Sidereal Astrology Points of Agreement Registry of Sidereal Astrologers founders Karen Wilkerson and Joan G. Piszek penned Points of Agreement in 1975 'in an effort to establish some common ground.' I give the original statement (to which we all agreed) here: Today, more than 40 years later, their work provides a marvelous basis for an updated Points of Agreement (aka, 'Where Sidereal Astrologers Usually Agree'). I offer the following, edited mostly for clarity and partly to update technical considerations that have changed over the decades.
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Feel free to use this thread to discuss the points as you see fit, and we can wrangle with these collegially as time passes. JAE (Last revised 12/2/2018) To help articulate our common ground, we offer the following SIDEREAL ASTROLOGY POINTS OF AGREEMENT.
No one is required to agree with all points, of course, though we recommend that all site participants be aware of them as a foundation of commonly-held views by the most Sidereal astrologers. These points are subject to modification and, in the spirit of scientific inquiry, are open to collegial debate. Defining Sidereal Astrology 1. Sidereal Astrology is the name of a school of astrology founded by Cyril Fagan, Donald Bradley ('Garth Allen'), and their close collaborators. It has both commonalities and differences in methodology with modern Western Tropical astrology, and is most distinguished by a different theory of the zodiac. It shares much of its zodiacal theory with traditional and modern Indian astrology, but differs dramatically in methodology. While the original work of Fagan and Bradley is highly regarded by us as foundational source literature, Sidereal Astrology is a living, growing study, influenced as much by its founders' commitment to uncovering truth as to their actual discoveries and teachings.
We affirm our commitment to their standards of competent, honest inquiry and investigation. The Sidereal Zodiac 3. Astrology began from visual observation of the heavens. The fixed stars provided the zodiac's original frame of reference and continue to reflect its essential framework. The Sidereal zodiac is the classical fixed zodiac of constellations originally found in all ancient cultures where a zodiac has been found.
It is both an ancient recovery and a modern discovery: Archaeological research into astrology's origins and statistical research into astrology's behavior independently disclosed the same boundaries for the zodiacal signs. Now, as in antiquity, the zodiac consists of 12 constellations, each exactly 30° wide. (Astronomers remapped constellation boundaries in 1922 for their own purposes. Their modern definitions are not astrology's definitions, though the two substantially overlap.) The Vernal Point 6. The northern hemisphere's vernal equinoctial point ('vernal point' or 'VP') retrogrades (precesses) along the zodiac approximately 0°00'50' per year (1° in approximately 72 years). Tropical astrologers consider the VP fundamental to defining the zodiac; Sidereal Astrology does not.
The Sidereal zodiac, having no reliance on the moving vernal point, is a fixed reference system unmoved by precession. The Tropical zodiac, relying on the vernal point for its definition, is a moving reference system that must be constantly adjusted for precession. Whereas the Tropical zodiac defines the VP as 0° Aries for all time, Sidereal Astrology recognizes that it is continuously moving and currently (2018) is at 5° Pisces. Thus, boundaries of the two zodiac models presently differ by 25°. This slowly increasing divergence is known by the Sanskrit term ayanamsa. Sidereal Astrology defines the mean longitude of the vernal point as Pisces 5°57'28'.64 for the epoch 1950.0. This definition is formally called the Synetic Vernal Point (SVP).
Personal & Mundane Astrology 10. Personal astrology (astrology of an individual) is founded on an astrological chart for the moment and place of his or her birth. Complete, accurate birth data (date, time, and place of birth) are paramount for thorough, reliable evaluation. Absence of accurate birth data significantly reduces the reliability and range of astrological analysis. Sidereal solar and lunar returns (today called Solunars) were primary working tools of ancient astrologers. Modern Sidereal astrologers regard them as among the most important instruments for astrological prediction.
Mundane astrology (astrology of the collective) relies on many techniques, foremost of which are maps for the ingresses of Sun or Moon into Capricorn, Aries, Cancer, and Libra. Calculation of these maps relies on knowing exactly where 0°00'00' of the signs falls. The high accuracy and reliability of these maps for portraying mass events (historically and predictively) continue to confirm the SVP definition of the Sidereal zodiac.
