Astrological_symbols

Astrological symbols

Astrological symbols

Symbols denoting astrological concepts

Not to be confused with Astronomical symbols.

Historically, astrological and astronomical symbols have overlapped. Frequently used symbols include signs of the zodiac and classical planets. These originate from medieval Byzantine codices. Their current form is a product of the European Renaissance. Other symbols for astrological aspects are used in various astrological traditions.

Uranus
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History and origin

Symbols for the classical planets, zodiac signs, aspects, lots, and the lunar nodes appear in the medieval Byzantine codices in which many ancient horoscopes were preserved.[1] In the original papyri of these Greek horoscopes, there was a circle with the glyph representing shine (old sun symbol) for the Sun; and a crescent for the Moon.[2]

Classical planets

The written symbols for Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn have been traced to forms found in late Classical Greek papyri.[3] The symbols for Jupiter and Saturn are monograms of the initial letters of the corresponding Greek names, and the symbol for Mercury is a stylized caduceus.[3] Annie S. D. Maunder finds antecedents of the planetary symbols in earlier sources, used to represent the gods associated with the classical planets. Bianchini's planisphere, produced in the 2nd century,[4] shows Greek personifications of planetary gods charged with early versions of the planetary symbols: Mercury has a caduceus; Venus has, attached to her necklace, a cord connected to another necklace; Mars, a spear; Jupiter, a staff; Saturn, a scythe; the Sun, a circlet with rays radiating from it; and the Moon, a headdress with a crescent attached.[5] A diagram in Johannes Kamateros' 12th-century Compendium of Astrology shows the Sun represented by the circle with a ray, Jupiter by the letter zeta (the initial of Zeus, Jupiter's counterpart in Greek mythology), Mars by a shield crossed by a spear, and the remaining classical planets by symbols resembling the modern ones, without the cross-mark seen in modern versions of the symbols.[5]

The modern sun symbol, pictured as a circle with a dot (U+2609 ☉ SUN), first appeared in the Renaissance.[2] (The conventional symbols for the signs of the zodiac also develop in the Renaissance period as simplifications of the classical pictorial representations of the signs.)[citation needed] The modern sun symbol resembles the Egyptian hieroglyph for "sun" – a circle that sometimes had a dot in the center, (U+131F3 𓇳 EGYPTIAN HIEROGLYPH N005). Similar in appearance were several variants of the ancestral form of the modern Chinese logograph for "sun", which in the oracle bone script and bronze script were . It is not known if the Egyptian and Chinese logographs have any connection to the European astrological symbol.

Major planets discovered in the modern era

Symbols for Uranus, Neptune and Pluto were created shortly after their discovery. For Uranus, two variant symbols are seen. One symbol, Uranus, invented by J. G. Köhler and refined by Bode, was intended to represent the newly discovered metal platinum; since platinum, sometimes described as white gold[a] was found by chemists mixed with iron, the symbol for platinum combines the alchemical symbols for iron, ♂, and gold, ☉.[6][7] An inverted version of that same symbol, was in use in the early 20th century.[8] Another symbol, Uranus, was suggested by Jérôme Lalande in 1784. In a letter to William Herschel, Lalande described it as "a globe surmounted by the first letter of your name" (French: un globe surmonté par la première lettre de votre nom).[9] After Neptune was discovered, the Bureau des Longitudes proposed the name Neptune and the familiar trident for the planet's symbol, though at bottom may be either a cross Neptune or an orb Neptune.[10] Pluto, like Uranus, has multiple symbols in use. One symbol, ♇, is a monogram of the letters PL (which can be interpreted to stand for Pluto or for astronomer Percival Lowell), was announced with the name of the new planet by the discoverers on May 1, 1930.[11] Another symbol, popularized in Paul Clancy's American Astrology magazine, is based on Pluto's bident: ⯓.[12]

Asteroids

The astrological symbols for the first four objects discovered at the beginning of the 19th century — Ceres, Pallas, Juno and Vesta — were created shortly after their discoveries. They were initially listed as planets, and half a century later came to be called asteroids, though such "minor planets" continued to be considered planets for perhaps another century. Shortly after Giuseppe Piazzi's discovery of Ceres, a group of astronomers ratified the name, proposed by the discoverer, and chose the sickle as a symbol of the planet.[13] The symbol for Pallas, the spear of Pallas Athena, was invented by Baron Franz Xaver von Zach, and introduced in his Monatliche Correspondenz zur Beförderung der Erd- und Himmels-Kunde.[14] Karl Ludwig Harding, who discovered and named Juno, assigned to it the symbol of a scepter topped with a star.[15]

