Travel with them, on a month-long journey. Watch closely, as they quickly change in relationship to one another! Discover the basis for several interpretive practices. Observe the effects of these and other dynamic events in the sky...

Legend for Symbolic Color-tones of Text
*Backspace Key returns you here

Venus
'Graciously Benevolent'

Venus is the third brightest heavenly object, following Earth's Moon and Sun. When she circles close to the Sun, as she does twice during her 584 day synodic ¹ rotational cycle, she surrenders her visibility completely. Diving into visual proximity, of so formidable a light as the burning Solar orb, costs her either her diurnal or nocturnal celestial role (as viewed from our terrestrial perspective).

Each time she makes her pilgrimage "into the heart of the Sun", she reveals another aspect of herself, switching from the one persona to the other. These are characterized by her sequential lodgings in either the morning or the evening sky. They follow her rhythmic, and apparently close Solar encounters. At either end of this bi-phasic dance of fiery ingestion, she pauses to retrace her steps, turning retrograde for about 6 weeks....

June 18, 2005

Venus' ancient tradition of benevolence is recalled in the child's rhyme...
"Star-light, star-bright, first star I see tonight:
I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight!"

Venusian retrograde cycles mark the beginnings of her orbital journey. During their appearance, she passes between the Sun and Earth, making her closest approach to Gaea's own terra firma [perigee]. That is the initializing phase. Nearly 10 months later, she disappears into the shimmering heat of the Sun again, but without the backwards waltz. This time, her orbit slings her far out beyond the Sun, where she is at her greatest distance from Earth [apogee].

Midway between these two extremes she peaks into her most visible periods, once in her morning-star phase, and once in her evening-star phase. She shines her brightest when she is most individuated, when she reposes at her maximum retreat from the all-consuming tendrils of that compelling inner sanctum:   resting within reaching Solar arms.

At the borders of her freedom when at greatest elongation, Venus is also at her finest; shining first as a brilliant orb, well into the light of dawn. Months later, she re-emerges amidst the lengthening of afternoon-shadows, clearly preceding even a fast-descending twilight. Her persuasive sparkling seduces our vision, time and again, as she hangs lucidly in our morning, and then our evening sky. Glimpsing Venus in her glory, at either of the times of her furtherest elongation, is a succulent treat that we terrestrials can enjoy for weeks-on-end, every year!

The Return of Venus
~ 2005 ~

...a Personal Story

Even prior to the approach of my own most recent Venus Return (to her natal---or birth---position), I began enjoying the return of her bright presence at nightfall. The Venusian evening-star phase remains my favorite time of day to view her, for it's convenient to watch her, as she becomes brighter and brighter. Late this past spring, while not yet to the limits of her maximum elongation (when she reigns over the darkening heavens while brightening them with her most supreme brilliance) she was nevertheless a beautiful sight in the colorful desert twilight.

Mercury's Elusive Trail
"Grab the Trail by the Tail, and then..."

Consulting a computer-drawn Astrology chart, I discovered that Mercury was traveling closely along with Venus. This was exciting because I had knowingly seen Mercury only once before, at a lecture by Astrologer Daniel Giamario, which I was privileged to attend a few years ago. In the middle of his talk, he took the entire class out into the parking lot to view Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars and Saturn (if I recall them all correctly)! Anyway, I was eager to see Mercury, once again; and to capture some kind of photos of him this time around, if possible.

Chart for photograph, above:

June 18, 2005

A three-planet conjunction bids farewell to the day
(the Sun has already set below the western horizon).
Rounding off, Mercury will set in about 15 min,
Venus in about 30 minutes, Saturn in about an hour.

At the new Moon, in early June, I began looking for Mercury, knowing from current transit charts that he should be above the horizon at sunset. I began searching the sky immediately around the lovely Venus, already bright in the waning light; yet was disappointed, night after night.

I'd seen from that initial chart that Mercury was further west than Venus:   his was a lesser Zodiac degree. That meant he would be closer to the horizon. So, I knew to look below her, between her quite vivid emplacement, and the skyline.

But, there was a long, rapidly darkening horizon stretching before me. No little sparks of light stood out anywhere below Venus. I wasn't sure whether to focus my attention to the north or south. The sky was just too big, and everything insisted on setting far too quickly! Finally, in desperation, I fired up the computer again....

