Skyscript Astrology Forum

I was recently reading a very interesting article by Margherita Fiorello with an analysis of the colour of the Fixed Stars.
https://heavenastrolabe.wordpress.com/2 ... the-stars/

Many many years ago, I met Manik Chand Jain in India (an Indian astrologer now 100 years old!) and here is what he has to say about the colours of the Fixed Stars in his book 'Destiny by Stars'. p.56.

"The nature of the fixed stars narrated by Ptolemy are seen to correspond admirably to the triadic classification ot the stars into
1) White Stars (such as Alpha Lyrae, Sirius, Altair, Regulus, Rigel etc) - few dark lines due to strong and broad hydrogen lines are beneficial and produce placid effects, stimulating the unconscious mind in a manner similar to Mercury and specifically stimulating the libido (sexual and artistic impulses) in manner similar to Venus
2) Yellow Stars (such as Arcturus, Alderaban, Capella, Procyon, Pollux and the Sun etc) spectra with numerous strong lines, the hydrogen lines (white) less marked. - They are the more fortunate in a material way for they tend to produce the types of effects which signify 'success'. Their influence is of the nature of Mars and Jupiter, and to have such stars well placed in the horoscope is to show the hallmark of a successful career.
3) Red Stars (such as Antares, Alpha Orionis, Alpha Herculis, Niru, Pegasi etc) spectra with numerous dark lines, but also shaded bonds, darkest on the the violet side and fading away towards the red- They appear to be violent Stars, for they have the nature of Mars and Saturn.
Modifying factors: The planet's nature conjunct a Fixed Star, its position in a Solar Chart, the aspects received, the magnitude and the occulation (if the planet and star are in the same degree of longitude and declination)."

In recent years, Quantum Physics has discovered that everything has a vibration and is talking about the 'butterfly effect' It is the idea that small things can have non-linear impacts on a complex system. The concept is imagined with a butterfly flapping its wings and causing a typhoon. ... Simple systems, with few variables, can nonetheless show unpredictable and sometimes chaotic behavior. They have also discovered that honeybees far from each other were having the same behaviour at the same time. And Manik Chan Jain says that the influence of Fixed Stars is more something 'on the same wavelength', rather than an influence by 'rays'.

Which raises another question. Which one to choose when you have a cluster of Fixed Stars near the same degree. And here what you will find for example for the Fixed Star Hamal on https://www.constellationsofwords.com/s ... _order.htm
Positions given for 2000
Let's take an example when the Sun was conjunct Uranus April 26th 2020 at 6 Taurus 24
Sun Declination 13N42
Uranus Declination 13N17
Fixed Stars Longitude / Spectral Class / Declination / Magnitude
Alphirk 5 Tau 33 / B2 (White) / +70 34' / 3.3
Metallah 6 Tau 52 / F2 (Yellow) / +29 34 / 3.6
Hamal 7 Tau 40 / K2 (Red) / +23 27' / 2.2
Schedir 7 Tau 47 / K0 (Red) / +56.31 / 2.5
Adhil 7 Tau 52 / G9 (Yellow) / +45.32 / 5.0

A) Longitude: Obviously the closer the better - Metallah 6 Tau 52 is the closest here.
B) Spectral Class: Telling us to which category of influence described by Manik Chan Jain the Stars pertains to and I have added above the colour next to the Class. You will notice that the website describes Hamal as a yellow star but astronomers give it a spectral class of K, which is Yellow to Orange and falling in the Red category.
Astronomical Classes of Stars
O, B, A, F, G, K, M. (A traditional mnemonic for this sequence is “Oh Be A Fine Girl [or Guy], Kiss Me.???)
White
Class O stars includes bluish white stars .
Class B stars are also bluish white but show neutral helium lines.
Class A type stars are white.
Yellow
Class F type stars are yellow-white, .
Class G stars, like the Sun are yellow
Red
Class K stars are yellow to orange,
Class M stars are red
They also have Class L, T and Y for dwarfs planets but irrelevant to our analysis of Fixed Stars.
C) Declination: You choose the one which has the closer declination to the planet and this factor is prime because they are the stars closest to the Ecliptic. (Here Metallah +29.34 and Hamal +23.27 are the closest)
D) Magnitude: The lower, the stronger - Here Hamal 2.2 is stronger than Metallah 3.6

