Skyscript Astrology Forum

I've been blindly following the dignities given in my software based on Ptolemy's preferences but I'm beginning to doubt they are the best. An event happened on the 25th of November that brought the terms of Scorpio to my attention. At first I just thought maybe my confusion or doubt came from two lists I've seen for Ptolemy, one dividing the term at 26? and another at 27?. Saturn was in 26 Scorpio on the 25th. But upon further research into news events that might shed light on when the term comes to an end I was led away from Ptolemy and toward The Egyptian term list used by Dorotheus. Ptolemy gives Mercury the term from 21-27? Scorpio, then it passes to Saturn. The Egyptian term is given to Jupiter from 19-24? Scorpio then passes on to Saturn. A look at the ephemeris shows Saturn reached 24? on November 1 and reached 27? on November 27.

Mercury would cover the written word, Jupiter the publishing of the word and Saturn of course, covers real estate and big business. On Nov. 1 the huge publisher, Cond? Nast, gained access to floors 20-44 of the World trade Center and were the first to open their doors officially on Nov. 3. I think this event fits Jupiter=publisher reaching the end of his term or bounds and moving into a new Saturn building. I think the mutual reception with Mars combined with Saturn ruling the term also fits the very well fortified steel reinforced concrete that makes up many stories of its walls.

So what do you all think? Did Mercury rule the term through most of November or did Jupiter pass authority on to Saturn as they took possession of their new home.

I've never really looked at transits through the terms for mundane events, so I'm not sure how to comment on your specific observation. However, I've switched to the Egyptian terms a while ago for a few reasons:

1) We know exactly what they are, whereas there's a number of variants of the Ptolemy table.
2) They have much stronger historical background, having been used by Dorotheus, Valens, Firmicus Maternus and many others. I'm not sure off-hand, but I think the Ptolemaic terms caught on largely because later astrologers assumed he was the most authoritative of the ancient authors.

This isn't to say that the Egyptian terms are the only way to go. I think it would be very difficult indeed to produce a study advocating one set over the other. I just personally find them to be the "safer" option.

Thanks for sharing, Eric. Why do you think a study would be difficult? Even if so, it would be quite valuable. Anything that can clarify and bring unity is a good thing. So many of us follow some method only because that is what we learned or the only thing we've been exposed to. Maybe a group of people could gather data for events to use.

18 Nov 2014 midnight EST Moon 4 li 48 | Sun 25 sc 45 | Merc 14 sc 18 | Venus 1 sa 46 |Mars 17 cp 5 |Jupiter 21 le 56 |Saturn 25 sc 54 |Uranus 13 ar 2 Rx |Neptune 4 pi 47 |Pluto 11 cp 46

On this date a record amount of snow was dumped, closing down over 130 miles of the NY through way and the snow continued until it reached over 7' in some areas. Jupiter always comes to mind with anything that is in huge amounts. Jupiter has dignity in Leo by night, often the time that huge lake affect snow first arrives. Ptolemy gives the term where Jupiter lies to Jupiter, appropriately. The dispositor, Sun is cold and moist, being in Scorpio, turning his natural nature opposite, fitting the weather. The Egyptian term for Jupiter's degree belongs to Mercury, which doesn't seem to fit as well but, Jupiter brings the volume, regardless of the term ruler. Mercury is fast, fitting the rate of snowfall, up to 5?/hr and a total of 76? in one 24 hour period. Transiting Mercury helps to support the cold and moist weather, being in Scorpio, ruling the term so not peregrine and increasing his power, according to Egyptian terms. Another thing that was quite unique about this system was the spotty nature. One location had over 6 feet, yet 7 miles away there was only a couple of inches. Mercury loves to flit from place to place. But I also look to Saturn when there is narrowing of focus. Here, like the opening of the World Trade Center, the Egyptian term fits better than Ptolemy's. Mercury tends to scatter, not focus energy, and is light, not heavy enough to cave in roofs as is the case here. Only Saturn ruling the term he was in, would fit this concentration. Another point of importance is the weakness of the Sun, peregrine. Obviously there was little ability to weaken Saturn through combustion but on this day he was cazimi. The Sun was obscured, besides being peregrine, but Saturn was surely stronger. My state was also affected by this system and we didn't see the sun for a couple of weeks, it finally appearing then snow melting when Sun entered Sag. We don't usually get sticking snow until late November, if then. Finally, I have studied a lot of hurricane systems forming and always see Mars acting as the low pressure system with Venus acting as the highs. Saturn empowers him through exaltation and both term lists agree that Jupiter rules Venus' term. At that time, there was a high pressure ridge that pushed the lows east. Mercury tends to dominate Michigan, with multi-bands of lake affect snow. Saturn fits his term much better than Venus, who brings fair weather and high pressure systems. But NY gets single band systems off from Lake Erie and Ontario. That would be Saturn, who concentrates the air system into single minded focus as the air moves along from west to east. The air lifts up the center then drops down to each side, then rushes back toward center to fill the void, building even stronger. It even built walls of snow, much more like Saturn than Mercury. https://twitter.com/WNYweather/status/5 ... 52/photo/1
Here is a page with the various terms: https://altairastrology.wordpress.com/2 ... or-bounds/

AquarianEssence wrote:18 Nov 2014 midnight EST Moon 4 li 48 | Sun 25 sc 45 | Merc 14 sc 18 | Venus 1 sa 46 |Mars 17 cp 5 |Jupiter 21 le 56 |Saturn 25 sc 54 |Uranus 13 ar 2 Rx |Neptune 4 pi 47 |Pluto 11 cp 46

On this date a record amount of snow was dumped, closing down over 130 miles of the NY through way and the snow continued until it reached over 7' in some areas.

Can you please give us a precise location? City or Town (New York?) Thanks.

No, that is 7 feet, areas south of Buffalo like Cowlesville, NY. The short time in which it fell is the most amazing thing. Cowlesvill had 88 inches by the 21st. The 130 mile stretch of highway was shut down for a week, I think. 4 people died. There were huge amounts in other areas of the Great Lakes too but not nearly as much as there. Grand Rapids, less than an hour north of me, received 31 inches. Parts of the Upper Peninsula received up to 5 feet. All the Great Lakes had ice forming by the 18th, breaking the record for the last 40 years.

My dad has a picture of a snowstorm of our farm not far from Buffalo in winter of 1943 when he said the snow was almost up to the top of the telephone poles. I also remember a storm in 1966 when the snow came up to the middle of the 2nd floor (all windows on the first floor were snowed). I remember he opened the back door and had no place to put the snow except to shovel it into the living room so he could get outside.

Michigan had one near that in 1978. My husband managed to get the door open a crack and dug a tunnel. The boys loved it.