An astrological age is a time period in astrology which is believed by some to parallel major changes in the Earth's inhabitants' development, particularly relating to culture, society and politics. There are twelve astrological ages corresponding to the twelve zodiacal signs in astrology. At the completion of one cycle of twelve astrological ages, the cycle repeats itself. Astrological ages occur because of a phenomenon known as the precession of the equinoxes. One complete period of this precession is called a Great Year or Platonic Year of about 25,920 years.

There are two broad approaches about the effects upon the world due to the astrological ages. Some astrologers believe the changes upon Earth are caused and marked by the influences of the given astrological sign, associated with the Age, while other astrologers do not follow the causative model and believe it is a matter of synchronicity.

Many experts believe that the Age of Aquarius has arrived recently or will arrive in the near future. On the other hand, some believe that the Age of Aquarius arrived up to five centuries ago, or will not start until six centuries from now. Various ages are described below, such as the "Age of Aquarius".

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Planets in astrology have a meaning different from the modern astronomical understanding of what a planet is. Astrology utilises the ancient geocentric model of the universe in its calculations and thus employs the term in its original geocentric sense. Before the age of telescopes, the night sky was observed to consist of two very similar components: fixed stars, which remained motionless in relation to each other, and wandering stars, (in ancient Greek: asteres planetai) which appeared to shift their positions relative to the fixed stars over the course of the year. To the Greeks and the other earliest astronomers, this group comprised the five planets visible to the naked eye and excluded the earth. Although strictly the term "planet" applied only to those five objects, the term was latterly broadened, particularly in the Middle Ages, to include the Sun and the Moon (sometimes referred to as "Lights"), making a total of seven planets. Astrologers retain this definition today.

To ancient astrologers the planets represented the will of the gods and their direct influence upon human affairs. To modern astrologers the planets represent basic drives or impulses in the human psyche. These drives express themselves a) with different qualities through the twelve signs of the zodiac, and b) in different spheres of life through the twelve houses. How the planets manifest themselves also depends on the aspects (or angles) that they form with each other in the sky as seen from Earth.

Modern astrologers differ on the source of the planets' power. Some hold that the planets exert their influence directly through gravitational or some other unknown power. Others hold that the planets have no direct influence in themselves, but are mirrors of basic organising principles in the universe. In other words, the basic patterns of the universe repeat themselves everywhere, in fractal-like fashion, and 'as above so below'. Therefore, the patterns that the planets make in the sky reflect the ebb and flow of basic human impulses. The planets are also associated, especially in the Chinese tradition, with the basic forces of nature.

Listed below are the specific meanings and domains associated with the astrological planets since ancient times, with the main focus on the Western astrological tradition. The planets in Hindu astrology are known as the Navagraha or 'nine realms'. In Chinese astrology the planets are associated with the life forces of yin and yang and the five elements, which play an important role in the Chinese form of geomancy known as Feng Shui. The Hindu and Chinese astrological traditions are mentioned here, but are discussed in greater detail in their own articles.
History
Treatises on the Ptolemaic planets and their influence on people born "under their reign" appear in block book form, so-called "planet books" or Planetebücher from about 1460 in southern Germany, and remain popular throughout the German Renaissance, exerting great iconographical influence far into the 17th century. A notable early example is the Hausbuch of Wolfegg of ca. 1470. Even earlier, Hans Talhoffer in a 1459 manuscript includes a treatise on planets and planet-children.

These books usually list a male and a female Titan with each planet, Kronos and Rhea with Saturn, Eurymedon and Themis with Jupiter, Hyperion and Theia with Sol, Oceanus and Tethys with Venus, Koios and Metis with Mercury, and Atlas and Phoibe with Luna.

The qualities inherited from the planets by their "children" are as follows: From Saturn, melancholy and apathy; from Jupiter, hunting; from Mars, soldiering and warfare; from Sol, music and athleticism; from Venus, amorousness and passion; from Mercury, money and commerce; from Luna, association with water and travel.

Classical planets
The geocentric Ptolemaic system of the universe depicted by Andreas Cellarius, 1660/61

The seven classical planets are those which can easily be seen with the naked eye and were thus known to ancient astrologers before the advent of the telescope. They are Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn (as mentioned previously, the sun and moon were considered by the ancients to be planets). Sometimes the sun and moon were referred to as "the lights" or the "luminaries". Ceres and Uranus can also just be seen with the naked eye, though no ancient culture appears to have taken note of them. The astrological descriptions attached to the seven classical planets have been preserved since ancient times. Astrologers call the seven classical planets the seven personal planets, because they are said to represent the basic human drives of every individual. Jupiter and Saturn are sometimes called the transpersonal planets as they represent a transition from the inner personal planets to the outer modern, impersonal planets The following are the characteristics of each of the seven classical planets.

Sun

The Sun is the planetary ruler of Leo. In Roman mythology the sun was represented by Apollo, the god of light. The Sun is the star at the centre of our solar system, around which the Earth and other planets revolve, and which provides us with heat and light. The portion of the sky (or arc) that the sun travels in every year, rising and setting in a slightly different place each day, is therefore in reality a reflection of the Earth's own orbit around the Sun. This arc is larger the further north or south from the equator the latitude is, giving a more extreme difference in day and night and in the seasons during the year. The sun travels through the twelve signs of the zodiac on its annual journey, spending about a month in each. The Sun's position on a person's birthday therefore determines what is usually called his or her 'star' sign, this makes sense, because the sun itself is a star.
The Sun, the star at the center of the Solar System

Astrologically the sun is usually thought to represent the conscious ego, the self and its expression, personal power, pride and authority; leadership qualities; and the principles of creativity, spontaneity, health and vitality; the life force. The sun also involves creative enterprises that are a projection of the person, from art and business to having children and parenthood (especially fatherhood). It also rules the fun side of life from sport and recreation to holidays and social events. In short, any occasion that 'allows us to shine'. The first-century poet Marcus Manilius in his epic, 8000-verse poem, Astronomica, described the Sun, or Sol, as benign and favorable. In medicine the sun is associated with the heart, circulatory system and the thymus. It was considered benignly hot and dry in nature, co-ruled the choleric humour, and symbolised the vital spirits. In modern astrology, the sun is the ruler of the 5th house. In the tradition, the sun ruled the 4th and 11th houses - the 4th house of the father/paternal ancestry and the 11th house of goals; it had 'joy' in the 9th house of philosophy and travel.

The Sun is associated with Sunday. Dante Alighieri associated the Sun with the liberal art of music.

In Chinese astrology, the Sun represents Yang, the active, assertive masculine life principle. In Indian astrology, the Sun is called Surya and represents the soul, kingship, highly placed persons, father.

Moon

The Moon is the ruling planet of Cancer. In Roman mythology the Moon was represented by Diana, the hunter goddess. The Moon is the earth's companion satellite, though some astrologers believe that it approaches being a planet in its own right. The Moon is large enough for its gravity to affect the Earth, stabilising its orbit and producing the regular ebb and flow of the tides. The Moon is familiar to us for its different phases, waxing and waning in appearance in an unchanging cycle. The Moon orbits the earth in about 28 days, spending a fleeting 2.33 days in each of the signs of the zodiac. The lunar day syncs up with its orbit around Earth in such a manner that the same side of the moon always faces the Earth and the other side, known as the "dark side of the moon" faces towards space.

Astrologically the moon is associated with a person's emotional make-up, unconscious habits, rhythms, memories and moods, and their ability to react and adapt to those around them. It is also associated with the mother, maternal instincts or the urge to nurture, the home, the need for security, and the past, especially early experiences and childhood. The first-century poet Manilius, described the Moon or Luna, as melancholic. In medicine the moon is associated with the digestive system, stomach, breasts, the ovaries and menstruation (which does occur on a monthly cycle), and the pancreas. Despite Manilius' assignation, the moon was commonly associated with the phlegmatic humour; it ruled the animal spirits together with Mercury. In modern astrology, the moon is the ruler of the 4th house; traditionally, it ruled the 7th house, the house of partnership, and had 'joy' in the 3rd house of neighbours (associated with lunar themes of accommodation, change and the clan). The Moon is associated with Monday. Dante Alighieri associated Luna with the liberal art of grammar.

Full Moon
In Chinese astrology, the Moon represents Yin, the passive, receptive feminine life principle. In Indian astrology, the Moon is called Chandra or Soma and represents the mind, queenship, and mother. The north lunar node (called Rahu) and the south lunar node (called Ketu) are considered to be of particular importance, and are given an equal place alongside the seven classical planets as part of the nine navagraha. Also unique to Indian astrology is the system of 27 (or 28) lunar stations or 'mansions' called nakshatra which are believed to be of major importance in indicating the life path of the individual.

