Traditional Astrological dates 2

- 2000 Av.J.C.

- 1500 Av.J.C.

- 1000 Av.J.C.

- 500 Av.J.C.

01.01. Av.J.C.

1000 Ap.J.C.

1500 Ap. J.C.

2000 Ap.J.C.

A Comparison of the Positionof the Sun Over Time

The following images display the position of the sun on 1 January at 500-year intervals. The shift is caused by the precession of the Earth. Simply put, the Earth is wobbling on its axis (just like a spinning top) at a rate of roughly one wobble every 26,000 years. This not only puts the sun in a different position relative to the stars, but the north star is drifting as well. Stargazers of 4000 years ago probably would have called Kochab the north star, at that time it was closer to the North pole than Polaris. Notice that during the time in which the Greeks started using the individual's birth date to determine personality and prediction (c. 250 BCE), and when Ptolemy wrote his works on Astrology, defining Western Astrology for future generation (c. 150 CE), someone born on 1 January would have indeed been a Capricorn. But today he or she would in fact be a Sagittarius.

The perceptive reader will notice that the leap from 1500 CE to 2000 CE is much larger than the rest. That is due to the fact that in the year 1582, when the Gregorian calendar replaced the outdated and incorrect Julian calendar, 10 days were dropped out of the month of October in order to correct the drift in the calendar caused by the fact that the Julian calendar did not include the 400-year leap years. In order to correct the situation, in 1582 the dates from 5 October to 14 October were skipped. Thus, in the Gregorian calendar (the one we use today) the day after 4 October 1582 is actually 15 October 1582.

Traditional Astrological dates

Astrologers today are working with a dating scheme that has been outdated for over two millenia--and which was never particularly accurate to begin with. The traditional dates for the positions of the Zodiac constellations are simply incorrect. But modern astrologers don't actually observe the sky the way ancient astrologers did. They simply go by ancient charts based on the position of the Sun in the stars over 2000 years ago.
As the following table indicates, the traditional dates for the Sun's position in the Zodiac are not only out of sync with the actual sky, but they are artificially separated into 30-degree segments to make each sign last an average of 30 days. As you can see in the right side of the table, the signs are anything but evenly distributed across the sky. You will also notice that there is in fact a thirteenth constellation--Ophiuchus--which is ignored by traditional Astrology.



TRADITIONALASTROLOGICAL DATES


Aries
21 Mar - 19 Apr
30

Taurus
20 Apr - 20 May
31

Gemini
21 May - 20 Jun
31

Cancer
21 Jun - 22 Jul
32

Leo
23 Jul - 22 Aug
31

Virgo
23 Aug - 22 Sep
31

Libra
23 Sep - 22 Oct
30

Scorpio
23 Oct - 21 Nov
30

Sagittarius
22 Nov - 21 Dec
30

Capricorn
22 Dec - 19 Jan
29

Aquarius
20 Jan - 18 Feb
30

Pisces
19 Feb - 20 Mar
30-31


ACTUAL ASTRONOMICAL DATESTODAY (c. 2000 C.E.)


Aries
19 Apr - 13 May
25

Taurus
14 May - 19 Jun
37

Gemini
20 Jun - 20 Jul
31

Cancer
21 Jul - 9 Aug
20

Leo
10 Aug - 15 Sep
37

Virgo
16 Sep - 30 Oct
45

Libra
31 Oct - 22 Nov
23

Scorpius
23 Nov - 29 Nov
7
Ophiuchus
30 Nov - 17 Dec
18

Sagittarius
18 Dec - 18 Jan
32

Capricornus
19 Jan - 15 Feb
28

Aquarius
16 Feb - 3/11
24-25

Pisces
12 Mar - 18 Apr
38

Aries 13

Aries is a zodiacal constellation representing the ram of the Golden Fleece sought by Jason and the Argonauts. The ram had originally been presented to Nephele by Mercury when her husband took a new wife, Ino, who persecuted Nephele's children. To keep them safe, Nephele sent Phrixus and Helle away on the back of the magical ram, who flew away to the east. Helle fell off into the Hellespont (now the Dardanelles) between the Aegean Sea and the Sea of Marmara, but Phrixus safely made it to Colchis on the eastern shore of the Black Sea. Phrixus sacrificed the ram and presented the Golden Fleece to the king, Aeetes.

Roughly 2000 years ago, the vernal equinox was in the constellation Aries. This is no longer the case, due to precession of the earth's axis, but Aries is still regarded as the first constellation in the zodiac.

Aries 12

"The Ram", is an ancient constellation which was of considerable importance since the sun passed through it at the vernal equinox.
This point has now moved into Pisces, but the vernal equinox is still known as the First Point of Aries. (As a matter of possible interest, in the year 2000 the point will be at zero degrees and zero hours; about 6.5º south of omega Psc.) In another six hundred years the point will have moved into Aquarius.
The Ram in question may have been the one whose golden fleece was the object of Jason's quest.

There is some reason to believe that the Greeks just took over a much older horned animal at this time of the year; the horn being a symbol for fecundity, renewal, and so on. As the Sun came into this constellation, at the vernal equinox, the year itself was being renewed.

Aries' stars are rather faint except for alpha and beta, which are only second magnitude stars.

Double stars:

Gamma Arietis is a well-known binary of similar stars: 4.8, 4.8; PA 360º, separation 7.8".
Lambda Arietis is a wide binary: 4.9, 7.7; PA 46º, separation 37.4".
Epsilon Arietis is a closer binary of nearly equal stars: 5.2, 5.5; PA 203º, separation 1.4".
30 Ari is a fixed binary with wide component: 6.6, 7.4; PA 274º and separation 38.6".
33 Ari is also fixed, with a faint component: 5.5, 8.4; PA 360º, separation 28.6".

Variable stars:

Gamma2 Arietis is an alpha CV type variable: 4.62-4.66 with a period of 2.6 days.
SX Arietis (56 Ari) is the prototype of a special class of rotating variables, similar to alpha CV variables. SX Ari varies from 5.67 to 5.81 every 17h28m.

Aries 11

Aries is the first of the fire elements and its elemental quality is hot and dry. Its' qualities in the seasonal North are hot and wet while cold and dry in the Southern. It is masculin whose similitude is of the diurnal sect.Aries is the diurnal domicile of Mars (Ares) and the Sun is exalted at 19°. It is the detriment of Venus at 25° and Saturns fall at 21°. The ruler of its triplicity by day is the Sun followed by Jupiter. By night it's ruler is Jupiter followed by the Sun. The co-ruler by day and night is Saturn.
"Aries is . . . . authoritative, fiery, free, ascending, semi-vocal, good, changeable, administrative, public, civic, unprolific, servile, Midheaven of the Cosmos, and cause of repute. . . ."

Aries 10

"The stars in the head of Aries possess an influence similar in its effect to that of Mars and Saturn; those in the mouth act similarly to Mercury and to some degree Saturn; those in the hind foot, to Mars and those in the tail to Venus".- - Ptolemy"The first image is Aries,and it's stars are thirteenwhich includes the horn and the belly."- - Ibn EzraJust east of the great square called Pegasus lays the constellation of Aries. Most visible in the autumn sky, we can locate easiest the 3 main stars, which make up Aries, the brightest of which is Hamal. The stars which form the horns and nose lies just west of Pleiades and is about 6 degrees of celestial latitude north of the eclipticThe ancients characterized in art the Ram looking back, depicting him watching Taurus and the other ten signs that follow him.

"Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit."--the Bible

Throughout history, has come to us in a multitude of forms, the stories of supreme effort and sacrifice leading to resurrection and atonement. In Genesis chapter 22, is told the story of Abraham's' test of faith. He had been promised to be the father of a great nation and his wife Sarah had given birth to her only child, Isaac, at an age well past that of a bearing woman. God then called upon Abraham to offer up Isaac as a sacrifice. In obedience Abraham took the son of promise and laid him upon the alter ready for sacrifice, when the Lord stays Abraham's hand and in Isaacs place gives a ram to be sacrificed instead. (Genesis 22)In the book of Exodus we can read the story of how the Israelites on the eve of their departure from the land of Egypt, were protected from the angel of Death that was sent by God to plague the Egyptians by painting the door posts of their homes with the blood of a sacrificial lamb. The Angel of Death would see the blood of the sacrifice and therefore Passover them and their household.In the Laws that followed from Moses, we see in the book of Leviticus, that if a man in ignorance sinned against the law, atonement could be made through the sacrifice of a ram "without blemish". As a matter of fact the ram was to become the most preferred sacrifice to God.Aries had Athena-Minerva as its guardian goddess.

