The Solar Year, also known as the Tropical Year, is the period of time during which the earth rotates in its orbit around the Sun or travels from one point on the ecliptic to another. It has 365.2422 days in it, or 365d 5h 48M 46s. (In a Julian year of 365.25 days, the Sun moves 360° 27'7 in longitude.) The Sidereal Year is a 365d.256 or 365d 6h 9m 9s.5 period during which the Sun's center moves eastward from the ecliptic meridian of a certain star and returns to the same; it is also known as an astral year. It lasts approximately 20 minutes longer than a tropical year. The sidereal month is 27d.322 days long. The Anomalistic Year, which spans two consecutive perihelion passes of the Earth, is 365d.26, or 4m 43s.5, longer than the sidereal year, although becoming longer at a quicker rate. Day v.
Zenith
The horizon's pole, mathematically. The Prime Vertical (q.v.) and Meridian circles pass through this location straight overhead. Every location has its own zenith, and the closer a planet is to it, the greater its effect. The cusp of the Tenth House, which is technically speaking merely the point of the zodiac or ecliptic through which the meridian circle passes, is frequently referred to as the term. The Celestial Sphere is the fifth of the seven celestial spheres.
Zero Hour Circles
Hour Circles are drawn across the celestial poles and perpendicular to the celestial equator, whereas parallels of declination are drawn parallel to the celestial equator. Longitude is the angle formed by this circle at the pole with the meridian passing through any other location. The Zero Hour Circle is the hour circle that passes through the location of the Spring Equinox. The Zero Hour Circle cut the Earth at that spot when the Great Pyramid was erected, much as it cut the position of the Greenwich Observatory when it was established centuries later. The world's time should follow the Equinoxes' precession, but this would need not only the movement of the Observatory every 70 or 700 years, but also the displacement of all time zone meridians - clearly a daunting task.
Zodiac
A circle or belt that was thought to stretch 8 degrees on either side of the ecliptic in ancient times (q.v.). Because of the great latitudes that Venus and Mars reach, modern astronomers have expanded it to 9 degrees on either side. A perpendicular to the ecliptic is used to determine the location of any planet or star within or outside of the zodiac. The geocentric longitude of a star or planet is the point where this perpendicular intersects the ecliptic. In some ways, the zodiac and the ecliptic are the same thing because they both start at the Vernal Equinox. The Celestial Sphere is the fifth of the seven celestial spheres.
Zodiacal Aspects
Those that are measured in degrees perpendicular to the ecliptic. When utilized in conjunction with Primary Directions, the Promittor's position is determined without discretion, as opposed to the standard approach for mundane aspects, which involves determining the longitudinal degree at which the aspect is complete.
Zodiacal Directions
Those produced in the Zodiac by the Ascendant's, Midheaven's, Sun's, and Moon's progressive motion to aspects with the planets. These can be either direct (in the order of the signs) or contrarian (opposed to the order of the signs).
Zodiacal metals
- .......Aries-Scorpio.............Iron
- .......Taurus-Libra..............Copper
- .......Gemini-Virgo..............Mercury
- .......Cancer-Leo................Gold
- .......Sagittarius-Pisces........Tin
- .......Capricorn-Aquarius........Lead
Zodiacal Parallels
Any two points in the Zodiac that are at the same declination are said to be in zodiacal parallel. Antiscions are pairs of antiscions that have the same declination, either north or south. Some earlier authorities thought both were equally effective, but most current authorities dismiss contra-antiscions and only consider those between two bodies in parallel on the same side of the Equator to have astrological importance. In the Primary System, the zodiacal parallel may be produced by direction, but in the Secondary System, it may be made via progression. To get the Sun to a near-parallel position: Find the number of days after the birthday in the ephemeris, i.e., the day on which the Sun reaches the desired declination for the planet, with this number of days equaling the interval in years at which the effect will become functional. Subtract the Sun's Right Ascension when it forms the parallel from the Sun's R.A. at birth, then convert this arc of direction to time at a rate of 1o each year and 5' each month.
