(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
Callimachus reported that Thales 'discovered' Ursa Minor. This means only
that he recognized the advantages of navigating by Ursa Minor, rather than
by Ursa Major, as was the preferred method of the Greeks. Ursa Minor, a
constellation of six stars, has a smaller orbit than does the Great Bear, which
means that, as it circles the North Pole, Ursa Minor changes its position in the
sky to a lesser degree than does the Great Bear. Thales offered this sage
advice to the mariners of Miletus, to whom it should have been of special
value because Miletus had developed a maritime trade of economic
importance.
This is a research‐based article is written for the instilling a scientific temperament and information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same time it is a tribute to my teachers at the Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan, Mumbai. Prof. Anthony Writer
MESSAGES FROM THE WONDROUS CANOPY OF THE HEAVENS
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
Ptolemy was an excellent geometrician, and his works on geometry are among
his best. He was also a gifted mathematician, devising new geometrical
theorems and proofs. Being primarily interested in astronomy, he studied the
projection of points on the celestial sphere onto three perpendicular planes
defined by the horizon, the meridian and the perpendicular, a system still
used today.
By far the most important of his works is the Almagest. Its original title was
The Mathematike Syntaxis ("The Mathematical Collection"). It was such an
encyclopaedic summary of astronomical knowledge that it soon became
known as Ho megas astonomos "The Great Astronomer"). Arab astronomers
of the 9th century considered it Megiste ("Greatest"), added the Arabian
definite article al and referred to it as al-Megiste ("The Greatest") or
Almagest.
The Almagest describes in great detail the arrangement of the sun, the planets
and all stars in a system where the Earth is at rest in the centre of the
universe. It also contains a star catalogue of 1,022 stars, an effort not even
surpassed by Kepler in the 15th century.
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
This is a research‐based article is written for the instilling a scientific temperament and information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same time it is a tribute to my teachers at the Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan, Mumbai. Prof. Anthony Writer
MESSAGES FROM THE WONDROUS CANOPY OF THE HEAVENS
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
The Chinese
The Chinese have been observing the sky for several millennia, making them
the oldest civilization with a continuous astronomical record. The Chinese
required that their astronomers were correctly able to predict astronomical
events, such as eclipses; otherwise, they were executed.
As far as cataloguing went, Shi Shen, Gan De, and Wu Xian (370-270 B.C.) in
sum recorded 1464 stars in 284 constellations. This is 200 years before the
first western catalogue (by Hipparchus). In A.D. 310, Astronomer Royal Qian
Luozhi had a bronze celestial globe made with stars that were color-coded as
to their source. From the Han Dynasty, there are carvings that show
constellations and asterisms with stars linked to delineate the various groups.
The sky was also divided into Nine Fields, which involved the circumpolar
region and eight other divisions. The eight other divisions can be related to
eight hexagrams which appear in the Yi Jing (The Book of Changes), which
dates from the 2nd century B.C.
The Chinese constellations were in the form of Five Palaces; the number five
possibly results from the five elements of earth, fire, water, metal, and wood.
• The Palace of Purple Tenuity was the circumpolar area.
This is a research‐based article is written for the instilling a scientific temperament and information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same time it is a tribute to my teachers at the Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan, Mumbai. Prof. Anthony Writer
MESSAGES FROM THE WONDROUS CANOPY OF THE HEAVENS
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
For charts, the earliest known dates to around A.D. 700. Though it has no grid
lines, it contains over 1350 stars, and is a flat version of the Qian Luozhi
globe. Nearly 400 years later, in A.D. 1094, the Song Dynasty created star
charts. They show coordinates and were prepared for use with an "armillary
sphere" - a sphere that consists of a number of rings arranged so as to model
the circles of the celestial sphere. Until the Renaissance, these were the most
accurate star charts available.
The Polynesians
The Polynesian islanders were among the first people to navigate the oceans,
and they used the stars to guide them. The sun marked their day, but very
strict records of stars were kept in order to guide them during the night; this
practice started before the dawn of the Christian era -- over 2000 years ago.
Often, the way they would keep track of stars was by creating mythologies
around them, much as the Greeks did. For example, the Pleiades (an open
cluster), Jupiter, and Aldebaran (a bright red star), are central to the
founding story of the polynesian culture
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
rest, that is, every planet and fixed star, and also every one of the heavens, has
its peculiar intellect and spirit.”
This is a research‐based article is written for the instilling a scientific temperament and information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same time it is a tribute to my teachers at the Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan, Mumbai. Prof. Anthony Writer
MESSAGES FROM THE WONDROUS CANOPY OF THE HEAVENS
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
He lived in the court of Emire Adud ad-Daula in Isfahan, Persia, and worked
on translating and expanding Greek astronomical works, especially the
Almagest of Ptolemy. He contributed several corrections to Ptolemy's star list
and did his own brightness and magnitude estimates which frequently
deviated from those in Ptolemy's work. He was the first to attempt to relate
the Greek with the traditional Arabic star names and constellations, which
were completely unrelated and overlapped in complicated ways.
