Astrology Encyclopedia

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Nadir. The lowest point below the Earth, or opposite point to the Zenith. It should not be confused with the Imum Coeli. v. Celestial Sphere.

 

Naibod's Table of Times. (For calculating an arc of direction.) Determine the Right Ascension of the bodies and subtract, to yield the length of the arc in degrees and minutes. Then reduce to time, counting each degree equal to 1y 5d 8h, and each minute of arc equal to 6d 4h.  v. Directions.

 

Natal Astrology. Genethliacal Astrology. The department of Astrology which deals with nativities - the influence of planets and signs upon the life and character of the individual.

 

Native. The subject of a Celestial Figure.

 

Nativity. The Birth moment. (1) The instant wherein the native first inhales, thereby commencing a process of blood conditioning that up to that moment had been accomplished through the receptivities of another. During the first days of life, in accordance with the law of adaptability, there ensues a growth of channels of receptivity to cosmic energy which results in a life-pattern of cosmic stimulation. (2) A Figure, or Horoscope, cast for a date, moment and place of birth, as distinguished from an Electional or Horary Figure.

 

Natural Day. v. Day.

 

Nebo. "The Proclaimer," the Chaldean god which compares to Mercury. He was known as the god of wisdom and learning. There is evidence that the priestly school of Nebo had acquired a commanding position and widespread fame as astrologers, before Babylon rose to political importance.

 

Nebuchadnezzar, Temple of. A famous temple at Barsippa, unearthed in modern times. A veritable color chart of astrological symbols. Like many others it was built in seven stages, each marked by a different hue. The lowest stage was black and symbolized Saturn; the second, orange (the hue of sandalwood), symbolized Jupiter; the third, red, Mars; the fourth, yellow, the Sun; the fifth, green, Venus; the sixth, blue, Mercury; and the seventh, white or silver, symbolized the Moon.

 

Nebulae. Star clusters in which the light of the individual stars, because of their distance, merge to give the impression of a cloud with a more or less well-defined center. Great numbers of them are found in the heavens, and when one of them is rising at birth, or is in conjunction with the Moon, it is said to produce blindness or other ocular defect.

 

The principal nebulae noted in Astrology are: Praesepe, The Hyades, The Pleiades in 29° Taurus-Scorpio; the Aselli in 61, Leo-Aquarius; and Aldebaran-Antares in 8° Gemini-Sagittarius. Ptolemy refers to the "cloudy spot of Cancer, the Pleiades of Taurus, the Arrow-head of Sagittarius, the sting of Scorpio, the parts about the mane of Leo, and the urn of Aquarius" in reference to blindness. The Ascendant or Moon in any of these positions and afflicted by Mars indicates blindness from an accident or by violence; afflicted by Saturn, by a natural defect, such as the inhibiting or decay of the optic nerve, cataract, glaucoma, or obstructing growths.

 

Negative Sign. An even-numbered sign. v. Sign.

 

Neomenium. The new Moon. Neomenia. The festival of the new Moon.

 

Neptune. v. Planets.

 

New Year's Day. v. Calendar.

 

Night Houses. v. Houses.

 

Ninib. Chaldean equivalent of Saturn.

 

Nocturnal Arc. v. Semi-Arc;

 

Nocturnal Planets. v. Dignities;

 

Nocturnal Signs. v. Signs.

 

Nodes, Moon's. Variously called the Ascending and Descending Nodes, the North and South Nodes, Caput Draconis or the Dragon's Head, Cauda Draconis, the Katababazon, or the Dragon's Tail. The Nodes regress about 3° of arc per diem. There is much argument as to whether any intrinsic influences repose in the Nodes comparable to the radiation emitted by reflection of a planet. In all probability the ancients read more from a Celestial Figure by virtue of a greater comprehension of the astronomical mechanics it represents, than do most moderns. The position of the Node can show whether there was an eclipse condition shortly before or after birth, whether a planet near the Node would shortly be accented by the Moon's transit, or that of the Sun, and similar and sundry factors which the modern astrologer can trace from the ephemeris but often does not. The Nodes of themselves merely point to places where something may happen at such and such a time - which of itself is no small matter. Things happen because of the time, the place and the planet, and the Node is often the middle factor in that formula (v. Moon.)