Conclusion: Hamal is the Fixed Star to read in this chart of which Ptolemy's observations are as follows: "The stars in the head of Aries possess an influence similar in its effects to that of Mars and Saturn'

Timeline for the Sun/Uranus cycle under a Mars/Saturn influence
April 26th (New Cycle Sun/Uranus)
- April 22 First military satellite deployed by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
- April 23 Facebook starts to remove 'pseudoscience' and 'conspiracy theory' as options for targeted ads
- April 27 The Pentagon releases 3 videos (leaked) of 'unidentified aerial phenomena' encountered by US Navy pilots
- April 28 A fast radio burst is detected from the Magnetar SGR 1935+2154, the first ever detected inside the Milky Way, and the first to be linked to a known source.

August 2nd (Waxing Square Sun/Uranus)
- July 30 – NASA successfully launches its Mars 2020 rover mission to search for signs of ancient life and collect samples for return to Earth. The mission includes technology demonstrations to prepare for future human missions. Not sure of the final success with Hamal in the picture.
- August 4 – Two explosions caused by unsafely stored ammonium nitrate kill over 220 people, injure thousands, and severely damage the port in Beirut, Lebanon. Damage is estimated at $10–15 billion, and an estimated 300,000 people are left homeless.
- August 7 – Air India Express Flight 1344 crashes after overrunning the runway at Calicut International Airport in Kerala, India, killing 19 of the 191 people onboard.
- August 9 – A presidential election in Belarus which led to incumbent Alexander Lukashenko's reelection sparks protests throughout the country after major opposition candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya rejected the results. Seven days later, the largest political march in Belarusian history takes place, with an estimated 300,000 people in Minsk and 200,000 in other Belarusian cities and towns.

October 31st (Opposition Sun/Uranus)
- Some more big news about to pop up.

Hope this article will help you be able to read Fixed Stars in a new way.
Ouranos

Ouranos wrote:

Many many years ago, I met Manik Chand Jain in India (an Indian astrologer now 100 years old!) and here is what he has to say about the colours of the Fixed Stars in his book 'Destiny by Stars'. p.56.

I knew Manik Chand Jain in the 1980s when he visited the San Francisco Bay Area and was giving classes. Jain died years ago from as I remember, blood leukemia. A percentage of his work was plagiarized (even directly copied) from western sources, including his material on stars and star colors. Jain used the sidereal zodiac, but Destiny by Stars references the tropical zodiac. You can tell by the nature of the text in the book that he was not always the original author. His habit was to mix in a few Indian ideas with the original text of other authors. It is common in India to neglect to mention authors being plagiarized or directly copied.

The illustrations in his Zodiacal Constellations (1974) are copied directly from Constellations: A Concise guide In Color by Josef Klepesta and Antonin Ruki (Hamlyn 1969). Manik Chand Jain gifted me with his books because I was a published astrologer (and in his eyes) deserving of respect.

Through the years various authors have noted events linked to the color of stars, but I can't remember my sources. Your research, Ouranos, is interesting. Thank you.

Thank you Theresa for your comment.
The first link of my article by Margherita Fiorello has a lot of traditional sources. And you are right, he is said to have died in 1982 as per Astrotheme. I think I got it wrong from another source (Indian?). Can't remember.
Back then, I was living in Madras, studying at Aurobindo's ashram and looking for an Indian astrologer to read my chart. He showed up but we never closed the deal. Yet, I bought 3 of his books.

Best to you,
Ouranos

Margherita Fiorello's article is indeed very interesting.

