Fixed Stars Now in Gemini

Continuing a series of monthly posts on Fixed Stars in each tropical zodiac sign.

Data for Gemini from Astroweb (HERE), showing star positions in 1900 in the left-hand column and in 2000 on the right.

Astrological interpretation for most of those stars, when found tightly conjunct a natal personal planet, or important point, will be available online - a good, all-encompassing website is Constellation of Words.

 Hat-tip here for illustration

I'll scribble on a bit about Aldebaran, the bright rose coloured star which marks the Taurus Bull's right eye. The star's name derives from Al Dabaran, the Follower - that is, following the Pleiades (a group of stars in Taurus), or perhaps the star was so named because it marked the 2nd Arabic Moon Mansion - following the first.

Aldebaran, now lies at around 9.47 degrees of Gemini. It is one of the four "Royal" stars.

Why were four Fixed Stars considered "royal"? Aldebaran, Regulus, Antares and Fomalhaut retain their status as Royal Stars to this day among western astrologers. The tradition stems from Arabic astrology/astronomy which some see as our modern astrology's closest relation. Arabic astrology filtered through to Europe from Persia, today's Iran, thousands of years ago.

These stars were accorded high stellar office by ancient astrologers and astronomers. In ancient times, in the Age of Taurus, their positions marked the four cardinal points, the equinoxes and solstices. The four stars were referred to as Watchers of the Heavens, looked on as guardians of the Vernal and Autumnal equinoxes, and the Summer and Winter solstices. Aldebaran, the "Eye of the Bull", was the Watcher of the East, conjunct the Sun at Spring Equinox – at the Aries Point.

These bright "Royal" stars formed a huge astrological cross, involving the zodiac's four Fixed signs: Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius long before the cross became a symbol of Christianity.

The symbolism of the four Royal Stars in ancient times is easy to account for. However, it isn't as easy to accept that astrological interpretation of these stars in later centuries, should retain the same flavour, when their positions have changed. The four Royals have moved on from their very early sites. Their approximate positions today: Aldebaran has moved from Taurus to 9 Gemini. Regulus has been in early Virgo since 2011. Antares has moved from Scorpio to 9 Sagittarius, and finally Formalhout moved from Aquarius to 3 Pisces. All four now occupy the Mutable signs - far different in interpretation from their Fixed neighbours.

Many astrologers still see the four Royal Stars as powerful when they appear in very close major aspect to a planet or sensitive point in a natal chart or mundane chart. The reason for this, I guess, harks back to the stars' early important status. Perhaps there is a question mark here. As the stars moved on over the centuries, ought they to have shed their royal reputation? It was their position, not their intrinsic properties, I suppose, which had originally defined them as highly fortunate.

There's a nice piece at Librarising.com on the Royal Stars and their progression:

Snip:

..........All four royal stars have since moved from the fixed to the mutable signs at different times during the last 700 years or so beginning with the Aldebaran-Antares half of the cross around 1300 AD. The move from Taurus-Scorpio into Gemini-Sagittarius may have been the driving force behind the birth of the Renaissance movement as well as the colonization to the Americas. The printing press(Gemini) and the spread of the scriptures(Sagittarius) were also outcomes of this. Alderbaran is currently at about 10° Gemini tropical and Antares at about 10° Sagittarius tropical.

Beginning in 1725, the other half of the cross began asserting itself as Fomalhaut moved from Aquarius to Pisces, ushering in Great Britain as a dominant sea power, steam power, the Victorian era, secret societies, and mystical religions. It may also be behind the more modern developments of oil, chemicals, film, photography, psychology, and collectivism, and will no doubt continue to spawn even further developments. Fomalhaut is currently at 4° of tropical Pisces.

Lagging behind the other three is Regulus which moves permanently from Leo to Virgo on November 29th, 2011 AD. Finally, all four stars will be in the same mode again, balancing each other out, and officially ushering in the mutable era or epoch of humanity where learning, communicating, and adapting will be central or pivotal to our existence.....................

Astrologers' interpretation for Aldebaran when found within a degree or so of a personal planet or significant point in a natal chart include such keywords as eloquence, high honors, integrity, popularity, courage, agitation; danger, loss....etc etc. for an entertaining read on this see a piece at Darkstar Astrology; alternatively Kenneth Johnson Astrology has this interpretation:

Aldebaran (10 Gemini) Ptolemy merely remarks[xiv] that Aldebaran is of the nature of Mars – which is unusual, since stars are almost always described in terms of two planets rather than one. It is certainly true that Mars should be a factor here, since Aldebaran is a red star. Anonymous of 379 and the Liber Hermetis both list this important fixed star as being of the nature of Venus and Mars combined.[xv] It is said to render its natives fortunate and wealthy, with a talent for administration. It lends courage, eloquence, integrity and popularity to a horoscope. In keeping with its Mars-Venus association, the longitude of Aldebaran is listed by Anonymous of 379 as being among those “degrees which cause licentiousness.”[xvi] The same author also declares that those born under its influence are “hot-headed” when it comes to their desires, as well as being “versatile in respect of sexual pleasures.” [xvii]

In the Hindu nakshatras, this star is known as Rohini, the Red Goddess, the literal dancing girl in the sky. In 3000 BCE, her rising would have marked the vernal equinox; she is the goddess in the springtime of her youth. As in the Hellenistic tradition, the Hindus recognize Aldebaran as an indicator of fortune, wealth, and administrative talent, and they retain a strong sense of this star’s erotic power. It is interesting to note that Sigmund Freud was born with the Moon close to Aldebaran, while Marilyn Monroe’s Sun was almost exactly conjunct this important star.