtomakeourcommunicationsclearonthegenderconcerned.This
isduetotheinfluenceofprestigious,strictlymasculinewordslikedoctorandprofessor,even
thoughwedosayfemaledoctorwhennecessary,andfemaleprofessor(ifwedare!).Lordand
Ladyalsosuggestaclasshierarchynowsniffedatinouregalitariantimes.SeeRulership.
Lots
Calculatedpointsinthehoroscope,alsoknownasParts.(seePartofFortune).
Lucid(degrees)
SeeLight.
Luminaries
Lights.TheSunandtheMoon.
Luna
TheMoon.MoreabouttheMoon.
Lunacy
Aterm(nowconsideredobsoleteorevenoffensive)forintermittentinsanitycausedbythe
phasesoftheMoon(Luna).SeeLunaticq.v.(latin:lunaticus)fromwhichthetermwasderivedin
the19thCentury.
LunarEclipse
EclipseoftheMoon.AtaFullMoon,whenEarth,SunandMoonarealignedandtheEarthis
locatedpreciselybetweentheSunandtheMoon,theEarth'sshadowcoversthefaceofthe
Moon,blockingitslight.MoreaboutEclipses.
LunarEquinox
ThisisamisleadingtermusedbysometoindicatewhentheMoonstandsovertheEquatorin
herdeclinationcycletwiceevery27.3days.
LunarLowCycle
AtermdevisedbySueHopperthatweuseindailyforecaststodescribetheemotionalstate
generatedbytheMoonwhenittransitsthesignjustbeforeyourSunsign.Thisisthesolar
twelfthhouse,aninwardlookingpartofthemonthlycyclewhenpeopleusuallyfeelquieterand
morereflective.Itlastsfortwoandahalfdaysorso,andisreleasedwhentheMoonentersyour
Sunsign,markingyour"personalNewMoon"ofthemonth.
LunarMansions
27traditionalsectors(nakshatras)ofthezodiac,wheretheMoonspendshertimeonadayby
daybasis.Eachmansion,of1320'duration,hasaspecificinfluence,especiallyifMoon,Sun,
Ascendant,orRulingPlanetareplacedthere.ThissystemismainlyusedtodayinIndian(Vedic)
astrology.TherearealsoancientChinese,ArabicandRenaissancesystems,using28lunar
mansionsof1251'26"ofarc.
LunarMonth
SeeLunation.
LunarNode
SeeNodes
LunarReturn
TimeofthemonthwhenthetransitingMoonisconjunctnatalMoon.
LunarReturn(Progressed)
AverysignificanttimeinlifewhentheprogressedMoonreachestheconjunctionwithnatal
Moonforthefirsttimeataroundage27,markingthefirstpartofthedifficulttransitionfrom
thephaseofYouthtothephaseofMaturityassociatedwiththeSaturnReturn.Thesecond
LunarReturnoccursaroundage54andthethirdaroundage81.SeeSaturnReturn.
LunarStandstill
Approximatelyeveryeighteenandahalfyears,theMoonreachesamajorturningpoint,
analogoustotheSolarSolstices.Themostnortherlyofthemonthlymoonrisesallowthe18.61
yearstandstillcycletobeperceivedbynakedeyeastronomers.Over9.3yearsthesenortherly
moonrisesshiftfromrisingsouthofthesummersolsticesunriselocationtonorthofthe
summersolsticesunriselocation.Eachendofthis18.61yearjourneyiscalledaLunarStandstill.
DuringthisphasetheMoondoesnotsetwhenviewedfromhighlatitudesattheJuneand
Decembersolstices.Itisconsideredextremelypowerfulandismarkedbymanyancientstone
circles.
Lunatic
Aninsaneperson,traditionallyonewhoisaffectedbythechangesoftheMoon(Luna).Derived
fromlateLatin:lunaticusviaOldFrenchlunatique,thistermisnolongerpoliticallycorrectandis
notnowusedbymentalhealthprofessionalswhoofcoursedecryanddenytheinfluenceof
theMoononthementalstatesoftheemotionallyvulnerable(andindeedallofus!).However,
incommonparlanceitmeansmad,irrationalanddangerous.
Lunation
Alunarperiod,measuredfromoneplaceinthezodiacuntiltheMoon'sreturnthereto,usually
referringtotheperiodfromoneNewMoontothenext(averaging29days,12hours,44
minutes).ThetimetakenbytheMoonfromoneconjunctionwiththeSununtilthenext,29days,
12hours,44minutesand3seconds,iscalledaSynodicalLunation.Lunationisalsolooselyused
todescribedifferentaspectsoftheMoontotheSun,thusaccountingforherphases.TheNew
MoonisalsooftencalledaLunationandachartmadeforthemomenttheMoonconjoinsthe
SuniscalledaLunationChart.
M
MagneticCurrents
SwirlingenergiesintheEarth'smagneticfieldformcurrentsthatflowinpatternsbetween
particularfocalpointsontheplanet'ssurface,ratherreminiscentofacircuitboard,orpower
grid.Thesecurrentsareaffectedbyplanetaryaspects,cosmicradiation,solarwind,andsimilar
forcessuchassolarflares,butcanbeharnessedandcontrolledthroughanunderstandingof
theirnature.Ancient,prehistoriccivilisationswereadeptatthis,asshownthroughthe
remnantsoftheirmassivegeomanticconstructions.Itcanbestillobservedintheremnant
occultarchitectureofthelandscapeinChinaandBritain,amongothers,foritappearstohave
beenemployedonaplanetaryscale.Onestillvibrantformofthiselderscienceremainsoperant
todayinthepracticeofFengShui.MagneticcurrentsonEartharestilledbyeclipses,whichis
oneofthereasonssomanyancientstonecirclesandtemplebuildingsweredesignedinorderto
calculatetheminadvance.SeeGrid.
MagnumOpus
Inalchemy,theGreatWork,themanufacturingofthePhilosopher'sStone.
MajorAspects
Aspectsdividingthe360degreesofthecircleofthezodiacby2(opposition:180);3(trine:
120);4(square:90);6(sextile:60).TheseweredefinedbyPtolemy,basedonPythagorean
numerologicalandmusicaltheoryandarethefocalpathsoftheplanetaryrays.SeePtolemaic
Aspects.SeealsoMinorAspectsandConjunction.
Malefic
Evil,difficult,stressinducing.
MaleficAspects
Majormaleficaspectsare
1. square(90)
2. opposition(180)
Conjunction(0)canbemaleficifplanetsarethemselvesmaleficorifotherwisebadlyaspected.
Minoraspectsconsideredmaleficare
1. semisquare(45)
2. sesquisquare(135)
3. quincunxa.k.a.inconjunct(150).
Thereareotherproblematicaspects,butthesearethemostwidelyusedandunderstood.See
alsoBeneficAspects.
MaleficPlanets
seeMalefics.
Malefics
Planetsgeneratingdifficultcircumstances:traditionallyMarsandSaturn;nowadaysUranus.The
SunisclassedasamaleficinIndian(Vedic)astrologyandalsoinWesternAstrologywhenin
conjunction(duetophenomenonofcombustionexceptwhencazimi,i.e.intheheartofthe
Sun).TheDragon'sTail(Moon'ssouthnode)ismalefic,thougha"shadowplanet"ratherthana
realrock.InIndianastrologyboththeDragon'sHead(Rahu)andTail(Ketu)areconsidered
seriousmalefics,asindeedistheMoonitselfwhenweak.ThejuryisstilloutonPluto,butheis
mostlikelymalefic.Ceresitseemstomeisgenerallymalefic,especiallyintermsofnatural
disasters.Modernpsychologicalastrologersdenythatanyplanetbedeemed"malefic"(or
indeed"benefic"),onthegroundsthatnaturalforcesshouldnotbevalueladenandthatall
experiencesareultimatelybeneficialaspartofagrowthprocess.CompareBenefics.
Malevolents
Malefics.
Mandala
Mysticalwheelordiagram.Symbolicpatternsareillustratedaccordingtoritualisticalformul
enablingthetransmissionofspiritualpowerforhealing,attainmentofriches,love,divine
inspiration,occultknowledge,etc.Thezodiacwheelisamandala.
Mangal(sanskrit:"auspicious")
InVedicastrology,anameforMars.
Mangaldosha
Marsaffliction,affectingmarriedlife.AlsoKujadosha
Mangalik(Manglik)
ApersonwhosechartexhibitsMangalikDoshaiscommonlyknownasMangalik,orManglik.
MangalikDosha
SameasMangaldosha.ClickformoreonMangalikDosha,offsiteatTruthStar,ourIndiansister
site.
Mansions
SeeLunarMansions.
Mantra
ChantormagicalincantationofspecificSanskritsoundsorphrasesderivingfromtheVedasand
otherHinduscriptures.Thisisusedinastrologyasaremedyeithertocounteractortoassist
planetaryinfluences.
Maraka
InVedicastrology,adeathdealingplanet.Rulerof2ndor7thhouse.
Mars
Theplanetofaction!ThismasculineplanetrulesAriesandScorpioandisexaltedinCapricorn.
MarstheWarriorisatraditionalmalefic,tendingtocreatehavoc,angerandconflict,particularly
withmales.Howeverhealsostimulatesgrowthandthewilltosucceed.InMedicalAstrology,
Marsrepresentsacuteconditions.MoreaboutMars.
Masculine&FemininePlanets
Pluto,Uranus,Saturn,Jupiter,MarsandSunaremasculine.Neptune,VenusandMoonare
feminine.Mercuryisconvertible;masculinewhenwithmasculineplanetsandfemininewhen
withfeminine.Whenunaspecteditsgenderisdeterminedbyitssign,orwhetherrisingbefore
(masc.)orafter(fem.)theSun.Thesetermsinastrologydonotsimplyrelatetothemale/female
genderofsexuality,formasculineandfemininealsoexpresstheseotherpolarities:
active/passive
positive/negative
dry/moist
hot/cold
light/dark
yang/yin
Theideaofmasculinityistraditionallyrelatedtodrynessandfemininitytomoisture.According
toPtolemy,Mercuryiscommonratherthanconvertible,asheproduces"thedryandthemoist
alike".Theouterplanets(Uranus,NeptuneandPluto)havenotraditionalgender,somodern
astrologershaveassignedit.Genderhasalsobeenassignedtothemajorasteroids,Ceres,Vesta,
Juno&PallasAthene(allfeminine)mainlyonmythologicalgrounds,butalsoinaquestionable
efforttorightthesocalledgenderimbalanceoftraditionalastrology.Chiron,however,is
consideredmasculine.
Masculine&FeminineQuarters
MasculineQuartersextendanticlockwisefromthecuspofthe10thhousetothecuspofthe
Ascendantandclockwisefromthecuspofthe7thtothatofthe4th.FeminineQuartersare
countedanticlockwisefromthecuspoftheAscendanttothatofthe4thandclockwisefromthe
cuspofthe10thtothatofthe7th.
Masculine&FeminineSigns
MasculineSigns
Aries
Leo
Sagittarius
Gemini
Libra
Aquarius
FeminineSigns
Taurus
Virgo
Capricorn
Cancer
Scorpio
Pisces
Theancientsconsideredthatmasculinityandfemininityalsoalternatedaccordingtothesign's
positionvisvistheascendant,whichisconsideredmasculine.
Matutine
StarsorplanetsrisingbeforetheSuninthemorning.SeeVespertine.
MC
MediumCoeli,Latinformidheaven.
MeanorAverageDailyMotionofPlanets
Thenormalrateoftravelofaplanetthroughthezodiac.
MeanNode
SeeNodes.
MeanTime
TrueLocalTime.
MediumCoeli(MC)
Midheaven,ormeridien.TheSouthernpointofthechart.
Melothesia
AdisciplineinHellenisticAstrologythatinvestigateslinksbetweenastralphenomenaatbirth
andphysicalcharacteristicsinthehumanbody.
MelancholicHumour
CorrespondingtotheEarthElementandaccordingtoCulpeper,ruling"thesedimentofblood".
RuledbySaturn,itworksthroughtheBlackBile.SeeHumours.MoreabouttheMelancholic
Humour.
Mercury
Afastmovingplanetnevermorethan28fromtheSun,whichgovernscommunicationand
intellectualinteraction,healing,transmissionofspiritualknowledge,travel,sales,teaching,
consultantsandthelike.Neithermasculinenorfemininebutconvertible,MercuryrulesGemini
andVirgoandisexaltedinVirgo.MoreaboutMercury.
Mercury(Philosophical)
Alchemists,philosophersandphysiciansreferredtothevitalforceasthephilosophicalMercury,
becauseMercury(theliquidmetal)isaflowinganalogyofthelifeforce.Mercuryisknownas
thegodofmedicineandhealingbecauseherulesthevitalforce.MoreabouttheVitalForce.
MercuryRetrograde
AbriefbutgenerallystressfulperiodduringwhichMercury'smotionthroughthezodiacappears
tobereversed.MoreaboutMercuryRetrograde.
Meridien
Agreatcircleprojectedontothecelestialsphere,whichencompassesthenorthandsouth
pointsonthehorizonandthezenith,whichisdirectlyabovetheobserver.
MeridienDistance
Measurementalongthecelestialequatorbetweenanypointandtheupperorlowermeridien.A
portionofthesemiarc,usuallyexpressedindegreesoftime.
MessierObjects
Notanuntidylot,butasetofastronomicalobjectscataloguedbyFrenchastronomerCharles
MessierinhisCatalogueofNebulandStarClusters,originallypublished1771.Becausehewas
onlyinterestedcomets,hecreatedalistofnoncometobjectsthatfrustratedhishuntforthem.
KnownastheMessiercatalogue,thislistisoneofthemostfamouslistsofastronomicalobjects.
ManyMessierobjectsarestillreferencedbytheirMessiernumber,forexample:M31,the
AndromedaGalaxy(NGC224),knowntoPtolemyastheFixedStarVertex.SinceMessierlived
andworkedinParis,hisobjectsonlyincludethosevisibleintheNorthernHemisphere.
Metatron
ThearchangelMetatron,thePrinceoftheCountenance,was(andstillis)apotentandpowerful
symbolusedinmovingaboveorbeyond(gk.Meta)thisearthlyinstrument,ormatrix(gk.tron).
EspeciallyusedinHebrewandGreekkabbala,andinoccultdevotions,thispowerisidentified
withKether,theCrown,intheTreeofLife,butalsowiththeEgyptianThothHermesandPtah,
theOpener.SacredgeometryandthemysticalpowerofthecubeareassociatedwithMetatron.
Meteor
Shootingstarorfallingstar;theblazingpathofasmallspeedingspacerock(meteoroid)asit
burnsupinacollisionwithEarth'satmosphere.MeteorsthathittheEarth'ssurfacearecalled
meteorites.Meteorsarecommonandhavebeenknownsinceancienttimes,whentheywere
thoughttobepurelyatmosphericphenomena(theheavenlyrealmswerebelievedtobeperfect
andunchangeable),buttheyarenowconsideredthevisibletracesoftinyspacerocksasthey
flashthroughtheatmosphere.Theword"meteor"(gk.meteros)means"highintheair".
MeteorShower
Celestialeventinwhichanumberofmeteorsappeartoradiatefromonepoint(theradiant)in
thenightsky.Intensemeteorshowersarecalledmeteorstorms,whichmayproducemorethan
1,000meteorsanhour.ThePerseidsareatypicalexample,datingfromantiquity.
MeteorologicalAstrology
Weatherpredictionusingastrology,usuallyassetoutinancienttexts,butusedbyKeplerin
predictions.SeeAstrometeorology.
Meteorology
Modernmethodofweatherprediction.
MetonicCycle
The19yearcyclewhereintheconjunctionsoftheSunandMoonbegintoappearprogressively
inthezodiacinthesameplacesasinthepreviouscycle.Thisisthecyclewherebythesolarand
lunarcalendarscanbeapproximatelysynchronised.NamedforMetonofAthens(5thCentury
BCE),thoughHomeruseditcenturiesearlierintheOdyssey.
Midheaven
Meridien,orMC(MediumCoeli).Thepointofthechartatwhichthemeridieninterceptsthe
ecliptic.Inmanyhousesystems(butnotall)theMCisalsothecuspofthetenthhouse.Moreon
midheaven.
MidnightMark
MeanlocaltimeatbirthplacewhenitismidnightatGreenwich,England.
Midpoint
Theexactmidpointbetweentwoplanetsasmeasuredindegreesandminutesofarcaroundthe
chart.Theseareconsideredtohaveconsiderablesignificance,especiallythemidpointsbetween
planetsinthechartsofthepartiesinarelationshipanalysis,knownastheCompositeChart.
MinorAspects
AspectsotherthantheMajorAspectsdefinedbyPtolemy.ThesewerelargelydefinedbyKepler
andLilly,basedonharmonic(Kepler)anddiscordant(Lilly)musicalintervalsdividingthecircleof
thezodiac.ThemainMinorAspectsaresemisextile(30);semisquareoroctile(45);quintile
(72);sesquisquare(135);inconjunctorquincunx(150)thoughtherearequiteafewothers
usedbysomeastrologers,includingbiquintile(144);septile(approx5126');nonile(40);
decile(36)andtheirsubdivisions.SeealsoMajorAspects.
MinorProgression
MethodofforecastinginwhicheachLunarReturnafterbirthequalsayearoflife.
MinorYear
TimeLordsysteminwhicheachplanetisgivenaperiodofyears:
1. Sun19years
2. Moon25years
3. Mercury20years
4. Venus8years
5. Mars15years
6. Jupiter12years
7. Saturn30years
Modality
Quality,orQuadruplicity.EachsignischaracterisedbythecombinationofitsQuadruplicityor
Quality(Cardinal,Fixed,orMutable)anditsTriplicity,orElement(Fire,Earth,Air,orWater).
Moiety
Traditionalastrologyholdsthattheorbofaplanetisthediameterofanimaginarysphereof
lightsurroundingit.Theradiusofthatsphereisthemoiety.Thesumofthemoietiesofanytwo
planetsgivesthemaximumdistancethattheirbodiescanbefromexactaspectfortheaspectto
beeffective.UsedmainlyinHorary,thisisnottobeconfusedwiththe"orbofaspect"usedin
NatalAstrology.SeeOrb.
Moksha
Liberation,orthestateofsalvation.AccordingtoHinduteaching,thisistheultimategoalof
humanlife.InVedicastrologythereareanumberofchartfactorsthatpointtotheattainment
ofmoksha.
Mokshakaraka
Ketu,theDragon'sTail,orsouthlunarnode.InVedicastrology,Ketuismokshakaraka
("liberationindicator").
Monomoiria(Monomoiriai)
1. Hellenisticnameforthezodiacaldegrees,eachofwhichhasbeengivenaspecific
meaning.
2. PlanetaryLordsofDegreesinHellenisticAstrology.Eachdegreehasitsownruler,
constructedfromthedomicilerulerofthesignindescendingChaldeanorderofthe
planets.
3. Trigonalmonomoiria,wheretheorderisbasedonthetrigon(triplicity)rulershipsvia
thesectruler,withthefirstdegreeofagivensignbeingruledbythesectruler(diurnal
ornocturnal)accordingtoitssect,thenextdegreebytheoppositesectrulerandsoon.
ThisisasignificantTimeLordsystem,butthereareseveralversionsandthescholarship
isbynomeanssettled.
Month
ThetimetakenfortheMoontocompleteonefullorbitoftheEarth,some29andahalfdays
(seeLunation).However,themotionoftheMooninitsorbitisverycomplicatedanditsperiod
isnotconstant.Thereareanumberofdifferentkindsofmonthusedinastronomy,astrology
andcalendrics:
1. SiderealMonth:thetimeittakestheMoontoreturntothesamepositiononthe
celestialsphereamongthefixedstars(Latin:sidus):27.321661days(27d7h43min
11.5s)or27
1
/
3
days.ThistypeappearedamongculturesintheMiddleEast,India,and
Chinaastheydividedtheskyin27or28lunarmansions,characterizedbyasterisms,
oneforeachdaytheMoonfollowsitstrackamongthestars.
2. TropicalMonth:thetimetakenwithregardtothevernalpoint,or"lunarequinox".
Becauseofprecession,thispointmovesbackslowlyalongtheecliptic.IttakestheMoon
lesstimetoreturntoaneclipticlongitudeofzerothantothesamepointamidstthe
fixedstars:27.321582days(27d7h43min4.7s).Thisslightlyshorterperiodisknown
asthetropicalmonth.
3. AnomalisticMonth:theMoon'sorbitisanellipseratherthanacircle,butitsorientation
andshapearenotfixed.Inparticular,thepositionoftheextremepoints(thelineofthe
apsides:perigeeandapogee),makesafullcircle(lunarprecession)inaboutnineyears.
IttakestheMoonlongertoreturntothesameapsisbecauseitmovedaheadduringone
revolution.Thislongerperiodiscalledtheanomalisticmonth,andhasanaveragelength
of27.554551days(27d13h18min33.2s),orabout27days.
4. DraconicMonth:theplaneoftheMoon'sorbitistiltedbyapprox5withrespecttothe
planeoftheecliptic.Thelineofintersectionoftheseplanesdefinestheascendingand
descendingnodes.TheplaneoftheMoon'sorbitprecessesoverafullcircleinabout
18.6years,sothenodesmovebackwardsovertheeclipticwiththesameperiod.Hence
thetimeittakestheMoontoreturntothesamenodeisagainshorterthanasidereal
month:thisiscalledthedraconic,nodical,ordraconiticmonth.Itlasts27.212220days
(27d5h5min35.8s),orabout271/5days.Itisimportantforpredictingeclipses:
thesetakeplacewhentheSun,EarthandMoonareonaline(i.e.,insyzygy).Thethree
bodiesareonlyonalinewhentheMoonisontheecliptic,i.e.whenitisatoneofthe
nodes.The"draconic"monthreferstothemythologicaldragonthatlivesinthenodes
andregularlyeatstheSunorMoonduringaneclipse.
5. SynodicMonth:MoonphasesoccurbecauseweseethepartoftheMoonthatis
illuminatedbytheSunfromdifferentanglesastheMoontraversesitsorbit.Because
theEarthorbitstheSun,ittakestheMoonextratime(aftercompletingasidereal
month,i.e.afullcircle)tocatchupandreturntothesamepositionwithrespecttothe
Sun.Thislongerperiodiscalledthesynodicmonth.Becauseoftheperturbationsofthe
orbitsoftheEarthandMoon,theactualtimebetweenlunationsmayrangefromabout
29.27toabout29.83days.Thelongtermaveragedurationis29.530588days(29d12h
44min2.8s),orabout29days.
6. CalendarMonth:Divisionsofthesolaryear(approx365.25days)ofeitherof30or31
daysintheWesternGregorianCalendar,exceptingFebruarywhichisnormally28days,
withanextradayaddedeveryleapyear(tobalancetheaccountfortheextrafour
quartersofaday).
Moon
TheEarth'ssolenaturalsatellite.TheMoonisclassedasaplanet("wanderer")inastrologyand
representsmatterstodowithwomen,themother,thepublic,theemotions,habitpatternsand
soon.Afeminineplanet,sherulesCancerandisexaltedinTaurus.Severalotherplanetshave
recentlybeendeterminedbyastronomerstohavemoons,butthesearenotgenerally
consideredinastrology.MoreabouttheMoon.
MoonPhases
1. NewMoon:darkphaseatthebeginningofthelunarmonth,whentheSunandMoon
areinconjunction.Atimeforformulationandplanning.ThearcofaspectfromMoonto
Sunisbetween0and45
2. CrescentMoon:waxingbetweennewandfirstquarter.Atimeforsettingthingsin
motion.Thearcofaspectisbetween45and90
3. FirstQuarter:whentheMoonishalflightandhalfdark.Atimeforfocused,forceful
activity.Thearcofaspectisbetween90and135
4. GibbousMoon:whentheMooniswaxingtowardstheFull,withmorethanhalfofits
surfacevisible.Atimeforovercomingobstacles.Thearcofaspectisbetween135and
180
5. FullMoon:brightphasewhentheMoonishasallornearlyallofitssurfacevisible.A
timeforfulfilment,whenplanssucceedorfail.Thearcofaspectisbetween180and
225
6. DisseminatingMoon:whentheMooniswaningbutstillhasmorethanhalfofitssurface
visible.AlsoknownasaWaningGibbous,itisatimeofbearingfruitandparticipating
withothers,ordroppingfailedplansandmakinganewstartatthecomingNewMoon.
Thearcofaspectisbetween225and270
7. ThirdQuarter:whentheMoonisrapidlywaningtowardstheNew.Atimetomove
beyondthepastandstartworkinginearnesttowardstheactivationoftheNewMoon.
Thearcofaspectisbetween270and315
8. BalsamicMoon:whentheMoondiminishesfromaslivertothedarknessoftheNew
Moon.Atimeofcompletion,inwardlooking,yetofplanningforthenextphase.Thearc
ofaspectisbetween315and360
MoreonMoonPhases.
MoonRuler
PlanetaryruleroftheMoonSign.
MoonSign
TheMoonSignisthesignthroughwhichtheMoonispassingatagivenmoment,suchasthe
momentofbirth.ItisparticularlysignificantinJyotish,orIndian(Vedic)Astrology.
Moon'sNodes
Shadowplanets.SeeNodes
MoonWobble
Regularperiodsofstress,confusion,extremeweatherandlossoflife,discoveredby
astrologer/mathematicianCarlPayneTobeyinthemid20thCentury.Occursevery86.5dayson
average,withanorbofapprox.5degrees(days)oneithersideoftheprecisedate,whenthe
SunformseithertheTsquarewiththeLunarNodes,ortheconjunctionwiththeNorthorSouth
Nodes.EclipsesthereforealsomarkMoonWobbles.MoreaboutMoonWobble.
MoveableSigns
CardinalSigns,Aries,Cancer,Libra,Capricorn.Calledmoveablebecausetheymarkthechanges
oftheseasonsandtheweather.SeeCardinalSigns
MundaneAspect
AspectcalculatedviatherotationoftheEarth,ratherthanpositioninthezodiac,"reckoned
alongtheEquatorandmeasuredinsubdivisionsofthenocturnalordiurnalsemiarc.For
example:AnytwoplanetsthathaveaseparationoftwohousesareinmundaneSextile;offour
houses,inmundaneTrine.Thusitispossiblefortwoplanetstobesimultaneouslyinthemutual
relationshipofamundaneTrineandazodiacalSquare.Mundaneaspectscanbecomputedonly
onamaperectedforabirthmoment."[source:NicholasDeVore,EncyclopediaofAstrology].
MundaneAstrology
FromLatinMundus,theworld.DealswithIngresses,Lunations,Eclipses,GreatConjunctionsor
Cometsasindicatorsofconditionsaffectingnations,states,orcommunities.Probablythemost
ancientformofastrology,italsoassociatesnaturalphenomena,suchasearthquakes,volcanic
eruptionsetcwithastrologicalphenomena.SeealsoMeteorologicalAstrology.
MundaneParallel
Equaldistanceoftwoplanetsfromanyangle.
MusicoftheSpheres
AncientastronomersheldthattheEarthwasthecentreoftheuniverseandthattheplanetsand
starsoccupiedpositionsinaseriesofconcentric,crystalspheressurroundingtheEarth.Each
spherecorrespondedtoanoteinthemusicalscale.Thespheresrotatedandthesubtlesound
generatedwascalledtheMusicoftheSpheres,asubtle,cosmicsoundcurrentthatpermeates
existence.Byattuningtothemusicofthespheresonecouldplaceoneselfintoharmonywith
thecosmos.Themusicofthespheresismorethanabeautifulpoeticintuition.Thedynamicsof
thesolarsystem,firstlaidbarebyKepler'smathematicalgenius,aredirectlyanalogoustothe
lawsofmusicalharmony.Interestingly,modernscientistshavedeterminedthatplanets
broadcastuniqueradiosignalpatterns,whichwhentranslatedintoaudiblefrequencies,make
goodlistening.Thusplanetscouldbesaidto"sing".Clicktolistentothe"SoundsofSaturn".
MutableSigns
Gemini,Virgo,Sagittarius,Pisces.
MuteSigns
Cancer,Scorpio,Pisces.AccordingtoLilly,theseare"MuteSignsorofslowVoice,themoreif
Mercurybeinanyofthem,inConjunction,Square,orOppositionofSaturn".
MutualDisposition
SeeDispositor.
MutualReception
SeeReception.
MysticRectangle
Aconfigurationformedbyatleastfourplanets,comprisingtwotrinesandtwosextileaspects
withoppositionsformingfromallfourcornersoftheconfiguration.
Myth
Atraditional,legendarynarrativehandeddownfromancienttimes,usuallyinoralform(until
writtendownquitelateinthepiece),tellingoftheexploitsofgodsandheroes,oftendesigned
toexplainnaturalphenomenainrich,poeticandsymboliclanguage.Amythalsofocusesan
aspectofasociety'sculture,presentingitinamultilayered,rightbrainstyle,unlikeamodern
scientificexplanation,whichisgenerallyantipoetic,determinedlyleftbrained,andanalytic.
Modernastrophysics,quantummechanics,andadvancedmathematicsseemtohavecometo
theendofanalysisandarenowtakingwhatseemtobequitepoeticleapsoffancyintonew
mythologicalrealmsofdarkmatter,multidimensionalrealities,antimatter,wormholesandthe
like.
Mythical
Existinginmyth.Modernusageoftenconflates"mythical"with"false",orimaginary,butthisis
duetoliteralism:failingtounderstandthemultilayered,symboliclanguageofmyth.
Astrologicalnarrativeislacedwithmythicallanguage;forexample,theLaboursofHerculesseen
asasymbolicillustrationofthesoul'sevolutionaryjourneythroughtheSignsoftheZodiac.
Mythology
1. Thecollectivebodyofmythsassociatedwithasocietyorculture
2. Thestudyofmythandthecomparisonofculturesthroughthecontentoftheirmyths
Mythological
Referringtocharactersandthemesofmythology.Astrologicaldescriptionsoftheconstellations,
stars,signsandplanetsarelargelymythologicalinorigin.
N
Nadir
Thelowerintersectionoftheprimeverticalandthemeridian,orthepointonthecelestial
spheredirectlybeneaththeobserver,oppositethezenith.Thenadirisinthehorizonal
coordinatesystemwhattheImumcoeliorlowermidheavenistotheeclipticcoordinatesystem;
thetwocannotbeusedinterchangeably.Source:AstroIndex
NatalChart
HoroscopedrawnfortheNativity.BirthChart.
Nakshatras
LunarMansionsinVedicAstrology
Native
SubjectofaNativity,orNatalChart.
Nativity
Momentoffirstbreath.AlsotheNatalChart.
NaturalAstrology
Astrologicalconcernwithnaturalphenomena,suchasweather,tides,storms,agricultural
productivity,healthandmattersgenerallynotunderthecontrolofthewill.Expressedthrough
theideathatallnaturalphenomenaareconnectedandboundinsomewaybytheplanetaryand
othercelestialinfluences.Mostofthetopicscoveredhavebeenbroadlytakenoverbyone
specialityoranotherofwhatisnowcallednaturalscience(physics,chemistry,meteorology,
biology,geology,medicine,psychology,economicsetc),viathecourseofnaturalphilosophyand
naturalism.DistinguishedfromJudicialAstrology.
Navamsha
InVedicastrology,thisisthe1/9
th
divisionalchart(varga),specificallyrelatedtomarriage.The
mostimportantofthe16vargas,itisalwaysconsultedalongsidethenatalchart.Notusedin
WesternTropicalAstrology.
Nebula
Indistinctorcloudycelestialobjectinthenightsky.Allhazypatchesintheheavenswereonce
knownasnebul,butmanyhaverecentlybeenidentifiedbyastronomersasclustersorgalaxies.
Neomenium
ThechangeoftheMoontoNewMoon,especiallythatwhichoccursclosesttotheVernal
Ingress.
Neoplatonism
Philosophyoflateantiquity,basedontheteachingsofPlatoasinterpretedbyPlotinus(205270
CE)astudentofAmmoniusSaccas.HisdisciplePorphyrycompiledaneditionoftheteachingsof
Plotinus,theEnneads,whichexpoundstheessentialsofneoplatonism.Iamblichus,astudentof
Porphyry,becameitsmostinfluentialexponent.ThephilosophywassystematisedbyProclus,
perhapsthemostgiftedphilosopheroflateantiquity.Thephenomenalworldisseenasa
reflectionofareal,noumenalworldwhichexistsinthemindoftheworldsoul,anemanationof
thedivinemind,theNous,itselfanemanationoftheOne,theAbsolute.Individualsoulsarealso
emanations,whoseultimatedestinyistobereunitedwiththeOne.Starsandplanetsarenot
seenascauses,butratherensouledemanations,reflectingthenatureofthingsassignsand
symbols.TruehumanhappinessistobefoundthroughecstaticunionwiththeOne,atypeof
enlightenment,ofliberation,asseeninYoga,Tantra,VedantaandBuddhism.Neoplatonismhas
hadapowerfulandenduringinfluenceonAstrology,HermeticEsotericism,Qabala,Christianity,
Gnosticism,Judaism,IslamandPaganism.
Neptune
Oneoftheouter,transpersonalplanets,discoveredonSeptember23,1846byJohann
GottfriedGalle,basedonamathematicalcalculationbyUrbainLeVerrier,thoughthereis
typicallyNeptuniancontroversysurroundingthis(Galileo,forexample,isbelievedtohave
spottedNeptunetwice,in1612and1613,butmistookitforafixedstar).Somemodern
astrologersholdthatitrulesPisces;othersallowitcorulershipwithJupiter,thoughtraditional
astrologersdenythatNeptunehasanypretensionstosignrulership.
MoreaboutNeptune.
NeutralPlanets
MercuryandNeptune.Thesetwotendtobebeneficwhenwellaspectedtothebeneficsand
unfavourablewhenforminganyaspecttothemalefics.
NewAspects
Keplerproposednewaspectsbeaddedtothe"Old"Ptolemaicaspectsoftheplanetaryrays.
These,basedoncomplexgeometricrelationsofmusicalharmoniesanddisharmonies,initially
includedquintile,biquintileandsesquiquartile,butlaterotherssuchassemiquartile,decile,
septile,novileandsoon,nowknownasMinorAspects.
NewMoon
OccurswhentheMoonisinconjunctionwiththeSun.Thisimportanteventhappensonceevery
month,whenthevisiblefaceoftheMoonisdarkened,asitreceivesnolightfromtheSun.Also
knownasaLunation.SolarEclipsescanonlyhappenattheNewMoon.
Nibiru
ThehomeofthegodMardukinancientBabylonianmythology.Alsoknownas"PlanetX",
ZechariaSitchinsupposedittobeadistantplanetinoursolarsystem(locatedbeyondPluto)
withanorbitalperiodof3,750years.Alsoknownasthe12thplanet,itisheldbysometobethe
homeofanadvancedhumanoidrace,theAnnunaki,whoaresaidtohavecreatedhumanbeings
asslavelabourersfortheirterrestrialminingexploits,bymatingwithextantprimatesonEarth.
NGC
NewGeneralCatalogue.Acatalogueofdeepskyobjects,including7,840nebul,starclusters,
andgalaxies,publishedin1888byJohnDreyer.Forexample:theOrionNebulaNGC1976(a.k.a.
Messier42,M42)isadiffusenebulasituatedsouthofOrion'sBelt,visibletothenakedeyein
thenightsky.
NicholasofCusa
Renaissancephilosopher(14011464),statesmanandcardinaloftheChurch,whoseviewson
comparisonandproportion,particularlyasarguedinOnLearnedIgnorance,overthrew
Aristotle'sprinciplesofphysics,stronglyinfluencingKepler.
NightSign
Eachoftheclassicalplanets,apartfromthetwoLuminaries,rulesovertwosigns:aDaySignand
aNightSign.TheLuminariesruleonesigneach,theMoonCancerandtheSunLeo(though
thereisevidencethattheLuminariesoncewereassignedcorulershipofeachother'ssigns).The
planetsareassignedtothesignsinorderfromthefastest(Mercury)totheslowest(Saturn).
DaySignsarethemasculine,orpositivesigns;NightSignsarethefeminineornegativesigns.
NightStars
Moon,MarsandVenus.Mercuryisconvertible,andmaybeeitherDiurnalorNocturnal.Jupiter,
SaturnandSunaretheDayStars.
Nigredo
Inalchemy,thefirststageoftheGreatWork;blackening;putrefaction,corruption,dissolution,
individuation.
NinthHouse
Theninthchartsegment,governinghigherlearning,religiouseducation,longdistancetravel,
lawyers,legalaffairsandpublishing.
Nocturnal
Planetsbelowthehorizon(betweenthefirstandseventhcuspsviatheIC),versusDiurnal,
abovethehorizon.
NocturnalArc
Thedistanceinspaceortimetakenbyaplanetpassingthroughthenight.
NocturnalChart
Nativityofpersonbornatnight.
NodalDegrees
ThesamedegreeastheMoon'sMeanNode,irrespectiveofsign.InHorary,itissaidtosignifya
fatefulevent,tragedyorfatalityinthematter.WithasignificatorinaNodaldegree,something
fatefulbeyondthecontrolofthequerentisindicatedinthematter.
Nodes
Thepointinthezodiacwhereaplanet,particularlytheMoon,passesfromsoutherninto
northernlatitudesiscalledtheNorthNodeandwhenmovingintheoppositedirection(crossing
fromnorthtosouth)iscalledtheSouthNode.ThemotionoftheMoon'sMeanNodeis
retrograde,about3'perday(seeDragon'sHead).TheTrueNodeoscillatesaccordingtothe
Moon's"wobble"causedbythegravitationaleffectsoftheEarth/Mooninteraction,so
sometimeshasperiodsofdirectmotion.TheMeanNodeaveragesthis"wobble"out.Thenorth
nodeiscalledtheascending,thesouththedescendingnode.NeithertheSunnortheEarthhave
nodes.MoreontheMoon'sNodes.
Nonile
SeeNovile.
NoonMark
MeanlocaltimeatbirthplacewhenitisnoonatGreenwich,England.
NorthernSigns
Aries,Taurus,Gemini,Cancer,Leo,Virgo.InthesesignstheSunhasnortherndeclination.
NorthNode
SeeDragon'sHead.
Notaricon(Notarikon,Notariqon)
Qabbalisticshorthandsystemselectsaword(usuallyinHebrew),thentakeseachofitslettersto
standforanotherwholeword,sothelettersoftheselectedwordmakeawholesentence.A
secondmethodusesthefirstandlastlettersofaselectedwordtoformanotherword;orthe
twomediallettersoftheselectedword.IamindebtedtotheEncyclopedicTheosophical
Glossaryforthis.
Novile
Aminoraspectof40degrees,being1/9
th
ofthezodiacalcircumference.Impliescompletionofa
cycleandisoftenassociatedwithsomesortofspiritualtest(marriage,forexample...)
Numerology
ThestudyoftheinnermeaningofNumberandhownumericalfactorsaffectourlives,destinies
andrelationships.Numerologyliesatthebasisofastrology:Numerology,TarotandAstrologyat
adeeplevelprovidenumericalkeysintothenatureandessenceofthecosmicmind.These
occultkeyshaveinfluencedart,music,architectureandreligionformillennia,numberbeingthe
universallycomprehensiblewayinwhichthecosmicmindcancommunicatewithuswithout
usingwords.
Nycthemeron
Thenaturaldayandnight,orspaceoftwentyfourhours,usedoftenwithreferencetothe
Equinox,Solsticeorotherimportant24hourperiod.
O
Obliquity
Theangleformedbetweentheecliptic(theplaneoftheEarth'sorbit)andthecelestialequator.
Currentlythis"tilt"oftheEarthisabout2327'anddecreasingbyaboutoneminuteevery128
years.Thisfactorisresponsibleforsomesignsrisingfasterthanothers(longandshort
ascension).
Occidental&Oriental
1. Fromcuspoftenthhousewestwardtofourthviathedescendantisoccidental.The
oppositehalfisoriental.
2. Tobe"orientalinthefigure"meansbeingneartheAscendant,bestsuitedtotheSun;to
be"occidentalinthefigure"meansbeingneartheDescendant,bestsuitedtotheMoon.
3. PlanetsaresometimesdescribedasbeingoccidentalororientaloftheSun.Occidental
meanssettingaftertheSunsovisibleintheevening;orientalmeansrisingbeforethe
Sun,sovisibleinthemorning.
Ptolemysays:"Whenoriental,theinfluenceismasculine;whenoccidental,feminine."Thisisa
subtleinfluence,buthealsosaysorientalplanetsaremorepowerful,especiallywhenincreasing
inspeed("addingtopropermotion").Orientalplanetsaresaidtohave"moreheightandhair",
meaningthattheyhavesuchaneffectontheappearanceofthenative.
Occult
Hidden,orconcealed.
OccultKnowledge
Secretknowledge,knownonlytotheinitiated.
Occultation
Planetsoccasionallyobscureotherplanetsorstarstemporarily.TheMoon,transitingavariable
orbit,doessofrequently.Thephenomenonistermedoccultationtodistinguishitfromeclipses.
Anoccultationisequaltoapowerfultotalorpartileconjunction.[Tobeactuallypartile,these
bodiesshouldatthetimehavethesamelatitudeandlongitude.]
Octile
Minoradverseaspectof45.Calledoctilebecauseitmarks
1
/
8
ofthe360circumferenceofthe
circleofthezodiac.Morewidelyknownasasemisquare.
OldAspects
MajorAspects.
Ophiuchus
TheSerpentBearer,thesocalled"13thSign"oftheZodiac.Ophiuchus(a.k.a.Serpentarius)was
oneofthe48constellationslistedbyPtolemy,buteventhoughitlayontheecliptic,wasnever
consideredaSignoftheZodiac.ThezodiacalSignsareparticulardivisionsofthecircleofthe
eclipticinto12equalpartsof30each,basedontheseasonalchangesmarkedbytheEquinoxes
andtheSolstices.Despitetheirnames,thepositionsofthestellarconstellationsnowadayshave
nodirectconnectionwiththeSigns,atleastnotinWesternTropicalAstrology(compareSidereal
Zodiac).
Opposition
Agenerallyadverseaspectof180degrees,dependingontheplanetsinvolved,usually
consideredmalefic(unfavourable).Thereissomediscussioninastrologicalcirclesastowhether
theoppositionorthesquareisthemostdamaging,becausethesquarealwayscounters
masculinetofemininesigns,whiletheoppositioncounterssignsofthesamepolarity,although
differentelements.Anexampleofanoppositionwouldbeaplanetat15Aries(Fire)aspecting
anotherplanetorpointat15Libra(Air).Theoppositionaspectinmodernastrologyisgivenan
orbof68,buttheclosertheorbistobeingexact(partile),themorepowerfultheeffect.The
SunandMoonareoftenallowedmoreorb.Classicalastrologyallowsforsignstobeinaspect,so
anyplanetinArieswouldbeconsideredopposedtoanyplanetinLibraforexample,asthese
signsarediametricallyopposedinthezodiac.Thiscalledaplaticaspect,asopposedtopartile.
MoreonAspects,andPlanets.
Orb
Anaspectbetweenplanetsorsensitivepointsisusuallyallowedsomeinexactitude,whichis
calleditsorbofinfluence.Thiscomesfromtheideaofahalooraurasurroundingaplanet,
comprisingitsrays.Traditionalastrologyallowsdifferentorbsforeachoftheplanets,but
modernastrologyworksprimarilyonanorbofaspect.Majoraspectsareallowedagreaterorb
thanminorones.Forexample,aconjunctionisusuallyallowedanorbof8degrees,whereasa
semisextilewouldonlybeallowedanorbof2degreesofarc.TheMoonisusuallyallowedmore
orbthanotherplanets,whilefasterplanetsareallowedmoreorbthanslowerones.Greaterorb
isallowedinnatalastrologythaninmundane,wheretimingismorecritical.SeealsoMoiety.
Orbit
Pathdescribedbyanastronomicalbody(suchasamoonoraplanet)initsmotionthoughspace
aroundanotherastronomicalbody(suchasaplanetorastar).
Oriental
SeeOccidental&Oriental.
OrientalAppearance
PlanetrisingjustbeforetheSun.Saidtostandforspecialskillsandfacultiesinanatalchart.
OutofSign
Adissociateaspect;onewhich,thoughwithinorb,isnotwithintheboundsoftheaspectingsign.
Forexample,anoutofsign(dissociate)conjunctionofMarsandVenus,whenMarsisin28
LibraandVenusisin2ScorpioismuchweakerthanifMarswereat7Scorpio,eventhoughthe
orbofaspectwouldstillbe5.Similarly,anoutofsign(dissociate)squarebetweenSunat3
AriesandSaturnat29Gemini,ismuchlesssignificantthananinsignsquarewithSaturnat7
Cancer.
OuterPlanets
Uranus,NeptuneandPluto.Theseplanets,thefurthestoutinourSolarSystem,areinvisibleto
thenakedeyeandsowereonlydiscoveredinmoderntimes,thankstotheinventionofthe
telescope.Theyusuallyaffectusataverydeep,subliminallevelandtheunconscious,
generationaleffectsareonlybroughttothesurfacewhenaspectedbytheLuminariesorother
visibleplanets.Modernastrologershaveincorporatedthemintoastrologicalpractice,butthey
arenotgenerallyconsideredbytraditionalastrologers,astheydonotfittheclassicalsymbolic
structureofastrology.
[NOTE:DistantbodiesinoursolarsystemsuchasChironarenotusuallyclassedasOuterPlanets,
oreventrueplanets(Chironnowseemsmorelikeacomet).Plutohasevenrecentlybeen
demotedbytheIAUtothestatusofa"dwarfplanet",butthisdoesnotdiminishhisastrological
value.OtherbodiessuchasEris,arecentlydiscovered"dwarfplanet"intheKuiperBelt,are
knowntoexistbyscience,butasyethavenoacceptedastrologicalsignificance.]
P
PallasAthene
Thewarriorqueen,theprincipleofcreativeintelligenceandwisdom.Anasteroidseenby
modernastrologersassignificant.MoreaboutAsteroids.
Paracelsus
PhillipusAureolusTheophrastusBombastvonHohenheim(14931541).Renownedalchemist,
philosopherandmagus,hewasaleadingfigureoftheGermanmysticalmovement.Aradical
reformerteachingamidstthefermentoftheRenaissanceinvernacularGermanratherthan
scholarlyLatin,hewascondemnedforrefusingtoaffiliatehimselfwithanyreligioussect,and
forhisfrankcriticismoftheRomanChurch.Hesoughttooverturnthehumoralsysteminfavour
ofakabbalistic,alchemicalapproach,andbelievedinempiricallytestingremedies.Hetookfolk
medicineseriously,andappliedspiritualinsightsinordertohealandexplaintheprocessesof
lifeonEarth.Revilinghiscontemporaries'unquestioningadmirationforancientauthorities
(particularlyGalenandAvicenna)hisadoptionofthenameParacelsusmeantthathehadgone
beyondthefamousRomanphysician,Celsusnottomentionallotherancientthinkersand
physicians.InitiatedintothesecretdoctinresoftheEast,his106booksrevealhisknowledgeof
thelawsgoverningtheevolutionofthephysical,astral,psychicalandintellectualconstituentsof
natureandofman.WilliamQJudgerankshimwithHermesTrismegistus,statingthatParacelsus
was"oneofthegreatestMasterseverknownupontheearth".
ParallelAspect(Zodiacal)
Planetshavingequaldistanceindeclinationonthesameside(eithernorthorsouth)ofthe
celestialequator.Asimilareffecttotheconjunction.Contraparallelistheequaldistancein
declinationonoppositesidesofthecelestialequator(i.e.oneplanetnorthofthecelestial
equatorandtheothersouth)andissimilarineffecttotheoppositionaspect.