Declination to the Rescue!

June 18, 2005

Declination Table for just the planets in the photograph, above
(arranged top to bottom in order, as placed in photo). Sun listed for reference.

The thing most capable of clearing up the mystery---that I knew of---was the day's Tables of Declination. Suddenly, I resolved to consult them. Of course, I probably should have done that sooner! But, what I really wanted to do, was to just walk right outside and see that planet!

Well, a quick review of the current-moment's chart reaffirmed that Mercury had to be there, all right, and fairly close to Venus. But, he proved to be just a little further north than she was, by declination ²....

Armed with this knowledge, I went back outdoors, and spotted Mercury almost immediately! Knowing I had only a little time before he would slip behind the edge of the visible western skyline, I ran into the house for camera equipment, and set to work. The fruits of that labor evolved into these pages.

A Very Lucky Break

June 18, 2005

Saturn, to the upper left, is at 26°35' Cancer,
Venus, near the center, is at 18°56' Cancer,
Mercury, toward the bottom right, is at 15°18' Cancer.

Capturing Saturn in the photograph was serendipitous, I must confess. The first charts I'd looked at were from early June. Saturn was much higher in the sky, then. Focused so completely on Mercury, as I was, I overlooked Saturn entirely, until after my little photo session had finished up!

Yet, there was Saturn, in all his grand ³ reliability, holding state summits from his lofty celestial holding. He was well above Venus, and very definitely south (to the left) of her. But, most importantly, he was captured in my photograph! With such immensely good luck, I probably should have raced out and bought arm loads of lottery tickets!!

Declination

June 19, 2005

Saturn, Venus, Mercury angle downward across the sky, setting after the Sun
(which by Declination would be directly below Venus).
The 1.2 magnitude star Beta Gemini [Pollux], is to their upper right...

North/South

These photos are all of the western sky, taken during the twilight that falls right after sunset, and with varying amounts of exposure. Just gazing at these earlier ones, it's easy to see that Mercury is further to the right than either Venus or Saturn (right is towards the north, of course, because the camera faces west). And, Saturn is quite a lot further to the left (south) than Venus.

Declination is the north/south coordinate usually used interpretively by Astrologers. It describes much of the phenomenon revealed by the twilight skyline, shown above. Declination is quite similar to the concept of Latitude on the surface of the earth, which measures distances (in degrees of arc) north or south from earth's Equator.

In this case the starting point is the Celestial Equator---an extension of Earth's equator out into space. It is projected onto an imagined globe that surrounds the earth. That globe is called the Celestial Sphere. Numerous other coordinate lines are also drawn upon the Celestial Sphere. Some of them mirror similar lines "drawn" upon Earth, for navigational, and mapping purposes.

But, north and south is only half of the story...

So What Measures East/West?

The more familiar Zodiac is the Astrologer's most-used east/west coordinate. Thus, some of the planetary positioning in the photo, above, must also reveal the planets' various degrees of the Zodiac signs. At the time of the setting Sun, planets close to him will briefly appear, aligned one above the other (east/west), just as these are. Altogether, this may sound a bit odd, at first....

Like the Sun, they've traveled across the sky all day; but, his intense solar radiance rendered them completely invisible. Nevertheless, they followed him from rising in the east, up into the sky, and back down, to set in the west. Once his strongest rays are conveniently blocked by the "edge of the earth", they can finally be seen! In the photograph, above, the planets closest to this late Gemini Sun (and the horizon) are in mid-Cancer. The one furtherest away is in late Cancer.

Coordinates of Zodiac position & Declination
are listed separately, for each photo.
The photo itself is the link!

The new Moon, for example, first appears as a slender crescent to grace the evening sky, just above the setting sun. From there, she moves quickly through the signs, at the rate of nearly half-a-sign per day. So, by nightfall each day, her place in the sky is much higher, above the western horizon, than it was the day before.

Consulting an Ephemeris, with its daily listings of planetary positions, reveals that Moon's major progress, averages some 12° - 15° per day. She virtually speeds through the Zodiac, never once turning back....