Mercury

Mercury by 17th-century Flemish sculptor Artus Quellinus
Mercury is the ruling planet of Gemini and Virgo. In Roman mythology Mercury was the messenger of the gods, noted for his speed and swiftness . Echoing this, the scorching, airless world Mercury circles the sun on the fastest orbit of any planet. Mercury takes only 88 days to orbit the sun, spending about 7.33 days in each sign of the zodiac. Mercury is so close to the sun that only a brief period exists after the sun has set where it can be seen with the naked eye, before following the sun beyond the horizon.

Astrologically Mercury represents the principles of communication, mentality, thinking patterns, rationality and reasoning, and adaptability and variability. Mercury governs schooling and education; the immediate environment of neighbours, siblings and cousins; transport over short distances; messages and forms of communication such as post, email and telephone; newspapers, journalism and writing, information gathering skills, and physical dexterity. The first-century poet Manilius described Mercury as an inconstant, vivacious, and curious planet. In medicine Mercury is associated with the nervous system, the brain, the respiratory system, the thyroid and the sense organs. Traditionally, it was held to be essentially cold and dry, but variable in temperament according to its placement in the zodiac and any aspects to other planets. It was linked to the animal spirits, alongside the Moon. Today, Mercury is regarded as the ruler of the 3rd and 6th houses; traditionally, it ruled the 6th house, and had joy in the 1st house (the house of 'I' or 'we': Mercury facilitates self-expression here). Mercury, was also the messenger of the gods in mythology, that's why is the messenger in Astrology as it is in Mythology. It is the planet of day-to-day expression and relationships. Mercury's action is to take things apart and put them back together again. It is an opportunistic planet, decidedly unemotional and curious.
The planet Mercury

Mercury, was also the messenger of the gods in mythology, that's why is the messenger in Astrology as it is in Mythology. It is the planet of day-to-day expression and relationships. Mercury's action is to take things apart and put them back together again. It is an opportunistic planet, decidedly unemotional and curious. Mercury rules over Wednesday. In Romance languages the word for Wednesday is often similar to Mercury (mercredi in French and miercoles in Spanish). Dante Alighieri associated Mercury with the liberal art of dialectic.

In Chinese astrology, Mercury is ruled by the element water which is diplomatic, kind and intuitive. In Indian astrology, Mercury is called Budha, a word related to Budhi ("intelligence") and represents communication.

Venus

Venus is the ruling planet of Taurus and Libra. In Roman mythology Venus, was the goddess of love and beauty, famous for the passions she could stir among the gods. In the same way, the calm, beautiful surface of white clouds that the planet Venus presents hides its hot, dense atmosphere and intense volcanic activity! Venus orbits the sun in 225 days, spending about 18.75 days in each sign of the zodiac. Venus is the second brightest object in the night sky, the moon being the brightest.

Astrologically Venus is associated with the principles of harmony, beauty, balance; the feelings and affections, and the urge to sympathize and unite with others. It is involved with the desire for pleasure, sensuality, personal possessions, comfort and ease. It governs romantic relations, marriage and business partnerships, sex (the origin of the words 'venery' and 'venereal'), the arts, fashion and social life. The first-century poet Marcus Manilius,described Venus as generous and fecund, and the lesser benefic.

The planet Venus
In medicine Venus is associated with the lumbar region, the veins, parathyroids, throat and kidneys. Venus was thought to be moderately warm and moist, and was associated with the phlegmatic humour. Venus is the modern ruler of the 2nd and 7th houses, but traditionally ruled the 5th and 12th houses - the 5th house of play and the 12th house of self-undoing! Unsurprisingly, Venus was said to have 'joy' in the 5th.

Venus is the planet of Friday. In languages deriving from Latin, such as Spanish and French, the word for Friday often resembles the word Venus (viernes and vendredi respectively). Dante Alighieri associated Venus with the liberal art of rhetoric.

In Chinese astrology, Venus is associated with the element metal (or gold), which is unyielding, strong and persistent. In Indian astrology, Venus is known as Shukra and represents wealth, pleasure and reproduction.

Mars

Mars is the ruling planet of Aries and, for many astrologers, Scorpio. Mars was the Roman god of war and bloodshed, whose symbol was a spear and shield (from which its glyph is derived). Both the soil of Mars and the hemoglobin of our blood are rich in iron, and because of this they share its distinct deep red color. Mars orbits the sun in 687 days, spending about 57.25 days in each sign of the zodiac. It is also the first planet that orbits outside of Earth's orbit making it the first planet that doesn't set along with the sun.

Astrologically Mars is associated with confidence and self assertion, aggression, sexuality, energy, strength, ambition, and impulsiveness. Mars governs sports, competitions and physical activities in general. The first-century poet Manilius, described the planet Mars as ardent, and as the lesser malefic. In medicine Mars presides over the genitals, the muscular system, the gonads and adrenal glands; it was held to be hot and excessively dry, and ruled the choleric humour. It was associated with fever, accidents, trauma, pain and surgery. In modern astrology, Mars is said to rule the 1st and 8th houses; traditionally, however, Mars ruled the 3rd and 10th houses and was said to 'joy' in the 6th house of servants, chores and ill-health (all of these houses are associated with labour and energy expenditure: 3rd - schoolchild, 10th - worker, 6th - servant). While Venus tends to the overall relationship atmosphere, Mars is the passionate impulse and action, the masculine aspect, and this goes beyond sex into your drive, discipline, will-power and stamina.
The planet Mars.

Before the discovery of Pluto, it was universally considered the ruler of Scorpio. Most modern astrologers consider Pluto the ruler of Scorpio, but many regard Mars as a co-ruler, while all traditional astrologers still regard Mars as the only ruler of Scorpio.

Mars is associated with Tuesday, and in Romance languages the word for Tuesday often resembles Mars (in Spanish, martes and in French, mardi). Dante Alighieri associated Mars with the liberal art of arithmetic.

In Chinese astrology, Mars is ruled by the element fire, which is passionate, energetic and adventurous. In Indian astrology, Mars is called Mangala and represents energy, confidence and ego.

Jupiter

Jupiter and Thetis (1811), Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, huile sur toile, Aix-en-Provence, musée Granet
Jupiter is the ruling planet of Sagittarius, and, for many astrologers, also the ruler of Pisces . In Roman mythology Jupiter was the ruler of the gods (having overthrown Saturn) and their guardian and protector, and his symbol was the thunderbolt. In the same way, the planet Jupiter is the king of the other planets, a giant in size with spectacular, brightly coloured clouds and intense storms. Astronomers believe that it plays an important protecting role in using its massive gravity to capture or expel from the solar system many comets and asteroids that would otherwise threaten Earth and the inner planets.[6] Jupiter takes 11.9 years to orbit the sun, spending almost an earth year (361 days) in each sign of the zodiac.

Astrologically Jupiter is associated with the principles of growth, expansion, prosperity and good fortune; and a person's inner sense of justice and morality and their ideals and higher goals. Jupiter governs long distance and foreign travel, higher education, religion and the law. It is also associated with the urge for freedom and exploration, humanitarian and protecting roles, and with gambling and merrymaking or 'joviality'. The first-century poet Manilius described Jupiter as temperate and benign, and the greater benefic. It was regarded as warm and moist in nature, and therefore favourable to life.
The planet Jupiter

In medicine Jupiter is associated with the liver, pituitary gland and the disposition of fats; it governed the blood / sanguine humour. In modern times Jupiter is said to be the ruler of the 9th and 12th houses, but traditionally Jupiter was assigned to the 2nd and 9th houses (the house of values and the house of beliefs, respectively) and had 'joy' in the 11th house of friends and aspirations.

Jupiter is associated with Thursday, and in Romance languages the name for Thursday often comes from Jupiter (for example, jueves in Spanish or jeudi in French). Dante Alighieri associated Jupiter with the liberal art of geometry.

In Chinese astrology, Jupiter is ruled by the element wood, which is warm, generous and co-operative. In Indian astrology, Jupiter is known as Guru or Brihaspati and is known as the 'great teacher'.

Saturn

Saturn is the ruling planet of Capricorn and, traditionally, Aquarius. In Roman mythology Saturn was the god of agriculture founder of civilisations and of social order and conformity. The glyph is most often seen as scythe-like but it is primarily known as the "crescent below the cross", whereas Jupiter's glyph is the "crescent above the cross". The famous rings of the planet Saturn that enclose and surround it, reflect this principle of man's limitations. Saturn takes 29.5 years to orbit the sun, spending about 2.46 years in each sign of the zodiac.