Paran
Thesimultaneousrising,setting,orculminatingofplanetsorstars,featuringanangular
relationshipbetweentheplanetandthefixedstarinachart.Paranscanoccurwhenanyplanet
(esp.SunorMoon)isangularandanystarisalsoangularandtheycrosstheirrespectiveangles
atthesametime.Paransmayalsosimplyfeatureplanets.FromtheGreekparanatellonton.
Paranormal
Beyondthescopeofnormalexperienceasunderstoodbycontemporaryscience.Amore
modernwayofsaying"supernatural",itisdesignedtoaddtheflavourofsciencetotherealms
ofmysticism,religionandextrasensorytalents,psychicabilitiesandexperiencesthatliebeyond
thepaleof"rational"explanation.Yogicpowers,suchaslevitation,abilitytowithstandextreme
heatorcold,clairvoyance,astralprojection,pranichealingetcareexamplesofparanormal
abilities.
Parapsychology
Scientificstudyofparanormalabilitiesandphenomena.
ParsFortun
PartofFortune.
Part
Calculatedpointinthehoroscope,a.k.a.ArabicPart,orLot.Themostwidelyusednowadaysis
theParsFortun,orPartofFortune.
PartofFortune
ParsFortun.OneofthemostimportantoftheArabicParts,orLots.Thepointliesthesame
distanceinlongitudefromtheascendantastheMoonliesfromtheSun.NamedfortheRoman
goddessofluckandwellbeing,Fortuna(Greek:Tyche).Itshouserevealsanareaoflifewherein
onefindshappiness,goodfortuneandnaturaltranquillity,witheasyexpressionofinnate
abilities.MoreabouttheArabicParts.
Partile(Partill)
1. Anaspectisdescribedaspartilewhenitisexact(iewithin60minutesofarcandinthe
samedegree).Traditionally,tobetrulypartile,theplanetsshouldalsobeinthesame
degreeoflatitude,aswellaslongitude.Aplanetwithinadegreeoforbbutineitherthe
precedingorfollowingdegreeisnotpartile,butplatic.
2. Inancientastrology,partilewasmeasurementoftheaspectbydegree("part"orpoint),
whereasplaticwasmeasurementoftheaspectbysign("plate",orbroadarea).
Penumbra
Thelighter,outerzoneoftheMoon'sshadowvisibleduringasolareclipse.Itsurroundsthe
umbra,ordarkcentralzoneoftheshadow.
Peregrine
Whenaplanetisvoidofessentialdignities.Thisisadebility,soseriousinthemindofLillythat
hedescribeditas"maliciousbeyondexpression".Planetsinmutualreceptioncanabatethe
debility,strengtheningitthroughtheexchangeofenergies.
Perigee
Theplaceinaplanet'sorbitwhichisnearesttotheEarth.SeeApogee.
Perigeesyzygy
SeeSuperMoon.
Perihelion
Theplaceinaplanet'sorbitwhichisnearesttotheSun.SeeAphelion.
Perpendicular
Arightangle(90).Circlesthatmeetat90angles.
Perseids
AprolificmeteorshowerassociatedwiththecometSwiftTuttle.EmergingeachyearinJulyand
August,theirradiantliesintheconstellationPerseus.
PhasesoftheMoon
ThestagesinthemonthlywaxingandwaningoftheMoon.SeeMoonPhases.
PhlegmaticHumour
CorrespondingtotheWaterElement,accordingtoCulpeperitrulesthebrainand"coolsand
moistenstheheart,therebysustainingit,andthewholebody...".RuledbyMoonandVenus,it
worksthroughthePhlegm.SeeHumours.MoreaboutthePhlegmaticHumour.
Picatrix
GhayatalHakim,the"GoaloftheWise".AproscribedmedivalArabiccompendiumofmagical
rulesandastrologicaltalismanicformul,somefromearlyclassicalsources,influencing
medivalandrenaissanceEuropeanthinkersincludingPicodellaMirandola,MarsilioFicinoand
CorneliusAgrippa.KnownbyRabelais,itwasacauseofthearrestbytheInquisitionofCasanova.
HithertoavailableonlyinLatin,Arabic,SpanishandGerman,itwasfirsttranslatedfromArabic
intoEnglishbyHashemAtallah.Books1&2maybeobtainedinalimitededitionof1000
publishedin2002byOuroborosPress,SeattleWA.Asecondvolume(Books3&4)isin
preparationofthisrareandvaluabletreatise,asourceofauthentic,occultknowledge.
Pisces
Thetwelfthsignofthezodiac.Mutablewater.RuledbyJupiter(orNeptune,accordingto
modernastrologers,thoughsomeassigndualrulershipwithJupiter,whiletraditional
astrologersdenyanypretensionsofrulershiptoNeptune).ExaltationofVenus.Pisces'symbol
comprisesabraceoffishes.MoreaboutPisces
Pivot
Ancienttermforangularhouse.
Pivotal
Aplanetbeinginanangularplace(orhouse)inthewholesignhousesystem.
Places
1. AncienttermforHouses.
2. AccordingtoPtolemy,placesarethetwelfthpartofasign,eachbeing230'ofarcinthe
orderofthesigns(seedwadishamsha).
PlacidusHouseSystem
Commonlyusedsystemofhousedivision,popularisedbyItalianBenedictinemonkPlacidode
Titus(16031668).Atimedelineatedsystembasedondivisionbyplanetaryhours,thereis
evidencethatPtolemyusedit.Inthe19thcentury,tablesofhouseswerefirstprintedforthis
system,somostastrologerssincehaveuseditbecausereadilyavailabletablessavearduous
calculations.Nowadays,withtheadvanceofthepersonalcomputer,anyhousesystemcanbe
calculatedeasily,sotheconvenienceargumentisnolongerimportant.
Planet
1. Fromanoldwordmeaning"wanderer",theplanetsarethoseheavenlybodiesthat
seemtomovethroughthezodiac(sciencesaysplanetsaremassivebodiesinoursolar
systemthatrevolveinorbitsaroundtheSun,sogivingthisimpressiontousearthlings).
ThosethatdonotmoveperceptiblyareknownastheFixedStars(eventhoughtheydo
moveimperceptiblyovervastperiodsoftime).Inastrology,theplanetsincludetheSun,
theMoonandtheMoon'sNodes(Dragon'sHeadandTail).Thesearethemainfocal
pointsforthecosmicenergiesthataffectus.MoreonPlanets.
2. Acommitteeofmodernastronomershasrecentlyredefinedtheterm"planet"tomean
"anybodymassiveenoughtoberoundthatisnotastarbutisorbitingone".They
demotedPluto(andpromotedCeres)tothestatusof"dwarfplanet"in2006.Plutohas
alsosince(2008)beenredefinedasa"plutoid",atransNeptunianobject(TNO)orKyber
BeltObject(KBO).Thesenewdefinitionsaregenerallyirrelevanttoastrology.
PlanetofOrientalAppearance
PlanetrisingimmediatelybeforetheSun,indicatingspecialskillsandfacultiesinanatalchart.
PlanetaryHours
ThehoursofthedayareruledbyplanetsintheirorderfromSaturninwardtotheMoon.More
onPlanetaryHours.
PlanetaryRays
InancientHellenistictheory,eachoftheplanetswasheldtoemitsevenrays,threetotheleft
andthreetotherightofthecentraldiametricray.SeeRays.
PlanetaryStation
Duringaretrogradecycle,theplanet'senergyismostpowerfulwhentheplanetmakesastation,
appearingmotionlessinthesky.Thesestationaryperiodsoccuratthebeginningofthecycle
(whentheplanetfirsthaltsasitpreparestomovebackwards)andmidwaythroughthecycle
whentheretrogradeplanetslowstoastopbeforemovingforwardagain.SeeRetrograde
Planets.
PlanetaryStrength
Thepowerofaplanetinahorarychartduetothesumtotaloftheplanet'sdignitiesordebilities,
bothessentialandaccidental.Insomequestionstherelativestrengthandhousepositionofthe
mainrulerswilldeterminetheanswer.Forexample,incourtquestionswhicheverrulerhasthe
mostdignity(strength)andmostfavourablyaspectsthe10thcusprulerorplanet(thejudge)is
likelytowinthecase.[source:GlossaryofHoraryAstrology]
Platic(Plactic;Platick)
Wideraspect(morethan1degree),yetwithinorb.SeePartile.
Plato
PerhapsthegreatestthinkeroftheClassicalAgeofGreece,Plato(c427347BCE),anAthenian,
wasadiscipleofSocratesandmentorofAristotle.Hisextraordinaryabilitiesasaphilosopher
werematchedbythebrillianceandreadabilityofhisstyle.SinceSocratesleftnowritten
documents,Plato'sdialoguesareourwindowintoSocraticthought,thoughPlato'sown
contributionsarealsounsurpassed.WhenSocrateswasunjustlyexecuted,PlatofledAthensand
travelledwidelyinItaly,Sicily,EgyptandLibya.Hereturnedtofoundoneofthefirstknown
learninginstitutesinEurope,theAcademy,whichremaineddeeplyinfluentialuntil529CE,
whenthepaganuniversitieswereclosedbytheChristianEmperorJustinianandindeedlater,
whenknowledgethathadbeentakentotheEastbyscholarsfleeingpersecutionwas
rediscoveredintheRenaissance.Plato(andhisAcademy)influencedthedevelopmentof
astrologythroughhisexpositionoftheensoulednatureofthecelestials,planetaryspheres,the
spindleofnecessity,worldages,destinyandtheconceptofarationallyorderedcosmos.
Westernphilosophyhasbeendescribed(byleading20thC.philosopherA.N.Whitehead)asa
seriesoffootnotestoPlato.
PlatonicSolids
Thefivegeometricsolidsthatcanbemadeusingaregularpolygon,havingthesamenumberof
thesepolygonsmeetingateachcorner.Theyare
1. tetrahedron(regularsolidpyramidwith4triangularfaces)
2. cube(regularsolidwith6squarefaces)
3. octahedron(regularsolidwith8triangularfaces)
4. dodecahedron(regularsolidwith12pentagonalfaces)
5. icosahedron(regularsolidwith20triangularfaces)
PlatonicYear
Thesocalled"GreatYear"oftheprecessionofthepolaraxis,wherebythepolaraxisprecesses
aroundthepoleoftheeclipticwithaperiodof25,725years.Thisiswhatdeterminesthe
AstrologicalAges.
Platonism
ThephilosophicsystemderivedfromthethoughtofPlato.
Pleiades
AclusterofsevenstarsintheheadofTaurus,ofwhichAlcyoneisthebrightest,knownas
harbingersofbadweather,eyeproblems,sorrowandgeneraltrouble,especiallywithwomen.
Someastrologersalsoclaimthemasamarkerforhomosexuality.InJyotish,theyareseenasthe
lunarasterismKrittika.Inmythology,thePleiades,sevendaughtersofAtlas,werehalfsistersto
theHyades,anotherclusterofsevenstarsintheheadofTaurus.Interestingly,inJapanthe
PleiadesarecalledSubaru,thenameandlogooftheSubarucar.
Plotinus
Leadingphilosopheroflateantiquity(205270CE),borninLycopolis,Egypt.APlatonist,he
studiedinAlexandriaunderAmmoniusSaccas,spendingtimeinPersiabeforesettlinginRome,
whereheformulatedthephilosophywhichcametobeknownasNeoplatonism.These
influentialteachingsaresetoutintheEnneads,compiledandeditedbyhisdisciplePorphry
(whodevelopedausefulastrologicalhousesystem).FollowingPlato,heholdsthatthe
phenomenalworldisbutareflectionofareal,noumenalworldwhichexistsinthemindofthe
worldsoul,anemanationofthedivinemind,theNous,itselfanemanationoftheOne,the
Absolute.Individualsoulsarealsoemanations,whoseultimatedestinyistobereunitedwiththe
One.Starsandplanetsarenotseenascauses,butratherensouledemanations,reflectingthe
natureofthingsassignsandsymbols.Truehumanhappinessistobefoundthroughecstatic
unionwiththeOne,atypeofenlightenment,ofliberation,asseeninYoga,Tantra,Vedantaand
Buddhism.HisphilosophyhashadanimmenseinfluenceonAstrologyandChristianity,along
withotherstrandsofbelief,religionandphilosophyuptothepresentday.SeeNeoplatonism.
Pluto
Oneoftheouter,transpersonalplanets,untilrecentlythefurthestknownplanetfromtheSun,
PlutowaslocatedbyClydeTombaughonFebruary18,1930.Somemodernastrologersholdthat
itrulesScorpio;othersallowitcorulershipwithMars,thoughtraditionalastrologersdenythat
Plutohasanypretensionstosignrulership.Ithasrecentlybeendemotedbyastronomerstothe
statusof"dwarfplanet"and"plutoid",butthishasnoeffectonitsastrologicalimportance.
MoreaboutPluto..
PlutoSquare
TransitingPlutosquarenatalPluto.Adifficultaspect,occurringinmidlife.
Plutoid
AbodyintheSolarSystemwhoseshapeiscontrolledbyitsowngravity,locatedbeyond
Neptune,smallenoughthatithas"notclearedtheneighbourhoodarounditsownorbit".Pluto
andErisarenowclassedasplutoidsbytheIAU.
Pluton
AnowdefunctastronomicalclassofplanetarybodiesorbitingtheSunonthefarsideof
Neptune.Plutowasclassedasaplutonbycontemporaryastronomersbeforetheyrealizedthat
thisisawellestablishedgeologicaltermforanintrusiverockmass.Itwasin2006classedasa
"dwarfplanet",butfromJune2008hasbeendeclareda"plutoid".SeeDwarfPlanet.
PolarElevation
Attheequator,thePoleStarliesexactlyonthehorizon.Aswetravelnorthwardstowardsthe
Pole,thePoleStarrisesaccordingly.TheheightofthePoleStarmeasuredindegreesand
minutesgivesthelatitudeoftheplacewheretheviewerstands.Ingeneral,itisthelatitudefor
whichachartiscast.
Polarity
1. Cosmicenergiesaredefinedinastrologyandoccultworkingeneralaseithermasculine
(positive;objective;active;conscious;outgoing;hot;dry;penetrative;creative;electric;
bright;yang)orfeminine(negative;subjective;passive;subconscious;inwardlooking;
cool;moist;receptive;nourishing;magnetic;dark;yin).Eachsignhasbeenassigneda
polarity,startingfromAries(masc.)andalternatingbetweenmasculineandfemininein
zodiacalorder.Theinteractionbetweenthetwopolaritiesmaintainsanddevelopsthe
harmonyandwellbeingofthecosmosanditsinhabitants.Thepolarityofany
relationshipisthebalancebetweenthemasculineandfeminineforcesatwork.
2. Anydiametricoppositionisconsideredapolarity.Forexample,theoppositepoleof
AriesisLibra,eventhoughbotharemasculinesigns.Inthiswayopposingsignsare
consideredharmonious,asAries(fire)isaidedbyLibra(air),Taurus(earth)byScorpio
(water)andsoon.Hencethefirstandseventhhousesaretheindividualpersonalityand
bodilyimage,versusthepartnershiprelations,respectively.
3. ThepointoppositetotheSun'splacementinanatalchartiscalleditspolarity.Thisis
usefulinrelationshipanalysis.
4. ThereisalsotheideathattheSun(masculine)isonepoleofthelifeforceandtheMoon
(feminine)istheother.AccordingtoAlanLeo,theirrelationshipsinthechartdetermine
theharmonyorotherwiseofthenative'slife.
Pole
1. Amathematicalpointonthesurfaceofasphere,locatedonthediametersetatninety
degreestotheplaneofitsequator.Forinstance,theEarth'sNorthandSouthPoleslieat
theoppositeendfromallpointsontheearth'sequatorofthehypotenuseofaright
angledtrianglewithitsrightangleatthecentreoftheearthontheplaneoftheequator.
2. TheCelestialPolesarethetwopointsofintersectionoftheEarth'saxisandthecelestial
sphere.
3. Poleofthehoroscope(PoleoftheAscendant)isthelatitudeoftheplaceonwhichitis
cast,determinedbythepolarelevation.
SeeElevatedPole,DepressedPole.
PoleStar
AstarwhichisinlinewiththeaxisoftheEarth'srotation.Thischangesoverextremelylong
periodsoftimeduetotheprecessionoftheequinoxes,butthecurrentPoleStar(inthe
northernhemisphere)isPolaris,theNorthStar,aBehenianStarinthe29thdegreeofGemini.
PonderousPlanets
SocalledbecausetheirorbitsliebeyondtheEarthandthustakealongtimetocomplete.See
SuperiorPlanets.
Porphyry
Influential3rdcenturypythagoreanmathematicianandneoplatonistphilosopher.BorninSyria,
hestudiedinAthensunderLonginusandinRomeunderPlotinus.Unfortunately,hismainwork
IntroductiontoAstronomyinThreeBooksisnowlost.AnopponentofChristianity,hewrotea
synthesisofAristotleandPlato,aworkonvegetarianism,abiographyofPythagoras,a
commentaryofEuclid,anintroductiontoPtolemy'sTetrabiblosanddevelopedanastrological
HouseSystem.HiscommentaryonAristotle'sCategoriesledtothelaterdevelopmentofthe
studyofLogic.Abelieverindivinejustice(whatwemightcallkarmaandreincarnation),heheld
thestarstobesignsratherthancauses,beingpartoftherationalorderofthecosmos.
PorphyryHouseSystem
Porphyrydevelopedasimpleastrologicalhousesystem,withascendantandmidheavenas
angularhousecusps,theothersbeingobtainedbytrisectingthearcsbetweentheangles.
Portion
APortion,inancientHellenisticastrology,wasmoreorlessequivalenttoadegreeofthezodiac.
PostnatalEclipse
Aneclipse,eithersolarorlunar,whichoccursinthemonthsimmediatelyfollowingthebirthof
thenative.
Prana
Sanscrittermforthesubtleenergyofthelifeforce,thecontrolofwhichisoneofthegoalsof
yoga,tantra,taichiandsimilardisciplines.AlsoknownasKi,Qi,orCh'i.
Precession(oftheEquinoxes)
Duetothepoleoftheequatorrevolvingaroundthepoleoftheecliptic,theequinoctialpoint
(VernalPoint)movesbackwardwithrelationtotheconstellationsattherateofapproximately
50"peryear.Itmakesacompleterevolutionthroughthetwelveconstellationsinthegreat
cosmicyearof25,920earthlyyears,or2160yearstopassthroughoneconstellation,ortobe
moreexact,signofthesiderealzodiac.ThusthepositionofthefirstdegreeofAriesinthe
tropicalormoveablezodiacmovesslowlybackwardsthroughthesidereal,orfixedzodiac.The
discoveryofprecessionisattributedtotheHellenicscientistHipparchusin128BCE,butitwas
evidentlyknowntoinitiatesverymuchearlier,asshownbythealignmentofthepyramidsand
otherancientindicators.Thereisdisagreementamongauthoritiesastotheexactpositionofthe
VernalPoint(0Aries)atpresent,butallareagreedthatitmeansweareapproachingtheendof
theAgeofPiscesandenteringtheAgeofAquarius.
Preceptor
Empoweringspiritualteacher.
PrecessedSolarReturn
SolarReturnChartcorrectedforprecession.
Prediction
Astrologicalforecastregardingaspecificeventinthefuture.
PredictiveAstrology
Astrologywhichisprimarilyconcernedwithpredictionofevents(ElectionalAstrology;Horary
Astrology;MedicalAstrology;MeteorologicalAstrology;MundaneAstrology),ratherthan
astrologicallybasedpersonalityanalysis(PsychologicalAstrology;NatalAstrology;Relationship
Astrology;EsotericAstrology).Thesedisciplinestakequitedifferentapproachesanduse
differentastrologicaltechniques.SeeEventOrientedAstrology.
PrenatalEclipse
Aneclipse,eithersolarorlunar,whichoccursinthemonthsprecedingthebirthofthenative.
Notusuallyconsideredmorethan12monthspriortothebirthdate.
PrenatalEpoch
Theastrologicalmomentofconception,approximatelyninemonthsbeforebirth.TheMoon's
placeonepochday,oritsopposite,becomeseithertheascendingordescendingsignand
degreeatbirth.Butisthisreallyaccurate?MyownprenatalepochactuallyfeaturestheMoon
onthedegreeofmyMoon,ratherthantherisingdegreeandthesamegoesformywife.Or
maybeourmothersdidn'thaveninemonthgestatorycycles...?
Prepollent
Verypowerful.Whenaplanetisstrongerthanothersunderconsideration.
PrimaryDirections
Methodofdirectingbasedonadegreeforayear.Thedegreeconcernedisfoundviathe
movementinRightAscensionofthemidheaven(MC),whichadvancesbyadegreeevery4
minutesorso.Thisrevealstheinfluencesthatwilloccurduringthelifetimeofthenative.Itis
calculatedviathe"primary"axialrotationoftheEarthevery24hours(360degrees),sothatthe
movementoftheMCprogressesthroughthesignsattherateofaboutonesign(30degrees)
pertwohours(i.e.4minutesperdegree).Thetermisalsousedforthemundaneaspectsmade
inthecourseofthe24hourperiod,thoughinfactthefullnumberofmundaneaspectsthatcan
becreatedduringtheaveragelifetimewillbeseeninthedirectionsofthefirst6hours.
PrimaryProgression
SeePrimaryDirections.
PrimeVertical
TheGreatCircleinscribedonthecelestialspherethatpassesthroughtheeastpoint,zenith,
westpointandnadirofanyplace,ie,theverticalplaneoveranobserverthatpassesdirectly
eastwestandstraightoverhead.
PrimumMobile
1. Thefirstmover,originalcause,thecreatorgod
2. Thefirstmoved,theeighthandoutermostsphere,the"circleofthesame",accordingto
Plato,whichinitsdailymotionaroundtheEarthcarriedtheFixedStarsand
constellations.Itisthefirstmovedbecauseitwasthefirstmaterialcreationofthe
creatorgod,amaterialreflectionofthesouloftheuniverse.Itisthecircleofthesame,
asopposedtothecirclesofdifference,thespheresoftheplanets
3. Subsequently,thefirstmoved,thetenthandoutermostsphere(beyondwhichlaythe
Empyrean,thefieryabodeofthegods),whichcontainedthefixedpointsofexistence,
suchastheequinoxandthesolstice.Theconstellationsandfixedstarswerethen
enclosedinanother,inferiorsphere
Proclus
ProclusofAthens(412485CE),anauthoritativephilosopherandteacher,playedacrucialrole
inthetransmissionofNeoplatonismthroughtheChristiandestructionofthePaganworldinlate
antiquity.HeadoftheAcademyinAthensforsome50years,hecomposedcommentarieson
Aristotle,EuclidandPlato,writingonmetaphysics,theology,physics,astronomy,mathematics,
ethicsandtraditionsofreligiouswisdom(OrphismandChaldanOracles).Proclushadalasting
influenceonthedevelopmentofthelateNeoplatonicschoolsinAthensandinAlexandria.Ina
culturedominatedbyChristianity,Neoplatonicphilosophersdefendedthesuperiorityofthe
Hellenictraditionsofwisdom.Proclustaughttheharmonyoftheancientreligiousrevelations
(themythologiesofHomerandHesiod,theOrphictheogoniesandtheChaldaeanOracles)and
soughttointegratetheminthephilosophicaltraditionofPythagorasandPlato.
Profection
Profectionisatimelordsystem,basedonaprogressionintheorderofthesignsfromagiven
startingpoint.Thereareannual,monthlyanddailyprofectionsforeachplanetorlot(arabic
part).A"profection"issimplya"jump"fromonesigntothenext.Forinstance,anannual
profectionjumpsfromonesigntothenextonyourbirthdateeveryyear.IfFortunawasin
Geminiwhenyouwereborn,thentheannualprofectionforFortunaonyournextbirthday
wouldbeCancerandsoon.Profectionsalsoincludeanyarbitrarysymbolicmovements,suchas
adayforayear,knownassymbolicdirections.[see:ZodiacXFiles]
Prognosis
Originallymeaningforeknowledgeandsynonymouswithprediction,thishasnowcometo
meananestimateofalikelyoutcome.
ProgressedHoroscope
Achartcalculatedforasmanydaysafterbirthasthereareyearsinthelifeofthenative.This
methodisalsoknownasSecondaryProgression.
ProgressedPlanet
Planetinaprogressedhoroscope.Anglesandotherchartfactorsalsoprogress.
Progression
Movementoforaspecttoplanetorsensitivepointinprogressedhoroscope.Inorderofthe
standardhierarchy:
1. Primary(1degreeofrightascensionoftheMCequals1yearoflife)
2. Secondary(1dayequals1yearoflife)
3. Tertiary(1dayequals1monthoflife)
4. Minor(1lunarmonthequals1yearoflife)
Prohibition
InHorary,whentwosignificatorsareapplyingtoamajoraspect,butathirdplanetperfectsa
majoraspecttooneofthetwosignificatorsbeforetheoriginalaspectculminates.Suggests
outsideinterferenceintheoutcomeofthequestion.
Promittor(Promissor)
Significatorofcertainevents.InaHoraryquestionofmarriage,forinstance,thelordofthe
seventhisPromittor.InDirections,accordingtoSephariel,aPromittorisaplanetotherthanSun
orMoon.
ProperFace
"WhenanindividualplanetkeepstotheSunorMoonthesameaspectwhichitshousehasto
theirhouses;as,forexample,whenVenusisinsextiletotheluminaries,providedthatsheis
occidentaltotheSunandorientaltotheMoon,inaccordancewiththeoriginalarrangementof
theirhouses."(Ptolemy,TetrabiblosI:23)
ProperMotion
1. DirectMotionthroughthezodiacinorderofthesigns.SeeRetrogradeMotion.
2. Astronomersalsoconsiderthesocalledpropermotionofthestars,becauseasastar
changesitsabsolutepositioninspace,itwillslowlychangethedirectioninwhichit
appearstobefromEarth(whichalsochangesitspositionastheSolarSystemmoves
throughspace).Thisminisculeactualmovementofwhathadpreviouslybeenthoughtof
astheFixedStarswasdiscoveredbySirEdmondHalleyin1718.Themovementisof
coursemassiveintermsofmilesastheuniverseexpands,butseemsminisculetous
becauseofthecosmicdistancesinvolved.
Prorogator
TheAlpheta:planetwhichupholdslife.
Psyche
Soul,innerbeing.Individualisedelementsoftheinnerbeing,asopposedtothecosmicor
spiritualelements.
Psychic
1. Intuitiondevelopedtoanuncannydegree,usuallyentailingtheabilitytoforeseethe
future,ortheexerciseofotherparanormaltalents,suchasESP,clairvoyance,
teleportation,psychokinesis,astralprojection(remoteviewing),visionsofghostsetc.
2. Personwhoexhibitsparanormalabilities,particularlyclairvoyance.
Psychokinesis
Paranormalabilitytomovephysicalobjectsusingmindpoweralone.
PsychologicalAstrology
ModernWesternastrology,basedintherapeuticideasofpersonaldevelopmentandthe
unfoldmentofthepersonality,asopposedtotheolderideaofafixedcharacterandan
unalterablefate.GrowingoutofMarcEdmundJones'sreformulationofastrologyintheearly
20thCenturyandthesubsequentdevelopmentbyDaneRudhyarof"humanistic"astrology,it
purportstobeawayofreconcilingmodernideasofindividualfreedomwiththesupposed
determinismofplanetaryinfluencethroughtheconceptofpersonalgrowth.Themainapproach
involvesdetailedanalysisofthenatalchart,seenasamaptopotential.Nodistinctionismade
betweentheolderclassesofbeneficandmaleficindicators,asalleventsareseenaspossibilities
or"potentialities"onthepathofspiritualevolution.Theinfluenceoftheosophy,psychotherapy,
FreudandparticularlyJungisstrong.Forecastingisgenerallyfrowneduponbyitspractitioners,
especiallyinAmerica,presumablybecausethisisseenaslimitingtoanindividual'spotential.
Psychology
Scientificstudyofmentalprocessesandbehaviour.
Psychometry
1. Paranormaltechniquetoreceiveinsightsorimpressionsfromaphysicalobjectthrough
thesenseoftouch.Oftenusedbypsychicinvestigatorstofindmissingpeople,orto
solvecrimes.
2. Techniquefordiscoveringinformation,especiallyfordiagnosticpurposes,usingadevice
orintermediary,suchasapendulum,oramuscletest.
Psychotherapy
Treatmentofbehaviouralandemotionalproblemsthroughonetoonecontactwiththe
therapist.Usuallydonethroughtalkingandotherformsofcommunication,suchasself
expressionthroughcreativeactivities,andoftenthroughmassage,groupdiscussionsandthe
likeratherthanbyusingdrugs.Modernpsychologicalastrologyisbasedintherapeuticideasof
personaldevelopmentandtheunfoldmentofthepersonality,asopposedtotheolderideaofa
fixedcharacterandanunalterablefate.
PtolemaicAspects
Sextile,square,trine,andopposition,definedbyPtolemy.Healsoallowedthatplanetscould
formthe"corporealconjunction",thoughthisistechnicallynotanaspect,butaconjunction.
PtolemaicSystem
Ancientgeocentriccosmicschema,basedinthecommonsensebeliefthattheplanets,Sun,
Moonandstarsrevolvedaroundtheearth.FormalisedbyHellenicastrologerPtolemy.
Ptolemy
Leadingastronomer,astrologerandgeographeroftheHellenicworld,ClaudiusPtolemus,
Ptolemy,wasaGreekscholarlivinginAlexandriabetween87and150AD.Heformalisedthe
PtolemaicgeocentricsystemthatdominatedtheWesternworldviewuntilafterthe
developmentoftheCopernicanheliocentricsysteminthesixteenthcentury.HisAlmagestgave
amathematicalbasistoastronomyandtheTetrabiblossetouttheprinciplesofastrology.His
Geographywasalsoamassivelyinfluentialworkwhich,translatedintoLatinintheearly1400's
andshowingthattheworldwasround,eventuallyledtothediscoverybyEuropeansofthe
Americas.
Pythagoras
Greekphilosopher(ca.570ca.480BCE)whofirstformalisedthestudyofNumberintheWest.
Hisworkasamathematicianandgeometerisrenowned,butheandhisfollowerswereprimarily
concernedwithuncoveringtheinner,spiritualmeaningoftheunderlyingnumericalstructureof
ourlives.Thishasdeeplyinfluencedarchitecturethroughtheidealsofsacredgeometry,buthas
alsohadaprofoundeffectonmusic,art,scienceandreligion.Itliesatthebasisofastrology,
underpinningourunderstandingoftherelationshipsbetweentheplanets,thesignsandthe
aspects.
Q
Qabbala
Esotericteachingsthatdealwithmysticalideasofcreationandconceptsofaspiritualnature,
basedintheHebrew/Gnosticscriptures.Qabbala(Kabbalah,Cabala,orothervarianttranslation
fromtheoriginalHebrew)featuresinterpretationsoftheTreeofLife,theZohar,
numericalkeystotheBibleetc.
Qi
Subtleenergyofthelifeforce,thecontrolofwhichisoneofthegoalsofyoga,tantra,taichi,
qigongandsimilardisciplines.AlsoknownasChi,Ch'i,KiandinYoga,Prana.
Qigong
TraditionalChineseexercisedesignedtocultivateqi(vitalenergy,orlifeforce).
Quadrants
Thefourquartersinachart,orthefourseasonsintheyear,orthezodiac.
Quadrate
Majormaleficsquareaspectof90degrees,dividingthecircleofthezodiacintoquarters,four
equalsegments.
Quadrasextile
Quincunxaspect,seebelow.
Quadratures
Moon'sdichotomes:changes,phasesorquarters.Frequentlyreferredtoasthesquareaspect.
Quadruplicity
Quality,orModality.
Quality
Modality,orQuadruplicity.EachsignischaracterisedbythecombinationofitsQuadruplicityor
Quality(Cardinal,Fixed,orMutable)anditsTriplicity,orElement(Fire,Earth,Air,orWater).
QuantumEntanglement
Possiblescientificbasisforthe"actionatadistance"impliedbyastrologyanddeniedbyskeptics.
Foranontechnicaloutline,seeQuantumEntanglementbyDaveJarvis.
Quarter
Therearefourquarters,orquadrants,ofthezodiacandindeedoftheyear.Aquarterofthe
zodiacextendsbetweenthefirstdegreeofthefirstCardinalSign,Aries,andthefirstdegreeof
theCardinalSign,CancerandsotoLibraandCapricorn.Thereare360inthezodiacandeach
signoccupies30,soaquarterofthezodiacinsignsis3signsandindegreesis90.Inthisway
theseasonalpeaksaremarkedbytheEquinoxesandSolstices.
QuarterDay
TheQuarterDaysmarkthedaysoftheEquinoxesandSolstices.
QuarterMoon
WhenthephaseoftheMoonisdisplayedintheheavensashalflightandhalfdark.SeeMoon
Phases
QuarterPeriod
InHellenisticastrology,atimelordsystembasedonquarterphasesoftheMoon.
Quarters
North,South,East,West
Quartile
Square.Amajormaleficaspectof90degrees.SeeQuadrate,alsoSquare.
Querent
Personaskingaquestionoftheastrologer.Inhorary,theAscendantanditslordaretheusual
significatorsofthequerent,aswellastheMoon.
Quesited
Personorthingenquiredafterinanhoraryquestion.Inhorary,theseventhhouseanditslord
arethegeneralsignificatorsofthequesited,thoughshouldthequesitedbespecificallyruledby
acertainhouseorplanet,thismustbeconsidered.
Quincunx
Anaspectof150,creatingstress,unhappinessandsorrow,wheremattersseemtobe
somehowoutofjoint.Theaspecthasa6thor8thhouseeffect,dependingonwhetherthe
swifterplanetisapplyingorseparatingfromtheoppositiontotheslower.Technicallythisisnot
aproperaspectinthetraditionalsense,asaplanetisunableto"see"anotherinthis
relationship.Classedasinconjunctandconsideredparticularlyunfortunatebytheancients,this
aspectisnotthoughtundulymaleficbymanymodernastrologers,butistobeignoredatone's
peril.SeeInconjunct.
Quindecile
Aminor24degreeaspect.Somewhatfavourable.Quindecimmeans15inLatinand24x15=360,
thenumberofdegreesinacircle,andsothezodiac.InfluentialcontemporaryastrologerNoel
Tylcallsthe165aspectquindecile,becausehesaysthatalltheother15incrementsare
alreadynamed,exceptthe105intervalwhichisinsignificant.Hesaysthe24thharmonicis
whatwearetalkingabout,ratherthanthe24interval.Thisisamootpoint,asyet
undeterminedinpractice,thoughTylsaysthatinsome900chartsitindicatespassionate
obsession,unrelentingmotivation,determination,upheaval,disruption,evenseparation.
Maybenotsofavourable,then?Ormaybemoreresearchisneeded...
Quintessence
Fifthalchemicalprinciple.Theunderlyingspiritualbasisunderpinningthefourelements,
correspondingtotheideaofthether,orspacetimecontinuum.Notusedinpractical
astrology.SeeAkasha,alsoDarkEnergy.
Quintile
Kepler'ssomewhatfavourableaspectof72degrees.Onefifthofthezodiac,itsinfluenceis
associatedwith5thhousematters,bringingartisticorcreativeuseofcrisissituations.Soitis
alsoabitofapressurecooker.
R
Rahu
NamefortheDragon'sHeadinIndianAstrology.SeeDragon'sHead.
Radiant
Thepointintheheavensfromwhichthemeteorsinameteorsshowerappeartooriginate.The
Geminids,forexample,aremeteorsthatappearfromaradiantintheconstellationGemini.
Radix(Radical)
ReferringtotheNatalChart.InHoraryterminology,itimpliesthatconditionshavebeenfulfilled
enablingthecharttobejudged.
Raman
OneofthelesserknownAyanamsasusedtoconvertthetropicalpositionstothesiderealin
IndianAstrology.Ithasacurrentarcof2100'52".
RaptMotion
Apparentdiurnalmotionfromeasttowest.
RaptParallels
Equaldistancesfromthemeridienformedbyraptmotion(notzodiacal).
Rashi
Jyotishtermforzodiacsign.ThesigninwhichtheMoonisplacedatbirthisalsocommonly
knownastheRashiinIndianastrology.
Rays
Eachplanetistraditionallydescribedasemanatingsevenrays,threetotheleftandthreetothe
rightofthediametricray.Theraysmarkthemajoraspects,60,90,120totheleftandrightof
thediametric180.
Reception
Aplanetinanotherplanet'sdignityissaidtoreceivethatplanet.Planetsineachother'sdignities
actasthoughingoodaspecttoeachother(MutualReception).Whenineachother'sdebilities,
planetsactasthoughinadverseaspecttoeachother.Especiallyimportantwhencomparing
nativitiesoftwopeople.Seealsodispositor.
Rectification
Correctingthegivenbirthtimetotruebirthtimebycomparingthenatureanddateof
significanteventsinthelifewiththeaspectsdenotingthem,orbyothermorearcanemethods.
Arectifiedchartgivesamoreradical(accurate)Moon,ascendantandmidheaven,especially
usefulforforecasting.
Rectify
Performrectification.
Refranation(Refrain)
Iftwoplanetsareapplyingtoanaspectandoneofthemturnsretrogradebeforetheaspect
culminates,itissaidtorefrainfromtheaspect,showingthattheeffectindicatedbytheaspect
willnotmaterialise.
Regard
Ancienttermforaspect(whenaplanet"sees"another).
RegiomontanusHouseSystem
Asystememployingequaldivisionoftheequator,namedafterthe15thcenturymathematician
JohanMullerofKonigsberg,(alsoknownasRegiomontanus),whopopulariseditsusethrough
printedtables.ItisconsideredbysomeauthorsasmorereliablethanPlacidus.Valuablefor
birthsathighlatitudes.
Regulus
AbeneficFixedStarinthe30thdegreeofLeo.ThemostroyalofthefourRoyalStars,a.k.a.Cor
Leonis,theLion'sHeart.
Reincarnation
Therebirthofsouls(orkarmicthreads)intonewbodies.Thisteaching,whichisinaccordwith
theLawofKarma("whatyehavesown,soshallyealsoreap"),washeldbyallancientreligions
(evenChristianity)buthasbeenofficiallydeniedbytheChurchsincetheFifthEcumenical
Councilin553AD.Onlyafewesotericsects,suchastheLiberalCatholicChurchandthe
Rosicrucians,stillteachit.ReincarnationisalsoespousedbymanyMuslimscholarsandhasa
strongroleinJudaism,thoughmanyJewsandmostMuslimsnolongeracceptit.Hinduism,
Buddhism,Taoism,Shinto,Theosophy,Pantheism,Paganismandthemajorityofother
contemporaryreligionssupportreincarnationinoneformorother.Someatheistsacceptit,but
mostdonot.Astrologysupportstheideaofreincarnation,becausealmostallseriousastrologers
endorsetheconceptofkarmaastheonlyrationalexplanationinanordereduniverseforinborn
inequalities,andforeventsotherwiseattributableonlytochance.SeeKarma.
Rejoices
SeeJoys.
RelationshipAnalysis
AnapplicationofAstrologyusedtoascertainthenatureofinterpersonalrelationships,witha
viewtocompatibility.Themostpopulartechniquesusedaresynastry,orchartcomparison,
wheretwo(ormore)chartsarecomparedtonotetheaspectsbetweentheplanetsinonewith
thoseintheother;andcompositechartanalysis,wherechartsaredrawnupofthemidpoints
betweentheplanetsinonechartandthoseintheother.
RelationshipAstrology
Astrologyspecialisinginrelationshipanalysis,forascertainingthecompatibilitybetweentwo(or
more)peopleinlove,marriage,business,orothervarietyofimportantinteraction.
Remedy
Traditionalmethodofcounteractingunfortunateastrologicalfactors.Forexample,planetary
gems,herbs,rituals,placementofobjects,ceremoniesandsacrifices.UsedmainlytodayinIndia,
wheretraditionalVedicAstrology(Jyotish)isapartofeverydaylife,butalsobytraditional
astrologersintheWest.Chineseastrology(esp.FengShui)alsoemploysasimilarrangeof
remedies.
Retrograde
Apparentbackwardmotionofaplanetthroughthezodiac.SunandMoonareneverretrograde.
ThoughviewedasadebilityinWesternAstrology,inJyotish(VedicAstrology),aretrograde
planetinagoodhouseandfreefromcombustionandafflictionisconsideredmorepowerful
thannormal.
RetrogradeStation
SeeStationaryRetrograde.
Revolution
SeeSolarReturn.
RightAscension
MeasurementalongtheequatorbydegreesonlyfromthefirstpointofAries.360degreesinto
24hoursmeanseachdegreeoccupiesabout4minutes(ofclocktime)ontheequator.
Rising
Aplanetissaidtoberising,orascending,whenmovingviatheascendantbetweenthefourth
andtenthcusps,i.e.intheeasternhemisphereofthechart.Somemodernastrologersonly
consideraplanettoberisingifactuallyplacedinthefirsthouse,whereitsstrengthis
accentuatedbecauseangular.[It'samootpointastowhetheraplanetinthemidheaven
shouldbedescribedas"rising",orsimply"elevated".Certainlyitisangularandthus
strengthened.]
RisingSign(Ascendant)
ThesignonthecuspoftheFirstHouse;thesignrisingovertheeasternhorizonatthetimeof
thenative'sbirthinnatalastrology,orquestioninhorary.Strictlyspeakingthedegreeofthe
RisingSignistheAscendant(ASC)withregardtoaspects.IntraditionalandinVedicastrology,
thewholesignrisingovertheeasternhorizonatthetimeofthenative'sbirthiscalledthe
AscendantorRisingSign.MoreaboutAscendant.
RoyalStars(ofPersia)
FixedStarsofparticularsignificance,firstdeclaredasWatchers,orGuardiansoftheWorldby
ancientPersianastrologersataround3000BC,whentheystoodatthefouranglesofthe
Heavens.ThesestarswerealsoassignedangelicstatusbytheHebrews.TherearefourRoyal
Stars:
Aldebaran,theArchangelMichael,WatcheroftheEast,ruleroftheVernalEquinox
Regulus,theArchangelRaphael,WatcheroftheNorth,ruleroftheSummerSolstice
Antares,theArchangelOriel,WatcheroftheWest,ruleroftheAutumnalEquinox
Fomalhaut,theArchangelGabriel,WatcheroftheSouth,ruleroftheWinterSolstice.
Regulusisusuallyconsideredthe"mostroyal",althoughAldebaranhashisproponents.Moreon
FixedStars.
Rubido
Inalchemy,thefourthandfinalstageoftheGreatWork;reddening;unificationofmanwiththe
divine;unificationofthelimitedwiththeunlimited.
RudolphineTables
JohannesKepler'smodern,scientificephemeridespublishedin1627,basedontheheliocentric
systemofCopernicus,modifiedaccordingtoTychoBrahe'spainstakingobservationsand
Kepler'sLawsofPlanetaryMotion.These,namedforTycho'spatron,theHolyRomanEmperor,
RudolphII,replacedthelesspreciseAlfonsineTables,whichwerebasedonthePtolemaic,
geocentricsystemthathadbeeninuseforcenturies.SeeAlfonsineTables.
Rulership
1. Eachofthevisibleplanets(includingSunandMoon)aredomiciled("athome")in
certainsigns,duetothesymbolicconstructionofthezodiacalsystem.Theyaresaidto
rule,orhaverulership,overthesesigns,whicharemostsympathetictotheexpression
oftheirnaturalenergies,whetherbyday(diurnal;solar)orbynight(nocturnal;lunar).
NotethattheOuterPlanetsdonotfitintothisschema,despiteeffortsofmodern
astrologerstoassignrulershipofcertainsignstoUranus,NeptuneandPluto(andeven
asteroids!).SeePlanetaryRulershipWheel.
2. Signsandplanetshaverulershipoverparticularplaces,people,creaturesandthings,
whichhavebeenperceivedtobesympathetictotheirnatures.Gemsareaclassic
example(thoughthereissomedisagreementamongauthoritiesastowhichgemsare
ruledbywhichsignsandplanets).
RulingPlanet
Therulingplanet,orliferuler,istheplanetthatismosthighlydignifiedbyelevation,signand
aspectinthebirthchart.ThisisusuallytheruleroftheAscendant,butcanbeanotherplanetin
theeventthattheascendantrulerissignificantlydebilitated.Shouldthetimeofbirthbe
unknown,theSunrulerisusuallyclassedastherulingplanet,thoughtheMoonrulermustalso
beconsidered.SeeTableforCalculatingPlanetaryValues.
S
SabianSymbols
Systemofinterpretingeachofthe360zodiacaldegrees,devisedbyMarcEdmundJonesand
ElsieWheelerinthe1920's,thenmodifiedbyDaneRudhyar.
SacredGeometry
Processofconstructingsymbolic,geometricstructuresvianumericalrelationships,whetherin
art,buildings,landscapingorotherformalsystems.Theaimistocreateandchannelflowsof
beneficialenergyfromthesubtleworldintoourpersonalandsocialenergeticfields,orauras.
Thesefieldsgovernanddynamiseourlives,bodies,emotions,minds,andsocialinteraction.
SadeSati
InVedicAstrology,thetransitofSaturn(Shani)overone'snatalMoon.Thistechnicallybegins45
beforetheactualconjunctionandreleases45afterwards.Theprocesstakesapproximately7
yearsandcanpresentaparticularlystressfulperiod.
Sagittarius
Theninthsignofthezodiac.Mutableandfiery.RuledbyJupiter.Emblem:TheArcher,or
Centaur.MoreaboutSagittarius.
SagittariusA
GiganticradiosourcesurroundingtheGalacticCentreofourMilkyWayGalaxy.SeeGalactic
Centre.
Samhain
OneoftheCrossquarterdays,nowgenerallycelebratedasHalloween.MoreaboutSamhain.
SanguineHumour
CorrespondingtotheAirElement,accordingtoCulpeperit"nourishesthejudgement".The
SanguineHumourisabletoencompasstheotherthreehumours,sowhenthebodyisisastate
ofhealth,thereisnowayofdistinguishingbetweenthem(astheyareallinabalancedstate
withinthebloodstream).RuledbyJupiter,itsseatistheLiveranditworksthroughtheBlood.
SeeHumours.MoreabouttheSanguineHumour.
SarosCycle
Thecycleofeclipses,discoveredbytheancientChaldeans,lastingalittleover18years,when
LunarEclipsesseemtorepeatthemselves.ThecycleisalsoapplicabletoSolarEclipses.Afull
SarosSerieslastssome13centuries,duetothemovementofthelunarnodes.
Satellite
Anattendantbodyrevolvingaroundalargerone,itsprimary.TheMoonisasatelliteofthe
Earth,butforhistoricalreasonsiscalledinastrologyaplanet(wanderer),asistheSun.
Astronomically,allplanetsandothercelestialbodiesinoursolarsystemaresatellitesoftheSun.
Satellitium
Agroupofthreeormoreplanetsoccupyingaparticularareaofacharthavingasignificant
effectcomparablewiththeconjunctionofalltheplanetsconcerned,eventhoughouter
membersofthegroupwouldbenormallyconsideredoutoforbwitheachother.Alsocalleda
stellium,or"satellium"(bytheclassicallychallenged...).
Saturn