The intrinsic natures of the planets are invariable. So-called 'accidental dignities' do not alter them. Traditional characterization of some planets as benefics and malefics, while crude, correctly portrays the most common expressions of these planets. Natal planets reflect an individual's inherent nature and potential. Progressed planets reflect the unfolding of that nature and potential. In astrological prediction, transiting planets are most often experienced as reflecting external circumstances interacting (causatively or responsively) with the personal actions or conditions reflected by aspected natal planets.
Angles of an astrological chart (primarily meaning the horizon and meridian), and planets proximate to these angles, are primary analytic considerations. The type of aspect between two planets (the angular separation) does not determine a positive/negative or fortune/misfortune outcome, which, instead, arises from the planets involved, life conditions, and personal choices. Conjunctions, oppositions, and squares indicate dynamic action, incentive, and movement. Trines and sextiles indicate placidity, quietness, and stillness.
Aspect strength depends on orb. Planet angularity determines the intensity of the outward expression of the aspects. Planetary Dignities 19. Planets and the constellations they rule or in which they are exalted share common traits.
However, no importance is given to house rulers (depositors). The type of aspect shows the apparent strength of the aspect: Conjunctions, squares, and oppositions indicate intense, dynamic manifestations.
Trines and sextiles denote a more subtle influence. The angularity of the planets determines the strength of the outward expression of the aspects. I think the closeness of the aspect determines the strength of the aspect. A 0°05 sextile is stronger than a 4°57 conjunction. I also think the angularity of the planets determines the ease with which the aspect is expressed. I think the word 'strength' is being used multiple ways here.
Also if there are differences between natal astrology and personal predictive astrology and mundane astrology, I think this would be a place to mention it. The type of aspect shows the apparent strength of the aspect: Conjunctions, squares, and oppositions indicate intense, dynamic manifestations. Trines and sextiles denote a more subtle influence. The angularity of the planets determines the strength of the outward expression of the aspects. I think the closeness of the aspect determines the strength of the aspect. A 0°05 sextile is stronger than a 4°57 conjunction.
I also think the angularity of the planets determines the ease with which the aspect is expressed. I think the word 'strength' is being used multiple ways here. I was being careful (on a first rewrite) not to just put in my personal spin and language, but to try to keep with a Sidereal historic and current consensus and, for the moment, to leave Faganisms intact. (There are several things I would have written differently if it were just Astrology By Eshelman.) So, for starters, I agree with you.
A question on such a document is how to walk this line, and collective discussion is where I thought I'd start. So thanks for playing. I know that the original purpose of the original line was to contrast with the Tropical good vs.
Bad aspects theory - something to distinguish Sidereal astrology from Tropical astrology overall. Tropical astrology in some quarters has moved further from that, though in other quarters it has remained. I think the contrast to the historic (and still evident) Tropical practice is important to keep, but that the way it's been kept has distorted a correct expression of exactly what's so. I have updated the Points of Agreement, substantially incorporating JSAD's input from yesterday, and generally cleaning up the language. Overnight, and on reviewing it last night and this morning, I've gotten clear that this isn't a teaching document in the sense of introducing someone to astrology.
(That would require a much larger document, most of these bullet points requiring many paragraphs as if they were chapters of a book.) Rather, the parent document was always aimed at people already knowledgeable in astrology for the purpose of clarifying, where possible, this school of thought from others. I suppose it's debatable whether that is the specific document we need but, in any case, it's what this document is at the present time. Sat Dec 01, 2018 7:35 amOn #17, I thought Rims, Spokes and Hubs be mentioned, if they're agreed upon, and I thought they were.
I might have to find some way to work in your point. The purpose of #17 is different: It's not there primarily to describe the nature of signs but, rather, to explain what we mean by sign rulers. It's intended to convey that we completely accept the traditional idea of planets ruling signs, but only as descriptors, not the way Tropical astrologers most use them, viz., to determine house rulership.