She was the goddess of wisdom. At her birth, we're told she sprang from the head of Zeus clad in her armour, brandishing her lance, and giving her war cry. Although a martial goddess, her most characteristic attribute is her practical intelligence and she is the patroness, inspirer and teacher of all specialized workers and artists. Her chief traits are prudence and valour. She never goes to war unless forced and when she fights, always wins. Her emblem is the owl.Later, in Greek/Roman mythology, comes to us the story of the Golden Fleece. There we can read the story of Phrixus, the son of Athama and Nepheles, who was threatened with death as a sacrifice to the gods by his evil stepmother Ino. Hermes (Mercury) sent Phrixus a sacred ram that possessed Golden Fleece. He and his sister Helle escaped by flying through the air on the ram. On their way to their sanctuary in the city of Colchis, Helle fell off the ram and was drowned. Phrixus arrived safely, sacrificed the ram, and hung the fleece in the grove of Ares. The Golden Fleece was later to be carried off by Jason and the Argonauts.Still later in the Christian tradition, Christ was to be known as the "lamb of God". The ultimate sacrifice of God sending His Son to be given as a living sacrifice for mankind's atonement. Thus the crucifixion and subsequent resurrection symbolising the death to self and this world bringing to us salvation and resurrection.

Aries 9

Aries constellation in the years approximately 2,000 years before the birth of Christ was the position of the equinox, previously the position held by Taurus. The change was due to the precession of the axis and became evident throughout the mythologies of several areas as the cult of the ram overtook that of the bull. The constellation was at one time called the Prince of the Zodiac. This slow precession has since shifted the sun's position from Aries to Pisces.
Mesopotamia:
The Sumerians called the sun, Subat, meaning the Ancient Sheep or Ram and the planets the Celestial Herd. The bright star in Aries, Hamal, meaning the lamb, represented one of the stars in the Scimitar, a celestial weapon that protected against the Seven Diabolic Spirits of the Storm. The Babylonian priest Berossos who lived around 275 BC said that the world was created when the Sun was in the Ram.
Egypt:
The Egyptians associated Aries with the god Amon Ra. During the time of Dionysus and his campaigns in Africa, his troops were traveling through a sandy desert. They ran out of water and were worn out struggling through the sand. A ram appeared before them, rose up in the air and landed behind a dune. When scouts followed the animal, they came upon a spring of water, but no ram. Dionysus ordered the building of a temple to Zeus Amon on the spot where the spring rose. A likeness of the ram was placed in the temple and the ram was placed in the heavens in a position of great importance.
The cult of Aries had its beginning here since its position at the zenith coincided with the rising of Sirius in the east and the flooding of the Nile. The Temple of Amon-Ra at Karnak bore the likeness of the supreme sun-god with the horns of a ram. The road to Karnak was formed from the wings of two granite sphinxes bearing the head of Aries.
Greece:
In the second century BC the Greek astronomer Hipparchus set up the system for measuring positions of stars and other fixed objects in the heavens. He established as his starting point the location of one of two places where the Sun crossed the "celestial equator," an extension of Earth's equator out into the sky. Thus, the vernal equinox, where the Sun stood at the beginning of spring, became the reckoning point for the heavens.
During Hipparchus' time this was located in the constellation Aries, the Ram. This fact of history gave everlasting fame to one of the smallest and dimmest constellations of the zodiac. From that time hence, even though the vernal equinox slowly drifts along the ecliptic, it has been referred to as the "First Point of Aries." This could get confusing if we forget its historical origin, for the "First Point of Aries--the vernal equinox--is currently in the constellation Pisces, the Fishes, just west of Aries.
There are several mythological stories involving Aries. It is said, for example, that this was the ram Zeus transformed into in order to escape giants pursuing him. The most famous legend of all, however, is that of Jason and the Argonauts and their quest for the Golden Fleece.
The story begins in Thessaly with Phrixus and Helle, Children of Athamas, King in Boeotia. Their stepmother mistreated these boys, so merciful Hermes (Mercury) sent them a ram with Golden Fleece, which they rode away upon, sailing through the air to cross the sea. Helle fell in mid-flight, over the strait between Europe and Asia, drowning in the sea which thereby acquired the name "Hellespont" (near the Dardanelles). When Phrixus landed safely in Colchis at the East End of the Black Sea, he sacrificed the ram to Zeus (Jupiter) and gave the Fleece to Aeetes, King of that land, who placed it in a sacred grove guarded by a dragon that never slept. Later, believing that Phrixus' ghost wanted the radiant golden hide recovered, Jason and fifty of the foremost heroes of the time (including Castor and Polydeuces, who we will meet in a couple of months in this column) built a ship and mounted an expedition for the purpose of acquiring the legendary Fleece. Amid trial and turmoil, which included slaying the fire-breathing dragons and a crop of warriors that arose when the dragon's teeth were sown in a field, they succeeded. Finally, to honor the valiant ram, Zeus placed it among the stars in the gleaming girdle encircling the sky, the zodiac.
Aries has none of the brightest stars, so a little patience and persistence is required to learn to locate it. Look to the east in the evening and find the dim clustered stars of the Pleiades and, below them, the companion cluster in a "V" shape, the Hyades. The bright reddish star at the end of the "V" is Aldebaron, brightest star in Taurus, the Bull. Let Aldebaron be the beginning of an arc and extend it on through the Pleiades (it is about one clenched fist at arm's length between Aldebaron and the Pleiades).
Keep on going about 25 degrees (two clenched fists at arms length) where the two brightest stars of Aries, close together (two finger-widths at arms length apart), will form the West End of the arc. Notice the dimmer star located just beyond the second star of the pair in Aries; let this dim star form the very tip of the arc we have described. Now, back along the arc, about midway between the Pleiades and the brightest star of Aries, there is still another very dim star belonging to Aries. The four stars you have found, two of them considerably brighter than the others, are all there is to see of Aries without optical aid.
It is not the brightness of the stars of Aries that makes them worth knowing. They provide one of the twelve constellation sky-marks to help you know the zodiac, and it is the zodiac, after all that is essential if you are to know the apparent journeys of the Sun in our sky caused by the fact that we orbit the Sun.
From mid-April until mid-May the Sun is drifting under the stars of Aries that we have just described. Thus, they are not visible during spring. We begin to pick them up in the early morning in summer and they rise in the evening during autumn. In late November they are high in the southeast at 8:00 p.m. and nearly overhead by 10:00 p.m. If you have trouble finding them, visit your local planetarium or contact your local astronomy club for a program about the current sky and ask the staff or club member to identify Aries. You could also ask one of these organizations for a chart of the sky to assist in finding Aries.
The ancients needed a marker of some sort to indicate the beginning of spring. The only stars occupying that particular place on the Zodiac at that time were those dim ones we now recognize as Aries. Around 1800 B.C. the position occupied by Aries on the Zodiac band was an important one, and will be again in the distant future. It marked the beginning of spring and was known as the First Point of Aries.
The brightest star in Aries is Hamal, from the Arabic Al Ras al Hamal, meaning "the Head of the Sheep." The ancient Greeks from about 1580 B.C. to 360 B.C. oriented the construction of many of their sacred temples in relationship to Hamal.
In May of A.D. 1012, a supernova reportedly was seen in Aries.
The Chinese knew Aries as a dog, Kiang Leu. Later they knew it as Pih Yang, or the White Sheep.