Astrologically Saturn is associated with the principles of limitation, restrictions, boundaries, practicality and reality, crystallizing and structures. Saturn governs ambition, career, authority and hierarchy, and conforming social structures. It concerns a person's sense of duty, discipline and responsibility, and their physical and emotional endurance during hardships. Saturn is also considered to represent the part of a person concerned with long-term planning. The Return of Saturn is said to mark significant events in each person's life. According to the first-century poet Manilius, Saturn is sad, morose, and cold and is the greater malefic. In medicine Saturn presides over the skeletal system, skin, teeth, gall bladder, spleen, and vagus nerve. Saturn symbolised processes and things which were dry and extremely cold, and was therefore inimical to life. It governed the melancholic humour.

Before the discovery of Uranus, Saturn was universally regarded as the ruling planet of Aquarius. Many astrologers still use Saturn as the planetary ruler of both Capricorn and Aquarius; in modern astrology it is accordingly the ruler of the 10th and 11th houses. Traditionally, however, Saturn was associated with the 1st and 8th houses (1st house = incarnation, 8th house = death; Saturn being the planet of mortality, and hence, why the Grim Reaper carries a scythe). Saturn was also said to 'joy' in the 12th house of self-undoing.
The planet Saturn.

Saturn is associated with Saturday, which was named after the deity Saturn. Dante Alighieri associated Saturn with the liberal art of astronomia (astrology and astronomy).

In Chinese astrology, Saturn is ruled by the element earth, which is patient, hard-working and reliable. In Indian astrology, Saturn is called Shani or "Sani", and represents career and longevity. It is also the bringer of bad luck and hardship.

Modern planets
Since the invention of the telescope, Western astrology has incorporated Uranus, Neptune, Ceres, Pluto and other bodies into its methodology. Indian and Chinese astrologies have tended to retain the ancient seven-planet system. Meanings have had to be assigned to them by modern astrologers, usually according to the major events which occurred in the world at the time of their discovery. As these astrologers are usually Western, the social and historical events they describe have an inevitable Western emphasis. Astrologers consider the 'extra-Saturnian' planets to be 'impersonal' or generational planets, meaning their effects are felt more across whole generations of society. Their effects in individuals depend upon how strongly they feature in that individual's birth-chart. There is also a great discussion going about what Ceres should rule in astrology. Some western astrologers hope that within a few years, astrological rulerships will be changed in order to include Ceres. The following are their characteristics as accepted by most astrologers.

Uranus

For some modern Western astrologers, the planet Uranus is the ruling planet of Aquarius. In Greek mythology Uranus was the personification of the heavens and the night sky. The planet Uranus is very unusual among the planets in that it rotates on its side, so that it presents each of its poles to the sun in turn during its orbit, so that one hemisphere is bathed in light, while the other lies in total darkness. These strange traits reflect its astrological significance as the breaker of convention.

Uranus takes 84 years to orbit the sun, spending about 7 years in each sign of the zodiac. Uranus was discovered only in 1781 by Sir William Herschel.

Astrologically modern interpretations associate Uranus with the principles of genius, individuality, new and unconventional ideas, discoveries, electricity, inventions, and the beginnings of the industrial revolution. Uranus governs societies, clubs and any group dedicated to humanitarian or progressive ideals. Uranus, the planet of sudden and unexpected changes, rules freedom and originality. In society it rules radical ideas and people, as well as revolutionary events that upset established structures. Uranus among all planets most governs genius. Historically it was associated with the principles of the Enlightenment and radical political ideas of equality and freedom, among other things.
The planet Uranus.

Around the period of its discovery in 1781, the idea of democracy and the human rights was prevalent, with the breakaway of the American colonies from England and a few years later in 1789, the French revolution.

In art and literature, the discovery of Uranus coincided with the Romantic movement, which emphasised individuality and freedom of expression. In medicine Uranus is believed to be particularly associated with the sympathetic nervous system, mental disorders, breakdowns and hysteria, spasms and cramps. Uranus is considered by modern astrologers to be co-ruler of the 11th house with Saturn.

Neptune
For some astrologers, Neptune is the ruling planet of Pisces. In Roman mythology Neptune was the god of the sea, and the deep, ocean blue colour of the planet Neptune reflects this. Its glyph is taken directly from Neptune's trident. Neptune takes 165 years to orbit the sun, spending approximately 14 years (13.75) in each sign of the zodiac. Neptune was discovered in 1846.

Astrologically modern Western astrologers associate the planet Neptune with idealism and compassion, but also with illusion, confusion and deception; with religions, spirituality and mysticism, the mass media, creativity in art and music, drugs, extreme sensitivity, fantasy and imagination, psychic phenomena and altered mental states. Neptune governs hospitals, prisons, mental institutions, and any place, such as a monastery, that involves a retreat from society. Its appearance coincided with the discovery of anesthetics and hypnotism . In political terms Neptune was linked to the rise of nationalist movements throughout Europe in countries like Germany, Italy, Hungary, Ireland and Serbia, seeking independence for their nations inspired by an idealised past of legend. It was also linked to the rise of socialism and the beginnings of the welfare state. Neptune also coincided with the utopian ideals of Communism, when Marx and Engels first published 'The Communist Manifesto' in 1848.
The planet Neptune

In art, the impressionist movement began a trend away from literal representation, to one based on the subtle, changing moods of light and colour. In medicine Neptune seems particularly associated with the thalamus, the spinal canal, and severe or mysterious illnesses and neuroses. Neptune is considered by modern astrologers to be co-ruler of the 12th house with Jupiter.

Nowadays modern astrologers considers Neptune the ruler of Pisces, but prior to the discovery of Neptune, was Jupiter the one considered as the ruler of Pisces, even some modern astrologers consider Jupiter a co-ruler of Pisces. Some astrologers do not believe that Neptune rules any particular sign, even though they may use the planet in interpretation.

Pluto

To most modern Western astrologers, Pluto is the ruling planet of Scorpio. In Roman mythology Pluto was the god of the underworld and of wealth, hence the coin-and-chalice glyph. Pluto and its moon Charon form a unique pairing in the solar system because Charon is so massive relative to Pluto. This means that they revolve in a 'dumbbell' formation around a common point in space lying between them, permanently locked in a 'power struggle' for dominance. This is symbolic of the role Pluto has come to represent astrologically. Pluto takes 248 years to orbit the sun, spending on average approximately 21 years (20.6) in each sign of the zodiac. However, Pluto's orbit is so eccentric that this can vary dramatically, from 25 years in Cancer (1913 - 1938) to a mere 12 years in Scorpio (1983 - 1995), when its orbit was actually closer to the sun than Neptune's. In 2006 Pluto was reclassified by astronomers as a "dwarf planet" and therefore is no longer considered a planet in astronomy, although this has not reduced its astrological significance to astrologers who had previously considered Pluto important.

Astrologically Pluto is called "the great renewer", and is considered to represent the part of a person that destroys in order to renew, through bringing buried, but intense, needs and drives to the surface and expressing them, even at the expense of the existing order. A commonly used keyword for Pluto is "transformation". It is associated with power and personal mastery and the need to co-operate and share with another, if each is not to be destroyed. Pluto governs big business and wealth, mining, surgery and detective work, and any enterprise which involves digging under the surface to bring the truth to light. Pluto is also associated with the day Tuesday along with Mars.

Pluto is also associated with extreme power and corruption; the discovery of Pluto in 1930 coincided with the rise of fascism and Stalinism in Europe, leading to the Second World War. It also coincided with the Great Depression and the major proliferation of organized crime in the United States. Its entry into Cancer in 1913, the sign in which it was later discovered, coincided with the First World War. It is also associated with nuclear armament, which had its genesis in the research of the 1930s and 40's. Later on, it gave rise to the polarised nuclear stand off of the Cold War, with the mass consumer societies of the United States and other democracies facing the totalitarian state socialism of the USSR. The discovery of Pluto also occurred just after the birth of modern psycho-analysis, when Freud and Jung began to explore the depths of the unconscious. In real life events and culture, Pluto has been a major astrological aspect.
The dwarf planet Pluto.

For example, when Pluto was in Scorpio (1983-1995), there was a major rise in AIDS. The epidemic officially began on 5 June 1981 and we can consider it as a "plague" from the "underworld" because it was devastating.

