Astrology is a subject that is deeply ingrained in the human psyche.  Religions and myths from all parts of the world are steeped in astrological symbolism.  It is the oldest science but has been much neglected as a serious study for the last few centuries. Astronomers used to be astrologers, indeed Isaac Newton, when questioned about his support for astrology replied “ Sir, I have studied the subject, you have not “

In most people’s eyes, Astrology is the Sun sign horoscope columns portrayed in the newspapers. Some of this stuff is written by astrologers trying to make a living and some by journalists but at best it is generalised nonsense and unfortunately all it achieves is to provide a bit of entertainment and bring the subject into disrepute.

A piece in Private Eye once  said – The subject of Astrology received unexpected support yesterday when everyone born under Taurus were knocked down by an egg lorry !  The way that horoscope columns work is to take one factor alone out of thousands and use that one exclusively.

ASTROLOGY –THE BASIC PREMISE

Anyone born or anything begun at a moment in time carries with it the characteristics of that moment.

HOW DOES ASTROLOGY WORK  ?

No-one knows, but it isn’t through some kind of gravitational or magnetic pull of the actual planets.  The planets don’t affect us directly any more than we affect them. Astrology works symbolically, the planetary positions and their relationships work like a code for us. So if we want to understand the characteristics of a particular moment in time we can read the code from those positions at that moment.

WHY DOES IT WORK  ?

Again, no-one knows for sure, but the fact that it does suggests that there must be some kind of natural order to life even if its not easily comprehended by mankind.

WHAT IS ASTROLOGY’S PURPOSE  ?

Helping us to understand the nature of things. Many people want to use it for prediction, this can be interesting and helpful but  man’s desire to know the future comes from a weakness in ourselves. The Universe wants us to be comfortable with what we are and live as much as possible in the moment. Astrology is there to help us understand and accept both ourselves and others. It also helps us see what is required of us at any particular moment.

THE ASTROLOGICAL CHART

This is the birthchart of Napoleon Bonaparte, the great French Emperor and military leader. A simple way to think of  a birthhart is to look at it is as a snapshot of a moment. You can think that the very middle of the circle is the Earth at that moment.  The narrow outer ring contains the signs of the zodiac. The wider middle ring is divided into 12 sectors called the houses and the planets are placed around this ring.

The chart is drawn for 11.30 am so the symbol for the Sun ( gold circle with a dot in the middle ) is near they top of the chart. The Earth rotates anticlockwise right around in 24 hours, this movement would give all the planets the appearance of moving clockwise. If the chart had been drawn for midday ( half an hour later )  they would have all moved round a little so the Sun would be right at the top.  If it had been drawn for midnight, the Sun would be right at the bottom, if sunrise it would be on the left, sunset on the right and all points in between.

The Earth travels round the Sun in a year. From the Earth’s perspective it appears as if the Sun is moving round the Earth in relation to the sectors of the Zodiac behind it. So in the middle of August the Sun has the appearance of being in Leo. The symbol for Leo is the pink one next to the Sun ( its supposed to symbolise the Lion’s mane ). Each of the 12 Zodiac signs are of equal length so as the whole circle has 360 degrees, each sign has 30 degrees.  The Sun travels fractionally less than 1 degree per day as there are 365.25 days (including leap years ) to a year.

The sign Leo begins on July 23rd ( it can change slightly from one year to another ) so as the chart is drawn for 15th August, the Sun is at 22 degrees 46 minutes of Leo.

The Moon ( in grey ) is at 28 degrees 56 Capricorn ( the red symbol that looks like a VS ). The Moon rotates around the Earth in 27.75 days.  The point of Astrology is for us to see how these planets symbolically affect us so everything is viewed from an Earthly perspective.  All the planets, Moon included, therefore appear to be moving through the Zodiac.  They all appear to move at different relative speeds of course, because of the different size of their orbits.  The Moon goes round in a month, Pluto will take about 250 years. One consequence of this is that every moment is unique never to be repeated, so every birthchart and individual is also completely unique.

The Moon is waxing, close to full. If the chart was drawn for two days later at the same time, the Moon would be full and would be opposite the Sun in Leo so it would appear in the 4^th house

The Ascendant or Rising Sign is the one that’s coming over the eastern ( left ) horizon at the time of the chart. So the rising sign is Scorpio ( blue symbol like an M with a tail ), 6 degrees 24 minutes Scorpio to be exact.

The Midheaven or M/C is at the very top of the chart at 14 degrees 8 minutes Leo. The Sun in  Napoleon’s hart is very close to the Midheaven. A chart drawn for noon on any day would have the Sun exactly on the Midheaven

The 12 houses start from the Ascendant and run anticlockwise round the chart so the Sun is in Leo in the 10^th house, the Moon is in Capricorn in the 3rd house etc.  A couple of hours later everything would have moved round so Sagittarius would be on the horizon and all the planets would have changed house ( the Sun would be in the 9^th, Moon in the 2nd etc. )

The red and blue lines linking the planets are the aspects or angles between them. Blue lines are oppositions, red ones are squares so in the chart the Sun is in square to Jupiter ( in red ) which is in Scorpio in the 1st house.  Conjunctions are when planets are close together like Mars ( in red – male symbol ) and Neptune ( in blue – looks like Neptune’s trident ) at the top of the chart.   There are other angles that are used by astrologers but Capricorn Research tends to keep to the most significant ones as there is already enough stuff in there.

WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN ?

To simplify things, the planets are particular life energies, the signs are how these energies are expressing themselves, the houses are what areas in life will these energies concentrate on and the aspects are how will these energies interact with each other.

You could imagine the planets as lots of different people going out for the evening.  The signs are what they are wearing and what kind of mood they are in. The houses are where are they going  i.e. a party, cinema, out for a meal or a concert etc. The aspects are how they will get along with each other when they meet up.

PLANETS AS BRIEFLY AS POSSIBLE

THE SUN

Without the Sun there would obviously be no life at all, so the Sun in a chart rules the person’s essence, their individuality, that which makes them different from everything else. It rules our vitality, creativity and sense of self.

MOON

The Moon’s appearance is constantly changing owing to its reflecting the Sun’s light to earth. The Moon in the chart rules that which changes in us, our moods, feelings and responses to people and life. It rules our instincts and habit patterns.  The Sun and Moon are polar opposites.

MERCURY  ( Green in the 9^th house in the chart like female sign with horns )

Mercury is the swiftest planet and is always very close to the Sun.  It rules our mental processes, our ability to assimilate and communicate information. It also has some rulership over our patterns of movement.

VENUS ( Blue – female sign in 8^th house )

Venus rules our capacity to attract both people and things. It is our magnetism and our ability to relate to other people. It also rules our artistic abilities and tastes.

MARS  ( Red – male sign in 10^th house )

Mars rules the personal drive and desire nature. It governs our physical energy and assertiveness, our animal instincts together with the competitive and fighting spirit.  Venus and Mars are polar opposites.

These 5 are the personal planets, they rule fundamental energies in all of us. The other 5 planets are less personal and more about principles that can have an impact on our lives and personalities.

JUPITER  ( red looks like a 4 in the 1st house )

Jupiter is the largest planet and king of the ancient gods.  It is the principle of expansion, everything it touches becomes greater. It is traditionally the bringer of good fortune. It is all about widening horizons and rules wisdom, understanding and travel, both of the mind and body.

SATURN  ( brown/ gold  looks like an upside down Jupiter in the 9th house )

Saturn is the furthest planet that can be seen by the naked eye and was viewed by the ancients as the outer limit of the solar system. It is the principle of limitation and of contraction. It creates restrictions and obstacles and is seen as the planet of misfortune. It does, however, have an important role to play in human growth, teaching us to face up to life’s difficulties and to concentrate, narrow our focus and work hard for long term achievement.  Jupiter and Saturn are polar opposites.

The 3 outer planets were discovered in the last 3 centuries.  They all therefore represent principles of change, of going beyond previously set boundaries.

URANUS  ( blue looks like a TV aerial in the 7^th house )

Uranus was discovered in 1761, a time of great change with the American, French and industrial revolutions. It rules sudden change and rebellion against authority. It is unconventional and wants freedom and independence. It rules originality and inventiveness with flashes of intuition. It is basically a mental planet, a kind of higher version of Mercury.

NEPTUNE  ( blue looks like Neptune’s trident in the 10^th house )

Neptune was discovered in 1846, again a time of great change but much of the change for people was internal with a much greater understanding of psychology and man’s inner life including the growth of spiritualism.  Neptune rules change but through dissolving barriers between people. It is the world of the non – material, of meditation, it works through inspiration but in subtle, sensitive ways. It is basically a feeling planet, a kind of higher version of Venus.

PLUTO  ( red in the 3rd house )

Pluto was discovered in 1930, at the dawn of the atomic age. It is the principle of transformation and regeneration. The atomic explosion, that something so tiny can have such a massive effect is perfect Pluto symbolism. It suddenly breaks through sweeping  away previously existing conditions in order for a completely new start to occur. It is about death and rebirth within a life. It is basically an action planet, a kind of higher Mars.

SIGNS OF THE ZODIAC

The 12 signs of the Zodiac are split in two different ways, firstly by which element they are in and secondly by which quadruplicity.

THE 4 ELEMENTS

FIRE

Like fire itself, fire signs add warmth and heat to any situation. They are courageous, inspiring, exciting, passionate and love expression of energy for its own sake. Too much fire can result in egotism and carelessness.

EARTH

Earth is the most stable element and earth signs are the most consistent. They are practical, careful and self contained looking for concrete results from activity.  Too much earth can result in greed and inflexibility.

AIR

Air is the element of intellect and air signs are logical, adaptable and communicative. They are socially aware and the sharing of ideas is most important.  Too much air can result in superficiality and restlessness.

WATER

Water is the element of emotion and water signs operate principally through their feelings. They are sensitive, understanding, fluid and impressionable.  Too much water can result in irrationality and instability.