The modern astrological form of the symbol for Vesta, ⚶, was created by Eleanor Bach,[16] who is credited with pioneering the use of the big four asteroids with the publication of her Ephemerides of the Asteroids in the early 1970s.[17] The original form of the symbol for Vesta, Vesta, was created by German mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss. Olbers, having previously discovered and named one new planet (as the asteroids were then classified), gave Gauss the honor of naming his newest discovery. Gauss decided to name the planet for the goddess Vesta, and also specified that the symbol should be the altar of the goddess with the sacred fire burning on it.[18][19] Bach's variant is a simplification of 19th-century elaborations of Gauss's altar symbol.[16]

Centaurs

The symbol for the centaur Chiron, ⚷, is both a key and a monogram of the letters O and K (for 'Object Kowal', a provisional name of the object, for discoverer Charles T. Kowal) was proposed by astrologer Al Morrison, who presented the symbol as "an inspiration shared amongst Al H. Morrison, Joelle K.D. Mahoney, and Marlene Bassoff."[20]

A widely used convention for other centaurs, proposed by Robert von Heeren in the 1990s, is to replace the K of the Chiron key glyph with the initial letter of the object: e.g. P or φ for Pholus and N for Nessus (U+2BDB ⯛ PHOLUS, U+2BDC ⯜ NESSUS).

Other trans-Neptunian objects

Symbols for other large trans-Neptunian objects have mostly been proposed on the Internet;[21] some created by Denis Moskowitz have been used by NASA[22] and are used by the popular open-source astrological software Astrolog, as well as being used less consistently by commercial programs.

Miscellaneous orbital stations

The symbol for retrograde motion is ℞, a capital 'R' with a tail stroke.[23][24][25] An 'R' with a tail stroke was used to abbreviate many words beginning with the letter 'R'; in medical prescriptions, it abbreviated the word recipe[26] (from the Latin imperative of recipere "to take"[27]), and in missals, an R with a tail stroke marked the responses.[26]

Meanings of the symbols

A late-15th-century manuscript with the twelve zodiac symbols. Note the flat Cancer, upright Sagittarius and cursive Capricorn.
A mid-18th-century manuscript with symbols for the signs and planets. Note the distinctive shapes of Virgo (6), Scorpio (8), Capricorn (10) and Aquarius (11).
A wheel chart produced by Astrolog, showing symbols for the signs of the zodiac (outer ring), classical planets, dwarf planets and asteroids (inner ring). In the inner ring, clockwise from Gemini, are the Moon, Ceres, ascending node, Sedna, Uranus, Eris, Chiron, Neptune, Pallas, Gonggong, Jupiter, Saturn, Pluto, Quaoar, Juno, descending node, Venus, Vesta, Haumea, Mercury, Mars, Makemake, Hygiea and Orcus.

Signs of the zodiac

Further information: Zodiac and Astrological sign
More information Name, Meaning ...

Planets

Further information: Planets in astrology
More information Name, Image ...

Asteroids and other celestial bodies

Further information: List of asteroids in astrology

Since the 1970s, some astrologers have used asteroids and other celestial bodies in their horoscopes. The symbol for the first-recognised centaur, 2060 Chiron, was devised by Al H. Morrison soon after it had been discovered by Charles Kowal, and has become standard amongst astrologers.[34] In the late 1990s, German astrologer Robert von Heeren created symbols for other centaurs based on the Chiron model, though only those for 5145 Pholus and 7066 Nessus are included in Unicode, and only that for Pholus in Astrolog.[35] The following list is by no means exhaustive, but for bodies outside this list, there is often very little to no independent usage beyond the symbols' creators.[36]

More information Category, Name ...

The Hamburg School of Astrology, also called Uranian Astrology, is a sub-variety of western astrology.[41] It adds eight fictitious trans-Neptunian planets to the normal ones used by western astrologers:[41]

More information Name, Image ...