He observed that the ecliptic plane is inclined with respect to the celestial
equator and more accurately calculated the length of the solar year. He
observed and described the stars, their positions, their magnitudes
(brightness) and their colour, setting out his results constellation by
constellation. For each constellation, he provided two drawings, one from the
outside of a celestial globe, and the other from the inside (as seen from the
sky). Al Sufi also wrote on the astrolabe, finding numerous additional uses for
it.
Al Sufi published his famous "Book of Fixed Stars" in 964, describing much
of his work, both in textual descriptions and pictures. Al Sufi was honoured
by the Astronomical community when a Moon Crater was named after him. It
is Moon Crater Azophi and is at lunar co-ordinates 22.1S, 12.7E and 47 km in
diameter.
This is a research‐based article is written for the instilling a scientific temperament and information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same time it is a tribute to my teachers at the Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan, Mumbai. Prof. Anthony Writer
MESSAG
GES FROM THE WON
NDROUS CA ANOPY OF THE HEAV
VENS
(
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
A
Arabic Connstellation Name
Araabic Araabic
Constella
ation Arabic Name N/S
Namme Meeaning
Al-Mara'aah Thee Shackledd
Andromed
da N
Al-Musalssalah Wooman
Mefraghatt Al-
Antlia Thee Air Pumpp S
Hawa'
Tta'er Al- Birrd of
Apus S
Ferdaws Parradise
Thee Well-
Aquarius Ad-Dalw S
buccket
N-
Aquila Al-'Okab Thee Eagle
S
Momsek Al-
A Thee Reins-
Auriga N
A'aennah hollder
This is a reesearch‐base
ed article is written for the instilling a sccientific temp
perament andd information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same
s time it is a tribute to
o my teacherss at the Jyotissha Bharati, Bharatiya
B Vidyya
Bhavan, Mumbai.
M Proff. Anthony Wrriter
MESSAG
GES FROM THE WON
NDROUS CA ANOPY OF THE HEAV
VENS
(
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
Whho (Lady)
Cassiopeia That Al-K
Korsi N
Hass Chair
N-
Cetus Qayttas Cettus
S
Thee
Chamaeleeon Al-Hirba' S
Chaameleon
Thee
Circinus Al-Bikar S
Commpasses
Columba Al-Hamam
mah Thee Dove S
This is a reesearch‐base
ed article is written for the instilling a sccientific temp
perament andd information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same
s time it is a tribute to
o my teacherss at the Jyotissha Bharati, Bharatiya
B Vidyya
Bhavan, Mumbai.
M Proff. Anthony Wrriter
MESSAG
GES FROM THE WON
NDROUS CA ANOPY OF THE HEAV
VENS
(
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
Coma
Al-Hulbahh Bristle N
Berenicess
Corona Al-I'klil Al-
A Thee Southernn
S
Australis Janobi Croown
Corona Al-I'klil Ash-
A Thee Northernn
N
Borealis Shamali Croown
Corvus Al-Ghurabb Thee Raven S
Crater Al-Battiyaah Thee Great Cuup S
As-Ssaleeeb Thee Southernn
Crux S
Al-Janobi Crooss
This is a reesearch‐base
ed article is written for the instilling a sccientific temp
perament andd information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same
s time it is a tribute to
o my teacherss at the Jyotissha Bharati, Bharatiya
B Vidyya
Bhavan, Mumbai.
M Proff. Anthony Wrriter
MESSAG
GES FROM THE WON
NDROUS CA ANOPY OF THE HEAV
VENS
(
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
Gemini At-Tawa'm
man Thee Twins N
Thee Crane
Grus Al-Kurki S
(birrd)
Thee Kneelingg
Hercules Al-Jathi N
(Man)
Horologiu
um As-Sa'ah Thee Clock S
N-
Hydra Ash-Shujaa'a Thee Brave
S
Thee Water
Hydrus Hayyat All-Ma' S
Snaake
Al-A'sad Al-
A Thee Lesser
Leo Mino
or N
A'sghar Lioon
Thee Beast of
Lupus As-Sab'a S
Preey
This is a reesearch‐base
ed article is written for the instilling a sccientific temp
perament andd information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same
s time it is a tribute to
o my teacherss at the Jyotissha Bharati, Bharatiya
B Vidyya
Bhavan, Mumbai.