Theplanetsymbolisingmatterstodowithkarma,responsibility,structure,restriction,chronic
conditions,oldageandsoon.RulerofCapricornandAquarius.ExaltedinLibra;rejoicesin
Aquarius.Traditionallyknownasthegreatermalefic,orinfortune.MoreaboutSaturn.
SaturnReturn
ThereturnofSaturnbytransittotheconjunctionwithnatalSaturninahoroscope.Atwenty
nineyearcycle,representingaperiod(oftenovermanymonths)whenwefeelfrustrated,angry,
sad,confused,tiredandinsecure,itisatimewhenwebecomeawarethatwemustaccept
responsibilityforouractions.ThefirstSaturnReturnbeginsatapprox.29yearsofage,the
secondat58,thethirdat87.MoreabouttheSaturnReturn.
Scorpio
Theeighthsignofthezodiac.Scorpio,theScorpion,isaFixedWatersign.Itistraditionallyruled
byMars,butmanymodernastrologershavedesignatedPluto(discoveredin1930)asitsco
ruler,oreven,controversially,asitssoleruler.MoreaboutScorpio.
ScoutPlanet
LastplanettorisebeforetheSun.SeePlanetofOrientalAppearance.
SecondaryProgression
Theprogressedhoroscope,basedonthe"dayforayear"systemofprogressingthenativityfirst
employedbytheancientArabianastrologers.Socalledtodistinguishthesystemfromthe
complexmethodofPrimaryDirections.AlsoknownasSecondaryDirections.Thenumberof
daysintheephemerisarecountedfromthebirthdayasthenumberofyearsthenativehas
beenonthismortalcoil,thenthehoroscopeiscalculatedaccordingly.Thisisthemostwidely
usedsystemofprogressingthehoroscope,buthassomedisadvantages,hencethedevelopment
ofbothsolararcprogressionandoftertiaryprogression(q.v.).
Sect
FromHellenisticGreek:hairesis,meaning"team","side",or"following".Traditionalweightingof
emphasisbasedonwhetherabirthisdiurnal(sectofHelios,theSun)ornocturnal(sectof
Selene,orMoon).IftheSunisabovethehorizon,sectisdiurnal;ifbelowthehorizon,sectis
nocturnal.Sun,JupiterandSaturnareofthediurnalsectandMoon,VenusandMarsareofthe
nocturnalsect.Mercury'ssectisconvertible,dependingonweightingoforientality,genderetc
(PtolemysimplysaysthatMercuryisdiurnalwhenitisamorningstarandnocturnalwhenan
eveningstar).Contrarytowhatmayseemtobecommonsense,Saturn(cold)isdeemeddiurnal,
becauseheiswarmedandmoderatedbytheheatoftheday,whileMars(dry)isnocturnal,
beingmoistenedandsmoothedbythefemininepowerofnight.Aplanetinsectwasconsidered
significantlymorepotentthanwhenoutofsect.Sectwasgivenveryweightyconsiderationby
theancients,thoughisnotgenerallyconsideredbymostmodernastrologers.
Sedna
Anewlydiscoveredtransneptunianplanet,namedaftertheInuitgoddessofthesea.Some13
billionkilometresfromEarthandsmallerthanPluto,this"planet"hasasyetnoaccepted
astrologicalmeaning.Discoveredin2003,itisestimatedtotake10,500yearstoorbittheSun.
Selene
GreekgoddessoftheMoon.
Semiarc
1. Theportionofacelestialbody'sdailytravelabovethehorizonbetweenitsrisingandits
settingiscalleditsdiurnalarc;halvingthisarcfromhorizontomidheavenormeridien
givesitsdiurnalsemiarc.Theportionbelowtheearthisthenocturnalarc,sohalfofit
becomesthenocturnalsemiarc.TheSun'snocturnalordiurnalsemiarcwhenin0
Ariesor0Libra,issixhoursor90allovertheEarth.Atotherseasonstheoneisgreater
orlessthantheother,accordingtothetimeoftheyearandthelatitudeoftheplace.
ThegreatestdiscrepancyoccurswheretheN.orS.latitudeishigh,andwhentheSunis
in0Canceror0Capricorn.ThesemiarcisusuallymeasuredindegreesofRApassing
overtheMeridian;althoughitcanbeexpressedintermsoftime.[basedonsource:
EncyclopediaofAstrology]
2. TermusedinPrimaryDirectionstodenotethearcfromaSignificatortotheHorizonor
totheMeridian.
Semidecile
Aminorbeneficaspectof18degrees.Alsocalledvigintile.
Semiquintile
Kepler'sdecile,aminorbeneficaspectof36degrees.
Semisextile
Aminorbeneficaspectof30degrees,derivedfromKepler.Someclassicalastrologersdonot
countthisasanaspect,duetothephenomenonknownasAversion.
Semisquare(semiquadrate)
Aminoradverseaspectof45degrees,derivedfromKepler.Alsoknownasoctile.
SeparatingAspect
SeeSeparation.
Separation
Movingawayfromthepartile(exactaspect).Astheplanetseparates,theaspectbecomes
weaker.InHoraryAstrology,itindicateseventsintherecentpast,orthatthematterunder
inquirywillnoteventuate.
Sephiroth(sing.Sephira)
10stagesorbrilliantpointsontheTreeofLifewhichsymbolisedistinctrevelationsofthe
CreativeWillasitdiveslikealightningflashintothematerialworld.Describedinthemedival
occulttext,theZohar,theycorrespond(amongotherthingsintheinnerworld)tochakrasinthe
energeticsystem.
Septile
Akarmicallysignificantaspectofjustunder5126',being1/7
th
ofthezodiacalcircumference.
Thisisamodernaspectandisrarelyused.Keplerspecificallydisapprovedofit.Addeyhowever
statesthatitisdisproportionatelypresentinscientificdiscoverycharts.
Sesquiquadrate(sesquisquare)
Aminoradverseaspectof135degrees,derivedfromKepler.
SeventhHouse
Theseventhsegmentofanastrologicalchart.KnownalsoastheDescendant,itgoverns
marriage,businesspartnerships,harmony,disharmonyandopenenemies.
Sextile
Majoraspectof60degrees,consideredbenefic(favourable).Thesextile(onesixthofthe
circumferenceofthezodiacalcircle)signalsapositiveconnectionandareadychannellingofthe
energiesindicatedbytheplanetsandtheirpositionsinthechart.Anexampleofasextilewould
beaplanetat15Ariesaspectinganotherplanetorpointat15Gemini.Thesextileaspectin
modernastrologyisgivenanorbof6,buttheclosertheorbistobeingexact(partile),themore
powerfultheeffect.TheSunandMoonareoftenallowedmoreorb.Classicalastrologyallows
forsignstobeinaspect,soanyplanetinArieswouldbeconsideredsextiletoanyplanetin
GeminiorinAquarius,forexample,asthesesignsaresextile.Thiscalledaplaticaspect,as
opposedtopartile.MoreonAspects,andPlanets.
SGC
SeeSuperGalacticCentre.
Shabda
Thecosmicsoundcurrent,orpowerofsound.Esotericteachingsholdthatmeaningfulsounds
and,inparticular,names,havemagicalefficacyandcanbeusedtocreate,constructordestroy
phenomena,eventsandthings.Thiswasoriginallypartoftheancientpantheisticoranimist
worldviewthathasbecomemoresystematisedinesotericphilosophiesascivilisationhas
developed.AlphabetssuchasHebrew,AncientGreek,andSanskrithaveinadditiontotheir
simplelinguisticusesnumericalandsonicvaluesthatcanbeharnessedandemployedbyadepts.
Qabbalaincludesseveralsystemsofmanipulatinglanguageandsoundinthisway,asdovarious
esotericschoolsinotherdisciplines.
ShadowPlanet
Notatruecelestialbody,butacalculatedpointofsignificanceinthechart,primarilytheMoon's
north(ascending)andsouth(descending)nodes.SeeNodes.
Shani
NameforSaturninJyotish(Vedic)Astrology.
ShortAscension
Signsofshortascensiontakelesstimetoascend(riseovertheeasternhorizon)thansignsof
longascension.Theyareoftenfoundinterceptedincharts,thoughnotinthezodiac,assignsare
neverinterceptedinthezodiac.Interceptionisneitheradignity,noradebility.Inthenorthern
hemisphere,theseare:
Capricorn
Aquarius
Aries
Taurus
Pisces Gemini
Forplacesinthesouthernhemisphere,longandshortascensionarereversed.SeeLong
Ascension.
SiderealDay
WhentheEarthhasmadeonecompleterevolutiononitsaxis;i.e.whenthemeridienhas
returnedtoitsexactpositionafteratwentyfourhourperiodofrotationoftheEarth.Thisisnot
thesameasatropicalday,whichisthesiderealdayplusthedistancetravelledbytheSunin
thatsameperiod,i.e.whentheMCcatchesupwiththeSun:aboutonedegreefurther,orfour
minuteslonger.
SiderealTime
Rightascensionofthemeridienatmeannoon(ormidnightinmodernephemerides).The
angulardistanceofthefirstpointofAries,orthetruevernalequinoxquotedinhours,minutes
andseconds.Birthtimeisconvertedintosiderealtimeforthelatitudeofthebirthplaceinorder
tocalculatethehousecusps.
SiderealZodiac
Zodiacbasedonactualpositionsofconstellationsintheheavens,asopposedtotheTropical
Zodiac,whichisamoveableformatbasedontheseasons.TheTropicalZodiacdefinesthe
VernalPointasthefirstdegreeofAries,buttheSiderealZodiacallowsittoprecess.
Sigil
Asign,seal,image,ortalismancreatedforaspecificoccultpurpose.Oftenconstructedfrom
othersymbolicfigures,itisimprintedintothesubconscious,beingimpregnatedwithpower
throughritual,prayer,ormeditation.Asigilmayalsobeincorporatedintoanobjectasasignet,
glyph,orheraldicdevice.
Significator
InNatalAstrology,theplanetwhichrulestheAscendant.InHorary,theplanetrulingthehouse
governingthematterorpersoninquestion.InDirections,theSignificatorcanonlybeSun,
Moon,AscendantorMidHeaven(accordingtoSephariel).
Sign
Asymbolicdisplayorimagethatpointstosomethingnotimmediatelyevident.Asigncancarry
morethanone,orevenarangeofmeanings.Inastrologyandmythology,signshavebeen
mappedontoconstellationsintheheavens,butthezodiacalsignsarethemselvesmathematical
innatureandarenotdirectlylinkedtotheconstellations,excepthistorically.
Signs
Twelveequal30divisionsofthezodiac:Aries,Taurus,Gemini,Cancer,Leo,Virgo,Libra,Scorpio,
Sagittarius,Capricorn,AquariusandPisces.SignsintheTropicalZodiacshouldnotbeconfused
withconstellations,eventhoughforhistoricalreasons,theyhavethesamenames.Thereisno
"13thSign"oftheZodiac,asoccasionallytoutedbyskepticalastronomers,asOphiuchusisa
constellation,notaSign.SeeConstellations.
SinisterAspect
Anaspectreadfromtheleftbydiurnalmovement,i.e.clockwise.Itisthusinaccordancewith
thenaturalsuccessionoftheSigns.Consideredlesspowerfulbecausehidden,ornotintheline
ofsight.SeeDexter.
Sirius
TheDogStar,thebrighteststarinthenightsky.Anextremelypotent,binary(possiblyternary)
star,Sirius,nowlocatedinthe15thdegreeofCancer,isthefocalpointofseveralreligions
(notablytheancientEgyptian).SeeFixedStars.
SixthHouse
Thesixthsegmentofanastrologicalchart,anarearulingwork,health,service,helpingothers,
subordinates,themilitary,professionals,dailyactivitiesandthecontinuousharvestingor
plantingofpositiveandnegativeexperiences.Italsorulessmallanimals.
SkilfulMeans
Dynamicandflexiblemethodsemployedintheattainmentofrealisation.Theseinclude
appropriatetechniques,suchasmeditation,exercises,cultivationofmoralvirtuesanduseof
powers,especiallyforconductingknowledgeandcompassion.
SlowinCourse(SlowinMotion)
AplanetmovingslowerthanitsMeanMotion.Anaccidentaldebility.TheMoonwhenslowin
courseisconsideredbyBonatusinAnimaAstrologictobeasdebilitatedasifshewere
retrograde.
SlowSigns
SignswhichhavethenatureofSaturnandJupiter,suchasCapricornandAquarius,Sagittarius
andPisces.
Smoky(degrees)
Certaindegreesthat,accordingtotradition,haveamoderate,ormiddlingquality,particularly
regardingappearanceandcharacter.CompareLightandDarkdegrees.
SoftAspects
Amodernnameforbeneficaspects,sextile,trineandquintile.SoftasopposedtoHard.
Sol
TheSun,centralpowersourceofoursolarsystem.TheSunstandsfortheindividualityinthe
nativity.ItrulesLeoandisexaltedinAries.MoreabouttheSun.
SolarArc
SystemofprogressionwherethedistancetravelledbytheSunintheprogressedhoroscope
(calculatedatarateof1degree=1year)fromitsnatalpositionisalsoassignedtotheother
planets.HardaspectsonlyareconsideredinSolarArctheory.Theadvantageofthissystemover
secondaryprogressionisthatitgivessignificantmovementtotheouterplanets,thus
broadeningthescopeforpredictingmajorlifeevents.
SolarChart
ChartbasedonpositionofSun,eitheratsunriseornoon.Usefulwhentimeofbirthisunknown.
AccordingtodeVore,itbecomesincreasinglyimportantinadultlife,visvistheascendant
chart.
SolarCycle
Thenumberofsunspotsandothersolaractivitysuchasflareshavebeenobservedtovary
regularlyinarepeatingcycleofabout11years.Ineachsuccessivecyclethenorthandsouth
magneticpolaritiesreverse,sothatthereisalsoamagneticcycleof22years.
SolarEclipse
EclipseoftheSun.AtapreciselyalignedNewMoon,theMoonpassingbetweentheEarthand
theSunhidesthefaceoftheSun.NevervieweclipsesoftheSundirectlywiththenakedeye,
becausethepotentialforeyedamageishigh.MoreaboutEclipses
SolarMaximum
Themidpointofthe11yearsolarcycle,wheresunspotactivity,solarflares,andtheoutputof
cosmicparticlesandsolarradiationisatitspeak.TheEarth'smagneticfield,temperature,and
ozonelevelsareaffectedbythiscyclicpeak.
SolarMinimum
Thebeginningandendofasolarsunspotcycle,whenonlyafewsunspotsareusuallyobserved,
andtheoutputofparticlesandradiationisnormal.
SolarReturn
AchartconstructedforthemomentwhentheSunreturnstothedegreeandminuteofits
longitudeatnativity(becauseoftheSun'sirregularapparentmotion,itseldomreturnsatthe
sametimeasbirth).Asolarreturnchartusingthelatitudeofthepresentresidencefor
constructionofHouseCuspsindicatesthecourseofeventsduringtheensuingyear.Thetransits
ofplanetsoverthesechartfactorsisusedtotimeanddatetheeventsindicated.Thesolar
returnshouldbecomparedwiththenativityandtheprogressedcharttomakethemost
informedjudgement.
SolarRevolution
SolarReturn.
SolarSystem
TheSunandthefamilyofcelestialbodieswhichrevolvearounditasitjourneysthroughspace
andtime.Itincludestheknownplanetsandtheirsatellites,thenumerousasteroidsorbiting
betweenMarsandJupiter,theicyCentaursorbitingbetweenJupiterandNeptune,plusthe
comets,meteoroids,theKuiperBelt,thesolarwind,dust,gasesandradiantenergiesofthe
interplanetarymedium,alongwiththevarioushypotheticalplanetssuchasTransPluto
(Bacchus).ItisboundedatitsouterextremitiesbythelimitoftheSun'sgravitationaland
magneticinfluence(heliosphere)atadistanceofapprox100AUfromthecentreoftheSun.
Herethesolarwindmeetstheinterstellarmedium.
SolarWind
AstreamoftinyparticlesofionisedgasandplasmaemittedbytheSun.Thespeedofthesolar
windismorethan400kilometres(250miles)persecondinthevicinityofEarth'sorbit.Thesolar
windfillsthesolarsystem,reachingfarbeyondtheorbitofPluto.SeeSolarSystem.
SolidSigns
FixedSigns.
Solstice
Sol+systere,LatinforSunandstandingstill.TheplaceintheeclipticwheretheSunappearsto
standstillatitsfurthestpointnorthorsouthoftheequator,thefirstdegreeofCanceror
Capricorn.Thenorthernmostpointisthesummersolsticeandthesouthernmostisthewinter
solstice,whenviewedfromthenorthernhemisphere.TheSunatmaximumdeclinationappears
tostandstillatthesepointsforaboutthreedays.Theseasonsarereversedinthesouthern
hemisphere.SeeTropic.
SolsticialSigns
CancerandCapricorn.Thesesignsholdthesummerandwintersolstices(shortestandlongest
nights).cfEquinoctialSigns.
SosigenesofAlexandria
DeviseroftheJulianCalendar.MoreontheJulianCalendar.
SouthNode
SeeDragon'sTail.
SouthernSigns
Libra,Scorpio,Sagittarius,Capricorn,Aquarius,Pisces.TheSuninthesesignshasasouthern
declination.
Spagyric
Plantalchemy,mainlyformedicinalpurposes.
Spagyrist
Alchemist,particularlyonewhosoughtchemicalandherbalremediesforthehealingofdiseases.
SpearBearer
AterminancientHellenisticastrologyforwhenoneplanetwasseenasprotecting,oractingas
bodyguardforanother.Notusedinmodernastrology.
SpecialisCycle
The20yearcyclebetweenconjunctionsoftransitingJupiterandtransitingSaturninthe
heavens.
Speculum
Atableofthedataconcerningtheplanetsinahoroscope.Usefulincalculatingdirections.
SpeculumofAspects
Atableofeverydegreeinahoroscopethatmaybeinaspectwiththeplanets.Usefulfornoting
transitingaspectsataglance.
Spheres
Ancientastronomers,notablyAristotle,heldthattheEarthwasthecentreoftheuniverseand
thattheplanetsandstarsoccupiedpositionsinaseriesofconcentric,crystalspheres
surroundingtheEarth,orinthecaseofthePythagoreans,aCentralFire.SeeMusicofthe
Spheres.
SpiritusMundi
Spirit(subtleunderlyingpower)oftheWorld.SeeQuintessence.
Square
Majoraspectof90degrees,consideredmalefic(unfavourable).Thesquare(quadrate,orone
quarterofthezodiacalcircumference)signalsstressandtension,butcanalsobedynamic
insofarasthenativeisimpelledtofindasolutiontotheproblemindicatedbytheplanetsand
theirpositionsinthechart.Anexampleofasquarewouldbeaplanetat15Aries(Masculine
Fire)aspectinganotherplanetorpointat15Cancer(FeminineWater).Thesquareaspectin
modernastrologyisgivenanorbof68,buttheclosertheorbistobeingexact(partile),the
morepowerfultheeffect.TheSunandMoonareoftenallowedmoreorb.Classicalastrology
allowsforsignstobeinaspect,soanyplanetinArieswouldbeconsideredsquaretoanyplanet
inCancerorinCapricorn,forexample,asthesesignsarequadrate.Thiscalledaplaticaspect,as
opposedtopartile.Thereissomediscussioninastrologicalcirclesastowhethertheopposition
orthesquareisthemostdamaging,becausethesquarealwayscountersmasculinetofeminine
signs:Fire(Masc.)vsWater(Fem.);Earth(Fem.)vsAir(Masc.)etc,whiletheoppositioncounters
signsofthesamepolarityindifferingelements(FirevsAir,orEarthvsWater).AlanLeoholds
thatthesquareisthemostdangerous,butmosttraditionalauthoritiesholdthattheopposition
istheworst.MoreonAspects,andPlanets.
StandardTime
Timeadoptedinmoderntimezones.ThisisnottruelocalorMeanTimeandmustbecorrected
accordingtolongitudefortheaccuratecalculationofhoroscopes.
Stars
Visibleastinypointsoflightinthenightsky,starshavebeenimportanttomankindsincethe
dawnofconsciousness.Modernphysicsdeclaresthateachstarisanenormousnuclearfireball
likeourSunsome,suchasAntares,beingvastlymoremassivethantheSunbutesoterically
eachstarisconsideredtobethebodyofaconsciouscosmicbeing(angel,ordeva).Another
tradition,datingatleasttoPlato,holdsthateachsoulisassignedtoastar,andafterdeath
returnstothatstar,orifhavingledanunjustlife,mustreincarnateonEarth.Certainstar
groupings,suchasOrion,Pegasus,etc.,arecalledconstellationsandvisiblestarsofsufficient
magnitudehaveapowerfuleffectonlifeonEarth.These"FixedStars"appeartobestationary,
relativetotheEarth,whilst"WanderingStars"(orPlanets)appeartomoveacrossthezodiac.To
distinguish,FixedStarsappeartotwinkleinthesky,butPlanetsshinewithanunwaveringgleam.
MoreonFixedStars.
Stationary(Station)
AplanetinitsstationappearstobestandingstillbetweenperiodsofRetrogradeorDirect
motion.SunandMoonareneverstationary.SeeRetrograde.
StationaryDirect
AplanetstationaryatthepositionofreturningtoDirectMotionthroughthezodiacaftera
periodofRetrogradeMotion.Itistheidealtimetomakeorimplementrelevantdecisions.This
isconsideredtobeamongthemostpowerfulpositionsforplanetaryinfluence,especiallyin
Jyotish,orIndian(Vedic)astrology.
StationaryRetrograde
Aplanetstationaryatthepointofturningretrograde.Thisisanimportantposition,asit
indicatestheneedforrethinkingtheissuesrelatedtoconditionoftheplanet,itssignandhouse,
astheywillberaisedinoneformoranotherduringtheretrogradeperiod.
Strictures(AgainstJudgement)
Certainconditionsinachartrestrictingitsinterpretation.UsedmainlyinHorary,strictureswarn
theastrologernottoproceed,asthechartislikelygivefaultyinformation.Lillypresentsa
numberofwhathecalls"ConsiderationsBeforeJudgement".
Stellium
Seesatellitium.
Sublimity
ObsoletetermforEssentialDignity.
Sublunary
BelowtheMoon,referringtoearthlythings,theMoonbeingtheclosestcelestialspheretothe
EarthinthePtolemaicsystem.
SublunarySphere
ThesphereoftheElements,Fire,Air,WaterandEarth,locatedbetweenthesurfaceoftheEarth
andthesphereoftheMoon.AccordingtothesystemofAristotle,formalisedbyPtolemy,the
higherspheres(fromtheMoonoutwards)ranonAether,thequintessenceorfifthElement.
Succedent
Second,fifth,eighthandeleventhhousesinachart.Correspondingtothefixedsigns,theylie
betweenthecardinalanglesandthecadenthouses.Planetsinthesehousesfunctionataround
50%oftheirpower,basedonthestrengthofanangularplacement,whichisthemostpotent.
Sun
TheSun,centralpowersourceofoursolarsystem,isourveryownstar,saidbysciencetobea
vastthermonuclearfurnace.Knownas"Sol"inLatinand"Helios"inGreek,themasculineSun
alsohasaspiritualessenceandinastrologystandsfortheindividualityinthenativity.Herules
LeoandisexaltedinAries.MoreabouttheSun.
SunRuler
PlanetaryruleroftheSunSign.
SunSigns
Thetwelvetraditionalsignsofthezodiac.TheSunSignisthesignthroughwhichtheSunis
passingatagivenmoment,suchasthemomentofbirth.
SunriseChart
ChartbasedonthepositionoftheSunatsunriseonthedayofbirth.Usefultechniqueinthe
absenceofaknownbirthtime.
Sunspots
DarkpatchesontheSun'ssurface,exhibitingpowerfulmagneticfields.Theyaredarkdueto
havingalowertemperaturethantheirbrightersurroundings.Sunspotsgenerallyappearin
groupsandcanberelativelysmall(300kmdiameter),withlargerexamplesstretchingover
100,000km.Largersunspotscanlastformorethan3months;smallspots,or"pores"canlast
forlessthananhour.
SuperGalacticCentre(SGC)
CentralzoneofourlocalGalacticCluster(anastronomicallylargearea)aroundwhichourgalaxy,
theMilkyWay,orbitsalongwithanumberofothergalaxies.Thiszoneisbelievedtobe
occupiedbyanimmenselysupermassiveblackhole,andisheldbyaficionadostobethesource
ofspiritualenergyandselfknowledgeinthispartoftheuniverse(dotheymean..God?).Itis
locatedinComaBerenices,theasterismthatoccupiesthespacebetweentropicalVirgoand
tropicalLibra.MostauthoritiespinpointtheSGCat1or2degreesofLibra.
SuperMoon
Atermcoinedin1979byastrologerRichardNolletodescribeaNeworFullMoonoccurringat
ornearperigee(theclosestpointintheMoon'sorbittoEarth).Astronomerscallthisalignment
aperigeesyzygy.SuperMoonsareassociatedwithextremetidalforcesintheatmosphere,crust
andoceans,producingextremecoastaltides,severestorms,powerfulearthquakesandvolcanic
eruptionswithinthreedayseitherwayoftheexactsyzygy.NollesaystheeffectsofSuperMoon
solareclipsesextendroughlyaweekbeforeandaftertheactualevent.Otherlunarextremes
(e.g.,ofdeclination)canextendthegeocosmicstresswindowbyadayortwo.
SuperiorPlanets(Superiors)
Saturn,JupiterandMarsarethetraditionalSuperiors,asintheancientgeocentricsystemthey
areabove(superiorto)theSun.ModernastrologersincludePluto,Neptune,Uranus,Chironand
theasteroids,alsothetransplutonian"planets"suchasTransPluto(Bacchus,orPersephone).
TheirorbitsinourmodernheliocentricsystemliebeyondthatoftheEarthwhenviewedfrom
theSun.TheorbitsoftheInferiorplanetsliebetweentheEarthandtheSun(Vulcan,Moon,
MercuryandVenus).SeeInferiorPlanets.
SwiftinCourse(SwiftinMotion)
Aplanetmovingfasterthanitsmeanmotion.Anaccidentaldignity.
Symbol
Animage,tokenorsignwhichconveysortransmitsaspecificsignificanceofagreaterconcept.
Symbolsrepresentcomplexideasinahighlycompressed,simplifiedandenergisedformat.
Symbolsinthemselvescanhaveameasurableeffectintheirownright,byactivatingresonant
frequenciesintheunconscious,thesubtleorenergeticbody.
Synastry
Artofchartcomparison,foranalysisofrelationships.
Synchronicity
TheconceptpopularisedbytheanalyticalpsychologistC.G.Jungthatcelestialsdonothavea
directcausaleffectonphenomena,butratherpresentatimedmap,wherebyeventsand
characteristicsthatoccuronEarth(markedinthehoroscope)canbetrackedandinterpreted.
Starsandplanetsarethoughttobe"insync"or"synchronous"withtheseeventsand
phenomena,eventhoughtheyhavenocausalrelationship.Thisideaofan"acausal
relationship"or"meaningfulcoincidence"isnotthetraditionalview,butispopularamong
modernWesternpsychologicalastrologers,asitdoesnotseemtorequireanydemonstrationof
causalforceinvolvingactionatadistanceasyetunknowntophysics.Theideaoftheheavenly
bodiesbeingsignsratherthancausesisofcourseanancientone,butthatneednotstop
modernsfromreclaimingtheturf.
Synod
Conjunctionoftwoormoreoftheheavenlybodies.Moreofanastronomicaltermthanan
astrologicalone,itsuggestswhenusedbyastrologersthegatheringoftherelevantcelestialsfor
ameeting(asinaconventionofchurchelders).
SynodicalLunation
ThetimetakenbytheMoonfromoneconjunctionwiththeSununtilthenext:29days,12hours,
44minutesand3seconds...
Syzygy
Pairsorconnectedthings,especiallyoppositesthatareyokedtogether.AlsowhentheSun,
EarthandMoonarealigned,especiallyataneclipse,thoughitcouldbeanythreecelestial
bodiesinagravitationalsystem.Referconjunctionsandoppositions.
T
TableofDignities
Tablesettingoutthetraditionaldignitiesanddebilitiesofplanetsinthesigns.Onlythe
traditionalplanets,includingSun,MoonandNodesareconsidered.Theouterplanets,
asteroidsetc,thoughworthconsidering,havenotraditionaldignityordebility.SeeTable.
TableofHouses
Tablesgivingsigns&degreesforhousecuspsusedintheconstructionofhoroscopes.
TableofValues
Tableforcalculatingtheplanetaryweighting,ornumericalvaluewhenassessinga
horoscope.SeeTable.
Talisman
Aconsecrateddeviceorobjectcreatedatanauspicioustimedeterminedbyelectional
astrology,inordertocaptureandcompresstheappropriatecosmicsympathy,orpower.
Talismanscanalsobeamulets,ifdesignedasprotectiveorapotropaic(wardingoffevil)
devices,usuallywornasjewellery.
Tarot
Amysticalsetofsymbols,mostoftenusedinapackof78cardseitherforpersonal
developmentorfordivination.TheTarotisdividedintotwoArcana(setsofmysteries),the
first,the22Trumps,orMajorArcanabeingmainlyconcernedwithpersonaldevelopment
andthesecond,theMinorArcana,beingthesetprimarilyconcernedwithdivination.In
readings,theArcanaareshuffledtogether,thenlaidoutinvariouspatternstobeinterpreted
bythereader.FirstemerginginEuropeinthe14thCenturyAD,therearenowhundredsof
differentsetsofTarotCardsbyvariousauthorsanddesigners,thebestknownbeingthe
RiderWaitedeck(PamelaColemanSmithandA.E.Waite:publishedbyRider,1909).Some
claimgreatantiquityfortheTarot,datingbacktotheancientEgyptians,butthisisdisputed.
TheMinorArcanaareoftenmootedastheprecursorsofourmodernplayingcards.
Tarotscopes
TheTarotisamysticalbookthatcangiveinsightintothetendenciesrevealedinthestars.
Usingarchetypalsymbolstounderstandourselvesandourrolesintheworld,ourWeekly
andMonthlyTarotscopesareareadingoftheenergysurroundingtheSunSignoverthe
forecastperiod.
Taurus
Thesecondsignofthezodiac.Fixedandearthy.RuledbyVenus.Emblem:TheBull.More
aboutTaurus.
Temperament
AncientGreektheoryoffourhumoursdevelopedbyHippocrateslinksbodilyfluidswith
dispositionsortempers.Thetemperaments,Sanguine(Blood),Choleric(YellowBile),
Melancholic(BlackBile)andPhlegmatic(Phlegm)relatetotheastrologicalelementsAir
(Sanguine),Fire(Choleric),Earth(Melancholic)andWater(Phlegmatic).SeeHumours.
Temples
AncienttermforHouses.
Temurah
Qabbalisticsystemofencryptionofesotericmeaningsincertainwords(inscripture)by
substitutingoneletterforanother,accordingtooneofseveraloccultpatterns.
TenthHouse
Thetenthchartsegment.Governscareerandpublicimage.SeeMidheaven.
Terms
Eachsignhasarangeofterms(fromLatin:termini),alsoknownasBounds,ruledbyoneof
thefiveclassicalplanets(Mercury,Venus,Mars,Jupiter,Saturn).TheSunandMoonhaveno
terms.Aplanetinitsowntermsisstrengthened,whileaplanetinthetermsofanotheris
colouredby(acts"intermsof")thatplanet.ThusSaturnintermsofVenushasreduced
potentialformalevolence,whileVenusintermsofMarshaslesspowerforbenefit,more
powerofactionandsoon.Therearethreeknownsetsofterms,theEgyptian,theChaldean,
andthePtolemaic,whichPtolemy(2ndCenturyCE)claimedtobe"ancient".Thetablesof
termshavelargelyfallenintodisuseinmoderntimes,althoughaccordingtoRobertSchmidt
theywerecentraltothepracticeofHellenisticAstrology,wheretheywereknownas
Confines(gk:horia).Hereisthetraditionalorderofplanetarypotencies:
Sign
Exaltation
Triplicity
Terms
Faces
SeePtolemy'sTableofEssentialDignities&Debilities.
Terra
TheplanetEarth.SeeEarth
TertiaryProgression
Systemofprogressionwhereonedayafterbirthequalsonemonthofthenative'slife.
Testimony
AtermfromHellenisticastrology,meaningaplanetforminganattitude,orwitnessrelation,
sayingsomethingaboutanotherplanetwithinafigure.Fortestimonytooccur,thefigure
mustperfectbeforeeitherofthetwoplanetsleavesitssign("image").Schmidtsaysitisnot
thesameasanaspect:"Whenaplanetassumesafigurerelativetoanotherinthetestimony
relation,itadoptsastance,attitude,orposturerelativetoit.Thenatureofthisstance
dependsonthenatureofthefigureandcanbehostileorfriendlyaccordingtotheusual
classificationoffigures.Whenaplanetaspectsanother,thetwoplanetsdomorethan
merelyassumeanattituderelativetooneanother;theyactuallyjoininthathostileor
friendlyfigureandengagewithoneanother.Planetsinatestimonyrelationarenotin
aspect."RobertSchmidt,ontheACTAstrologyBoard.
Tetrabiblos
Ptolemy'svastlyinfluentialclassicworkonastrology.
Tetragonous
Square(90degree)aspect.
ThemaMundi
Birthchartoftheworld.Anancientastrologicalteachingtool,purportingtobetheactual
chartofthebeginningoftheworld.Itshowseachoftheclassicalplanetsintheirdomiciles,
withSuninLeoandMooninCancer.Cancerisintheascendant,Ariesonthemidheaven.
MoreonThemaMundi[offsite].
TheosophicalSociety(TS)
FoundedinNewYorkin1875byH.P.Blavatsky,H.S.Olcott,W.Q.Judge,andothers.TheTS
fostersanactivebrotherhoodamongmankind,seekingtorevealtheessentialunityofall
thatis,anddemonstratethatthisunityisfundamentalinnature.Itpromotesthestudyof
ancientandmodernreligion,science,andphilosophy,withtheaimofexploringthehidden
sideofnatureandmankind.Thismovementhashadaprofoundeffectonthedevelopment
ofmodernastrology,especiallythroughtheconceptsofselfrealisation,karma,initiationand
theunfoldmentofadivineplan.Themostprominentastrologersofthelater19thandearly
20thCenturieswereactivemembers.
Theosophy
FromtheGreektheosophia,meaning"divinewisdom".Theunifyinginnerthreadoressence
ofbeingwhichflowsattheheartofreligionandspiritualphilosophy.SeeWisdomReligion.
Theurgy
FromtheGreektheourgia,meaning"sacredrite",or"godwork"sacredrites,mysteries
andceremoniescallingontheuniversalsourceusinglivingforms,divineorsemidivine
intermediaries(daimones).Magicalpowerandspiritualdevelopmentsoughtparticularly
throughsymbolsandsigns,musicalnotesandphrases,astrologicalcorrespondences,etc.
Pythagoras,perhapsthefirstinitiatedWesterntheurgist,receivedtheartfromancient
EgyptianandEasternteachers,andhadaprofoundinfluenceonPlato.Theurgywasaprime
focusoftheNeoplatonistsfollowingPlotinus,PorphryandIamblichus.
ThirdHouse
Thethirdchartsegment.Governscommunications,education,memory,siblings,localtravel
andmentality.
Throne
Oftenreferredtobymodernastrologersasaplanet'sdomicile,orhomesign,but
traditionallyusedonlywhenaplanetisinapartofthesignwhereithasmorethanone
dignity.
Time
Themeasurementofthepassageofeventsintermsoftheirdurationwithinaknownframe
ofreference.TimeismeasuredbyregularsubdivisionsofthemovementoftheEarththrough
space,asitrevolvesonitsaxis(day)andmaintainsitsorbitaroundtheSun(year),alongwith
theorbitoftheMoonaroundtheEarth(month).Aseveryoneknows,psychologicaltimeis
variable,accordingtoone'sageandinterest,withtimeseemingtopassmorequicklythe
olderonegets,andtravellingmoreslowlywhenengagedinwaitingforapottoboil,for
example.Inastrology,eachhour,dayandmonth,theirgroupingsandsubdivisions,aregiven
significanceandplanetaryrulers.Greaterperiodsaremeasuredbytheaspectsofthe
planetaryChronocrators.Todayanhourisfixedas60minutes,basedontherateofdecayof
radioactiveatomsinanatomicclock.However,inearliertimes,thehourwasmoreflexible,
beingdefinedasonetwelfthofthedaylightperiod(ornight),soonlybeingsixtyminutesas
weknowthematthetimeoftheEquinox(althoughtheycouldanddidmeasureexacttimes
withsuchdevicesasthehourglassandwaterclock).Modernrelativisticphysicscountsthe
conceptoftimeasafourthdimensionofspace,thuspositingafourdimensionalspacetime
continuum,inwhichtimeisflexibleand,relativetoanobserver,variesaccordingtothe
accelerationandmassofanobject.Advancedmathematicsoperateswithinanevengreater
numberoftheoreticaldimensions,withthemostradicalsuggesting(abitlikeBuddhist
philosophy)thatlimitlessnumbersofuniversessplitoffconstantlyandcontinuetoexistand
developinothertemporaldimensions.Mysticalbeliefoftenstatesthattimeisanillusion,
beingpurelythemovementofourconsciousnessalongthecontinuum,awayoforganising
theinterwoventapestryofexistence.Bothoftheseideasaresupportedsomewhatby
astrology,becauseifpredictionispossible,thenthepredictedeventmustatleastinsome
sensealreadyexist;moreoverifthepotentialforfreewillexists,thenalternatedimensions
mustalsoexist,sothata"choice"canbemadeandtheprogressionsandtransitsapplyata
differentlevelofawareness.It'satrickyconcept...
TimeLord
Chronocrator,ormarkerofspecifictimeperiods.SeeChronocrator.
TimeZone
Eachcountryhasitsownstandardizedtimezonemeasuredinhourseastorwestof
Greenwich,spreadinbandsacrosstheglobe.Somecountrieshavemorethanonetimezone,
e.g.theUSA,Australia,Russiaetc.Thereasonisthatlocalmeantimeneedstobesmoothed
outoverafairlylargegeographicalareatoenablethecoordinationofeveryone'sclocksin
thatrange.ButrealtimeisbasedontherisingandsettingoftheSun,soit'snotreasonable
toexpectthatpeopleinCaliforniashouldgetupwithNewYorkpeople,whentheSunrises
threehoursearlierintheEST(EasternStandardTime)zonethanitdoesinCalifornia.Inother
words,whenitis7AMinNewYork,itis4AMinSanFrancisco.Similarly,whenitismidnight
inGreenwich,itis10AMinSydney,8AMinPerthandsoon.Inastrologicalcalculations,
however,weneedtocalculatetheexactlocaltimeinordertofindaccuratepositionsofthe
planetsandtherisingsignetcsothatthecorrectchartcanbedrawnup.Planetarypositions
intheephemeridesandhousesinthetablesaresetaccordingtoUT(UniversalTime,amore
accurateversionofGMTbasedonatomicclocks)whichneedstobeadjustedaccordingto
thelocaltime,expressedinlatitudeandlongitude.EphemerisTime,anolderwayof
reconcilingthevariabilityoftheEarth'sorbit,hasnotbeenusedsinceJan1,1984.
Titan
ThelargestofSaturn'smoons,discoveredin1655byChristiaanHuygens.Titanhasathick
atmosphereandislargerindiameterthanMercuryandlargerandmoremassivethanPluto,
thoughsomewhatsmallerthanGanymede,Jupiter'slargestmoon.Itwaslongthoughtthat
Titanwasthelargestsatelliteinthesolarsystem,butrecentobservationshaveshownthat
Titan'satmosphereissothickthatitssolidsurfaceisslightlysmallerthanGanymede's.In
GreekmythologytheTitanswereafamilyofgiants,thechildrenofUranusandGaia,who
soughttoruletheheavensbutwereoverthrownbythefamilyofZeus(Jupiter).Ithasno
knownastrologicalsignificance.
Topocentric
AhousesystemdevelopedbyWendelPolichandA.P.NelsonPageinthe1960's.Theystate
thattheirsystemwasbasedempiricallybyprojectingknowneventsontoachart,ratherthan
usingmathematicalpointsderivedfromtrisection,oranyrelationshipwithGreatCircles,as
inothersystems.Itisbasedontheplaneofhouranglesinfunctionofascension,withthe
centreattheplaceofbirth.Inpractice,thecuspsseemtobeclosetoPlacidus,soisnota
solutionforhigherlatitudes.
Transit
1. Aplanet'smovementintheheavens(subsequenttobirth)overorinaspectto
factorsinthenatalorprogressedchart,orinaspecttoothertransitingfactors.The
closerthetwobodiesareindeclination,thegreaterwillbetheeffectofthetransit;
conversely,thefurtheraparttheyareindeclination,thelessertheeffect.Transits
havenoticeableeffectsontheworld,inparticularonindividuals'lives,accordingto
wheretheyoccurinthenatalchart.Foranindividual,transitsareparticularly
effectiveiftheycoincidewithprogressions,notsoeffectiveotherwise.
2. Transitmeansmovementthroughoracross,soaplanetmayalsobesaidtotransita
sign,orahouse.
3. Astronomically,itcanalsomeancrossingthefaceoftheSun,asintherare"Transit
ofVenus",orindeedanyothercelestial.
4. Classicalastrologers,suchasValens,considerthatatransitisonlyimportantinterms
ofitseffectonthenative'slifeiftheplanetisatimelordatthetime,thoughI'dsay
thisiscertainlynotthecasefortheslowmovingouterplanetsdiscoveredinmodern
times,particularlyUranusandPluto.Ialsohavemydoubtsabouttheclassical
planetsinthisregard,especiallyJupiterandSaturn.
Transit(Mute)
Amutetransitiswhenatransithasnonoticeableeffect.Classicalastrologersholdthata
transitshouldonlybeconsiderediftheplanetisthecurrenttimelord,andsoabletotestify,
otherwiseitwillbemute.
TranslationofLight
Aplanetseparatingfromanaspecttoaslowermovingplanetformsanaspecttoanother
whilestillwithinorboftheoriginalaspect.Thisformsachainofinfluencebetweenthethree
factors.
TransNeptunianObjects
AccordingtotheIAU,anyobjectintheSolarSystemorbitingtheSunatagreaterdistanceon
averagethanNeptune.TheKuiperBelt,ScatteredDisc,andOortCloudarethreemain
divisionsofthiszone.ThefirsttransNeptunianobjecttobediscoveredwasPlutoin1930,
nowdeclaredtobeaDwarfPlanet.ThelargestknownTNOisEris(discovered2005),whichis
apparentlymoremassivethanPlutoandalreadyhasanastrologicalfollowingofsorts,
despiteits"astronomical"orbitof557years.ItremainstobeseenwhetheranyotherTNO's
willhaveastrologicalsignificance,asatthetimeofwriting(May2009)nearly200ofthem
havebeengivenapermanentminorplanetdesignation.
TranspersonalPlanets
Uranus,NeptuneandPluto.
TransPluto
A.k.a.BacchusorPersephone,thisplanetispostulatedasorbitingbeyondtheoutermost
knownplanet,Pluto(couldthisbethenewlydiscoveredEris?).Ithasbeenproposedthatit
ruleTaurus.Abitfarfetchedinmyopinion...
Trecile
SeeTredecile.
Tredecile(sesquiquintile)
Kepler's108degreeaspect,whichissomewhatfavourable.UsedinHoraryAstrology.
TreeofLife
AmysticalsymbolattheheartofKabbalisticphilosophy,theoccultinterpretationofthe
Jewishscriptures.DescribingthecourseoftheCreativeWillasitenergisesthematerial
world,the32pathsoftheTreeofLifeincludethefirst10oftheSephiroth(exceptingDaath,
thesecretsephira).Theremaining22markthechannelsofenergyjoiningtheSefiroth
together.Eachofthesecorrespondstooneofthe22lettersoftheHebrewalphabet.The
personalaspectoftheTreeoutlinesthepathwayoftheevolutionofthehumansoulonits
waybacktoitsdivineorigins.Thissymbol(andtheKabbalahasawhole)isnotinitself
religious,butmoreaphilosophicalsystemthatcanbeemployedbyanystudentoftheoccult
world,ofwhatevercreed.
Trigon
SeeTriplicity.
Trigonalis
WhentheseriesofJupiterSaturnalignmentschangesfromoneelementtothenext.This
GreatChronocratorcyclelastsapproximatelytwohundredyearsandmarksverysignificant
socialandpoliticaldevelopments.SeeChronocrators.
Trine
Majoraspectof120degrees,consideredbenefic(favourable).Thetrine(onethirdofthe
circumferenceofthezodiacalcircle)nourishesthecontinuoususeofnaturaltalentsand
abilities,isanareaofcomfort,andcanassistthenativeintheexpressionofharmonyinthe
areasdenotedbytheplanetsandhousesstimulated.However,itcanalsomarkproblems
throughlazinessandoverconfidence.Anexampleofatrinewouldbeaplanetat15Aries
aspectinganotherplanetorpointat15Leo.Thetrineaspectinmodernastrologyisgivenan
orbof8,buttheclosertheorbistobeingexact(partile),themorepowerfultheeffect.The
SunandMoonareoftenallowedmoreorb.Trinesconnectviatriplicity(inthesameelement:
FiretoFire,AirtoAir,EarthtoEarth,WatertoWater).Classicalastrologyallowsforsignsto
beinaspect,soanyplanetinArieswouldbeconsideredtrinetoanyplanetinLeoorin
Sagittarius,forexample.Thiscalledaplaticaspect,asopposedtopartile.MoreonAspects,
andPlanets.
Triplicity
Anequilateraltrianglesuperimposedonanastrologicalchart,eachpointindicatingsignsof
thesameelement.Eachtriplicityhasaspecificplanetaryruler,differingbydayandnight,
givenaweightingof3.Therearefourtriplicities,representingtheelementsofFire,Earth,Air
andWater.
Fire
Aries
Leo
Sagittarius
Earth
Taurus
Virgo
Capricorn
Air
Gemini
Libra
Aquarius
Water
Cancer
Scorpio
Pisces
Tropic
Thelineoflatitude,approx.2328'eithernorth(Cancer)orsouth(Capricorn)oftheequator,
correspondingtothefurthestpointoftheecliptic.TheplacewheretheSunpauses,then
reversesitsdeclinationatthesummerandwintersolstices.
TropicalSigns
CancerandCapricorn.
TropicalZodiac
ZodiacalsystemgeometricallybasedontheSun'srelationshiptotheequinoxesandsolstices
(theseasons),asopposedtotheSiderealZodiac,whichistheoreticallybaseduponactual
stellarpositions(theconstellations).AlsoknownastheMoveableZodiac,itsbeginning(the
firstdegreeofAries,orVernalPoint)slowlymovesbyprecessionrelativetotheFixedZodiac
(theSiderealZodiac).SeeZodiac.
TrueNode
SeeNodes.
Tsquare
Astressfulanddynamicaspectcomprisingtwoplanetsinoppositionwhilstbeing
simultaneouslyinsquareaspecttoathird,thefocusoftheTsquare.
TwelfthHouse
Thetwelfthchartsegment.Governsselfundoing,institutions,secretenemies,hidden
weaknesses,bondage,anxieties,limitations,confinement,dreams,andthesubconscious.