Application
Applying to; to submit. Said of a body in motion toward a point at which another body would look. (v. Appearance.)
Retrograde, Applying.
When the body of the program is in retrograde motion. (Motion v.)
The word 'approach' has been used by some as synonymous with 'apply'. It is said that the faster-moving body corresponds to an aspect of the slower-moving body. Precision in this regard may mean, for example, that only an element of Uranus, Neptune or Pluto could be added to Saturn in direct motion.
Aspects when shaping are more efficient than when splitting. If any planet is retrograde, it is said that the impact is injurious, or the promised effect is so postponed that when it materializes, it is of no use.
Apparent Motion
It is common to talk of them in terms of what they tend to be rather than what they are when discussing movements. The west wind reflects the wind coming from the west, but instead flowing in the eastern direction.
The planets tend to climb above the Ascendant and migrate over the meridian to the west due to the Earth's axial rotation, although they simply travel in the same direction.
Likewise, the signals tend to fly in a westerly direction though they do not necessarily travel at all. If we conclude that the Sun is in Taurus, we are not necessarily concerned about the Sun's path or its location, but about the position and travel of the Earth as determined by the Sun.
Apogee
The highest position in an object's orbit surrounding the Earth, which is a measure of its distance from the middle of the Earth. The object referred to here could be the Moon, or a Satellite, or even a comet. The point farthest from a planet for a satellite, such as the moon, reached while orbiting it.
Aphorism
A brief, pithy declaration of fact, perhaps founded on experience; a wise man's dictum. Applied to considerations engaged in the summing-up or integration of the separate testimony found in the figure in Astrology. Consider the signals as static forces in the presentation of a statistic or chart; the planets as moving forces.
The planets in the signs indicate character-making skills, but the elements, such as verbs, signify action.
The answer to 'Who is he?' Neptune offers '; Uranus to' Wherefore is he and what is his purpose? '; and the rest of the planets react to the question,' How is he going to fare? '
Antiscion
That is the reflex orientation of a planet's birth position, as modernly used in the so-called Uranian Astrology, to the degree on the opposite side of the Cancer-Capricorn axis, of which the midpoint is either 0o Cancer or 0o Capricorn. For eg, at 14o Capricorn, the antiscion of a planet is at 16o Sagittarius, which point becomes successful when another planet, or one in transit, occupies it.
The concept is applicable to two planets which have the same declination on the same side of the equator, as first used by Ptolemy. One on the other side of the same downturn was called a contra antiscion.
Anipathies
When roles in their Nativity are in dispute, the unaccountable aversions and antagonisms people have towards each other. Luminaries in dissociated signs or in inharmonious relation to each other are among the sources of such conflict; the Ascendants in opposition signs; the Infortunes in combination or in inharmonious aspect to the luminaries, or to each other or in opposition from angular Houses.
Sometimes loosely applied to planets viewed from an adverse angle of an inharmonious relationship, whereby they are deemed to bear an anipathy towards each other.
Angular Velocity
The angle that in a unit of time a world sweeps around. A planet's regular motion, represented in degrees and minutes of arc, is technically its Angular Velocity.
Angular
This is said to be either an angled earth, or an angular home.
The angular houses correspond to the Cardinal Signs, and the planets put therein are significantly improved, but whether the nature of the planet itself, as well as the nature of the aspects it receives from other planets in the System, is beneficially or adversely dependent.
Angle
Also often indicated as L. or a corner;
The cusps of the Tenth, Fourth, First and Seventh Houses, or the Medium Coeli, Immum Coeli, Oriens (Ascendant) and Occidens (Descendant) of a Solar or, indeed, of any Celestial Figure: any of the four cardinal points in a Figure, or map, of the heavens; variously relating to the Zenith, or South Vertical; the Nadir, or North Vertical; and the East and West horizons. The Southern, Northern, Eastern, and Western angles are typically described herein.
