Astrological Terminology Dictionary
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Adjusted calculation date: The day on which the planetary positions shown in the ephemeris coincide with the progressed positions of the planets. The ACD stays the same year to year.
Affliction: An tension producing aspect in the chart such as a square, semi-square or quincunx.
Astrological age. A period of time that is approximately 2150 years. It represents the time necessary for the vernal equinox to retrograde through the 30 degrees of any one of the constellations. Astrologers generally believe that the earth is now moving from the Age of Pisces into the Age of Aquarius.
Air signs: The mental signs; Gemini, Libra and Aquarius.
Angles: Angles refer to the four points of the horoscope chart which divides the chart into 4 equal parts. These are the Ascendant, The Midheaven, the Descendent and the Immum Coeli. The planets situated close to the angles are particularly influential.
Angular houses: Angular houses are similar to the Cardinal signs. These are the 1st, 4th, 7th, and 10th houses.
Apparent motion: this is the motion of any heavenly body as viewed from Earth when measured geocentrically versus their actual movements (heliocentric). Planets appear to rise over the horizon, but in fact are actually moving in the opposite direction around the sun.
Applying and separating (aspects): whenever two planets are just about to form an aspect, the faster moving planet is said to be applying. As the two planets move away from the exact aspect they are called; separating.
Arc: A distance between two points on a circle.
Ascendant: The sign degree rising over the eastern horizon at the time of birth. Each degree stays on the horizon approximately 4 minutes.
Ascension: (short and long.) Signs of long ascension take more time to rise than signs of short ascension. Depending on the obliquity of the ecliptic, some zodiac signs rise over the horizon more rapidly than other signs. The signs of long ascension In the Northern Hemisphere, are Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio and Sagittarius. Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio and Sagittarius are signs of short ascension, South of the equator.
Aspect: An aspect is an angular interconnection between horoscope factors. The aspects usually considered are those involving planets and house cusps. Aspects are deemed to be either favorable or unfavorable according to the temperament of the planets involved and the number of degrees separating the planets.
Asteroid: Asteroids are thought to be remains of smashed planets. An asteroid is a very small " planet" in a band that revolves around the Sun between Mars and Jupiter.
Astrologer: A person who studies and practices the art of astrology.
Astrology: The art of interpreting the meanings of connections between the movements of heavenly bodies and happenings on Earth. Astrology deals with the discretionary state of mind as well as with hard facts. Some branches of astrology are; Electional, Esoteric, Horary, Medical and Mundane.
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Benefic: Benefic planets are considered to bestow favorable influences. Jupiter is designated as the greater benefic and Venus the lesser benefic.
Birth time: The exact moment of birth, considered to be the moment the baby takes it's very first breath of life.
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Cadent houses: These are the 3rd, 6th, 9th and 12th houses of the horoscope.
Cardinal signs: Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. These are signs which are initiating.
Celestial equator: The earth's equator projected into space.
Chart: A horoscope drawn up for a individual's birth date or for an event date.
Combust: A planet is said to be combust when it is in close conjunction with the sun.
Constellation: A grouping of stars which form a pattern in the sky. For example: The 12 zodiac constellations which are found on the ecliptical belt share identical names, although they are not found in the same locations as the 12 signs of the zodiac.
Culmination: When a planet is positioned on or near the Midheaven in a horoscope chart, it is said to be culminating.
Cusps: In astrology the word cusp refers to the lines which divide the houses or signs in a natal horoscope chart.
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Day houses: The six houses of a horoscope which are above the chart horizon (horizontal line dividing the wheel).
Daylight savings time: if daylight savings time is being observed when a natal chart is erected, it is necessary to subtract one hour from his own standard.
Debility: A planet in it's detriment.
Decanate: A whole sign equals 30 degrees. Each sign includes 3 decanates made up of 10 degrees each.
Declination: This is the distance either north or south of the celestial equator. This should not be confused with latitude. Planets with the same declination are also said to be in parallel aspect to each other.
Degree meanings: The premise that each of the 360 degrees in the zodiac has its own meaning.
Descendant: The point exactly opposite the ascendant.
Dignities: Refers to the affinities between signs and planets.
Direct: The opposite of retrograde. Designated in the ephemeris by the letter D.
Directions: The aspects between progressed planets or transits, and natal planets, cusps or angles. The motion of these aspects are followed so that the astrologer may determine when certain effects will function and in what manner they are likely to manifest.
Dispositor: the planet ruling the sign in which another planet appears. Thus if, Jupiter were in Capricorn, it's dispositor would be Saturn.
Dragon's head and tail: The Dragon's Head is another name for the North Node. The Dragon's Tail is another name for the South Node. See nodes.