Aries 8

Aries is a rather inconspicuous northern constellation and sign of the zodiac, which honors the ram whose golden fleece was sought by Jason and the Argonauts. Aries used to contain the vernal equinox, the point where the Sun crosses the celestial equator. Nowadays the vernal equinox has moved in the constellation Pisces, but sometimes it is still called the first point of Aries. The constellation can be seen from latitudes between +90° and -60°, and is best visible in the winter sky. The spring equinox, March 21, is the beginning of the new zodiacal year and Aries, the first sign, is therefore that of new beginnings.
Aries is devoid of prominent deep sky objects, and has only a few stars of interest, notably the triangle made up of the principal stars in the constellation. Aries is a nice constellation to view in the autumn and winter sky. The sun passes through it from late April to mid-May. Although there are not many objects to observe in Aries this constellation is important to astronomers. In former times the vernal equinox (i.e. the point where the Sun crosses the celestial equator when moving from the south to the north) lies within Aries, but due to the effect of precession this point is nowadays located in the western neighbor Pisces. For historical reasons the vernal equinox is still referred as the First Point of Aries. The meaning of this point is equal to the meaning of the null meridian at Greenwich: it is the zero point of the right ascension. This constellation can be found between DECL=+10 degrees and DECL=+30 degrees and between RA=1h 40m and RA=3h 30m, respectively. Over the body of Aries another asterism (pattern of stars seen in Earth's sky which is not an official constellation) is located - the Northern Fly hovers over Aries.

Aries 7

Phrixus and Helle both climbed onto the ram's back and were carried off through the air. Poor Helle was unable to hang on and fell to her death over the strait named after her, the Hellespont, which links the Aegean Sea with the Sea of Marmara in what is now Turkey. Phrixus managed to hang on and was carried by Aries to a land near the Black Sea called Colchis, the capital of which was Aea. Now that the golden ram's work was done, the ram commanded Phrixus to sacrifice him to the gods and remove his golden fleece. Phrixus did and presented the golden fleece to King Aeetes, who was delighted with the gift. The King hung the fleece in the sacred Grove of Ares, where there lived a dragon who never slept and guarded the golden fleece. We are told that so brilliantly did the golden fleece shine that by night it bathed the surrounding countryside in a warm golden light. The brave and generous ram was given an eternal place in the sky as the constellation Aries. It is said that this constellation is a dim one because at the time the ram was immortalized it no longer had its brightly shining fleece.

The ancients needed a marker of some sort to indicate the beginning of spring. The only stars occupying that particular place on the Zodiac at that time were those dim ones we now recognize as Aries. Around 1800 B.C. the position occupied by Aries on the Zodiac band was an important one, and will be again in the distant future. It marked the beginning of spring and was known as the First Point of Aries.



The brightest star in Aries is Hamal, from the Arabic Al Ras al Hamal, meaning "the Head of the Sheep." The ancient Greeks from about 1580 B.C. to 360 B.C. oriented the construction of many of their sacred temples in relationship to Hamal.



Athamas, King of Orchomenus, has taken a new wife, Ino. Ino was a jealous woman and was extremely envious of Phrixus and his sister Helle, Athamas' two children by his first wife. After much persuasion by Ino, Athamas agreed to sacrifice his son, Phrixus, who would have inherited his father's kingdom. Now the god Hermes was aware of the death plot against the boy and at the last minute sent down form heaven a beautiful and powerful ram with golden fleece.



The Chinese knew Aries as a dog, Kiang Leu. Later they knew it as Pih Yang, or "the White Sheep."

Aries 6

Jason and the Golden FleeceAries is connected with one of the great epics of Greek myth, the story of Jason and the Quest for the Golden Fleece. The story begins with the unhappy children of a broken family.

The Wicked StepmotherThe boy Phrixus and his sister Helle were the children of King Athamas of Boeotia and his wife Nephele. But the unhappy marriage of Athamas and Nephele was dissolved by the death of Nephele and Athamas took as his second wife the daughter of King Cadmus of Thebes, a woman named Ino. And of course, Ino couldn't stand the children. She developed a complex plot to get rid of them.
The Plot to Kill the ChildrenThe first thing that she did was to spread disease among the crops in the land of Boeotia so that the crops would fail and there would be no harvest. When the king sent to the great oracle at Delphi to ask of the gods the reason for the failure, Ino bribed the messengers to bring back the answer that the children should be sacrificed to save the crops. Thanks to Ino's bribery, when the king hesitated to make the sacrifice, the local priests insisted that the children must be sacrificed.

Saved by a RamAthamas took the children to the top of a nearby mountain to make the sacrifice, but their mother, Nephele, was watching from heaven. She bade the gods to send down a golden ram from heaven to carry the children to safety. This is the ram of Aries.

Poor Little Girl!At last moment before the sacrifice, the ram arrived. Phrixus and Helle sprang onto its back, as the ram carried them high into the air and carried them off towards Asia. As the ram flew towards the Black Sea, Helle lost her grip and fell off into the channel connecting the Black and Mediterranean Seas. This channel, known as the Dardanelles was named the Hellespont by the Greeks, in honor of the young Helle.

The Fabulous FleecePhrixus held on and was carried into land of Colchis among the Caucausus Mountains, which is an area now occupied by the former Soviet Republic of Georgia. The grateful Phrixus sacrificed the ram to Zeus and presented the golden fleece to the ruler of the land, the much-feared King Aeetes of Colchis, who in return conferred upon Phrixus the hand of his daughter in marriage. King Aeetes hung the golden fleece on an oak tree in the middle of a sacred wood. Thereafter the fleece was guarded by a huge dragon or serpent, which encircled the tree and never slept.

Jason Gets Into the StoryJason, who led the Argonauts to Asia in the quest for the golden fleece, was the rightful heir to the kingdom of Iolcus in Thessaly. But his throne was usurped by Pelias, the cousin of Phrixus.

Getting Rid of an Inconvenient JasonPelias had the throne and the power, but he knew that Jason was the legitimate king. Jason did not have the power to overthrow Pelias, but Pelias could never be safe while Jason was around. Nor did Pelias have a good excuse to kill Jason. So Pelias challenged Jason with an apparently impossible task; he promised Jason that he would yield the throne, if Jason brought back the golden fleece from Colchis in Asia.

The Good Ship ArgoAnd so began the voyage of Jason and the fifty Argonauts. Not only the Ram itself, but also Jason's ship, the Argo, is in the sky. In ancient times, the ship was seen as a sincle immense constellation in the southern hemisphere known as Argo Navis, the Ship Argo. In modern times, this constellation has been broken up into three separate southern hemisphere constellations, Carina - the Keel, Puppis - the Stern, and Vela - the Sail. In addition, some of the stars in the region of Argo Navis have been collected to form the modern constellation of Columba, the Dove.

Aries 5

Distance (Light Years)
65.9 ± 1.3

Visual Magnitude
2.01

Color (B-V)
1.15

Names For This StarOther names for this star are Hemal, Hamul, Ras Hammel, or El Nath (obsolete).

In Arabic Aries, the Ram, is known as Al Hamal, the Sheep. The name of the star reflects the Arabic name of the constellation. The alternative name of the star, Ras Hammel, derives from the Arabic name Al Ras al Hamal, "The Head of the Sheep."
The name El Nath invites confusion with Beta Tauri, generally known as Elnath. This name derives from the Arabic name Al Natih, "The Butting One."
Hamal is Alpha Arietis, that is, the alpha star of Aries. It is therefore sometimes referred to simply as "Arietis."
Description of the StarHamal is a cool, orange K2-IIICa-1 giant. with a luminosity about 55 times that of the sun.
The spectral type implies a mass about 4.2 times that of the sun and a diameter about 18 times that of the sun.

Aries 4

Aries, the ram, is the first astrological sign in the Zodiac, originating from the constellation of Aries. In western astrology, this sign is no longer aligned with the constellation as a result of the precession of the equinoxes. In astrology, Aries is considered a "masculine", positive (extrovert) sign. It is also considered a fire sign, and is one of four cardinal signs.[3] Aries is ruled by the planet Mars. Being the first sign in the zodiac, Aries is associated with the astrological 1st house.
Individuals born when the Sun was in this sign are considered Aries individuals. Under the tropical zodiac, the Sun is in Aries roughly from March 21 to April 19,[4] by definition beginning at vernal equinox. Under the sidereal zodiac, it is currently there roughly from April 19 to May 19.

In mythology, Aries is often associated with the Greek myth of the ram which carried Athamus' son Phrixus and daughter Helle to Colchis to escape their stepmother Ino, as well as the mythological figure of Theseus, from the Greek myth of the Minotaur.
The astrological symbol for Aries is said to represent the head and horns of the ram, and originates from the cluster of stars which constitute the head of the Aries (constellation), according to the work of Doctor Acacandam dating from 1592. The head of Aries is given the name of Aluathay or Salhay, and it consists of four stars.