THE  3 QUADRUPLICITIES

CARDINAL

The Sun is in a cardinal sign at the beginning of each of the 4 seasons. Cardinal signs are initiating, active and enterprising but can be impatient.

FIXED

Fixed signs follow cardinals and fixed signs are concerned with preservation of energy and making something last. They are reliable, determined and persistent but can be stubborn.

MUTABLE

Mutable signs follow fixed and the Sun is in a mutable sign at the end of each season. Mutability is about change and dispersing conditions that have become fixed to prepare for new experience.  Mutable signs are adaptable and flexible but can lack control.

THE 12 SIGNS  –  Around the outer ring in the chart

One thing that’s useful to bear in mind is that the character of each sign is a reaction to that of the previous sign.

ARIES   –  FIRE / CARDINAL

Symbol – The Ram’s Head  (  In red just below the sunset on the 6th house cusp in Napoleon’s chart )

The Sun is in Aries from March 21^st to Apr 20^th, the start of the natural and astrological year.  In nature its all about new life bursting through and Aries is about beginnings. Arians have a strong need to express themselves as a separate entity. They are instinctive, passionate, impulsive and enthusiastic. They are adventurous and enterprising and exceptionally good at starting things. They are challenging and inspiring, and see things simply in black and white. They are fiery and combative, natural competitors who lead from the front. Action for Arians is easy, they move quickly but can get angry and impatient with others who don’t see life as simply and clearly as they do. They can lack staying power and become easily bored when the initial excitement of activity has worn off.  Consequently they don’t always gain the most advantage from their actions.

TAURUS  –  EARTH / FIXED

Symbol – The Bull   (  In green next at the sunset point or 7th house cusp )

The Sun is in Taurus from April 21^st – May 20th, in nature the early burst of spring in Aries is concentrated and expanded upon in Taurus, with significant leaf growth and flowering. The Taurean theme is about the need to establish and give concrete form to things. Taureans are stable, persistent, loyal and reliable. They are practical, calm and resourceful.  They are artistic and creative and appreciate beautiful things, they also have a love of nature. They move slowly and thoughtfully and once they have decided on a course of action they will follow it through and it will be difficult to make them change direction. They have strong belief in themselves and their convictions. They are faithful and affectionate, romantic and devoted. They are slow to anger, but at a certain point there is the red rag to a bull scenario.  They can be over materialistic, possessive and jealous and their problems tend to be of inflexibility.

GEMINI  –  AIR / MUTABLE

Symbol – The Twins   ( In green like a Roman numeral 2 at the 8^th house cusp )

The Sun is in Gemini from May 21^st – June 20^th,  during the change from Spring to Summer. The Gemini themes are movement and communication.  Geminis are constantly on the move with great curiosity looking to compare their experiences with others. Geminis are adaptable, versatile, rational, intelligent and stimulating. They are eloquent, articulate and friendly usually having a wide social network but don’t generally like to attach too much to any particular person.  They respond and move quickly needing freedom, not wishing to be pinned down. They frequently change their opinions, the need to communicate is much more important to them than the matter discussed.  They can be superficial and lack concentration, often a Jack of all trades type.

CANCER  –  WATER  /  CARDINAL

Symbol  –   The Crab    (  In blue at the top of the chart like a 69 on its side on the 9th house cusp )

The Sun is in Cancer from June 21^st to July 21st, starting at the Summer Solstice, the end of the first phase of growth in nature. Plants begin to bear fruit.  The Cancer theme is the establishment of a secure home and base.  Cancers are receptive, sensitive, emotional and responsive. It is the sign of the mother and they are generally kind and caring with strong nurturing and protective instincts.  They are emotional and empathic but also feel vulnerable and will often erect a hard outer shell to protect themselves and their immediate family.  Cancers are home lovers and need to put down strong roots. They do have a strong sense of their own needs and goals but will pursue them in a quite indirect manner. They have a strong imagination, and will absorb emotional atmospheres, they can even be psychic. They can be possessive, clannish and insecure.

LEO  –  FIRE  /  FIXED

Symbol  –  The Lion   ( Lion’s Mane in pink by the Sun in the chart and at the 10th house cusp )

The Sun is in Leo from July 22nd – Aug 21st, the hottest time of the year. Leo is the Sun’s own sign and it works best here.  The Leo theme is leadership.  Leos are large hearted, noble, confident and self assured.  They are generous and benevolent to those who follow them. They are affectionate, romantic and faithful but also creative and with a strong sense of the dramatic, they feel that their life is a stage and are good entertainers.  Leos have high aspirations and a strong will to succeed, they feel that they are entitled to rule their own domain. They can be easily manipulated by others and their openness can become naivety. They can be quite conceited and demand to be in charge of things. They can also be lazy expecting things to come to them by divine right.