This morning, I broke the original ROSA Points of Agreement off to a separate thread that is referenced above but not quoted above. That retains them as a historic document that can be discussed in its own right, but makes the current thread less confusing. The current thread now starts immediately with the current/modern Points of Agreement, making it more of a primary reference document for the site. When someone new appears on the site and wants a basic description of 'what we're about,' one option is to refer them to here. Meanwhile, the thread remains in permanently open to collegial discussion on these points.
Currently (2018), the northern hemisphere's vernal point is at 5° Pisces. The Tropical zodiac defines the vernal point as 0° Aries. Thus, boundaries of the two zodiac models presently differ by about 25°. This slowly increasing divergence is known by the Sanskrit term ayanamsa. Sidereal Astrology defines the mean longitude of the vernal point as Pisces 5°57'28'.64 for the epoch 1950.0.
This definition is called the Synetic Vernal Point (SVP). This vernal point retrogrades (precesses) along the zodiac approximately 0°00'50' per year (1° in approximately 72 years). The Sidereal zodiac, having no reliance on the moving vernal point, is a fixed reference system unmoved by precession. The Tropical zodiac, relying on the moving vernal point for its definition, is a moving reference system that must be constantly adjusted for precession. Here is how they appear after today's editing. The northern hemisphere's vernal equinoctial point ('vernal point' or 'VP') retrogrades (precesses) along the zodiac approximately 0°00'50' per year (1° in approximately 72 years).
Tropical astrologers consider the VP fundamental to defining the zodiac; Sidereal Astrology does not. The Sidereal zodiac, having no reliance on the moving vernal point, is a fixed reference system unmoved by precession. The Tropical zodiac, relying on the vernal point for its definition, is a moving reference system that must be constantly adjusted for precession. Whereas the Tropical zodiac defines the VP as 0° Aries for all time, Sidereal Astrology recognizes that it is continuously moving and currently (2018) is at 5° Pisces.
Thus, boundaries of the two zodiac models presently differ by about 25°. This slowly increasing divergence is known by the Sanskrit term ayanamsa. Sidereal Astrology defines the mean longitude of the vernal point as Pisces 5°57'28'.64 for the epoch 1950.0. This definition is formally called the Synetic Vernal Point (SVP). Mundane astrology (astrology of the collective) relies on many techniques, foremost of which are maps for the ingresses of Sun or Moon into Capricorn, Aries, Cancer, and Libra. Calculation of these maps relies on knowing exactly where 0°00'00' of the signs falls. The high accuracy and reliability of these maps for portraying mass events (historically and predictively) continue to confirm the SVP definition of the Sidereal zodiac.
I moved the Point regarding angles a little lower, right after the several points on planets. Then I moved the new Point on Mundane Astrology higher on the list (so, if you were keeping up with the numbers, they're much mostly changed). I then restructured the list by adding headings to break up the points, and will now go back to do some restructuring of the page's code that this requires. (Done.) That should be enough for today. Sidereal solar and lunar returns (today called Solunars) were primary working tools of ancient astrologers. Modern Sidereal astrologers regard them as among the most important instruments for astrological prediction. So true I spent 12 years studying Tropical Astrology, and it was not until I discovered Sidereal Astrology and the difference of true timing with solar and lunar returns cast in the Sidereal Zodiac vs the fictitious Tropical Zodiac, that I began to understand the many truths about the true Sidereal Zodiac.
The main reason solar and lunar returns was not a main stay for Tropical Astrology was the fact Tropical Astrologers for over 2000 years were not getting the correct TIMED chart by casting a return chart in the Tropical Zodiac. Without this correct TIMED solar or lunar return chart, a Tropical Astrologer is viewing false angles and the all-important true solar moon position with a Tropical solar return. If any new student of Sidereal Astrology on this forum, after studying Tropical Astrology for years needs help in understanding this TRUE TIMING for their return charts with the Sidereal Zodiac vs the Tropical Zodiac, PM me and I will be glad to help you better understand.
Earth's Precession Earth's polar axis precesses very slowly over a period of about 23,000 to 26,000 years. The term precession simply refers to a change in the direction of the axis of a rotating object.