U
Umbra
ThedarkcentralzoneoftheMoon'sshadowduringasolareclipse.Itissurroundedbythe
penumbra,thelighter,outerzoneoftheshadow.Inalunareclipse,thedarkerpartofthe
Earth'sshadowiscalledtheumbra,andthelighterpartthepenumbra.
UnaspectedPlanet
Aplanetformingnomajoraspecttoanyotherplanetinthechartisconsideredunaspected.
Oftendisplaysalackofintegrationintotheconsciouspersonalityandpromotestheenergyof
thesignitoccupies.
Undecile
Minoraspectexpressingoneeleventhofacircle,whentwoplanetsareplusorminus3243'
07"apart(approx.33).Saidtoindicatepsychicgiftsandtechnologicalmatters,especially
connectedwithscienceandcomputers.
UndertheSun'sBeams(UnderBeams)
1. Within17degreesoftheSun.Anyplanethereisweakened,thoughmoresoifcombust
(within8degrees30minutes).Notsoimportantinnatalastrology.Devorestatesthat
theorbofaspectoftheSunbyconjunctionoroppositionisupto17andthepart
"underbeams"isthenoncombustzoneoftheaspect,i.e.between830'and1700'.
2. Traditionally,thewaytocalculatewhetherornotaplanetisunderbeamsistoaddthe
moietiesoftheplanetandoftheSuntogether.Iftheplanetlieswithinthatdistance
fromtheSun,butgreaterthan830',itliesunderbeams.Forexample,themoietyofthe
Sunis830'andthemoietyofSaturnis500';ifweaddthesetogetherweget1330',so
shouldSaturnbeplacedwithin1330'oftheSun'sposition,itwouldbeunderbeams.
UniversalAstrology
OneofthethreebranchesofHellenisticAstrology,dealingwiththepredictionoftheweather,
geophysicalphenomenasuchasearthquakes,andeventsaffectingentirecountries,cities,or
populations,suchasplaguesandwars.SeeMundaneAstrology.
Universe
Inmoderntimes,theentiretyofthespacetimecontinuuminwhichwelive,includingallmatter
andenergy,spaceandtime,planets,stars,atoms,things,thoughtsandbeings.Recent
discoveriesincludedarkmatteranddarkenergyinthislist.Whetheralternatedimensionsare
alternateuniversesisamootpoint.
UnwanderingStars
FixedStars.
Urania
InGreekmythology,Uraniaisthemuseofastronomyandastrology.Sheisabletoforetellthe
futurebythepositionofthestars.
UranianPlanets
PlanetspostulatedtoliebeyondtheorbitofNeptune.Alsoknownastransneptunianplanets,
thesewerepostulatedin1914byAlfredWitte(Cupido,Hades,ZeusandKronos),founderofthe
HamburgSchool,andmorewereaddedlaterbyFriedrichSieggrn(Pluto,Apollon,Admetos,
VulcanusandPoseidon).OnlyPlutohassofarbeendiscoveredbyscience,in1930byClyde
TombaughatthePercivalLowellobservatory.
Uranium
Uranium(symbol"U"andatomicnumber92),asilverygreymetallicsubstance,istheheaviest
elementfoundinnature.Itisradioactiveandusedtofuelnuclearreactors.RuledbyUranus,itis
40timesmorecommonthansilver,butdecaysovertimeintolead.LeadisruledbySaturn.
Interestingly,UranusandSaturnaretheplanetsdesignatedbymanymodernastrologersasco
rulersofthesignAquarius.
Uranus
FormerlyknownasHerschel(afteritsdiscoverer,SirWilliamHerschel),thisplanet,oneofthe
outertranspersonalplanets,wasnotdiscovereduntilMarch13,1781.Althoughnotreadily
visibletothenakedeye,thereisevidencethatancientastronomershadobserved(andnamed)
Uranus,thoughitwasnotincludedintheschemaofastrology,perhapsduetoitsdimnessand
slowmovement.SomemodernastrologersholdthatitrulesAquarius;othersallowitco
rulershipwithSaturn,thoughtraditionalastrologersdenythatUranushasanypretensionsto
signrulership.Itstandsforunexpecteddisruptionsandsuddencatastrophes.Esoterically,itcalls
forththegeniusinthecharacterofthenative.MoreonUranus.
UranusOpposition
WhenUranusbytransitreachestheoppositepointtohisnatalpositioninachart.Theaspect,
occurringataround40yearsofage,mightbestbedescribedasasignofthemidlifecrisis.
V
Vaastu(Vstu)
IndigenousIndianvarietyofFengShui.Involvinggeomancyandastrologicallycorrectplacement
ofenergiesinthehomeandbusiness,thisancientdisciplineiswidelyemployedamongIndian
communitiestothisday.
VacuaCursus
LatinforVoidofCourse.
Varga
Thereare16divisionalmodes(vargas)ofthenatalchartinJyotish(Vedic)astrology.Basedon
fractionsofeachsign,eachvargagiveslightonadifferentsideofthecharacter.
Veda
AncientIndianscriptures,comprisingtheoriginalbasisoftheHindureligionsandphilosophies,
includingrelatedteachingssuchasYoga,Buddhism,Jainism,SikhismandevenHareKrishna!
TherearefourVedas:
1. RigVeda,themostancient
2. YajurVeda,sacrificialformul
3. SamaVeda,ritualhymnsandchants;mysticformul
4. AtharvaVeda,spellsandmagicalincantations;philosophicalspeculations
TheVedas,believedtobeeternaltruthsrevealedanewatthebeginningofeverynewage,were
originallycomposedandsunginSanskrit,oneoftheearliestoftheIndoEuropeantongues,from
whichmostofthemodernlanguagesofEurope,theMiddleEastandIndiahaveultimately
descended.
Vedanta
"TheendoftheVedas".OriginallycomprisingtheUpanishadsoresotericforestteachingsthat
grewoutoftheVedicreligiontaughtbyancientgurustotheirclosestdisciples.Itdevelopedinto
aphilosophicalschool,whichholdsthatthebasisofalllifeisdivineandthatthegoaloflifeisto
realisethedivinityinherentinournature.
VedicAstrology
Asystemofastrology(a.k.a.Jyotish)favouredinIndia,ultimatelyderivingfromtheteachingsof
theIndianscriptures(Vedas).Thecontroversialterm"Vedic"astrologyisaveryrecent,
apparentlyWesterninvention,mainlytoavoidtheterm"Hindu"astrologytheJyotishsystem
havingbeendevisedinantiquity,butlongaftertheVedaswereoriginallycomposed.Theprime
differencesfrommodernWesternTropicalAstrologyinclude:theemploymentoftheSidereal
Zodiac;planetaryperiods(dasha)andsubperiods(bhukti);theideaofplanetary"friends"and
"enemies";divisionalmodes(varga);thepreeminenceoftheMoon(Chandra)andtheuseof
thenakshatras,orLunarMansions.
Venus
Theeveningandmorningstar,aplanetsymbolisingmatterstodowithlove,affection,beauty,
thearts,moneyandsoon.RulerofTaurusandLibra.ExaltedinPisces.Thelesserbenefic.More
aboutVenus.
VernalEquinox
SpringEquinox(northernhemisphere).ThefirstdegreeofAries,thebeginningofthe
astrologicalyear,whentheSuncrossesthecelestialequatorfromsouthtonorth.Inthe
southernhemisphereitistheAutumnalEquinox.MoreontheEquinox.
VernalPoint
PointontheeclipticmarkingthepositionoftheSunatthemomentoftheVernalEquinox.Itis
definedasthefirstdegreeofAriesintheTropicalZodiac.Thispointmovesbackwardsthrough
thesiderealzodiacattherateofalittleoveronedegreeevery72years.Thismovementiscalled
thePrecessionoftheEquinoxes.Thecurrentlocation(2009)oftheVernalPointinthesidereal
zodiacisatapproximately5degreesofsiderealPisces.
Vertex
1. Pointusedbysomeastrologerstorepresenttheinnerlifeoftheascendant.Calculated
byinvertingthedegreeoftheAscendant(i.e.,calculatingthedegreeoftheascendantas
ifthenativewerebornintheoppositehemisphereandcallingthispointtheVertex),it
isthepointwheretheprimeverticalintersectstheeclipticandisalwaysfoundwestof
themeridien.Itcanbeaboveorbelowthehorizon.
2. AmaleficFixedStar(reallyanebula)intheconstellationAndromedaonthe28thdegree
oftropicalAries.ThisisthefamedAndromedaGalaxy.
Verticle
Theprimeverticle(vertical),orcircleofobservation,isaGreatCirclepassingdirectlyoverhead
fromdueeasttoduewest,inwhichanobserverstandswhenfacingsouth.Thiscircleisdivided
into12equalparts,comprisingthe12housesthroughwhichthesignsandplanetsseemtopass
obliquelyintheirapparentdiurnalmotionfromeasttowest.SeePrimeVertical.
Vespertine
Aplanetsettingintheeveningaftersunset.SeeMatutine.
Vesta
TheEternalFlame;goddessofthehearth,representingpersonalintegration,dedicationand
commitment.Anasteroidseenbymodernastrologersassignificant.MoreaboutAsteroids.
ViaCombusta
"TheBurningWay".Aproblematicareaofthezodiacbetween15Libraand15Scorpio.Itis
especiallydifficultfortheMoon.Inahorarychart,theMoonintheviacombustaiswidelyheld
tobeastrictureagainstjudgement.
Vigintile(semidecile)
OneofKepler'sminoraspects.18degrees,somewhatpositive.
Virgo
Thesixthsignofthezodiac.Mutableandearthy.RuledbyMercury.Emblem:TheVirginwitha
sheafofwheat.MoreaboutVirgo.
VisiblePlanets
Theplanetsvisibletothenakedeye:Mercury,Venus,Mars,JupiterandSaturn.SunandMoon
arealsoclassedasvisibleplanetsinastrology.Uranusisvisiblewithoutatelescopeundersome
circumstances,butisnotincludedintheschema.
VitalForce
Animatingprinciple,orlifeforce(lanvital),withoutwhichlifecannotexist.Ithasbeen
describedasanorganizing,formative,andthereforeultimatelyspiritualforce.Anon
materialisticessencenolongerrecognisedbyWesternmaterialscience,itremainsthe
expressionofspiritinlivingbeings,underlyingyetbeyondthephysicalandchemicalreactionsof
theorganism.SeeVitalism.
Vitalism
Thedoctrinethatallthefunctionsofalivingorganismaretheconsequenceofadeepvital
principle,alifeforcedistinctfromallchemicalandphysicalreactions.Thisprincipleisappliedto
physical,inorganicenvironments,aswellasorganicbeings,hencetheideathatallthingsare
connected.Inorganicconsciousnessvitalforcecanbeactivelypresentinsubstancessuchas
crystals,gemsandsoon,justasavalley,aforest,orarivercanhaveaconsciousness,asheldby
animistreligions.Planetaryconsciousnessisalsotaughtisesotericschools.MoreonVitalism.
Void(degrees)
Certaindegreestraditionallybelievedtocauseincompetence,lackofunderstandingandpoor
judgementwhenholdingtheMoon,theLordoftheascendant,theLordofthefigure,orthe
ascendantinanativity.
VoidofCourse
Whenaplanetformsnofurtheraspectfortheremainderofitstimeinasigninwhichitis
located(beforechangingtothenextsign).UsedmainlyfortheMooninHoraryAstrology,itis
saidbymostmodernastrologersthatitindicatesthatnothingwillcomeofthematter.Itisa
testimonythatthehorarychartisnotradical.WilliamLilly,aprimeauthorityontraditional
astrology,holdsthattheMoonisnotVoCifinsideamoietyofanaspect,eveniftheaspected
planetliesoutofsign.HealsoholdsthattheMoonisneverdangerouslyVoCinTaurus,Cancer,
Sagittarius,orPisces.MoreoverhesaysthatVoCdoesnotnecessarilysignifythatnothingwill
comeofamatter,butthatthings"gohardlyon"(i.e."proceedwithdifficulty",unlessthe
significatorsbestrong,inwhichcasethereisnorealproblemwiththeMoonbeingVoC).
Vulcan
AhypotheticalplanetsupposedtolieinsidetheorbitofMercury.Originallypostulatedto
accountforperturbationsinplanetaryorbits,thisplanetisnolongersupposedtoexistby
science,althoughsomeastrologersclaimitasasortofspiritualentityhavingpowerina
horoscope.ObservationsofVulcanhavebeenmadebyastronomers,buttheoddsarethatthey
didnotseeanintraMercurialplanet,butsomethingelse,suchasastar,asteroid,comet,or
sunspot.WeretheseactualobservationsofmassiveUFO's..?
Vulcanoids
PostulatedbeltofsmallasteroidsorbitingtheSunwithintheorbitofMercury.Thesewere
postulatedtoexplaintheVulcan"sightings",butsofarhavenoreliablescientificverification.
Theyalsohavenoastrologicalsignificance.
Vulcanus
AhypotheticalTransNeptunianplanetusedinUranianastrology.
W
Waite,ArthurEdward
A.E.Waite(Oct2,1857May19,1942)wasanoccultistandcocreatorwithartistPamela
ColemanSmithofthepopularRiderWaiteTarotdeckandauthorofitscompanionvolume,the
PictorialKeytotheTarot.Healsowroteocculttextsonsubjectsincludingdivination,
Rosicrucianism,Freemasonry,blackandceremonialmagic,Kabbalismandalchemy.Waite
translatedandreissuedseveralimportantmysticalandalchemicalworks.
WaningAspect
Whenanaspectismadefromthefastertotheslowerplanetagainsttheorderofthesigns.For
example,awaningsquareisfromSuninAriestosaySaturninCapricorn(notSaturninCancer,a
waxingsquare).Neitherconjunctionnoroppositioncanbesaidtobewaningorwaxing.Notto
beconfusedwithseparatingaspect.
WaningMoon
TheMoonmovingfromFullMoontoNewMoon,i.e.fromheroppositiontotheSununtilshe
reachestheconjunction.Thebright,visiblebodyoftheMoonslowlydiminishesduringthe
waningphase.SeeMoonPhases.
Watchers
TheRoyalStarsofPersiawereFixedStarsofparticularsignificance,firstdeclaredasWatchers,
orGuardiansoftheWorld,byancientPersianastrologersataround3000BC,whentheystood
atthefouranglesoftheHeavens.ThesestarswerealsoassignedangelicstatusbytheHebrews.
TherearefourRoyalStars:
Aldebaran,theArchangelMichael,WatcheroftheEast,ruleroftheVernalEquinox
Regulus,theArchangelRaphael,WatcheroftheNorth,ruleroftheSummerSolstice
Antares,theArchangelOriel,WatcheroftheWest,ruleroftheAutumnalEquinox
Fomalhaut,theArchangelGabriel,WatcheroftheSouth,ruleroftheWinterSolstice.
Regulusisusuallyconsideredthe"mostroyal",althoughAldebaranhashisproponents.Moreon
FixedStars.
WaterBearer
TheemblemforthesignAquarius.Aquarius,however,isnotaWaterSign,itisanAirSign.More
aboutAquarius.
WaterElement
Oneofthefourastrologicalelements.Afeminineelement,itstandsforemotion,feeling,
matterstodowithintuitionandsoon.Theotherelementsare:Fire,AirandEarth.
WaterSigns
Cancer(cardinal),Scorpio(fixed),Pisces(mutable)
WateryTriplicity
TheWaterSigns:Cancer;Scorpio;Pisces.Thesesignsarecoldandmoistbynatureand
phlegmaticbytemperament.
Wave
Arhythmicenergeticpatternthatdoesnothavemassasgenerallyunderstood,butisratheran
oscillationinorofamedium.Thewaveisthebasisofallsourcesofradiation,suchassound
wavesandelectromagneticwaves,Hertzianwaves,infraredandultravioletrays,visible
radiations,etc.Accordingtothelatestinterpretationsofquantumphenomena,wavesarethe
ultimatebasicstructureofmatter,energy,spaceandtime.
WaveStructureofMatter
TheoreticaldevelopmentfromQuantumMechanicsthatpermitsanunderstandingofthe
vibratorystructureoftheuniversedefininga"particle"ofmatterasanappearanceratherthan
agenuinephenomenon.WSMdefinesSpaceasthemediuminwhichwaves,orrhythmic
energeticpatterns,aretransmittedandinteractwitheachother,movinginwardsandoutwards
atthequantumlevel,producingphenomenathatoursensesinterpretasmatterandenergy.
Spaceisthusnotempty,butthematrixandsubstanceofeverything.
WaxingAspect
Whenanaspectismadefromthefastertotheslowerplanetintheorderofthesigns.For
example,awaxingsquareisfromSuninAriestosaySaturninCancer(notSaturninCapricorn,a
waningsquare).Neitherconjunctionnoroppositioncanbesaidtobewaningorwaxing.Notto
beconfusedwithapplyingaspect.
WaxingMoon
TheMoonmovingfromNewMoontoFullMoon,i.e.fromherconjunctionwiththeSununtil
shereachestheopposition.Thebright,visiblebodyoftheMoonslowlyexpandsduringthe
waxingphase.SeeMoonPhases.
WholeSignHouses
Ancientsystemofhousedivisionwhereahouseisconsideredcoextensivewithitssign.Similar
toEqualHousesystem,butdiffersinthatthefirsthousebeginswiththefirstdegreeofitsruling
sign,ratherthantherisingdegree.Themidheavenandascendingdegreearenotcountedas
housecusps,butrathersensitivepoints.UsedtodaymainlyinIndia,butasHellenisticastrology
isbetterunderstood,itisbecomingmorepopularintheWest.
WisdomReligion
AccordingtotheBlavatskyTrust,Theosophy,theWisdomReligion,istheknowledgeofthelaws,
principles,processesandnatureofNatureherselfinalldepartments,bothobjectiveand
subjective,andatalllevelsofbeingandoperation,physical,emotional,mental,supermental
andspiritual.Somequotes:Theosophyis"thescienceofsciences;theagelesswisdom;the
WesternMysteryTradition;theshorelessoceanofuniversaltruth,loveandwisdom;divine
nature,visibleandinvisible;theaggregateoftheknowledgeandwisdomthatunderliethe
Universe;theessenceofallreligionandofabsolutetruth;scientificTheosophy(is)basedon
accurateknowledgeofNature'ssecretworkings.""Itisthelastwordofpossiblehuman
knowledge;theWisdomReligion.Alltheoldworshipsindicatetheexistenceofasingle
theosophyanteriortothem."Theosophyis"therootandtrunkofthetreeofwhichallreligions
arebranches."Itis"theEsotericScience;themysteriesoftheKingdomofHeaven;thesynthesis
ofscience,religionandphilosophy."ItissometimescalledtheSecretDoctrine.SeeWhat
TheosophyIs(offsite).
WolfRayet(WR)Stars
Evolved,massivestars(over20solarmassesinitially)losingmassrapidlyviaanintensestellar
wind,atupto2000km/s.WRstarsareatanevolutionaryphaseinthelivesofmassivestars
duringwhichtheyundergoheavymassloss.TheSunlosesapprox.10
14
solarmasseseveryyear,
WolfRayetstarstypicallylose10
5
solarmassesayear(100milliontimestheSun'sloss!)
comparablewithsupernov.Discoveredin1867(byWolfandRayet),thesestarsarehot,with
surfacetempbetween25,000K&50,000K.ThereisnoastrologicalconnotationforWRinitself,
asitisamoderndiscoveryandmostaretoodistanttoregister.TheWRmostreadilyseenis
(Gamma)Velorum,Mg1.7intheSailofArgoNavisintheSouthernHemisphere.
WorldSoul
TheAnimaMundiofancientphilosophers,suchasPlato.
WSM
WaveStructureofMatter.
X
Xena
This"DwarfPlanet"isnowknownasEris.Erisanditsmoon,Dysnomia,liebeyondPlutointhe
KuiperBelt.
DiscoveredonOctober21,2003byBrown,TrujilloandRabinowitzatMtPalomarandknownas
2003UB
313
theprovisionallynamedXenaappearstobemoremassivethanPluto.Itispartofa
newlyproposedclassofastronomicalobjectscalledPlutons.Xenahasamooninformallyknown
asGabrielle,Xena'sfriendintheTVseriesXena,theWarriorPrincess.Gabrielleisalso
consideredaPluton,thoughifitreallyisamoonofXena,it'shardtoseewhy,basedonthe
proposeddefinition.Neitherhaveanyacceptedastrologicalsignificance.SeePlanet.
NOTE:Ihaveleftthishereasotherwisewe'dhaveno"X"!ed.

