 | Astrology: Encyclopedia II - Astrology - Description
Astrology - Description
In past centuries astrology often relied on close observation of astronomical objects, and the charting of their movements, and might be considered a protoscience in this regard. In modern times astrologers have tended to rely on data drawn up by astronomers and set out in a set of tables called an ephemeris, which shows the changing positions of the heavenly bodies through time. It is the interpretation of these science based tables that makes astrology a target for the label pseudoscience.
Central to most traditions of horoscopic astrology is the calculation of a horoscope. This is a diagrammatic representation in two dimensions of the celestial bodies' apparent positions in the heavens from the vantage of a location on Earth at a given time and place. The horoscope of an individual's birth is called a natal chart (other names for this diagram in English include natus, nativity, star-chart, astrological chart, astro-chart, celestial map, birth chart, sky-map, cosmogram, vitasphere, soulprint, radical chart, radix, or simply chart).
The path of the sun across the heavens as seen from Earth during a full year is called the ecliptic by astronomers. This, and the nearby band of sky followed by the visible planets is called the zodiac by astrologers. A few Western and all Jyotish (Hindu) astrologers use the sidereal zodiac, which uses the true astronomical positions of the stars and constellations which lie on the ecliptic. The majority of Western astrologers base their work on the tropical zodiac, which aligns with the seasons but not with the actual positions of the stars.
To determine the astrological signs in which the Sun, Moon, and the other celestial bodies fall on any given day, hour, minute, or second, it is necessary to consult an ephemeris or use an astrological computer program which will have a built-in ephemeris.
Computer programs make it easy to calculate the horoscope so that the modern astrologer can spend more time interpreting the chart rather than calculating it. The consequence is that it is now possible for some to practice astrology with little understanding of celestial mechanics.
Interpretation of a horoscope/natal chart is governed by:
- astrological aspects: the positions of the major planetary bodies relative to each other,
- their positions relative to the astrological signs of one of the zodiac sytems,
- their position in one of the systems of astrological houses,
- their positions relative to the horizon line (namely the ascendant/descendant axes, zenith/midheaven and nadir/immum coeli axes),
- the position of deduced astronomical entities, namely the Moon's nodes.
Significant traditions of astrology include but are not limited to:
- Western astrology (using the tropical zodiac),
- Chinese astrology,
- Jyotish (Vedic astrology),
- Western sidereal astrology (using the sidereal zodiac),
- Mesoamerican astrology,
- Tibetan astrology, and
- Kabbalistic astrology.
Some of these can also be subdivided into specific branches, such as
- natal astrology (the study of a person's birth, or natal chart),
- judicial astrology (the foretelling of the destinies of individuals and nations),
- horary astrology (a chart drawn up to answer a specific question), and
- electional astrology (a chart drawn up ahead of time to determine the best moment to begin an enterprise or undertaking).
- medical astrology (using the client's natal chart and/or a horary chart to diagnose and treat various illnesses)
Other areas of specialized astrological study are
- Mundane astrology that sees correlations between geological phenomena (such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, etc.) and astronomical phenomena.
- Political astrology , is the ancient branch of astrology dealing with politics, and government.
- Meteorological astrology uses methods which are supposed to be able to predict the weather.
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