M Proff. Anthony Wrriter
MESSAG
GES FROM THE WON
NDROUS CA ANOPY OF THE HEAV
VENS
(
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
Microscop
piu Thee
Al-Mijharr S
m Miccroscope
Waheed Al-
A N-
Monocero
os Thee Unicorn
Qarn S
Thee
Morabba'aa An-
Norma Carrpenter's S
Najjar
Squuare
Octans Ath-Thom
mon Thee Octant S
Thee Snake N-
Ophiuchu
us Al-Haww
wa'
Chaarmer S
N-
Orion Al-Jabbarr Thee Giant
S
Al-Faras Al-
A Thee Great
Pegasus N
A'adham Horrse
This is a reesearch‐base
ed article is written for the instilling a sccientific temp
perament andd information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same
s time it is a tribute to
o my teacherss at the Jyotissha Bharati, Bharatiya
B Vidyya
Bhavan, Mumbai.
M Proff. Anthony Wrriter
MESSAG
GES FROM THE WON
NDROUS CA ANOPY OF THE HEAV
VENS
(
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
Reticulum
m Ash-Shabakah Thee Reticle S
M'amal An-
A Thee Sculptor's
Sculptor S
Nahhat Milll
This is a reesearch‐base
ed article is written for the instilling a sccientific temp
perament andd information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same
s time it is a tribute to
o my teacherss at the Jyotissha Bharati, Bharatiya
B Vidyya
Bhavan, Mumbai.
M Proff. Anthony Wrriter
MESSAG
GES FROM THE WON
NDROUS CA ANOPY OF THE HEAV
VENS
(
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
N-
Serpens Al-Hayyaah Thee Snake
S
N-
Sextans As-Sodos Thee Sextant
S
Taurus Ath-Thaw
wr Thee Bull N
Triangulu
um Al-Muthaallath Thee Triangle N
This is a reesearch‐base
ed article is written for the instilling a sccientific temp
perament andd information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same
s time it is a tribute to
o my teacherss at the Jyotissha Bharati, Bharatiya
B Vidyya
Bhavan, Mumbai.
M Proff. Anthony Wrriter
MESSAG
GES FROM THE WON
NDROUS CA ANOPY OF THE HEAV
VENS
(
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
N-
Virgo Al-'Athra'' Thee Maiden
S
ndicates wh
N/S: In hether thee constellaation is a Northern
N o Southerrn one.
or
Arabic Referencees :-
This is a reesearch‐base
ed article is written for the instilling a sccientific temp
perament andd information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same
s time it is a tribute to
o my teacherss at the Jyotissha Bharati, Bharatiya
B Vidyya
Bhavan, Mumbai.
M Proff. Anthony Wrriter
MESSAGES FROM THE WONDROUS CANOPY OF THE HEAVENS
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
This is a research‐based article is written for the instilling a scientific temperament and information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same time it is a tribute to my teachers at the Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan, Mumbai. Prof. Anthony Writer
MESSAGES FROM THE WONDROUS CANOPY OF THE HEAVENS
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
The Arabic Mansions of the Moon, and one version of their alignment with
the Zodiac. The fixed stars outside the circles are the traditional marker stars
associated with each Mansion, and they often share a name, although the star
names have been altered through European adoption (two Mansions do not
contain any prominent stars). Because of the linkage with the fixed stars,
which change their positions with respect to the Sun’s equinoxes because of
precession there has been a greater tendency to treat the Mansions as sidereal
than tropical, or to shift the Mansion which is regarded as the first one in
accordance with the shift of the Vernal Equinox.
Traditionally in both the Indian and Arabic systems the first Mansion was Al
Thurayya (the ‘Many Little Ones’; Indian, Krittika, the ‘General of the
Celestial Armies’; Greek, the Pleiades). With the systematisation of Greek
astronomy and the fixing of Aries as the first sign of the Zodiac, Sheratan, the
horns of Aries, became the first Mansion; it is listed as such by Al Biruni (973-
1048 CE) and its equivalent Alnath was treated as the first Mansion by, for
instance, Chaucer (1340-1400) and Aggrippa (1486-1535) — Botein seems to
have missed out. If the marker stars are used, precessional slippage means
that the star Scheat (Beta Pegasi) is currently closest to 0° Aries, and will
reach the exact longitude of the Spring Equinox in 2045. The alignment given
here is based on a list made by George Yeats, but using the Arabic names
from Vivian Robson, The Fixed Stars and Constellations in Astrology
(YL1772).