The only contemporary western astrologer I have seen discuss this topic is George Noonan in his book The Fixed Stars and Judicial astrology (1990) where he writes:

The natures of the stars were assigned by the classicists on the basis of colour: red to Mars and Saturn, white to Venus, blue to Jupiter and the Moon, and yellow to Mercury and the Sun. It is not surprising, therefore to find to find a strong correlation of the ancient nature of the fixed stars with their modern stellar spectra in a very natural way from the most benefic to the most malefic.
Class O stars are those whose spectra is very strong in the ultraviolet lines of nitrogen and life- giving oxygen. Stars in this class would have the nature of the most benefic planet of all the-Moon.
Class B stars are strong in helium, but also with nitrogen and oxygen. They are astrologically as Jupiter.
Class A stars are those in which the element of hydrogen is prominent. They are as Venus.
Mercury is neutral as to a malefic or benefic nature, their spectra, and and stars with a spectral class F can also be classified as neutral in that this class contains minor metals such as calcium and is a bridge to the more metallic stars. So stars in spectral class F are Mercury.
Our Sun is a spectral class G star. Surprisingly ( or is it so?), in the natural order in which we have been listing stars, their spectra, and their astrological nature, stars in spectral class g are as the Sun!
Metallic lines, especially, Iron, dominate the spectra of class K stars. Class K stars are therefore of the nature of Mars.
Finally, those stars in spectral class M, with its lines of harsh metals such as titanium oxide, have the astrological nature of the highly malefic Saturn.
To summarise:
Stellar Spectra Planetary Nature
O Moon
B Jupiter
A Venus
F Mercury
G Sun
K Mars
M Saturn

It will be seen that this scheme follows that of Ptolemy quite closely. In the few instances in which it results in a star being given a nature at variance with that of the classicists, the nature as predicted by the spectra is most generally confirmed by the lore associated with the star. Of course Ptolemy never gave the natures of Uranus, Neptune, or Pluto, to any of the stars. These planets were unknown in his time. Perhaps future research will rectify this situation and find stars with the nature of one or more of the trans-Saturnian planets. George Noonan, The Fixed Stars and Judicial Astrology p3-4, (1990)

Noonan's approach is certainly intriguing. However, I believe he is wrong when he suggests the star spectra associations with planets he proposes is largely synonymous with classical sources like Ptolemy, Anonymous of 379 etc.

Its clear that Ptolemy and his successors only assigned the 5 planets to stars not the luminaries. instead the Sun and Moon were traditionally assigned to only nebula or small star clusters in combination with a planet. Objects which were hazy and difficult to observe with the naked eye.

I also dont know why Noonan suggests the Moon is the most benefic planet. Looking at the sources Noonan states he is relying on such as Ptolemy or indeed any other traditional source its clear the Moon can be in a benefic or more malefic state depending on its lunation phase.

Still, for for those wanting to develop a fresh approach to fixed star meanings derived from modern star spectra Noonan provides an interesting starting point for further exploration.

http://www.skyscript.co.uk/stars.html


Ouranos wrote:

Many many years ago, I met Manik Chand Jain in India (an Indian astrologer now 100 years old!) and here is what he has to say about the colours of the Fixed Stars in his book 'Destiny by Stars'. p.56.

"The nature of the fixed stars narrated by Ptolemy are seen to correspond admirably to the triadic classification ot the stars into
1) White Stars (such as Alpha Lyrae, Sirius, Altair, Regulus, Rigel etc) - few dark lines due to strong and broad hydrogen lines are beneficial and produce placid effects, stimulating the unconscious mind in a manner similar to Mercury and specifically stimulating the libido (sexual and artistic impulses) in manner similar to Venus
2) Yellow Stars (such as Arcturus, Alderaban, Capella, Procyon, Pollux and the Sun etc) spectra with numerous strong lines, the hydrogen lines (white) less marked. - They are the more fortunate in a material way for they tend to produce the types of effects which signify 'success'. Their influence is of the nature of Mars and Jupiter, and to have such stars well placed in the horoscope is to show the hallmark of a successful career.
3) Red Stars (such as Antares, Alpha Orionis, Alpha Herculis, Niru, Pegasi etc) spectra with numerous dark lines, but also shaded bonds, darkest on the the violet side and fading away towards the red- They appear to be violent Stars, for they have the nature of Mars and Saturn.
Modifying factors: The planet's nature conjunct a Fixed Star, its position in a Solar Chart, the aspects received, the magnitude and the occulation (if the planet and star are in the same degree of longitude and declination)."