In art, movements like Cubism and Surrealism began to deconstruct the 'normal' view of the world and reassemble it in new and sometimes disturbing ways. In medicine Pluto seems to be associated with regenerative forces in the body involving cell formation and the reproductive system. Pluto is considered by modern astrologers to be co-ruler of the 8th house with Mars. Many traditional astrologers do not use Pluto as a ruling planet, but do use the planet for interpretation and predictive work, obliquely making reference to projections of influences from higher to lower dimensional spaces.

Ceres

Demeter, August-month (around 1470), detail of a fresco by Cosme Tura, Salone dei Mesi, Palazzo Schifanoia in Ferrara

Ceres is the smallest identified dwarf planet in the Solar System. It was discovered on January 1, 1801, by Giuseppe Piazzi, and is named after the Roman goddess Ceres, the goddess of growing plants, the harvest, and of motherly love. It was thought to be the first asteroid discovered and is the largest asteroid of all, taking up about 1/3 of the entire mass of the asteroid belt. The classification of Ceres has changed more than once and has been the subject of some disagreement. Discovered by Johann Elert Bode, he believed Ceres to be the "missing planet" he had proposed to exist between Mars and Jupiter, at a distance of 419 million km (2.8 AU) from the Sun. The 2006 debate surrounding Pluto and what constitutes a planet led to Ceres being considered for reclassification as a planet, but being in the end renamed with Pluto the first members of the new dwarf planet category. Ceres was assigned a planetary symbol, and remained listed as a planet in astronomy books and tables.

In astrology, to get an understanding of the nature of a planet some astrologers analyze the name given to it. In mythology Ceres was the Roman equivalent of the Greek goddess Demeter. She was the goddess of agriculture and when her daughter Proserpina was kidnapped by Pluto in an attempt to force her to marry him, Ceres became so distraught looking for her daughter that she neglected the Earth which became cold and most plants died. This was the first autumn and winter season, which came back every year even after Proserpina had been saved by Mercury because she had eaten a pomegranate that made her Pluto's wife forever, and he demanded she return to him once a year. These myths, including the fact that Ceres is the roundest object in the asteroid belt (it resembles the Moon) signify that in astrology the placement of Ceres in a birth chart is said to show what the native needs to feel loved and nurtured.[10] The planet is also associated with the reproductive issues of an adult woman, as well as pregnancy and other major transitions in a woman's life, including the nine months of gestation time, family bonds and relationships. But the Ceres archetype is not only a mother. For some astrologers Ceres is the ruling planet of Virgo, and it fix also with the archetype of a Virgin goddess in anthropology, It reflects independent women who are often unmarried (According to astrology, Ceres was a single goddess who chose to become mother without husband or partner). As we can see, Ceres is very connected with the Moon, and with the emotional status. While the moon represents our ideal of "motherhood", Ceres would represent how our real and nature motherhood should be. Ceres, as the Goddess who has control over nature's resources and cycles, may be known also in astrology as the planet of the Environment. Going back to mythology, an early environmental villain is the figure of Erysichthon, the tearer up of the earth, who cut down trees in a grove sacred to Ceres-Demeter, for which he was punished by the goddess with fearful hunger. In this sense Ceres became an emerging archetypal in the social response of becoming aware of the recent Climate Change, and is entering our collective consciousness as a need to take care of our natural and irreplaceable resources in the 21th Century.
The dwarf planet Ceres.

Just like the biological agriculture, also sinking the roots in the past, represents a leap towards a future of search of the natural taste and wholesome and the quality, of ecological responsibility and knowledge. Several environmentally-based web sites use Ceres as an acronym to portray their nurturing, protective mandate. To corroborate how Ceres is emerging into our subconscious as an environmental principle, visit for example www.ceres.org (the Network for Change), www.ceres.org.au (the Center for Education and Research in Environmental Strategies) or, www.ceres.ca.gov (the California Environmental Resources Evaluation System). As an indicator for environmental or community activism, Ceres would represent for some astrologers the wave of the future. The status of Ceres is unknown at the moment in astrology. The possibility exists that it isn't involved with any sign, but it has been strongly suggested as the ruler of Virgo or Taurus. For some modern astrologers it is the ruling planet of Virgo and co-ruler of the 6th house with Mercury, and for a few others the ruling planet of Taurus and the 2nd house with Venus. In any event, it can almost definitely be attributed to the Earth element. As in all cases of newer discoveries, for some, like Vedic astrologers, it will never be used. Planetary traditions compared

The three astrological traditions share a large amount of common ground in their conceptions of the planets. Despite differences in tone and emphasis, the Western and Indian traditions are essentially similar. This reflects the fact that despite centuries of separate development, they share a common ancient origin. In addition, despite surface differences, the Chinese conception of the planets also has a common core with the other traditions.

The Chinese elements have a clear correlation to their Western and Indian counterparts in the case of fire -Mars; earth -Saturn; and wood -Jupiter combinations. Also, despite the fact that the Chinese linkage of Mercury with water is alien to Western astrology, this combination too has much in common with Western and Indian ideas. The qualities associated with the Water-Mercury combination contains much that is thought to be 'Mercurial' in Western thought (such as intellect and communication).

The only element where there appears to be a fundamental difference is the metal -Venus combination, where Western notions of love and romance are entirely absent. The Chinese element of metal indicates a person who is unyielding and forceful, set in their ways and reserved. The metal person is also sophisticated and enjoys the good things in life. Yet this Chinese notion of Venus contains much that is similar to the traits of the fixed-earth sign of Taurus, which is ruled by Venus in Western astrology. This suggests that the common ground between Western and Chinese ideas of Venus may be greater than appears at first sight.

Planetary traditions compared
The three astrological traditions share a large amount of common ground in their conceptions of the planets. Despite differences in tone and emphasis, the Western and Indian traditions are essentially similar. This reflects the fact that despite centuries of separate development, they share a common ancient origin. In addition, despite surface differences, the Chinese conception of the planets also has a common core with the other traditions.

The Chinese elements have a clear correlation to their Western and Indian counterparts in the case of fire -Mars; earth -Saturn; and wood -Jupiter combinations. Also, despite the fact that the Chinese linkage of Mercury with water is alien to Western astrology, this combination too has much in common with Western and Indian ideas. The qualities associated with the Water-Mercury combination contains much that is thought to be 'Mercurial' in Western thought (such as intellect and communication).

The only element where there appears to be a fundamental difference is the metal -Venus combination, where Western notions of love and romance are entirely absent. The Chinese element of metal indicates a person who is unyielding and forceful, set in their ways and reserved. The metal person is also sophisticated and enjoys the good things in life. Yet this Chinese notion of Venus contains much that is similar to the traits of the fixed-earth sign of Taurus, which is ruled by Venus in Western astrology. This suggests that the common ground between Western and Chinese ideas of Venus may be greater than appears at first sight.

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Astrology and astronomy are historically one and the same discipline (Latin: astrologia), and were only gradually recognized as separate in western 17th century philosophy (the "Age of Reason").

Since the 18th century they have come to be regarded as completely separate disciplines. Astronomy, the study of objects and phenomena beyond the Earth's atmosphere, is accepted as a science and is a widely studied academic discipline. Astrology, which uses the apparent positions of celestial objects as the basis for psychology, prediction of future events, and other esoteric knowledge, is not widely regarded as science and is typically defined as a form of divination
Contents

* 1 Overview
* 2 Distinguishing characteristics
* 3 Historical divergence
* 4 References
* 5 See also
* 6 External links

Early science, particularly geometry and astronomy/astrology (astronomia), was connected to the divine for most medieval scholars. The compass in this 13th Century manuscript is a symbol of God's act of creation, as many believed that there was something intrinsically divine or perfect that could be found in circles.

Historically, most cultures have not made a clear distinction between the two disciplines, lumping them both together as one. In ancient Babylonia, famed for its astrology, there were not separate roles for the astronomer as predictor of celestial phenomena, and the astrologer as their interpreter; both functions were performed by the same person. This overlap does not mean that astrology and astronomy were always regarded as one and the same. In ancient Greece, presocratic thinkers such as Anaximander, Xenophanes, Anaximenes, and Heraclides speculated about the nature and substance of the stars and planets. Astronomers such as Eudoxus (contemporary with Plato) observed planetary motions and cycles, and created a geocentric cosmological model that would be accepted by Aristotle -- this model generally lasted until Ptolemy, who added epicycles to explain certain motions. However, around 250 B.C., Aristarchus of Samos postulated a proto-heliocentric theory, which would not be reconsidered for nearly two millennia (Copernicus), as Aristotle's geocentric model was favored. The Platonic school promoted the study of astronomy as a part of philosophy because the motions of the heavens demonstrate an orderly and harmonious cosmos. In the third century B.C.E., Babylonian astrology began to make its presence felt in Greece. Astrology was criticized by Hellenistic philosophers such as the Academic Skeptic Carneades and Middle Stoic Panaetius. However, the notions of the Great Year (when all the planets complete a full cycle and return to their relative positions) and eternal recurrence were Stoic doctrines that made divination and fatalism possible.

