Past Articles

AR 67 Jupiter in Capricorn

AR 66 Lord of the Rings Enters the Realm of the Celestial Virgin

AR 65 The Asteroids

AR 64 Chiron, Wise Centaur or Rogue Comet?

AR 63 Astrology and the Hero's Journey

AR 62 Aquarius Ascending

AR 61 Dwarfing Pluto

AR 60 Jupiter in Sagittarius

AR 59 Neptune in Aquarius

AR 58 Mercury, Messenger of the Gods

AR 57 Moon Signs

AR 56 Chinese Astrology

AR 55 Circular Logic

AR 54 Jupiter in Scorpio

AR 53 The Lion in Winter

AR 52 As Above, So Below

AR 51 The Ancient Quest

AR 50 Astrology and Alchemy

AR 49 Star of Wonder

AR 48 Jupiter in Libra

AR 47 Once in a Blue Moon

AR 46 Sedna Enters the Arena

AR 45 Royal Stars of Persia

AR 44 Ancient Formulas for Immortality

AR 43 Twelve Gates of Heaven

AR 42 Jupiter in Virgo

AR 41 Geometry of the Spheres

AR 40 Saturn in Cancer, June, 2003 to July, 2005

AR 39 The Poles of the Zodiac

AR 38
Uranus In
Pisces
2003-2011

AR 37
Twelfth Planet, Plutinos or
Planet X

AR 36
Eclipses – Promise or Peril?

AR35
Solar Fire

AR34
The Lunar Mansions of Vedic Astrology

AR 33
Children of the Gods

AR 32
Wheels Within Wheels

AR 31
Horoscopes of Destiny

AR 30
Zodicac of Dendera

AR 29
A Star Is Born

AR 28
Age of Aquarius

AR 27
Persia's Royal Stars of Ancients

AR 23
The Lore of a Shaman

Astrology & the Fixed Stars

What can the lore of famous stars reveal about human nature?

“Star light, star bright,
The first star I see tonight,
I wish I may, I wish I might,
Have the wish I wish tonight.”
       Mother Goose Nursery Rhyme

The well known nursery rhyme quoted above is thought to have originated in America in the nineteenth century, but the sentiment is as timeless as the earliest humans gazing at the night sky. The stars hold a perennial fascination and have served as story board and navigation guide for thousands of years. Legend says that Persian Magi followed a bright star from the East in search of a new king and found him in Bethlehem. Even space age astronauts are taught to navigate by the stars.

The stars aren’t really “fixed.” About 4,000 years ago, at the beginning of the Age of Aries, the stars of the Ram rose before the Sun at Spring Equinox sunrise, but gradually the phenomenon of Precession has caused a shift in the stars which rise before the Sun. Now, as we come to the end of the Age of Pisces, the stars of the Fishes will make way for Aquarius. Western Astrology still treats Spring Equinox as the beginning of the “sign” of Aries, and the circle of the astrological zodiac is one of time which no longer moves in resonance with the constellations themselves.

Although our sun is a star, and the most important factor in the astrology of our solar system, few astrologers incorporate the rich lore of other stars into their interpretative mix. Our yellow-white star is often described as typical, but is in the top five percent in our galaxy in terms of size and brightness. The Sun is estimated to be 4.6 billion years old and roughly halfway through its main-sequence stage.

In esoteric astrology the planets influence the personality and life experiences in the perceived reality we call the third dimension. Stars, on the other hand, are thought to stimulate the soul on the path of initiation, aiding the work of evolving the personality into a suitable instrument to serve the greater good.

Luminaries

Constellations are divisions of sky in the same way countries are on Earth, and since 1930 there is international agreement on eighty-eight constellations which include stars and other deep space objects. The names of the constellations are generally Latin, the names of stars are usually Arabic, and the designations of star brightness or place within the constellation are Greek letters and numbers. With few exceptions the alpha star is the brightest in the constellation.

One measure astronomers use to locate objects in space is Celestial Longitude and Latitude in the same way maps use longitude and latitude to define coordinates on Earth. There are 360 degrees of Celestial Longitude. Zero degrees of this measure is placed at spring equinox, which is also the zero point of the Tropical Zodiac and the beginning of the astrological sign of Aries. So in terms of expressing Celestial Longitude Aries is 0-29, Taurus is 30-59 and so on.