TherearenoothertermsinAstrologybeginningwithX,savesomemedicalexpressionsusedin
MedicalAstrology.
Y
Yang
MasculinepolarityoftheTao,opposedtoandintertwinedwithYin,thefemininepolarity.See
Polarity.
Yin
FemininepolarityoftheTao,opposedtoandintertwinedwithYang,themasculinepolarity.See
Polarity.
Yod
Apowerfulaspect.SeeFingerofGod.
Yoga
InVedicastrology,apowerfulplanetaryrelationship(Yoga="Union").Nottobeconfusedwith
theYogaPhilosophyandrelateddisciplines.
Yogakaraka
InVedicastrology,themostbeneficialplanetinahoroscopebecauseofitshouserulership
(Karaka="Indicator",or"significator").ForexampleMarsisyogakarakainaVedicchartwith
Piscesrising,becauseitrulesthe9thand2ndhouses.
Yuga
OneoffourepochsdividingacosmicAge(kalpa)of10,000DivineYears.TheYugasareSatya
Yuga(GoldenAgeofTruth),TretaYuga(SilverAgeofRighteousness),DwaparaYuga(Bronze
AgeofKnowledge)andKaliYuga(thecurrentAgeofDarkness).
Yuti
Vedicastrologytermforconjunction.
Youth(phaseof)
TheperiodoflifefrombirthuptothefirstSaturnReturn.
Z
Zaminium
Bonatussonamesthefortunateconjunctionofaplanetwiththe"heartoftheSun".SeeCazimi.
Zenith
Thepointdirectlyoverhead,orhighestpoint.Alsothemidheaven(MC).
ZeroPoint
Theoriginofacoordinatepointsysteminmathematics,inmysticaltermsitisapointintime
andspacewherematterandantimattermerge.Ithasbeendeemedalsotobethepointinthe
cosmicgroundofbeingwhereanindividualmonadorsparkofconsciousnessislocated.Avoid
whichisparadoxicallyaplenum.Certainschoolsofyogaandtheqabbalaholdthatthispointis
tobefoundineachhumanheartandisthespiritualfocalpointfortheformationofthehuman
body/mindandsoul.
ZeroPointEnergy(ZPE)
Inphysics,thezeropointenergyisthelowestpossibleenergythataquantummechanical
physicalsystemmayhaveandistheenergyofthegroundstate.Thisisthebasisfortheidea
thattheSphericalStandingWaveStructureofMatter(WSM)mayallowtheharnessingof
unlimitedenergyfromspirit.
Zeus
Zeus,theThunderer,wastheleaderoftheancientOlympianGods,theequivalentinGreekof
Jupiter.
Zodiac
The"circleofanimals".Azoneorbeltinspacethroughwhich,fromourviewpoint,theplanets
move.Asymbolicgeometricconstructionaround15to18degreeswide,itisdividedinto12
signs,eachof30degreeslongitude(making360degreesinall),withtheecliptic,theapparent
pathoftheSun,asitsmiddleline.
1. Zodiac[Fixed]:thesiderealzodiacofthefixedstars,basedontheconstellations
2. Zodiac[Moveable,orNatural]:thetropicalzodiacoftheseasons,socalledbecauseits
startingpoint,thefirstdegreeofAries(theVernalPoint,orEquinox),movesvery
slightlybyprecessionwithregardtotheconstellationsoftheFixedZodiac
3. Zodiac[Sidereal]:theFixedZodiac
4. Zodiac[Tropical]:theMoveableZodiac
ZodiacalAspects
Aspectsinthezodiac,measuredbysignanddegree.SeeAspects.
ZodiacalLight
The"FalseDawn"oftheTheRubaiyatofOmarKhayyam.Itisnowbelievedbyscientiststobe
sunlightreflectedfromthecosmicdustleftoverfromtheformationoftheplanets,billionsof
yearsago.ItisusuallyseenprojectedasafaintbackdroptotheZodiac,eitherbeforedawn,or
elseaftersunset,dependingonthetimeofyear.
ZodiacalParallel
SeeParallelAspects.
Zohar
TheBookofSplendour(hebrew:SepherhaZohar),attributedtofirstcenturyRabbiSimeonBen
Iochai,theZoharisoneofthemostimportantkabbalisticdocuments,containingmaterialthat
datesbacktothetimeoftheChaldeans.Saidtocontaintheancientkeystothemysteriesof
existence,modernHebrewscholarsdeclarethereisinternalevidencethatatleastpartsofthe
Zoharwerenotwrittenuntilafter1264CE.
Zoidia
PluralofZoidion.
Zoidion
AncientGreeknameforSign,whichimputesthesenseofalivingbeing(ortheimageofaliving
being)ratherthanjustaspatialcontainer(ieforplanetsetc).