This is a research‐based article is written for the instilling a scientific temperament and information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same time it is a tribute to my teachers at the Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan, Mumbai. Prof. Anthony Writer
MESSAGES FROM THE WONDROUS CANOPY OF THE HEAVENS
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
The Mansions of the Moon according to H.C, Agrilla’s Occult Philosopy. 1883
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
fellowship,
drives away
mice, confirms
captivity
9 Achaam eye of 12°51'22" hinders harvests to cause The image of a
Alcharph Leo Cancer and travellers, infirmitie man wanting
creates discord s his privy parts,
between men shutting his
eyes with his
hands
10 Algeliach neck or 25°42'51" strengthens to The head of a
e forehead Cancer buildings, facilitate lion
Aglebh of Leo extends love, child-
good will and bearing
help against
enemies
11 Azobra Leo’s 8°34'17" helps journeys fear, A man riding a
Ardaf mane Leo and money reverenc lion, holding the
from e and ear thereof in
commerce, and worship his left hand,
redeeming and in his right,
captives holding forth a
bracelet of gold
12 Alzarpha tail of 21°25'40" prospers the A dragon
Leo Leo harvests and separatio fighting with a
plantations, n of man
betters servants, lovers
captives and
allies, but
This is a research‐based article is written for the instilling a scientific temperament and information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same time it is a tribute to my teachers at the Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan, Mumbai. Prof. Anthony Writer
MESSAGES FROM THE WONDROUS CANOPY OF THE HEAVENS
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
hinders sailors
13 Alhayre dogs or 4°17'09" favours the images of man
winged Virgo benevolence, agreeme in red wax and
ones of money, nt of woman in white
Virgo voyages, married wax embracing
harvests, couples
freedom of and for
captives dissolvin
g charms
against
copulatio
n
14 Achureth, Virgo’s 17°08'34" favours marital divorce A dog biting his
Arimes, ear of Virgo love, healing of and tail
Azimeth, corn sick, good for separatio
Albumec journeys by sea n of the
h, but bad for land man
Alcheyme from the
h woman
This is a research‐based article is written for the instilling a scientific temperament and information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same time it is a tribute to my teachers at the Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan, Mumbai. Prof. Anthony Writer
MESSAGES FROM THE WONDROUS CANOPY OF THE HEAVENS
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
hinders travel
16 Azubene horns of 12°51'22" hinders much A man sitting
Ahubene Scorpio Libra journeys and merchan- on a chair,
marriage, dising holding a
harvests and balance in his
commerce, but hands
helps
redemption of
captives
17 Alchil crown 25°42'51" improves bad against An ape
of Libra fortune, helps thieves
Scorpio love to last, and
strengthens robbers
buildings, helps
sailors
18 Alchas heart of 8°34'17" causes discord, against A snake holding
Altoh Scorpio Scorpio sedition, fevers his tail above
conspiracy and pains his head
against of the
powerful, belly
revenge from
enemies, but
frees captives
and helps
buildings
19 Allatha, tail of 21°25'40" helps besieging facilitatin A woman
Achala, Scorpio Scorpio and taking of g birth holding her
Hycula, cities, driving and hands upon her
Axala people from provokin face
This is a research‐based article is written for the instilling a scientific temperament and information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same time it is a tribute to my teachers at the Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan, Mumbai. Prof. Anthony Writer
MESSAGES FROM THE WONDROUS CANOPY OF THE HEAVENS
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
positions, g the
destroys sailors menstrue
and captives s
20 Abnahaya the 4°17'09" helps taming hunting Sagittary, half a
beam, Sagittariu beasts, man and half
transom s strengthens an horse
prisons,
destroys allies’
wealth,
compels a man
to come to a
certain place
21 Abeda the 17°08'34" favours the A man with a
Albeldach desert Sagittariu harvests, destructi double
s money, on of countenance,
buildings, somebod before and
travellers, y behind
causes divorce
22 Sadabach the 0° incites the the A man with
a, shepher Capricor flight of slaves security wings on his
Zodebolu d n and captives, of [i.e. to feet, bearing an
c, helping escape, catch] helmet on his
Zandelde and curing of runaways head
na diseases
23 Sabadola swallow 12°51'22" causes divorce, destructi A cat having a
Zobrach ing Capricor freedom of on and dog’s head
n captives, wasting
healing of sick
This is a research‐based article is written for the instilling a scientific temperament and information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same time it is a tribute to my teachers at the Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan, Mumbai. Prof. Anthony Writer
MESSAGES FROM THE WONDROUS CANOPY OF THE HEAVENS
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
This is a research‐based article is written for the instilling a scientific temperament and information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same time it is a tribute to my teachers at the Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan, Mumbai. Prof. Anthony Writer
MESSAGES FROM THE WONDROUS CANOPY OF THE HEAVENS
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
This is a research‐based article is written for the instilling a scientific temperament and information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same time it is a tribute to my teachers at the Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan, Mumbai. Prof. Anthony Writer
MESSAGES FROM THE WONDROUS CANOPY OF THE HEAVENS
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
Galileo was very interested in these previously "invisible" stars because he felt
they were critical to understanding nebulae and the Milky Way. Galileo
thought that what had previously been seen as a milky luster in the sky was no
more than these invisible stars. The Milky Way then was just the view of
these far distant stars from earth. Nebulae or nebulous stars were in fact
actually a number of small stars clustered together. Galileo went on to prove
this assertion by sketching out two "nebulae" which were indeed clusters of
stars. He depicted the Orion's Head nebula and the nebula of Praesepe
(located in the Cancer constellation).