VIRGO  – EARTH  /  MUTABLE

Symbol  –  The Virgin   ( Blue, like an M with a curl on the 11^th house cusp )

The Sun is in Virgo from Aug 22nd – Sep 20^th,  harvest time in nature when lots of hard work is done in order to gather the grain to help survive the coming winter. The Virgo theme is developing a sense of duty to others. Virgos are analytical, methodical and hardworking. They are perfectionists with a keen sense of detail. They are reserved and don’t like the spotlight preferring to work hard behind the scenes. They often don’t look for or receive credit for their efforts. They have high standards and are quite self critical. Virgos are cool and reserved emotionally preferring to operate through their keen intellect. They have a strong humility, often putting themselves in a position to serve others. They can be over critical of others as well if they apply their own high standards too stringently. There can also be a tendency to not see the wood for the trees.

LIBRA  –  AIR  /. CARDINAL

Symbol  –  The Scales  ( Blue,  two horizontal lines with a bump in the top one on the 12th house cusp )

The Sun is in Libra from September 21st to October 20th. Libra begins when the hours of day and night are even so balance, harmony and cooperation in relationship are the Libra themes. Librans are sociable, charming, harmonious and wish above all to avoid conflict. They have a strong sense of fairness and strive for equality. They are diplomatic, tactful and can easily see another’s point of view. Librans are elegant, artistic and tasteful, loving beautiful things. They can be dependent on others and lack a strong sense of themselves. They can also be indecisive and can compromise too easily.

SCORPIO  –  WATER. /. FIXED

Symbol  –  The Scorpion. ( Purple, like an M with an arrow for a tail on the 1st house cusp or Ascendant )

The Sun is in Scorpio from October 21st to November 20th, a time of great change in nature, leaves are falling from the trees and are dying in order to fertilise the ground to help new growth in the Spring. The Scorpio theme is personal transformation through merging the self with something greater. Scorpios are intense and passionate with deep, powerful emotions. It would be hard to recognise what the Scorpio character is feeling as they have a great capacity for self control. They are strong willed and have the power to manipulate other people so much depends on what level they are functioning on. They are capable of intense jealousy and acting in a destructive way but are also able to use their powers to great healing effect. They are capable of operating from the lowest of motives or the highest. The most important thing for the Scorpio is regeneration and they will go through many periods of intense change, reinventing themselves. The one thing for sure is that they will never do anything in a superficial way.

SAGITTARIUS     –    FIRE  /  MUTABLE

Symbol   –   The Archer   ( Red, diagonal arrow with a line across on the cusp of 2nd house )

The Sun is in Sagittarius from November 21^st to December 20^th the end of autumn when strong winds are sweeping away the fallen leaves in preparation for winter.  The Sagittarius themes are movement and exploration.  Sagittarians are aspiring, far sighted and idealistic, they are keen to expand their own horizons and make good travellers.  They are optimistic, open, enthusiastic, direct and honest always tending to speak the truth as they see it although they can be tactless.  They are philosophical and idealistic with a strong vision although not generally concerned with the practical details of how to bring this vision to fruition.  They do everything on a grand scale but can be extravagant and indulgent.  They have a strong need for personal freedom and don’t take kindly to being restricted, they can be very friendly and outgoing but not keen on close personal ties.

CAPRICORN   –   EARTH  /  CARDINAL

Symbol  –  The Mountain Goat  ( Red, looks like VS on the cusp of the 3rd house  )

The Sun is in Capricorn from December 21^st to January 19^th, starting at the winter solstice, a time when the smallest amount of daylight is available, there is, however a slow steady increase in light as the Sun travels through the sign.  The main Capricorn theme is one of outer quiet and, control but with a strong drive to survive and a steady, step by step improvement.  Capricorns are concerned with the long term, their early steps are careful and tentative but they have a clear ambition and sense of their own mission or mountain to climb.  They are conventional, serious, realistic and cautious, self contained with strong personal discipline.  They are emotionally restrained tending to see things pragmatically.  They are patient, hardworking and persistent with good organisational skills and powers of concentration. They are focused on their own goals and are unlikely to be drawn away from their path by other people or factors.  They can be narrow minded  and remote, pessimistic and insensitive. A lot depends on what their goals are but they are reliable and loyal and will stick at something long after others give up.

AQUARIUS   –   AIR  /  FIXED

Symbol  –  The Water Bearer  (  Blue, two horizontal wavy lines, at the bottom of the chart on the 4th house cusp )

The Sun is in Aquarius from January 20^th to February 19^th, during the coldest time of the year.  The Aquarian theme is the quest for the perfect society through thought and ideas.  Aquarians are intellectual and rational beings who are progressive, idealistic and open minded.  They are political reformers, unconventional, original and independent. They love and need personal freedom and can easily relate to different types of people.  They are friendly in an impersonal way but can appear detached  and aloof. They hold their opinions strongly and are determined to get their views across.  Although they will generally take the radical point of view and oppose the status quo they can do so in a quite stubborn and inflexible way and could be accused of political correctness. They can be full of interesting ideas, but lacking a practical  means of making their ideas real.  They are often quite eccentric, but sometimes unpredictable and erratic.

