Fixed Stars in Virgo

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

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

The images below give a rough idea of how some of the Virgo fixed stars are "patterned". Clicking on them should afford a better view. Names of the two constellations Corvus and Crater, being translated, mean crow and cup/chalice respectively. In mythology:

The constellation CORVUS represents the crow or raven who was given a chalice by Apollo and sent to collect the waters of life. Instead of flying straight to his task, the bird spent many days waiting around for the fruit of a fig tree to ripen before eating it. When he did eventually return to his master, he excused his tardiness by claiming that a watersnake had delayed him. Apollo was so annoyed that he cursed the wretched bird with eternal thirst and threw him into the heavens. The cup, CRATER, was also placed there, carefully guarded by the watersnake, HYDRA. (See here)

I'll scribble on about Zosma (on the "hip" of the lion), and Alkes - the latter only briefly - it conjoins my natal Neptune; the former because I've come across it more than once before over the years, while researching posts.

Alkes sits on the bottom right-hand edge of the chalice Crater. Astrologically, according to Constellation of Words

Alkes has always portended eminence to those born under its influence. When rising the star indicates dedicated environmentalists whose love for rivers and streams lead them to be very protective regarding water resources. At a less intense level the native may become a landscape architect, a builder of canals, or in some other manner do business in merchandise connected with water. [Fixed Stars and Judicial Astrology, George Noonan, 1990, p.53.]

OR, from Darkstar Astrology

“This sacred cup is also associated with prophetic ability as various vessels cross-culturally have versions of it. ie: the Holy Grail or the Cauldron of Bran. Therefore Alkes can be a gift, something precious carried by an individual to pass down the generations of the family, like artistic, musical or psychic ability. Alkes’ talent is usually of a Neptunian nature.”

Not particularly fitting for me, except that the star Alkes is conjunct natal Neptune in my chart, so maybe I missed my way as an artist, musician or psychic, and have scribbled on about others, who didn't miss their ways in those spheres, instead.

Onward to Zosma then.

The fixed star commonly known as Zosma (translates as "girdle" "loincloth" or "enzonement") is also known as Delta Leonis or Duhr. It is located in the constellation Leo, on the lion's rump, and lies about 58 light-years from Earth.

Astrologically Zosma is said to be "of the nature of Saturn and Venus". Interpretations indicate a generally negative "vibe": benefit by disgrace, selfishness, egotism, immorality, meanness, melancholy, fear of poison, a shameless and egotistical nature, to keen intellect, loss in childhood, and prophetic ability (the latter links also to another nearby star Coxa). Other interpretations indicate the concept of victim or saviour, stemming from the fact that Zosma lies on the lion's back - that part broken by Hercules in Greek mythology.

I've noticed Zosma in the charts of George Michael, Ann Coulter, blues singer Seth Walker, actor Ralph Fiennes, and Piers Morgan.

Because Pluto is a very slow mover, millions of people, those born from late 1987 to mid-1988, could find Pluto conjunct Zosma in their natal charts. Only when it's linked to personal planets, rather than just to Pluto, is it likely to make itself felt; it could then appear to bring "a certain something" into clearer focus.

Ralph Fiennes Pluto/Zosma links by harmonious trine to his Mercury in Capricorn, and might also link by sextile to Moon in Scorpio, but we can't be sure without time of birth. In this case the Zosma focus seems to be a similar syndrome to George Michael's: a strange need to be caught doing something "naughty". (See my blog post of 2009 HERE)

Ralph Fiennes stirred controversy in February 2007 when staff aboard a Qantas airline flight from Australia to India caught the actor leaving the same airplane lavatory as 38-year-old female flight attendant Lisa Robertson. At first denying any allegations of a mid-air tryst, Robertson later confessed to having unprotected sex in the stall with Fiennes, whom she had met just hours before.

Glen Beck is another individual with Pluto close to Zosma, and opposite Chiron. One of Zosma's traditional interpretations is "loss in childhood".

"His early life was pitted with tragedies. His mother committed suicide when he was 13. One of his brothers-in-law also committed suicide. Another sibling reportedly had a fatal heart attack.
Beck is a self-described reformed alcoholic In the aftermath of those three family tragedies, Beck said he used "Dr. Jack Daniels"and marijuana to cope."

(See my blog post HERE)

Piers Morgan, a former UK newspaper editor, occasionally seen on TV in the USA in various roles, has Mars and Uranus conjunct Zosma. I seem to remember there were hints of disgrace/embarrassment hanging around Mr. Morgan during his newspaper career in the UK. He was eventually fired from UK's Daily Mirror for publishing some faked photographs.

Well then....so far it looks as though Zosma, linked into a natal chart, indicates a person to whom I'd personally like to give a dope slap up the side of the head for managing to blot their copybooks....especially in the case of George Michael who could have been one of the truly greats.

A rapid skim through data available at Astrotheme threw up a handful of others, well-known in the UK and USA, who have Zosma attached to a personal planet. There's no obvious commonality (from what we know of them), other than that they are or have been famous, and would therefore have a goodly share of ego - but that applies to just about anyone who has become famous, Zosma or no Zosma. Shrinking violets seldom seek or achieve fame.

John Travolta (Moon 11.11 Virgo)
Madonna (Moon 11.33 Virgo)
Cass Elliot (Moon 11.56 Virgo)
Freddy Mercury Sun 11/55 Virgo
Astrologer Liz Greene Sun 11.33 Virgo (maybe here the "ability to prophesy" part of traditional interpretation kicks in ?)

I suspect that finding Zosma conjunct or closely aspecting a personal planet will not, alone, be a sufficient indicator for any of the traditional interpretations to "kick-in". There would need to be other supporting evidence in the chart. Zosma, properly positioned, might add weight to an otherwise uncertain potentiality. Planets at or close to 11 Virgo are worth noting!

There's a 2014 piece on Zosma by Milos Tomic at Mountain Astrologer - see HERE.

(Clicking on "Zosma" - last link in the Label Cloud in my sidebar will afford easy access to all Zosma mentions in past posts (2009-2011) including those already linked above.)