While the Greek words astrologia and astronomia were often used interchangeably, they were conceptually not the same. Both words more often than not referred to astronomy. The words for astrology proper, were more typically apotelesma and katarkhê.

The earliest to differentiate between the terms astronomy and astrology was Isidore of Seville in the 7th century, while the earliest semantic distinction between astronomy and astrology was given by the Persian astronomer and astrologer Abu Rayhan al-Biruni circa 1000. Astrology was also refuted by al-Biruni and other medieval Muslim astronomers such as Al-Farabi (Alpharabius), Ibn al-Haytham (Alhazen), Abū Rayhān al-Bīrūnī, Avicenna and Averroes. Their reasons for refuting astrology were often due to both scientific (the methods used by astrologers being conjectural rather than empirical) and religious (conflicts with orthodox Islamic scholars) reasons. Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyya (1292-1350), in his Miftah Dar al-SaCadah, used empirical arguments in astronomy in order to refute astrology and divination.

Astrology was widely accepted in medieval Europe as astrological texts from Hellenistic and Arabic astrologers were translated into Latin. In the late Middle Ages, its acceptance or rejection often depended on its reception in the royal courts of Europe. Not until the time of Francis Bacon was astrology rejected as a part of scholastic metaphysics rather than empirical observation. A more definitive split between astrology and astronomy the West took place gradually in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, when astrology was increasingly thought of as an occult sciencel or superstition by the intellectual elite. Because of their lengthy shared history, it sometimes happens that the two are confused with one another even today. Many contemporary astrologers, however, do not claim that astrology is a science, but think of it as a form of divination like the I-Ching, an art, or a part of a spiritual belief structure (influenced by trends such as Neoplatonism, Neopaganism, Theosophy, and Hinduism).

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History
In the decade before personal computers became available, astrologers who wanted their charts calculated for them by computer could send payment to Astro Computing Services (ACS) in San Diego and receive printed charts by mail. Founded by 17-year IBM employee Neil Michelsen (5/11/1931 - 5/15/1990) in 1973, ACS published the first computer-generated ephemeris in 1976, The American Ephemeris, providing an alternative to Raphael's Astronomical Ephemeris of the Planets' Places from Britain and the Golgge Tages-Ephemeride from Germany. Along with Thomas Shanks, Rique Pottenger, and other members of the ACS staff, Neil produced more than 20 sets of ephemerides and tables, including atlas/time zone change reference books, and tables of houses, asteroids, heliocentric, sidereal, and planetary phenomena.

When personal computers first became available, astrologers and astrology hobbyists were quick to purchase them and to look for astrological/astronomical calculation software. The job of calculating the planet and house positions for someone's place and time of birth from a printed ephemeris and table of houses by hand with pencil and paper or even with an electronic calculator took about one hour. And there was no guarantee that the calculations were made without mistakes.

Astrologer Michael Erlewine was the first astrologer to write complete astrological programs for microcomputers, in 1977, and make them available to other astrologers. In 1978, Erlewine founded Matrix Software. Matrix Software, some 28 years later, is still the largest astrology software company in the U.S.

A number of other astrologers or their spouses wrote programs to quickly do the astronomical calculations on early personal computers. When electronic bulletin board systems became popular with the introduction of 1200 bit/s modems in 1985, astrologers began to search for a downloadable calculation program. To meet this demand, John Halloran wrote and released into the public domain a program first for CP/M computers and then for the IBM PC. The final version of this popular download to be released with source code was version 7, also called ASTROLPC.BAS. A number of astrologers subsequently told Halloran that they had been working on their own programs, but that, after trying his free program, they switched to using it. Similarly, astrologers on the internet sought an astrological calculation program that would work on Unix systems. This demand was met by the open source software program Astrolog, first posted to Usenet in 1991.

The Astrology Book (2003) by author James R. Lewis includes the history of several of the major astrology software companies. The Matrix Software company began in 1977 as a magazine that published astrological/astronomical algorithms contributed by hobbyists before anyone realized that computer software would become a business. By 1986, commercial programs included Blue*Star from Matrix, CCRS and Nova from Astrolabe, and Graphic Astrology for Macintosh from Time Cycles Research. The Astrology Book also profiles Cosmic Patterns Software (1983), Halloran Software (1985), and Esoteric Technologies (1993). During the decade of the 1990s, these companies made the switch from linear menu-driven programs that tried to maximize what could be done in a small amount of memory to object-oriented programs for Windows and the Mac that exploited newer computers' graphic interface and huge RAM memory. The Solar Fire program from Esoteric Technologies and the AstrolDeluxe for Windows program from Halloran Software both came out in 1992. Halloran's Astrology for Windows freeware/shareware program, which is available now in 15 languages, came out in 1994.

Calculation Features
Computer astrology programs today typically do accurate planet position calculations for hundreds or thousands of years, display and print these positions using astrological glyph symbols in graphic charts (which are round wheels in Western astrology, as opposed to Indian or Vedic astrology), save and retrieve individual's data to and from database files, compare the planet positions of different charts to find the astrological aspects between them - such as for compatibility, calculate the dates of important events in the future for a chart, research the saved chart database, and generate colorful geographical maps with lines showing where the planets rise and culminate. Astrology programs usually come bundled with an electronic atlas - putting at the astrologer's fingertips the longitudes, latitudes, and time zone observance histories for thousands of cities and towns.

Interpretation Reports
Some astrology programs additionally draw on databases of interpretations to assemble readable reports that can range from 10 pages to 50 pages in length. A knowledgeable astrologer will typically provide clients with computer-generated interpretation reports as a supplement to a personalized reading which draws upon the astrologer's intuition and ability to synthesize chart factors. The strength of computer-generated reports lies in their ability to narrate in a thorough, methodical way the most important factors or elements with a hopefully state-of-the-art description of what is known about each. If the report creator tries to synthesize together the meaning of two or more placements or aspects, when present in the astrological chart, it greatly expands the size of the written materials on which the program must draw. For example, the 50-page KidZone with Sun/Moon report, which starts with a page that synthesizes the Sun, Moon, and Ascendant sign placements, must draw upon 3,776 Kb of written material. The astrologer Grant Lewi pioneered chart synthesis by publishing the book Heaven Knows What in the 1930s with 144 Sun/Moon sign delineations and aspect cross-references that he developed on the basis of thousands of questionnaire responses received during his time as an astrology magazine editor in the late 1920s.

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Astrology has repeatedly failed to demonstrate its effectiveness in numerous controlled studies. Effect size studies in astrology conclude that the mean accuracy of astrological predictions is no greater than what is expected by chance, and astrology's perceived performance has disappeared on critical inspection. When testing for cognitive, behavioral, physical and other variables, one study of astrological "time twins" showed that human characteristics are not molded by the influence of the Sun, Moon and planets at the time of birth. Skeptics of astrology also suggest that the perceived accuracy of astrological interpretations and descriptions of one's personality can be accounted for by the fact that people tend to exaggerate positive 'hits' and overlook whatever does not fit, especially when vague language is used. They also argue that statistical research is often wrongly seen as evidence for astrology due to uncontrolled artifacts. A large-scale study, with a sample size of about 15,000 "astro-twins", was published in 2006. It examined the relationship between date of birth and individual differences in personality and general intelligence, and found no evidence that a connection existed. It also found no relationship between the zodiacal signs and participants' personal traits.

French psychologist and statistician Michel Gauquelin claimed to have found correlations between some planetary positions and certain human traits such as vocations. Gauquelin's most widely known claim is known as the Mars effect, which is said to demonstrate a correlation between the planet Mars occupying certain positions in the sky more often at the birth of eminent sports champions than at the birth of ordinary people. A similar claim is made by Richard Tarnas in his work Cosmos and Psyche, in which he explores correspondences between planetary alignments and historically significant events and individuals.

Since its original publication in 1955, the Mars effect has been the subject of critical studies and skeptical publications which refute it, and studies in fringe journals claiming to support or expand the original claims. Gauquelin's research has not received mainstream scientific notice.

The Forer effect is seen in astrology when most people simply accept their horoscopes as custom even if, by logic, it would mean that 1/12 of the world would have the exact same day or week.