PISCES   –   WATER  /  MUTABLE

Symbol  –  The Fishes  (  Purple, like a bendy H  right side on the 5th house cusp )

The Sun is in Pisces from February 20^th to March 20^th, at the end of winter when the rains have come to soften the ground for new life in the Spring.  Pisces is the last sign and the theme is to disperse the sense of the individual self and become part of  everything.  Pisceans are the most complex characters as they can contain aspects of all the other signs. They are sensitive and can even be psychic, picking up many impressions from any situation. They have a natural understanding of the feelings of others and usually empathic and compassionate.  They are unselfish and will often look to serve and help people. Because they are so sensitive, they feel pulled in many directions and need to retreat occasionally to allow all their impressions to settle. They can be introspective and spiritual. Their problems are generally to do with drifting and lack of focus, they can be easily confused and lack a strong sense of direction or indeed of themselves.

PLANETARY  RULERS

Each sign has a planet that rules it and is said to have dignity when it appears in it. Planets also have other signs where they work well  ( exaltation ) because there is a natural sympathy or work less well ( detriment and fall ) because they are too different.

DIGNITY, EXALTATION, DETRIMENT AND FALL

The opposite sign to a planets dignity is called its detriment, the opposite sign to its exaltation is its fall.

THE SUN    –  INDIVIDUALITY  has dignity in LEO  as it is the sign with the strongest sense of self.  It’s in detriment in AQUARIUS because it is the sign of the collective rather than the self.  It’s in exaltation in ARIES  as it’s the sign of assertion of the self. It’s in fall in Libra because it’s the sign of partnership with others.

THE MOON  –  RECEPTIVITY  has dignity in CANCER as it’s the sign of the maternal and nurturing of others.  Its in detriment in CAPRICORN because it’s the sign of reserved pragmatism. Its in exaltation in TAURUS as it gives form and stability to the feeling nature. It’s in fall in Scorpio because of the outer control of emotion.

MERCURY  –  INTELLECT  has dignity in GEMINI and VIRGO , both thinking signs. Its in detriment in SAGITTARIUS and PISCES. Its in exaltation in AQUARIUS, another mental sign and in fall in LEO.

VENUS  –  ATTRACTION has dignity in TAURUS AND LIBRA , as they both love beauty. It’s in detriment in SCORPIO and ARIES.  Its in exaltation in PISCES and fall in VIRGO.

MARS  –  ASSERTION has dignity in ARIES and SCORPIO as they are both fighters. Its in detriment in LIBRA and TAURUS.  Its in exaltation in CAPRICORN and fall in CANCER.

JUPITER – EXPANSION – dignity in SAGITTARIUS and PISCES, detriment in GEMINI and VIRGO, exaltation in CANCER, fall in CAPRICORN

SATURN  –  CONTRACTION  – dignity in CAPRICORN and AQUARIUS, detriment in CANCER and LEO, exaltation in LIBRA, fall in ARIES.

URANUS –  REBELLION – dignity in AQUARIUS, detriment in LEO, exaltation in SCORPIO, fall in TAURUS

NEPTUNE  –  DISSOLUTION – dignity in PISCES, detriment in VIRGO, exaltation in CANCER, fall in CAPRICORN

PLUTO  – REGENERATION  –  dignity in SCORPIO, detriment in TAURUS, exaltation in AQUARIUS, fall in LEO

THE ASCENDANT  ( OR RISING SIGN ) AND THE 12 HOUSES

The Ascendant is the point on the Eastern horizon and is dependent on the Earth’s daily rotation.  As the Earth rotates each of the signs will appear on the horizon over 24 hours, and will be the Ascending sign for somewhere between 1 and 3 hours each.  At the equator all Ascending signs have an equal 2 hours whereas the further north or south you go the more uneven the time frame becomes.

The Ascendant is the individual’s way of expression in the world.  It is a filter or window through which the self is projected. It governs how other people see us and also how we see the world. It will affect physical type and appearance.

Unless someone is born at sunrise, their Sun and Ascendant will be in different signs. This can account for a lot of misunderstanding between people.  How people see others ( Ascendant ) is not necessarily what they are ( Sun ).

1ST HOUSE

The first house covers the immediate concerns that the individual feels that they must express and planets in the first house can modify the Ascendant, particularly if they are close to the rising degree. Planets here can alter physical appearance. It has a sympathy with the first sign ARIES

2^ND HOUSE

The second house is the area of personal finances and possessions and the person’s attitude to material values. Planet’s here can show how the person earns and spends money. It has a sympathy with the second sign TAURUS.

3^RD HOUSE

The third house rules education and the communication of information. It also rules short journeys and is traditionally linked with sibling relationships. It has a sympathy with the third sign GEMINI.

4^TH HOUSE

The fourth house is the area of psychological foundations, of home and family. It can show much about the person’s relationship with their parents and about their upbringing, domestic issues and sense of security. It has a sympathy with the fourth sign CANCER.