The following stars were selected to allow a star for each zodiac sign based on degrees of Celestial Longitude. These bright stars are not in the zodiac constellation but do align longitudinally like cities on a map which are in different states or provinces but are due north or south of each other. Most of them are among the brightest stars in the sky. What follows are ideas of how these powerful bright stars might have significant connections to the birth chart based on accumulated star lore.

Aries - Alderamin

Alderamin, which means “shoulder,” is the white alpha star in the constellation of Cepheus, the King and resides at 12 Aries 48, the same as Celestial Longitude. The original name of the star was Al Dhira al Yamin, “right arm.” One source equates the name of the constellation Cepheus with Cheops of Great Pyramid fame. Alderamin is the western base of the house of the King and will have the honor of being the Pole Star about 5,500 years from now as will its counterparts Beta and Gamma Cepheus sooner. The mythic themes of this star are linked to ideas of sovereignty and enlightened kingship, ruling from a place of wisdom gained from experience.

Taurus - Capella

Capella, the “Little She Goat” is the yellow alpha star of the Auriga, the Charioteer, and is identical with our sun in spectral composition. Capella is at 21 Taurus 51, or 51 degrees of Celestial Longitude. Although called little goat Capella is a giant star, sixteen times larger than our sun and 150 times more luminous, and is really more like the horse which pulls the Chariot. The Greeks saw Capella as Amalthea, the goat who nursed Zeus as an infant. Norman Lockyer believed at least five Egyptian temples were oriented to Capella, including a temple to Ptah at Memphis a staggering 7,200 years ago. Mythically Capella is auspicious and portends honor and wealth.

Gemini - Betelgeuse

Betelgeuse, from the Arabic meaning “House of the Twins,” is the alpha star in the constellation of Orion, the Hunter. Betelgeuse is a orange supergiant star which is larger than the orbit of Venus. The earliest names referred to the constellation as a Giant. Betelgeuse is at 28 Gemini 45, or 88 degrees of Celestial Longitude. Polaris, our current Pole Star, is at this same degree. The constellation Orion straddles the Celestial Equator and is visible all over the world. Betelgeuse is seen as a fortunate star which offers great success without a lot of struggle, implying perhaps that the rewards were gained in another life.

Cancer - Sirius

Sirius, the “Shining One,” is the alpha star in the constellation of Canis Major, the Big Dog, and is called the “Dog Star.” Sirius is brilliant white and the brightest star in the sky from our perspective on Earth. Sirius was the star of Isis, and when Sirius rose with the sun at summer solstice each year that event signaled the onset of the annual Nile flood. Sirius is at 14 Cancer 05 with a Celestial Longitude of 104 degrees. Mysteriously, sources from 2,000 years ago describe this star as “red,” “coppery,” and fiery.” However, since 1,000 CE Sirius is very white with blue tinges. Although it’s theorized that Sirius B, it’s now-dark companion, was formerly a red supergiant no residue of gases has been detected to solve the mystery. Sirius confers great power and a child born in ancient Egypt on the day this star rose with the sun would have led a sacred life dedicated to Isis.

Leo - Dubhe

Dubhe is Arabic for “bear,” and is the alpha star in the constellation of Ursa Major, the Great Bear. Dubhe is a yellow star and one of the “pointers” of the Big Dipper asterism which point to the Pole Star. Lockyer found several Egyptians temples aligned to Dubhe. Dubhe is in the “back of the bear” at 15 Leo 11 degrees of the zodiac and 135 degrees of Celestial Longitude. Dubhe seems to embody the idea of courage and if connected to a natal chart is thought to confer a brave heart, but also to give lessons relating to other matters of the heart.

Virgo - Thuban

Thuban, from Arabic Ath Thuban, “snake,” is the alpha star in the constellation of Draco, the Dragon. Thuban lies in the middle of the Dragon’s long tail. Pale-yellow Thuban resides at 07 Virgo 26 degrees of the zodiac and 157 degrees of Celestial Longitude. Thuban is not the brightest star in Draco, but it was the Pole Star during the so-called Pyramid Age of Egypt nearly 5,000 ago. There is a sense of guarding something secret and sacred about this star and its stories. Mythically dragons are often depicted as hoarding their treasure, so appropriate revelations and willingness to share the bounty can be the issue here.

