Astrology Terms

Astrology may or may not be "science," depending on who you ask. But, one similarity it does bear to science is a large collection of terms. Natal charts and horoscopes can be as simple as "your sun sign is Gemini." Or, they can be extremely complex, taking into account exactly where and when the individual was born, where each of the planets, sun, and moon were positioned at that moment, and then measuring how each of those bodies related to each other.

The starting point of any astrology work is the Sun Sign. This is one of the twelve signs of the Zodiac, and is the constellation the Sun was passing through when the person was born. A Horoscope, as far as the public is concerned, is that little nugget of advice printed with their sign in the newspaper. But the full Horoscope as designed by the astrologer is more than that.  It's a complete map of the planets with regards to the constellations and each other.

Once the planets have been mapped, then their Aspects can be measured. The Aspect is the measure of the angle formed by drawing lines between the planets. The two most important Aspects are the Conjunction (which is a very small measure, less than ten degrees), and the Opposition (a very large measure, nearly 180 degrees).

The Houses are equivalent to the signs of the Zodiac, but they're also dedicated to certain aspects of the person's life. One House is devoted to finances, another to health, for example. Each planet orbits the sun at a different speed. Mercury, right next to the sun, races around it in a matter of weeks, while Pluto plods along in an orbit that takes centuries. Occasionally, the Earth will pass a planet, and it will seem to be "moving backwards." Think of riding a fast train while passing a slow moving one--the slower train will appear to be backing up, even though it's moving forward. This optical illusion is called Retrograde, and these periods of backwards motion show up in horoscopes and action.

What is a Star Chart?

A Star Chart is a snapshot in time.

It's a shorthand drawing, a two-dimensional representation of a four-dimensional subject. It has to take into account the location of the person on Earth, the location around the Ecliptic of each of the planets and the signs of the Zodiac, the “arc” or height above or below the horizon of each of the planets, and the time all of this occurred. It can be a very complex drawing.

The Chart has several different elements. First, the spoked circles, looking like a bicycle wheel, represent the Zodiac and the Houses.

The Zodiac are the constellations in the sky at the time the person was born. The Chart is an attempt to locate the position of the Zodiac in the sky. This is the backdrop against which the rest of the chart is mapped.

The Houses are a separate, concentric circle, like a wheel within a wheel. The Houses are based on the Zodiac, but separate. Think of the circle of houses as a second backdrop.

Next, each of the planets, the Sun, and the Moon, are all charted and their positions marked. This, finally, is our foreground.

The first "planet" to be charted isn't a planet at all, it's the Sun. The reason it comes first is because the location of the Sun determines the Sun Sign, or the overall sign of the Zodiac for this person.

Each planet (including Sun and Moon) will fall within a House. That planet is then said to rule that house. Each of the twelve Houses controls a different aspect of a person's life. If a planet falls within a house, it's a sure bet that that planet is going to have a major influence over that aspect, above and beyond whatever the general tendencies of the person born under that sign might be.

What is a Sun Sign?

The Sun doesn't rise in exactly the same place every day. From our viewpoint here on Earth, it drifts over the course of a year. It's path through the sky is called the Ecliptic. In ancient Babylon, the Ecliptic was divided into twelve equal pieces. Each piece was named after a major constellation, and the mythology of the Babylonians, and later the Greeks, defined the traits of those born under that constellation. This is the Zodiac, and is the center of astrology.

Carefully tracing the position of the sun will show that it moves through each of the twelve Zodiac signs over the course of the year. This is where the concept of astrological signs, or "Sun Signs," has it's start. A person's Sun Sign is tied to the constellation the Sun was traveling through at the moment of his birth.

The Sun is traditionally associated with will and individuality, so the Sun Sign covers the overall tendencies and direction a person has in their life. It covers such things as focus, determination, integrity, and ego. It describes general tendencies in an individual, like "Capricorns are gloomy" or Virgo is very orderly," as well as general predictions, like "Sagittarius should learn tact" and "Pisces should avoid alcohol and drug abuse”. This is also the element that shows how other people will treat this person, almost like a prediction of their "first impression."

This is only the starting point of Western Astrology, of course. The Sun Sign is only a very general description, and an astrological reading--a horoscope, or natal chart--takes the planets and Moon into account as well. For example, traditionally, Capricorns are very gloomy and depressed. This is a general trait ascribed to Capricorn, based on the position of the Sun. However, the positions of the other planets can counter--or sometimes enhance--this tendency. Complete horoscopes have to account for all of these elements, using the position of the sun as a starting point.

Between Two Worlds: Life on the Cusp

Each Sign of the Zodiac has a date range attached. Scorpio, for example, is October 23 to November 21 of each year. For the vast majority of people, this date range is just fine, because they'll fit somewhere between those dates.

What about the small number of people who aren't so lucky? What about the handful of people who are born at midnight on the night of November 21? Are they Scorpio or are they Sagittarius?

The answer to that question is "Yes."

People born "on the Cusp", that is, right on the dividing line between two signs, aren't quite sure which of the signs they are. They will inherit tendencies from both.

For example, someone born on August 21 or 22 is right on the cusp between Leo and Virgo. This person could have Leo's advantages, such as the natural leadership and the drive to conquer and succeed.

However, one of Leo's weaknesses is in the details. When you're destined for greatness, like Leo is, you don't have much time or patience for little everyday details.

Virgo, on the other hand, is widely regarded as the most detail oriented of all the signs. Someone lucky enough to have been born on the cusp between Leo and Virgo might also be lucky enough to pick up traits from each sign that counter the weaknesses of the other.

By the same token, Cusp people need to be aware that they could inherit tendencies and weaknesses that can make the situation worse, not better. Combining the gloomy depression of the Capricorn with the fear of rejection and overall sensitivity of the Aquarius is a recipe for disaster.

Horoscopes generally give people a wide variety of traits and tendencies to think about. Those lucky few born on the cusp between signs have even more possibilities to think about.