by Jonathan H.C. James

There are Sidereal Astrologers & there are Tropical Astrologers.

The former clump is composed of Vedics/Jyotish, Constellationists & Western Siderealists. They appear to be measuring the planets's paths — in the sky above and below us — in relation to the sidereal 8th sphere, (e.g., the ACTUAL star constellations). So, the Siderealists are measuring the apparent motions and placements of the planets against the backdrop of the stars (8th sphere) from our earthly observation point.

Planets traveling along the Ecliptic can't pass more than 8º North or 8º South Latitude of the Sun's path along the Ecliptic through the Band of the Zodiac. The planets seem to be traveling through both the Siderereal Zodiac and the Tropical Zodiac (North or South Latitude along the path of the sun).

From our terrestial perspective we can SEE them passing through star constellations. This is the Sidereal system.

Modern western Astrologers measure their planets against the Ecliptic & the Tropical Zodiac. We start at 0º Aries where the Sun's path intersects the Celestial Equator. 90º Later we have the start of the 4th sign of Western Tropical Astrology. When the two imaginary Great Circles — Ecliptic & Celestial Equator — cross AGAIN, then is autumn & the 7th sign, which is 180º. 270º we tradtionally know as the 10th sign. Then, 360º deposits us back at the original starting point along the chord of the circle, or 0º Aries.

One system, Oriental, uses the Sidereal zodiac to measure planets (apparent) pathway and their influences. The Occidental system uses the Tropical in measuring the planets (apparent) Both deal with the measurement of a circle and the relation of points on that circle and its meaning in relation to man.

Some thousand or so years ago, the sidereal constellation of Aries lined up with the Spring Equinox (or, the sun's path crossing the equator = 0º out of a possible 360º of its orbit). Then the stars movements slid backwards against the circle of the sun, traveling at a slightly different speed (relative to earth observation).

The Tropical Astrologers kept on measuring life's events by the Sun's Equinox points in its Great Circle. (We generally call the 0º point as 0º Aries.)

Siderealists kept on keeping time on human events through the sidereal clock. And their Zodiac starts roughly at 24º Pisces.

The stars do not revolve around our sun in the old, geocentric view. Rather, they circled around the earth once in 24 hours. According to this view the planets will keep their orbit around the earth — and therefor, they will continue to move along the ecliptic — as long as a meteor doesn't strike them broadside!

Western ancients referred to fix'd stars/constellations as having natures similar to planetary combos, I remember reading. (Bernadette Brady is an excellent scholar of Western Fixed Star Astrology, if your really want to check this out, as well as Diana Rosenberg).

So, which history of Astrology are we talking about?

Contact? the medieval_Astrologer@yahoo.com