Astrological symbols
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Astrological symbols are images used in various astrological systems to denote relevant objects. A number of such images are shown below.
Contents |
[edit] History and Origin
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This section requires expansion. |
[edit] The symbol meanings
[edit] Celestial bodies
The glyphs of the planets are usually (but not always) broken down into four common elements: A circle denoting spirit, a crescent denoting the mind, a cross denoting practical/physical matter and an arrow denoting action or direction.[1]
Unicode: ☉ ☽ ☿ ♀ ♂ ♃ ♄ ♅ ♆ ♇ ☊ ☋
| Name | Symbol | Symbol represents | Meaning of symbol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun |  |
Solar symbol (circled dot) | Divine spirit (circle) surrounding seed of potential |
| Moon |   |
Crescent Moon | Mind or evolving human spirit (crescent) |
| Mercury |  |
Mercury's winged helmet and caduceus | Mind (crescent) poised over divine spirit (circle) and matter (cross) |
| Venus |  |
Venus's hand mirror. | Divine spirit (circle) over matter (cross) |
| Earth |  |
Earth; also a Solar symbol (sun cross) | Earth — the cardinal directions |
| Mars |  |
Mars's shield and spear. | Drive/aim/force (arrow) over divine spirit (circle) |
| Ceres |  |
Scythe (handle down), emblematic of Ceres as goddess of grain | A stylized sickle, a crescent of receptivity resting on a cross of matter. |
| Jupiter |  |
Jupiter's thunderbolt or eagle | Mind (crescent) rising above the horizon of matter (cross) |
| Saturn |  |
Saturn's sickle or scythe | Matter (cross) taking precedence over mind or human spirit (crescent) |
| Uranus |  |
H in symbol taken from discoverer's last name, Herschel | The circle of spirit and a dominant cross of matter, in form of an antennae that uses matter as a way to insight. |
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derived from a combination of the Mars and Sun symbols | Astronomical glyph often used astrologically. Drive/aim/force over a divine spirit (circle) surrounding seed of potential | |
| Neptune |  |
Neptune's trident | Mind or human spirit (crescent) transcending matter (cross) |
| Pluto |  |
Modification of Neptune's astrological symbol | Mind (crescent) transcending matter (cross) to reach for divine spirit (circle) |
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PL monogram for Pluto and Percival Lowell | Astronomical symbol often used astrologically |
[edit] The signs of the zodiac
Further information: Zodiac and Astrological sign
Unicode: ♈ ♉ ♊ ♋ ♌ ♍ ♎ ♏ ♐ ♑ ♒ ♓
| Name | Meaning | Symbol | Symbol Represents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aries | Ram |  |
Face and horns of ram |
| Taurus | Bull |  |
Face and horns of bull |
| Gemini | Twins |  |
Roman numeral two; also, the pillars of knowledge |
| Cancer | Crab |  |
Crab's claws; also, human breasts and/or Ouroboros |
| Leo | Lion |  |
Lion's head and mane |
| Virgo | Virgin |  |
Arms of maiden holding a sheaf of wheat |
| Libra | Scale |  |
Scales; also, the setting Sun |
| Scorpio | Scorpion |  |
Legs and tail of scorpion |
| Sagittarius | Archer |  |
Bow and arrow of the centaur |
| Capricorn | Sea-goat |  |
Face of a ram (see Aries) with the body of a fish. |
| Aquarius | Waterbearer |  |
Ripples of water; also, bolts of lightning; electrically-charged water |
| Pisces | Fish |  |
Two fish tied together yet swimming in opposite directions |
[edit] Miscellaneous symbols
| Name | Symbol | Symbol represents | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ascendant |  |
Angle | The ascendant is the angle rising over the eastern horizon at a particular moment in time; it is used in the construction of a horoscope/natal chart (also known as the "rising sign") |
| Midheaven |  |
Angle | The midheaven is the angle where the ecliptic crosses the Meridian (line of longitude) in the south on northern hemisphere (and the point in north in the southern hemisphere); it is used in the construction of a horoscope/natal chart (also known as the "medium coeli" or "zenith") |
| Ascending Node |  |
Lunar node | Not all astrologers use the lunar nodes; however, their usage is very important in Vedic astrology. They are alternately known as the "Dragon's Head" (Rahu, Caput Draconis, or Anabibazon) and the "Dragon's Tail" (Ketu, Cauda Draconis, or Catabibazon). The two nodes together are most commonly referred to simply as the nodal axis, the lunar nodes, or the Moon's nodes. |
| Descending Node |  |