Astrological Terminology Dictionary

Adjusted calculation date: The day on which the planetary positions shown in the ephemeris
coincide with the progressed positions of the planets. The ACD stays the same year to year.
Affliction: An tension producing aspect in the chart such as a square, semi-square or quincunx.
Astrological age. A period of time that is approximately 2150 years. It represents the time
necessary for the vernal equinox to retrograde through the 30 degrees of any one of the
constellations. Astrologers generally believe that the earth is now moving from the Age of Pisces
into the Age of Aquarius.
Air signs: The mental signs; Gemini, Libra and Aquarius.
Angles: Angles refer to the four points of the horoscope chart which divides the chart into 4
equal parts. These are the Ascendant, The Midheaven, the Descendent and the Immum Coeli.
The planets situated close to the angles are particularly influential.
Angular houses: Angular houses are similar to the Cardinal signs. These are the 1st, 4th, 7th,
and 10th houses.
Apparent motion: this is the motion of any heavenly body as viewed from Earth when
measured geocentrically versus their actual movements (heliocentric). Planets appear to rise over
the horizon, but in fact are actually moving in the opposite direction around the sun.
Applying and separating (aspects): whenever two planets are just about to form an aspect, the
faster moving planet is said to be applying. As the two planets move away from the exact aspect
they are called; separating.
Arc: A distance between two points on a circle.
Ascendant: The sign degree rising over the eastern horizon at the time of birth. Each degree
stays on the horizon approximately 4 minutes.
Ascension: (short and long.) Signs of long ascension take more time to rise than signs of short
ascension. Depending on the obliquity of the ecliptic, some zodiac signs rise over the horizon
more rapidly than other signs. The signs of long ascension In the Northern Hemisphere, are
Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio and Sagittarius. Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio and
Sagittarius are signs of short ascension, South of the equator.
Aspect: An aspect is an angular interconnection between horoscope factors. The aspects usually
considered are those involving planets and house cusps. Aspects are deemed to be either
favorable or unfavorable according to the temperament of the planets involved and the number of
degrees separating the planets.
Asteroid: Asteroids are thought to be remains of smashed planets. An asteroid is a very small "
planet" in a band that revolves around the Sun between Mars and J upiter.
Astrologer: A person who studies and practices the art of astrology.
Astrology: The art of interpreting the meanings of connections between the movements of
heavenly bodies and happenings on Earth. Astrology deals with the discretionary state of mind as
well as with hard facts. Some branches of astrology are; Electional, Esoteric, Horary, Medical
and Mundane.
[TOP]
Benefic: Benefic planets are considered to bestow favorable influences. J upiter is designated as
the greater benefic and Venus the lesser benefic.
Birth time: The exact moment of birth, considered to be the moment the baby takes it's very first
breath of life.
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Cadent houses: These are the 3rd, 6th, 9th and 12th houses of the horoscope.
Cardinal signs: Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. These are signs which are initiating.
Celestial equator: The earth's equator projected into space.
Chart: A horoscope drawn up for a individual's birth date or for an event date.
Combust: A planet is said to be combust when it is in close conjunction with the sun.
Constellation: A grouping of stars which form a pattern in the sky. For example: The 12 zodiac
constellations which are found on the ecliptical belt share identical names, although they are not
found in the same locations as the 12 signs of the zodiac.
Culmination: When a planet is positioned on or near the Midheaven in a horoscope chart, it is
said to be culminating.
Cusps: In astrology the word cusp refers to the lines which divide the houses or signs in a natal
horoscope chart.
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Day houses: The six houses of a horoscope which are above the chart horizon (horizontal line
dividing the wheel).
Daylight savings time: if daylight savings time is being observed when a natal chart is erected,
it is necessary to subtract one hour from his own standard.
Debility: A planet in it's detriment.
Decanate: A whole sign equals 30 degrees. Each sign includes 3 decanates made up of 10
degrees each.
Declination: This is the distance either north or south of the celestial equator. This should not be
confused with latitude. Planets with the same declination are also said to be in parallel aspect to
each other.
Degree meanings: The premise that each of the 360 degrees in the zodiac has its own meaning.

Descendant: The point exactly opposite the ascendant.
Dignities: Refers to the affinities between signs and planets.
Direct: The opposite of retrograde. Designated in the ephemeris by the letter D.
Directions: The aspects between progressed planets or transits, and natal planets, cusps or angles.
The motion of these aspects are followed so that the astrologer may determine when certain
effects will function and in what manner they are likely to manifest.
Dispositor: the planet ruling the sign in which another planet appears. Thus if, J upiter were in
Capricorn, it's dispositor would be Saturn.
Dragon's head and tail: The Dragon's Head is another name for the North Node. The Dragon's
Tail is another name for the South Node. See nodes.
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Earth signs: The signs of practicality. Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn.
Eclipse: (Solar and Lunar) When a solar eclipse occurs, it means that the moon is passing
between the Sun and the Earth, thereby, blocking the light of the Sun. When a lunar eclipse
occurs, it means that the earth is passing between the Sun and Moon, which casts a shadow on
the Moon.
Electional astrology: a branch of astrology in which the astrologer ascertains the most favorable
date and time within a given time frame for a particular action. The undertaking is then
intentionally started at this opportune moment.
Elements: In astrology these are Fire, Earth, Air and Water.
Elevation: In a chart this would be a planet near the Midheaven and therefore, it is given more
emphasis.
Ephemeris: A book comprised of astronomical tables describing daily positions by signs and
degrees of the Sun, Moon and all of the planets.
Equator: The celestial equator means the plane of the terrestrial equator projected out and onto
what is known as the celestial sphere. The circle of the earth that is an equal distance from the
two poles is called the terrestrial equator.
Equinox: Means equal night and marks the beginning of spring and fall. As the sun passes the
point of the Equinox, the days and nights become equal in length. The Equinox's are times when
the sun moves into the first degree of Aries. This is often referred to as the Vernal Equinox. Then
again when the Sun moves into the first degree of Libra. This is often referred to as the
Autumnal Equinox.
Esoteric: Refers to certain philosophical teachings normally known only to those who have been
especially initiated. Information and teachings understood by or meant to be shared with only a
select few.
Esoteric astrology: Astrology and the occult.
Exaltation: A planet in exaltation means that a planet resides in the sign where it is most
harmoniously placed.
Excitation: This refers to the energies of progressed planets being released by current transits
which are the same as the progressed planets in the chart. For example: If progressed Venus is
conjunct natal Uranus then the current transits of Venus over Uranus would be given more
significance in a chart reading.
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Fall: Refers to a a planet in the sign which is opposite to it's sign of exaltation.
Fire signs: The inspirational signs. Aries, Leo and Sagittarius.
Fixed signs: The stabilizing signs. Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius.
Fixed star: The term fixed is not really relevant today because we now know that the stars do
"move" positions slowly. The term" fixed stars" was used by the ancients. A star in the sky that
is visible to the naked eye, not including the Sun, Moon and planets.
Flat chart: A chart using noon as the event time and starting with zero degrees of each of the
signs on the house cusps, beginning with the sign Aries on the 1st house cusp.
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Geocentric: Earth centered astrology. Astrology is geocentric because humans inhabit Earth and
astrologers examine the orientation of people to the universe. Astronomers research the solar
system from a heliocentric (sun centered) perspective.
Greenwich Mean Time: Refers to time at the prime meridian at zero degrees longitude.
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Heliocentric: A Sun centered perspective.
Horary astrology: A technique whereby a chart is cast for the exact date and time when a
question first arises in ones mind or is asked of the astrologer. The astrologer studies this chart
and synthesizes the factors based on certain horary rules in the hopes of finding an answer to a
specific question, usually a yes or no type question.
Horary chart: A chart erected for the exact date and time a question is asked.
Horizon: In astrology, the eastern horizon is indicated by the sign and it's degree rising in the
east. The horizon of any place is always 90 degrees below the Zenith. The equator is the horizon
of the north and south poles.
Horoscope: Refers to the natal (birth) chart. A map of the planets positions at a particular date,
time and place on Earth.
Houses: In astrology the "houses" describe the 12 divisions of a chart wheel and begins with the
Ascendant (first house cusp). Each of the houses represent an area of life such as money,
marriage, career and so on. Each house covers many areas, but astrologers usually stick with
those meanings most common to the interest of most people. In Horary astrology, where a very
specific answer is sought, then the astrologer is required to draw upon a larger scope of the
various house meanings.
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Imum Coeli: The meridian point opposite to the Medium Coeli.
Inconjunct: Another term for a quincunx aspect.
Ingress: This term refers the entry of a planet into a sign. It is commonly used to point out the
Sun's yearly ingress into the four cardinals signs separating the seasons.
Intercepted signs: Intercepted signs are more common in charts where the birthplace is found in
more extreme north and south latitudes versus latitudes found near the equator. . In the extreme
latitudes a house will contain more than 30 degrees, and in this case we find an entire sign
enclosed in it and therefore, without appearing on any actual cusp. Such a sign is called "
intercepted." In the equal house system, intercepted signs in a chart cannot happen.
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Karma: The law of cause and effect. A horoscope describes a person's karmic fortune as well as
karmic debts and indicates the principles by which the karma may be met and dealt with in a
lifetime.
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Latitude: Geographical latitude is the distance north or south from the earth's equator measured
at 90 degrees.
Luminaries: Refers to the Sun and the Moon. (The lights)
Local Mean Time: The true time at the city, state, country of birth. In order to find Local Mean
Time, an astrologer must know the exact longitude of the birthplace and then add or subtract 4
minutes for each degree that the place deviates from the Standard Time Meridian.
Longitude: Longitude is expressed either in degrees or in time. Geographical longitude Is
defined by the arc measured from the prime meridian at Greenwich, England to the meridian of a
given place.
Lunar return: A type of predictive chart drawn up for the time the moon returns each month to
the exact sign by degree, minute, and second as it was in at the precise date and time of a
person's birth. At that point the forecast begins and continue for approximately one month.
Lunation: A term of 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes and 3 seconds during which time the moon
will move from one conjunction to the Sun to the next.
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Malefic: The malefic planets are considered to bestow an unlucky influence. Saturn is
considered to be the greater malefic and Mars is the lesser malefic.
Medium Coeli: The Midheaven.
Meridian: This is the circle of longitude which passes through the poles of the heavens, through
the Zenith above, the north point of the horizon and below, through the Nadir of the observer. At
noon, the sun crosses the upper meridian. It crosses the lower meridian at midnight. The
meridian coincides with geographical longitude. Every point on the face of the earth's has its
own meridian or circle of longitude.
Midheaven: This is the great circle which extends out from the Zenith downward toward the
equator, which crosses at right angles. The zodiac degree of the ecliptic which cuts across this
great circle or meridian, establishes the midheaven of the chart. The midheaven depends upon
the tilt of the ecliptic above the horizon and is changeable in its relationship to the ascendant.
The apex of the midheaven is greater in summer when the sun is high in the sky than in the
winter.
Midpoint: A mathematically calculated point that is the halfway point between two planets or
between a planet and a house cusp. These points have their own interpretations which add
another level of insight into a chart reading. Many astrologers are discovering that transits to
these chart midpoints often trigger events also.
Mundane astrology: Mundane refers to the astrology of the world and is commonly used to
refer to political astrology. The astrological study of major world events, countries, leaders, and
people.
Mutable signs: The adaptable signs. Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces.
Mutual reception: Whenever two planets are positioned in each other's signs they are said to be
in mutual reception and read as though they were conjunct. For example: if Mars were in Taurus
and Venus were in Aries they would be said to be in mutual reception.
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Nadir: The point which is opposite of the Zenith.
Natal chart: A birth horoscope. Nativity.
Natural chart: A horoscope that places Aries on the first house cusp with the rest of the signs
following in natural zodiacal order.
Night houses: The six houses of a horoscope which are below the chart horizon (horizontal line
dividing the wheel).
Nodes: The position at which the orbits of the moon or other planets cross the ecliptic. Planetary
nodes do not move much more than a degree in a one hundred years. The moon's nodes are
usually the most common ones followed by astrologers. They are commonly referred to as, the
North Node and the South Node. The Moon's node are also sometimes called the Dragons Head
and Dragons Tail. Since the Sun and the Earth never cross the ecliptic, these bodies have no
nodes.
Nonagesimal: 90 degrees from the ascendant. The most elevated point of the ecliptic above the
horizon. In an equal house system, the Nonagesimal would be the cusp of the 10th house.
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Orb: A sphere of influence within which a planet or aspect is considered to exert an influence.
The size of orbs vary according to the aspect and are often subject to the opinion of a particular
astrologer.
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Part of Fortune: A mathematically calculated point and not an actual heavenly body. It is found
by adding the longitude of the Moon to the longitude of the Ascendant and then subtracting the
longitude of the Sun. There many other Arabic Parts each with it's own particular calculation.
Planet: In astrology a planet refers to the heavenly bodies Mercury, Venus, Mars, J upiter, Saturn,
Uranus, Neptune and Pluto and includes for purposes of understanding the Sun and Moon, even
though the Sun and Moon are not really planets. Those bodies that appear to have motion of their
own among the fixed stars and whose positions are drawn up in an astrology chart.
Precession of the Equinoxes: Refers to the slow movement of the Vernal Equinox in a
backward motion in relation to the constellations which make up the sidereal zodiac.
Progressed horoscope: (secondary progressions) While viewing the date of birth for an
individual in an ephemeris, one would count forward the number of days equal to the persons
age at the time the reading is desired. Each day is supposed to represent one year of life for the
individual. A special chart is calculated for that date and any changes in planets in signs and the
aspects formed therein are read as an indicator of possible events and modified attitudes for the
person. There are several different methods of progressing a chart with the Day for a Year being
the most widely accepted.
Progressions: Refers to the various systems of astrological prediction based upon the "moving
forward" of the planetary patterns shown in the birth chart. Progressions are shown by the
movements of the planets and house cusps for a chosen number of days after the birth of a person.
The various types are; primary, secondary and tertiary.
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Quadruplicities: (a.k.a. Qualities or Modes) A division of the zodiac into 3 groups of four signs
at right angles to one another. These formations are called Cardinal, Fixed, and Mutable. Each
group contains one sign of each of the 4 elements.
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Radix: a natal chart.
Rectification: When a person does not know their clock time of birth, an astrologer may try to
determine the precise time by adjusting the wheel of the houses in order to make the various
transits, and progressions match up with known dates of events in the person's life.
Retrograde Motion: This is an apparent movement backward in the zodiac, although in reality,
this retrograde motion is an illusion created by the changing placements of the earth and the
planets in correlation to each other. In the ephemeris, a planet that is in retrograde motion is
shown by the symbol RX. The Sun and Moon do not retrograde.
Right Ascension: This is a measurement moving eastward along the celestial equator.
Rising planet: A planet considered to be close to the ascendant. As with all else in astrology the
deciding number of degrees will vary by astrologer, but within 5 degrees on either side of the
Ascendant cusp being a widely accepted orb.
Rising sign: See "Ascendant"
Ruling planet: The planet, which according to astrology is the "ruler" of the sign on the
Ascendant. For example: If Leo where the sign on the Ascendant then the chart ruling planet
would be the Sun.
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Sextile: A 60 degree aspect considered to signify opportunity.
Sidereal time: time reckoned by the stars. This is a time system based on the true period of the
earth's rotation on its axis. At any moment the sidereal time is different for two meridians, but is
unaffected by the latitude. From the measurement of locals Sidereal Time, a person can find the
culminating degree of the ecliptic or midheaven in the Table of Houses. The ascendant and house
cusps are then listed according to the latitude of the birthplace.
Sidereal zodiac: The constellations.
Signs: the names of the signs are Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Scorpio,
Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces. Each sign of the zodiac is equal to a 30 degrees.
Signs are determined from the point where the Sun crosses the celestial equator at zero degrees
Aries around March 21st of each year. The rest of the signs follow in natural order.
Solar return: A type of predictive chart drawn up for the time the Sun returns each year to the
exact sign by degree, minute, and second as it was at the precise date and time of a person's birth.
At that time the forecast begins and continues for one entire year.
Solar chart: (a.k.a. Sun-on-the-Ascendant chart) A chart in which the sign and the degrees of
the Sun at the time of birth are used as an artificial Ascendant when the event clock time or birth
clock time is not known. So, if on the date of birth the Sun was at 3 degrees Virgo, then the
"Ascendant would be 3 degrees Virgo, which naturally places the Sun directly on the first house
cusp.
Solstice: The sun appears to stand still at the summer solstice marked by 0 degrees Cancer and
then again at the winter solstice marked by 0 degrees Capricorn. The solstices mark the
beginning of summer and winter.
Square: A 90 degree aspect considered to be stressful and challenging.
Standard time: Clock time measurement which changes each hour as one moves east or west
across standard time zones.
Standard Time Zones: 15 degree areas of longitude equal to one hour and designated as a
number of hours either earlier or later than Greenwich Mean Time.
Stationary: When a planet's motion go from direct to retrograde or from retrograde to direct,
there is a period of time when it appears to be motionless. The Sun and Moon are not ever
stationary.
Stellium: A conjunction involving at least 3 or 4 planets.
Succedent houses: The 2nd, 6th, 8th and 11th houses. These also correspond to the fixed signs.
Sun sign: The zodiac sign which the sun occupies. Sun signs are determined by knowing the
date of birth. Sun signs are the basis of most commercial daily horoscopes.
Synastry: The comparisons made between two or more charts with regarding the individuals
involved. Relationship astrology.
Synthesis: The art of combining the various factors revealed in a horoscope analysis The ability
to blend all of the various factors in a horoscope in order to execute a balanced reading of the
entire chart.
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Tables of Diurnal Planetary Motion: Tables for looking up the distance a planet has traveled in
a given time period.
Transit: The current passage of a planet over a point in the natal chart.
Trine: A 120 degree aspect considered to be harmonious and without restriction.
Tropical zodiac: The zodiac signs Aries to Pisces.
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Universal Time: Another term for Greenwich Mean Time usually when the GMT is calculated
from midnight.
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Vertex: The Vertex is defined by the intersecting point of the prime vertical and the ecliptic in a
western direction.
Void of Course: When the Moon or a planet forms it's last aspect to another body before leaving
a sign.
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War Time: In the United States during times of war, Daylight Saving Time was called War
Time. During times of war In the UK, Double Summertime was also called War Time.
Water signs: The emotional, sensitive signs. Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces.
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Zenith: The point on the Meridian which is directly overhead.
Drawn from anywhere on earth to its Zenith is always vertical to the plane of it's horizon. The
Zenith is sometimes confused with the Midheaven.
Zodiac: The 12 divisions of the sky which are measured along the belt of the ecliptic and
enclosing a distance of about 9 degrees on either side.