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Earth signs: The signs of practicality. Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn.
Eclipse: (Solar and Lunar) When a solar eclipse occurs, it means that the moon is passing between the Sun and the Earth, thereby, blocking the light of the Sun. When a lunar eclipse occurs, it means that the earth is passing between the Sun and Moon, which casts a shadow on the Moon.
Electional astrology: a branch of astrology in which the astrologer ascertains the most favorable date and time within a given time frame for a particular action. The undertaking is then intentionally started at this opportune moment.
Elements: In astrology these are Fire, Earth, Air and Water.
Elevation: In a chart this would be a planet near the Midheaven and therefore, it is given more emphasis.
Ephemeris: A book comprised of astronomical tables describing daily positions by signs and degrees of the Sun, Moon and all of the planets.
Equator: The celestial equator means the plane of the terrestrial equator projected out and onto what is known as the celestial sphere. The circle of the earth that is an equal distance from the two poles is called the terrestrial equator.
Equinox: Means equal night and marks the beginning of spring and fall. As the sun passes the point of the Equinox, the days and nights become equal in length. The Equinox's are times when the sun moves into the first degree of Aries. This is often referred to as the Vernal Equinox. Then again when the Sun moves into the first degree of Libra. This is often referred to as the Autumnal Equinox.
Esoteric: Refers to certain philosophical teachings normally known only to those who have been especially initiated. Information and teachings understood by or meant to be shared with only a select few.
Esoteric astrology: Astrology and the occult.
Exaltation: A planet in exaltation means that a planet resides in the sign where it is most harmoniously placed.
Excitation: This refers to the energies of progressed planets being released by current transits which are the same as the progressed planets in the chart. For example: If progressed Venus is conjunct natal Uranus then the current transits of Venus over Uranus would be given more significance in a chart reading.
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Fall: Refers to a a planet in the sign which is opposite to it's sign of exaltation.
Fire signs: The inspirational signs. Aries, Leo and Sagittarius.
Fixed signs: The stabilizing signs. Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius.
Fixed star: The term fixed is not really relevant today because we now know that the stars do "move" positions slowly. The term" fixed stars" was used by the ancients. A star in the sky that is visible to the naked eye, not including the Sun, Moon and planets.
Flat chart: A chart using noon as the event time and starting with zero degrees of each of the signs on the house cusps, beginning with the sign Aries on the 1st house cusp.
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Geocentric: Earth centered astrology. Astrology is geocentric because humans inhabit Earth and astrologers examine the orientation of people to the universe. Astronomers research the solar system from a heliocentric (sun centered) perspective.
Greenwich Mean Time: Refers to time at the prime meridian at zero degrees longitude.
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Heliocentric: A Sun centered perspective.
Horary astrology: A technique whereby a chart is cast for the exact date and time when a question first arises in ones mind or is asked of the astrologer. The astrologer studies this chart and synthesizes the factors based on certain horary rules in the hopes of finding an answer to a specific question, usually a yes or no type question.
Horary chart: A chart erected for the exact date and time a question is asked.
Horizon: In astrology, the eastern horizon is indicated by the sign and it's degree rising in the east. The horizon of any place is always 90 degrees below the Zenith. The equator is the horizon of the north and south poles.
Horoscope: Refers to the natal (birth) chart. A map of the planets positions at a particular date, time and place on Earth.
Houses: In astrology the "houses" describe the 12 divisions of a chart wheel and begins with the Ascendant (first house cusp). Each of the houses represent an area of life such as money, marriage, career and so on. Each house covers many areas, but astrologers usually stick with those meanings most common to the interest of most people. In Horary astrology, where a very specific answer is sought, then the astrologer is required to draw upon a larger scope of the various house meanings.
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Imum Coeli: The meridian point opposite to the Medium Coeli.
Inconjunct: Another term for a quincunx aspect.
Ingress: This term refers the entry of a planet into a sign. It is commonly used to point out the Sun's yearly ingress into the four cardinals signs separating the seasons.
Intercepted signs: Intercepted signs are more common in charts where the birthplace is found in more extreme north and south latitudes versus latitudes found near the equator. . In the extreme latitudes a house will contain more than 30 degrees, and in this case we find an entire sign enclosed in it and therefore, without appearing on any actual cusp. Such a sign is called " intercepted." In the equal house system, intercepted signs in a chart cannot happen.
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Karma: The law of cause and effect. A horoscope describes a person's karmic fortune as well as karmic debts and indicates the principles by which the karma may be met and dealt with in a lifetime.
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Latitude: Geographical latitude is the distance north or south from the earth's equator measured at 90 degrees.
