# Simplified Scientific Astrology/How to Calculate

HOW TO CALCULATE THE POSITIONS OF THE PLANETS
As the Ephemeris is caleulated for Greenwich at the time when the Observatory clock strikes twelve. it is necessary to make corrections for other hours and for places East or West from that point when it is desired to calculate a horoscope.
By adding four minutes for each degree of longitude the birthplace is West of Greenwich to the true local time of birth we obtain the Greenwich Mean Time as recorded by the Observatory clock. This is written G. M. T.
We will apply this rule to calculate the G. M. T. of the horoscope for August 2, 8:15 A. M. at Chicago, which is 88 degrees West longitude:
| | H. | M. | |
| True Local Time of Birth (see page 38) | 8 | 23 | A. M. Aug. 2 |
| 4 min, times 88 degrees equal 352 min. | 5 | 52 | |
| Greenwich Mean Time (G. M. T.) | 2 | 15 | P. M. Aug, 2 |
Multiplying the degree of West longitude of Chicago (8% degrees) by four minutes gives us 352 minutes, which we divide by 60 because there are 60 ​minutes in each hour. Thus we obtain 5 hours 52 minutes, which we add to the true local time of birth, 23 minutes after 8 in the morning, and the sum is 15 minutes past 2 o’clock in the afternoon, which is the G. M. T.
That is to say, at the identical time when the child was born and the Chicago clocks pointed to 15 minutes after 8 o’clock in the morning, the Observatory clock at Greenwich showed 15 minutes past 2 o’clock in the afternoon.
This latter is the time we must use to make our calculations of the planets’ places, and in order to have as few factors in mind as possible the beginner is advised to forget the local time of birth when once he has found the G. M. T.
In Western longitudes: the G. M. T. may advance into the day following birth on account of the addition of 4 minutes for each degree of longitude. In the cases where the longitude of the birthplace is East of Greenwich a subtraction of 4 minutes is made for each degree; hence the G. M. T. may recede into the day preceding birth. Therefore we speak neither of birthday nor birth hour, but of G. M. T. day and hour.
Our concern is now to find the motion of the planets on the G. M. T. day, which is from the noon before G. M. T. to the noon after the G. M. T The positions of the planets are found in the ephemeris.
​ As our G.M.T. is Aug. 2, 1909, at 2:15 P. M., if we desire to calculate the daily motion of the Sun we note its longitudes on the noon of Aug. 2nd (the noon before G. M. T.) and Aug. 3rd (the noon after G. M. T.). As we are to subtract we place the longitude of the planet on the last day above, for that facilitates the operation.
| | Deg. | Min. |
| The Sun’s longitude at noon on Aug. 3rd, 1909, (as given in the ephemeris) | 10 | 28 |
| The Sun’s longitude at noon Aug. 2nd | 9 | 31 |
| The motion of the Sun on the G. M. T. day | 0 | 57 |
The next step is to find the interval between the G. M, T. and the nearest noon, for that is also a basis of our correction, In the present horoscope the G. M. T. is Aug. 2, 2:15 P.M. The nearest noon is obviously 12 o’clock August 2nd, and the interval between 12 o’clock noon and 2:15 P. M. is therefore 2 hours and 15 minutes.
The motion of the planet on the G. M. T. day and the interval from G. M. T. to nearest noon having been found, our problem may be thus stated:
When the Sun moves 57 minutes of space in 24 hours, how much does it move in 2 hours and 15 minutes? Answer: 5 minutes.
This method of working the corrections by simple proportion may be used with advantage where the motion of a planet is less than one degree; with Venus, Mereury, and particularly in the ease of the ​Moon, it is much quicker, safer and more exact to perform the correction by means of logarithms. A table of logarithms is found on the last pages of our Ephemeris for any year, also a partial table in the back of this book, and its use is exceedingly simple.