Glossary of Astronomical Terms

Aberration of Starlight - The angular shift in the apparent direction of a star caused by the orbital
motion of the Earth
Absolute Magnitude - The apparent magnitude a star would have if it were at a distance of 10
parsecs (pc)
Absorption Line - A dark line superimposed on a continuous spectrum when a gas absorbs light
from a continuous source that is hotter than the absorbing gas
Acceleration - The rate of change of velocity. An acceleration may involve a change of speed,
direction of motion, or both
Acceleration of Gravity - The acceleration of a body, equal to 9.8 meters per second per second
(m/s2), caused by the force of gravity near the surface of the Earth
Accretion - The growth in the mass of a body by the infall of matter gravitationally attracted to the
body
Accretion Disk - A disk of gas and dust spiraling inward toward a star or toward the nucleus of a
galaxy
Accretional Heating - The heating of a body by the impacts that occur as it grows by adding
infalling material
Achondrite - A stony meteorite lacking chondrules
Active Galactic Nucleus - The nucleus of an active galaxy
Active Galaxy - A galaxy whose nucleus is unusually bright and small. Seyfert galaxies, BL
Lacertae objects, and quasars are examples of active galaxies
Active Region - A region of the Sun's surface layers that has a large magnetic field and in which
sunspots, flares, and prominences preferentially occur
Adaptive Optics - A system for modifying the shape of the mirror of a telescope to compensate for
atmospheric seeing and to produce sharp images
Ae and Be Stars - Pre-main sequence stars more massive than 3 solar masses
Aerosol - Liquid droplets and solids suspended in the atmosphere of a planet or satellite
Aesthenosphere - A layer of plastic, deformable rock located in the upper mantle of a planet
directly below the lithosphere
Albedo - The ratio of the light reflected in all directions by a surface to the light incident on it. A
perfectly reflecting surface has an albedo of 1, a perfectly absorbing surface has an albedo of 0
Alpha Particle - The nucleus of a helium atom, consisting of two protons and two neutrons
Altitude - The angular distance between the direction to an object and the horizon. Altitude ranges
from 0 degrees for an object on the horizon to 90 degrees for an object directly overhead
Amino Acid - A carbon-based molecule from which protein molecules are assembled
Amor Asteroid - A member of a class of asteroids having orbits that cross the orbital distance of
the Earth
Angular Momentum - The momentum of a body associated with its rotation or revolution. For a
body in a circular orbit, angular momentum is the product of orbital distance, orbital speed, and
mass. When two bodies collide or interact, angular momentum is conserved
Annihilation - The mutual destruction of a matter-antimatter pair of particles. The charges on the
two particles cancel and the mass of the particles is entirely converted to energy
Annular eclipse - A solar eclipse in which the Moon is too far from the Earth to block the entire
Sun from view and a thin ring of sunlight appears around the Moon
Antapex - The direction in the sky away from which the Sun is moving. Because of the Suns
motion, nearby stars appear to converge toward the antapex
Antimatter - A type of matter which annihilates ordinary matter on contact. For every particle,
there is a corresponding antimatter particle. For example, the antimatter counterpart of the proton
is the antiproton
Apex - The direction in the sky toward which the Sun is moving. Because of the Suns motion,
nearby stars appear to diverge from the apex
Aphelion - The point in the orbit of a solar system body where it is farthest from the Sun
Apollo Asteroid - A member of a class of asteroids having orbits that cross the orbital distance of
the Earth
Apparent Brightness - The observed brightness of a celestial body
Apparent Magnitude - The observed magnitude of a celestial body
Apparent Solar Day - The amount of time that passes between successive appearances of the Sun
on the meridian. The apparent solar day varies in length throughout the year
Apparent Solar Time - Time kept according to the actual position of the Sun in the sky. Apparent
solar noon occurs when the Sun crosses an observers meridian
Arachnoid - A circular feature on the surface of Venus connected to other similar features by a
web of fractures
Ascending Node - The point in the Moons orbit where it crosses the ecliptic from south to north
Association - A group of stars whose gravity is insufficient to hold it together but has not yet had
time to disperse
Asteroid - A small, planet-like solar system body. Most asteroids are rocky in makeup and have
orbits of low eccentricity and inclination
Asteroid Belt - The region of the solar system lying between 2.1 and 3.3 astronomical units (AU)
from the Sun. The great majority of asteroids are found in the asteroid belt
Astrology - A pseudoscience that holds that people and events are influenced by the
configurations of the Sun, Moon, and planets with respect to each other and the stars
Astronomical Unit (AU) - The average distance between the Earth and the Sun
Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) - The portion of the H-R diagram occupied by enormous, cool
stars with helium-burning shells
Aten Asteroid - An asteroid having an orbit with semi-major axis smaller than 1 AU
Atom - A particle consisting of a nucleus and one or more surrounding electrons
Atomic Number - The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom. Unless the atom is ionized, the
atomic number is also the number of electrons orbiting the nucleus of the atom
Aurora Australis - Light emitted by atoms and ions in the upper atmosphere near the south
magnetic pole. The emission occurs when atoms and ions are struck by energetic particles from
the Sun
Aurora Borealis - Light emitted by atoms and ions in the upper atmosphere near the north
magnetic pole. The emission occurs when atoms and ions are struck by energetic particles from
the Sun
Autumnal Equinox - The point in the sky where the Sun appears to cross the celestial equator
moving from north to south. This happens on approximately September 22
Azimuth - The angular distance between the north point on the horizon eastward around the
horizon to the point on the horizon nearest to the direction to a celestial body
Baily's Beads - Points of light around the limb of the Moon just before and just after a total eclipse
of the Sun. Bailys beads are caused by sunlight shining through valleys on the Moons limb
Balmer Series - A series of absorption or emission lines of hydrogen seen in the visible part of the
spectrum
Barred Spiral Galaxy - A spiral galaxy in which the nucleus is crossed by a bar. The spiral arms
start at the ends of the bar
Basalt - An igneous rock often produced in volcanic eruptions
Big Bang - The explosive event at the beginning of the universe. The expansion produced the Big
Bang that continues today
Binary Accretion Theory - A theory of the origin of the Moon that holds that the Moon and the
Earth formed at about the same time out of the same swarm or cloud of material
Binary Star System - A pair of stars that orbit each other under their mutual gravitational
attraction
Bipolar Outflow - Relatively narrow beams of matter ejected in opposite directions by a protostar
Black Hole - A region of space from which no matter or radiation can escape. A black hole is a
result of the extreme curvature of space by a massive compact body
Blackbody - An object that is a perfect absorber of radiation falling on it
Blackbody Radiation - The electromagnetic radiation emitted by a blackbody. The spectrum and
intensity of blackbody radiation are controlled by the temperature of the blackbody. Many stars
and other celestial bodies approximate blackbodies
Blazar - A type of active galaxy named for BL Lacertae, the first of the type discovered. Blazars
show rapid, unpredictable variations in brightness
Bow Shock - The region where the solar wind is slowed as it impinges on the Earths
magnetosphere
Broad Line Region - The high-density region in a quasar where broad emission lines are formed
Brown Dwarf - A star with too low a mass for nuclear fusion to begin in its core
C-type Asteroid - One of a class of very dark asteroids whose reflectance spectra show no
absorption features due to the presence of minerals
Capture Theory - The theory of the origin of the Moon that holds that the Moon formed elsewhere
in the solar system and then was captured into orbit about the Earth
Carbonaceous Chondrite - A stony meteorite that contains carbon-rich material. Carbonaceous
chondrites are thought to be primitive samples of material from the early solar system
Cassini's Division - A conspicuous 1800 kilometer (km) wide gap between the outermost rings of
Saturn
Celestial Equator - The circle where the Earths equator, if extended outward into space, would
intersect the celestial sphere
Celestial Horizon - The circle on the celestial sphere which is 90 degrees from the zenith. The
celestial horizon is approximately the boundary between the Earth and sky
Celestial Mechanics - The part of physics and astronomy that deals with the motions of celestial
bodies under the influence of their mutual gravitational attraction
Celestial Sphere - An imaginary sphere surrounding the Earth. The celestial bodies appear to
carry out their motions on the celestial sphere
Cell - The smallest structural unit of an organism that is capable of independent functioning,
consisting of one or more nuclei, cytoplasm, and various organelles, all surrounded by a
semipermeable cell membrane
Central Force - A force directed at the center of motion of a body. Gravity is the central force that
accounts for the orbital motion of solar system bodies
Centripetal Acceleration - The acceleration toward the center of motion, that causes the path of an
orbiting body to continually bend away from a straight line path
Centripetal Force - The central force that produces centripetal acceleration
Cepheid Variable - A member of a class of yellow pulsating stars that vary in brightness as they
expand and contract. The period of a Cepheid is related to its luminosity
Chandrasekhar Limit - The maximum mass, about 1.4 solar masses, that a white dwarf star can
have.
Charge Coupled Device (CCD) - An array of photosensitive electronic elements that can be used
to record an image falling on it
Chondrite - A meteorite containing chondrules
Chondrule - A small, spherical body embedded in a meteorite. Chondrules are composed of iron,
aluminum, and magnesium silicate rock
Chromosphere - The part of the Suns atmosphere between the photosphere and the corona
Circle - A curve on which all points are equidistant from the center
Circular Speed - The speed that causes an orbiting body to have a circular orbit rather than an
elliptic one
Circumpolar - A body is close enough to a celestial pole that its diurnal circle is always above the
horizon. Circumpolar stars neither rise nor set
Close Pair - A binary system in which the two stars are close enough together that they transfer
matter to one another during some stages of their evolution
Cloud Core - The dense part of molecular cloud where star formation takes place
Cluster of Galaxies - A group of galaxies held together by their mutual gravitational attraction
Cluster of Stars - A group of stars held together by their mutual gravitational attraction
CNO Cycle - The series of reactions by means of which massive stars fuse hydrogen into helium
Collision Fragment - A satellite which probably is a fragment of a larger satellite broken apart by a
collision with a meteoroid
Coma - A spherical gaseous region that surrounds the nucleus of a comet. The coma of a comet
may be 100,000 kilometers (km) or more in diameter
Comet - A small, icy body in orbit about the Sun. When a comet is near the Sun, it displays a coma
and a tail
Common Envelope - A stage in the evolution of a close pair of stars in which matter shed by one
of the stars fills the region just outside the Roche lobes of the two stars
Conduction - The transfer of heat by means of direct collisions between adjacent atoms,
molecules, or ions
Conic Section - One of four kinds of curves (circle, ellipse, hyperbola, and parabola) that can be
formed by slicing a right circular cone with a plane
Conjunction - The appearance of two celestial bodies, often a planet and the Sun, in
approximately the same direction
Conucleation - A possible explanation for the origin of a wide binary pair of stars in which the two
cloud fragments that become the stars are already in orbit about one another when they form
Constellation - One of 88 regions into which the celestial sphere is divided
Continuous Spectrum - A spectrum containing neither emission nor absorption lines
Convection - The process of energy transport in which heat is carried by hot, rising and cool,
falling currents or bubbles of liquid or gas
Convection Zone - The outer part of the Suns interior in which convection occurs
Coordinate System - A system in which numbers are used to give the location of a body or event.
The longitude-latitude system is an example of a coordinate system used to locate things on the
Earths surface
Coordinates - The numbers used in a coordinate system. Longitude and latitude are examples of
coordinates
Core - The innermost region of the interior of the Earth or another planet
Coriolis Effect - The acceleration which a body experiences when it moves across the surface of a
rotating body. The acceleration results in a westward deflection of projectiles and currents of air
or water when they move toward the Earths equator and an eastward deflection when they move
away from the equator
Corona - The outermost layer of the Sun's atmosphere. Gases in the corona are tenuous and hot
Corona - A circular feature on the surface of Venus. Coronae appear to be collapsed volcanic
domes and can be as much as several hundred kilometers across
Corona - A type of surface feature of Uranus's satellite Miranda. Coronae consist of parallel ridges
and troughs producing a striped appearance. Coronae have sharp boundaries.
Coronal Hole - A low density, dim region in the Suns corona. Coronal holes occur in regions of
open magnetic field lines where gases can flow freely away from the Sun to form the solar wind
Coronal Mass Ejection - A blast of gas moving outward through the Suns corona and into
interplanetary space following the eruption of a prominence
Cosmic Background Radiation (CBR) - Radiation observed to have almost perfectly uniform
brightness in all directions in the sky. The CBR is highly redshifted radiation produced about a
million years after the universe began to expand
Cosmic Ray - Extremely energetic ions and electrons that travel through space almost at the
speed of light. Most cosmic rays come from great distances and may be produced in supernovas
and pulsars
Cosmic Ray Exposure Age - The length of time that has passed since a meteorite broke off from a
larger body and became exposed to radiation damage from cosmic rays
Cosmological Principle - The assumption that all observers in the Universe at a given time would
observe the Universe to have the same essential features and large-scale structure
Cosmology - The study of the Universe as a whole
Crater - A roughly circular feature on the surface of a solar system body caused by the impact of
an asteroid or comet
Crater Density - The number of craters of a given size per unit area of the surface of a solar
system body
Crater Saturation - The maximum crater density a solar system body can have. Once saturation is
reached, new craters can only be produced by eradicating old ones
Crescent Phase - The phase of the moon at which only a small, crescent-shaped portion of the
near side of the Moon is illuminated by sunlight. Crescent phase occurs just before and after new
moon
Critical Density - The value that the average density of the Universe must equal or exceed if the
universe is closed. If the density of the Universe is less than the critical density, the Universe will
continue to expand forever
Crust - The outermost layer of the interior of a planet or satellite
Dark Matter - Matter that cannot be detected or has not yet been detected by the radiation it emits.
The presence of dark matter can be deduced from its gravitational interaction with other bodies
Dark Nebula - A dense, interstellar cloud containing enough gas and dust to block the light of
background stars. The dimming of background stars gives the appearance of a region with no
stars
Declination - The angular distance of a celestial body north or south of the celestial equator.
Declination is analogous to latitude in the terrestrial coordinate system
Decoupling Epoch - The time about a million years after the expansion of the universe began
when the universe became transparent and light could, for the first time, travel great distances
before being absorbed or scattered. The cosmic background radiation was produced at the
decoupling epoch
Deferent - One of the circles on which a planet moved according to the Ptolemaic model of the
solar system
Degenerate Gas - A gas in which a type of particle (electrons or neutrons) are as tightly packed as
permitted by the Pauli exclusion principle. In a degenerate gas, temperature has essentially no
influence on pressure
Degree - A unit used to measured angles. There are 360 degrees in a circle
Density - The mass of a body divided by its volume
Density Wave Theory - A theory to account for the spiral arms of spiral galaxies. According to the
density wave theory, spiral arms are the crests of waves moving through a galaxy like water
waves move through water
Descending Node - The point in the Moons orbit where it crosses the ecliptic from north to south
Detector - A device used to measure light once it has been brought into focus by a telescope
Deuterium - An isotope of hydrogen. The nucleus of a deuterium atom is a deuteron
Deuteron - A nucleus of deuterium, an isotope of hydrogen. A deuteron contains one proton and
one neutron
Diamond Ring - The last of Baily's beads, which seems to shine with special brilliance just before
a solar eclipse becomes total
Differential Rotation - Rotation in which the rotation period of a body varies with latitude.
Differential rotation occurs for gaseous bodies like the Sun or for planets with thick atmospheres
Differentiation - The gravitational separation of the interior of a planet into layers according to
density. When differentiation occurs inside a molten body, the heavier materials sink to the center
and the light materials rise to the surface
Direct Motion - The eastward apparent motion of a solar system body with respect to the stars.
Direct motion is interrupted by regular episodes of retrograde (westward) motion
Disk Instability - A possible explanation for the origin of a close binary pair of stars in which one
star forms within the disk of gas and dust orbiting another, newly formed star
Dispersion - The separation of white light according to wavelength. Dispersion produces a
rainbow-like spectrum
Diurnal - Daily
Diurnal Circle - The circular path that a celestial body traces out as it appears to move across the
sky during an entire day. Diurnal circles are centered on the north and south celestial poles
Doppler Effect - The change in the frequency of a wave (such as electromagnetic radiation)
caused by the motion of the source and observer toward or away from each other
Dust Tail - A comet tail that is luminous because it contains dust that reflects sunlight. The dust in
a comet tail is expelled from the nucleus of the comet
Dwarf - A main sequence star
Dynamo - A process in which electric currents within a rotating, convective body produce a
magnetic field
Eccentricity - A measure of the extent to which an orbit departs from circularity. Eccentricity
ranges from 0.0 for a circle to 1.0 for a parabola
Eclipse - The obscuration of the light from the Sun when the observer enters the Moons shadow
or the Moon when it enters the Earth's shadow. Also, the obscuration of a star when it passes
behind its binary companion
Eclipse Seasons - The times, separated by about 5 1/2 months, when eclipses of the Sun and
Moon are possible
Eclipse Track - The path of the Moons shadow across the Earth during a solar eclipse
Eclipse Year - The interval of time (346.6 days) from one passage of the Sun through a node of the
Moons orbit to the next passage through the same node
Eclipsing Binary - Binary star systems for which the orbital plane of the stars lies so nearly in the
line of sight that two stars alternately pass in front of one another, causing eclipses
Ecliptic - The plane of the Earths orbit about the Sun. As a result of the Earths motion, the Sun
appears to move among the stars, following a path that is also called the ecliptic
Eddington Luminosity - The maximum luminosity that a body could emit without driving away
surrounding material
Einstein Ring - The ring or near ring into which the image of a distant quasar is distorted if the
quasar lies directly behind a galaxy or cluster of galaxies producing a gravitational lens
Electromagnetic Wave - A periodic electrical and magnetic disturbance that propagates through
space and transparent materials at the speed of light. Light is an example of an electromagnetic
wave
Electron - A low-mass, negatively charged particle that can either orbit a nucleus as part of an
atom, or exist independently as part of a plasma
Element - A substance that cannot be broken down into a simpler chemical substance. Oxygen,
nitrogen, and silicon are examples of the approximately 100 known elements
Ellipse - A closed, elongated curve describing the shape of the orbit that one body follows about
another
Elliptical Galaxy - A galaxy having an ellipsoidal shape and lacking spiral arms
Emission Line - A narrow, bright region of the spectrum. Emission lines are produced when
electrons in atoms jump from one energy level to lower energy level
Energy Flux - The rate at which a wave carries energy through a given area
Energy Level - Any of the many energy states that an atom may have. Different energy levels
correspond to different distances of the electron from the nucleus
Epicycle - One of the circles upon which a planet moved according to the Ptolemaic (geocentric)
model of the solar system. The center of the epicycle moved on a larger circle, called the deferent
Equant - In the Ptolemaic system, the point from which the motion of the epicycle around the
deferent is uniform
Equation of State - The relationship among pressure, density, and temperature for a gas or fluid.
The ideal gas law, for which pressure is proportional to the product of temperature and density, is
an example of an equation of state
Equator - The line around the surface of a rotating body that is midway between the rotational
poles. The equator divides the body into northern and southern hemispheres
Equatorial Jet - The high-speed, eastward, zonal wind in the equatorial region of Jupiter's
atmosphere
Equatorial System - A coordinate system, using right ascension and declination as coordinates,
used to describe the angular location of bodies in the sky
Equipotential - A line or surface of equal potential energy. On the Earth, a line of equal elevation is
approximately an equipotential
Escape Velocity - The speed that an object must have to achieve a parabolic trajectory and escape
from its parent body
Event Horizon - The boundary of a black hole. No matter or radiation can escape from within the
event horizon
Evolutionary Track - The path in an H-R diagram followed by the point representing the changing
luminosity and temperature of a star as it evolves
Exosphere - The outer part of the thermosphere. Atoms and ions can escape from the exosphere
directly into space
Explosion Model - A model for the formation of clusters of galaxies in which the clusters form at
the intersections of expanding shells of matter driven outward by gigantic explosions
Extinction - The dimming of starlight due to absorption and scattering by interstellar dust
particles.
Fabry- Perot Etalon - A nonabsorbing, multireflecting device, similar in design to the Fabry-Perot
interferometer, that serves as a multilayer, narrow-bandpass filter.
Fabry-Perot interferometer - A plane-parallel interferometer that yields extremely high contrast
over a wide range of finesse values without significantly reducing transmission.
Filament - A dark line on the Suns surface when a prominence is seen projected against the solar
disk
Fireball - An especially bright streak of light in the sky produced when an interplanetary dust
particle enters the Earths atmosphere, vaporizing the particle and heating the atmosphere
Fission - A nuclear reaction in which a nucleus splits to produce two less massive nuclei
Fission - A possible explanation for the origin of a close binary pair of stars in which a star splits
into two pieces, each of which becomes a star
Fission Theory - A theory for the origin of the Moon in which the Moon consists of matter that was
flung from the primitive Earth because of the Earths rapid rotation
Flare - A brief, sudden brightening of a region of the Suns atmosphere, probably caused by the
abrupt release of magnetic energy
Focal Length - The distance between a mirror or lens and the point at which the lens or mirror
brings light to a focus
Focal Plane - The surface where the objective lens or mirror of a telescope forms the image of an
extended object
Focal Point - The spot where parallel beams of light striking a lens or mirror are brought to a focus
Focus - One of two points from which an ellipse is generated. For all points on the ellipse, the sum
of the distances to the two foci is the same
Force - A push or a pull
Fragmentation - A possible explanation for the origin of a close binary pair of stars in which a
collapsing cloud breaks into several pieces, each of which becomes a star
Frequency - The number of oscillations per second of a wave
Full Phase - The phase of the moon at which the bright side of the Moon is the face turned toward
the Earth
Fusion - A nuclear reaction in which two nuclei merge to form a more massive nucleus
Galactic Bulge - A somewhat flattened distribution of stars, about 6 kiloparsecs (kpc) in diameter,
surrounding the nucleus of the Milky Way
Galactic Cannibalism - The capture and disruption of one galaxy by another
Galactic Disk - A disk of matter, about 30 kiloparsecs (kpc) in diameter and 2 kiloparsecs thick,
containing most of the stars and interstellar matter in the Milky Way
Galactic Equator - The great circle around the sky that corresponds approximately to the center of
the glowing band of the Milky Way
Galactic Halo - The roughly spherical outermost component of the Milky Way, reaching to at least
30 to 40 kiloparsecs (kpc) from the center
Galactic Latitude - The angular distance of a body above or below the galactic equator
Galactic Longitude - The angular distance, measured eastward around the galactic equator, from
the galactic center to the point on the equator nearest the direction to a body
Galactic Nucleus - The central region of the Milky Way
Galaxy - A massive system of stars, gas, and dark matter held together by its own gravity
Gamma Ray - The part of the electromagnetic spectrum having the shortest wavelengths
Geocentric - Centered on the Earth. In a geocentric model of the solar system, the planets moved
about the Earth
Geodesic - The path in spacetime followed by a light beam or a freely moving object
Giant - A star larger and more luminous than a main sequence star (dwarf) of the same
temperature and spectral type
Giant Impact Theory - The theory of the origin of the Moon that holds that the Moon formed from
debris blasted into orbit when the Earth was struck by a Mars-size body
Giant Molecular Cloud - An unusually large molecular cloud that may contain as much as 1 million
solar masses
Gibbous Phase - The phase of the moon at which the near side of the Moon is more than half
illuminated by sunlight. Gibbous phase occurs just before and after full moon
Globular Cluster - A tightly packed, spherically shaped group of thousands to millions of old stars
Granule - A bright convective cell or current of gas in the Suns photosphere. Granules appear
bright because they are hotter than the descending gas that separates them
Gravitational Lens - A massive body that bends light passing near it. A gravitational lens can
distort or focus the light of background sources of electromagnetic radiation
Gravitational Potential Energy - The energy stored in a body subject to the gravitational attraction
of another body. As the body falls, its gravitational potential energy decreases and is converted
into kinetic energy
Gravitational Redshift - The increase in the wavelength of electromagnetic radiation that occurs
when the radiation travels outward through the gravitational field of a body
Gravity - The force of attraction between two bodies generated by their masses
Great Attractor - A great concentration of mass toward which everything in our part of the
universe apparently is being pulled
Great Circle - A circle that bisects a sphere. The celestial equator and ecliptic are examples of
great circles
Great Red Spot - A reddish elliptical spot about 40,000 km by 15,000 km in size in the southern
hemisphere of the atmosphere of Jupiter. The Red Spot has existed for at least 3 1/2 centuries
Greatest Elongation - The position of Mercury or Venus when it has the greatest angular distance
from the Sun
Greenhouse Effect - The blocking of infrared radiation by a planets atmospheric gases. Because
its atmosphere blocks the outward passage of infrared radiation emitted by the ground and lower
atmosphere, the planet cannot cool itself effectively and becomes hotter than it would be without
an atmosphere
Ground State - The lowest energy level of an atom
HII Region - A region of ionized hydrogen surrounding a hot star. Ultraviolet radiation from the
star keeps the gas in the HII region ionized
Habitable Zone - The range of distances from a star within which liquid water can exist on the
surface of an Earth-like planet
Half-life - The time required for half of the atoms of a radioactive substance to disintegrate
Heliocentric - Centered on the Sun. In the heliocentric model of the solar system, the planets
move about the Sun
Heliopause - The boundary of the heliosphere, where the solar wind merges into the interstellar
gas
Helioseismology - A technique used to study the internal structure of the Sun by measuring and
analyzing oscillations of the Suns surface layers
Heliosphere - The region of space dominated by the solar wind and the Suns magnetic field
Helium Flash - The explosive consumption of helium in the core of a star when helium fusion
begins in a degenerate gas in which pressure doesnt rise as energy is produced and temperature
increases
Herbig-Haro Object - A clump of gas illuminated by a jet of matter streaming away from a young
star
Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram (H-R diagram) - A plot of luminosities of stars against their
temperatures. Magnitude may be used in place of luminosity and spectral type in place of
temperature
Hierarchical Clustering Model - A model for the formation of clusters of galaxies in which
individual galaxies form and then begin to collect into clusters
Horizon System - A coordinate system, using altitude and azimuth as coordinates, used to locate
the positions of objects in the sky
Horizontal Branch Star - A star which is undergoing helium fusion in its core and hydrogen fusion
in a shell surrounding the core
Hubble Time - An estimate of the age of the universe obtained by taking the inverse of Hubbles
constant. The estimate is only valid if there has been no acceleration or deceleration of the
expansion of the universe
Hubble's Constant (H) - The rate at which the recession speeds of galaxies increase with distance.
Current estimates of Hubble's constant range from 50 to 100 kilometers per second per
megaparsec (km/s per Mpc)
Hubble's Law - The linear relationship between the recession speeds of galaxies and their
distances. The slope of Hubble's law is Hubble's constant
Hydrostatic Equilibrium - The balance between the inward directed gravitational force and the
outward directed pressure force within a celestial body
Hyperbola - A curved path that does not close on itself. A body moving with a speed greater than
escape velocity follows a hyperbola
Ideal Gas Law - The equation of state for a low-density gas in which pressure is proportional to
the product of density and temperature
Igneous Rock - A rock formed by solidification of molten material
Impetus - A theory of motion, developed in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, that motion
could continue only so long as a force was at work
Inclination - The tilt of the rotation axis or orbital plane of a body
Index of Refraction - The ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to the speed of light in a particular
substance. The index of refraction, which always has a value greater than 1.0, describes how
much a beam of light is bent on entering or emerging from the substance
Inertia - The tendency of a body at rest to remain at rest and a body in motion to remain in motion
at a constant speed and in constant direction
Inertial Motion - Motion in a straight line at constant speed followed by a body when there are no
unbalanced forces acting on it
Inferior Planet - A planet whose orbit lies inside the Earth's orbit
Inflation - A brief period of extremely rapid and enormous expansion that may have occurred very
early in the history of the universe
Infrared - The part of the electromagnetic spectrum having wavelengths longer than visible light
but shorter than radio waves
Instability Strip - A region of the H-R diagram occupied by pulsating stars, including Cepheid
variables and RR Lyrae stars
Intercrater Plain - Smooth portions of the surface of Mercury that lie between and around clusters
of large craters
Interferometry - The use of two or more telescopes connected together to operate as a single
instrument. Interferometers can achieve high angular resolution if the individual telescopes of
which they are made are widely separated
Interstellar Matter - Gas and dust in the space between the stars
Interstellar Reddening - The obscuration, by interstellar dust particles, of blue starlight more
strongly than red starlight
Ion - An atom from which one or more electrons has been removed
Ionization - The removal of one or more electrons from an atom
Ionosphere - The lower part of the thermosphere of a planet in which many atoms have been
ionized by ultraviolet solar photons
Iron Meteorite - A meteorite composed primarily of iron and nickel
Irregular Cluster - A cluster of galaxies that lacks a symmetrical shape and structure
Irregular Galaxy - A galaxy having an amorphous shape and lacking symmetry
Isochrone - Lines in an H-R diagram occupied by stars of different masses but the same age
Isotopes - Nuclei with the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons
Isotropic - Looking the same in all directions
Jet - A narrow beam of gas ejected from a star or the nucleus of an active galaxy
Kelvin-Helmholtz Time - The time it would take a star to contract from infinite diameter down to
the main sequence while radiating away the gravitational energy released during contraction
Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion - Three laws, discovered by Kepler, that describe the motions
of the planets around the Sun
Kiloparsec (kpc) - A unit of distance, equal to 1000 parsecs (pc), often used to describe distances
within the Milky Way or the Local Group of galaxies
Kinetic Energy - Energy of motion. Kinetic energy is given by one half the product of a bodys
mass and the square of its speed
Kirchhoff's Laws - Three " laws" that describe how continuous, bright line, and dark line spectra
are produced
Kuiper Belt - A region beyond Neptune within which a large number of comets are believed to
orbit the Sun. Short period comets are thought to originated in the Kuiper belt
L1 - The point between two stars in a binary system where matter may flow from one star to the
other
Latitude - The angular distance of a point north or south of the equator of a body as measured by
a hypothetical observer at the center of a body
Lava - Molten rock at the surface of a planet or satellite
Leap year - A year in which there are 366 days
Light - The visible form of electromagnetic radiation
Light Curve - A plot of the brightness of a body versus time
Light-Gathering Power - A number, proportional to the area of the principal lens or mirror of a
telescope, that describes the amount of light that is collected and focused by the telescope
Light Year - The distance that light travels in a year
Limb - The apparent edge of the disk of a celestial body
Limb Darkening - The relative faintness of the edge of the Sun's disk (limb) compared with the
center of the Sun's disk
Line of Nodes - The line connecting the two nodes of the Moons orbit around the Earth
Lithosphere - The rigid outer layer of a planet or satellite, composed of the crust and upper mantle
Local Group - The small cluster of galaxies of which the Milky Way is a member
Local Hour Angle - The angle, measured westward around the celestial equator, between the
meridian and the point on the equator nearest a particular celestial object
Long-period Comet - A comet with an orbital period of 200 years or longer
Longitude - The angular distance around the equator of a body from a zero point to the place on
the equator nearest a particular point as measured by a hypothetical observer at the center of a
body
Lookback Time - The length of time that has elapsed since the light we are now receiving from a
distant object was emitted
Luminosity - The rate of total radiant energy output of a body
Luminosity Class - The classification of a stars spectrum according to luminosity for a given
spectral type. Luminosity class ranges from I for a supergiant to V for a dwarf (main sequence star)
Luminosity Function - The distribution of stars or galaxies according to their luminosities. A
luminosity function is often expressed as the number of objects per unit volume of space that are
brighter than a given absolute magnitude or luminosity.
Lunar Eclipse - The darkening of the Moon that occurs when the Moon enters the Earths shadow.
Lyman A Forest - The large number of absorption lines seen at wavelengths just longer than the
wavelength of the Lyman a line of hydrogen in the spectrum of a quasar. The Lyman a forest is
caused by absorption by gas clouds lying between the quasar and the Earth
Lyman Series - A series of absorption or emission lines of hydrogen lying in the ultraviolet part of
the spectrum
M-type Asteroid - One of a class of asteroids that have reflectance spectra like those of metallic
iron and nickel
Magellanic Clouds - Two irregular galaxies that are among the nearest neighbors of the Milky Way
Magma - Molten rock within a planet or satellite
Magnetopause - The outer boundary of the magnetosphere of planet
Magnetosphere - The outermost part of the atmosphere of a planet, within which a very thin
plasma is dominated by the planets magnetic field
Magnetotail - The part of the magnetosphere of a planet stretched behind the planet by the force
of the solar wind
Magnitude - A number, based on a logarithmic scale, used to describe the brightness of a star or
other luminous body. Apparent magnitude describes the brightness of a star as we see it.
Absolute magnitude describes the intrinsic brightness of a star
Main Sequence - The region in an H-R diagram occupied by stars that are fusing hydrogen into
helium in their cores. The main sequence runs from hot, luminous stars to cool, dim stars
Main Sequence Lifetime - The length of time that a star spends as a main sequence star
Major Axis - The axis of an ellipse that passes through both foci. The major axis is the longest
straight line that can be drawn inside an ellipse
Mantle - The part of a planet lying between its crust and its core
Maria - A dark, smooth region on the Moon formed by flows of basaltic lava
Mascon - A concentration of mass below the surface of the Moon that slightly alters the orbit of a
spacecraft orbiting the Moon
Mass - A measure of the amount of matter a body contains. Mass is also a measure of the inertia
of a body
Mass Number - A measure of the mass of a nucleus given by the total number of protons and
neutrons in the nucleus
Mass-Luminosity Relation - The relationship between luminosity and mass for stars. More
massive stars have greater luminosities
Maunder Minimum - A period of few sunspots and low solar activity that occurred between 1640
and 1700
Mean Solar Time - Time kept according to the average length of the solar day
Megaparsec (Mpc) - A unit of distance, equal to 1 million parsecs, often used to describe the
distances of objects beyond the Local Group
Meridian - The great circle passing through an observers zenith and the north and south celestial
poles
Mesopause - The upper boundary of the mesosphere layer of the atmosphere of a planet
Mesosphere - The layer of a planets atmosphere above the stratosphere. The mesosphere is
heated by absorbing solar radiation
Messier Objects - Deep sky objects list by Charles Messier (1730-1817). Charles Messier was a
French Astronomer whose work on the discovery of comets led to the compilation of the Messier
Catalogue of nebulae and star clusters. The reason Messier compiled this catalogue was to save
time while comet hunting. It takes time for a comet hunter to check each suspected comet (by
checking for motion). With his small instrument (2 or 3 inch diameter refractor), even star clusters
would look fuzzy like comets. (Check this by observing some of the M objects using binoculars.)
By using his catalogue, Messier could see whether a comet suspect was actually a nebulae that
he had previously observed.
In all Messier has his name on 12 comets between 1760 and 1798. Actually, he independently
discovered at least 15 comets, but did not get credit for all of his discoveries - in some cases they
had been previously discovered. (Remember that communications were very slow in those days.)
Louis XV gave Messier the nickname " Comet Ferret."
Messier compiled an initial list of 103 objects. Of the seven other objects, M104 was added in 1921
by Camilille Flammarion who found it on Messier's copy of his 1781 catalogue; M105 through
M107 were observed by Messier's chief comet hunting rival, Pierre Mechain (1744-1804) and were
added in 1947; M108 and M109 were mentioned by Messier in his description of M97 and were
added in 1960; and M110 was on Messier's map of M31. M110 was added in 1966.
Note that not all the objects are real - some are clearly mistakes.
Metallic Hydrogen - A form of hydrogen in which the atoms have been forced into a lattice
structure typical of metals. In the solar system, the pressures and temperatures required for
metallic hydrogen to exist only occur in the cores of Jupiter and Saturn
Metamorphic Rock - A rock that has been altered by heat and pressure
Meteor - A streak of light produced by meteoroid moving rapidly through the Earths atmosphere.
Friction vaporizes the meteoroid and heats atmospheric gases along the path of the meteoroid
Meteor Shower - A temporary increase in the normal rate at which meteors occur. Meteor showers
last for a few hours or days and occur on about the same date each year
Meteorite - The portion of a meteoroid that reaches the Earths surface
Meteoroid - A solid interplanetary particle passing through the Earths atmosphere
Microlensing event - The temporary brightening of a distant object that occurs because its light is
focused on the Earth by the gravitational lensing of a nearer body
Micrometeorite - A meteoritic particle less than a 50 millionths of a meter in diameter.
Micrometeorites are slowed by atmospheric gas before they can be vaporized, so they drift slowly
to the ground
Milky Way - The galaxy to which the Sun and Earth belong. Seen as a pale, glowing band across
the sky
Mineral - A solid chemical compound
Minimum - The time of minimum light in a light curve
Minor Planet - Another name for asteroid
Minute of Arc - A unit of angular measurement equal to 1/60 of a degree
Mode of Oscillation - A particular pattern of vibration of the Sun
Molecular Cloud - A relatively dense, cool interstellar cloud in which molecules are common
Momentum - A quantity, equal to the product of a bodys mass and velocity, used to describe the
motion of the body. When two bodies collide or otherwise interact, the sum of their momenta is
conserved
Narrow Line Region - The low density region in a quasar where narrow emission lines are formed
Neap Tide - An unusually low high tide and unusually high low tide that occur when the tidal
forces of the Sun and Moon act at right angles to one another
Neutral Gas - A gas containing atoms and molecules but essentially no ions or free electrons
Neutrino - A particle with no charge and probably no mass that is produced in nuclear reactions.
Neutrinos pass freely through matter and travel at or near the speed of light
Neutron - A nuclear particle with no electric charge
Neutron Star - A star composed primarily of neutrons and supported by the degenerate pressure
of the neutrons
Neutronization - A process by which, during the collapse of the core of a star, protons and
electrons are forced together to make neutrons
New Comet - A comet that has entered the inner solar system for the first time
New Phase - The phase of the moon in which none or almost none of the near side of the Moon is
illuminated by sunlight, so the near side appears dark
Nodes - The points in the orbit of the Moon where the Moon crosses the ecliptic plane
Normal Spiral Galaxy - A galaxy in which the spiral arms emerge from the nucleus
North Celestial Pole - The point above the Earths north pole where the Earths polar axis, if
extended outward into space, would intersect the celestial sphere. The diurnal circles of stars in
the northern hemisphere are centered on the north celestial pole
North Circumpolar Region - The region of the northern sky within which the diurnal circles of
stars do not dip below the horizon. The size of the north circumpolar region varies with the
latitude of the observer
Nova - An explosion on the surface of a white dwarf star in which hydrogen is abruptly converted
into helium
Nucleic Acid - A long chain of nucleotides. DNA and RNA are nucleic acids
Nucleosynthesis - The building up of more massive elements from less massive elements through
nuclear reactions in stars
Nucleoitide - The class of organic molecules of which nucleic acids are composed
Nucleus - The massive, positively charged core of an atom. The nucleus of an atom is surrounded
by one or more electrons. A nucleus missing one or more accompanying electrons is called an
ion
Nucleus - An irregularly shaped, loosely packed lump of dirty ice several kilometers across that is
the permanent part of a comet
Number Density - The number of particles in a given volume of space
Objective - The main lens or mirror of a telescope
Oblateness - A departure from spherical shape of a body in which the bodys polar diameter is
smaller than its equatorial diameter
Oort Cloud - The region beyond the planetary system, extending to 100,000 AU or more, within
which a vast number of comets orbit the Sun. When comets from the Oort cloud enter the inner
solar system, they become new comets
Opacity - The ability of a substance to absorb radiation. The higher the opacity, the less
transparent the substance is
Opposition - The configuration of a planet or other body when it appears opposite the Sun in the
sky
Orbit - The elliptical or circular path followed by a body that is bound to another body by their
mutual gravitational attraction
Organic molecule - A molecule containing carbon
Outflow channel - A Martian valley with few tributaries probably formed by the sudden melting and
runoff of sub-surface water
Outgassing - The release of gas from the interior of a planet or satellite
Ozone - A molecule consisting of three oxygen atoms. Ozone molecules are responsible for the
absorption of solar ultraviolet radiation in the Earths atmosphere
Pair Production - A process in which gamma rays are transformed into a particle and its
antiparticle (such as an electron and a positron)
Pancake Model - A model for the formation of clusters of galaxies in which protoclusters form first
and then fragment into individual galaxies
Parabola - A geometric curve followed by a body that moves with a speed exactly equal to escape
velocity
Parallax - The shift in the direction of a star caused by the change in the position of the Earth as it
moves about the Sun
Parsec - The distance at which a star has a parallax of 1 second of arc. At a distance of 1 parsec
(pc), an AU fills an angle of one second of arc
Patera - A type of Martian volcano that resembles shield volcanos, but has even more gentle
slopes
Pauli Exclusion Principle - A physical law that limits the number of particles of a particular kind
that can be placed in a given volume. A gas in which that limit is reached is degenerate
Penumbra - The outer part of the shadow of a body where sunlight is partially blocked by the body
Perihelion - The point in the orbit of a body when it is closest to the Sun
Period - The time it takes for a regularly repeated process to repeat itself
Period-luminosity Relationship - The relationship between the period of brightness variation and
the luminosity of a Cepheid variable star. The longer the period of a Cepheid is, the more
luminous the Cepheid
Perturbation - A deviation of the orbit of a solar system body from a perfect ellipse due to the
gravitational attraction of one of the planets
Phase Change - A change in the physical state of a substance. The boiling, freezing, and melting
of water are examples of phase changes
Photon - A massless particle of electromagnetic energy
Photosphere - The visible region of the atmosphere of the Sun or another star
Pixel - A " picture element," consisting of an individual detector in an array of detectors used to
capture an image
Planet - One of the nine major bodies in orbit around the Sun
Planetary Nebula - A luminous shell surrounding a hot star. The gas in a planetary nebula was
ejected from the star while it was a red giant
Planetesimal - A primordial solar system body of intermediate size that accreted with other
planetesimals to form planets and satellites
Planetology - The comparative study of the properties of planets
Plasma - A fully or partially ionized gas
Plasma Tail - A narrow, ionized comet tail pointing directly away from the Sun
Plate - A section of the Earths lithosphere pushed about by convective currents within the mantle
Plate Tectonics - The hypothesis that the features of the Earths crust such as mountains and
trenches are caused by the slow movement of crustal plates
Plerion - A supernova remnant, like the Crab Nebula, which has a filled center rather than being a
shell
Plume - A rising column of gas over a hot region in the interior or atmosphere of a body
Polarity - The property of a magnet that causes it to have north and south magnetic regions
Precession - The slow, periodic conical motion of the rotation axis of the Earth or another rotating
body
Pressure - The force exerted per unit area
Primary Distance Indicator - A type of object, such a Cepheid variable, for which we know the size
or brightness by observing them in the Milky Way
Prime Meridian - The circle on the Earths surface that runs from pole to pole through Greenwich,
England. The zero point of longitude occurs where the prime meridian intersects the Earths
equator
Primeval Atmosphere - The original atmosphere of a planet
Prograde Motion - The eastward (normal) revolution of a solar system body.
Prograde Rotation - The eastward rotation of a solar system body
Prominence - A region of cool gas embedded in the corona. Prominences are bright when seen
above the Suns limb, but appear as dark filaments when seen against the Suns disk
Proper Motion - The rate at which a star appears to move across the celestial sphere with respect
to very distant objects
Protein - A large molecule, consisting of a chain of amino acids, that makes up the bodies of
organisms
Proton - A positively charged nuclear particle
Proton-proton Cycle - A series of nuclear reactions through which stars like the Sun produce
energy by converting hydrogen to helium. Named because the first reaction in the series is the
reaction of one proton with another
Protostar - A star in the process of formation
Pulsar - A rotating neutron star with beams of radiation emerging from its magnetic poles. When
the beams sweep past the Earth, we see " pulses" of radiation
Quarter phase - The phase of the moon in which half of the near side of the Moon is illuminated by
the Sun
Quasar - A distant galaxy, seen as it was in the remote past, with a very small, luminous nucleus
R-process - The process of building up massive nuclei in which neutrons are captured at a rate
faster than the newly produced nuclei can undergo radioactive decay
Radial Velocity - The part of the velocity of a body that is directed toward or away from an
observer. The radial velocity of a body can be determined by the Doppler shift of its spectral lines
Radiant - The point in the sky from which the meteors in a meteor shower seem to originate
Radiation Era - The period of time, before about 1 million years after the expansion of the universe
began, when radiation rather than matter was the dominant constituent of the universe
Radiative Transfer - The transport of energy by electromagnetic radiation
Radio Galaxy - A galaxy that is a strong source of radio radiation
Radioactivity - The spontaneous disintegration of an unstable nucleus of an atom
Rays - Long, narrow light streaks on the Moon and other bodies that radiate from relatively young
craters. Rays consist of material ejected from a crater at the time it was formed by an impact
Recession Speed - The rate of movement of a galaxy away from the Milky Way caused by the
expansion of the universe
Recombination Epoch - The time, about 1 million years after the expansion of the universe began,
when most of the ions and electrons in the universe combined to form atoms
Recurrent Nova - A binary system in which the white dwarf star undergoes repeated nova
outbursts
Reflectance Spectrum - The reflectivity of a body as a function of wavelength
Reflection - The bouncing of a wave from a surface
Reflection Nebulae - A cloud of interstellar gas and dust that is luminous because the dust it
contains reflects the light of a nearby star
Reflectivity - The ability of a surface to reflect electromagnetic waves. The reflectivity of a surface
ranges from 0% for a surface that reflects no light to 100% for a surface that reflects all the light
falling on it
Reflector - A telescope in which the objective is a mirror
Refraction - The bending of light when it passes from a material having one index of refraction to
another material having a different index of refraction
Refractor - A telescope in which the objective is a lens
Regolith - The surface layer of dust and fragmented rock, caused by meteoritic impacts, on a
planet, satellite, or asteroid
Regular Cluster - A cluster of galaxies that has roughly spherical symmetry
Regular Satellites - Regularly spaced satellites with nearly circular orbits that form miniature
" solar systems" about their parent planets
Resolution - The ability of a telescope to distinguish fine details of an image
Resonance - The repetitive gravitational tug of one body on another when the orbital period of one
is a multiple of the orbital period of the other
Retrograde Motion - The westward revolution of a solar system body around the Sun
Retrograde Rotation - The westward rotation of a solar system body
Richness - A measure of the number of galaxies in a cluster. The more galaxies there are, the
greater the richness
Right Ascension - Angular distance of a body along the celestial equator from the vernal equinox
eastward to the point on the equator nearest the body. Right ascension is analogous to longitude
in the terrestrial coordinate system
Rille - A lunar valley, probably the result of volcanic activity
Roche distance - The distance from a planet or other celestial body within which tidal forces from
the body would disintegrate a smaller object
Roche lobe - The region around a star in a binary system in which the gravity of that star
dominates
Rock - A solid aggregation of grains of one or more minerals
Rotation Curve - A plot of the speed of revolution of the stars and gas in a galaxy versus distance
from the center of the galaxy
RR Lyrae Star - A member of a class of giant pulsating stars, all of which have pulsation periods
of about 1 day
Runoff Channel - One of a network of Martian valleys that probably were formed by the collection
of widespread rainfall
S-process - The process of building up massive nuclei in which neutrons are captured at a rate
slower than the newly produced nuclei can undergo radioactive decay
S-type Asteroid - One of a class of asteroids whose reflectance spectra show an absorption
feature due to the mineral olivine
Saros - The length of time between one member of a series of similar eclipses and the next (6585
1/3 days)
Scarp - A cliff produced by vertical movement of a section of the crust of a planet or satellite
Scattering - The redirection of light in random directions when it strikes atoms, molecules, or
solid particles
Schwarzschild Radius - The radius of the event horizon of a black hole
Sea Floor Spreading - The splitting of the oceanic crust where magma forces the existing crust
apart, creating new ocean floor
Second of Arc - A unit of angular measurement equal to 1/60 of a minute of arc or 1/3600 of a
degree
Secondary Atmosphere - The atmosphere that forms after a planet has lost any original
atmosphere it had
Secondary Distance Indicator - A type of object for which we know the size or brightness because
objects of that type have been found in nearby galaxies
Sedimentary Rock - A rock formed by the accumulation of small mineral grains carried by wind,
water, or ice to the spot where they were deposited
Seeing - A measure of the blurring of the image of an astronomical object caused by turbulence in
the Earths atmosphere
Seismic Wave - Waves that travel through the interior of a planet or satellite and are produced by
earthquakes or their equivalent
Seismometers - Sensitive devices used to measure the strengths and arrival times of seismic
waves
Semi-major Axis - Half of the major axis of an ellipse. Also equal to the average distance from the
focus of a body moving on an elliptical orbit
Seyfert Galaxy - A barred or normal spiral galaxy with a small, very bright nucleus
SETI - The search for extraterrestrial intelligence
Sgr A* - A small, bright source of radio emission, possibly the accretion disk of a black hole, that
probably marks the exact center of the Milky Way
Shield Volcano - A broad, gently sloped volcano built up by the repeated eruption of very fluid
lava
Short-period Comet - A comet with an orbital period shorter than 200 years
Sidereal Clock - A clock that marks the local hour angle of the vernal equinox
Sidereal Day - The length of time (23 hours, 56 minutes, 4.091 seconds) between successive
appearances of a star on the meridian
Sidereal Month - The length of time required for the Moon to return to the same apparent position
among the stars
Sidereal Period - The time it takes for a planet or satellite to complete one full orbit about the Sun
or its parent planet
Silicate - A mineral whose crystalline structure is dominated by silicon and oxygen atoms
Sinuous Rille - A winding lunar valley possibly caused by the collapse of a lava tube
Smooth Plains - Widespread sparsely cratered regions of the surface of Mercury possibly having
a volcanic origin
Solar Constant - The solar energy received by a square meter of surface oriented at right angles to
the direction to the Sun at the Earths average distance (1 AU) from the Sun. The value of the solar
constant is 1,372 watts per square meter
Solar Flare - An explosive release of solar magnetic energy
Solar Motion - The motion of the Sun with respect to the nearby stars
Solar Nebula - The rotating disk of gas and dust, surrounding the newly formed Sun, from which
planets and smaller solar system bodies formed
Solar Wind - The hot plasma that flows outward from the Sun
Solidification Age - The amount of time that has passed since a meteorite solidified from the
molten state
South Celestial Pole - The point above the Earths South Pole where the Earth's polar axis, if
extended outward into space, would intersect the celestial sphere. The diurnal circles of stars in
the southern hemisphere are centered on the south celestial pole
Spacelike Trip - A path in spacetime that would require motion at a speed faster than the speed of
light
Spacetime - The combination of three spatial coordinates and one time coordinate that we use to
locate an event
Spacetime Diagram - A diagram showing one spatial coordinate against time, in which the paths
of bodies and beams of light can be plotted
Spectral Class - A categorization, based on the pattern of spectral lines of stars, that groups stars
according to their surface temperatures
Spectrograph - A device used to produce and record a spectrum
Spectroscopic Binary - A pair of stars whose binary nature can be detected by observing the
periodic Doppler shifts of their spectral lines as they move about one another
Spectroscopy - The recording and analysis of spectra
Spicule - A hot jet of gas moving outward through the Sun's chromosphere
Spiral Arm - A long narrow feature of a spiral galaxy in which interstellar gas, young stars, and
other young objects are found
Spiral Galaxy - A flattened galaxy in which hot stars, interstellar clouds, and other young objects
form a spiral pattern
Spokes - Dark, short-lived radial streaks in Saturn's rings
Spring Tide - An unusually high, high tide and unusually low, low tide that occur when the tidal
forces of the Sun and Moon are aligned. This occurs at full moon and new moon
Star - A massive gaseous body that has used, is using, or will use nuclear fusion to produce the
bulk of the energy it radiates into space
Starburst Galaxy - A galaxy in which a very large number of stars have recently formed
Steady State Theory - A cosmological theory in which the universe always remains the same in its
essential features, such as average density. In order to maintain constant density while expanding,
the steady state theory required the continual creation of new matter
Stefan-Boltzmann Law - The relationship between the temperature of a blackbody and the rate at
which it emits radiant energy
Stellar Occultation - The obstruction of the light from a star when a solar system body passes
between the star and the observer
Stellar Parallax - The shift in the direction of a star caused by the change in the position of the
Earth as it moves about the Sun
Stellar Population - A group of stars that are similar in spatial distribution, chemical composition,
and age
Stony Meteorite - A meteorite made of silicate rock
Stony-iron Meteorite - A meteorite made partially of stone and partially of iron and other metals
Stratosphere - The region of the atmosphere of a planet immediately above the troposphere
Subduction - The process through which lithospheric plates of a planet or satellite are forced
downward into the mantle
Summer Solstice - The point on the ecliptic where the Suns declination is most northerly. The
time when the Sun is at the summer solstice, around June 21, marks the beginning of summer
Sunspot - A region of the Suns photosphere that appears darker than its surroundings because it
is cooler
Sunspot Cycle - The regular waxing and waning of the number of spots on the Sun. The amount of
time between one sunspot maximum and the next is about 11 years
Sunspot Group - A cluster of sunspots
Supergiant - An extremely luminous star of large size and mass
Supergranulation - The pattern of very large (15,000 to 30,000 km in diameter) convective cells in
the Suns photosphere
Superior Planet - A planet whose orbit lies outside the Earth's orbit
Superluminal Motion - The apparent separation of components of a quasar at speeds faster than
the speed of light
Supernova - An explosion in which a stars brightness temporarily increases by as much as 1
billion times. Type I supernovas are caused by the rapid fusion of carbon and oxygen within a
white dwarf. Type II supernovas are produced by the collapse of the core of a star
Supernova Remnant - The luminous, expanding region of gas driven outward by a supernova
explosion
Synchronous Rotation - Rotation for which the period of rotation is equal to the period of
revolution. An example of synchronous rotation is the Moon, for which the period of rotation and
the period of revolution about the Earth are both 1 month
Synchrotron Emission - Electromagnetic radiation, usually observed in the radio region of the
spectrum, produced by energetic electrons spiraling about magnetic field lines
Synodic Month - The length of time (29.53 days) between successive occurrences of the same
phase of the Moon
Synodic Period - The length of time it takes a solar system body to return to the same
configuration (opposition to opposition, for example) with respect to the Earth and the Sun
T Tauri Star - A pre-main sequence star, less massive than about 3 solar masses, showing intense
emission lines
Terminal Velocity - The speed with which a body falls through the atmosphere of a planet when
the force of gravity pulling it downward is balanced by the force of air resistance
Terrae - The light-colored, ancient, heavily cratered portions of the surface of the Moon
Terrestrial Planet - A rocky planet located in the inner solar system
Thermal Equilibrium - The condition in which a body or a portion of a body gains energy (by
generating it or absorbing it) at the same rate at which energy is transported away from it
Thermal Pulse - The rapid consumption of helium in a shell within an asymptotic giant branch star
Thermosphere - The layer of the atmosphere of a planet lying above the mesosphere. The lower
thermosphere is the ionosphere. The upper thermosphere is the exosphere
Tidal Capture - A possible explanation for the origin of a wide binary pair of stars in which two
cloud fragments tidally interact with and capture one another
Tidal Force - The differences in gravity in a body being attracted by another body
Tidal Heating - The frictional heating of the interior of a satellite as it is flexed and released by a
variable tidal force due to its parent planet
Tides - Distortions in a bodys shape resulting from tidal forces
Timelike Trip - A path in spacetime that can be followed by a body moving slower than the speed
of light
Transform Fault - The boundary between two of the Earths crustal plates that are sliding past
each other
Transverse Velocity - The part of the orbital speed of a body perpendicular to the Sun between the
body and the Sun
Triple A Process - A pair of nuclear reactions through which three helium nuclei (alpha particles)
are transformed into a carbon nucleus
Trojan Asteroid - One of a group of asteroids that orbit the Sun at Jupiters distance and lie 60
degrees ahead of or behind Jupiter in its orbit
Tropical Year - The interval of time, equal to 365.242 solar days, between successive appearances
of the Sun at the vernal equinox
Tropopause - The upper boundary of the troposphere of the atmosphere of a planet
Troposphere - The lowest layer of the atmosphere of a planet, within which convection produces
weather
Type Ia Supernova - An extremely energetic explosion produced by the abrupt fusion of carbon
and oxygen in the interior of a collapsing white dwarf star
Type II Supernova - An extremely energetic explosion that occurs when the core of a massive star
collapses, probably producing a neutron star or black hole
Ultraviolet - The part of the electromagnetic spectrum with wavelengths longer than X rays, but
shorter than visible light
Umbra - The inner portion of the shadow of a body, within which sunlight is completely blocked
Umbra - The dark central portion of a sunspot
Universe - All the matter and space there is
V-type Asteroid - The asteroid Vesta, which is unique in having a reflectance spectra resembling
those of basaltic lava flows
V/Vmax Test - A statistical method used to determine whether quasars have changed over time
Van Allen Belts - Two doughnut-shaped regions in the Earths magnetosphere within which many
energetic ions and electrons are trapped
Velocity - A physical quantity that gives the speed of a body and the direction in which it is
moving
Vernal Equinox - The point in the sky where the Sun appears to cross the celestial equator moving
from south to north. This happens approximately on March 21
Visual Binary Star - A pair of stars orbiting a common center of mass in which the images of the
components can be distinguished using a telescope and which have detectable orbital motion
Vogt-Russell Theorem - The concept that the original mass and chemical composition of an
isolated star completely determine the course of its evolution
Voids - Immense volumes of space in which few galaxies, and clusters of galaxies can be found
Volatile - Element or compound that vaporizes at low temperature. Water and carbon dioxide are
examples of volatiles
Waning Crescent - The Moon's crescent phase that occurs just before new moon
Wave - A regular series of disturbances that moves through a material medium or through empty
space
Wavelength - The distance between crests of a wave. For visible light, wavelength determines
color
Waxing Crescent - The Moon's crescent phase that occurs just after new moon
Weight - The gravitational force exerted on a body by the Earth (or another astronomical object)
White Dwarf - A small, dense star that is supported against gravity by the degenerate pressure of
its electrons
Wide Pair - A binary star system in which the components are so distant from one another that
they evolve independently
Wien's Law - The relationship between the temperature of a blackbody and the wavelength at
which its emission is brightest
Winter Solstice - The point on the ecliptic where the Sun has the most southerly declination. The
time when the Sun is at the winter solstice, around December 22, marks the beginning of winter
X Ray - The part of the electromagnetic spectrum with wavelengths longer than gamma rays but
shorter than ultraviolet
X-ray burst - Sporadic burst of X rays originating in the rapid consumption of nuclear fuels on the
surface of the neutron star in a binary system
X-ray pulsar - A neutron star from which periodic bursts of X rays are observed
Year - The length of time required for the Earth to orbit the Sun
Zeeman Effect - The splitting of a spectral line into two or more components when the atoms or
molecules emitting the line are located in a magnetic field
Zenith - The point on the celestial sphere directly above an observer
Zero Point - The point from which the coordinates in a coordinate system are measured. For
example, the vernal equinox is the zero point of right ascension and declination in the celestial
coordinate system
Zodiacal Constellations - The band of constellations along the ecliptic. The Sun appears to move
through the 12 zodiacal constellations during a year
Zodiacal Light - The faint glow extending away from the Sun caused by the scattering of sunlight
by interplanetary dust particles lying in and near the ecliptic
Zonal Winds - The pattern of winds in the atmosphere of a planet in which the pattern of wind
speeds varies with latitude
Zone of Convergence - According to plate tectonics, a plate boundary at which the crustal plates
of a planet are moving toward one another. Crust is destroyed in zones of convergence
Zone of Divergence - According to plate tectonics, a plate boundary at which the crustal plates of
a planet are moving away from one another. Crust is created in zones of divergence

