02 Dec 2020

Work on my efforts to produce meaningful fixed star (FS) interpretations

continues. I started working on this in the early to mid-1970s. Over the years I have
experienced many turns and re-starts. I started out by reading what FS material
was then available, and then looking into the difficult questions this material raised.

Questions like:
- What is the proper common name assigned to a fixed star body? What is its
spelling? What constellation is it in?
- Do the constellations the stars are assigned to, and their myths, have more
importance than the effect of individual star bodies?
- What are the accurate FS positions over time - centuries?
- Are only the brighter star bodies to be considered? Or, do bodies that are not
visible to the naked eye carry astrological influence?
- Are only stars close in space to Ecliptic important, or are all star bodies regardless
of how far they are off the Ecliptic, important?
- Does the FS’ body temperature, or color, affect its astrological meaning?
- Is it just the FS themselves, or are the Nebulae, Black Holes, etc., also important?
- How does one measure a body’s affect? Measure aspects along the Ecliptic? Use
its passage against the Horizon or Meridian circles? Measure directly from the
body’s location in space to a natal chart placement? This is the way I chose.

The initial presented material caused me a lot of confusion. There was a lot of
blind copying of text among authors. There were a lot of contradictions. The
question of orbs to use for determining a ‘hit’ was not answered. Little was said
about aspects (squares, trines, etc.) from FS to natal chart bodies or points. I needed
to understand the astronomy of fixed star bodies better. Years of effort,
investigation and activity passed.

I began by formulating a system for uniquely identifying each star body. I did this
by assigning a ‘code’ to each of the 88 constellations (e.g. P03 for the constellation of
Perseus, with a three letter identifier of ‘PER’), and then an identifier for any star or
body within the constellation. E.g., Algol, Beta Persei, is designated as P03B. The
letter ‘B’ from the Greek alphabet, for Beta. With such a uniquely assigned identifier
I can then do computer searches through documents using this identifier.

Diana Rosenberg, among others, asked for an Ephemeris of fixed star positions –
both for specific years and also for over centuries. I did this, relying on the work of
learned astronomers – computing accurate fixed star ephemeris positions over
centuries for each body selected. These are the FS positions Diana used in her work.
Diana’s work of over 1200 pages is recommended.

Currently I am concentrating on interpreting 364 FS. Why 364? Just happened.

My list of bodies to consider kept growing and growing over time. I initially thought
I would select two bodies per constellation, and then all bodies with a certain
brightness or stronger, etc. Some are the FS selected are those seen shining in the
night sky, and some are ‘Deep Sky Objects’ (e.g. Nebulae, Clusters) not visible to the
eye. I have 17 more FS yet to interpret.

To find meanings for these bodies I used data from 960 charts of famous people
and noted events. I concentrated on using only charts with accurate data. I wrote
computer programs to match each of the 364 bodies against each of the 960 charts.

Using only one degree or less orbs, and three aspects (i.e., conjunction, opposition
and square), this gives me around 700 hits per star body. I could have used other
aspects, as these do work, but I already had enough data to work with. Using the
close hits considered I then read biographies of the people or events to see how they
used the influence of their star hits. I considered hits to the natal planets, Moon’s
Node, asteroids, chart angles, prior natal lunations and eclipses, etc.

Here is a result example. The star Fomalhaut, Alpha Pisces Austrinis, PSA, or with
my code: P07A, had over 700 hits within a one degree orb. One of the hits was to
Anais Nin, the singer – chart data accuracy of AA. She had her natal Sun conjunct
Fomalhaut. There were over 700 other hits to Fomalhaut from the 960 charts.

I looked at these hits. I read people’s biographies, descriptions of event

happenings. Eventually I was able to discern a trend from these – which I worked
into a meaning for Fomalhaut.

I wanted a unique key idea to describe each body. Here is what I derived for
Fomalhaut. This is extracted from an interpretation of over 200 words.

Key idea: Inconsistency. Commentary: Shows contradictions, goes back and forth
in their assessment of self and life. Tends to blow hot and cold, to live by impulse,
[and is] attracted to [using] current whims. Changeable, flighty, … a visionary
frantic for fame. … Sensitive, creative, rarely boring. …

Other people with hits from Fomalhaut to the Sun: John Olerud (baseball player),
Sam Peckinpah (businessman), Lucille Ball (actress), Bob Dylan (singer). I
considered hits within one degree only made by conjunction, opposition or square.

Another example: the Crab Nebula, Messier Object 001, NGC 1952, ID = T01ZM01,
indicating it is in the constellation of Taurus.

Key Idea: Mission. Commentary: Formulating a mission, a goal. Showing

determination, the development of individualism. Brings out the need to perform
before an audience, liable to have a strong ego. Active, productive, and can be highly
opionated. … (Adapted from a write-up of over 200 words).
 Chart examples: Burl Ives (singer), Donald Trump (business), William Butler Yeats
(poet), Noel Coward (playwright), J. Paul Getty (business), The Wright Brothers First
Flight (event) …

A third example: Alpha Ceti, also called ‘The Whale’s Jaw’. Key Idea: Sympathy.
Commentary: Faces disappointments amidst triumphs in life, career. An activist.
Sensitive to the situations of others. Arouses a sensitivity to the needs of those who
have wants. Careers that wax and wane. … from a write-up of over 150 words.

Chart examples: The Kent State Shootings 1970 (event); Audrey Hepburn
(actress); Moshe Dayan (politician, military); Edgar Cayce (seer); etc.

My intention is to produce modern and psychologically oriented interpretations. I

wanted to avoid the connotations that the fixed stars only bring disasters, fires,
blindness, etc. Each star body is unique, and each sends a message or influence that
is to be noted and used in life – or that describes an event. All of those bodies that
are up in the sky – they EACH have their unique meanings. I am working to describe
those for my 364 selected bodies.

The work continues. At this time I have 17 more bodies to interpret. Still pending
yet after that is needed editing, list formatting, etc. It’s all coming along and will
eventually become a unique product.

Michael Munkasey