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Position of the planets determines personality and human events.
Related scientific disciplines:
Astronomy, Psychology

Year proposed:
antiquity

Original proponents:
ancient priests and astrologers

Current proponents:
Philip Berg, Michel Gauquelin, Linda Goodman, Sydney Omarr, Joan Quigley, Jackie Stallone, Athena Starwoman, Shelley von Strunckel, Richard Tarnas
The Ptolemaic system depicted by Andreas Cellarius, 1660/61

By the time of Francis Bacon and the scientific revolution, newly emerging scientific disciplines acquired a method of systematic empirical induction validated by experimental observations, which led to the scientific revolution. At this point, astrology and astronomy began to diverge; astronomy became one of the central sciences while astrology was increasingly viewed as an occult science or superstition by natural scientists. This separation accelerated through the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

Astrology is now regarded as unscientific both by scientific bodies and by individual scientists and has been labeled as a pseudoscience. In 1975, the American Humanist Association published one of the most widely known modern criticisms of astrology, characterizing those who continue to have faith in the subject as doing so "in spite of the fact that there is no verified scientific basis for their beliefs, and indeed that there is strong evidence to the contrary". Astronomer Carl Sagan found himself unable to sign the statement, not because he felt astrology had any validity at all, but because he found the statement's tone authoritarian. Sagan stated that he would instead have been willing to sign a statement describing and refuting the principal tenets of astrological belief, which he believed would have been far more persuasive and would have produced much less controversy than the circulated statement.

Although astrology has had no scientific standing for some time, it has been the subject of much research among astrologers since the beginning of the twentieth century. In their landmark study of twentieth-century research into natal astrology, astrology critics Geoffrey Dean and coauthors documented this burgeoning research activity, primarily within the astrological community.

Claims about obstacles to research
Astrologers have argued that there are significant obstacles in carrying out scientific research into astrology today, including lack of funding, lack of background in science and statistics by astrologers, and insufficient expertise in astrology by research scientists and skeptics. There are only a handful of journals dealing with scientific research into astrology (i.e. astrological journals directed towards scientific research or scientific journals publishing astrological research). Some astrologers have argued that few practitioners today pursue scientific testing of astrology because they feel that working with clients on a daily basis provides a personal validation for them.

Another argument made by astrologers is that most studies of astrology do not reflect the nature of astrological practice and that the scientific method does not apply to astrology. Some astrology proponents claim that the prevailing attitudes and motives of many opponents of astrology introduce conscious or unconscious bias in the formulation of hypotheses to be tested, the conduct of the tests, and the reporting of results.
Early science, particularly geometry and astronomy/astrology, was connected to the divine for most medieval scholars. The compass in this 13th century manuscript is a symbol of God's act of creation, as many believed that there was something intrinsically divine or perfect that could be found in circles.

Mechanism
As astrologers have been consistently unable to present physical mechanisms for astrology, few modern astrologers believe in a direct causal relationship between heavenly bodies and earthly events. An editorial published by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific reports that they can find no evidence for a scientifically defined mechanism by which celestial objects can influence terrestrial affairs. Some researchers have posited acausal, purely correlative, relationships between astrological observations and events, such as the theory of synchronicity proposed by Carl Jung. Others have posited a basis in divination. Still others have argued that empirical correlations can stand on their own epistemologically, and do not need the support of any theory or mechanism. To some observers, these non-mechanistic concepts raise serious questions about the feasibility of validating astrology through scientific testing, and some have gone so far as to reject the applicability of the scientific method to astrology almost entirely. Some astrologers, on the other hand, believe that astrology is amenable to the scientific method, given sufficiently sophisticated analytical methods, and they cite pilot studies they claim support this view. Consequently, several astrologers have called for or advocated continuing studies of astrology based on statistical validation.

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Cultural influence of astrology
Astrology has had a profound influence over the past few thousand years on Western and Eastern cultures. In the Middle Ages, when the educated of the time believed in astrology, the system of heavenly spheres and bodies was believed to reflect on the system of knowledge and the world itself below.

Astrology has had an influence on both language and literature. For example, influenza, from medieval Latin influentia meaning influence, was so named because doctors once believed epidemics to be caused by unfavorable planetary and stellar influences. The word "disaster" comes from the Italian disastro, derived from the negative prefix dis- and from Latin aster "star", thus meaning "ill-starred". Adjectives "lunatic" (Luna/Moon), "mercurial" (Mercury), "venereal" (Venus), "martial" (Mars), "jovial" (Jupiter/Jove), and "saturnine" (Saturn) are all old words used to describe personal qualities said to resemble or be highly influenced by the astrological characteristics of the planet, some of which are derived from the attributes of the ancient Roman gods they are named after. In literature, many writers, notably Geoffrey Chaucer and William Shakespeare, used astrological symbolism to add subtlety and nuance to the description of their characters' motivation(s). More recently, Michael Ward has proposed that C.S. Lewis imbued his Chronicles of Narnia with the characteristics and symbols of the seven heavens. Often, an understanding of astrological symbolism is needed to fully appreciate such literature.

Some modern thinkers, notably Carl Jung, believe in astrology's descriptive powers regarding the mind without necessarily subscribing to its predictive claims. In education astrology is reflected in the university education of medieval Europe, which was divided into seven distinct areas, each represented by a particular planet and known as the seven liberal arts. Dante Alighieri speculated that these arts, which grew into the sciences we know today, fitted the same structure as the planets. In music the best known example of astrology's influence is in the orchestral suite called "The Planets" by the British composer Gustav Holst, the framework of which is based upon the astrological symbolism of the planets.

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15th century image from the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry showing believed relations between areas of the body and the zodiacal signs.

Origins
The origins of much of the astrological doctrine and method that would later develop in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East are found among the ancient Babylonians and their system of celestial omens that began to be compiled around the middle of the 2nd millennium BCE. This system of celestial omens later spread either directly or indirectly through the Babylonians and Assyrians to other areas such as India, Middle East, and Greece where it merged with pre-existing indigenous forms of astrology. This Babylonian astrology came to Greece initially as early as the middle of the 4th century BCE, and then around the late 2nd or early 1st century BCE after the Alexandrian conquests, this Babylonian astrology was mixed with the Egyptian tradition of decanic astrology to create horoscopic astrology. This new form of astrology, which appears to have originated in Alexandrian Egypt, quickly spread across the ancient world into Europe, the Middle East and India.

Before the modern era
From the classical period through the scientific revolution, astrological training played a critical role in advancing astronomical, mathematical, medical and psychological knowledge. Astrological influences included the observation and long-term tracking of celestial objects. It was astrologers who provided the first systematic documentation of the movements of the Sun, the Moon, the planets, and the stars. The differentiation between astronomy and astrology varied from place to place; they were indistinguishable in ancient Babylonia and medieval Europe, but separated to an extent in the Hellenistic world. The first semantic distinction between astrology and astronomy was given in the 11th century by the Persian astronomer, Abū Rayhān al-Bīrūnī (see astrology and astronomy).

The pattern of astronomical knowledge gained from astrological endeavours has been historically repeated across numerous cultures, from ancient India through the classical Maya civilization to medieval Europe. Given this historical contribution, astrology has been called a protoscience along with pseudosciences such as alchemy (see "Western astrology and alchemy" below).

Astrology was not always uncritically accepted before the modern era; it was often challenged by Hellenistic skeptics, church authorities, and medieval Muslim astronomers, such as Al-Farabi (Alpharabius), Ibn al-Haytham (Alhazen), Abū Rayhān al-Bīrūnī, Avicenna and Averroes. Their reasons for refuting astrology were often due to both scientific (the methods used by astrologers being conjectural rather than empirical) and religious (conflicts with orthodox Islamic scholars) reasons. Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyya (1292-1350), in his Miftah Dar al-SaCadah, used empirical arguments in astronomy in order to refute astrology and divination.

Many prominent thinkers, philosophers and scientists, such as Pythagoras, Plato, Aristotle, Galen, Paracelsus, Girolamo Cardan, Nicholas Copernicus, Taqi al-Din, Tycho Brahe, Galileo Galilei, Johannes Kepler, Carl Jung and others, practiced or significantly contributed to astrology.