Interesting to compare with Noonan's ideas. I thought I had just about every book in print on fixed stars in English but this one was new to me. Thanks for the reference! Not sure where Manik Chand Jain gets that Pollox is yelllowish in appearance and benefic. Its always been observed as more reddish and seen as the more violent star in Gemini compared to Castor. Looking at the Greek mythology Pollox was the twin who was the sportsman and a boxer. Is this more positive interpretation instead related to its Nakshatra placement? Modern astronomers call Pollox an orange giant due to its spectra.

Mark

Thank you Mark for the reference to George Noonan.
Jain and Noonan seems to have drawn their book from the same source.
Theresa above thinks that it is coming from 'Constellations: A Concise guide In Color' by Josef Kepesta and Antonin Ruki (1969), at least the illustrations but I think it might be earlier than that.
Skyscript and astrologers list the Nature of the Stars while astronomers use the Class.
Pollox is a KO spectral class (K=yellow to orange in the Red category and O=bluish white) which is a contratiction by itself.
Possible reasons might be the nature of the constellation itself (dual?) or the way I prefer modifying the nature of the star with the planet conjunct the Fixed Star.
A reddish star like Mars conjunct a reddish Fixed Star is a confirmation of the martian energy while the Moon might bring a softer tone to the Fixed Star.
Like Canelo Alvarez (unknown time) who is ranked as the world's best boxer, pound for pound with Sun/Jupiter/Chiron conjunct Pollox or Arnold Schwarzenegger with ASC Venus conjunct Pollox falling more in the category of 'I love my body for aesthetic reason.'

Blessings,
Ouranos

Ouranos wrote:

Jain and Noonan seems to have drawn their book from the same source.
Theresa above thinks that it is coming from 'Constellations: A Concise guide In Color' by Josef Kepesta and Antonin Ruki (1969), at least the illustrations but I think it might be earlier than that.

I am not so sure about that. George Noonan published his book in 1990 before the internet really took off. I accept its possible he read Jain's book but I suspect that is unlikely. Information on star spectra has been widely available in astronomical books for decades. Applying spectra to fixed stars is an idea that surely could have occurred to Noonan quite independently. Still, I will recheck his bibliography.

Ouranos wrote:

Skyscript and astrologers list the Nature of the Stars while astronomers use the Class. Pollox is a KO spectral class (K=yellow to orange in the Red category and O=bluish white) which is a contratiction by itself.

Yes its confusing as some astronoomers sometimes describe Pollox as a Red Giant while others use the term Orange Giant. The KO category seems to be a midpoint between the main sequence stars and full red giants like Aldebaran or Antares. However, Orange Giants are closer to Red Giants in composition in the respect that have exhausted all their hydrogen.

The traditional astrological view of stars colour is of course based on their visual appearance to naked eye observers on earth not their spectra. I think using spectra is an interesting approach for those wanting to adopt a fresh approach to fixed stars. However, it can sit uncomfortably with traditional star lore.

Incidentally, on the subject of Pollox prominent in a natal chart we have Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex with Pollox rising. She also has Mars in the 1st by whole sign and an out of bounds Mars.

Mark

Mark wrote:

I thought I had just about every book in print on fixed stars in English but this one [Destiny by Stars] was new to me.

Manik Chand Jain's Zodiacal Constellations (not Destiny by Stars) is copied from the Klepesta book. (Specifically the diagrams of the constellations.)