Libra - Arcturus

Arcturus, “guardian of the bear,” is the golden-yellow alpha star in the constellation of Bootes, the Herdsman, at 24 Libra 13 and 204 degrees of Celestial Longitude. The name in Greek is Arktouros. Perhaps Arcturus is also guardian of the north since we use the term arctic to describe the frozen north. Arcturus is like a pathfinder and acts as a guardian, providing lessons of learning, teaching others and leadership. Arcturus is said to engender a desire to create a better way, and gives the native influenced by this star an innate skill to lead. There is also a sense of watching gateways and portals.

Scorpio - Alpha Centauri

Alpha Centauri, or Rigil Kentaurus, “Foot of the centaur,”is the white alpha star in the constellation of the Centaur, and is at 29 Scorpio 29 and 239 degrees of Celestial Longitude. Alpha Centauri has the distinction of being our closest star. It is also a triple star system, which is fitting as it is sometimes known by a third name, Toliman, from the Arabic for ostriches. This constellation is thought to be Chiron, the wise centaur, unlike the centaur of Sagittarius which represents the process of becoming wise. The old stories depict the starry Centaur as approaching the stars of Ara, the Altar to make an offering. In Greek myth Chiron fashioned the constellations and taught humanity how to read the stars. Healing a deep wound can be the message of this star when it is connected to a chart.

Sagittarius - Ras Algethi

Ras Algethi, “Kneeler’s Head,” is the alpha star in the constellation of Hercules, the strong man of Greek myth. Ras Algethi is a beautiful double star which shines at 16 Sagittarius 08, or 256 degrees of Celestial Longitude. One star is red-orange and the other is blue-green. This is an ancient constellation which was commonly seen as a kneeling figure. Long before these stars were Hercules they represented Gilgamesh. Ras Algethi’s influence carries the idea of devotion, surrender to a higher power, and humbly offering all we have. The idea of sacrifice is embodied in the hero’s journey.

Capricorn - Vega

Vega, “vulture,” is the alpha star in the constellation of Lyra, the Lyre. Blue-white Vega is at 15 Capricorn 19 zodiac degrees and 285 degrees of Celestial Longitude. Vega was the Pole Star 12,000 years ago during the time of fabled Atlantis, and will reclaim that honor in another 12,000 - 14,000 years. In Egypt the vulture star was equated with the goddess Ma’at. Lockyer believed this star marked orientation of temples at Dendara before Gamma Draco and Alpha Ursa Major. In Asia Vega is called the Weaving Princess star. She was once a girl who fell in love with a shepherd, who is Altair, and they neglected their duties. Her father put them on opposite sides of the sky, and now they only meet once a year at midsummer. In myth Vega carries the idea of a potent charisma. The test is how this gift is used.

Aquarius - Altair

Altair

Altair, is the yellowish-white alpha star in Aquila, the Eagle. The star’s name derives from the Arabic word for the constellation and represents the wings of an eagle, or perhaps a falcon. Altair forms one corner of a huge triangle known to all navigators. Altair is at 01 Aquarius 46 degrees of the zodiac and 301 degrees of Celestial Longitude. Like its name, Altair carries the significance of flying high where “no one has gone before,” blazing new trails and setting lofty goals for those who follow. Mythically this star has a courageous and pioneering quality.

Pisces - Fomalhaut

Fomalhaut, “mouth of the fish,” is the alpha star in Pisces Austrinus, the Southern Fish, and was one of the four Royal Stars of Persia more than 4,000 years ago. Fomalhaut is a blue-white star at 03 Pisces 51 and 333 degrees of Celestial Longitudes. Above the equator Fomalhaut’s appearance in the night sky is an annual harbinger of autumn. On celestial maps Aquarius, the Water Bearer seems to be emptying his urn into the mouth of the Southern Fish. The energy of Fomalhaut seems to amplify other energies present in a birth chart and to engender a test of overcoming glamour and a lust for glory.

Wishing on a Star

Ancient wisdom traditions teach that stars are vastly evolved beings whose radiance gives life, light and power to aid evolution. Perhaps the ancients understood a form of stellar wisdom which has been lost to history, and we might enrich and empower ourselves by returning to a visceral connection to the sky. As the ancient Egyptians said in texts to the deceased pharaoh, “May you seize the sky.”

Julie Gillentine
Queen of Cups, LLC
PO Box 1679 Pagosa Springs, CO 81147
Ancient Wisdom for the Modern World
http://www.queenofcups.com
970-264-7474