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Horoscopic astrology is a system that was developed in the Mediterranean region and specifically Hellenistic Egypt around the late 2nd or early 1st century BCE. The tradition deals with two-dimensional diagrams of the heavens, or horoscopes, created for specific moments in time. The diagram is then used to interpret the inherent meaning underlying the alignment of celestial bodies at that moment based on a specific set of rules and guidelines. A horoscope was calculated normally for the moment of an individual's birth, or at the beginning of an enterprise or event, because the alignments of the heavens at that moment were thought to determine the nature of the subject in question. One of the defining characteristics of this form of astrology that makes it distinct from other traditions is the computation of the degree of the Eastern horizon rising against the backdrop of the ecliptic at the specific moment under examination, otherwise known as the ascendant. Horoscopic astrology has been the most influential and widespread form of astrology across the world, especially in Africa, India, Europe, and the Middle East, and there are several major traditions of horoscopic astrology whose origins are Hellenistic, including Indian, Medieval, and most other modern Western traditions of astrology.


The horoscope
A hand-drawn horoscope.
Central to horoscopic astrology and its branches is the calculation of the horoscope or astrological chart. This two-dimensional diagrammatic representation shows the celestial bodies' apparent positions in the heavens from the vantage of a location on Earth at a given time and place. The horoscope is also divided into twelve different celestial houses which govern different areas of life. Calculations performed in casting a horoscope involve arithmetic and simple geometry which serve to locate the apparent position of heavenly bodies on desired dates and times based on astronomical tables. In ancient Hellenistic astrology the ascendant demarcated the first celestial house of a horoscope. The word for the ascendant in Greek was horoskopos from which horoscope derives. In modern times, the word has come to refer to the astrological chart as a whole.

Branches of horoscopic astrology
Traditions of horoscopic astrology can be divided into four branches which are directed towards specific subjects or purposes. Often these branches use a unique set of techniques or a different application of the core principles of the system to a different area. Many other subsets and applications of astrology are derived from these four fundamental branches.

* Natal astrology, the study of a person's natal chart to gain information about the individual and his/her life experience.
* Katarchic astrology, which includes both electional and event astrology. The former uses astrology to determine the most auspicious moment to begin an enterprise or undertaking, and the latter to understand everything about an event from the time at which it took place.
* Horary astrology, used to answer a specific question by studying the chart of the moment the question is posed to an astrologer.
* Mundane or world astrology, the application of astrology to world events, including weather, earthquakes, and the rise and fall of empires or religions. This includes the Astrological Ages, such as the Age of Aquarius, Age of Pisces and so on. Each age is about 2,150 years in length and many people believe these massive ages correspond to major historical events and current developments in the world

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There are many traditions of astrology, some of which share similar features due to the transmission of astrological doctrines between cultures. Other traditions developed in isolation and hold different doctrines, though they too share some features due to drawing on similar astronomical sources.

Current traditions

The main traditions used by modern astrologers are:

* Vedic astrology
* Western astrology
* Chinese astrology
Vedic and Western astrology share a common ancestry as horoscopic systems of astrology, in that both traditions focus on the casting of an astrological chart or horoscope, a representation of celestial entities, for an event based on the position of the Sun, Moon, and planets at the moment of the event. However, Vedic astrology uses the sidereal zodiac, linking the signs of the zodiac to their original constellations, while Western astrology uses the tropical zodiac. Because of the precession of the equinoxes, over the centuries the twelve zodiacal signs in Western astrology no longer correspond to the same part of the sky as their original constellations. In effect, in Western astrology the link between sign and constellation has been broken, whereas in Vedic astrology it remains of paramount importance. Other differences between the two traditions include the use of 27 (or 28) nakshatras or lunar mansions, which have been used in India since Vedic times, and the system of planetary periods known as dashas.

In Chinese astrology a quite different tradition has evolved. By contrast to Western and Indian astrology, the twelve signs of the zodiac do not divide the sky, but rather the celestial equator. The Chinese evolved a system where each sign corresponds to one of twelve 'double-hours' that govern the day, and to one of the twelve months. Each sign of the zodiac governs a different year, and combines with a system based on the five elements of Chinese cosmology to give a 60 (12 x 5) year cycle. The term Chinese astrology is used here for convenience, but it must be recognised that versions of the same tradition exist in Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand and other Asian countries.

In modern times, these traditions have come into greater contact with each other, notably with Indian and Chinese astrology having spread to the West, while awareness of Western astrology is still fairly limited in Asia. Astrology in the Western world has diversified greatly in modern times. New movements have appeared, which have jettisoned much of traditional astrology to concentrate on different approaches, such as a greater emphasis on midpoints, or a more psychological approach. Some recent Western developments include:

* Modern tropical and sidereal horoscopic astrology
* Cosmobiology
* Psychological astrology
* Sun sign astrology
* Hamburg School of Astrology
o Uranian astrology, subset of the Hamburg School

Historical traditions

Throughout its long history, astrology has come to prominence in many regions and undergone developments and change. There are many astrological traditions that are historically important, but which have largely fallen out of use today. Astrologers still retain an interest in them and regard them as an important resource. Historically significant traditions of astrology include:

* Arab and Persian astrology (Medieval, near East)
* Babylonian astrology (Ancient, near East)
* Egyptian astrology
* Hellenistic astrology (Classical antiquity)
* Mayan astrology

The history of Western, Chinese, and Indian astrology is discussed in the main article history of astrology.

Esoteric traditions
Extract and symbol key from 17th century alchemy text.

Many mystic or esoteric traditions have links to astrology. In some cases, like Kabbalah, this involves participants incorporating elements of astrology into their own traditions. In other cases, like divinatory tarot, many astrologers themselves have incorporated the tradition into their own practice of astrology. Esoteric traditions include, but are not limited to:

* Alchemy
* Chiromancy
* Kabbalistic astrology
* Medical astrology
* Numerology
* Rosicrucian or "Rose Cross"
* Tarot divination

Historically, alchemy in the Western World was particularly allied and intertwined with traditional Babylonian-Greek style astrology; in numerous ways they were built to complement each other in the search for occult or hidden knowledge. Astrology has used the concept of the four classical elements of alchemy from antiquity up until the present day. Traditionally, each of the seven planets in the solar system known to the ancients was associated with, held dominion over, and "ruled" a certain metal.

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The core beliefs of astrology were prevalent in most of the ancient world and are epitomized in the Hermetic maxim "as above, so below". Tycho Brahe used a similar phrase to summarize his studies in astrology: suspiciendo despicio, "by looking up I see downward". Although the principle that events in the heavens are mirrored by those on Earth was once generally held in most traditions of astrology around the world, in the West there has historically been a debate among astrologers over the nature of the mechanism behind astrology. The debate also covers whether or not celestial bodies are only signs or portents of events, or if they are actual causes of events through some sort of force or mechanism.

Although the connection between celestial mechanics and terrestrial dynamics was explored first by Isaac Newton with his development of a universal theory of gravitation, claims that the gravitational effects of the celestial bodies are what accounts for astrological generalizations are not substantiated by scientific research, nor are they advocated by most astrologers.

Most astrological traditions are based on the relative positions and movements of various real or construed celestial bodies and on the construction of implied or calculated celestial patterns as seen at the time and place of the event being studied. These are chiefly the astrological planets, dwarf planets, the asteroids, the stars, the lunar nodes, Arabic parts and hypothetical planets. The frame of reference for such apparent positions is defined by the tropical or sidereal zodiac of twelve signs on one hand, and by the local horizon (ascendant-descendant axis) and midheaven-imum coeli axis on the other. This latter (local) frame is typically further divided into the twelve astrological houses. Furthermore, the astrological aspects are used to determine the geometric/angular relationship(s) between the various celestial bodies and angles in the horoscope.

The claim of astrology to predict future trends and developments, or predictive astrology, is based on two main methods: astrological transits and astrological progressions. In astrological transits the ongoing movements of the planets are interpreted for their significance as they transit through space and the horoscope. In astrological progressions the horoscope is progressed forward in time according to set methods. Most modern astrologers no longer try to forecast actual events, but focus instead on general trends and developments. Skeptics respond that this allows astrologers to avoid making verifiable predictions, and gives them the ability to attach significance to arbitrary and unrelated events, in a way that suits their purpose.

In the past, astrologers often relied on close observation of celestial objects and the charting of their movements. Modern astrologers use data provided by astronomers which are transformed to a set of astrological tables called ephemerides, showing the changing zodiacal positions of the heavenly bodies through time.

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Astrology (from Greek ἄστρον, astron, "constellation, star"; and -λογία, -logia) is a group of systems, traditions, and beliefs in which knowledge of the apparent relative positions of celestial bodies and related details is held to be useful in understanding, interpreting, and organizing information about personality, human affairs, and other terrestrial matters. A practitioner of astrology is called an astrologer or an astrologist. Numerous traditions and applications employing astrological concepts have arisen since its earliest recorded beginnings in the 3rd millennium BC. It has played a role in the shaping of culture, early astronomy, and other disciplines throughout history.