Aries 3

The different types of Lambs of the Bible.
1) The Lamb’s Book of Life with the names of God’s elect.
2) The wrath of the Lamb in Revelation 6:16, a Lamb showing wrath.
3) The Lamb who is husband of the wife, the bride:the Church as the "Bride of the Lamb."
4) The Lamb whose blood overcomes Satan and the saints’ testimony to Him.
The astrological symbol shows the Lamb facing backward with one paw on the Band, which at one end holds the two fishes of Pisces, and the other end is bound to the neck of Cetus, the Sea-Monster--a varying picture of Satan, the great leviathan of the Scripture. As in the first chapter of Job, God constrains Satan where he cannot do more than what He allows him. Thus Christ is with one hand upholding the Church and also controlling and restraining Satan. Even in Revelation the power of Christ will chain Satan one day.
(Note: It looks as if Cetus had broke the Band, where Aries is a piece of the Band separated, and the two bands of Cetus are being held by the Ram, and Taurus is the other end of the Band which forks off to Auriga upward and to a break above Orion from Gemini.)
See the beginning of Chapter Fivefor the words that are connected to the Old Testament Lamb, Ram, etc...
Arabic Lunar Mansion Names
Of interest is in Daniel 8:3-8, the word ram in Hebrew is ‘ayil, ah’-yil, from the same as Heb. ,‘uwl, ool, from an unused root, to twist, be strong; properly strength, hence anything strong, specially a chief (politically); also a ram (from his strength); a pilaster (as a strong support), an oak or other strong tree.

Aries 2

Ram or Golden Fleece.

In Greek mythology, the ram carried Athamas's son Phrixux and daughter Helle to Colchis to escape Ino. When the ram reached Colchis, Phrixux sacrificed the ram and hung its fleece in the Grove or Ares. This fleece turned to gold and later was the quest of Jason and the Argonauts.
The constellation name was common in Greek, Babylonian and Egyptian cultures.
The ancients needed a marker of some sort to indicate the beginning of spring. The only stars occupying that particular place on the Zodiac at that time were those dim ones we now recognize as Aries. Around 1800 B.C. the position occupied by Aries on the Zodiac band was an important one, and will be again in the distant future. It marked the beginning of spring and was known as the First Point of Aries

The brightest star in Aries is Hamal, from the Arabic Al Ras al Hamal, meaning "the Head of the Sheep." The ancient Greeks from about 1580 B.C. to 360 B.C. oriented the construction of many of their sacred temples in relationship to Hamal.

The Chinese knew Aries as a dog, Kiang Leu. Later they knew it as Pih Yang, or "the White Sheep."


Aries, The Ram [Middle English, zodiacal sign Aries, from Latin aries, ram, zodiacal sign Aries], is on the Meridian on December 10. The second smallest constellation of the zodiac, is composed principally of only three lackluster stars. Aries is seen as a ram, an animal prized by the nomadic tribes of the Middle East. The zodiacal symbol represents the head and horns of the animal.

Around 4000 B.C. the Sun was in this constellation on the winter solstice, which for some cultures marked the beginning of the year. By 1800 B.C. because of the apparent shifting of the sky due to precession, the Sun came to be in Aries at the beginning of spring, which was true in Europe until the change from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar at the end of the 16th century.

Since the second century B.C., when the astronomer Hipparchus mapped the heavens, the vernal equinox and the point in the sky where the Sun lies at that instant have been known as "the first point of Aries." The beginning of the astrological period called Aries coincides with the first day of spring, March 21, but because the precession of the equinoxes continues, the Sun today is actually in Pisces at the beginning of spring and does not enter Aries until April 19.

Others call Aries ‘The Lamb,' although it is a Ram-like creature comparable to the Capricornus Goat-like creature giving rise to a fish. In the New Testament the Greek word for Lamb is very similar to the word Aries, look at them for yourself.
1) Aren, ar-ane’, a noun the nominative case of which is found only in early times, occurs in Luke 10:3. It is perhaps the same as Arrhen, ar’-hrane, or Arsen, ar’-sane probably from airo, male (as stronger for lifting); a lamb (as a male).
2) Arnion, ar-nee’-on, is a diminutive in form originally Aren, ar-ane’, a lambkin, the Lamb of God for sacrifice, redemption and divine vengeance; the One to whom all judgment is committed; see Rev. 6:1 also; Lamb of God is Christ slain as a lamb from the foundation of the world; is seen in a position of sovereign glory and honor, as Leader and Shepherd of His saints; one who is to sit as the Lamb at the right hand of God the Father where he is in Rev. 4 and 5; as the Conqueror of the foes of God and His people; as the Head of His spiritual Bride; as the luminary of the heavenly and eternal city.
3) Amnos, am-nos’, a lamb figuratively of Christ the expected One. It is apparently a primary word; a lamb. Revelation 5:9,10,12 "…has redeemed us to God by thy blood …Worthy is the Lamb that was slain."

Aries 1

Aries First sign


Fire, Masculine,

Lou ( la longe) : 婁宿 Wei ( le ventre) : 胃宿

Alpha Ari : راس حمل
Beta Ari : الشرطان

Gamma Ari :

Delta Ari : بطين

טלה

Martis

חזק



牧
羊

Pisces 10

Ιhsus
Χristos
Θeou
Υios
Σwthr
Iχθύς

Typhon : TufweuV

Pisces was known by the Babylonians as Nunu, by the Persians as Mahik, and the Turks as Balik, all meaning "Fish."

The Arabs also knew Pisces as Al Samakatain, or "the Two Fishes."

Anunitum .

Torcularis Septentrionalis. Torcular.

فم الحوت

雙魚

Pisces 9

The horrible earthborn giant Typhoeus suddenly appeared one day, startling all the gods into taking on different forms to flee. Jupiter, for instance, transformed himself into a ram; Mercury became an ibis; Apollo took on the shape of a crow; Diana hid herself as a cat; and Bacchus disguised himself as a goat. Venus and her son Cupid were bathing on the banks of the Euphrates River that day, and took on the shapes of a pair of fish to escape danger. Minerva later immortalized the event by placing the figures of two fish amongst the stars.

The zodiacal constellation Pisces represents two fish, tied together with a cord. The constellation is neither particularly bright nor easy to locate, but it lies near Pegasus and Aquarius.

Pisces 8

The sun passes through the southeast corner of Pisces; in fact the vernal equinox now lies in Pisces.
Pisces is depicted as two fish connected by their tails at the star alpha Piscium. Indeed, alpha's name, "Al Rischa", means "the cord".

The constellation is rather faint; Pisces' stars are generally fourth magnitude. There are a few fine binaries, an interesting variable, and one Messier object: a splendid face-on spiral, which unfortunately is quite faint and rather a challenge for smaller telescopes.

Double stars:
Alpha Piscium (Struve 202) has an orbit of 933 years (considerably more than the 720 years previously thought): 4.3, 5.2; currently PA 223 degrees, separation 1.6".

Zeta Piscium (Struve 100) is a fine binary: 5.6, 6.5; 63 degrees, 23" separation.

Eta Piscium is a difficult binary to resolve: 3.5, 11; 36 degrees, 1" separation.

Psi1 Piscium (Struve 88): 5.3, 5.5; 160 degrees, 30" separation.

Struve 61 (65 Piscium) is a splendid binary of equal stars: 6.3, 6.3; 297 degrees, 4.4" separation.

The binary is found just on the border with Andromeda. The easiest way to find it is to start from zeta Andromedae, then move north 3 degrees and east half a degree.

Variable stars:
Kappa Psc is an alpha CV variable: 4.87-4.95.
TX Psc (19 Psc) is an interesting irregular, a deep red star that changes only slightly (about 5.0 to 5.5, although some references say from 5.5 to 6.0). Its main attraction is in the exceptionally deep redness of the star.

The star is found between iota and lambda, north two degrees from lambda and one degree east. Or you might find it easier by first starting at gamma Psc and moving seven degrees east. (Burnham, p. 1475, has a finder's chart.)

Pisces 7

Pisces is an ancient constellation derived, some say, from the story of the terrible Greek god Typhon.
(This is not the Chinese word for "big wind", which - in English - is of course spelled "typhoon". The French, however, spell this word "typhon", which adds to the confusion. It is possible that the Chinese borrowed the word from the Greek. The modern Greek equivalent is spelled "tau upsilon phi omega nu" and means "cyclone".)
Typhon was born from Gaia (Mother Earth) and Tartarus. This was Gaia's youngest offspring, but by far the deadliest and the largest monster ever conceived.
Its thighs were gigantic coiled serpents; its arms could spread across the heavens, and its head (in the shape of an ass's head) touched the stars. When it took flight, its wings blotted out the sun, and when it opened its mouth, out came burning boulders.