This is a research‐based article is written for the instilling a scientific temperament and information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same time it is a tribute to my teachers at the Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan, Mumbai. Prof. Anthony Writer
MESSAGES FROM THE WONDROUS CANOPY OF THE HEAVENS
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
William Lilly(1602-1681)
William Lilly was the most successful and influential astrologer of 17th
century England. His career spanned the turbulent years of the English Civil
Wars, Cromwell's Protectorate and the Restoration of Charles II. His
almanacs and pamphlets had a tangible effect on public opinion, his clients
included many of the leading political and military figures of an age when
most people naturally believed that the stars and planets had a direct
influence on human affairs.
The Elizabethan astrologer, William Lilly, identified about fifty fixed stars in
his horary delineations. He says that the Fixed Stars have an influence when
in conjunction, opposition, square or parallel aspect with a planet, or
significant point in the horoscope. They are particularly important when in
the Ascendant or Angles at birth, or when near the Sun or Moon. They also
have an effect when directed to the Angles and can be activated by major
transits
This is a research‐based article is written for the instilling a scientific temperament and information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same time it is a tribute to my teachers at the Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan, Mumbai. Prof. Anthony Writer
MESSAGES FROM THE WONDROUS CANOPY OF THE HEAVENS
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
This is a research‐based article is written for the instilling a scientific temperament and information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same time it is a tribute to my teachers at the Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan, Mumbai. Prof. Anthony Writer
MESSAGES FROM THE WONDROUS CANOPY OF THE HEAVENS
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
This is a research‐based article is written for the instilling a scientific temperament and information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same time it is a tribute to my teachers at the Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan, Mumbai. Prof. Anthony Writer
MESSAGES FROM THE WONDROUS CANOPY OF THE HEAVENS
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
dove, which he formed from nine stars that Ptolemy had listed as surrounding
Canis Major; he also invented the unlikely sounding Monoceros, the unicorn,
and Camelopardalis, the giraffe, from faint stars uncharted by Ptolemy. These
three Plancius constellations are still accepted by astronomers, but his other
inventions fell by the wayside.
Eleven more constellations were introduced later in the 17th century by the
Polish astronomer Johannes Hevelius (1611–87), filling the remaining gaps in
the northern sky. They were illustrated in his star atlas called Firmamentum
Sobiescianum, published posthumously in 1690. Oddly enough, Hevelius
insisted on observing with the naked eye even though telescopes were by then
available; many of his constellations were deliberately faint as though he was
boasting of the power of his eyesight. Of Hevelius’s inventions, seven are still
accepted by astronomers (see table below). The rejected four were Cerberus,
Mons Maenalus, Musca and Triangulum Minor.
Although the northern constellations were now complete, there were still gaps
in the southern sky. These were filled by the French astronomer Nicolas Louis
de Lacaille (1713–62) who sailed to South Africa in 1750 and set up a small
observatory at Cape Town under the famous Table Mountain, which
impressed him so much that he later named a constellation after it, Mensa. At
the Cape from August 1751 to July 1752 Lacaille observed the positions of
nearly 10,000 stars, an astounding total in the short time.
This is a research‐based article is written for the instilling a scientific temperament and information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same time it is a tribute to my teachers at the Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan, Mumbai. Prof. Anthony Writer
MESSAGES FROM THE WONDROUS CANOPY OF THE HEAVENS
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
Whereas Keyser and de Houtman had mostly named their constellations after
exotic animals, Lacaille commemorated instruments of science and art, with
the exception of Mensa, named after the Table Mountain under which he had
carried out his observations. His full catalogue, and a revised map, was
published under the title Coelum Australe Stelliferum in 1763. In this
catalogue, Lacaille divided up the unwieldy constellation Argo Navis, the ship,
into the subsections Carina, Puppis and Vela that astronomers still use as
separate constellations. As well as creating 14 new constellations, Lacaille
eliminated a pre-existing one – Robur Carolinum, Charles’s Oak, introduced
by the Englishman Edmond Halley in 1678 to honour King Charles II.