Watching that new Moon grow full in the nightly sky confirms that her daily starting position is more to the west, at first. She moves from nearly setting at new (when still a slim crescent), through culmination ⁴ at first quarter, and on towards rising at full, as her starting point each nightfall is driven eastwards.

Planetary motion through the Zodiac comprises one cosmic wheel/clock (of 3; each is illustrated by animation, via the link...). Its motion is due to Earth's rotation around the Sun, a motion which unites Earth with her fellow travelers, the other planets....

Like their other movements in the sky, some planets will make the complete journey through the Zodiac more quickly than others. Our moon, often called Luna or Selena in mythology, lives in a complementary union with the earth's own orbit. Fastest traveler of all the planets, she circuits the Zodiac every month! The 'inferior' planets, (Mercury & Venus), like the Sun, essentially have an annual cycle. The 'superior' planets (all the others) have longer cycles, with those cycles naturally lengthening in proportion to their distance from Earth.

Declination
a Seasonal Messenger

Icons of seasonal holidays vary culturally,
yet the turning seasons are widely celebrated.

Our four seasons depend entirely upon the position of the Sun in the sky. In earth's temperate zones, Summer and Winter contrast through hot and cold. Long summer days absorb much solar radiation, warming the land and its air masses. Short winter days cool them both, once again.

The milder seasons of Spring and Fall are often the most pleasant times of the year. Yet, they all commence relative to the Sun's declination. Whether his position is north, south, or in between, the seasons follow exactly in his trail. Each year, the Sun makes the complete circuit, traveling from south to north, and back again. Simultaneously, he travels through all the signs of the Zodiac. His year is our year.

Typically, Western Astrologers use the Tropical Zodiac. It is closely tied to life on Earth, because it is based upon the seasons of the year. Those Four Seasons serve to create a balance of hospitable climactic conditions so critical to the ongoing support of all Life upon Earth.

The Tropical Zodiac, with its strong, defining link to the Seasons, stands as an excellent allegory of the experiential dimensions of human life, and of all life. There are many seasonal growth components in the dramatic human life cycle, as it ranges from conception through gestation, past birth, though infancy, childhood, adolescence, and into adulthood, maturity, the wisdom years, and finally edging toward a natural physical decline....

The more agrarian world of plant-life raises a sharp, clear mirror of these rhythms; yet unfolds them rapidly, parading them in annual periodicities. The seasons cycle the fields and woods through their sprouting phase, through leafing out, blossoming, and setting fruit. Fruit matures, harvest arrives, the leaves fall, signs of life retreat for the colder months; until the Sun returns to call forth the leaves, once again....

The fixed rhythmicity of the Tropical Zodiac is also reassuring and predictable. Seasons begin regularly at the Cardinal Ingresses ⁸ of the Zodiac signs.

Spring and Fall arrive with the Equinoxes,
and are celebrated at 0° Aries and Libra.

The Solstices announce Summer and Winter,
and are demarcated at 0° Cancer and Capricorn.

Thus has it ever been on Earth,
and ever shall it be....

·

A Year of Solar Declination
·   The Celestial Equator   ·

In the graphic, above, the central grey horizontal line represents the Celestial Equator, located at 0° declination. Each horizontal green line, running parallel above and below it, is separated by 10° of arc. Planets or objects located above the grey line are in Northern declination; those below it are in Southern declination.

The number of degrees above or below the Celestial Equator can be recorded for each celestial body. This is expressed by a plus (+) or minus (-) sign, positioned in front of the number of degrees of Declination.

Crossing the Celestial Equator
·   A Full Year of Seasons   ·

The Vernal Equinox arrives when the ascending Sun crosses the Celestial Equator. Notice that the symbol for the sign Aries is on the extreme left of the graphic, above. From there, the tracing follows the Sun's steady pathway northwards, through the remaining signs of spring until it reaches its most northerly declination and enters Cancer.

Once there, it begins the slow journey southwards through the other signs of summer. Following the Autumnal Equinox, at the onset of fall (0° Libra), the Sun steps below the Celestial Equator. Dropping further southwards, the Sun finally reaches the beginning of Capricorn, and the start of winter. Thence, the season turns, and the slow ascension of the great, life-giving Solar Orb begins, once again.

