I like this article a lot, and hope it gets wider circulation. It so clearly demonstrates that thoughtful astrologers are not just a bunch of superstitious dummies.

In response to the excerpt from the comment by the "skeptic" I would argue that astrology is not "bad science" or "bad astronomy" any more than the disciplines of history or English literature are "bad science." Knowledge also comfortably fits into respected yet non-scientific fields like the humanities and fine arts.

Astrology fits into an interdisciplinary field called cultural astronomy or sometimes ethnoastronomy, which studies astronomical knowledge systems of various cultures. The focus here is not on modern laboratory science as the template against which other knowledge systems are to be measured (and found wanting,) but simply to understand what these alternative knowledge systems were like and how they functioned within their societies.

For example, it would make no sense to say that the unassimilated Pawnee people of the American Great Plains practiced "bad science" with their star lore. They didn't practice astronomy as we understand the term today, but nevertheless were serious observers of the heavens.

Moreover, a lot of academic research on the history of science increasingly acknowledges "alternative" knowledge systems that nevertheless made signal contributions to the knowledge system that we define as science today.

Just as a footnote to the article, the Babylonians switched from using constellations to locate planets to signs by around 400 BCE, and probably earlier, as an easier means of tracking eclipses and planetary positions, given their sexagesimal (base 60) system of arithmetic (from which we get our 360-degree circle, compass bearings, and map coordinates.)

The Babylonian system was sidereal, so they weren't concerned with precession, even though this was a big problem for the ancient Egyptians and Greeks.

A good source on Babylonian astronomy/astrology is Francesca Rochberg, 2004, The Heavenly Writing: Divination, Horoscopy, and Astronomy in Mesopotamian Culture, Cambridge University Press. This senior professor at UC-Berkeley demonstrates that we have to understand knowledge in the terms of the people who developed it, not according to some post-hoc science template.

The article is outstanding and makes so much sense
However what confuses me is the lunar Arabian parts and planetary positions in the night sky and how they relate to the positions mentioned in astrology websites such as astrotheme.com where I get my daily forecast from. For example I see Saturn next to the 17th lunar part in first face of scorpio but according to astrological websites it is in 4 sagittarius, and the moon as well in Pisces 26 but seen in Aquarius. How do I know the lunar parts positions now? Does Aries first lunar part , sheratan, starts in 0 degrees Aries in astrotheme.com calendar or in 15 degrees Pisces which is a different part visible in the sky?

Please clarify this point to me so I can know where the lunar parts are exactly

Dear Deb,

This article is exceptional. Your writing style is clear, succinct, rich and natural.
You have the rare ability to explain without condescension.

Unlike so many of us, I am so glad you remain in the arena and continue to fight the good fight.