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
All those from Lacaille’s time onwards who gerrymandered with the
constellations did so without lasting success, but there were plenty of
astronomers who tried to leave their mark on the sky. Constellation mania
had reached its height by 1801 when the German astronomer Johann Elert
Bode (1747–1826) published his immense star atlas, Uranographia, containing
over 100 different constellations; but by then astronomers realized that things
had gone too far, and during the ensuing century this number was eroded by a
process of natural wastage. In 1899 the American historian R. H. Allen
summed up the prevailing situation in his book Star Names and Their
Meaning: ‘From 80 to 90 constellations may be considered as now more or less
acknowledged’.
One serious deficiency was that there were still no generally agreed
boundaries to the constellations. Since Bode’s time cartographers had drawn
dotted lines snaking between constellation figures, but these were arbitrary
lines of demarcation that varied from atlas to atlas. The matter was settled
once and for all by astronomy’s governing body, the International
Astronomical Union (IAU). At its first General Assembly in 1922, the IAU
officially adopted the list of 88 constellations, covering the entire sky, that we
use today. On behalf of the IAU a Belgian astronomer, Eugène Delporte
(1882–1955), then drew up a definitive list of boundaries for these 88
constellations.
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
There is some doubt as to Halley's exact date of birth. Some sources give it as
08 November 1656, but Halley's own account gives it as 29 October 1656. As
there was no baptism certificate in his local parish near Shoreditch, the exact
date has never been satisfactorily determined. Whatever the exact date,
Halley was born into a financially secure home at Haggerston, just outside
London. He went to school at Saint Pauls, and then went on to Queen's
College, Oxford where his interest in astronomy grew. At the age of 20 and
only halfway through his university degree, and influenced by John
Flamsteed's Star Catalogue of the Northern Skies, Halley decided to catalogue
stars in the southern hemisphere. Halley and a friend set off in November
1676 to sail to St. Helena (an island in the South Atlantic) with free passage
granted by the King with the East India Company. During Halley's stay in St
Helena, he observed a transit of Mercury on 07 November 1677 and
catalogued the positions of some 360 stars. On returning to England in 1679
he had his observations published as the Catalogus Stellarum Australium,
which contained detailed positions of 341 stars. The Catalogus received wide
acclaim. Not only was it the first catalogue of the southern hemisphere stars
but also the first mapping of stars compiled using a telescope. It established
Halley's scientific reputation, prompted Cambridge University to award him
an honorary degree, and the Royal Society to elect him a Fellow
During 1718 Halley observed Sirius, Aldebaran and Arcturus and compared
their positions in the sky with Ptolomey's Star Atlas; noticing that the
positions did not agree Halley thus discovered the phenomenon of stellar
proper motion
This is a research‐based article is written for the instilling a scientific temperament and information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same time it is a tribute to my teachers at the Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan, Mumbai. Prof. Anthony Writer
MESSAGES FROM THE WONDROUS CANOPY OF THE HEAVENS
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
This is a research‐based article is written for the instilling a scientific temperament and information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same time it is a tribute to my teachers at the Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan, Mumbai. Prof. Anthony Writer
MESSAGES FROM THE WONDROUS CANOPY OF THE HEAVENS
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
Struve started a complete survey of the sky, as far south as -15° declination.
At the end of his survey he had catalogued about 120,000 stars including some
2200 doubles. He published the catalogue in 1827. During the years 1825-1827,
Struve constructed a travelling wire micrometer. He then used this instrument
to measure accurately the positions of the various components of the double
and multiple stars which he discovered. After publication of his first
catalogue, Struve wrote two books on double and multiple stars, published in
1837 and 1852. The 1837 book included additional double and multiple stars,
increasing the total to 3112.
Between 1834 and 1837 Struve determined the parallax of Vega, arriving at a
parallax angle of 0.26 arc sec. (The modern value is under half this, 0.12
arcsec.) Bessel is usually credited with determination of the first stellar
parallax, of 61 Cygni in 1837; in fact it is probable that Struve preceded this
date by a year or so. However, Besell's results gained a quicker acceptance by
the astronomical community than did Struve's.
After holding the post of Director of the Dorpat Observatory for 24 years,
Tsar Nicholas I of Russia invited Struve to take over the directorship of a new
observatory at Pulkovo. The observatory was situated about ten miles south of
St. Petersburg (now known as Leningrad), being built and equipped to
Struve's own specifications. Struve worked at Pulkovo Observatory for over
20 years, concentrating on more double star studies. Struve's son, Otto,
assisted with the observations. In 1861, Struve retired from the Directorship
of Pulkovo and was succeeded by Otto.
This is a research‐based article is written for the instilling a scientific temperament and information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same time it is a tribute to my teachers at the Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan, Mumbai. Prof. Anthony Writer
MESSAGES FROM THE WONDROUS CANOPY OF THE HEAVENS
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
This is a research‐based article is written for the instilling a scientific temperament and information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same time it is a tribute to my teachers at the Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan, Mumbai. Prof. Anthony Writer
MESSAGES FROM THE WONDROUS CANOPY OF THE HEAVENS
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
This is a research‐based article is written for the instilling a scientific temperament and information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same time it is a tribute to my teachers at the Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan, Mumbai. Prof. Anthony Writer
MESSAGES FROM THE WONDROUS CANOPY OF THE HEAVENS
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
During 1911 Hertzsprung discovered that the Pole Star was a Cepheid
variable, varying by 0.2 magnitude in a period of about four days.