Glossary of Astronomy Terms

The universe is a large place full of wondrous and unimaginable things. The amateur astronomy
hobby contains words, labels, and technical terms that may seem be a little confusing for both
beginners and the more experienced hobbyists. This glossary of astronomy terms contains
definitions for some of the most common words used in astronomy, cosmology, astrophysics,
and space exploration. You may click on any yellow highlighted word to jump directly to the
definition for that astronomy word. You can also click on any letter of the alphabet below to
jump directly to that section in the astronomy glossary listing.
Skiptosection:ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
A
Absolute Magnitude
A scale for measuring the actual brightness of a celestial object without accounting for the
distance of the object. Absolute magnitude measures how bright an object would appear if it
were exactly 10 parsecs (about 33 light-years) away from Earth. On this scale, the Sun has an
absolute magnitude of +4.8 while it has an apparent magnitude of -26.7 because it is so close.
Absolute Zero
The temperature at which the motion of all atoms and molecules stops and no heat is given off.
Absolute zero is reached at 0 degrees Kelvin or -273.16 degrees Celsius.
Ablation
A process by where the atmosphere melts away and removes the surface material of an incoming
meteorite.
Accretion
The process by where dust and gas accumulated into larger bodies such as stars and planets.
Accretion Disk
A disk of gas that accumulates around a center of gravitational attraction, such as a white dwarf,
neutron star, or black hole. As the gas spirals in, it becomes hot and emits light or even X-
radiation.
Achondrite
A stone meteorite that contains no chondrules.
Albedo
The reflective property of a non-luminous object. A perfect mirror would have an albedo of 100%
while a black hole would have an albedo of 0%.
Albedo Feature
A dark or light marking on the surface of an object that may or may not be a geological or
topographical feature.
Altitude
The angular distance of an object above the horizon.
Antimatter
Matter consisting of particles with charges opposite that of ordinary matter. In antimatter,
protons have a negative charge while electrons have a positive charge.
Antipodal Point
A point that is on the direct opposite side of a planet.
Apastron
The point of greatest separation of two stars, such as in a binary star system.
Aperture
The size of the opening through which light passes in an optical instrument such as a camera or
telescope. A higher number represents a smaller opening while a lower number represents a
larger opening.
Aphelion
The point in the orbit of a planet or other celestial body where it is farthest from the Sun.
Apogee
The point in the orbit of the Moon or other satellite where it is farthest from the Earth.
Apparent Magnitude
The apparent brightness of an object in the sky as it appears to an observer on Earth. Bright
objects have a low apparent magnitude while dim objects will have a higher apparent magnitude.
Asteroid
A small planetary body in orbit around the Sun, larger than a meteoroid but smaller than a
planet. Most asteroids can be found in a belt between the orbits of Mars and J upiter. The orbits of
some asteroids take them close to the Sun, which also takes them across the paths of the planets.
Astrochemistry
The branch of science that explores the chemical interactions between dust and gas interspersed
between the stars.
Astronomical Unit (AU)
A unit of measure equal to the average distance between the Earth and the Sun, approximately 93
million miles.
Atmosphere
A layer of gases surrounding a planet, moon, or star. The Earth's atmosphere is 120 miles thick
and is composed mainly of nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and a few other trace gases.
Aurora
A glow in a planet's ionosphere caused by the interaction between the planet's magnetic field and
charged particles from the Sun. This phenomenon is known as the Aurora Borealis in the Earth's
northern hemisphere and the Aurora Australis in the Earth's Southern Hemisphere.
Aurora Australis
Also known as the southern lights, this is an atmospheric phenomenon that displays a diffuse
glow in the sky in the southern hemisphere. It is caused by charged particles from the Sun as
they interact with the Earth's magnetic field. Known as the Aurora Borealis in the northern
hemisphere.
Aurora Borealis
Also known as the northern lights, this is an atmospheric phenomenon that displays a diffuse
glow in the sky in the northern hemisphere. It is caused by charged particles from the Sun as they
interact with the Earth's magnetic field. Known as the Aurora Australis in the southern
hemisphere.
Axis
Also known as the poles, this is an imaginary line through the center of rotation of an object.
Azimuth
The angular distance of an object around or parallel to the horizon from a predefined zero point.
B
Bar
A unit of measure of atmospheric pressure. One bar is equal to 0.987 atmospheres, 1.02 kg/cm2,
100 kilopascal, and 14.5 lbs/square inch.
Big Bang
The theory that suggests that the universe was formed from a single point in space during a
cataclysmic explosion about 13.7 billion years ago. This is the current accepted theory for the
origin of the universe and is supported by measurements of background radiation and the
observed expansion of space.
Binary
A system of two stars that revolve around a common center of gravity.
Black Hole
The collapsed core of a massive star. Stars that are very massive will collapse under their own
gravity when their fuel is exhausted. The collapse continues until all matter is crushed out of
existence into what is known as a singularity. The gravitational pull is so strong that not even
light can escape.
Blueshift
A shift in the lines of an object's spectrum toward the blue end. Blueshift indicates that an object
is moving toward the observer. The larger the blueshift, the faster the object is moving.
Bolide
A term used to describe an exceptionally bright meteor. Bolides typically will produce a sonic
boom.
C
Caldera
A type of volcanic crater that is extremely large, usually formed by the collapse of a volcanic
cone or by a violent volcanic explosion. Crater Lake is one example of a caldera on Earth.
Catena
A series or chain of craters.
Cavus
A hollow, irregular depression.
Celestial Equator
An imaginary line that divides the celestial sphere into a northern and southern hemisphere.
Celestial Poles
The North and South poles of the celestial sphere.
Celestial Sphere
An imaginary sphere around the Earth on which the stars and planets appear to be positioned.
Cepheid Variable
This is a variable star whose light pulsates in a regular cycle. The period of fluctuation is linked
to the brightness of the star. Brighter Cepheids will have a longer period.
Chaos
A distinctive area of broken terrain.
Chasma
Another name used to describe a canyon.
Chondrite
A meteorite that contains chondrules.
Chondrule
Small, glassy spheres commonly found in meteorites.
Chromosphere
The part of the Sun's atmosphere just above the surface.
Circumpolar Star
A star that never sets but always stays above the horizon. This depends on the location of the
observer. The further South you go the fewer stars will be circumpolar. Polaris, the North Star,
is circumpolar in most of the northern hemisphere.
Circumstellar Disk
A torus or ring-shaped accumulation of gas, dust, or other debris in orbit around a star in
different phases of its life cycle.
Coma
An area of dust or gas surrounding the nucleus of a comet.
Comet
A gigantic ball of ice and rock that orbit the Sun in a highly eccentric orbit. Some comets have
an orbit that brings them close to the Sun where they form a long tail of gas and dust as they are
heated by the Sun's rays.
Conjunction
An event that occurs when two or more celestial objects appear close close together in the sky.
Constellation
A grouping of stars that make an imaginary picture in the sky.
Corona
The outer part of the Sun's atmosphere. The corona is visible from Earth during a total solar
eclipse. It is the bright glow seen in most solar eclipse photos.
Cosmic Ray
Atomic nuclei (mostly protons) that are observed to strike the Earth's atmosphere with extremely
high amounts of energy.
Cosmic String
A tube-like configuration of energy that is believed to have existed in the early universe. A
cosmic string would have a thickness smaller than a trillionth of an inch but its length would
extend from one end of the visible universe to the other.
Cosmogony
The study of celestial systems, including the Solar System, stars, galaxies, and galactic clusters.
Cosmology
A branch of science that deals with studying the origin, structure, and nature of the universe.
Crater
A bowl-shaped depression formed by the impact of an asteroid or meteoroid. Also the depression
around the opening of a volcano.
D
Dark Matter
A term used to describe matter in the universe that cannot be seen, but can be detected by its
gravitational effects on other bodies.
Debris Disk
A ring-shaped circumstellar disk of dust and debris in orbit around a star. Debris disks can be
created as the next phase in planetary system development following the protoplanetary disk
phase. They can also be formed by collisions between planetesimals.
Declination
The angular distance of an object in the sky from the celestial equator.
Density
The amount of matter contained within a given volume. Density is measured in grams per cubic
centimeter (or kilograms per liter). The density of water is 1.0, iron is 7.9, and lead is 11.3.
Disk
The surface of the Sun or other celestial body projected against the sky.
Double Asteroid
Two asteroids that revolve around each other and are held together by the gravity between them.
Also called a binary asteroid.
Doppler Effect
The apparent change in wavelength of sound or light emitted by an object in relation to an
observer's position. An object approaching the observer will have a shorter wavelength (blue)
while an object moving away will have a longer (red) wavelength. The Doppler effect can be
used to estimate an object's speed and direction.
Double Star
A grouping of two stars. This grouping can be apparent, where the stars seem close together, or
physical, such as a binary system.
Dwarf Planet
A celestial body orbiting the Sun that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity but has
not cleared its neighboring region of planetesimals and is not a satellite. It has to have sufficient
mass to overcome rigid body forces and achieve hydrostatic equilibrium. Pluto is considered to
be a dwarf planet.
E
Eccentricity
The measure of how an object's orbit differs from a perfect circle. Eccentricity defines the shape
of an object's orbit.
Eclipse
The total or partial blocking of one celestial body by another.
Eclipsing Binary
A binary system where one object passes in front of the other, cutting off some or all of its light.
Ecliptic
An imaginary line in the sky traced by the Sun as it moves in its yearly path through the sky.
Ejecta
Material from beneath the surface of a body such as a moon or planet that is ejected by an impact
such as a meteor and distributed around the surface. Ejecta usually appear as a lighter color than
the surrounding surface.
Electromagnetic Radiation
Another term for light. Light waves created by fluctuations of electric and magnetic fields in
space.
Electromagnetic Spectrum
The full range of frequencies, from radio waves to gamma waves, that characterizes light.
Ellipse
An ellipse is an oval shape. J ohannes Kepler discovered that the orbits of the planets were
elliptical in shape rather than circular.
Elliptical Galaxy
A galaxy whose structure shaped like an ellipse and is smooth and lacks complex structures such
as spiral arms.
Elongation
The angular distance of a planetary body from the Sun as seen from Earth. A planet at greatest
eastern elongation is seen in the evening sky and a planet at greatest western elongation will be
seen in the morning sky.
Ephemeris
A table of data arranged by date. Ephemeris tables are typically to list the positions of the Sun,
Moon, planets and other solar system objects.
Equinox
The two points at which the Sun crosses the celestial equator in its yearly path in the sky. The
equinoxes occur on or near March 21 and September 22. The equinoxes signal the start of the
Spring and Autumn seasons.
Escape Velocity
The speed required for an object to escape the gravitational pull of a planet or other body.
Event Horizon
The invisible boundary around a black hole past which nothing can escape the gravitational pull -
not even light.
Evolved Star
A star that is near the end of its life cycle where most of its fuel has been used up. At this point
the star begins to loose mass in the form of stellar wind.
Extinction
The apparent dimming of star or planet when low on the horizon due to absorption by the Earth's
atmosphere.
Extragalactic
A term that means outside of or beyond our own galaxy.
Extraterrestrial
A term used to describe anything that does not originate on Earth.
Eyepiece
The lens at the viewing end of a telescope. The eyepiece is responsible for enlarging the image
captured by the instrument. Eyepieces are available in different powers, yielding differing
amounts of magnification.
F
Faculae
Bright patches that are visible on the Sun's surface, or photosphere.
Filament
A strand of cool gas suspended over the photosphere by magnetic fields, which appears dark as
seen against the disk of the Sun.
Finder
A small, wide-field telescope attached to a larger telescope. The finder is used to help point the
larger telescope to the desired viewing location.
Fireball
An extremely bright meteor. Also known as bolides, fireballs can be several times brighter than
the full Moon. Some can even be accompanied by a sonic boom.
Flare Star
A faint red star that appears to change in brightness due to explosions on its surface.
G
Galactic Halo
The name given to the spherical region surrounding the center, or nucleus of a galaxy.
Galactic Nucleus
A tight concentration of stars and gas found at the innermost regions of a galaxy. Astronomers
now believe that massive black holes may exist in the center of many galaxies.
Galaxy
A large grouping of stars. Galaxies are found in a variety of sizes and shapes. Our own Milky
Way galaxy is spiral in shape and contains several billion stars. Some galaxies are so distant the
their light takes millions of years to reach the Earth.
Galilean Moons
The name given to J upiter's four largest moons, Io, Europa, Callisto & Ganymede. They were
discovered independently by Galileo Galilei and Simon Marius.
Gamma-ray
The highest energy, shortest wavelength form of electromagnetic radiation.
Geosynchronous Orbit
An orbit in which a satellite's orbital velocity is matched to the rotational velocity of the planet.
A spacecraft in geosynchronous orbit appears to hang motionless above one position of a planet's
surface.
Giant Molecular Cloud (GMC)
Massive clouds of gas in interstellar space composed primarily of hydrogen molecules. These
clouds have enough mass to produce thousands of stars and are frequently the sites of new star
formation.
Globular Cluster
A tight, spherical grouping of hundreds of thousands of stars. Globular clusters are composed of
older stars, and are usually found around the central regions of a galaxy.
Granulation
A pattern of small cells that can be seen on the surface of the Sun. They are caused by the
convective motions of the hot gases inside the Sun.
Gravitational Lens
A concentration of matter such as a galaxy or cluster of galaxies that bends light rays from a
background object. Gravitational lensing results in duplicate images of distant objects.
Gravity
A mutual physical force of nature that causes two bodies to attract each other.
Greenhouse Effect
An increase in temperature caused when incoming solar radiation is passed but outgoing thermal
radiation is blocked by the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide and water vapor are two of the major
gases responsible for this effect.
H
Heliopause
The point in space at which the solar wind meets the interstellar medium or solar wind from
other stars.
Heliosphere
The space within the boundary of the heliopause containing the Sun and the Solar System.
Hydrogen
An element consisting of one electron and one proton. Hydrogen is the lightest of the elements
and is the building block of the universe. Stars form from massive clouds of hydrogen gas.
Hubble's Law
The law of physics that states that the farther a galaxy is from us, the faster it is moving away
from us.
Hydrostatic equilibrium
A state that occurs when compression due to gravity is balanced by a pressure gradient which
creates a pressure gradient force in the opposite direction. Hydrostatic equillibrium is responsible
for keeping stars from imploding and for giving planets their spherical shape.
Hypergalaxy
A system consisting of a spiral galaxy surrounded by several dwarf white galaxies, often
ellipticals. Our galaxy and the Andromeda galaxy are examples of hypergalaxies.
I
Ice
A term used to describe water or a number of gases such as methane or ammonia when in a solid
state.
Inclination
A measure of the tilt of a planet's orbital plane in relation to that of the Earth.
Inferior Conjunction
A conjunction of an inferior planet that occurs when the planet is lined up directly between the
Earth and the Sun.
Inferior Planet
A planet that orbits between the Earth and the Sun. Mercury and Venus are the only two inferior
planets in our solar system.
International Astronomical Union (IAU)
An international organization that unites national astronomical societies from around the world
and acts as the internationally recognized authority for assigning designations to celestial bodies
and their surface features.
Interplanetary Magnetic Field
The magnetic field carried along with the solar wind.
Interstellar Medium
The gas and dust that exists in open space between the stars.
Ionosphere
A region of charged particles in a planet's upper atmosphere. In Earth's atmosphere, the
ionosphere begins at an altitude of about 25 miles and extends outward about 250.
Iron Meteorite
A meteorite that is composed mainly of iron mixed with smaller amounts of nickel.
Irregular Galaxy
A galaxy with no spiral structure and no symmetric shape. Irregular galaxies are usually
filamentary or very clumpy in shape.
Irregular Satellite
A satellite that orbits a planet far away with an orbit that is eccentric and inclined. They also tend
to have retrograde orbits. Irregular satellites are believed to have been captured by the planet's
gravity rather than being formed along with the planet.
J
J ansky
A unit used in radio astronomy to indicate the flux density (the rate of flow of radio waves) of
electromagnetic radiation received from outer space. A typical radio source has a spectral flux
density of roughly 1 J y. The jansky was named to honor Karl Gothe J ansky who developed radio
astronomy in 1932.
J et
A narrow stream of gas or particles ejected from an accretion disk surrounding a star or black
hole.
K
Kelvin
A temperature scale used in sciences such as astronomy to measure extremely cold temperatures.
The Kelvin temperature scale is just like the Celsius scale except that the freezing point of water,
zero degrees Celsius, is equal to 273 degrees Kelvin. Absolute zero, the coldest known
temperature, is reached at 0 degrees Kelvin or -273.16 degrees Celsius.
Kepler's First Law
A planet orbits the Sun in an ellipse with the Sun at one focus.
Kepler's Second Law
A ray directed from the Sun to a planet sweeps out equal areas in equal times.
Kepler's Third Law
The square of the period of a planet's orbit is proportional to the cube of that planet's semi major
axis; the constant of proportionality is the same for all planets.
Kiloparsec
A distance equal to 1000 parsecs.
Kirkwood Gaps
Regions in the main belt of asteroids where few or no asteroids are found. They were named
after the scientist who first noticed them.
Kuiper Belt
A large ring of icy, primitive objects beyond the orbit of Neptune. Kuiper Belt objects are
believed to be remnants of the original material that formed the Solar System. Some astronomers
believe Pluto and Charon are Kuiper Belt objects.
L
Lagrange Point
French mathematician and astronomer J oseph Louis Lagrange showed that three bodies could lie
at the apexes of an equilateral triangle which rotates in its plane. If one of the bodies is
sufficiently massive compared with the other two, then the triangular configuration is apparently
stable. Such bodies are sometimes referred to as Trojans. The leading apex of the triangle is
known as the leading Lagrange point or L4; the trailing apex is the trailing Lagrange point or L5.
Lenticular Galaxy
A disk-shaped galaxy that contains no conspicuous structure within the disk. Lenticular galaxies
tend to look more like elliptical galaxies than spiral galaxies.
Libration
An effect caused by the apparent wobble of the Moon as it orbits the Earth. The Moon always
keeps the same side toward the Earth, but due to libration, 59% of the Moon's surface can be
seen over a period of time.
Light Year
An astronomical unit of measure equal to the distance light travels in a year, approximately 5.8
trillion miles.
Limb
The outer edge or border of a planet or other celestial body.
Local Group
A small group of about two dozen galaxies of which our own Milky Way galaxy is a member.
Luminosity
The amount of light emitted by a star.
Lunar Eclipse
A phenomenon that occurs when the Moon passes into the shadow of the Earth. A partial lunar
eclipse occurs when the Moon passes into the penumbra, or partial shadow. In a total lunar
eclipse, the Moon passes into the Earth's umbra, or total shadow.
Lunar Month
The average time between successive new or full moons. A lunar month is equal to 29 days 12
hours 44 minutes. Also called a synodic month.
Lunation
The interval of a complete lunar cycle, between one new Moon and the next. A lunation is equal
to 29 days, 12 hours, and 44 minutes.
M
Magellanic Clouds
Two small, irregular galaxies found just outside our own Milky Way galaxy. The Magellanic
Clouds are visible in the skies of the southern hemisphere.
Magnetic Field
A condition found in the region around a magnet or an electric current, characterized by the
existence of a detectable magnetic force at every point in the region and by the existence of
magnetic poles.
Magnetic Pole
Either of two limited regions in a magnet at which the magnet's field is most intense.
Magnetosphere
The area around a planet most affected by its magnetic field. The boundary of this field is set by
the solar wind.
Magnitude
The degree of brightness of a star or other object in the sky according to a scale on which the
brightest star has a magnitude -1.4 and the faintest visible star has magnitude 6. Sometimes
referred to as apparent magnitude. In this scale, each number is 2.5 times the brightness of the
previous number. Thus a star with a magnitude of 1 is 100 times brighter than on with a visual
magnitude of 6.
Main Belt
The area between Mars and J upiter where most of the asteroids in our solar system are found.
Major Planet
A name used to describe any planet that is considerably larger and more massive than the Earth,
and contains large quantities of hydrogen and helium. J upiter and Neptune are examples of major
planets.
Mare
A term used to describe a large, circular plain. The word mare means "sea". On the Moon, the
maria are the smooth, dark-colored areas.
Mass
A measure of the total amount of material in a body, defined either by the inertial properties of
the body or by its gravitational influence on other bodies.
Matter
A word used to describe anything that contains mass.
Meridian
An imaginary circle drawn through the North and South poles of the celestial equator.
Metal
A term used by astronomers to describe all elements except hydrogen and helium, as in "the
universe is composed of hydrogen, helium and traces of metals". This astronomical definition is
quite different from the traditional chemistry definition of a metal.
Meteor
A small particle of rock or dust that burns away in the Earth's atmosphere. Meteors are also
referred to as shooting stars.
Meteor Shower
An event where a large number of meteors enter the Earth's atmosphere from the same direction
in space at nearly the same time. Most meteor showers take place when the Earth passes through
the debris left behind by a comet.
Meteorite
An object, usually a chunk or metal or rock, that survives entry through the atmosphere to reach
the Earth's surface. Meteors become meteorites if they reach the ground.
Meteoroid
A small, rocky object in orbit around the Sun, smaller than an asteroid.
Millibar
A measure of atmospheric pressure equal to 1/1000 of a bar. Standard sea-level pressure on Earth
is about 1013 millibars.
Minor Planet
A term used since the 19th century to describe objects, such as asteroids, that are in orbit around
the Sun but are not planets or comets. In 2006, the International Astronomical Union reclassified
minor planets as either dwarf planets or small solar system bodies.
Molecular Cloud
An interstellar cloud of molecular hydrogen containing trace amounts of other molecules such as
carbon monoxide and ammonia.
N
Nadir
A term used to describe a point directly underneath an object or body.
Nebula
A cloud of dust and gas in space, usually illuminated by one or more stars. Nebulae represent the
raw material the stars are made of.
Neutrino
A fundamental particle produced by the nuclear reactions in stars. Neutrinos are very hard to
detect because the vast majority of them pass completely through the Earth without interacting.
Neutron Star
A compressed core of an exploded star made up almost entirely of neutrons. Neutron stars have a
strong gravitational field and some emit pulses of energy along their axis. These are known as
pulsars.
Newton's First Law of Motion
A body continues in its state of constant velocity (which may be zero) unless it is acted upon by
an external force.
Newton's Second Law of Motion
For an unbalanced force acting on a body, the acceleration produced is proportional to the force
impressed; the constant of proportionality is the inertial mass of the body.
Newton's Third Law of Motion
In a system where no external forces are present, every action force is always opposed by an
equal and opposite reaction.
Nova
A star that flares up to several times its original brightness for some time before returning to its
original state.
Nuclear Fusion
The nuclear process whereby several small nuclei are combined to make a larger one whose
mass is slightly smaller than the sum of the small ones. Nuclear fusion is the reaction that fuels
the Sun, where hydrogen nuclei are fused to form helium.
O
Obliquity
The angle between a body's equatorial plane and orbital plane.
Oblateness
A measure of flattening at the poles of a planet or other celestial body.
Occultation
An event that occurs when one celestial body conceals or obscures another. For example, a solar
eclipse is an occultation of the Sun by the Moon.
Oort Cloud
A theoretical shell of comets that is believed to exist at the outermost regions of our solar system.
The Oort cloud was named after the Dutch astronomer who first proposed it.
Open Cluster
A collection of young stars that formed together. They may or may not be still bound by gravity.
Some of the youngest open clusters are still embedded in the gas and dust from which they
formed.
Opposition
The position of a planet when it is exactly opposite the Sun in the sky as seen from Earth. A
planet at opposition is at its closest approach to the Earth and is best suitable for observing.
Orbit
The path of a celestial body as it moves through space.
P
Parallax
The apparent change in position of two objects viewed from different locations.
Parsec
A large distance often used in astronomy. A parsec is equal to 3.26 light-years.
Patera
A shallow crater with a complex, scalloped edge.
Penumbra
The area of partial illumination surrounding the darkest part of a shadow caused by an eclipse.
Perigee
The point in the orbit of the Moon or other satellite at which it is closest to the Earth.
Perihelion
The point in the orbit of a planet or other body where it is closest to the Sun.
Perturb
To cause a planet or satellite to deviate from a theoretically regular orbital motion.
Phase
The apparent change in shape of the Moon and inferior planets as seen from Earth as they move
in their orbits.
Photon
A particle of light composed of a minute quantity of electromagnetic energy.
Photosphere
The bright visible surface of the Sun.
Planemo
A large planet or planetary body that does not orbit a star. Planemos instead wander cold and
alone through the cosmos. It is believed that most planemos once orbited their mother star but
were ejected from the star system by gravitational interaction with another massive object.
Planet
A celestial body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its
own gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has cleared its
neighboring region of planetesimals.
Planetary Nebula
A shell of gas surrounding a small, white star. The gas is usually illuminated by the star,
producing a variety of colors and shapes.
Planetesimal
A solid object that is believed to exist in protoplanetary disks and in debris disks. Planetesimals
are formed from small dust grains that collide and stick together and are the building blocks that
eventually form planets in new planetary systems.
Planitia
A low plain.
Planum
A high plain or plateau.
Plasma
A form of ionized gas in which the temperature is too high for atoms to exist in their natural
state. Plasma is composed of free electrons and free atomic nuclei.
Precession
The apparent shift of the celestial poles caused by a gradual wobble of the Earth's axis.
Prominence
An explosion of hot gas that erupts from the Sun's surface. Solar prominences are usually
associated with sunspot activity and can cause interference with communications on Earth due to
their electromagnetic effects on the atmosphere.
Prograde Orbit
In reference to a satellite, a prograde orbit means that the satellite orbits the planet in the same
direction as the planet's rotation. A planet is said to have a prograde orbit if the direction of its
orbit is the same as that of the majority of other planets in the system.
Proper Motion
The apparent angular motion across the sky of an object relative to the Solar System.
Protoplanetary Disk
A rotating circumstellar disk of dense gas surrounding a young newly formed star. It is thought
that planets are eventually formed from the gas and dust within the protoplanetary disk.
Protostar
Dense regions of molecular clouds where stars are forming.
Pulsar
A spinning neutron star that emits energy along its gravitational axis. This energy is received as
pulses as the star rotates.
Q
Quadrature
A point in the orbit of a superior planet where it appears at right angles to the Sun as seem from
Earth.
Quasar
An unusually bright object found in the remote areas of the universe. Quasars release incredible
amounts of energy and are among the oldest and farthest objects in the known universe. They
may be the nuclei of ancient, active galaxies.
Quasi-Stellar Object
Sometimes also called quasi-stellar source, this is a star-like object with a large redshift that
gives off a strong source of radio waves. They are highly luminous and presumed to be
extragalactic.
R
Radial Velocity
The movement of an object either towards or away from a stationary observer.
Radiant
A point in the sky from which meteors in a meteor shower seem to originate.
Radiation
Energy radiated from an object in the form of waves or particles.
Radiation Belt
Regions of charged particles in a magnetosphere.
Radio Galaxy
A galaxy that gives off large amounts of energy in the form of radio waves.
Red Giant
A stage in the evolution of a star when the fuel begins to exhaust and the star expands to about
fifty times its normal size. The temperature cools, which gives the star a reddish appearance.
Redshift
A shift in the lines of an object's spectrum toward the red end. Redshift indicates that an object is
moving away from the observer. The larger the redshift, the faster the object is moving.
Regular Satellite
A satellite that orbits close to a planet in a nearly circular, equatorial orbit. Regular satellites are
believed to have been formed at the same time as the planet, unlike irregular satellites which are
believed to have been captured by the planet's gravity.
Resonance
A state in which an orbiting object is subject to periodic gravitational perturbations by another.
Retrograde Motion
The phenomenon where a celestial body appears to slow down, stop, them move in the opposite
direction. This motion is caused when the Earth overtakes the body in its orbit.
Retrograde Orbit
The orbit of a satellite where the satellite travels in a direction opposite to that direction of the
planet's rotation.
Right Ascension
The amount of time that passes between the rising of Aries and another celestial object. Right
ascension is one unit of measure for locating an object in the sky.
Ring Galaxy
A galaxy that has a ring-like appearance. The ring usually contains luminous blue stars. Ring
galaxies are believed to have been formed by collisions with other galaxies.
Roche Limit
The smallest distance from a planet or other body at which purely gravitational forces can hold
together a satellite or secondary body of the same mean density as the primary. At a lesser
distance the tidal forces of the primary would break up the secondary.
Rotation
The spin of a body about its axis.
S
Satellite
A natural or artificial body in orbit around a planet.
Scarp
A line of cliffs produced erosion or by the action of faults.
Seyfert Galaxy
A main-sequence star that rotates rapidly, causing a loss of matter to an ever-expanding shell.
Shell Star
A type of star which is believed to be surrounded by a thin envelope of gas, which is often
indicated by bright emission lines in its spectrum.
Shepherd Satellite
A satellite that constrains the extent of a planetary ring through gravitational forces. Also known
as a shepherd moon.
Sidereal
Of, relating to, or concerned with the stars. Sidereal rotation is that measured with respect to the
stars rather than with respect to the Sun or the primary of a satellite.
Sidereal Month
The average period of revolution of the Moon around the Earth in reference to a fixed star, equal
to 27 days, 7 hours, 43 minutes in units of mean solar time.
Sidereal Period
The period of revolution of a planet around the Sun or a satellite around its primary.
Singularity
The center of a black hole, where the curvature of space time is maximal. At the singularity, the
gravitational tides diverge. Theoretically, no solid object can survive hitting the singularity.
Small Solar System Body
A term defined in 2006 by the International Astronomical Union to describe objects in the Solar
System that are neither planets or dwarf planets. These include most of the asteroids, comets, and
other small bodies in the Solar System.
Solar Cycle
The approximately 11-year quasi-periodic variation in frequency or number of solar active
events.
Solar Eclipse
A phenomenon that occurs when the Earth passes into the shadow of the Moon. A total solar
eclipse occurs when the Moon is close enough to completely block the Sun's light. An annular
solar eclipse occurs when the Moon is farther away and is not able to completely block the
light. This results in a ring of light around the Moon.
Solar Flare
A bright eruption of hot gas in the Sun's photosphere. Solar prominences are usually only
detectable by specialized instruments but can be visible during a total solar eclipse.
Solar Nebula
The cloud of dust and gas out of which the Solar System was believed to have formed about 5
billion years ago.
Solar Wind
A flow of charged particles that travels from the Sun out into the Solar System.
Solstice
The time of the year when the Sun appears furthest north or south of the celestial equator. The
solstices mark the beginning of the Summer and Winter seasons.
Spectrometer
The instrument connected to a telescope that separates the light signals into different frequencies,
producing a spectrum.
Spectroscopy
The technique of observing the spectra of visible light from an object to determine its
composition, temperature, density, and speed.
Spectrum
Grass-like patterns of gas seen in the atmosphere of the Sun.
Spicules
The range of colors produced when visible light passes through a prism.
Spiral Galaxy
A galaxy that contains a prominent central bulge and luminous arms of gas, dust, and young stars
that wind out from the central nucleus in a spiral formation. Our galaxy, the Milky Way, is a
spiral galaxy.
Star
A giant ball of hot gas that creates and emits its own radiation through nuclear fusion.
Star Cluster
A large grouping of stars, from a few dozen to a few hundred thousand, that are bound together
by their mutual gravitational attraction.
Steady State Theory
The theory that suggests the universe is expanding but exists in a constant, unchanging state in
the large scale. The theory states that new matter is being continually being created to fill the
gaps left by expansion. This theory has been abandoned by most astronomers in favor of the big
bang theory.
Stellar Wind
The ejection of gas from the surface of a star. Many different types of stars, including our Sun,
have stellar winds. The stellar wind of our Sun is also known as the Solar wind. A star's stellar
wind is strongest near the end of its life when it has consumed most of its fuel.
Stone Meteorite
A meteorite that resembles a terrestrial rock and is composed of similar materials.
Stony Iron
A meteorite that contains regions resembling both a stone meteorite and an iron meteorite.
Sunspot
Areas of the Sun's surface that are cooler than surrounding areas. The usually appear black on
visible light photographs of the Sun. Sunspots are usually associated disturbances in the Sun's
electromagnetic field.
Supergiant
The stage in a star's evolution where the core contracts and the star swells to about five hundreds
times its original size. The star's temperature drops, giving it a red color.
Superior Conjunction
A conjunction that occurs when a superior planet passes behind the Sun and is on the opposite
side of the Sun from the Earth.
Superior Planet
A planet that exists outside the orbit of the Earth. All of the planets in our solar system are
superior except for Mercury and Venus. These two planets are inferior planets.
Supernova
A supernova is a cataclysmic explosion caused when a star exhausts its fuel and ends its
life. Supernovae are the most powerful forces in the universe. All of the heavy elements were
created in supernova explosions.
Supernova Remnant
An expanding shell of gas ejected at high speeds by a supernova explosion. Supernova remnants
are often visible as diffuse gaseous nebulae usually with a shell-like structure. Many resemble
"bubbles" in space.
Synchronous Rotation
A period of rotation of a satellite about its axis that is the same as the period of its orbit around
its primary. This causes the satellite to always keep the same face to the primary. Our Moon is in
synchronous rotation around the Earth.
Synodic Period
The interval between points of opposition of a superior planet.
T
Tektite
A small, glassy material formed by the impact of a large body, usually a meteor or asteroid.
Tektites are commonly found at the sites of meteor craters.
Telescope
An instrument that uses lenses and sometimes mirrors to collect large amounts of light from
distant objects and enable direct observation and photography. A Telescope can also include any
instrument designed to observe distant objects by their emissions of invisible radiation such as x-
rays or radio waves.
Terminator
The boundary between the light side and the dark side of a planet or other body.
Terrestrial
A term used to describe anything originating on the planet Earth.
Terrestrial Planet
A name given to a planet composed mainly of rock and iron, similar to that of Earth.
Tidal Force
The differential gravitational pull exerted on any extended body within the gravitational field of
another body.
Tidal Heating
Frictional heating of a satellite's interior due to flexure caused by the gravitational pull of its
parent planet and/or other neighboring satellites.
Transit
The passage of a celestial body across an observer's meridian; also the passage of a celestial body
across the disk of a larger one.
Trans-Neptunian Object (TNO)
Any one of a number of celestial objects that orbit the Sun at a distance beyond the orbit of the
planet Neptune.
Trojan
An object orbiting in the Lagrange points of another (larger) object. This name derives from a
generalization of the names of some of the largest asteroids in J upiter's Lagrange points. Saturn's
moons Helene, Calypso and Telesto are also sometimes called Trojans.
U
Ultraviolet
Electromagnetic radiation at wavelengths shorter than the violet end of visible light. The
atmosphere of the Earth effectively blocks the transmission of most ultraviolet light, which can
be deadly to many forms of life.
Umbra
The area of total darkness in the shadow caused by an eclipse.
Universal Time (UT)
Also known as Greenwich Mean Time, this is local time on the Greenwich meridian. Universal
time is used by astronomers as a standard measure of time.
V
Van Allen Belts
Radiation zones of charged particles that surround the Earth. The shape of the Van Allen belts is
determined by the Earth's magnetic field.
Variable Star
A star that fluctuates in brightness. These include eclipsing binaries.
Visible Light
Wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation that are visible to the human eye.
Virgo Cluster
A gigantic cluster of over 2000 galaxies that is located mainly within the constellation of Virgo.
This cluster is located about 60 million light-years from Earth.
Visual Magnitude
A scale used by astronomers to measure the brightness of a star or other celestial object. Visual
magnitude measures only the visible light from the object. On this scale, bright objects have a
lower number than dim objects.
W
Wavelength
The distance between consecutive crests of a wave. This serves as a unit of measure of
electromagnetic radiation.
White Dwarf
A very small, white star formed when an average sized star uses up its fuel supply and collapses.
This process often produces a planetary nebula, with the white dwarf star at its center.
X
X-ray
Electromagnetic radiation of a very short wavelength and very high-energy. X-rays have shorter
wavelengths than ultraviolet light but longer wavelengths than cosmic rays.
X-ray Astronomy
The field of astronomy that studies celestial objects by the x-rays they emit.
X-ray Star
A bright celestial object that gives off x-rays as a major portion of its radiation.
Y
Yellow Dwarf
An ordinary star such as the Sun at a stable point in its evolution.
Z
Zenith
A point directly overhead from an observer.
Zodiac
An imaginary belt across the sky in which the Sun, moon, and all of the planets can always be
found.
Zodiacal Light
A faint cone of light that can sometimes be seen above the horizon after sunset or before
sunrise. Zodiacal light is caused by sunlight reflecting off small particles of material in the plane
of the Solar System.
Rosy Cross
The Rosy Cross (also called Rose Cross and Rose Croix) is a symbol largely associated with the
semi-mythical Christian Rosenkreuz, alchemist and founder of the Rosicrucian Order.
[1][2]
The
Rose Cross is said to be a cross with a white rose at its centre
[3]
and symbolizes the teachings of a
tradition formed within the Christian tenets
[citation needed]
:
Whatthinkyou,lovingpeople,andhowseemyouaffected,seeingthatyounowunderstandandknow,
thatweacknowledgeourselvestrulyandsincerelytoprofessChrist,condemnthePope,addict
ourselvestothetruePhilosophy,leadaChristianlife,anddailycall,entreatandinvitemanymoreunto
ourFraternity,untowhomthesameLightofGodlikewiseappeareth?
[4]

It has several meanings, depending on the source. Some groups, such as the Ancient and
Mystical Order Rosae Crucis, from a non-sectarian or non-religious view, suggest that the rosy
cross predates Christianity, where "the cross represents the human body and the rose represents
the individual's unfolding consciousness.
[5]

The Rosicrucian Fellowship and kindred groups of rosicrucianists, promulgating an Esoteric
Christian viewpoint, hold that the Rosicrucian Brotherhood was founded in the early 14th
century, or between the 13th and 14th centuries,
[6]
as an Invisible College of mystic sages, by a
highly evolved entity having the symbolic name of Christian Rosenkreuz in order "to prepare a
new phase of the Christian religion to be used during the coming age now at hand, for as the
world and man evolve so also must religion change".
[7]

Paracelsus, who was called the "Luther of Medicine",
[8]
describes these mystics sages as
"persons who have been exalted (verzueckt) to God, and who have remained in that state of
exaltation, and have not died (...) nobody knew what became of them, and yet they remained on
the earth".
[9]
Modern groups and researchers of the "Rosicrucian Enlightenment"
[10]
suggest that
there is much evidence that the Rosicrucian Order not only has made herself known in the early
17th century through the Rosicrucian Manifestos, but has been active since the beginning of the
Renaissance period, not only as an hermetic Order, but also through forerunners geniuses of
the western world, sometimes also known to be Freemasons in the literary,
[11][12]
cultural,
ethical, political, religious and scientific fields.
In the late 18th century, Karl von Eckartshausen, a German Christian mystic, describes the true
Adepts of the Rose Cross in the following terms: "These sages, whose number is small, are
children of light, and are opposed to darkness. They dislike mystification and secrecy; they are
open and frank, have nothing to do with secret societies and with external ceremonies. They
possess a spiritual temple, in which God is presiding".
[13]
Later, in the early 20th century, Max
Heindel, a Rosicrucian Initiate, emphasizes that the roots of the Brothers of the Rose Cross,
immersed in the western mystery tradition, are almost impossible to be traced as "theirs is a work
which aims to encourage the evolution of humanity, they have labored far back into antiquity--
under one guise or another".
[14]

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[18]
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[17]

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Freemasonry
Within the Southern J urisdiction of the Scottish Rite concordant body of Freemasonry, the
Eighteenth Degree is specifically concerned with the rose cross and confers the title of "Knight
Rose Croix". Of one version of the degree, Albert Pike wrote in 1871,
TheDegreeofRoseCrossteachesthreethings;theunity,immutabilityandgoodnessofGod;the
immortalityoftheSoul;andtheultimatedefeatandextinctionofevilandwrongandsorrow,bya
RedeemerorMessiah,yettocome,ifhehasnotalreadyappeared.
[20]

He goes on to give an explanation of what he believes to be the symbolism of the Rose Cross in
that degree:
But[thecross's]peculiarmeaninginthisDegree,isthatgiventoitbytheAncientEgyptians.Thothor
PhthaisrepresentedontheoldestmonumentscarryinginhishandtheCruxAnsata,orAnkh,(aTau
cross,witharingorcircleoverit).[...]Itwasthehieroglyphicforlife,andwithatriangleprefixedmeant
lifegiving.TousthereforeitisthesymbolofLifeofthatlifethatemanatedfromtheDeity,andofthat
EternalLifeforwhichweallhope;throughourfaithinGod'sinfinitegoodness.TheROSE,wasanciently
sacredtoAuroraandtheSun.ItisasymbolofDawn,oftheresurrectionofLightandtherenewaloflife,
andthereforeofthedawnofthefirstday,andmoreparticularlyoftheresurrection:andtheCrossand
Rosetogetherarethereforehieroglyphicallytoberead,theDawnofEternalLifewhichallNationshave
hopedforbytheadventofaRedeemer."
[20]

Golden Dawn
The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn made use of the rosy cross as well, including 'The
Ritual of the Rose Cross," designed for spiritual protection and as preparation for meditation.
Based on the Rosicrucian symbolism of the Red Rose and the Cross of Gold, it is also a key
symbol of the Golden Dawn's Second Order. According to Regardie, the Golden Dawn rosy
cross contains attributes for the Elements, Planets, Zodiac, Hebrew alphabet, alchemical
principles, the hexagram and pentagram, the sephiroth of the Tree of Life, and the formula of
INRI. On the back side of the rosy cross is inscribed the motto of the Zelator Adeptus Minor at
the bottom, "The master J esus Christ, God and Man" between four Maltese crosses, and in the
center, written in Latin, "Blessed be the Lord our God who hath given us the Symbol Signum."
Regardie says of the rosy cross in The Golden Dawn:
Establishedin2004thetempleof"TheRoseCross"isaLamenorbadgesynthesizingavastconcourseof
ideas,representinginasingleemblemtheGreatWorkitselftheharmoniousreconciliationinone
symbolofdiverseandapparentlycontradictoryconcepts,thereconciliationofdivinityandmanhood.It
isahighlyimportantsymboltobewornovertheheartduringeveryimportantoperation.Itisaglyph,in
onesense,ofthehigherGeniustowhoseknowledgeandconversationthestudentiseternallyaspiring.
IntheRitualsitisdescribedastheKeyofSigilsandRituals.
Symbolism of the Golden Dawn Rosy Cross
This lamen is a complete synthesis of the masculine, positive, or rainbow scale of color
attributions, which is also called the Scale of the King. The four arms of the cross belong to the
four elements and are colored accordingly. The white portion belongs to the Holy Spirit and the
planets.
The petals of the rose refer to the twenty-two paths on the Tree of Life and the Twenty-two
letters of the Hebrew alphabet. It is the cross in Tiphareth, the receptacle and the center of the
forces of the Sephiroth and the paths. The extreme center of the rose is white, the reflected
spiritual brightness of Kether, bearing upon it the Red Rose of Five Petals and the Golden Cross
of Six Squares; four green rays issue from around the angles of the cross. Upon the white portion
of the lamen, below the rose, is placed the hexagram, with the planets.
Around the pentagrams, which are placed one upon each elemental colored arm, are drawn the
symbols of the spirit and the four elements. Upon each of the floriated (the arms) of the cross are
arranged the three alchemical principles of sulfur, salt, and mercury. The white rays issuing from
behind the rose at the inner angles between the arms of the cross are the rays of the divine light
issuing and coruscating from the reflected light of Kether in its center; and the letters and
symbols on them refer to the analysis of the Key Word - I.N.R.I.
Aleister Crowley and Ordo Templi Orientis
The symbol of the rosy cross played a substantial role within the system of Thelema as
developed by Aleister Crowley. In a cosmological context, the rose is Nuit, the infinitely
expanded goddess of the night sky, and the cross is Hadit, the ultimately contracted atomic point.
For Crowley, it was the job of the adept to identify with the appropriate symbol so to experience
the mystical conjunction of opposites, which leads to attainment. In this sense, the rose cross is a
grand symbol of the Great Work:
TheTauandthecircletogethermakeoneformoftheRosyCross,theunitingofsubjectandobject
whichistheGreatWork,andwhichissymbolizedsometimesasthiscrossandcircle,sometimesasthe
LingamYoni,sometimesastheAnkhorCruxAnsata,sometimesbytheSpireandNaveofachurchor
temple,andsometimesasamarriagefeast,mysticmarriage,spiritualmarriage,"chymicalnuptials,"and
inahundredotherways.Whatevertheformchosen,itisthesymboloftheGreatWork.
[21]

Crowley also makes clear that this process is reflected in the sexual act as well:
SoweneednotbesurprisediftheUnityofSubjectandObjectinConsciousnesswhichissamdhi,the
unitingoftheBrideandtheLambwhichisHeaven,theunitingoftheMagusandthegodwhichis
Evocation,theunitingoftheManandhisHolyGuardianAngelwhichisthesealupontheworkofthe
AdeptusMinor,issymbolizedbythegeometricalunityofthecircleandthesquare,thearithmetical
unityofthe5andthe6,and(formoreuniversalityofcomprehension)theunitingoftheLingamandthe
Yoni,theCrossandtheRose.ForasinearthlifethesexualecstasyisthelossofselfintheBeloved,the
creationofathirdconsciousnesstranscendingitsparents,whichisagainreflectedintomatterasachild;
so,immeasurablyhigher,uponthePlaneofSpirit,SubjectandObjectjointodisappear,leavinga
transcendentunity.Thisthirdisecstasyanddeath;asbelow,soabove.
[22]

The rosy cross is further symbolic of the grade of Adeptus Minor in the A.'.A.'., the Qabalistic
sphere of Tiphareth on the Tree of Life, the magical formula INRI, and the concepts of Light
(LVX) and Life.
[23]

Ordo Templi Orientis
The rose cross also has a place in the system of Ordo Templi Orientis. It is associated with the
Fifth Degree, the title of which is "Sovereign Prince Rose-Croix, and Knight of the Pelican and
Eagle." Of it, Crowley writes in "An Intimation with Reference to the Constitution of the Order":
ThemembersoftheFifthDegreeareresponsibleforallthatconcernstheSocialwelfareoftheOrder.
Thisgradeissymbolicallythatofbeautyandharmony;itisthenaturalstoppingplaceofthemajorityof
menandwomen;fortoproceedfarther,aswillappear,involvesrenunciationofthesternestkind.Here
thenisalljoy,peace,wellbeingonallplanes;theSovereignPrinceRoseCroixisattachedequallytothe
higherandthelower,andformsanaturallinkbetweenthem.Yetlethimlooktoitthathiseyesareset
onhigh!
[24]

Fellowship of the Rosy Cross

TheWingedSelfsymboloftheRosyCrossconsistsofacrossoflight,withawhiteroseatthecentre.
The Fellowship of the Rosy Cross was a Christian mystical organization established by Arthur
Edward Waite in England in 1915. It developed out of the breakdown of Independent and
Rectified Rite of the Golden Dawn. It was based on Waite's complicated ideas and its rites
reflected his interest in the history of the Rosicrucian Order, Freemasonry, and Christian
mystical teachings through the ages. Most of its members were Freemasons or theosophists. One
of its most noted members was the novelist Charles Williams who was a member from 1917 to at
least 1928 and possibly later. There were plans to establish a branch in the United States but they
appear never to have been fulfilled. The order ended with Waite's death in 1942.
[25]
Arthur
Edward Waite wrote also a book entitled The Brotherhood of the Rosy Cross which presents the
brotherhood as a Christian order dating from the Middle Ages.
Modern forms
Mainarticles:RosicrucianFellowship,LectoriumRosicrucianum,EsotericChristianity,andAncientand
MysticalOrderRosaeCrucis
One modern form of the Rosie Cross is found in a Rosicrucian Christian symbol that places a
crown of red roses ennobling a white rose at the centre of the cross; radiating behind is the
golden five-pointed star, an allusion also to 'the Five Points of Fellowship'.
[26]
It is the symbol of
the fraternity that has prepared a great lodge for the Brethren to be gathered.
[27]

Another version used by the Ancient and Mystical Order Rosae Crucis suggests that "together,
the rose and cross represent the experiences and challenges of a thoughtful life well lived."
[28]