As this occurs, the pole of the Earth inscribes an arc in the heavens called the precessional arc. Earth's pole aligns with different pole stars throughout its precessional period.
Polaris is Earth's current north-pole star. Earth's 25,000-year precessional cycle is also referred to as 'Earth's Great Year.' Because Earth's axis is tilted 23° 27' with respect the plane created by Earth's orbit around the Sun (the ecliptic plane), Earth's equatorial plane (green) is also tilted at this same angle with respect to the ecliptic plane (blue). These two intersecting planes (Earth's equatorial plane and the ecliptic plane) create an intersecting line in the ecliptic called the vernal axis. Looking from Earth, we see one point along this axis lying in one direction in the ecliptic, and the other lying in the opposite direction. One point is the location in the ecliptic where we see the sun on the March equinox.
This location is the vernal point (VP). The other point is the location where the sun resides on the September equinox. This is the anti-vernal point. As Earth's pole precesses, so to does Earth's equatorial plane and subsequently the vernal axis (moving in a counter-clockwise motion).
Thus, the vernal axis moves around the ecliptic at a rate of precession. The precessional movement of the vernal axis is called the 'Precession of the Equinoxes.' Earth's precessional rate is not a constant but changes over time. Currently, it is slightly increasing. Earth's current precessional rate is 5028.796195 arcseconds per century (or 1° / 47392839 years), which equates to a precessional cycle of 25,771.57534 years.
![Sidereal Sidereal](http://jyotishmaster.com/pics/astroclock-sidereal-zodiac.gif)
The Cause of Earth's Precession Although this article is not about the 'cause' of Earth's precession, it is appropriate to mention that Earth's precession is not fully understood and there is more than one hypothesis as to its cause. The common model explains that Earth's pole (spin axis) wobbles over a very long period of time, much like a rapidly spinning top's axis wobbles at a much slow rate than its spin. This model explains that the reason for Earth's precession is due to the gravitational torque of the Sun and the Moon (and other planets) pulling on the Earth.
This occurs only because the Earth is oblate (not perfectly spherical). The equatorial bulge of less than 1% plus variances of density in Earth's spherical symmetry are what make it possible for the Sun and Moon to exert torque on the Earth.
Another model is the 'Binary Star Model' hypothesized by astrophysics researcher Walter Cruttenden. Although the reason for our Sun to move in a curved path may not be fully understood, and there may be unknown causes for it, he and his team hypothesize that the solar path's curvature is caused by a binary star model, where our sun and another sun orbit each other.
He suggests our binary sun's average orbital period is 24,000 years, with it slowing to 22,000 years or less at the binary orbit's apoapsis and increasing to 26,000 years at its periapsis. Astronomer Glen W. Deen proposes a Ternary Star System (our sun with two other suns). Reference: Walter Cruttenden's binary star hypothesis: binaryresearchinstitute.com/bri/ Glen W.
Deen's ternary star system hypothesis: 'The Time of Perihelion Passage and the Longitude of the Perihelion of Nemesis' Full article PDF: gsjournal.net/old/astro/deen.pdf This article is not intended to favor or debate the cause of Earth's precession; it is about the precessional cycle itself; the relationship between the tropical and sidereal zodiaks; and the role of Earth's precession cycle in the evolution of human consciousness. More about precession of the equator and precession of the ecliptic, and references about measuring precession, are presented at the end of this article.
Precession of the Tropical Zodiak & the Astrological Ages The vernal point is also the fiducial (reference point) for the tropical zodiak, defining 0° tropical Aries. Because the vernal point moves in the ecliptic, the entire set of signs comprising the tropical zodiak also moves with respect to the stars (and the sidereal zodiak), which remain fixed in their location in the heavens.
The location of the vernal point in the sidereal zodiak defines the current zodiacal age. The sidereal zodiak is a set of signs, much like the tropical signs, except they do not move in the ecliptic. The sidereal signs are aligned with their corresponding constellations.
The tropical zodiak aligned with the fixed sidereal zodiak around 200 CE. But has since drifted 25°; i.e.