Hertzsprung became a professor at Leiden in Holland in 1935, and upon his
retirement, he returned to his native Denmark, dying on 21 October 1967.
Russell was educated at Princeton University, New Jersey, receiving his
doctorate in 1900. He worked for a short time in England before returning to
teach at Princeton. Russell's research led him to the discovery of the
luminosity-colour-spectral class relationships of stars. Russell presented his
results at a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of
Science in December 1913. He published his work in 1914, some nine years
after Hertzsprung.
This is a research‐based article is written for the instilling a scientific temperament and information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same time it is a tribute to my teachers at the Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan, Mumbai. Prof. Anthony Writer
MESSAGES FROM THE WONDROUS CANOPY OF THE HEAVENS
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
This is a research‐based article is written for the instilling a scientific temperament and information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same time it is a tribute to my teachers at the Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan, Mumbai. Prof. Anthony Writer
MESSAGES FROM THE WONDROUS CANOPY OF THE HEAVENS
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
He says that the fixed stars were changing their positions owing to precession.
Until recently the fixed stars were found to be moving through space in
immense and unknown orbits. Each fixed star is similar to our Sun in
structure and general composition, differing only in size and temperature. It
This is a research‐based article is written for the instilling a scientific temperament and information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same time it is a tribute to my teachers at the Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan, Mumbai. Prof. Anthony Writer
MESSAGES FROM THE WONDROUS CANOPY OF THE HEAVENS
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
shines by its own light and is probably surrounded by its own system of
planets. The distance of fixed stars is measured in light years and the nearest
to us being Bungula is at a distance of 4.3 light years.
Motion of the fixed stars :
There are 3 distinct kinds of motion.
a) Precisional motion due to the precision of the equinox where all stars
appear to advance their longitude at the rate of 50” per annum due to
the retrograde motion of the Vernal Equinox.
b) Proper Motion: In 1718 Halley discovered that Arcturus and Sirus had
moved southward since the time of Ptolemy and it is now recognized
that all stars possess a motion of their own that causes them gradually
to change their positions relative to each other. As seen from the earth
the average proper motion of a first magnitude star is about 0.25’’ per
annum while that of a sixth magnitude stars about 0.04’’. In common
with the other stars, our Sun is moving through space, we are told that
the real cause is the precision, it is probable that the orbit is one
necessitating about 26000 years for a complete circuit. The direction in
which the Sun and the whole Solar System is moving, the Apex of the
Sun’s way, lies on the border of Hercules is R.A. 277º 5’ and declination
35º N which corresponds to Capricorn 11º and Lat. 58º N.
c) Radial Motion: This is only another form of proper motion found in the
approaching or receding body which has been use to measure its
velocity.
d) Binary and multiple stars: Stars which appear to be single to the naked
eye are in fact two or more under the examination of the telescope,
lying very close together. In the same way we may have triple or
quadruple stars grouped together.
This is a research‐based article is written for the instilling a scientific temperament and information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same time it is a tribute to my teachers at the Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan, Mumbai. Prof. Anthony Writer
MESSAGES FROM THE WONDROUS CANOPY OF THE HEAVENS
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
This is a research‐based article is written for the instilling a scientific temperament and information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same time it is a tribute to my teachers at the Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan, Mumbai. Prof. Anthony Writer
MESSAGES FROM THE WONDROUS CANOPY OF THE HEAVENS
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
modernized the subject over the years. Such events are worth mentioning over
here because interpretation of fixed stars is a part and parcel of astrology.
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
Now, at the end of the 20th century of the Common Era - more than 5,000
years after the earliest scribes of Sumer first recorded already ancient wisdom
passed down to them by memory-chanters - the recovery and translation of
ancient texts have made it possible to rediscover, analyze, test and employ this
great heritage of star-knowledge. What was once known only to the most
learned priests of the earliest civilizations has come into our hands, that we
may now take our place in the sacred succession. “
This is a research‐based article is written for the instilling a scientific temperament and information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same time it is a tribute to my teachers at the Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan, Mumbai. Prof. Anthony Writer
MESSAGES FROM THE WONDROUS CANOPY OF THE HEAVENS
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
the ecliptic, and from the zodiac, they are definitely "alive" in the astrological
sense, I nonetheless grant the validity of the general principle stating that the
closer the star is to the ecliptic the "more alive" its ecliptic longitude will
appear to be, other things being equal.
