I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E

A Candle in the Darkby Bill Broderick, Kingston Centre (broderic@kos.net)Illustration by Brian G SegalMy “Candle in the Dark” projectbegan a few months ago whenI conceived the idea of writingan astronomy column for an astrologypublication. As it happens, I have a friendwho publishes an astrology newsletter,and she is also interested, somewhat, inastronomy. She has actually taken a popularastronomy course and so knows moreabout astronomy than most astrologersI have met. She is particularly fascinatedby eclipses (as they pertain to astrology)and has become something of an experton them, particularly on the Saros cycle,the 18-year period after which solar andlunar eclipses tend to repeat themselvesunder nearly the same conditions.She had already published severalitems I had written, so the idea of a regularcolumn appealed to her. I dashed off threeone-page essays for the upcoming fallmonths, and we were in business. Overthe summer, with all kinds of other thingsgoing on, ideas still came fast and furious,and before the season was over I hadenough essays to go for a couple of years(if it lasts that long).Why an astronomy column in anastrology newsletter? Well, astrologers(at least the ones I have known) tend tobe fairly smart people. They are notuneducated. Some ofthem even run reasonablysuccessful businesses orfollow professionalcareers in various fields.In other words, a lot ofthem are not dummies.(Considering the sheeramount of informationand work that used togo into setting up astandard horoscopebefore the age ofcomputers, astrologershad to be smart then,and I think most are stillsmart now.) They justhappen to believe fervently in astrology.By extension, they have an interest inastronomy, although they usually do notknow that much about it. Astrologers areyour classic “seekers of truth.” They believethey have found it in astrology.What exactly do astrologers believe?Tenets of AstrologyCarl Sagan, one of the most brilliantscientific popularizers of science andastronomy of our time, once made referenceto the “tenets of astrology.” I have neverbeen able to find them anywhere, but Ionce studied astrology, so I wrote up myown. My astrology friend agrees withthem, so here they are:1. Life and events on Earth and in ourlives are influenced by forces and eventsin the cosmos.2. The Sun and planets, individually andin combination, are the major sourcesof cosmic influence.3. The influence of each planet is differentbut is altered or coloured:a) by its position on the zodiac (thatis, the ecliptic, the apparent pathof the Sun in the sky),b) by its position in the houses (the12 divisions of the sky whichsupposedly rule various aspectsof our lives. These begin at theeastern horizon, continue aroundunder our feet to the westernhorizon, and continue over ourheads and back to the easternhorizon), andc) by the angles (or aspects) it makesrelative to other planets (trines,squares, sextiles, conjunctions,oppositions, etc.).4. Certain points, such as the rising pointand mid-heaven, lend particular strengthor emphasis to a planet which happensto be situated there at the moment ofbirth.5. The 12 signs, Aries, Taurus, Gemini,etc., begin at the point of the vernal(spring) equinox, where the Sun (onthe ecliptic) crosses the celestial equatoron or about March 21 each year.Traditionally, this is the First Point ofAries.6. The 12 houses begin at the point onthe ecliptic that was on the easternhorizon at the moment of birth.7. Signs are labeled “Air”, “Earth”, “Fire”and “Water”, and are further labeled“Cardinal”, “Fixed” and “Mutable.”These terms are derived from supposedqualities of the signs, which modify orcolour the influence of the planets.“Very often we even resentthe implication that it is abelief. We do not believe, weknow. Certainly, astrologersare convinced that theirs isnot just a belief but ancientknowledge. They also thinkthat they have personallyverified it and that, therefore,they know, they do notbelieve.”December / décembre 2000 JRASC257