Inauguration & Days to Come

One of the best, nicely balanced astrological overviews of what we might expect from coming weeks and months regarding our President-to-be, is :


President Trump’s First 100 Days
by Pat Paquette at The Mountain Astrologer.

What I noticed, when looking at the chart for 20 January, Inauguration Day: Sun is at 00 Aquarius and will be conjunct Fixed Star Tarazed part of Constellation Aquila - The Eagle.

Bearing in mind that the Inauguration chart is not Trump's birth chart, but simply a chart indicating the "atmosphere" surrounding the day's events:

From Skyscript

In classical myth the eagle was the bird of Zeus who returned his master's thunderbolts and carried to him the souls of heroes. In The Royal Art of Astrology, Robert Eisler explains how, at the funerals of' Roman emperors, an eagle was lightly fastened to the top of the pyre so that as soon as the fire had singed its fetters, it would break free of its bonds and fly away - apparently bearing aloft the soul of the departed. The location of Aquila by the side of Aquarius, and its flight across the Milky Way was thus said by some classical authors to represent the ascension of Ganymede (identified with Aquarius) to Zeus. Modern scholars prefer the theory that this constellation's name was assigned when it was near the summer solstice - the bird of greatest elevation being chosen to assume the symbolism of the summit of the Sun.

The imagery of the eagle has always been identified with the qualities of strength, courage, nobility and dignity, which accords with Ptolemy's belief that its stars are of the nature of Mars and Jupiter. Manilius illustrates the Martian trait in his description of those born under its influence:

He that is born in the hour of its rising will grow up bent on spoil and plunder, won even with bloodshed … Yet, should perchance his aggressiveness be enlisted in a noble cause, depravity will turn to virtue, and he will succeed in bringing wars to a conclusion and enriching his country with glorious triumphs.

Seems a reasonably good omen for the day!

Stray thoughts about Donald Trump..."What rough beast..."

Would Donald Trump have become the Republican Party's presumptive nominee for General Election 2016 if media - TV, radio, online news and opinion websites (e.g. Huffington Post)- had ignored more of his bletherings, rudeness and racism? When a child "acts up", attention-seeking, isn't the best way to deal with that to ignore it? Day after day, month after month, at Huffington Post one could hardly help but notice at least 5,6,7,8 photographs and lead headings about him on the front page; same applied to every similar media outlet, and no doubt to every TV and radio show with a political slant.

Trump, with Leo rising (one keyword for Leo happens to be 'child-like') acts like an overgrown attention-seeking child most of the time, but he does have, or seek, the potentiality of bringing down more problems on our heads than any screaming naughty child ever could. He also, of course, offered TV, radio, news sites lots of endless click-bait - thereby hangs the crux of the tale. Media are not interested in what's good for "We the People" - they're interested only in numbers - of $$$$$$$$$$$, of viewers, readers, and of clicks on articles and photographs.

I've avoided blogging about Trump and his astrology, but he has unavoidably been mentioned. I especially keep in mind what I discovered, when researching Fixed Stars in Leo, i.e. that Trump has Regulus on his ascendant.

The Latin name, Regulus, was first used by Copernicus as a diminutive of its earlier form, Rex meaning King, a title likely originating from Regulus's brilliance in past centuries, and its ancient proximity to the summer solstice. The star became a natural symbol for glory. It was said by Lilly to show 'a generous and civil disposition, ambition and the desire to rule. The direction of the MC, Ascendant, Sun or Moon to the star indicates a time of increased fortune, happiness and reputation, and suggests support from eminent figures....' (see here).

Regulus is no longer in zodiac sign Leo, but moved into the first degree of Virgo a few years ago.

There are countless takes on Trump's natal chart around the internet, I've read many, but usually have come away with the same gut-feeling - everything we're interested in, in 2016, points to Regulus. The rest of it has relevance, of course, to his personal life and lifestyle, his business dealings, his Gemini/trickster persona from natal Sun, his softer Cancerian "needy" side we have yet to see much of - other than in his need for never-ending attention. But when it comes to his aim to achieve what has to be seen as one of the world's most powerful positions, President of the USA, I'd say that only Regulus relates specifically to that. Before I knew anything at all about Trump's natal chart, or even his birth date, after watching the very first Republican debate on TV, with a string of, I think 8 participants, I turned to husband and said "There was only one born leader on that stage - sadly it was Donald Trump."