This was when zero degrees tropical Aries aligned with 0° sidereal Aries. The vernal point currently resides at about 5° sidereal Pisces as it slowly moves toward the sidereal sign of Aquarius—thus we are completing the age of Pisces. We will formally enter the age of Aquarius when the vernal point precesses to 0° Aquarius—in about 360 years (5° x 72 yrs) from now (1998 CE), circa 2356 CE.
The vernal point is also called the Birthplace, or the Office of the Christos (point of the sun/son/soul)—governing the timing of the re-birth of soul consciousness into the world. The vernal point's arrival to 5° sidereal Pisces at this time in Earth's precessional cycle (circa 2000 CE.) creates a primary event that supersedes the importance of changing zodiacal ages: this event is the formation of a perfect cross in the cycle of Earth's Precession of the equinoxes. The formation of this precessional cross is explained below. The center (blue) ring in the above illustration is the sidereal zodiak. The signs of the sidereal zodiak align with their corresponding constellations and their stars. The sidereal zodiak does not move. It is referenced to the fixed stars in the heavens, or to the fixed and primary galactic equatorial axis in the ecliptic (the horizontal line).
This axis is created by the intersection of the ecliptic plane and the galactic plane, which are tilted with respect to each other by 60°. The two nodes of this axis in the ecliptic are the 'Galactic Equatorial Node' (GEN) at 5° sidereal Sagittarius, and the anti-GEN at 5° sidereal Gemini. They are also called the 'Gate of God' and the 'Gate of Man.' The outer (violet) ring reveals the thirteen ecliptical constellations (not signs). This ring shows where the 'boundaries of the constellations' cross the ecliptic. The constellation Virgo encompasses the largest length of the ecliptic (about 44°).
The constellation Scorpio dips south of the ecliptic plane with only the Scorpion’s head lying upon the ecliptic—encompassing only about 6° of the ecliptic. Ophiuchus, the serpent holder, stands upon the Scorpion and crosses the ecliptic—thus creating the thirteenth ecliptical constellation (not sign). The inner (green ring) is the tropical zodiak (at 2000 CE.) The tropical zodiak moves around the ecliptic with respect to the fixed stars—with respect to the sidereal zodiak and to the constellations. It moves because 0° tropical Aries is referenced to the moving Vernal Point. The Vernal Point moves around the ecliptic at a rate of about 1° every 72 years (once around the ecliptic in Earth's 25,000-year precessional cycle) due to Earth's precession. The tropical zodiak and its signs are not reference to the stars or actual constellations, the tropical signs are referenced to Earth's seasons (the Vernal Point is where the Sun resides in the ecliptic on the spring equinox, as experienced in the northern hemisphere).
The signs of the tropical zodiak are currently miss-aligned with the true sidereal signs (and the energies of the actual stars and constellations) by 25°, and they are drifting further and further apart due to Earth's precession. Aldebaran, Eye of the Bull, and Antares, Heart of the Scorpion, mark the center of their respective sidereal signs: 15° sidereal Taurus and 15° sidereal Scorpio. The Babylonians referenced the sidereal zodiak by these stars. Aldebaran, Antares, Regulus (Heart of the Lion), and Fomalhaut are called the Four Royal Architects, giving structure and order to the Heavens. Regulus is Chief or King of the Four Royals.
It is the only one of the four lying exactly on the ecliptic plane. Residing at 5° sidereal Leo, Regulus is also the only one aspecting the Galactic Equatorial axis.
Regulus, or 'the Rex' means the Law Giver—a clue to its astrological influence as the Heart of the Lion. About Constellation Boundaries Constellation boundaries were made simply to stardardize constellation areas and their names. The current constellation boundaries were drawn based upon Earth's celestial equator (right ascension and declination) at a specific time in Earth's precessional cycle.