Typhon was so frightful even the gods of Olympus refused to fight, fleeing instead to Egypt when Typhon attacked their mountain home. Each god disguised itself into an animal: Zeus transformed himself into a ram, Dionysus a goat, and so on. Aphrodite and Eros both disguised themselves as fish and swam up the Nile to escape the monster.

Typhon was eventually defeated, due in large part to the brave and level-headed Athene, who convinced Zeus to take up his thunderbolts and make battle. Typhon actually captured Zeus and placed him in a cave, but Hermes and Pan were able to free him.

To make a long story short, Zeus then took the battle to Typhon, chasing him to Sicily. There Zeus threw Mount Aetna at the monster, finally subduing it. But under the earth, the buried monster still spews up fire and boulders every so often.
While the myth eventually moved to Italy, there were origins from the ancient Hittite culture, as well as the volcanic eruptions along the Aegean archipelago.
As for Aphrodite and Eros, who escaped the monster's wrath, these two were given their fish-like images in the heavens, thus commemorating the time Typhon nearly overran Olympus. Later cultures equated the two fish with the Biblical story of the miracle of the fishes and the loaves.

Pisces 6

Pisces is the third of the water elements and its elemental quality is cold and very wet. Its qualities are cold and wet in the Northern latitudes while hot and dry in the Southern. It is feminine whose similitude is of the nocturnal sect.Jupiter (Zeus) is the domicile ruler and the exaltation of Venus at 27°. It is the detriment of Mercury at 15° and it's fall. The ruler of its triplicity by day is Venus followed by Mars. By night it's ruler is Mars followed by Venus. The co-ruler by day and night is the Moon.
"Those so born are inconstant, of two minds, those who change from bad to good, erotic, servile, licentious, prolific, popular."- - Vettius Valens: The Anthology Book I
Pisces is probably the most difficult of the signs to explain. To best understand this last sign of the Zodiac, let us examine another quote from Valens,
"Pisces is . . . of twin form . . . opposed to itself because of being both in the South and in the North."
Valens reminds us here that Pisces, because of its duality, exhibits within itself both the cold and wet of the north and the hot and dry of the south. I wonder if perhaps the psychologist and philosopher Carl Jung doesn't put us on the right track in understanding what this means when he compares Pisces, the Fishes, as the fish of spirit and the fish of matter. The cold and wet qualities are those of the nocturnal sect whose nocturnal ruler is the Moon. Thus according to Aristotelian principles it is matter. The Hot and Dry is the principle of the Sun; Spirit.This last sign then seems to be founded on its relation to what has been called "Nature's hunger for new forms". Pisces is like the ever-changing Proteus who seeks to elude the pursuer by changing into all sorts of shapes. Naturally, the sign has kinship with things that are shapeless, change shape, or adopt their shape from something else.Pisces moves us into a realm of believing the unseen, faith, sacrifice, devotion, and compassion. It opposes itself because its elemental nature of emotion and feeling finds itself in conflict with the elemental ego nature, the will of the Sun. The moistness of the sign bonds things together it wants to unify and so the separating qualities fight against this. So, Pisceans can often be confused by their own feelings with a deep sense of insecurity and of feeling "lost". It is an inherent need for the Pisces to sacrifice self in order to achieve peace of soul.Because of this "inner" conflict, Pisceans tend to get themselves involved in conflicts that they are not directly responsible for. They often are caught in the crossfire. It is also, why they can swing from total despair to the heights of hopefulness.The dominant urge is to escape from the limitations of ordinary life, the dull and humdrum, into a more colourful world. The results can vary from the drug addict and alcoholic, the daydreamer and then upwards to the artist, the scientist and the mystic. It is not uncommon to hear Pisces labelled as "ineffective". I personally feel, as the world now is, we could do with more of their easy good nature and kindly tolerance.

Pisces 5

"Those stars in Pisces which are in the head of the southern fish have the same influence as Mercury and in some degree as Saturn; those in the body are like Jupiter and Mercury; those in the tail and in the southern line are like Saturn, and moderately like Mercury. In the northern fish; those on its body and backbone resemble Jupiter and also Venus in some degree; those in the northern line are like Saturn and Jupiter".- - PtolemyA faint constellation of the equatorial region of the sky. Just north of Aquarius and Cetus it is surrounded by Pegasus, Andromeda, Triangulum and Aries. The easternmost fish is located just below Andromeda. The westernmost is below Pegasus. The string starts with the eastern fish and travels south towards Cetus before heading west to connect with the other fish.The sun passes through Pisces from mid-March to late April (so it is best viewed in autumn).

The constellation Pisces is known as the fish. Almost every ancient civilization saw this figure. Some saw the figure as a single fish, others saw it as a pair. This constellation probably was originally derived from Mesopotamia. The Babylonians had a constellation of two fish joined by a cord in this area of the sky known as Nunu. It was known by the Persians as Mahik, and the Turks as Balik, all meaning "Fish." The Arabs also knew Pisces as Al Samakatain, or "the Two Fishes."According to Greek myth, there was a monstrous god named Typhon, who was determined to overthrow Zeus and his entire group of gods. So terrifying and powerful was the evil god that he caused the immortal followers of Zeus to flee into Egypt in exile. Zeus alone remained behind to do battle and eventually conquer Typhon. We are told that one day Aphrodite and her son Eros were walking along a riverbank when they sensed the presence of the monstrous god Typhon. Quickly they plunged into the river where they took the form of fishes and escaped. To this day we see them as the Northern Fish and the Western Fish of Pisces.Associations of the Christ story with astronomical factors abound. The Vernal Point and the Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn came together in Pisces. As the Bull and Ram had been worshipped during the preceding Ages of Taurus and Aries, the Fishes became the great mystical symbol. Christ was said to be a "fisher of men" by way of incorporating this into the updated Monomyth. Another Christian symbol, the sacrificed lamb, likely refers to the end of the prior age, Aries, just as the slaying of the Bull in the Mithraic religion is believed to represent the end of the Age of Taurus. Similarly the death of Christ, the Crucifixion, I think contains a symbolic reference to the end of the Age of Pisces when the Age of Aquarius begins. Christ's body was fixed to the Cross (Cruci-fixion) but astrologers know of something called the "Fixed Cross." This is the group of four so-called "fixed" Zodiacal signs forming a cross within the circle of the Zodiac: Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius. When the Vernal Point precesses into Aquarius, the four seasonal points, the two Equinoxes and two Solstices, themselves always forming a cross, will have moved into the fixed signs or Fixed Cross of the Zodiac from the mutable signs where they are now. And on the way to his Crucifixion, Christ also made twelve stops, known as the "Stations of the Cross," another allusion to the twelve Zodiacal signs. [Terry Alden: "The Mill of Time"].

Pisces 4

Pisces contains that point in the sky occupied by the Sun during Vernal Equinox, the day on which the hours of daylight and night are equal, which falls about March 21. So Pisces claims the number one position of importance among the twelve constellations of the Zodiac.

According to Greek myth, there was a monstrous god named Typhon, who was determined to overthrow Zeus and his entire group of gods. So terrifying and powerful was the evil god that he caused the immortal followers of Zeus to flee into Egypt in exile. Zeus alone remained behind to do battle and eventually conquer Typhon. We are told that one day Aphrodite and her son Eros were walking along a riverbank when they sensed the presence of the monstrous god Typhon. Quickly they plunged into the river where they took the form of fishes and escaped. To this day we see them as the Northern Fish and the Western Fish of Pisces.

Pisces was known by the Babylonians as Nunu, by the Persians as Mahik, and the Turks as Balik, all meaning "Fish."

The Arabs also knew Pisces as Al Samakatain, or "the Two Fishes."

The Syrians regarded fish as holy animals and so refused to eat them.

The Chinese called Pisces at various times the Dark Warrior, the Northern Emperor, and the Pig. But after missionaries were established in that country the constellation became known popularly as the Two Fishes.