There's no guarantee that being a born leader inevitably indicates development into a good leader, nor a successful leader. I open my Dictionary of Wit, Wisdom & Satire at "L", look under "Leader" to find the first definition, of a half dozen or so, reads:

"One who never permits his followers to discover that he is as dumb as they are." (Rochester Times-Union).

That fits Trump better than most of the other definitions...or does it?

Here's an article to encourage upstanding neck-hair:
Donald Trump will win in a landslide. *The mind behind ‘Dilbert’ explains why.
By Michael Cavna, March 21.

SCOTT ADAMS remembers just how the game turned. He was young and improving at chess, but the masterful kid across the board would outmaneuver Adams till the game seemed a runaway. Now, this kid didn’t want to just beat Adams; he wanted to embarrass him. “So after he’d picked away three-fourths of my pieces and I was discouraged,” Adams recounts, “he would offer to turn the board around and play with my pieces.” And then effectively “win” again.

On those occasions, Scott Adams, the creator of “Dilbert,” got insight into the type of personality that loves not only the challenge of game strategy, but also the thrill of overwhelming the competition. It is the sport of meticulously plotted domination.

And that is part of why Adams believes Donald Trump will win the presidency. In a landslide.
Donald Trump will win in a landslide. *The mind behind ‘Dilbert’ explains why..........

I've had this poem among my bookmarks for years - it rings bells now:

THE SECOND COMING
by William Butler Yeats (1865-1939)

Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.

Surely some revelation is at hand;
Surely the Second Coming is at hand.
The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out
When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi
Troubles my sight: a waste of desert sand;
A shape with lion body and the head of a man,
A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,
Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it
Wind shadows of the indignant desert birds.

The darkness drops again but now I know
That twenty centuries of stony sleep
Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?

Fixed Stars in Zodiac Sign Pisces

Last of the 12 zodiac signs: Pisces - a look at Fixed Stars within this sign. 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.

Fixed stars within the boundaries of zodiac sign Pisces are part of constellations Aquarius, Pegasus (winged horse), Cygnus (swan) and Eridanus (river) rather than constellation Pisces.

Formalhaut, one of the four Royal Stars is located in the mouth of the Southern Fish, Piscis Austrinus (not to be confused with the constellation Pisces). Explanation of the importance of the Royal Stars in ancient times, when their positions marked the four cardinal points, the equinoxes and solstices, is part of the Gemini chapter of this series HERE.

Several of the Fixed Stars in zodiac sign Pisces are within constellation Pegasus - named for the mythic winged horse. Stars of Pegasus, in general, are said to reflect, in any with personal planets conjunct a Pegasus star: ambition, vanity, intuition, enthusiasm, caprice and bad judgment. [Robson]

Jupiter in my own natal chart is conjunct Biham (in the head of Pegasus), also Sadalachbia located on the water jar of the Aquarius figure. Sadalachbia is said to be:

"The Lucky Star of Hidden Things". In horary it indicates the ability to discover that which is hidden or lost. 'The Lucky One for Hidden Things, or for Tent dwellers'; Abhbiyah is the plural of a word once common for a tent but also meaning a place of seclusion. It is said that, when the Sun rises conjunct this star, about 25th February, then all the worms and insects come out of their winter holes and tent dwellers can move to their Spring pasture-lands. That is the warmer climes of Arabia, of course, not London or New York. The meaning we find in this star is, as an indicator of the right time for making moves, entering upon new ventures, a likelihood of general success in enterprises if Sadachbia be well placed and aspected on the horoscope. [The Living Stars, Dr. Eric Morse]

Another matter of interest regarding constellation Pegasus:
Regular contributor "mike" mentioned, when commenting recently on a post about Pisces the zodiac sign, that The Age of Pisces into the Age of Aquarius has an interesting variation: the Age of Pegasus as an intermediary between Pisces and Aquarius. We are fully into Age of Pegasus now according to some sources:

See
http://astrologyking.com/constellation-pegasus/#age

http://academysounds.blogspot.com/2010/06/age-of-pegasus.html


Is there a passing reader with natal planet(s) conjunct any of the stars in zodiac sign Pisces?

