Fixed Stars in Zodiac Sign Sagittarius

Continuing the series of monthly posts on Fixed Stars in each tropical zodiac sign, a look at the list for Sagittarius.

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

Astrological interpretations for some of those stars, if found to be tightly conjunct a natal personal planet, or important point, are available online. A good, all-encompassing website to investigate for this is Constellation of Words.

 Hat-tip here for graphic

The ecliptic, apparent path of the Sun, shown as a faint dotted red line in the image above, is a circular "track" around the celestial sphere; the zodiacal belt is a region circling the celestial sphere. The circle of the ecliptic passes through the middle of the zodiacal belt. It can seem a tad confusing that some stars in our tropical zodiac sign Sagittarius are actually within the constellation of Scorpio. Modern Tropical astrological divisions of the ecliptic into 12 equal segments throws up this peculiarity. It's best, for me, just to accept it, the alternative being a move into sidereal astrology, and that would confuse the grey matter terribly!

I mentioned the Scorpio/Sagittarius confusion because the brightest star from the Sagittarius list, the one I'll scribble on about, Antares, is actually located in the constellation of Scorpio - right at the Scorpion's heart in fact! The Sagittarius Archer's arrow (and star Alnasi) points directly at Antares, and heart of the Scorpion.

Antares is a giant red star, famous as being one of the four Royal Stars of Persia(see my archived post HERE). In ancient Egypt and Greece temples were erected in ways to coincide with the star's cycles. It's thought that the star's name comes from the term Anti-Ares, i.e. similar to, or rival of Ares/Mars, possibly due to its red colour or the fact that Mars was traditionally the ruler of Scorpio.

From Skyscript

[Antares] A Royal star, likened to the influence of Mars and Jupiter, Antares offers extremes of success, good fortune, danger and malevolence. It clearly indicates the potential for great power, but where this is simply 'power of will' without integrity or wisdom, it carries the threat of ruination. Lilly warns that it can indicate a rash, head-strong person who is destructive to himself by his own obstinacy. The direction of the luminaries to this star usually indicates great honour and advancement, but always there is a warning not to fall victim to its ruthless energies. Of the Sun directed to this star Lilly writes:

It discerns many honours, if the native be careful, and be not deceived by soldiers. It doth many times produce a burning fever, or some violent act, and prejudice the right eye.

I enjoyed this relevant piece by astrologer Boots Hart at astroPPM

My single natal planet in Sagittarius is Venus at 20 degrees, conjunct Atria and Ras AlHague. What has Constellation of Words website to tell me?

Nothing for Atria: No myths or astrological interpretations are linked to these stars because Triangulum Australis was not visible to the ancients in the northern hemisphere.

For Ras Alhague ("a sapphire star on the head of the Snake Charmer" in constellation Ophiuchus) --- With Venus: Quick mind, well educated, cautious, secretive, suspicious. [Robson*, p.193.]

Oo..kay!

Anyone else have links to the Sagittarius stars?

The Wednesday "Why?" - Royal Stars

Passing readers must be tired of the bombardment of US politics, so this post touches only lightly on the subject, and not until the last paragraphs.

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 such high stellar office by ancient astologers and astronomers because it is said that in those days their positions marked the four cardinal points, the equinoxes and solstices. Seen on an astrological chart of the heavens these define the ascendant, midheaven descendant, and nadir, which points are universally acknowledged as being the most powerful areas of an astrological chart. Any planet or point near to these angles plays a dominant part in personality or events.


The four stars were also referred to as Watchers of the Heavens, looked on as guardians of the Vernal and Autumnal equinoxes, and the Summer and Winter solstices.
These bright stars formed a huge astrological cross, long before the cross became a symbol of Christianity. Zodiac signs involved were the four Fixed signs: Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius. In the tarot cards (right) The Wheel of Fortune and The World, you can see depicted in each corner of the cards a human figure, an eagle, a bull and a lion representing the Fixed signs. While the tarot as we know it, with the Major Arcana, didn't originate in Arabia, the four suits probably did, and the number four's significance reflects the four directions, north, south, east and west, and the four astrological cardinal points. The name "tarot" is thought to derive from the Arab word "turuq", which can be translated as "four ways".

The symbolism of the four Royal Stars in ancient times is thus easy to account for and accept. However, it isn't as easy to accept that any astrological interpretation of these stars should retain the same flavour now, when their positions changed long ago.

Fixed stars, of which these are but four out of billions and billions and billions (as Carl Sagon would say) are so called in order to to differentiate from the moving bodies we call planets. Fixed stars do, however, appear move but very, very slowly because of precession. (Explanation here).

The four Royals are no longer at their original sites. Their approximate position today: Aldebaran has moved from Taurus to 9 Gemini. Regulus is still in Leo, but barely - 29 degrees, this is called the anaretic degree and thought to be powerful. Antares has moved from Scorpio to 9 Sagittarius, and finally Formalhout moved from Aquarius to 3 Pisces.

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 assume, which had originally defined them as highly fortunate.

Perhaps we have an answer before us this morning! In the natal chart of the USA's new President Elect, Barack Obama, who will shortly hold a position comparable to the royalty of ancient times, two of the Royal Stars have some significance, for they lie on or very close to two sensitive points in his natal chart. The North Node of the Moon is at 27.54 Leo, in his chart, a little over a degree from the current position of Regulus. Antares lies practically on Obama's Part of Fortune at 8.52 Sagittarius. Many of the the Arabic Parts (and there are many) are not considered in interpretations of modern astrologers. Part of Fortune, though, is used often. It's particularly significant here, I think as both it and the Royal Stars originate from Arabic Astrology, so we have a "matching set".

Speaking of the President Elect, and the joy many Americans, myself included, feel this morning, I simply have to post this song. I hope that those who feel disappointed by the election result will feel able to be as gracious as Senator McCain was in his speech last night. It's often in defeat that the true mettle of a person shines through.