At the top of the table is a line of figures: 0 to 23. They are for the Hours or Degrees (both being divisible into 60 minutes); on the left hand side is another column having the minute figures: 0 to 59.
When we wish to find the logarithm of a certain number of hours and minutes we simply place our index finger upon the figure corresponding to the number of hours or degrees wanted, run it down the column till we reach the line corresponding to the minutes wanted. At that point where the line of minutes intersects the column of hours or degrees will be found the desired logarithm.
For instance, the daily motion of the Sun in the horoscope under calculation is 0 degrees 57 minutes. We place our index finger upon the column marked 0 at the top. We run the finger down the page till we come in line with the figure 57 in the minute column. Where this line intersects the column 0 is the figure 1.4025, which is the logarithm of the Sun’s motion on the G. M, T. day from noon Aug. 2, to noon Aug. 3.
In like manner we find the logarithm of interval between G. M. T. and the nearest noon. In this case the interval is 2 hours 15 minutes. Running our index ​finger down the column marked 2 we find the figure 1.0280 in line with the figure 15 in the minute column. That logarithm (1.0280) is the logarithm of interval.
The daily motion of each planet differs from the daily motion of all the other planets. Therefore the travel of each must be separately calculated and the logarithm of its motion found, but the interval between the G. M. T. and the nearest noon applies equally in the calculation of all the planets, so that once the interval has been ascertained, its logarithm may be used in the calculation of all the planets’ places.
Continuing our calculation, we place the—
| Logarithm of the Sun’s motion from noon Aug. 2nd to noon Aug. 8rd (57 minutes) | 1,4025 |
| Plus Logarithm of interval | 1.0280 |
| Logarithm of distance traveled by the Sun during the interval | 2.4805 |
The value of that logarithm in degrees and minutes we ascertain by finding it or the logarithm nearest thereto in the table. In the present example the nearest logarithm is 2.4594. This figure is in the column marked 0 degrees at the top, and in line with the figure 5 in the extreme left-hand column which contains minutes. Therefore the value of the logarithm is 0 degrees 5 minutes. Thus we have obtained the same answer to our problem (When the Sun moves 57 minutes in 24 hours, how much does it move in 2 hours 15 min.?) by using logarithms as we did working by proportion. The latter method may seem ​easier to the beginner, but once the logarithm of interval has been found the logarithmic method will be found to be easier, quicker and more exact, for the answers obtained by the two methods are not always quite identical, and particularly in the case of the Moon logarithms should be used.
Having found the distance traveled by the planet during the interval between the G. M. T. and the nearest noon, to find the place of the planet at the G. M. T. (which is the end and aim of our calculating), we must add this increment of correction to the planet’s longitude on the noon nearest to the G. M. T. day if the G. M. T. is P. M., for in that case the planet has traveled farther than shown by the ephemeris.
If, on the other hand, the G. M. T. is in the forenoon (A. M.) the planet has not yet reached the position indicated for noon in the ephemeris, hence it will be necessary to subtract the distance of travel for the interval—the increment of correction—from the planet’s longitude given in the ephemeris for the noon nearest to the G. M. T.
In the present case the G. M. T. is after noon (P. M.), 80 we add:
| | | Deg. | Min. |
| Longitude of the Sun on the noon nearest the G. M. T., Aug. 2nd, as per ephemeris | Leo | 9 | 31 |
| Longitude of the Sun at G. M. T. | Leo | | 5 |
This position will be entered in the horoscope.
​ For the convenience of the student we will now enunciate the rule for finding the planets’ places, in consecutive order of operation:
First—Find the G. M. T. by adding to the local time of birth 4 minutes for each degree of longitude the birth-place is west of Greenwich (subtract for East longitude).
Second—Find the interval between the G. M. T. and the nearest noon, also the logarithm of interval.
Third—Find the planet’s motion on the G. M. T. day, from the noon before the G.M.T. to the noon after the G.M.T.; find also the logarithm of that motion.