Fixed Stars in Zodiac Sign Aquarius

This monthly wander among the Fixed Stars is drawing to a close. I did post on some of the Fixed Stars in zodiac sign Aquarius last year, in a different format from that used from Aries onward . Then I completely forgot to post on Fixed Stars in Pisces! So... I shall re-do Aquarius here, then finish up next month with Fixed Stars in zodiac sign Pisces, that'll complete a matching series. It's good to be neat and complete!

The previous Aquarius Fixed Stars post is HERE.

Fixed Stars within topical zodiac sign Aquarius. The data below 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.

Once again constellation and zodiac sign have to be blended. Some Fixed Stars in Aquarius form part of the constellation of Capricorn, and many forming part of constellation Aquarius now fall in zodiac sign Pisces.


My own nearest Fixed Star to natal Sun in Aquarius (27 January) is Bos. It lies on the head/face of the sea-goat, constellation of Capricorn, not marked on the illustration. Said to signify: Keen intellect, good for business, military, analysis. Fortunate; Saturn/ Venus. Business and military ? Not flippin' likely! The rest: I can but hope!

Interesting tid-bits:

Altair, now at 1+ degree of Aquarius, is in neither constellation Capricorn nor constellation Aquarius, but in constellation Aquila (The Eagle) on the eagle's neck.
Altair, by the way, was the name of one of four gorgeous Arabian horses in the famous chariot race in Ben Hur (the novel, and my all-time favourite film). The horses were named for Fixed Stars: Altair, Antares, Aldebaran and Rigel. All were known as fortunate. Altair (The Eagle), Antares (Heart of the Scorpion), Aldebaran (Bull's South Eye), Rigel (Orion's Foot). In the Ben Hur story Judah Ben-Hur meets an Arab sheikh who owns a magnificent stable of Arabian white horses. They go on to compete in a chariot race at the Circus of Antioch in Syria. The two main drivers being Judah Ben Hur and Messala, a Roman; they were boyhood friends who became enemies.

Deneb Algedi brightest star in constellation Capricorn, now at around 23 Aquarius marks the approximate position of the discovery of planet Neptune on September 23, 1846 by German astronomer Johann Galle. Neptune was back in roughly the same area between 2007 and 2009, after completing a circuit of the ecliptic.

Sadalsuud Brightest star in constellation Aquarius is found on the water bearer's left shoulder, now at around 23 Aquarius. Said to signify great fortune; astrology, the occult, government, business, psychic, visionary, originality; personal charm; temperance; aviation.
(See here)

Sadalsuud, whose name means 'Luckiest of the Lucky', is reputed to have been so named because of the weather conditions which accompanied its rising. Latin astrologers knew it by the title 'Fortuna Fortunarum', a clear indication of its benevolent nature. (See here)

I haven't yet been able to find any hint as to why Sadalsuud has connection to astrology.

Fixed Stars in Zodiac Sign Capricorn

Nearing the turn of the year now, and we've moved into zodiac sign Capricorn - a look at Fixed Stars within this sign. 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.

Once again the question of constellations vs tropical zodiac signs arises. Many of the fixed stars within the segment of the ecliptic we call zodiac sign Capricorn are actually part of the constellation Sagittarius (see Skyscript here), others are part of constellations which are not what we might term "zodiac constellations", yet they are within the span of a given tropical zodiac sign. In this case constellations such as Lyra (The Lyre) and Cygnus (The Swan), Pavo (The Peacock), and Aquila (The Eagle) are involved.

Area involved is  very roughly indicated - within the red lines

First star in the list, Spiculum, also Polis, lie on the bow of Sagittarius. Nunki lies on the vane of the Archer's arrow. Sham lies on the shaft of the arrow. The Kaus stars are in the bow area too. Rukbat lies on the horse's front knee, the two Arkabs in the area of the horse's front hoof. Manubrium is close to the Archer's right ear. Albaldah is on the back of the Archer's head. Ascella is found near the Archer's armpit.

Vega(aka Wega) (a Behenian Star), Sheliak and Sulaphat are part of The Lyre constellation.

Tarazed lies on the back of the Eagle of constellation Aquila, Dheneb is on the Eagle's tail.

Last star in the above list, Albireo is situated on the beak of Cygnus the Swan.

 Hat-tip here

Peacock (conjunct my own natal Mercury) is part of constellation Pavo in the Peacock's tail.