Lunar node | Not all astrologers use the lunar nodes; however, their usage is very important in Vedic astrology. They are alternately known as the "Dragon's Head" (Rahu, Caput Draconis, or Anabibazon) and the "Dragon's Tail" (Ketu, Cauda Draconis, or Catabibazon). The two nodes together are most commonly referred to simply as the nodal axis, the lunar nodes, or the Moon's nodes. |
| Conjunction |  |
Astrological aspect | 0°-10° angle/two or more planets in the same sign |
| Semisextile |  |
Astrological aspect | 30° angle/One sign apart |
| Semi-square |  |
Astrological aspect | 45° angle (also known as the "octile" or "semiquartile") |
| Sextile |  |
Astrological aspect | 60° angle/Two signs apart |
| Quintile |  |
Astrological aspect | 72° angle |
| Square |  |
Astrological aspect | 90° angle (also known as the "quartile")/Three signs apart/Same modality |
| Trine |  |
Astrological aspect | 120° angle/Four signs apart/Same elemental triplicity |
| Sesquiquadrate |  |
Astrological aspect | 135° angle (also known as the "sesquisquare," "square-and-a-half," and/or "trioctile") |
| Biquintile |  |
Astrological aspect | 144° angle |
| Quincunx |  |
Astrological aspect | 150° angle (also known as the "inconjunct")/Five signs apart |
| Opposition |  |
Astrological aspect | 180° angle/Six signs apart |
| Retrograde motion |  |
apparent retrograde motion | Symbol represents the apparent retrograde motion of a planet in an astrological chart |
| Comet |  |
Comet-s | Different comets often use different symbols, but the use of comets is not widespread in mainstream astrology |
| 2 Pallas |  |
Asteroid | (variant has triangle on top) Alchemical symbol for sulfur (both variants) see also Asteroids in astrology) |
| 3 Juno |  |
Asteroid | |
| 4 Vesta |  |
Asteroid | |
| 2060 Chiron |  |
Planetoid | |
| Lot of fortune |  |
Lot | Glyph for planet Earth rotated 45 degrees. |
| Eris no symbol yet defined |
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Eye of Providence (proposed) [if used] | ||
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Hand of Eris (proposed) [if used] | ||
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(proposed) used in Poland[2][3] |
Some other meanings are:
The Ascendant/Descendant axis horizontal line is a symbol of Earth, while the vertical (MC/IC)line is a symbol of God (of course, the Circle representing the whole chart is symbolic of All is God - the entire Universe, God is Love, God is everlasting, He has no beginning and no end.
[edit] Unicode encodings
| Symbol | Image | Unicode | Glyph |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | |
U+2609 | ☉ |
| First quarter Moon | |
U+263D | ☽ |
| Last quarter Moon | |
U+263E | ☾ |
| Mercury | |
U+263F | ☿ |
| Venus | |
U+2640 | ♀ |
| Earth | |
U+2641 | ♁ |
| Mars | |
U+2642 | ♂ |
| Jupiter | |
U+2643 | ♃ |
| Saturn | |
U+2644 | ♄ |
| Uranus | |
U+2645 | ♅ |
| Uranus variant | |
not present (U+26E2 proposed [4]) | -- |
| Neptune | |
U+2646 | ♆ |
| 1 Ceres | |
U+26B3 | ⚳ |
| 2 Pallas | |
U+26B4 | ⚴ |
| 3 Juno | |
U+26B5 | ⚵ |
| 4 Vesta | |
U+26B6 | ⚶ |
| 2060 Chiron | |
U+26B7 | ⚷ |
| Eris proposal 1 | |
not present | -- |
| Eris proposal 2 | |
not present | -- |
| Eris proposal 3 | |
not present | -- |
| Pluto | |
U+2647 | ♇ |
| Pluto variant | |
not present | -- |
| Aries | |
U+2648 | ♈ |
| Taurus | |
U+2649 | ♉ |
| Gemini | |
U+264A | ♊ |
| Cancer | |
U+264B | ♋ |
| Leo | |
U+264C | ♌ |
| Virgo | |
U+264D | ♍ |
| Libra | |
U+264E | ♎ |
| Scorpio | |
U+264F | ♏ |
| Sagittarius | |
U+2650 | ♐ |
| Capricorn | |
U+2651 | ♑ |
| Aquarius | |
U+2652 | ♒ |
| Pisces | |
U+2653 | ♓ |
| Ascendant | |
not plain text | ASC |
| Midheaven | |
not plain text | MC |
| Ascending Node | |
U+260A | ☊ |
| Descending Node | |
U+260B | ☋ |
| Conjunction | |
U+260C | ☌ |
| Semisextile | |
U+26BA | ⚺ |
| Semi-square | |
≈ U+2220 | ∠ |
| Sextile | |
U+26B9 | ⚹ |
| Quintile | |
U+0051 | Q |
| Square | |
U+25A1 | □ |
| Trine | |
U+25B3 | △ |
| Sesquiquadrate | |
U+26BC | ⚼ |
| Biquintile | |
U+0062 U+0051 | bQ |
| Quincunx | |
U+26BB | ⚻ |
| Opposition | |
U+260D | ☍ |
| apparent retrograde motion | |
≈ U+211E | ℞ |
| Comet | |
U+2604 | ☄ |
| Lot of fortune | |
not present | -- |
[edit] See also
- Astronomical symbols
- Astrological sign
- Asteroids in astrology
- Sexagenary cycle
- Earthly Branches
- Heavenly Stems
- Mayan calendar
- Aztec calendar
- Nakshatra
- Navagraha
- Monas Hieroglyphica
- Gender symbols
- Classical elements
- Vedic astrology
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[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Astrological symbols for asteroids (often different from the astronomical ones)
- Ancient glyphs