"Other things being equal" may include some diverse additional factors, like
the real or apparent magnitudes or luminosities; the intrinsic nature of the
star, etc. Some very influential stars are actually quite away from the ecliptic.
Polaris is such an extreme case, and yet, I very well know from experience
that Polaris IS a very influential star in the chart. I have found it to be true
that Polaris tends to confer extreme "goal oriented" attitude in the natal
chart. Some big zodiacal stars are very influential but yet not as much as some
small extra zodiacal stars that are even more potent, like Algol (Beta Perseus),
which has declination is + 40:46.
The fact that the ecliptic longitudes of fixed stars that are very removed from
the ecliptic are astrologically "alive" is, I think, one of several independent
indicators that there is a great deal more to the ecliptic, as a modulus, than we
actually tend to grant, or even imagine. In my Lessons for the "I Am an
Astrology Student", I have structured some basic axioms of the astrological
system, and the 3rd axiom is called the Axiom of Ecliptic Modularity, stating
that of all the possible muduli where we could conceivably measure the
longitude coordinate for the purpose of referencing a specific direction in the
heavenly vault, none is better than the ecliptic. And what does it mean for a
modulus to be better than another?. That's the key question. The answer is
that the better the modulus, the more you can make do, for astrological
purposes, with only one of the two necessary coordinates to specify a point in
the celestial sphere.
To grasp better the idea, think that as a corollary of this 3rd axiom, it follows,
for example, that if instead of referencing the positions of the planets on the
great circular modulus of the ecliptic in degrees and minutes of longitude
from the fiducial say at the Spring Equinox, we instead carried this
This is a research‐based article is written for the instilling a scientific temperament and information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same time it is a tribute to my teachers at the Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan, Mumbai. Prof. Anthony Writer
MESSAGES FROM THE WONDROUS CANOPY OF THE HEAVENS
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
Instead of referencing the positions of the fixed stars on the ecliptic modulus,
or on the equatorial modulus, we referenced them onto another, arbitrary
great circle, maybe not too far from either of these two ones so as to not get
too far off anyway from where the planetary action is at in heavens, then we
would have to rely a great deal more on the second coordinate, the "y". On
the ecliptic, the "x" is longitude of course, and the "y" is Latitude. On the
Equator the "x" is Right Ascension and the "y" is declination, in both cases
from the same fiducial at the tropical zero Aries. Now imagine this 3rd circle,
also passing through the Equinoctial axis for the sake of not introducing
further variables, ok ? But this 3rd circle is arbitrary, although its center is
also the center of the earth like for the ecliptic and the equatorial great circles.
In this 3rd circle we are going to reference the positions of the planets now,
instead of in the ecliptic as we usually do.
The "x" now in this 3rd circle will be measured also in degrees from the same
fiducial as in the other two great circles of heavens, the one astrologers use
(ecliptic) and the one astronomers use (equator), namely the zero Aries. And
the "y" will be measured along the perpendicular just like the Latitude in the
ecliptic modulus or the Declination in the equatorial modulus. If my
contention is correct, then what I am saying is that because the ecliptic has
greater true astrological modularity, latitude is less important than if we did
the measuring on the equator, where declination becomes more necessary
than Latitude was in the ecliptic modulus; and even much more important
This is a research‐based article is written for the instilling a scientific temperament and information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same time it is a tribute to my teachers at the Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan, Mumbai. Prof. Anthony Writer
MESSAGES FROM THE WONDROUS CANOPY OF THE HEAVENS
(PART V)
T h e ir n a m e s a r e w r itte n
in b u r n in g g o ld in th e
H a ll o f F a m e o f E te r n ity
will be the "y" measurement if we were instead using the imaginary and
arbitrary 3rd great circular modulus I described.
Because the ecliptic is really the best astrological modulus possible, when we
measure upon it, one single coordinate, namely ecliptic longitude, can actually
do marvels. That's the corollary of the axiom of ecliptic modularity.
In another explanatory plane, we can adduce that this is so because the
ecliptic plane is the only plane that goes through the gravitatory center of the
Sun and of the Earth, and that additionally the planets are never too far off
from this ecliptic plane, and the planetary plane is so important because it
"stirs" dynamically the more astrologically archetypal light that comes to us
from the stars and the directions to other deep space objects.
The ecliptic is a great deal more than an arbitrary modulue, and thus its
properties are way beyond the properties of an arbitrary referential
modulue’s for quantifying a positional coordinate. We better accept that
truth. That's why we can do marvels with only longitude.”
This is a research‐based article is written for the instilling a scientific temperament and information on
the Fixed Stars.At the same time it is a tribute to my teachers at the Jyotisha Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan, Mumbai. Prof. Anthony Writer