A German story illustrates the wealth-giving power of fishes and points out a moral for greedy humans. This story describes how Antenteh and his wife lived in very poor circumstances in a cabin by the sea. Their only possessions were a crude cabin and a tub. They had filled the tub with down and feathers from swans and geese so that they might, at least, have a place to sit and rest. One day Antenteh caught a fish, which pulled and tugged so vehemently at the net that he decided to let the fish go back to the sea again. To the amazement of Antenteh, the fish started to speak to him. The fish told Antenteh that he was an enchanted prince and, in return for his release, Antenteh could ask for anything he desired. But Antenteh was a simple soul and felt so honoured at having rescued a person of such nobility that he would not accept anything. However, when his wife heard the story, she became extremely angry with him for letting such an opportunity pass. She nagged Antenteh until he went back to the shore, where he called for the fish, who instantly came swimming towards him. Rather embarrassed, Antenteh told the fish of his wife's wish for a house with furniture in it. The fish told him to leave everything to him and to return to his cabin. Antenteh did so where, instead of his cabin, he found a splendid house. If Antenteh's wife had not been so greedy, all might have ended well, but after a while she wanted more. She wished to be a queen and have a palace. Her wish was granted. Still not satisfied, she demanded to become a goddess. And that was the end of it all. The fish was furious at the insatiable desires of this woman. With one flip of his mighty tail he made everything Antenteh had been given disappear, and in its place there stood again the tub with feathers in the little cabin by the sea. A warning for those who have plenty, not to dare the gods and be too greedy!

Pisces 3

This Age shows the Second Templeand all the astronomical connections of the "symbol of the Fish"to the life of Jesus Christ and his relation to the "symbol of Virgo, the virgin".
Then look at the connection of the Star of Bethlehem to the constellations.
Luke’s genealogy shows from David (by way of Nathan) there were 11 groups of 5 verses
or 55 generations to Jesus Christ plus the three before Judah (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob)
the total is 58.
Luke 3:25 begins with Naum the first generation of the Eleventh Age
leading to eleven generations to Jesus Christ.
The genealogy in Matthew 1:17 shows 3 groups of fourteen generations
or 42 from Abraham to the birth of Jesus.
See why these two values 58 and 42 leaves a variance of 16 which connects to 2 Peter 3:8, ""that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day," thus enveloping "The Church Age" and the oncoming persecutions that occur as
Revelation One through Five is revealed.
After the Eleven Disciples were sent out the Church Age began as Revelation One is openedand the Seven Historical Church Ages ensue as projected from the Seven Churches in Asia.Revelation Two - The First Church as in Ephesus,the Apostolic or First Age from 33-100 A.D.Revelation Two - The Second Church as in Smyrna, the Caesars or Second Agewith persecutions from 100-312 A.D. and as time passes we jump ahead toRevelation Three - The Seventh Church as in Laodicea or the Apostate Seventh Agewhich may have begun in 1925 A.D. and will continue to the Tribulation.One can see in the parallelism of the Seven Churches in Asia,which transformed into the Seven Church Ages,which will also be found as Seven Churches in the last days.
At the end of this age the following three subjects are of great interest:Diaspora and the The Return of IsraelAstronomical references to the upcoming Age of Aquarius.

Pisces 2

Cette constellation est dans le voisinage immédiat du Grand carré de Pégase, à partir duquel elle peut être repérée si les conditions de visibilité sont suffisantes.
Ces conditions de visibilité sont rarement bonnes, comme la plupart des constellations d'eau de cette région, les Poissons vivent la plupart du temps cachés sous la surface.

L'anneau des Poissons est situé 10° au Sud de la bordure du grand carré. C'est une structure ovale, assez bien marquée mais peu lumineuse (mag 5). Si cet anneau est visible, on peut également deviner un alignement qui en part vers l'Est (la corde Ouest), et suit un arc de cercle en s'incurvant vers le Sud, jusqu'à α Piscium, le nœud des deux cordes.
L'autre anneau est beaucoup plus difficile à repérer, car sa forme est moins nette, et il se confond avec le bras sud d'Andromède. Quand ce bras est bien visible, on peut le voir se terminer sur un alignement de trois faibles étoiles, dont la plus au Sud est le coude de la corde Est, immédiatement à l'Est du grand carré. Partant de ce coude, on trouve un autre petit alignement qui limite l'anneau Est (lequel ressemble plutôt à un triangle). Dans l'autre sens, le prolongement du bras de Cassiopée indique la direction générale de la corde, qui file jusqu'à α Piscium, le nœud des deux cordes.
Repérage à partir des Poissons
La faiblesse de la constellation n'incite pas à y rechercher des alignements à grande distance, mais le nœud des deux cordes est très utile en ce que dans le prolongement des cordes, après un saut supplémentaire de 6°, on tombe sur Mira Ceti, la plus célèbre des étoiles variables. Mira est une variable dont la période fait 332 jours, et qui passe d'une magnitude de 2 (dominant la région) à la magnitude 9 (invisible à l'œil nu) d'une manière sensiblement Log-sinusoïdale. Elle est donc visible la moitié du temps.

Pisces 1

Les Poissons sont une constellation du zodiaque traversée par le Soleil du 12 mars au 18 avril. Dans l'ordre du zodiaque, elle se situe entre le Verseau à l'ouest et le Bélier à l'est. Bien qu’assez grande, elle découpe un pan du ciel éloigné du plan de la Voie lactée et ne contient que peu d’étoiles visibles, toutes assez peu lumineuses.

Les Poissons sont également un signe du zodiaque correspondant au secteur de 30° de l'écliptique traversé par le Soleil du 19 février au 20 mars.

La constellation des Poissons est une des constellations les plus anciennes. Son origine remonte vraisemblablement aux babyloniens qui la décrivaient déjà comme composée de deux poissons poussant un œuf géant (l’astérisme de « l’Anneau »).

La mythologie grecque veut que ces poissons soient les formes assumées par Aphrodite et Éros poursuivis par le monstre Typhon. Ils auraient relié leurs queues avec de la corde afin de ne pas se séparer. Les anciennes cartes du ciel nomment d’ailleurs la partie orientale Piscis Boreus et la partie occidentale Piscis Austrinus (qui n’a rien à voir avec le Poisson austral contemporain).

Le point "gamma", le nœud ascendant solaire, celui qu’occupe le Soleil lors de l’équinoxe de printemps, se trouve actuellement à 8° au sud d’ω Piscium. Cependant, à cause du phénomène de précession des équinoxes, ce point se trouvait dans le Bélier pendant les deux derniers millénaires avant J.-C., c’est-à-dire au moment où le Zodiaque fut établi. En conséquence, les Poissons sont toujours considérés comme le dernier signe du Zodiaque (l’année commençait alors vers l’équinoxe de printemps) bien qu’ils soient désormais le premier. Selon Rudolf Steiner, l'entrée dans l'Ère des Poissons s'est produite en 1413 après J.C et s'achèvera en 3573; en effet une hypothèse évoque le coucher héliaque des étoiles, se trouvant à 15° du point vernal lors de l'équinoxe de printemps, comme repère pour se situer dans une constellation et non pas le point vernal (une constellation comportant en moyenne 30°, lorsque le point vernal est au milieu d'une constellation, les étoiles en coucher héliaque sont au début de cette constellation).

Aquarius 9

Aquarius has a few nice binaries, a unique variable, and a few deep sky objects of some interest (but the Messiers here are generally sub-par). The stars are generally fourth magnitude.

The most notable asterism is of the water jug itself, tipped and pouring water. This small asterism, which fits nicely into a binocular field of view, is just west of alpha Aquarii and made up of zeta Aqr and three other stars.

Double stars in Aquarius:
Zeta2 Aquarii and zeta1 Aquarii form a binary of two equal white stars with an orbit of 760 years.
Zeta2 Aquarii is the primary: 4.4, 4.6; current PA 266º and separation: 2.3".
Struve 2944 is a nice triple system, with all three in a neat line.
AB: 7.0, 7.5; PA 276º, separation 2.5".C: 8.4; PA 106º, separation 50".
The binary is 2º due east of kappa Aquarii.
Struve 2988 is a very attractive pair of equal stars: 7.2, 7.2; PA 101º, separation 3.5".
The binary is 3º SW of psi1 Aquarii.

