Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Dane Rudhyar, the Humanistic Astrologer





Did you know that the 360 degrees of the Zodiac has 360 different symbols? These Sabian symbols (a set of astrological notations representing each degree of the zodiac ) can be used for divination. Discusses origins of the symbols. Learn from the great Dane Rudhyar, a Titan in the field of Astrology.

Rudhyar integrated Jungian Psychology with Astrology and called it Harmonic Astrology. He postulated that the stars do not cause the effects ( like Dante who said planets impel and they do not compel ) and that but were pictures synchronistically aligned to human beings. Detailing psychological forces working in individuals. He did not override human freedom in responding to these forces. His magnum opus "The Astrology of Personality" was published in Lucis Publishing.

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Great Book for Creating Software





If you want to calculate the longitudes of planets and create an Astro Software, then the best book for you is Laplace's CelestialMechanics. You can find out the mean longitudes of the planets, calculate the perturbations, the epicycles and then calculate the Heliocentric Longitudes of planets. You can use Laplacian equations to then reduce it to the Ecliptic Coordinates and then reduce them to Geocentric Coordinates, thus computing the true longitudes of the planets. A must for Astro software developers.


Kepler's Formulae

Kepler represents Old Astronomy. If you want to creat an Astro Software, you have to solve the Kepler problem. The Kepler Equation, M = E - e Sin E, may sound easy, but it is a transcendental equation and the most difficult amongst Kepler's equations. We can find out the True Anomaly of the planet, that is the angle between the planet and perihelion. The next step is to find the Argument of Perihelion, which is the angle between the Node and perihelion.


Laplace - Advanced Astronomy

Laplace's Celestial Mechanics is one of the best books ever written. If you read this magnificent book, you can handle Astronomy and Maths easily. 

Monday, September 20, 2010

An informative book !





Vedic Astrology, a guide to the fundamentals of Jyothish, is a great book by Ronnie Dreyer, for those hungering for the knowledge of Jyothish. Ronnie Dreyer has made the tough subject light by explaining in simple terms the mighty science of Astrology. Dreyer is well versed in Western Astrology, despite having profound knowledge of Jyothish. She can fathom the complexities, the pitfalls and the perplexities that veteran Western astrologer encounter while they deal with Jyothish. Throughout the book, there are warnings and hints that guide astrologers in the proper path, saving them from the interpretative calamities experienced by many astro savants.

Vedic Astrology is explained in simple terms to the student, without much technical jargon. Vedic Astrology is similar to Western Astrology and differs only by 23.5 degrees, which is the difference between the Zodiacs now.

Foreword is by James Braha, another veteran Vedic Astrologer.

This book is a must for the novitiate, as it contains immense information to the students of Evolutionary Astrology.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Lunar Mansions !




Astrology has 108 lunar mansions. That is 27 constellations multiplied by 4. Each asterism or Nakshatra is divided into 4 quarters. Nine such quarters tenant a Zodiacal Sign. Beta Arietis ( Aswini ) 1,2,3 and 4, 41 Arietis, 1,2,3 and 4 and the first quarter of Peiades ( Karthika ) tenant the constellation of Aries.

The quarters of Nakshatras are then the lunar mansion and the Sidereal Zodiac has 108 lunar mansions.

The book "Nakshatras, Lunar Mansions of Vedic Astrology" is a great book by Dr Dennis Harness and Dr David Frawley. It deals with the Sidereal Zodiac and contains a wealth of information about Vedic Astrology. A must for the novitiate.

Both are great scholars of Astrology and can enlighten the students about the great stellar science which is Vedic Astrology. Once the concept of Lunar Mansions is understood, the student can easily grasp the structure of the Sidereal Zodiac, upon which Vedic Astrology is based.