In Astrology, they are the most important and relevant arcs. Based on the composition of the planets and their elements, planets is incredibly potent for good or bad. The word may refer to the house's shape and location as placed on the square maps used by ancient astrologers. V. The Heavens Map.
Many claim that the Ascendant of either diagram is the most powerful angle, while Ptolemy gives priority to the Midheaven, or Zenith, since at their meridian altitude the heavenly bodies are universally more powerful in their impact than when rising.
Anaretic Point
Also known as the Anaretic Place. The degree that the Anareta occupies.
Ambient
The one that flies. A term applicable to the heavens loosely. Milton thinks about the atmospheric air; he's the pope of ambient clouds. It was used by Ptolemy to identify the tenth sphere that moved all other spheres with it from the East into the heavens through its persuasive power.
The contemporary astrologer is free to apply this excellent definition to the surrounding magnetic field of the Earth as variously charged by the movements of the planets, the Sunspot period, and other astronomical phenomena after Copernicus exploded this idea.
Almuten
In a Nativity, by way of necessary and unintended dignities, the world of chief power. Its influence is calculated from: its inherent character; its location of the Sign where located, its own Sign, or the Sign in which it is in exaltation; its harmonious features of preferring planets; and its elevated position in a geoarchical figure. A word of Arabian origin, seldom used by astrologers of today.
Almanac
A book or table with a calendar of days, weeks and months to which astronomical or other details is attached. Its use dates at least back to the Greeks of Alexandria. The fasti - days on which business could be transacted was the Roman almanac.
The oldest record we have is that of Solomon Jarchus, in 1150 A.D. From 1450-6, Purbach wrote one. In 1475, his pupil Regiomontanus wrote the first written almanac. Nostradamus was the most excellent almanac-maker of the Middle Ages.
Before the year 1828, all English almanacs were prophetic; and until 1834, the postage duty was 1s.3d. Per photocopy. William Pierce published the first almanac in the U.S. in 1639. The Bad Richard's Almanac (1732-57) published by Benjamin Franklin overshadowed it in success.
Released since 1868, Watkins Almanac has an annual circulation of upwards of two million copies. Raphael's, first published in 1820, and Zadkiel's, first published in 1830, are the chief Astrological Almanacs of the present period. An Ephemeris and a Nautical almanac are now published by both governments.
Albedo
Whiteness, actually. A calculation of a planet's reflection power in proportion to its absorptive ability, represented in a formula measuring the amount of light reflected from an unpolished surface in proportion to the total amount of light that falls on it.
The albedo is 7 for the moon and mercury; 59 for Venus; 44 for Earth; and 15 for Mars. The changeable character manifested by Moon and Mercury is thus shown to be due to their poor reflective potential in some manner.
An entirely different set of Lunar properties comes from the fact that the surface temperature increases some 70-odd degrees above boiling point as the Moon reaches an opposition to the Sun, and as a result it emits a wide band of infra-red frequencies that are many times more intense than all of the rays reflected by the Sun.
The temperature of the surface decreases to a sub-zero level within the first few minutes of a Lunar eclipse and the infra-red emanation stops. At Lunation, the dimly-lit surface of the Moon is attributed to light reflecting back from the Planet, which will look to the Moon-dweller four times bigger and several times lighter than the Moon when viewed from Earth with its high albedo.
There are some suggestions that, aside from its reflected light, Jupiter emits a ray of its own, but astrophysicists are not yet in consensus on that issue.
Ages
A period of about 2150 years, as anciently considered, during which the point of the Spring Equinox recedes through one sign of the Zodiac of Constellations. Since there are no definite limits in the constellations, the start and end points are mere approximations.
It is an absurdity, though, to mark the beginning of the precessional cycle, probably 25,800 years from the precise period in history that it was determined not to regard the Equinox as a moving point anymore, but to freeze it at 0o Aries instead.