Aspects

Further information: Astrological aspects

In astrology, an aspect is an angle the planets make to each other in the horoscope, also to the ascendant, midheaven, descendant, lower midheaven, and other points of astrological interest. The following symbols are used to note aspect:[42]

More information Name, Image ...
Russian aspects

In addition to the aspect symbols above, some Russian astrologers use additional or unique aspect symbols:[43][42]

More information Name, Image ...

Miscellaneous symbols

More information Category, Name ...

See also

Notes

  1. Today, white gold means a silvery alloy of gold mixed with another metal, usually nickel, silver, or both.

References

  1. [1]
    Neugebauer, Otto (1975). A history of ancient mathematical astronomy. pp. 788–789.
  2. [2]
    Neugebauer, Otto; Van Hoesen, H. B. (1987). Greek Horoscopes. American Philosophical Society. pp. 1, 159, 163. ISBN 9780871690487.
  3. [3]
    Jones, Alexander (1999). Astronomical papyri from Oxyrhynchus. American Philosophical Society. pp. 62–63. ISBN 9780871692337. It is now possible to trace the medieval symbols for at least four of the five planets to forms that occur in some of the latest papyrus horoscopes (P.Oxy. 4272, 4274, 4275 ...). That for Jupiter is an obvious monogram derived from the initial letter of the Greek name. Saturn's has a similar derivation ... but underwent simplification. The ideal form of Mars' symbol is uncertain, and perhaps not related to the later circle with an arrow through it. Mercury's is a stylized caduceus.
  4. [4]
    "Bianchini's planisphere". Florence, Italy: Istituto e Museo di Storia della Scienza (Institute and Museum of the History of Science). Archived from the original on 2009-10-30. Retrieved 2010-03-17.
  5. [5]
    Maunder, A.S.D. (1934). "The origin of the symbols of the planets". The Observatory. 57: 238–247. Bibcode:1934Obs....57..238M.
  6. [6]
    Bode, J.E. (1784). Von dem neu entdeckten Planeten [About the Newly Discovered Planet]. Beim Verfaszer. pp. 95–96. Bibcode:1784vdne.book.....B.
  7. [7]
    Gould, B. A. (1850). Report on the history of the discovery of Neptune. Smithsonian Institution. p. 5.
  8. [8]
    "Appendix: Signs and symbols". Webster's New International Dictionary of the English Language (2nd, unabridged ed.). Springfield, MA: G. & C. Merriam Webster. 1950. Astronomical symbols: Uranus. ISBN 9110494065. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help) ISBN 9789110494060.
  9. [9]
    Herschel, Francisca (1917). "The meaning of the symbol "H+o" for the planet Uranus". The Observatory. 40: 306. Bibcode:1917Obs....40..306H.
  10. [10]
    Gould, B.A. (1850). Report on the history of the discovery of Neptune. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution. p. 22.
  11. [12]
    Unicode request L2/16-067R, Astrological Plutos
  12. [13]
    Bode, J.E., ed. (1801). Berliner astronomisches Jahrbuch führ das Jahr 1804 [The Berlin Annual Astronomical Handbook for the year 1804] (in German). Vol. 1804. pp. 97–98.
  13. [14]
    von Zach, Franz Xaver (1802). "[no title cited]". Monatliche Correspondenz zur Beförderung der Erd- und Himmels-Kunde [Monthly Correspondence on the Advancement of the Terrestrial and Celestial Sciences] (in German). 6: 95–96.
  14. [15]
    von Zach, Franz Xaver (1804). "[no title cited]". Monatliche Correspondenz zur Beförderung der Erd- und Himmels-Kunde [Monthly Correspondence on the Advancement of the Terrestrial and Celestial Sciences] (in German). 10: 471.
  15. [16]
    "Asteroid symbols". suberic.net. Graphics. Retrieved 2010-05-20.
  16. [17]
    "Eleanor Bach". Solstice Point. Memorial for Astrologer. Archived from the original on 2010-11-30. Retrieved 2010-05-20.
  17. [18]
    von Zach, Franz Xaver (1807). Monatliche Correspondenz zur Beförderung der Erd- und Himmels-Kunde (in German). Vol. 15. p. 507.
  18. [19]
    Carlini, Francesco (1808). Effemeridi astronomiche di Milano per l'anno 1809 [Astronomical Ephemeridies of Milan for the year 1809].
  19. [20]