Declination in 3-D

The graphic, above, can be also viewed in another way. If the northern part is placed at the top of a full-sized Celestial Sphere, and the southern part is placed on the bottom of the same sphere, we can see the seasonal year in a more holistic way.

It's as if both halves curve about the edges of the large, flat, circular, disk-like plane that is the central Celestial Equator. It's then viewed edge-on, as in the graphic below. This gives us a tracing with many of the elements of a more accurate three-dimensional perspective.

·   Symbolic Connections   ·

The traced outline of the Sun's annual pathway in Declination resembles an almond shape. In many places, the Almond trees bear the first flowers of the year. In some ancient cultures, this tied it to spring, as the Awakener; and, by extension, became a symbol of watchfulness.⁹ As watchfulness is necessarily a state of consciousness, strong links to Life itself must also be implied.

The almond shape is a basic figure in sacred geometry. Comprised of two intersecting circles, it is frequently used in art. Standing on one end, it is often seen as a glowing surround for virginal Queens of Heaven. Here it's called Vesica Piscis.⁹ It symbolizes the self-productive, the virgin (which can also be understood as one who answers only to the Divinity), the yoni, the sacred. The Vesica Piscis is the 'mystical almond' and it has been used for centuries to denote divinity, holiness, but also virginity and the vulva.⁹ As such, it's another symbolic link with the emergence of Life.

The Vesica Piscis can be seen to represent an opening, or gateway. The two curving sides exemplify the polarity of opposites, and hence, the existential state of duality, itself. Sometimes called a Mandorla, as well, its shape also resembles a flame, which implies the Spirit, or a manifestation of spiritual principles, or the soul.⁹

·   Portal of Life on Earth   ·

The curving almond shape of the annual solar pathway is, indeed, a gateway to Life. As supporter for all life forms, the Sun co-creates the material plane, wherein the dimensional shift can occur that allows souls to incarnate onto this schooling-plane, Earth. It shares, along with the Vesica Piscis, all the things symbolized, in essence, and in effect. The relationship can be clearly seen, whenever the solar pathway is distilled down enough to be reduced in size, so as to visualize its shape. It is, undoubtedly, a larger version of that sacred form.

Using More Celestial Planes...
Means Additional Earthly Definition!

Sketch of the Celestial Sphere, outlining both
the Equatorial Plane and
the Plane of the Ecliptic. Planets travel
about 8° above & below the central Solar pathway.

The Equatorial Plane On Earth... Specific places on the surface of the Earth appear on terrestrial maps as lying north or south of the Equator (0°N/S), and east or west of the observatory in Greenwich, England (designated as 0°E/W). Such locations are pinpointed between parallels of Latitude (north-south), and meridians of Longitude (east-west). Measured in degrees, minutes, and seconds of arc, these cross to form a gigantic grid-work extending all over the globe. Activities of navigation, mapping, and boundary descriptions all benefit from their widespread use. ...As It Is in the Heavens. Extending these coordinates out into space creates an Equatorial-based grid which can be projected onto the Celestial Sphere (lightly sketched above, but seen more fully in the earlier example on this page). Declination is the north-south measurement of this grid. Right Ascension, often used by Astronomers for locating celestial objects, is its east-west coordinate. 0° Right Ascension has the Vernal Equinox as its starting point. Coincidently, that's the starting point of the Tropical Zodiac, most frequently utilized in the practice of "Western" Astrology. ________________ Declination & Interpretation Declination accurately measures the Solar journey north and south of the Celestial Equator. As such, it is a coordinate best suited for measuring the year, with it's life sustaining cycling of the seasons. Those greater seasons of the Earth hold a promise of life for all terrestrials, and declination beats in rhythm with it's heart. Caught in this larger pattern, human life, indeed, all life, is seasonal, by nature. There are preparatory, gestational seasons prior to the emergence of life, through the vehicle of birth. There are formative seasons, where growth, learning and development highlight the years. There are productive seasons, when the young go forth, to meet with their respective destinies. There are wisdom seasons, where the accumulation of experience finally crowns the seeker with understanding. There are seasons of decline of the physical prowess, where travelers seek more times of rest, prior to reaching the end of their journey-days. In the likeness of the greater seasons of Earth, and her Sun, lie the essence of the lesser seasons of humankind. ·   Declination Marks the Lifetime   · When planets cross the Celestial Equator, it implies a change of venue of some kind.... Transiting planets, especially the Moon, do this with relative frequency, their rhythms depending mainly upon orbital duration. As transits are often linked to external events, rather than internal states, a more personalized look may be afforded by studying the progressed declinations for the natal chart. Occasionally, a planet will run further north or south than the limits observed by the Sun. Such a planet is considered out of bounds. Planetary declinations, outside of that zone defined by the Sun's annual path (out of bounds), are said to act "outside the norm". Expect them to be strongly emphasized in the chart. Because she moves quickly through the Zodiac, the Moon travels out of bounds more frequently than other planets. Any, or all, of the Lunar rulerships can be affected in some way. Some years will see more of this activity, or see it from different planets. Outer planets move slowly, and will linger at various places along the way. Therefore, they will vary mostly from year to year, or even from decade to decade, in some cases. With an overview for the individual, such as the lifetime progressed declination chart, these changes take on a most personal form, and can be used to shed the light of understanding upon life-changing events, as well as important lifetime cycles. Lifetime Progressed Declination Chart Graphic Ephemeris example for Oregon, USA:   the first 150 years!