They were not based upon the ecliptic plane. In short, in 1922, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) decided to demarcate constellations (88 of them) simply as a means to create referable areas in the celestial sphere. In 1830, the boundaries were devised by Belgian astronomer Eugene Joseph Delporte. They were composed of 'vertical and horizontal lines' of right ascension and declination based on 1875 epoch data. This means that although the boundaries were vertical and horizontal relative to the celestial equator in 1875, they no longer are due to Earth's precession, and they will continue to skew throughout the precessional cycle. The boundaries were arbitrarily drawn in rectangular, stair-step shape merely to encompass the various constellations, not to delineate any actual change between them.
Constellation boundaries do not in any way delineate any sort of energetic shift between constellations, nor is there an energetic shift where those boundaries cross the ecliptic. In addition, the constellations, and the stars within those constellations, do no just express into the ecliptic where the boundaries cross the ecliptic. An example would be to assume Antares of Scorpio, or the tail of Scorpio has no influence because that part of Scorpio's boundaries do not cross the ecliptic.
There is no efficacy to delineate astrological signs based upon the crossing of constellation boundaries in the ecliptic. In my opinion, attempting to create signs in this manner is a further degradation away from the true astronomical stellar energetics. If you want to consider stars and constellations, I encourage you to move away from a sign-based astrology and especially trying to create signs out of constellation boundaries, and look at the entire astronomical heavens, where planets actually reside amongst the stars (planets and asteroids can be in constellations other than the twelve or thirteen), and look at where all the stars in all of the constellations express into the ecliptic. The Galactic Axis of Earth's Precessional Cross Just as Earth is tilted with repspect to its orbit around the sun, so too is our solar system tilled with repspect to the the plane of our galaxy. The ecliptic plane is tilted about 60° to our galaxy's equatorial plane. This creates another intersecting line, one which remains stationary (relative to Earth's precessional period). This axis is called the galactic equatorial axis and it is the fixed axis of Earth's Precessional Cross.
The primary reference point of this axis is the galactic equatorial node (GEN), which resides at 5° sidereal Sagittarius. This node is called the 'Gate of God.'
Its opposite point, the anti-GEN, resides at 5° sidereal Gemini and it is called the 'Gate of Man.' The 30-60-90 Triangle created by Galactic Center and the Galactic Equatorial Node. I am placing astrological and astronomical precedence in the geometric relationship between the vernal axis and the galactic axis over the relationship of tropical and sidereal signs.
The signs are merely harmonic divisions nesting within this far more embracing astrophysical geometry. The tropical signs are based upon the moving vernal axis of this underlying geometry and the sidereal signs are based upon fixed galactic axis—thus independent of constellations, which is imagery that has evolved and changed over time, and independent of stellar placement, which also changes over long-periods.
Consider that the fixed galactic equatorial axis relates more to our durative soul-level awareness, whereas the moving vernal axis reveals the current incarnational punctual moment (our daily tropical experience), precipitating from the durative soul stream (sidereal / soul experience). Realizing the relevance of Earth's Precessional Cross geometry (the movement and geometric orientation of our Earth and Sun in our galaxy) places the signs (and our awareness) in the far greater context of our evolutionary sojourn as a stellar race of sentient souls.
Thus, the Galactic Equatorial Ayanamsa is defined by the Galactic Equatorial Node (GEN) as being the prime fiducial of the sidereal zodiak; setting the GEN (Gate of God) to exactly 5° 00' 00' sidereal Sagittarius. The Galactic Equatorial Ayanamsa is 25° 00' 00' for epoch 2000 CE.
Thus, 0° Tropical Aries resides at 5° 00' sidereal Pisces @ 2000 CE; i.e., the tropical zodiak has drifted from the fixed sidereal zodiak by 25° 00' 00' based upon the Galactic Equatorial Ayanamsa. The placement of the sidereal signs reckoned to the Galactic Equatorial Node (Galactic Equatorial Ayanamsa 5° ) is quite close to the both the Babylonian reckoning (Aldebaran @ 15° ) and Fagan-Bradley reckoning. Differences this small can become an academic argument only. However, various stars may lie on different sides of the sign cusps depending on which reckoning is used. Another area where the exactness of sidereal sign cusps become of significance is when using Nakshatras and their padas, or other sub-divisions of the signs (dwads, micro-dwads), where each sub-division is ruled by a specific sign. Using this astrological technique, the placement of a planet in a chart may cause it to cross a sub-cusp depending on the reckoning used.