Variable stars in Aquarius:

The most remarkable variable in the constellation is R Aquarii, usually listed as a "Mira variable". Yet this red giant isn't your normal long-period variable; it is a 'symbiotic star', resembling Z Andromedae.
"Z Andromedae" stars are those which show two separate spectra, indicating two quite different temperatures, one cool, the other very hot. This phenomenon is caused by a very close binary system, which the larger star the cooler one, the small star(perhaps a white dwarf) the hot one.

And in fact, R Aquarii has a small blue companion, which is encircled by a gas cloud. When this small star eclipses the giant, the visual magnitude of the primary drops several degrees.
The star has a period of 386.96 days and a range from 5.8 to 12.4; the best time to view this star after the year 2000 is in 2005, in the first week of September.

Aquarius 8

In Greek mythology Aquarius was Ganymede, "cup-bearer to the gods". Ganymede's story is told in "Aquila". His position was essentially to pour wine for all the gods on Olympus, a function far removed from the initial importance of the Water Bearer, as it first rose in Babylonia.
In fact, the constellation seems to have represented water in a number of ancient cultures. In Egypt, for instance, the constellation was thought to cause the Nile to give forth its annual floods. The waters of the Nile, far to the south, would start to rise in June as the rains from the Ethiopian highlands began to run off into the Blue Nile. The night sky, in June, would show Aquarius at its zenith: the bringer of water.

Even if alpha Aquarii is a supergiant, perhaps a hundred times the size of the Sun, since it's a thousand light years away it only shines with a 2.96 visual magnitude.
Alpha Aquarii ("Sadalmelik") and beta Aquarii ("Sadalsuud") are twin supergiants with nearly identical names. The names mean, respectively, "The Lucky One of the King" and "The Luckiest of the Lucky". Gamma Aquarii shares in the good fortune: "Sadachbia": "The Lucky Star of Hidden Things".

"Why is so much luck found in Aquarius", you may ask. When the sun entered Aquarius the new year was about to begin, Spring was on the horizon and the watery season would assure abundant crops. One can therefore appreciate the importance of the Water Bearer.

Incidentally, if the "Age of Aquarius" was celebrated in the 1960s, the real event is still some 600 years off: at that time Aquarius will contain the vernal equinox, marking the return of the Sun into the northern celestial hemisphere.

Aquarius 7

Aquarius is an old constellation. This is the eleventh zodiacal sign and one which has always been connected with water. To the Babylonians it represented an overflowing urn, and they associated this with the heavy rains which fell in their eleventh month, whilst the Egyptians saw the constellation as Hapi, the god of the Nile. As the Water-Carrier he is carved in stones of the Babylonian Empire and probably is still older than that period. The Water Carrier is the cupbearer to the gods living atop Mount Olympus. He is usually portrayed as pouring water from his jar into the mouth of the Southern Fish, Pisces Austrinis.

Greek legend tells of Ganymede, an exceptionally handsome, young prince of Troy. He was the son of King Tros, after whom the city of Troy was named. He was spotted by Zeus, who immediately decided that he would make a perfect cupbearer. The story of Ganymede is rather horrifying if you bother to think about it; what it concerns is the abduction of a child from his parents. Ganymede was abducted one day while he was keeping watch over a herd of his father's sheep.

In one story, it was Eos, the Goddess of the Dawn, who abducted the boy. She had a passion for young men. Then Zeus noted the beauty of the boy and stole him away from Eos. In the more common version of the story, Zeus himself was taken with the beauty of the shepherd boy. Zeus, disguised as an eagle, swept up the youth and carried him to the home of the gods. In either case, once Ganymede arrived, he had to contend with the wrath of Hera, wife of Zeus. She was annoyed on two counts - firstly, that her husband should have such strong feelings for a mere boy and, secondly, that Ganymede was to occupy the favoured position previously held by her own daughter Hebe, goddess of youth.

However, Zeus was not to be thwarted and Ganymede, often riding on Aquila and always carrying the golden cup, accompanied the great god on his travels, impressing him with his kindness. This was made manifest when, realising how in need of water the people on earth were, he pleaded with Zeus to be allowed to help them and was given permission to send down rain. Eventually he was glorified as Aquarius, god of rain, and placed amongst the stars.

Aquarius 6

"The stars in the shoulder of Aquarius operate like Saturn and Mercury; those in the left hand and in the face do the same; those in the thighs have an influence more consonant with that of Mercury, and in a less degree with that of Saturn; those in the stream of water have power similar to that of Saturn and moderately to that of Jupiter".

Ptolemy West of Pisces and below the neck of Pegasus lie the stars of Aquarius, the Water Bearer, one of the oldest constellations. Aquarius is a very elaborate constellation and one difficult to visualize because of its abundance of stars. The easiest way to locate Aquarius is to remember the two shoulder stars alpha (Sadalmelek) and beta (Sadalsuud).

A line drawn to epsilon (Albali) on one side and the characteristic triangle of stars eta and pi and gamma (Sadalbachi), (with zeta in the center) on the other side, represents the Water Jug. Fomalhaut, in Piscis Austrinus, is the end of the water flow. Between the jug and Fomalhaut is a multitude of faint stars representing the spatters and droplets of water.

Aquarius 5

Alternative visualization

Diagram of an alternate way to connect the stars of the Aquarius constellation. The water bearer is shown running while holding a vessel and spilling some water out of that vessel.re[ptilia
of barney α Aqr, γ Aqr, η Aqr, and π Aqr: α Aqr being of the third magnitude. Star ζ Aqr, lodged within the quadrangle, represents an eye.
The water bearer's torso is formed by the stars α Aqr and β Aqr, with β Aqr being of the third magnitude.
The water bearer's left leg is formed by the stars β Aqr and ι Aqr, whereas his right leg is formed by the stars β Aqr, ν Aqr, μ Aqr, and ε Aqr, with these last two stars representing a foot.
The water bearer's arm is formed by the stars α Aqr, θ Aqr, and λ Aqr, with λ Aqr being the hand.
The water bearer is holding a vessel, perhaps a jar, which is formed by the stars ψ¹ Aqr, φ Aqr, λ Aqr, τ Aqr, and δ Aqr. The open top of the vessel consists of the triangle of stars ψ¹ Aqr, φ Aqr, and λ Aqr.
Water is being poured from the vessel in a pair of streamlines. The streamline on the left is formed by the stars ψ¹ Aqr, 98 Aqr, 99 Aqr, and 101 Aqr. The streamline on the right is formed by the stars ψ¹ Aqr, 88 Aqr, 89 Aqr, and 86 Aqr.

Aquarius 4

Aquarius (pronounced /əˈkwɛəriəs/, Latin: water-bearer or cup-bearer) is the eleventh sign of the zodiac, situated between Capricornus and Pisces. Its symbol is (), Unicode ♒.

Aquarius is one of the oldest recognized constellations along the zodiac, the sun's apparent path. It is found in a region often called the Sea due to its profusion of watery constellations such as Cetus, Pisces, Eridanus, etc. Sometimes, the river Eridanus is depicted spilling from Aquarius' watering pot.

The best-known myth identifies Aquarius with Ganymede, a beautiful youth with whom Zeus fell in love, and whom he (in the disguise of an eagle, represented as the constellation Aquila) carried off to Olympus to be cup bearer to the gods. Crater is sometimes identified as his cup.

Aquarius generally resembles the figure of a man, and when considering fainter humanly visible stars, it takes on the image of a man with a bucket from which is pouring a stream. Aquarius was also identified as the pourer of the waters which flooded the earth in the Great Flood, in the ancient Greek version of the myth. As such, the constellation Eridanus was sometimes identified as being a river poured out by Aquarius.

It may also, together with the constellation Pegasus, be part of the origin of the myth of the Mares of Diomedes, which forms one of The Twelve Labours of Heracles. Its association with pouring out rivers, and the nearby constellation of Capricornus, may be the source of the myth of the Augean stable, which forms another of the labours.

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Aquarius is the eleventh astrological sign in the Zodiac, originating from the constellation Aquarius. In western astrology, the sign is no longer aligned with the constellation as a result of the precession on the equinoxes. In astrology, Aquarius is considered a "masculine", positive (extrovert) sign. It is also considered an air sign and is one of four fixed signs.[9] Aquarius has been traditionally ruled by the planet Saturn, and, since its discovery, Uranus has been considered a modern ruler of this sign. Being the eleventh sign of the zodiac, Aquarius is associated with the astrological 11th house.

