Astrology Encyclopedia

 

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Year. The Solar or Tropical Year is the period of time in which the earth performs a revolution in its orbit about the Sun, or passes from any point of the ecliptic to the same point again. It consists of 365.2422 days, or 365d 5h 48M 46s. (The Sun's motion in longitude in a Julian year of 365.25 days is 360° 27'7.)

 

The Sidereal Year is a period of 365d.256 or 365d 6h 9m 9s.5, during which time the Sun's center, departing eastward from the ecliptic meridian of a given star, returns to the same; an astral year. It is about 20 minutes longer than the tropical year. The sidereal month is of a duration of 27d.322. The Anomalistic Year, that between two successive perihelion passages of the Earth, is 365d.26, or 4m 43s.5 longer than the sidereal year, although it is increasing in length even faster than the sidereal year. v. Day.

 

Zenith. Mathematically, the Pole of the Horizon. The point directly overhead, through which pass the Prime Vertical (q.v.) and Meridian circles. Every place has its own zenith, and the nearer a planet is to that zenith, the more powerful is its influence.. The term is sometimes loosely applied to the cusp of the Tenth House, which strictly speaking is only the point of the zodiac or ecliptic through which the meridian circle passes. v. Celestial Sphere.

 

Zero Hour Circles. The Secondary Hour Circles drawn through the celestial poles and perpendicular to the celestial equator are termed Hour Circles, while those drawn parallel to the celestial equator are called parallels of declination. The angle at the pole which this circle makes with the meridian through any other place is called longitude.

 

The Hour Circle passing through the point of the Spring Equinox is known as the Zero Hour Circle. At the time the Great Pyramid was built, the Zero Hour Circle cut the Earth at that point, just as some centuries later it cut the location fot eh Greenwich Observatory when that was constructed. The world time should follow the precession of the Equinoxes, but this would entail not only the relocation of the Observatory every 70 or 700 years but of all the time zone meridians - obviously a difficulty not easily overcome. To obviate that, world time has been made synonymous with Greenwich Standard Time. However, the measurement in degrees of Right Ascension of points along the Ecliptic, beginning at the point of the Spring Equinox, must of necessity be correct, and while the required adjustment is but a matter of seconds per year, there is little we can do but disregard the interval, much as we arbitrarily correct the calender by an intercalary day every four years. Thus it becomes the one passage of time of which no record is kept other than in the changed relationship between the signs and the constellations. The result, however, is that Sidereal Time as utilized in locating the daily noon-pint is in increasing disagreement with Standard world-time as observed on the Earth. However, since an hour's discrepancy as created by law during Daylight Saving Time has entailed no serious difficulties, the failure to shift our world time zones in keeping with the precession will entail no greater inconvenience for some 2,000 years, at which time we could relocate another observatory and still maintain the same boundaries for our Standard Time Zones. v. Signs and Constellations.

 

Zodiac. A circle or belt, which anciently was said to extend some 8 degrees on either side of the ecliptic (q.v.). Modern astronomers have widened it to 9 degrees either side, because of the extreme latitudes to which Venus and Mars attain. The position of any planet within, or of any star within or outside of the zodiax, is measured by a perpendicular to the ecliptic. The point where this perpendicular meets the ecliptic is the geocentric longitude of the star or planet. In a sense, the zodiac is identical with the ecliptic, for both are measured from a point of beginning at the Vernal Equinox. v. Celestial Sphere.

 

Zodiacal Aspects. Those measured in degrees along the Ecliptic. When used in connection with Primary Directions the Promittor's place is taken without latitude in contrast to the usual method used with mundane aspects wherein one takes cognizance of the longitudinal degree at which the aspect is complete.

 

Zodiacal Directions. Those formed in the Zodiac, by the progressed motion of Ascendant, Midheaven, Sun, and Moon, to aspects with the planets. These may be: Direct, in the order of the signs; or Converse, against the order of the signs.

 

Zodiacal metals are those of the planetary Rulers:

 

.......Aries-Scorpio.............Iron

.......Taurus-Libra..............Copper

.......Gemini-Virgo..............Mercury

.......Cancer-Leo................Gold

.......Sagittarius-Pisces........Tin

.......Capricorn-Aquarius........Lead

 

Zodiacal Parallels. Any two points within the Zodiac that are of equal declination are said to be in zodiacal parallel with each other. If both are North or both South declination they were anciently termed antiscions. Some older authorities deemed that both were equally effective, but most modern authorities ignore the contra-antiscions and attribute astrological significance only to those between two bodies in parallel on the same side of the Equator. The zodiacal parallel may be formed by direction in the Primary System, or by progression in the Secondary System. To direct the Sun to an approximate parallel: In the ephemeris find the number of days subsequent to the birthdate, viz, the date on which the Sun attains the declination fo rhe planet desired, this number of days equalling the interval in years at which the influence will become operative. Or, to be exact, subtract the Right Ascension of the Sun when it forms the parallel from the Sun's R.A. at birth, and reduce this arc of direction to time at the rate of 1º for a year and 5' for a month.

 

"Zodiacus Vitae." The Zodiac of Life. An old school book by Marcellus Palingenius Stellatus, which was extensively used in England in Shakespeare's time. The earliest edition extant is that in the British Museum, dated 1574, issued by the Stationers' Company in 1620. A modern edition with annotations by Foster Watson, M.A., Professor of Education in the University College of Wales, was published by Philip Wellby in 1908. In an Appendix to his work one reads this: "Palingenius understood at least as much as was current teaching among astrologers of his day in regard to the twelve divisions of the Houses of the Horoscope, and probably he knew something more.... The twelve signs of the zodiac were for him something more than mere pegs on which to hang an argument or elaborate a discourse.... Mystically considered, the purport of the twelve chapters of Palingenius will find their parallel in the twelve labours of Hercules, and thus will typify the evolution of the human soul through successive stages of mental and spiritual enlightenment."