Influences: Pavo is said to give vanity and love of display, together with a long life and sometimes fame. [Robson*, p.55.] Well alright - I'll cop to some of that. I've been know to be a tad vain in my time! No fame though, and how long will be my life is yet to be determined.

A further look at Vega. I noted its inclusion in the natal chart of Neil Diamond some years ago when I wrote about him.

Venus, planet of music lay conjunct fortunate Fixed Star Vega as Neil Diamond was born. This star was said by ancient astrologers to bestow artistic talent.

It's worth noting that the planets involved with Vega are Venus and Mercury, and the star is conjunct Venus in Neil's chart. While the Behenian Stars were used in magical applications rather than interpretation of a natal chart, it's not too big a stretch to consider that there could be an interesting connection to Neil's artistic talent as both songwriter and performer.

Fixed star Vega, and others mentioned in this post, figured in the natal chart of famous poet Percy Bysshe Shelley (there's a relevant piece at Skyscript)

Ascella (nature: Mercury & Jupiter), then at 10° Capricorn 38, was close by longitude and latitude, promising good fortune and success in literary pursuits. The benefic Mercury/Venus star Vega, from the artistic constellation Lyra, was closely conjunct his Midheaven at 12° Capricorn 25, bringing refinement, hope and idealism into his work. The closest star by longitude and latitude was Manubrium from the constellation Sagittarius, at 1 2° Capricorn 06. Its influence combines the nature of the Sun and Mars, giving a dynamic flair to Shelley's writing that made it compelling and controversial at the same time. Several of his best works are satirical and critical in stance and, true to his Sun / Uranus conjunction, he was never prepared to bow to convention.

A fun section at the website h2g2.com
has this:

Vegans Roll 'n' Rock
In the sci-fi novel and film Contact by Dr Carl Sagan, the extra-terrestrial message received by Earth hails from the Lyra constellation, specifically the Vegan stellar system. The heroine of the story, Dr Ellie Arroway travels to some distant galaxy via an intergalactic wormhole routing station of sorts near Vega.

Chevrolet launched a 'Vega' model in 1971, but the star had an earlier car named after it, one of the most beautiful of the classic cars, the Facel Vega from the 1950s.

In the Star Trek universe there are many mentions of a human settlement cohabiting with native Vegans.

There is a Russian counter-terrorism unit called Vympel (Vega Group).

In the Foundation universe created by Isaac Asimov, one of the planets is called Vega.

Places which took its name are: Vega in Bulgaria; Vega in Norway; Vega in Sweden and Vega in Texas.

Algol, Master of Oz, and Master of Space & Time - Oh my!

The Wiz Live! was aired on NBC last week - we watched and enjoyed. Performances, costumes and scenery were excellent - a wonderfully colourful and artistic production of a new adaptation of the 1975 Broadway musical The Wiz, a soul/R&B reinterpretation of L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

The show reminded me that years ago I'd looked at L.Frank Baum's natal chart, read a little about his life and discovered a coincidence with another natal chart I'd been preparing, a coincidence involving Fixed Star Algol.

L. Frank Baum was born 15 May 1856 in Chittengo, New York. Chart (below) is set for 12 noon - no time of birth known.

In 1856 Algol would have been at 24.05 Taurus, conjunct Baum's natal Sun.

From a bio of Baum at Biography.com

Baum's education began with tutors at home in his early years. At the age of 12, he went to the Peekskill Military Academy. Baum left the school after a health crisis two years later, apparently suffering from some type of heart condition. Never earning a high school degree, he spent his early adulthood exploring his interest in acting and writing for the stage.

 L. Frank Baum chart

And here, at Literary Traveler

A rather sickly child who was both timid and shy, he kept to himself and made up imaginary places and playmates since he had to refrain from any kind of strenuous exercise due to his faulty, weak heart. Throughout Frank”s life, his health was a constant impediment, which became a looming presence and a major controlling factor. Although, it never impeded his creativity, drive and talent.

While preparing a 2007 post about Leon Russell, it emerged that he suffered a birth injury, causing a physical disability. Natally he has Saturn conjunct Algol.

Born on 2 April 1942 in Lawton, Oklahoma at, according to Astrodienst 1.22 AM.