Jain was great at plagiarizing. The short 83 page Destiny by Stars is simply a copy of tables from a standard astronomical text (no longitudes, only magnitude/spectrum/RA/Decl). The text in the book is copied verbatim from other sources as the comfortable language style obviously doesn't belong to a native of India. A little research would reveal the source/sources of the text. Jain died in 1982.

Ouranos wrote:

Theresa above thinks that it is coming from 'Constellations: A Concise guide In Color' by Josef Klepesta and Antonin Ruki (1969), at least the illustrations...

I don't think. I know as I have both books. There is a difference. The Klepesta book diagrams are in color, but in the Jain book they are black and white.

George Noonan ( Ph.D.) would have done his own research for his 1990 book. Destiny by Stars was published in 1974, so we need to look at older books for Jain's source material. Books from that era and older are often out of print by now, the 21st century.

Some of the text in Zodiacal Constellations is from Robson's The Fixed Stars and Constellations in Astrology, but most of the text seems to come from a British publication as indicated in this passage on page 93, which seems to be clearly authored by a native of Britain:

There are some interesting objects in the area, but their low altitude above the British horizon prevents their being seen well. The area is worth sweeping with binoculars.

The entire text betrays its English authorship. The same is true for the text in Destiny by Stars.

My personal leaning with Fixed Stars which comes from an old teacher of mine is to look at planets or Angles in a range of + or - 4 degrees as if they had a 'splash' effect with bodies around them. I also love the Paran approach by Bernadette Brady when you have Fixed Stars being Angular at the same time.

I have noticed major events happening in my life not always when a transit was on a personal planet but exact to the Fixed Star in the vicinity.
Take for example Sirius, the brightest Star in the sky. Taking distance into account, we find that Sirius is really forty times brighter than the Sun. Not surprising some call it the Sun of the Milky Way.
They have a lot to say about our destiny!

Ouranos wrote:

My personal leaning with Fixed Stars which comes from an old teacher of mine is to look at planets or Angles in a range of + or - 4 degrees as if they had a 'splash' effect with bodies around them.

Wow that is some orb! To be fair William Lilly and his contemporaries advocated up to 5 degrees for royal stars or other prominent stats like Spica or Algol. But I doubt even most traditional astrologers would work in that way today.

Personally, I think the ecliptical projection method is very crude and often doesn't list where stars really are in the local sky in terms of zodiacal degrees they rise. Its totally unreliable for stars with a latitude well outside the ecliptic.

Ouranos wrote:

I also love the Paran approach by Bernadette Brady when you have Fixed Stars being Angular at the same time.

I like Bernadette Brady's emphasis on the visual sky and taking the emphasis on fixed stars back there. She has done a great job in promoting this approach. Although to be fair astrologers like Kenneth Bowser and George Noonan did promote the in mundo use of stars several years before Brady. I myself use the paranatellonta (literally 'attendants') or stars exactly rising in mundo on the four angles or co-arising with planets in a location. This was the method advocated in ancient texts like Anonymous of 379 or Liber Hermetis.

However, despite her claim to follow Anonymous of 379 Brady's parans are quite different from the traditional understanding of the paranatelllonta. Brady promotes 'parans' with stars rising, culminating. setting or anti-culminating at the same time as a planet frequently on a different angle. She calls this a 'paran'. But this is not in tune with the traditional idea of parantellonta. Instead Brady has borrowed her 'paran' technique from Cyril Fagan who first promoted this technique for planets.

Mark

Thank you Mark for your insightful comments!
Appreciate the distance we need to have from the ecliptic sometimes.

fixed stars have to do with other people and their influences on you. The color or spectral type is important. Red is like the first chakra. etc Winston churchill had antares conjunct his sun. One of his past relatives was a great soldier in the army. There is a dna reference. Clusters of stars are groups of people. a choir GAlaxies are nations, cultures, languages. Shapley 8 = humanity