It is probable that the Earth's nodes are halfway between the equinoctial lines, where the plane of its orbit intersects that of the Sun, at an inclination of approx. Huh. 50o. However, since the Equinoctial Point is now known as a fixed point and the motion takes place just within its frame of reference, it seems that it would be appropriate to observe the circle represented by the celestial pole around the pole of the Ecliptic in order to ascertain when an East point passes, to mark the starting period of the first of twelve astrological ages of 2150 years each, among each of these the precessional cycle is further subdivided.
The world may now be in the Capricorn Period, as well as every other, in this way of reckoning. At least, as now in the Aquarian period, there is no reason for us to accept civilization, even though a new astronomical treatise speaks of the Zodiac Signs as 'now preceding some 25o west of the constellations of the same name.'
Historical records show that the Equinox once started in Taurus, when Taurus was considered the first sign of the Zodiac.
Afflicted
Unfavorable conclusions. Loosely applied to: (a) any inharmonious aspect of a planet or (b) any aspect of a malefic planet, particularly its conjunction, parallel, square or opposition. Any authorities have applied to a mundane or zodiacal parallel of, or when, both Infortunes besieged them (q.v.). Some authorities assume that every House cusp may be influenced by the critical degree, but any such consideration must be restricted to instances where the birth moment is understood for certain.
Affinity
A engagement by reciprocal attraction. It is said that the Sun has an association with all the planets; Mars, in a gravitational or physical sense, with Venus; Venus, in a philanthropic sense, with Jupiter, as one who loves his fellow-man; Venus, in an imaginative sense, with Mercury.
Advantage, Line of.
A definition often used in a geocentric figure in reference to the location of the Ascending Node of the Moon. The benefit line passes along the cusps of the Seventh and Ninth Houses of the Third Decanates. The Node East direction of this line is known to be favorable.
The Expanded and Dwarfed Stature Arcs are linked to it. The arc of Expanded Height, with its height at the cusp of the Twelfth House, is from the middle of the First House, clockwise to the middle of the Eighth House, and the Arc of Dwarfed Stature, with its peak at the cusp of the Sixth House, is from the middle of the Seventh House, clockwise to the middle of the Second House.
Adjusted Calculation Date
A term used to denote the date on which the earth culminates in reference to a guided or specialized horoscope. Limiting Day, also named.
Adept
One who has gained expertise in either art or technology. It may be said that a professional astrologer has acquired superior powers and transcendental wisdom about the origins and fate of humankind through spiritual growth. Formerly alluded to as an alchemist who had mastered the 'great trick' - probably that of 'gold transmutation.' Its modern application is to transmute unfavorable cosmic triggers and lower emotions into nobler desires, completing the triumph of the mind over matter and the supernatural over the flesh.
Active Influence
That which results from a feature that generates the behavior that may materialize in an occurrence between two or more astrological variables or sensitive points.
Acronycal place
The degree of occupation of the earth as it is in contrast to the Sun.
Accidental Dignity
The best positioning in Angular Houses is of the Unintended Dignities: first, the Tenth; then, in order, the First, Seventh and Fourth Houses. Next up are the Successor Houses, with the weakest Cadent Houses.
According to older authorities, other unintended dignities are: favorable aspects to Fortune; liberation from combustion; favorable aspects of benefics; quick in motion and growing in light; and in a house corresponding to the Sign of its Vital Dignity, corresponding to Leo, as the Sun in the Fifth House; Moon in the Fourth House, corresponding to Cancer; Mercury, equivalent to Gemini and Virgo in the Third or Sixth House, and so on.
However, contemporary officials generally confine the usage of the term to placement or height of the building. Accidental honor is not inherently benevolent. If conveyed by unfavorable features, the increased intensity can result harmfully. A character - index of value is the number of planets that are mistakenly dignified. A earth positioned by means of Necessary or Unintended integrity so as to achieve power does not inherently confer a benign nature.