Fourth—Add to the logarithm of interval the logarithm of the planet’s motion on the G. M. T. day.
The sum of these is the logarithm of the planet’s travel during the interval.
Fifth—Find the value of the logarithm of the planet’s travel during the interval in degrees and minutes. This is the increment of correction.
Sixth—(a) When the G-M.T. is before noon (A.M.) subtract the increment of correction from the planet’s position on the noon nearest to the G. M. T. (b) When the G. M. T. is after noon (P. M.) add the increment of correction to the planet’s longitude on the noon nearest the G. M. T.
When planets are retrograde reverse the 6th rule.
The result in either case will give the exact position of the planet at G. M. T., which is entered in the proper place in the horoscope.
​These rules have all been applied in calculating the position of one planet—the Sun—but as the G. M. T. (August 2, 2:15 P. M.) and the logarithm of interval (1.0280) are the same for all the planets we need not calculate them again as directed by Sections First and Second but commence our calculations of the Moon and planets according to Section Three:
| | | Deg. | Min. |
| Longitude of the Moon on the noon after G.M.T. as per the ephemeris (Aug. 3) | Pisces | 2 | 29 |
| Longitude of the Moon on the noon before G.M.T. as per the ephemeris Aug. 2) | Aquarius | 17 | 55 |
| The Moon’s motion on the G.M.T. day | | 14 | 44 |
The student will remember that there are 30 degrees in each sign and 60 minutes in one degree. In the foregoing subtraction it was necessary to borrow 1 degree and add its 60 minutes to 39, for only then could we subtract from the total of 99 minutes the 55 minutes as required, leaving a remainder of 44 minutes. Similarly, we borrow one sign (30 degrees), adding it to the one degree of Pisces left after we borrowed the one degree to work our subtraction of the minutes. Thus we subtract 17 from 31 degrees, which leaves a remainder of 14 degrees.
According to Section Four of our rule we add—
| Logarithm of the Moon’s motion on G.M.T. day | .2119 |
| Plus Logarithm of interval | 1.0280 |
| Logarithm of the Moon’s travel in interval | 1.2899 |
​ Section Five directs us to find the value of this logarithm, and in our table of logarithms we note as the nearest thereto the figure 1.2393. Above that, we see at the head of the column the figure 1; to the extreme left is the figure 23, indicating that the Moon has traveled 1 degree 23 minutes during the interval (between G. M. T. and the nearest noon). This is therefore the increment of correction.
Section Six (b) directs that we add the increment of correction to the—
| | | Deg. | Min. |
| Longitude of a Moon on the noon nearest G.M.T. (Aug. 2) | Aquarius | 17 | 55 |
| Increment of correction | | 1 | 23 |
| The longitude of the Moon in the horoscope | Aquarius | 19 | 18 |
The motion of Neptune, Uranus, Saturn and Jupiter on the G. M. T. day from noon August 2nd to noon August 3rd is seen by a glance at the ephemeris to have been only a few minutes. Consequently the distance they have traveled in the interval is negligible and they may be entered in the horoscope as having the longitude of the nearest noon to the G. M. T., August 2nd. Mars has moved 15 minutes on the G. M. T. day, and we may therefore add 1 minute for his travel during the interval to his longitude August 2nd as given in the ephemeris; so that we enter him in the horoscope as being in Aries 3;58.