    Morrison, Al H. (1977). "Chiron". CAO Times. 3: 57.
  20. [21]
    "Symbols for large trans-Neptunian objects". Suberic.net. 2013-07-03. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
  21. [22]
    JPL/NASA (April 22, 2015). "What is a Dwarf Planet?". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
  22. [23]
    Randall, Sidney (2006). The ABC of the Old Science of Astrology. Cosimo. p. 14. ISBN 978-1-59605-920-7. ...the ℞ with the stroke across the tail stands for Retrograde.
  23. [24]
    Lilly, William (1659). Christian Astrology. pp. 35, 37. A chart with "℞" by a retrograde Jupiter appears on p. 35; on p. 37, describing the construction of the chart, Lilly says: "And because [Jupiter] is noted Retrograde I place the letter 'R', the better to informe my judgement."
  24. [25]
    Booth, Janet (2005). "Mercury Retrograde". JanetsPlan-Its.com. Archived from the original on 2010-11-14. Retrieved 2010-10-20. The symbol for retrograde looks like an "R" with an "X" going through it, the same as the symbol for a prescription.
  25. [26]
    E.B.G. (1852). Smith, Frances Gurney (ed.). "(Review) The Prescriber's Complete Handbook". The Medical Examiner, and Record of Medical Science. 8: 804.
  26. [27]
    "Recipe definition". M-w.com. 2007-04-25. Archived from the original on 2007-10-17. Retrieved 2010-01-22.
  27. [28]
    Text format can be forced by appending the character U+FE0E to the sign
  28. [29]
    Emoji format can be forced by appending the character U+FE0F to the sign
  29. [30]
    Behari, Bepin (2003). Myths & Symbols of Vedic Astrology. p. 155. Of the two emblems related to [Capricorn], one is a horizontal line terminating with a downward moving arc ending with a loop having an extended arc , and the other has a V-shaped beginning whose downward arc convexing to the right .
  30. [31]
    Hand, Robert (1981). Horoscope symbols. Para Research. ISBN 0-914918-16-8.
  31. [32]
    Faulks, David (2016-08-12). "L2/16-067R: Astrological Plutos" (PDF).
  32. [33]
    Bala, Gavin Jared; Miller, Kirk (7 March 2025). "Phobos and Deimos symbols" (PDF). unicode.org. The Unicode Consortium. Retrieved 14 March 2025.
  33. [34]
    Faulks, David (May 9, 2006). "Proposal to add some Western Astrology Symbols to the UCS" (PDF). p. 4. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 15, 2018. Retrieved November 20, 2017. In general, only the signs for Vesta have enough variance to be regarded as different designs. However, all of these Vesta symbols ... are differing designs for 'the hearth and flame of the temple of the Goddess Vesta' in Rome, and can thus be regarded as extreme variants of a single symbol.
  34. [35]
    Faulks, David (2016-05-28). "Additional Symbols for Astrology" (PDF). L2/16-080.
  35. [36]
    Miller, Kirk (26 October 2021). "Unicode request for dwarf-planet symbols" (PDF). Unicode Consortium.
  36. [37]
    Bala, Gavin Jared; Miller, Kirk (18 September 2023). "Unicode request for historical asteroid symbols" (PDF). Unicode Consortium. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  37. [38]
    Miller, Kirk; Stein, Zane (26 August 2021). "Comment on U+26B7 CHIRON" (PDF). L2/21-225.
  38. [39]
    Faulks, David (June 12, 2016). "Eris and Sedna Symbols" (PDF). Unicode Consortium. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 8, 2017.
  39. [40]
    Miller, Kirk (18 October 2024). "Preliminary presentation of constellation symbols" (PDF). unicode.org. The Unicode Consortium. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  40. [41]
    Faulks, David (2016-03-06). "L2/16-064: Extra Symbols from Uranian Astrology" (PDF).
  41. [42]
    Suignard, Michel (2017-01-24). "L2/17-020R2: Feedback on Extra Aspect Symbols for Astrology" (PDF).
  42. [43]
    Faulks, David (2016-06-09). "L2/16-174R: Extra Aspect Symbols for Astrology" (PDF).
  43. [44]
    Revilla, Juan Antonio. "The Black Moon Apogee and its Variants". Archived from the original on 2021-01-30. Retrieved 2010-08-20.
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