 Leon Russell chart

Russell credits his artistic development to a birth injury that damaged his upper vertebrae and left him slightly paralyzed on the right side of his body. “It gave me a very strong sense of duality,” he says. “It gave me an outlook into this plane that we live on and if I hadn’t had that, I’d probably be selling cars in Paris, Texas.” Russell became one of the most sought after session musicians in Los Angeles during the 1960s, working with everyone from Frank Sinatra to Phil Spector and from Glen Campbell to the Byrds.
From PRI.org here

So, it appears that both the Master of Oz and the Master of Space & Time had something in common. Hardly conclusive evidence of Algol's potential, but it does make one pause and think. There are probably other combinations of factors which need to be in place in any astrological chart for Algol's influence to come to the fore. No doubt many people live all their lives in Algol's shadow without as much as a headache.

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?

Fixed Stars in Zodiac Sign Scorpio

It's time to look at Scorpio's batch of stars in this series of monthly posts on Fixed Stars in each tropical zodiac sign.

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

Astrological interpretations for most 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.

My choices to feature further this month are Zuben Elgenubi and Toliman aka Bungula - the former because I've come across it while researching particular posts in the past, and the latter because it's conjunct my own natal Mars.

Zuben Elgenubi

It's in the southern claw (or south scale) of the scorpion in constellation of Libra.

I noticed this star when researching for a post on radical activist Jack Reed in 2010 -Reed, Reds and Radicals,

SNIP

[Reed's] Natal Jupiter, in 1887, lay smack-dab on fixed star Zuben Elgenubi (Southern Scale or Southern Claw of the scorpion). This star had a bad press from ancient astrologers, considered unfortunate whatever planet it conjoined. However, I found one interpretation of Zuben Elgenubi which does fit the present case well(see here)

ZUBEN ELGENUB -- 15SCO03I -- #19975 -- mag2.9
The alpha star of Libra and the southern scale. Both stars of the scales of Libra can be considered twins and, therefore, represent the polarity of a concept. The concept is of social reform and this star, although traditionally seen as the shadowy, more difficult star, is actually the one linked to the positive side of social awareness. When this star is strongly emphasised, the individual has a desire to be constructively involved in social reform.
Influence: Positive social reform
Ptolemy - the Southern Scale Jupiter & Mercury Medically, this double star has Mars/Sat characteristics. If conj a malefic, it may present health problems.

And, more recently I met Zuben Elgenubi again in a post about Russell Williams: Officer and Murderer

SNIP

When Williams was born, Neptune at 15 Scorpio was conjunct fixed star South Scale, aka Zuben Elgenubi. Interpretation of South Scale with Neptune:

With Neptune: Morose, melancholy, isolated, shrewd, cunning, evil use of occult powers and of poisons or drugs, cynical, dangerous, broods over some secret, peculiar death, often suicide. [Robson*, p.206.] (See Constellation of Words.)

It was reported that Williams did actually attempt suicide in his jail cell. A generation had this Neptune/South Scale conjunction in their natal charts, but not all had it connected by aspect to personal planets. Williams had the conjunction in harmonious trine to his natal Sun, also in uncomfortable square aspect to Saturn. Coincidentally film director, screenwriter, producer and actor Quentin Tarantino, born around three weeks later than Williams, in the USA, also had Neptune & South Scale square Saturn. In his case it could be said that his films' subject matter, an "aestheticization of violence", and neo-noir style reflect this aspect.

I'm guessing that latent negative characteristics, indicated by the Neptune/South Scale conjunction's aspects to personal planets, were triggered when Uranus conjoined Williams' natal Pisces Sun - whose ruler is Neptune.

Toliman/Bungula

Located above the right front hoof of the Centaur.

 click on it for clearer view

Alan Oken, in his "Complete Astrology" wrote:

That clip came from HERE, the passage continues (taken from my own copy of Oken's book)

....career, but the individual may attract many enemies. It is so placed in the horoscopes of Robert Kennedy and Indira Gandhi. It is found conj. the Ascendant (along with Jupiter and Neptune) in Disraeli's chart as well as conj. the Ascendant in the natus of Henry Ford. In Churchill's map it is close to, but not exactly conj. the M.C.

From Constellation of Words:

With Mars (as in my own case): Physical endurance, considerable mental power, speaker or writer, little prominence. [Robson*, p.149.]

The last bit's correct, anyway: "little prominence" !


From Terry Nazon, under the star's alternative name, Bungula:

Occult and philosophical learning, self analysis, honours, stubborn, cruel.