Luminaries: Refers to the Sun and the Moon. (The lights)
Local Mean Time: The true time at the city, state, country of birth. In order to find Local Mean Time, an astrologer must know the exact longitude of the birthplace and then add or subtract 4 minutes for each degree that the place deviates from the Standard Time Meridian.
Longitude: Longitude is expressed either in degrees or in time. Geographical longitude Is defined by the arc measured from the prime meridian at Greenwich, England to the meridian of a given place.
Lunar return: A type of predictive chart drawn up for the time the moon returns each month to the exact sign by degree, minute, and second as it was in at the precise date and time of a person's birth. At that point the forecast begins and continue for approximately one month.
Lunation: A term of 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes and 3 seconds during which time the moon will move from one conjunction to the Sun to the next.
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Malefic: The malefic planets are considered to bestow an unlucky influence. Saturn is considered to be the greater malefic and Mars is the lesser malefic.
Medium Coeli: The Midheaven.
Meridian: This is the circle of longitude which passes through the poles of the heavens, through the Zenith above, the north point of the horizon and below, through the Nadir of the observer. At noon, the sun crosses the upper meridian. It crosses the lower meridian at midnight. The meridian coincides with geographical longitude. Every point on the face of the earth's has its own meridian or circle of longitude.
Midheaven: This is the great circle which extends out from the Zenith downward toward the equator, which crosses at right angles. The zodiac degree of the ecliptic which cuts across this great circle or meridian, establishes the midheaven of the chart. The midheaven depends upon the tilt of the ecliptic above the horizon and is changeable in its relationship to the ascendant. The apex of the midheaven is greater in summer when the sun is high in the sky than in the winter.
Midpoint: A mathematically calculated point that is the halfway point between two planets or between a planet and a house cusp. These points have their own interpretations which add another level of insight into a chart reading. Many astrologers are discovering that transits to these chart midpoints often trigger events also.
Mundane astrology: Mundane refers to the astrology of the world and is commonly used to refer to political astrology. The astrological study of major world events, countries, leaders, and people.
Mutable signs: The adaptable signs. Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces.
Mutual reception: Whenever two planets are positioned in each other's signs they are said to be in mutual reception and read as though they were conjunct. For example: if Mars were in Taurus and Venus were in Aries they would be said to be in mutual reception.
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Nadir: The point which is opposite of the Zenith.
Natal chart: A birth horoscope. Nativity.
Natural chart: A horoscope that places Aries on the first house cusp with the rest of the signs following in natural zodiacal order.
Night houses: The six houses of a horoscope which are below the chart horizon (horizontal line dividing the wheel).
Nodes: The position at which the orbits of the moon or other planets cross the ecliptic. Planetary nodes do not move much more than a degree in a one hundred years. The moon's nodes are usually the most common ones followed by astrologers. They are commonly referred to as, the North Node and the South Node. The Moon's node are also sometimes called the Dragons Head and Dragons Tail. Since the Sun and the Earth never cross the ecliptic, these bodies have no nodes.
Nonagesimal: 90 degrees from the ascendant. The most elevated point of the ecliptic above the horizon. In an equal house system, the Nonagesimal would be the cusp of the 10th house.
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Orb: A sphere of influence within which a planet or aspect is considered to exert an influence. The size of orbs vary according to the aspect and are often subject to the opinion of a particular astrologer.
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Part of Fortune: A mathematically calculated point and not an actual heavenly body. It is found by adding the longitude of the Moon to the longitude of the Ascendant and then subtracting the longitude of the Sun. There many other Arabic Parts each with it's own particular calculation.
Planet: In astrology a planet refers to the heavenly bodies Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto and includes for purposes of understanding the Sun and Moon, even though the Sun and Moon are not really planets. Those bodies that appear to have motion of their own among the fixed stars and whose positions are drawn up in an astrology chart.
Precession of the Equinoxes: Refers to the slow movement of the Vernal Equinox in a backward motion in relation to the constellations which make up the sidereal zodiac.
Progressed horoscope: (secondary progressions) While viewing the date of birth for an individual in an ephemeris, one would count forward the number of days equal to the persons age at the time the reading is desired. Each day is supposed to represent one year of life for the individual. A special chart is calculated for that date and any changes in planets in signs and the aspects formed therein are read as an indicator of possible events and modified attitudes for the person. There are several different methods of progressing a chart with the Day for a Year being the most widely accepted.
Progressions: Refers to the various systems of astrological prediction based upon the "moving forward" of the planetary patterns shown in the birth chart. Progressions are shown by the movements of the planets and house cusps for a chosen number of days after the birth of a person. The various types are; primary, secondary and tertiary.
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Quadruplicities: (a.k.a. Qualities or Modes) A division of the zodiac into 3 groups of four signs at right angles to one another. These formations are called Cardinal, Fixed, and Mutable. Each group contains one sign of each of the 4 elements.