Astrology and astronomy were often indistinguishable before the modern era, with the desire for predictive and divinatory knowledge one of the primary motivating factors for astronomical observation. Astronomy began to diverge from astrology after a period of gradual separation from the Renaissance up until the 18th century. Eventually, astronomy distinguished itself as the scientific study of astronomical objects and phenomena without regard to the astrological speculation of these phenomena.

Astrology can be defined as the study of the positions of celestial bodies in the belief that their movements either directly influence life on Earth or correspond somehow to events experienced on a human scale. Modern astrologers define astrology as a symbolic language, an art form, and a form of divination. Despite differences of definitions, a common assumption of astrology is the use of celestial placements in order to explain past and present events and predict the future. Generally, the scientific community considers astrology a pseudoscience or superstition. Despite its rejection by virtually all scientists, 31% of Americans polled expressed a belief in astrology and 39% considered it scientific according to another study.

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Introduction
The horoscope serves as a stylized map of the heavens over a specific location at a particular moment in time. In most applications the perspective is geocentric (heliocentric astrology being one exception). The positions of the actual planets (including Sun and Moon) are placed in the chart, along with those of purely calculated factors such as the lunar nodes, the house cusps including the midheaven and the ascendant, zodiac signs, fixed stars and the lots. Angular relationships between the planets themselves and other points, called aspects, are typically determined. Which elements are used or emphasized over others varies by tradition.

Etymology
The word Latin horoscopus, ultimately from Greek ὡρόσκοπος "nativity, horoscope", literally "observer of the hour [of birth]", from ὥρα "time, hour" and σκόπος "observer, watcher". In Middle English texts from the 11th century, the word appears in the Latin form, and is anglicized to horoscope in Early Modern English. The noun horoscopy for "casting of horoscopes" has been in use since the 17th century (OED). In Greek, ὡρόσκοπος in the sense of "ascendant" and ὡροσκοπία "observation of the ascendant" is in use since Ptolemy (Tetrabiblos 33, 75).

Concepts in Western Astrology
* The native is the time and place of the event (a birth, for example) being charted, and is considered to be at the centre of the celestial sphere.
* The celestial sphere is a sphere of arbitrary radius upon which the items appearing on the regard to their distance from the native.
* The plane of the equator is the plane of the earth's equator projected into space.
* The plane of the ecliptic is defined by the orbits of the earth and the sun. For practical purposes the plane of the equator and the plane of the ecliptic maintain a constant inclination to each other of approximately 23.5°.
* The plane of the horizon is centred on the native, and is tangential to the earth at that point. In a sphere whose radius is infinitely large, this plane may be treated as nearly equivalent to the parallel plane with its centre at the earth's center. This greatly simplifies the geometry of the horoscope, but does not take into account that the native is in motion. Some writers on astrology have thus considered the effects of parallax, but most would agree that (apart from that of the moon) they are relatively minor[citation needed].

Angles
There are four primary angles in the horoscope (though the cusps of the houses are often included as important angles by some astrologers). The ascendant is the eastern point where the ecliptic and horizon intersect; the ascendant is generally considered the most important and personalized angle (along with the midheaven) in the horoscope by the vast majority of astrologers and the placement of its ruler, called the chart ruler is considered to be greatly important. Its opposite point in the west is the descendant. In creating a horoscope the ascendant is traditionally placed as the left-hand side point of the chart. During the course of a day, because of the Earth's rotation, the entire circle of the ecliptic will pass through the ascendant and will be advanced by about 1°. This provides us with the term rising sign, which is the sign of the zodiac that was rising in the the point on the ecliptic that is furthest above the plane of the horizon (not to be confused with zenith, which is normal to the horizon and so directly above the horoscope location). Its opposite point is known as the imum coeli (not to be confused with nadir, which is the opposite point of the zenith on the reverse side of the horizon). For events occurring where the planes of the ecliptic and the horizon coincide, the limiting position for these points is located 90° from the ascendant.

The zodiac
The astrological symbols/glyphs used in Western astrology to represent the astrological signs (Zodiac)

The zodiac refers to the 16° wide band on the celestial sphere containing the signs. It is centered on the ecliptic,occurs at the exact moment that the Sun crosses the celestial equator and enters the zodiac sign of Aries. Astrologers in India and some Western astrologers use the more ancient sidereal zodiac, which corresponds to the ancient position of the constellations as they were viewed thousands of years ago. Many people are confused regarding the difference between the sidereal constellations and the tropical zodiac signs. Because of a "wobble" in the earth's axis of rotation over a period of about 26,000 years (this 26,000 year period is often called a "great year"), the point at which the vernal equinox advances in the sky rate is approximately 0 deg, 0 min, 50.23 seconds a year. Precession of the equinoxes thus occurs at a rate of roughly 5 arc minutes of a degree every 6 years. Sidereal and so the signs relate to the seasons and not the stars. It is also important to note that some astrologers don't use the signs of the zodiac at all, focusing more instead on the astrological aspects and other features of the horoscope.
The sun sign is the sign of the zodiac in which the sun is located for the native. This is the single astrological fact familiar to most people. If an event occurs at sunrise the ascendant and sun sign' will be the same; other rising signs can then be estimated at approximately two hour intervals from there.
A cusp is the boundary between two signs or houses. For some the cusp includes a small portion of the two signs or houses under consideration.

Houses
The houses are a series of twelve divisions of the plane of the ecliptic. Astrologers have devised many systems of calculating these house divisions. In the case of the equal house system the ecliptic is divided into twelve equal houses of 30° each. The first house begins at the ascendant and the others are numbered counterclockwise from that point. The first six are therefore below the horizon, and the other six are above. The positions of these houses remains fixed relative to the native. The signs and planets all move through the twelve houses during the course of a day, and the planets move through the signs over the course of months or years.

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In astrology, a horoscope is a chart or diagram representing the positions of the Sun, Moon, planets, the astrological aspects, and sensitive angles at the time of an event, such as the moment of a person's birth. The word horoscope is derived from Greek words meaning "a look at the hours" (horoskopos, pl. horoskopoi, or "marker(s) of the hour.") Other commonly used names for the horoscope in English include astrological chart, astro-chart, celestial map, sky-map, star-chart, cosmogram, vitasphere, radical chart, radix, chart wheel, or simply chart. It is used as a method of divination regarding events relating to the point in time it represents and forms the basis of the horoscopic traditions of astrology.

In common usage, horoscope often refers to an astrologer's interpretation, usually through a system of Sun sign astrology or based upon calendar significance of an event, as in Chinese astrology. In particular, many newspapers and magazines carry predictive columns based on celestial influences in relation to the zodiacal placement of the Sun on the day of a person's birth, identifying the individual's Sun sign or "star sign." This system is distinct from horoscopes as traditionally employed, as only the zodiacal placement of the Sun is considered in interpretation[1]. While this modern usage is perhaps the most popular in the colloquial lexicon, this article will focus primarily on the traditional concept.

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There are some people haves a notion that dream can come true, becomes reality, it's will happened to themself, or their family, about sorrowful or happiness. They believe that all happened came from their dream.

In fact, dream is hole-side of your reality, dream can be interprets the future, present, past, or continous. Amazing, dream it was another life in our life, The parallel life.

When we get nice day experiences, when we go sleep an dreaming, we usually get a nice dream, and when experiences was bed day, we usually get a horrible dream.
We have memorized, what will happened to our dream when we worries about something.
So, go to your memories what will happened every we through day. keep learn your dream.

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Most of people don't know that the character they have emerges while they still baby. Why ?, What happen while people borned ?
This the seccret proccess, that when human being born, all their baby infected by virus and radiation from the sky. You know that outside of atmosfer of the earth it's so many radiation, came from; Sun, Meteor or other planet in our Galaxy.
The radiation energy which received our earth different by time. while the radiation will determine our character when human being was infected since borned.
So it's a pefect relation why our character is different by time ?
That's a long explanation your horoscope or your zodiac, the amazing science of astrology.

The line of Palm at our Hand
The palm also becomes character determinant. Each of most people sure have a different line of palm. line which formed when people was born it's will show the character themself. Technology era can't still found meaning of each line. But some people can give you explanation about this line. some people who can "reading/interprets" this line usually came from "supranatural gathering", some people who have basic instinct to be interprets this line and will be explained to everybody need to knowing their future, their horoscope, or their astrology. So why you not soon start to learn "interprets line". safe tries.

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