Hmmm....I have, over the years, gathered a soupçon of occult information, and can certainly be stubborn - but the rest doesn't fit.

Can anyone else lay claim to one or more of Scorpio's fixed stars, and if so, do traditional interpretations fit?

Fixed Stars in Libra (a few noticed in natal charts)

Libra is next in the series of monthly posts on Fixed Stars in each tropical zodiac sign.

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

Astrological interpretations for most 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.

Chosen stars to feature further this month are three I've noted during research for past blog posts: Arcturus, Algorab and Vindemiatrix.

Arcturus came up in a post here:

SNIP:

In The Best of the Illustrated National Astrological Journal 1933-1935,... there's an article by Stuart Holmes titled Arcturus and Artists, sub-heading: Golden Star Found Consistently Recurrent in the Horoscopes of the World's Greatest Artists.......The article states that the author's research (or perhaps that of his astrologer wife?) has shown that aspects to Fixed Star Arcturus feature strongly in the natal charts of many artists. He names Michelangelo, Dore, Lord Leighton, Millet, Rops, Burne-Jones, Watts, Winslow Homer, Durer, Holbein, Ingres, Delacroix, Bouguereau, Blake, Boucher, Gauguin and Cezanne as all having strong aspects to Arcturus "but principally the ruler conjoined with it".

He goes on in more detail about various painters and sculptors and how configurations in their natal charts match their chosen styles. He ends the piece: "One of the strangest factors in these charts of great artists is the fact that Venus, the ruler of art and all beauty, is always square to some zodiacal body".

At the time the article was published, in the early 1930s, and as stated therein, Arcturus was at 23 Libra. By 2010 the Fixed Star had moved, very, very slowly to 24.22 Libra. A piece online, by Rob Tillett: Fixed Stars, allocates Arcturus the keywords:

Inspiration, riches, fame, honour, popularity, benefits through travel. Success through work. Effect: Very Fortunate. Character: Jupiter/ Mars.

Vindemiatrix and Algorab are mentioned in posts here and here

SNIPS

Salient points have been pointed out in the linked articles above, but two things stand out for me: the fact that his [Rick Perry's] Mars and south node of Moon conjoin Fixed Star Vindemiatrix.
From Skyscript:

Vindemiatrix, which Ptolemy defined as like Saturn and Mercury, and referred to as 'the bright star in the northern wing', is the third brightest star of the constellation, being less brilliant now than it was in Ptolemy's day. The name is a feminised Latin deviation of the original Greek name, Provindemiator, meaning 'the Grape Gatherer', since the heliacal rising of this star announced the time to pick the grapes.... Although symbolically associated with a time of harvest and thus, one would assume, associated with the rewards of previous efforts, it is generally accorded an unfortunate influence in keeping with its predominantly Saturnine nature. Robson claims that it gives falsity, disgrace, stealing, wanton folly.......

I'm generally wary of Fixed star interpretations, but do feel it's important to note them in cases such as this, where we might glean additional information as to their significance from watching how things unfold.

From the second link -

DANG! Another triple Libran [Lenny Bruce] who goes against the grain. Nazi horror-monger Irma Grese struck me this way too - I blogged about her here. A few more charts like these and I shall start doubting traditional interpretations of Libra as the most diplomatic, tactful, indecisive sign of the zodiac. The dark underbelly of Libra is definitely not pretty. The thought led me to a little more research and this is what I discovered:

Lenny Bruce's natal Mars at 9 Libra is conjunct Fixed Star Vindemiatrix designated unfortunate or malefic by ancient astrologers. His natal Saturn is within minutes of arc of Fixed Star South Scale in Scorpio - another malefic, very unfortunate star.

Irma Grese was born with Sun conjunct Algorab ("One who is destructive, malevolent, fiendish and lying")

Lesson learned: it's worth checking whether Fixed Stars are close to personal planets if things seem discordant with accepted astrological interpretation, especially in the case of Libra Sun people who are supposed to be, in the main, mild mannered, sweet, ruled by Venus.

Something else springs to mind too - Via Combusta, The Burning Road, spans 15 Libra to 15 Scorpio, which takes in Bruce's Sun, Mercury and Saturn. I puzzled over Via Combusta here. .......... Curiouser and curiouser.

In my own natal chart Libra is devoid of planets, so I've no personal experience to add.