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Radix: a natal chart.
Rectification: When a person does not know their clock time of birth, an astrologer may try to determine the precise time by adjusting the wheel of the houses in order to make the various transits, and progressions match up with known dates of events in the person's life.
Retrograde Motion: This is an apparent movement backward in the zodiac, although in reality, this retrograde motion is an illusion created by the changing placements of the earth and the planets in correlation to each other. In the ephemeris, a planet that is in retrograde motion is shown by the symbol RX. The Sun and Moon do not retrograde.
Right Ascension: This is a measurement moving eastward along the celestial equator.
Rising planet: A planet considered to be close to the ascendant. As with all else in astrology the deciding number of degrees will vary by astrologer, but within 5 degrees on either side of the Ascendant cusp being a widely accepted orb.
Rising sign: See "Ascendant"
Ruling planet: The planet, which according to astrology is the "ruler" of the sign on the Ascendant. For example: If Leo where the sign on the Ascendant then the chart ruling planet would be the Sun.
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Sextile: A 60 degree aspect considered to signify opportunity.
Sidereal time: time reckoned by the stars. This is a time system based on the true period of the earth's rotation on its axis. At any moment the sidereal time is different for two meridians, but is unaffected by the latitude. From the measurement of locals Sidereal Time, a person can find the culminating degree of the ecliptic or midheaven in the Table of Houses. The ascendant and house cusps are then listed according to the latitude of the birthplace.
Sidereal zodiac: The constellations.
Signs: the names of the signs are Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces. Each sign of the zodiac is equal to a 30 degrees. Signs are determined from the point where the Sun crosses the celestial equator at zero degrees Aries around March 21st of each year. The rest of the signs follow in natural order.
Solar return: A type of predictive chart drawn up for the time the Sun returns each year to the exact sign by degree, minute, and second as it was at the precise date and time of a person's birth. At that time the forecast begins and continues for one entire year.
Solar chart: (a.k.a. Sun-on-the-Ascendant chart) A chart in which the sign and the degrees of the Sun at the time of birth are used as an artificial Ascendant when the event clock time or birth clock time is not known. So, if on the date of birth the Sun was at 3 degrees Virgo, then the "Ascendant would be 3 degrees Virgo, which naturally places the Sun directly on the first house cusp.
Solstice: The sun appears to stand still at the summer solstice marked by 0 degrees Cancer and then again at the winter solstice marked by 0 degrees Capricorn. The solstices mark the beginning of summer and winter.
Square: A 90 degree aspect considered to be stressful and challenging.
Standard time: Clock time measurement which changes each hour as one moves east or west across standard time zones.
Standard Time Zones: 15 degree areas of longitude equal to one hour and designated as a number of hours either earlier or later than Greenwich Mean Time.
Stationary: When a planet's motion go from direct to retrograde or from retrograde to direct, there is a period of time when it appears to be motionless. The Sun and Moon are not ever stationary.
Stellium: A conjunction involving at least 3 or 4 planets.
Succedent houses: The 2nd, 6th, 8th and 11th houses. These also correspond to the fixed signs.
Sun sign: The zodiac sign which the sun occupies. Sun signs are determined by knowing the date of birth. Sun signs are the basis of most commercial daily horoscopes.
Synastry: The comparisons made between two or more charts with regarding the individuals involved. Relationship astrology.
Synthesis: The art of combining the various factors revealed in a horoscope analysis The ability to blend all of the various factors in a horoscope in order to execute a balanced reading of the entire chart.
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Tables of Diurnal Planetary Motion: Tables for looking up the distance a planet has traveled in a given time period.
Transit: The current passage of a planet over a point in the natal chart.
Trine: A 120 degree aspect considered to be harmonious and without restriction.
Tropical zodiac: The zodiac signs Aries to Pisces.
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Universal Time: Another term for Greenwich Mean Time usually when the GMT is calculated from midnight.
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Vertex: The Vertex is defined by the intersecting point of the prime vertical and the ecliptic in a western direction.
Void of Course: When the Moon or a planet forms it's last aspect to another body before leaving a sign.
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War Time: In the United States during times of war, Daylight Saving Time was called War Time. During times of war In the UK, Double Summertime was also called War Time.
Water signs: The emotional, sensitive signs. Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces.
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Zenith: The point on the Meridian which is directly overhead.
Drawn from anywhere on earth to its Zenith is always vertical to the plane of it's horizon. The Zenith is sometimes confused with the Midheaven.
Zodiac: The 12 divisions of the sky which are measured along the belt of the ecliptic and enclosing a distance of about 9 degrees on either side.
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