This is another interesting way to experientially explore the reckoning of the sidereal zodiak, and which ayanamsa makes more sense to you. Detailed exploration of the appropriate placement of cuspal stars is something I have explored using the Galactic Equatorial Node reckoning, as well as using Nakshatra-Navamsa padas and micro-dwads, although beyond the scope of this writing. Personally, I find my Galactic Equatorial Ayanamsa and the Babylonian reckoning, which differ by a fraction of a degree, to best correspond to actual to stellar energetics. I am not arguing the validity of any ayanamsa, nor do I have any interest in debating that there is a correct ayanamsa. I am simply providing an alternative. In addition, I tend to look more so at stellar qualities which change throughout each sign rather than having interest in sign-based delineations of the heavens, and thus primarily use the sidereal zodiak as a measurement system for ecliptical longitudes amongst the stars.
Something else one might consider is that it may be of interest to use a different ayanamsa for different reasons as the chosen fiducial (a specific star or whatever is used as reference) provides a unique underlying context. You can get a feel for this if you research the originator's reasoning for any specific ayanamsa. An ayanamsa (any ayanamsa) is a dynamic figure because the vernal point (0° tropical Aries) constantly moves due to Earth's precession. Therefor, an ayanamsa must be referenced to a specific time in the precessional cycle—generally this is 1950 or 2000 CE. When converting a tropical chart to a sidereal chart, this precessional drift must be taken into account, especially if making a chart in the far distant past or future. Software programs generally take into account Earth's precessional drift and nutational variances when calculating a sidereal chart, but the sidereal astrologer must choose the ayanamsa of his or her choice. Star longitudes must be adjusted to the chosen ayanamsa if adding individual stars to an astrological chart.
This is important due to the tight orb of stellar influence. Note: When I first published this work many years ago, I simply called my ayanamsa the Galactic Ayanamsa. Since then, there as been a proposal to use Galactic Center as an ayanamsa reference of 0° Sagittarius, with the originator choosing the same name, apparently unaware of my work. Thus to avoid any confusion with it, I have clarified the name of this ayanamsa to be the Galactic Equatorial Ayanamsa 5°. The Galactic Equatorial Ayanamsa and the Babylonian Ayanamsa The Galactic Equatorial Ayanamsa (Ref GEN=5°) is extremely close to the Egypto-Babylonian-based figure quoted by Cyril Fagan (The Ochchabhaga, February 1955: Solunars, Issue #10 American Astrology Magazine - 1953 to 1970). Cyril Fagan quotes 24° 13' for January 1, 1955.
The Galactic Equatorial Ayanamsa for January 1, 1950 is 24° 18' 16', about 5 minutes of an arc degree difference. Cyril Fagan: 'The clue to the true Indian ayanamsa (the difference between tropical and sidereal reckoning) that has been entirely overlooked by Indian savants, is found in the fact that Varaha Mihira, about A.D.
400 edited The Panchasiddhanta. Varaha Mihira is held in reverence as one of the greatest of the rishis (one who is inspired, a sage, poet or saint with uncommon understanding of life. He made the ochchabhaga (hypsomata) or exaltation degrees of the planets an integral part of Hindu astrology (Brihat Jataka, I, 13); and to this day these exaltation degrees are extensively used in the East to determine the graha bala or strength of a planet in a horoscope, which is at its greatest when it has ochcha bala, that is, when it is in its own exaltation degree.
But as the sidereal longitude of the zero year of the vernal point (i.e., 0° of Aries, ed.) and the ayanamsa of the Egypto-Babylonian zodiac were derived from the hypsomata (see Fagan’s first book, Zodiacs, Old & New, 1950), and their values attested by numerous Babylonian and Egyptian texts, and confirmed by the independent research of Professor Dr. Van der Waerden,. an authority on astrochronology, and as the ochchabhaga is an integral part of Hindu astrology, then it must follow that the true zodiac of India must be hypsomatic; that is to say, it is identical in every respect with the ancient zodiac of Egypt, Babylon and Chaldea. From this conclusion there is no escape whatsoever. Hence in the Indian zodiac, Chitra (the alpha star in Virgo, Spica) is in Virgo 29° and not Libra 0°; Revati is in Pisces 25° 02' and not Aries 0° and the zero year for both zodiacs is the same, namely A.D. (It is now recognized as A.D.