A significator that is exalted, angular, and not afflicted, for instance, implies a person of brazen vanity, expecting more than is due to him. From Charles E. 0. Carter assumes that a planet gains quantitatively, but not qualitatively, through its own sign; i.e., its influence is enhanced, but not inherently beneficial. As described by Wilson, point values by which to measure the relative intensity of the Accidental Dignities are:
Ascendant or Midheaven..............................5
<NOT DIV 5<
Cazimi............................................. 5
Combust........................................>
Besieged by Jupiter and Venus...................... 6
Partile conj. with Jupiter and Venus............... 5
Conj. Cor Leonis................................... 6
Conj. Spica........................................ 5
4th, 7th or 11th House............................. 4
Direct motion...................................... 4
Partile conj., North Node.......................... 4
Partile trine, Jupiter and Venus................... 4
Partile sextile, Jupiter and Venus................. 3
2nd or 5th House................................... 2
9th House.......................................... 2
Swift of motion.................................... 2
Increasing in light................................ 2
Saturn, oriental................................... 2
Jupiter, oriental.................................. 2
Mars, oriental..................................... 2
Moon, occidental................................... 2
Mercury, occidental................................ 2
Venus, occidental.................................. 2
3rd House.......................................... 1
Hayze.............................................. 1
In the Term of Jupiter or Venus.................... 1
Point values of the Accidental Debilities are:
Besieged by Mars and Saturn......................... 6
Partile conj., Mars and Saturn...................... 5
Conj. Caput Algol................................... 6
Combust............................................. 5
Retrograde.......................................... 5
12th House.......................................... 5
Under the Sunbeams.................................. 4
6th or 8th House.................................... 4
Partile conj., South Node........................... 4
Partile opposition, Mars or Saturn.................. 4
Partile square, Mars or Saturn...................... 3
Decreasing in light................................. 2
Decreasing in motion, or slow....................... 2
Saturn occidental................................... 2
Jupiter occidental.................................. 2
Moon oriental....................................... 2
Mercury oriental.................................... 2
Venus oriental...................................... 2
In term of Mars or Saturn........................... 1
Certain Dignities specifically ascribed to Fortuna are:
Conj., Cor Leonis................................... 6
Asc. or Midheaven................................... 5
Partile conj., Jupiter or Venus..................... 5
Conj., Spica........................................ 5
Not Combust......................................... 5
In Taurus or Pisces................................. 5
Besieged by Jupiter and Venus....................... 6
In Cancer, Leo, Libra, or Sagittarius............... 4
4th, 7th, or 11th House............................. 4
Partile trine, Venus or Jupiter..................... 4
Partile conj., North Node........................... 4
In Gemini........................................... 3
2nd or 5th House.................................... 3
Partile sextile, Jupiter or Venus................... 3
In Virgo............................................ 2
9th House........................................... 2
3rd House........................................... 1
In Term of Venus or Jupiter......................... 1
The Debilities ascribed to Fortuna are:
Conj., Caput Algol.................................. 6
Besieged by Mars and Saturn......................... 6
12th House.......................................... 5
In Scorpio, Capricorn, or Aquarius.................. 5
Combust............................................. 5
Partile conj., Mars or Saturn....................... 5
6th or 8th House.................................... 4
Opposition, Mars or Jupiter......................... 4
Partile conj., South Node........................... 4
In Aries............................................ 3
Partile square, Mars or Saturn...................... 3
Term of Mars or Saturn.............................. 1
In relation to the totals of the Debilities, the totals of the Dignities provide a determination of the planet's possible power. Owing to the intensity that each assumes in a birth, the ability to trigger will become apparent:
Sun......builds
Moon.....nourishes
Mercury..communicates
Venus....allures
Mars.....energizes
Jupiter..expands
Saturn...endures
Uranus...perceives
Neptune..dissolves
Pluto....consolidates
Accidental Ascendant
A technique used by Evangeline Adams to draw representations of time from a native figure. In applying this form, the Ascendant is calculated for the moment when the question is proposed and the figure is rotated until the East point is occupied by this degree.