Individuals born when the Sun was in this sign are considered Aquarius individuals. Under the tropical zodiac, the Sun is in Aquarius roughly from January 20 to February 18.[1] Under the sidereal zodiac, it is currently there roughly from February 13 to March 14.

The corresponding month in the Babylonian calendar is Arax Šabaṭu, "the destroying month", also called arax arrat zunne, "month of the curse of rains", associated with the Great Flood. It is dedicated to Ramman, the storm god. The zodiacal sign of this month was called GU = Assyrian qâ, the name of a dry-measure. This was associated with Hebrew kad, "pitcher, jar", presumably in reference to the urn of Aquarius. The name Aquarius of this sign is of occidental origin, while Babylonian astrology symbolizes it with a simple amphora, in reference to the apsû (diluvial) region of the sky.

The astrological symbol for Aquarius is said to represent waves or ripples of water.

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Read the Revelation 22:1-16.

Revelation 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 22:2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 22:7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

Fruit (Heb. peri, Gr. karpos) a word often used metaphorically: "the fruit of your womb" (Deut. 7:13), "the fruit of their schemes" (Prov. 1:31).
The Leaf is used as the spiritual productivity of the righteous (Psalm 1;3; Prov. 11:28; Jer. 17:8), the spiritual unproductivity of the wicked (Isa. 1;30), the nearness of the eschatological judgment (Matt. 24:32, Mark 13:28), the glory of an earthly kingdom (Dan. 4:12, 14, 21), and the glory and fruitfulness of the heavenly kingdom (Rev. 22:2).

Revelation 22:10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. 22:13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

Aquarius is the one who pours out the water upon Piscis Austrinus, The Southern Fish. Water is a great symbol of the Holy Spirit which God promised to pour out upon the earth. A fish cannot live without water to sustain it, just as a Christian cannot live without Jesus Christ to sustain and daily fill our leaky vessels. The fruit of the Holy Spirit consists of all the Christian virtues (Gal. 5:22-23).

Jesus said in, Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

"It is the Dawning of the Age of Aquarius," from the popular song by the Fifth Dimension in the 1960’s. Just as the stars move through the procession of the equinoxes, so we have moved from one mansion of the zodiac to another. The sign of Aquarius means a time of peace and harmony and joy. Peace (Heb. shalom, peace, Gr. eirene, concord) among the OT Semitic people the word basically means "completeness" or "soundness." It is a prominent feature of the coming Messiah (Isa. 9:6). Peace is the presence of God, not the absence of conflict. Joy as in the NT is connected with Salvation.

The following was presented in the Insert for Chapter Two as the beginning of Day One.

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Aquarius

Aquarius, The Water bearer, is seen on the Meridian on October 10. One of the most ancient constellations in the sky, which has been known under various names over the ages. It is located in a region of the sky that was known thousands of years ago as "the Water," or "the Sea," and is near such watery figures as Cetus, Pisces, Capricornus, Delphinus, Piscis Austrinus, and Eridanus. The Sea (Heb. yam, Gr. thalassa) to the ancient Hebrews the sea in the Bible becomes a symbol of restlessness, instability, and sin (Isa. 57:20; Jer. 49. 49:23; James 1:6; Jude 13; Rev. 13:1).

The constellation portrays a man or boy spilling water from an urn, although it is difficult to see any figure in this straggling assortment of mostly faint stars visible in the southern sky in the autumn.

The names of several stars in Aquarius refer to good luck, probably because in ancient times the constellation’s solstitial rising occurred at the start of the rainy season and seemed to bring relief to the arid climes of the Middle East. Two meteor showers radiate from it on May 4 and July 28.

John 7:37-39 "In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)"

Aquarius, The Water-Bearer, the "Pourer Forth of Water."

It is a figure of a mighty man holding a great urn upon his shoulder, from which is being poured forth a copious stream flowing both to the east and to the west and finally flowing into the mouth or over the body of a fish (reference to Piscis Austrinus).

Waterpot (Gr. hydria) an earthen jar for carrying and holding water, for drinking or for purifying purposes.

Waterspout (Heb. tsinnor) is mentioned only in Psalms 42:7 where ASV and NIV have "waterfall." It means a large rush of water sent by God, perhaps great floods of rain.

Water (Heb. mayim, Gr. hydor) is used in the Bible as a symbol of the cleansing of the soul from sin (Ezek. 16:4, 9; 36:25; John 3:5; Eph. 5:26; Hebrews 10:22; 1 John 5:6,8). Water is the most exciting mineral of the Bible, as hydrogen oxide is found in liquid or in solid forms, such as snow and ice, maybe this is the treasures of the snowflake in Job. Metaphorical usage include the "water of life" in Rev. 21:6 and cleansing with water is also used to depict the process of regeneration (Eph. 5:26).

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This zodiacal constellation, like Pisces, depicts the result of the sudden appearance of the earthborn giant Typhoeus. Bacchus was feasting on the banks of the Nile at the time, and jumped into the river. The part of him that was below water was transformed into a fish, while his upper body became that of a goat. From this point of view, he saw that Typhoeus was attempting to tear Jupiter into pieces; he blew a shrill note on his pipes, and Typhoeus fled. Jupiter then placed the new shape of Bacchus in the heavens out of thanks for the rescue.
Capricornus has therefore from antiquity been represented by a figure with the head and body of a goat and the tail of a fish. It may be seen between Aquarius and Sagittarius low on the southern horizon.

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Considering its importance, Capricornus is rather faint; the asterism of a horned animal isn't terribly evident, and the Bayer stars are generally third to fourth magnitude.
Alpha Capricorni is known as Al Giedi or Algedi (the goat or ibex).
This is a double star, alpha1 and alpha2 Capricorni. Alpha2 is the primary, although they only make an optical pair. Each star is however a visual binary (see below for details).

Beta Capricorni is called Dabih, from the Arabic Al Sa'd al Dhabih meaning "The Lucky One of the Slaughterers". This name indicates that the star served to signal the beginning of a winter ritual, possibly the very ones depicted on the pottery examples shown above. For the sun would have been in this constellation at the winter solstice three to four thousand years ago; were they beseeching the gods to bring back the Spring?

Delta Capricorni is the brightest star of the constellation (as well as an eclipsing binary). The Arabs called delta and nearby gamma Capricorni "The Two Friends".

Double stars in Capricornus:Alpha2 and alpha1Cap form an optical binary of yellow and orange stars: 3.6, 4.2; PA 291º, separation 378". Each star is a visual binary:
Alpha1 Capricorni: 4.6, 9.2; 221º, 45.4".Alpha2 Capricorni: 3.5, 9.5; 156º, 154".
Beta Capricorni is a wide visual binary with a nice colour contast, yellow and blue: 3.1, 6; PA 267º, separation 205".

Tau Capricorni is a visual binary with a 95 year orbit: 5.5, 7; PA 107º, separation 0.4".

The PA is increasing, the separation is decreasing; at the year 2000 the values will be 123º and 0.2".

Variable stars in Capricornus:
The only variable worth noting is delta Capricorni, which is an eclipsing binary (2.81-3.05) with a period of 24h32m47.2s.

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Capricornus is usually translated as "The Sea Goat" or "The Goat-Fish", although the name literally means horned goat.

The constellation is ancient, and was one of the earliest members of the zodiac, perhaps transferred to the heavens from far older earthly concerns.
Horned animals, particularly the ibex, were worshipped icons in the prehistoric Near East, as seen on pottery as far back as 5500 BC. Often these animals appeared with pictorial representations of the 'Tree of Life' and lunar or astral symbols. That is, for thousands of years -- as attested by both pottery and cylinder seals -- this horned animal played a central part in some mythology which involved the heavens,culminating (perhaps around 2000 BC) with the sacrificial scenes depicted on Akkadian cylinder seals (below).

One respected student of the Near East, Professor Willy Hartner, late director of the Institut für Geschichte der Naturwissenschaften (Institute for the History of Natural Science) at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität in Frankfurt, has postulated that the ibex was an early constellation, which was later broken up to form Capricorn and Aquarius. [See "The Earliest History of the Constellations in the Near East and the Motif of the Lion-Bull Combat", Journal of Near Eastern Studies, Volume 24 (1965) pp 1-16.]

Hartner's Diagram 1a shows the heavens as they would have appeared in 4000 BC in Mesopotamia. He argues that a much larger constellation, The Ibex, was in place where we now have Aquarius and Capricorn.