 

In 18 years and 10 or 11 days the Node regresses 349 degrees, hence in that period at a point 11 degrees in advance, an eclipse or a series of eclipses recurs under similar conditions. Astronomers calculate eclipses by means of the Saros Cycle rather than by the use of the ephemeris.

 

Placement of the Ascending Node oriental of the Line of Advantage is deemed preferable, as stimulating, among other things, increased stature. The Line of advantage joins the third decans of the Third and Ninth Houses.

 

The position of the Sun on the North Node in the Nativity of H. P. Blavatsky is supposed to have profoundly influenced her life. It might well be for it indicates a prenatal solar eclipse at that point only a matter of days before her birth. The ancients held that the Moon's North Node partook of the nature of Venus and Jupiter, while the South Node partook of the nature of Mars and Saturn. Probably more helpful would be the observation that a planet in close conjunction to the North Node at birth would bring honors or riches; at the South Node, poverty and afflictions and a cruel or usurious nature - according to the character of the planet so placed, as modified by the Houses thus tenanted. It is doubtless also of significance in connection with transit and progressions, particularly those of the Moon, only this would appear to involve the regressed position of the Node at the date for which the transit or progression is computed.

 

Nodes of the Planets. The points at which the orbits of the planets intersect the ecliptic, because of the inclination of their planes to the plane of the Earth's orbit.

 

One authority states that a lunation or eclipse on the South Node of a planet tends to release a destructive force of the nature of the planet involved. For example, conditions centering around Saturn's South Node may indicate a drought following an unusually hard winter.

 

Nomes. Each Nome, or province, of ancient Egypt had its own god or totem, its own capital, frontiers and coat-of-arms. Hence the Nomes were either an ancient equivalent of our later systems of geographical Rulerships, or an older and better term for what are now termed Houses, as indicating two-hour arcs of ascension.

 

North Point. The Immum Coeli, or cusp of the Fourth House; placed at the bottom of the map.

 

Northern Signs. The Commanding Signs, Aries to Virgo, pursuing the order of the Sign. v. Signs.

 

Nova. Literally, a new star. Actually a nova is an old star which from an unknown cause appears to have exploded with cataclysmic violence. The first nova of record appeared suddenly on November 11, 1572, in the Constellation Cassiopeia, in the third decanate of Pisces - known as the decanate of Vicissitudes. It was an ancient belief that from the constellation in which any unusual phenomenon appeared could be judged the department of life that would be most affected. This nova was discovered by Tycho Brahe. On the previous August 24th, the massacre of Bartholomew in Paris with the King's sanction incited the Huguenots to a resort to arms, in the belief that it was a messenger of hope sent from heaven. They made a successful defense of La Rochelle, and in consequence were granted a measure of tolerance. Two years later Henry of Navarre escaped from Paris to become their leader, and thus began a new life for them.

 

Nova Hercules 1934 was the 79th nova since the one discovered by Tycho Brahe, few of which have been spectacular. The three notable novae during the present century were:

 

February 1901, in Perseus, in the third or Propaganda decanate of Aries. It was the year of the Pan-American Exposition, in Buffalo, in which Northern Pacific stock touched 1000.

 

June 1918, in Aquila, in the second or Exploration decanate of Sagittarius. It was the year in which an American Expeditionary Force on foreign soil turned the tide of World War I.

 

December 1934, in Hercules, in Experience decanate of Virgo, the sign ruling labor, and connotated with the Twelve Labors of Hercules. It increased in brilliance from fourteenth magnitude on November 14th, to first magnitude on December 22nd.