221, ed.)' (ed by Kenneth Bowser). The Panchasiddhanta or Panchasiddhantika is one of the major works of Varaha Mihira, one of the brightest lights of the Indian Golden Age (the Gupta Period: A.D.
He was an astronomer, mathematician and astrologer who determined correctly the rate of precession for the first time (50.32s/year; it is currently 50.25s/year). The Panchasiddhanta is a treatise that summarizes the state of Indian astronomy and that of other cultures up to Varaha Mihira’s time.
His dates are unknown but A.D. 587 appears often with the stipulation that those dates are not sure.
He made import contributions to trigonometry, algebra and arithmetic. Bartel Leendert van der Waerden ph.d. (1903-1996), was a renowned Dutch mathematician and historian of mathematics with a long-time side interest in astronomy. His books most relevant to serious astrologers are Ontwakende Westenschap, translated into English in 1954 with the title, Science Awakening and Die Anfange der Astronomie (The Beginning of Astronomy), 1965, in German. His papers, 'The Thirty-Six Stars II' (1949), 'The Heliocentric System in Greek, Persian and Hindu Astronomy,' (1987) and 'On the Romaka-Siddhanta,' 1988 are also important for students of the astrological art. Ref: Another point of extreme importance when researching ayanamsas, one often ignored, is the rate of precession used to determine those ayanamsas, which can vary significantly from the actual rate, or the rate at the time the ayanamsa was defined.
Assumed rates or mean rates based around some ideal were most often used for identifying ayanamsas, especially in the distant past. See the section below: Precessional Time is Not a Constant. Calculating Ayanamsas Astronomers use the Right Ascension (R.A.) and Declination (Dec.) to define star locations, which are coordinates referenced from the moving vernal point, with Right Ascension being the longitude along the Celestial Equator and with Declination being the distance above or below the Celestial Equator, not from the ecliptic. Thus an epoch (date of measurement) must always be defined along with the R.A. Of a star due to the moving vernal point—like measuring the distance between two points while moving the ruler itself. Converting Right Ascension / Declination to a tropical ecliptical longitude thus yields a longitude referenced to the same epoch as the original astronomical coordinates—this must also be kept in mind. Further converting from R.A.
To sidereal ecliptical longitudes establishes fixed zodiacal longitudes in the heavens, matching planetary positions and star positions, due to the use of an ayanamsa in the calculation, which accounts for astronomical coordinates movement in time—although resultant sidereal longitudes are unique to the chosen ayanamsa used. The following chart is a comparison of several of the more common ayanamsas. This made to order star chart of the sidereal heavens shows where the planets and asteroids were at the time of YOUR birth. Visually learn which stars conjoin your natal planets; and see where they reside in the constellations and sidereal signs. Learn about your Horizon Plane, Meridian, and Prime Vertical, how these great circles create your Personal (Natal Cross), and how that cross nests upon Earth's Precessional Cross—all creating your personal sacred geometry.
This is your personal astronomy from which an astrology chart is derived. The great circles in this chart create your Ascendant, Descendant, Mid-heaven, Anti-Mid-heaven, Zenith, Nadir, East Point, and Vertex. Your Personalized Star Chart reveals exactly where these great circles and points lie in the heavens, and which stars and constellations they align with. This chart will provide insight into your greater self for years to come—and it prints as a beautiful high-resolution poster. 'An Introduction to Astronomical Astrology' is an entirely new edition of what was formerly 'The Star Catalog,' with an extensive update to the section delineating the stars and constellations as they express throughout the zodiak and in an astrological chart. This excursion through the heavens will give you an excellent foothold to star-level astrological interpretation.
The star catalog section is also updated, now with over 750 stars and deep space objects.