5^th HOUSE

The fifth house rules personal creativity, romantic affairs and also one’s relationships with children. It can also rule socialising, partying and one’s capacity and desire to gamble. It has a sympathy with the fifth sign LEO

6^th HOUSE

The sixth house rules our attitudes to and patterns within work ( although not necessarily one’s career ). It also has some say over health and our attitude towards self improvement and service to others. It has a sympathy with the 6^th sign VIRGO

7^TH HOUSE

The seventh house is the house of marriage and our ways of relating to our partners. It can describe the type of partner we will look for or naturally attract but it will also outline themes in our  relationships. It has a sympathy with the seventh sign LIBRA

8^TH HOUSE

The eighth house is the most difficult to pin down as it has rulership over depth experiences and can impact on our sexual expression and our capacity to merge with others. It also rules other people’s resources. In traditional Astrology it is associated with death and can reveal the means of death particularly if unusual.  It has a sympathy with the 8^th sign SCORPIO.

9^TH HOUSE

The ninth house is the area of travel, particularly foreign travel, but also of higher education, philosophy and religion. Planets here can affect our understanding of our place within the scheme of things. It has a sympathy with the ninth sign SAGITTARIUS.

10^TH HOUSE

The tenth house is the area of career, social standing and achievement. It can reveal our public image and our relationship with employers and authority in general. It has a sympathy with the tenth sign CAPRICORN

11^TH HOUSE

The eleventh house is the area of friendships and associations. It can also affect our hopes and values and our desire to act on them. It is the house of political expression. It has a sympathy with the eleventh sign AQUARIUS

12 TH HOUSE

The twelfth house is traditionally thought of as the house of subconscious patterns and their impact on us. It is thought to be the area of secret activity and of retreat into solitude. Capricorn Astrology Research, however, shows the 12^th to be the most dominant house for Public Figures so perhaps the 12th house should be viewed as similar to the 1st.  It has a sympathy with the twelfth sign PISCES.

THE MIDHEAVEN OR M/C

The Midheaven is the point at the very top of the chart on the cusp of the 10th house and it signifies the social and professional standing of the person. Any planets close to the Midheaven will affect their public role and life.

SUN, MOON, ASCENDANT COMBINATIONS

Once you know the sign placings of the SUN, MOON and ASCENDANT, together with the house placings of the SUN and MOON, you have a very good basic knowledge of their character.

In Napoleon’s chart the Sun is in Leo in the 10th house, so the Individuality ( Sun ) is expressing itself Regally ( Leo ) in the 10th house ( Career ). This Sun is in dignity in Leo tend to feel they are natural leaders and there is no more obvious placing than this for the Emperor of France.

Napoleon’s Moon is in Capricorn in the 3rd house, so his Responses ( Moon ) are expressing themselves Carefully ( Capricorn ) in the 3rd house ( Communication ).  The Moon is in detriment in Capricorn because the emotions would be carefully controlled. This placing is pragmatic and Napoleon would respond strategically with a clear view of his long term goal. The Moon in the 3rd house would make him very good at communicating his strategies. This is obviously a very useful placing for a military leader.

Napoleon’s Ascendant or rising sign is Scorpio so he Projects himself ( Ascendant ) Passionately ( Scorpio ). Scorpio rising is supposedly the strongest Ascendant because of their intensity and depth of character. There is also tremendous ability to manipulate and organise the other people’s skills and resources.

If you wanted to conquer Europe, you could not have a more appropriate combination of Sun, Moon and Ascendant than this.

ASPECTS

The angles between the planets show how the various parts of an individual character  are likely to fit together and major aspect patterns will reveal crucial themes in a person’s life and directions that they feel compelled to explore.

CONJUNCTION

This is when two planets are close together within 8 to 10 degrees ( depending on which planets ). The conjunction represents a unity of energies that greatly concentrates on and strengthens the particular area of the chart. Generally this is an auspicious aspect but much depends on the planets involved. Sun conjunct Jupiter would be a great blessing but with Mars conjunct Saturn the planets are so different it would be like driving a car with one foot on the accelerator and one on the brake.

OPPOSITION

This is when two planets are opposite each other ( again within about 8 – 10 degrees ). These planets are pulling in very different directions and the individual will not be able to choose one path alone but will be compelled to deal with two. Integrating oppositions into a life is difficult and can require quite a lot of energy to deal with the conflicts that can be created by these two opposing pulls. For personal growth and achievement oppositions can be very useful and even essential.

SQUARES

Square aspects are when planets are 90 degrees apart ( with an orb of 6 – 8 degrees ). These aspects work like mini oppositions because of the signs involved. Any signs that are 3 apart in the Zodiac will be of very different elements ( i.e Fire / Water,  Earth / Fire,  Air / Earth or Water / Air ) but they will have the same quadruplicity.  So for example the Sun in Taurus square the Moon in Leo would have the two planets working in very different directions but with the same persistent, fixed manner.  So again, tension and conflict is part of the square aspect but this generates activity in life in order to integrate the two different energies.