Declination and the Zodiac

·  Two Complementary Planar Views  ·

So, by now, it's easy to see that Declination and the Zodiac, while complementing each other as to being "x-y" coordinates of N/S and E/W, are really singular coordinates lifted wholesale from two separate, and quite different, planes of the Celestial Sphere.

Borrowing singular components from two great planes of the Celestial Sphere, and putting them together (Declination, and the Zodiac), gives Astrologers a broader spectrum of understanding. It offers them a much wider palette from which to paint their interpretive pictures. By combining a glimpse from east to west from one plane (the Zodiac), with a view of north to south from another (Declination), they can hope to achieve a rounder, more three-dimensional perspective.

Both are useful, and both add excellent information to the process of chart delineation. I have found that sometimes aspects made by Declination are the only thing that can explain certain phenomenon clearly evident in the life.

Using Aspects with Declination

·   Degrees of Declination   ·

Degrees of Declination for the major planets span less than 30° either north or south of the Celestial Equator. At a maximum of only 23°27' north or south, solar declination straddles the center-line of the almond-shaped, full-circuit Zodiac.

With less than 60 degrees of motion, total, and only 47° for the Sun, orbs must be kept small. Generally speaking, consider orbs of aspect in Declination to be around 1°. But, like ordinary Zodiacal aspects, there are certain conditions where adjustments can be made. In fact, in those zones they are advisable.

·   Aspects   ·

For the purposes of interpretation, the Declinational aspects are grounded in the twin concepts of conjunction, and its close associate, opposition. But, to differentiate between similar angular relationships across separate coordinate systems, they go by different names. A 'conjunction', in Declination, is called parallel; and an 'opposition' is called contraparallel. Because these aspects form more slowly than conventional aspects, they tend to last longer. Hence, if they also support Zodiacal conjunctions and oppositions, they will often add elements of endurance to the mix.

Viewing the full year of Solar Declination sketched onto the Celestial Sphere, above, illustrates that contraparallel planets are often on opposite sides of the zodiac from one another, although what is really being measured is their presence on opposite sides of the Celestial Equator. My personal observations prompted additional sketches, based on dramatic Solar-Lunar alignments near the solstice, that further substantiate the essential brotherhood of contraparallels with the Zodiacal aspect of opposition.

Seeing planets in close parallel, really confirms its kinship with the familiar aspect of conjunction, although again, what's actually being noted is the fact that they are on the same side of the Celestial Equator. All the multi-planet photos, taken during my summer odyssey, exemplify the proximity of planets in similar northern Declination. Serial views of evolving planetary relationships, captured over a month's time, are illustrative, also. All of these, as well as examples of both types of Declinational aspects, are presented on the next page....

·   Adjusting Aspect Orbs   ·

Only planets traveling near one of the Solstice regions can reach the maximum limits of declination, or beyond. As mentioned earlier, planets traveling beyond the limits of Solar declination tend to behave outside the norm in some way. Take note of them, for they are signaling their importance by their unique positioning.