TRINES

Trine aspects are when planets are 120 degrees apart ( again 6-8 degrees ). Signs that are 4 apart are in the same element so a degree of ease and harmony exists between them. When planets are in trine to each other, things come easily to the person and these aspects are traditionally thought of as beneficial. Capricorn Research does not tend to use them because they don’t force a person to go out and achieve things in the way that the other aspects do, and they don’t tend to correspond to events so much as to feelings of ease and comfort.

SEXTILES

Sextile aspects are when planets are 60 degrees apart ( an orb of 4 – 6 degrees ). Signs that are 2 apart are not in the same element but are complimentary like Earth / Water or Fire / Air.  This is another aspect of sympathy and harmony and operates like a smaller scale trine, again not much used in the research.

MAJOR ASPECT PATTERNS

THE T – SQUARE

T-Squares ( triangle with one 90 and two 45 degree angles ) are aspect patterns involving 3 or more planets when 2 are in opposition and 1 is in square aspect to both of them. In this situation, the tension generated by the pull of the 2 in opposite directions looks for release through the 3^rd one and does so powerfully. The planet, sign and house at the apex ( 3^rd point ) of this formation becomes very important in the person’s life.

THE GRAND CROSS

A Grand Cross or Grand Square is where there are 4 or more planets involved in two oppositions when the two planets in one opposition are in square aspect to the two planets in the other opposition. An example of this would be planets around the same degree of each of the cardinal signs, Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. The aspect creates a lot of tension and difficulty in the life and the person would tend to feel boxed in by events and situations. It would be hard to gain much peace with this aspect.

THE GRAND TRINE

A Grand Trine ( equilateral triangle ) is where 3 or more planets are 120 degrees to each other, usually in the same element.  This would mean that each quadruplicity of the same element is represented, e.g. Aries, Leo and Sagittarius, all the Fire signs. There is a natural sympathy here and each planet will express itself in a complimentary way. This is a very beneficial aspect and the person who has this will experience good things coming to them easily with little effort on their part. Its not a pattern that is generally used by Capricorn Research because the focus is on actual and measurable events which are more likely to occur as the result of the harder aspects. The Grand Trine is a lovely aspect to have but it can make the person lazy because they can get used to reaping rewards from little effort. High achievers often have the more difficult aspects.

In Napoleon’s chart the standout aspect is the square between his Sun in Leo in the 10th house and Jupiter in Scorpio in the 1st house.  The first house rules immediate issues that the person must express and the 10th house rules the career so aspects between planets in these houses are probably the most important of all.  Jupiter is the principle of Expansion and it expresses itself Passionately ( Scorpio ) in the area of Personal Conduct ( Ascendant ). Jupiter is always about doing things on a grand scale so this placing lifts Napoleon’s ambition to a much higher level. Jupiter is also the planet of travel, so there will be lots of that. As the aspect between the Sun and Jupiter is a square even more energy is generated around these issues. The Sun in Leo square to Jupiter creates a powerful character, someone who feels their leadership is a God given right but also is prone to exaggerate and to behave extravagantly.

Napoleon has a T Square ( triangle ) made up of an opposition ( blue line ) between Jupiter and  Uranus which focuses onto the Midheaven, Social Standing, at the top of the chart via two square aspects ( red lines ). The Sun is also at apex of the Tsquare because its in conjunction with the Midheaven which allows the the square aspect from the Sun to Uranus even though its a bit wide. Uranus in the Tsquare adds intuition and inspired decision making with the ability to look at things from an unusual angle and to act swiftly and unexpectedly. The fact that the apex of the T square is the Sun conjunct the Midheaven pushes Napoleon’s ruler complex into stratospheric realms. We are really talking megalomania here.

With such a strong  Jupiter, Napoleon would be forever driven onwards, knowing no limits to his ambition. The one thing that he does not have is a strong Saturn, the principal of Contraction and self imposed limits ( Saturn is the polar opposite to Jupiter ). Saturn is, however, opposite Napoleon’s Moon in the chart and oppositions to Saturn generally point to limits and obstructions being imposed by external factors.

TRANSITS

This is the  main method of looking at how a chart unfolds and impacts on the person over their lifetime.  The degree positions of the planets at birth hold a symbolic power over and for the individual.  Whenever a planet moves to aspect that birth position its energy attaches to the birth planet and will impact on his or her life. The slower the transiting planet is, the longer the effects will be felt and the more powerfully they will affect the life as a whole. The Moon’s transits would only last for a few hours and may only be felt in terms of a change of mood whereas Pluto’s transits would be in operation for a couple of years or so and will probably have major long term consequences. The purpose of Capricorn Astrology Research is to show clear evidence of a link between planetary movements and human behaviour. The best way to do this is to stick to specific events that everyone can recognise. It is also important to simplify the methods used so only the slower moving planets ( Jupiter to Pluto ) are used and in the case of looking at important watershed moments in a life, Pluto alone will give plenty of indication not least because its transits are generally sudden, unexpected and explosive sweeping away past conditions to allow something completely new to happen.