Astrologers who use Declination, may use smaller aspect orbs of a degree or even less, for the extreme reaches north or south. This may include any planets in the signs of Gemini and Cancer, or Sagittarius and Capricorn.

The Solstices mark the shift from north to south; although while there, the Sun appears to stand still for about three days. Similarly, planets seem to linger on any of the degrees encompassing these regions. With such slow movement, smaller orbs are advisable. Some of these may warrant only ½° or less, especially for planets less emphasized in the chart. Those nearest the Solstices, unless they're emphasized by being out of bounds, are so slow moving that the narrowest of orbs are far more suitable.

Conversely, only planets traveling near the equinoctial points will be approaching 0° N/S declination. Planets in this area of the sky will travel briskly through the north or south degrees. Planets near the spring equinox will be in late Pisces, or early Aries; those that approach the fall equinox will be in late Virgo, or early Libra. Here, a wider orb may be desirable (of up to 3° in some cases, e.g. for any prominently placed, or personal planet).

·   Changes of Season - Changes of Life   ·

Planets traveling to the extremes of north or south, to 23½° or beyond; or planets changing from north to south declination (and vice versa), especially in progressions, tend to indicate a change to the course of life, often precipitating as events. Those events will, in turn, be the likely progenitors of significant alterations to the person's innermost reality.

The progressed Moon's declination is a particularly potent indicator, one that is not only predisposed to crossing from North to South (and vice versa), but also one who is quite willing to travel out of bounds. Also take note as to whether she is in an ascending or descending phase. Each will boast of different turns of fortune. Showing much more movement than the average progressed planet, the Moon will also travel in and out of aspect with the natal, or progressed planets. All such cases will likely indicate changes of scenery, of some kind. It is probably suitable to consider them changes in the seasons of life! (Example of Progressed Declination Graphic.)

·   Solstice Points or Antiscia   ·

Declination does have one factor that does not seem analogous to anything in the ordinary Zodiac circle. That factor is the concept of solstice points, which are also called antiscia, an older term descending directly from the Greek, meaning literally: "shadows on the other side; opposite shadows". Indeed, they seem to act astrologically as mirror or reflection points for related planetary energies.¹⁰

Ptolemy first used the term, applying it to two planets with the same declination on the same side of the equator. By aspect, such planets would be parallel. He would have called planets in contraparallel "contra antiscia".¹¹

Some modern astrologers use the onset of the summer and winter solstices as the specific dividing point. So, planets at the same degree of declination, on opposite sides of the 0° Cancer-0° Capricorn axis (pale blue vertical line, above) would carry a relational basis. That axis would be at their Midpoint, and they would both sit at the same distance above---or below---the Celestial Equator, which is the bedrock upon which Declination is built.^{10, 11}

Two such aspecting planets could both be in the natal chart, or one could be from another chart, such as a progression, direction, or transit. These are sensitive points, and aspects with them may indicate specific crossroads in the life, where events coalesce to drive one's course down an entirely different path.¹⁰

When planets form ordinary aspects with solstice points, the points seem to act as if they were the actual planet with which they are affiliated.¹⁰ In the drawing above, for example, the Sun sits at 20° north declination, and is at 29° Cancer. The solstice point for the Sun has the same declination (green horizontal line), and rests at 0° Gemini. In about seven years, this Aquarian Moon will progress to 0° Gemini, where it will trigger an energy pattern equivalent to a conjunct aspect with the Sun. Progressed Moon's landing on the Sun's solstice point is capable of creating a virtual Sun-Moon conjunction!

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There's More:   See Next Page!

The Saga Continues...

Example photos taken over a month's time.
Actual shots from 15 different days are on display.
See the interplay of Declination and the Zodiac in action!

...another StarlitPath Photo Link!

______________
 
All footnotes linked to end of article....
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Articles on Using Astrology's Starlit Path:

[Table of Contents]  [Decans]  [Duads]  [Eclipse]  [Declination]
 [Horoscope]  [Ascendant]  [the Angles]  [Combust!]  [Zodiac]
 [Page Designing in Solar Fire^®]  [News'n Views]

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