Transits take effect when the transiting planet is within 1 degree of the birth planet. Sometimes an effect can be noted earlier than this particularly if the faster moving planets are being used but its safest to stick to 1 degree either side. The effect is also usually strongest when the moving planet is coming towards ( applying to ) the birth planet.

How transits manifest will depend on which planets are involved. The transiting Jupiter conjunct the birth Sun would bring great benefits and would generally enhance things for the period of the conjunction particularly in the area of life governed by the house involved.  Transiting Saturn opposition to natal Mars would feel like a major obstruction and would frustrate and restrict the person from getting anywhere, particularly in the house that Mars is in at birth where obstacles to progress would appear to be coming principally from the opposite house.

Transits generally will be more significant if an aspect between the planets involved exists in the birthchart.  In this case a natural theme that runs generally through a person’s life will be particularly emphasized during the time of that transit.

RETROGRADE AND STATIONARY PLANETS

The planets are always moving forward but because the Earth is moving as well in its orbit around the Sun all planets other than the Sun and Moon can, at times, appear to come to a halt ( stationary )and move backwards ( retrograde ). A consequence of this would be that a transiting planet will frequently hit the same birth planet three times in the same cycle. This will probably lengthen the time that the transit takes but it will also provide 3 distinct moments of impact.

If someone has the Sun at 10 degrees Aries in their birthchart they are currently in the middle of a Uranus transit. This would have been first felt at the beginning of April 2013 when Uranus reached 9 Aries through to the middle of May when it got to 11 degrees of the sign. Uranus then moved forward until it stopped at 12.30 Aries in mid July and started coming backwards. It will come back to 11 degrees in the last week of September and 9 degrees in mid November continuing moving backwards until just before Xmas. It will then turn round again getting to 9 Aries in mid January 2014 and to 11 degrees in early March. The interpretation for this is that Uranian type changes would be experienced throughout the period from April 2013 to March 2014, with particular emphasis on April to mid May,  late Sep to mid Nov 2013 and mid Jan to early March 2014.

In can happen that the first contact of a transit like this is the most powerful, this generally is because its not expected. After the 2^nd retrograde part it can sometimes feel as if the transit is over and there may be a return to how things were before until the 3^rd and final instalment reinforces the original contact. It can also be the case that the 3^rd part is the least powerful but this may be because the person is getting used to the energy and is accepting it, adjusting to it and learning the lessons required by this stage.

A planet can slow right down and come to a stop within 1 degree of a birth planet. This stationary period concentrates the energy of the planet and holds things in a strong grip. There is a mythical story of a man who was so worried by an upcoming Saturn transit to his Sun, which was due to last a year with a long stationary period, that he arranged to get himself swallowed by an elephant. He came out after a year and sought out his astrologer claiming to have defied the gods and avoided anything nasty happening to him during the Saturn time. The astrologer pointed out that spending a year inside an elephant was the most Saturnine thing he could think of and far from avoiding the effects of the transit, the man’s actions had confirmed them.

In Napoleon’s life the transits have an extraordinarily powerful impact. The most important transits in a life are usually the ones that reinforce the angular relationships that they have in the birthchart. So by far the most important would be renewal of the Jupiter / Sun square. Napoleon was crowned Emperor of France on December 2nd 1804.  Jupiter had returned to Scorpio that year and was at 22 degrees 46 Scorpio in exact square aspect to the Sun that very week. As Jupiter would only make that transit once every 12 years the timing is exquisite.

Uranus, the principle of Rebellion, is also in the Tsquare but it is opposite Jupiter and because of this it would symbolise unexpected circumstances that would disrupt Napoleon’s grand plans. Uranus moves very slowly and would take about 40 years to move half way round a birth chart. Uranus was at this same point ( 22 .46 Scorpio ) in square to the Sun in 1812 and exact during November of that year. History books tell us that this was the big turning point in Napoleon’s life having rampaged round Europe conquering everyone he set his sights even wider and marched to Moscow. He won all the battles on the way and despite strong resistance from the Russians, overwhelmed them and marched unopposed into Moscow. This seemed to be the very height of his power and the Sun in Leo 10th house square Jupiter in the 1st overwhelming desire for expansion and conquest had been sated. Jupiter’s problems tend to come throughout overreaching, however and whilst Napoleon had conquered all before him he hadn’t foreseen the power of the Russian winter which forced him to retreat from Moscow in November 1812. Uranus transits invariably bring changes from an unexpected source.

Napoleon’s retreat continued all the way back to France and in 1814 the coalition of countries that had opposed him invaded his country and captured him. He was them imprisoned on the Isle of Elba. In 1814 Saturn, the principle of Contraction had moved to 28 degrees Capricorn making a conjunction with his Moon. As Saturn is opposite the Moon in his chart threatening the imposition of limitations from external factors, this transit made that threat a reality. Saturn will always eventually get its man even if that man was the Emperor Napoleon.

TO SUM UP

If we apply all these principles and work steadily through each chart in detail, we can gain a powerful understanding of the character, motivations and actions of anyone from the greatest ruler to the man on the street. Astrology is The Emperor’s Way and wise people will follow it.

 

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