​ Venus will need logarithmic correction.
| | | Deg. | Min. |
| Longitude of Venus on the noon after G.M.T. (Aug. 3) | Virgo | 6 | 21 |
| Longitude of Venus on the noon before G.M.T. (Aug. 2) | Virgo | 5 | 9 |
| Venus’ motion on the G.M.T. day | | 1 | 12 |
| Logarithm of Venus’ motion on G.M.T. day | 1.3010 | 1.3010 | 1.3010 |
| Logarithm of interval | | 1.0280 | 1.0280 |
| Logarithm of the Venus’ travel in interval | 2.3290 | 2.3290 | 2.3290 |
| Increment of correction (value of log, 2.3290 or the nearest thereto, in this case 2.3133) equal 0 degrees 7 min. ||||
| | | Deg. | Min. |
| Venus’ longitude on the noon nearest G.M.T. (Aug. 2) | Virgo | 5 | 9 |
| Increment of correction | | | 7 |
| Venus’ long. to be entered in horoscope | Virgo | 5 | 16 |
Mercury also has moved sufficiently to make it desirable to calculate his exact longitude at G. M. T. of birth by logarithms—
| | | Deg. | Min. |
| Longitude of Mercury on the noon after G.M.T. | Leo | 9 | 22 |
| Longitude of Mercury on the noon before G.M.T. | Leo | 7 | 17 |
| Mercury’s motion on the G.M.T. day | | 2 | 5 |
| Logarithm of Mercury’s motion on G.M.T. day | 1.0614 | 1.0614 | 1.0614 |
| Logarithm of interval | | 1.0280 | 1.0280 |
| Logarithm of the Venus’ travel in interval | 2.0894 | 2.0894 | 2.0894 |
| colspan="4" Value of log, 2.0894, or increment of correction, 0 degrees 12 minutes. ​ |
| | | Deg. | Min. |
| Longitude of Mercury on noon nearest G.M.T. | Leo | 7 | 17 |
| Increment of correction | | 0 | 12 |
| Mercury’s long. to be entered in horoscope | Leo | 7 | 29 |
The position of the Dragon’s Head, (☊) or Moon’s Node, and the Dragon’s Tail, (☋) have now to be found. The longitude of the Dragon’s Head for Aug. 2nd., the noon nearest to the G. M. T., is found in the ephemeris to be 13. 47 Gemini. The Dragon’s Tail occupies the opposite point, namely 13. 47 Sagittarius. These points are to be entered in the horoscope.
There remains yet another factor to complete the horoscope: the Part of Fortune, This is an imaginary point calculated from the longitude of the Sun, Moon and Ascendant. The philosophy is, that the human body is produced by the lunar forees. At the time of conception the Moon may be mathematically demonstrated to have been in the degree which is the Ascendant at birth—at birth it has a different longitude. In one of these positions the Moon may be said to have magnetized the positive pole, in the other the negative pole of the seed atom which as a magnet draws to itself the chemical substance that builds the dense body. The solar forces vitalize the body and, as it is constantly decaying, a pabulum is necessary to repair waste. That nutriment and all material possessions, are therefore, astrologically speaking, ​derived through the combined influences of the Sun and the before-mentioned two positions of the Moon. When the planetary aspects to this Part of Fortune are favorable material success and prosperity follow. When adverse influences center upon it, reverses are met. The nature of the aspecting planet, the sign and house it is in tell the sources whence we may expect one or the other, and thus show us where to direct our energies or what to avoid.
The Signs of the Zodiac are counted from Aries which is the first sign, and each is thus numbered—
To find the Part of Fortune:
Add to the longitude of the Ascendant: sign, degree and minute, the longitude of the Moon: sign, degree and minute:
From that sum subtract the longitude of the Sun: sign, degree and minute:
The remainder is the longitude: sign, degree and minute of the Part of Fortune.
Applying this rule to the horoscope we are calculating, we note the factors involved in the calculation as follows:
| | | Deg. | Min. |
| Longitude of the Ascendent | Virgo (6th Sign) | 13 | 56 |
| Longitude of the Sun | Leo (5th Sign) | 9 | 36 |
| Longitude of the Moon | Aquarius (11th Sign) | 19 | 18 |
We then follow the rule and add—
| | Sign | Deg. | Min. |
| Longitude of the Moon | 11 | 19 | 18 |
| Longitude of the Ascendent | 6 | 18 | 56 |
| | 18 | 8 | 14 |
| Subtract— | 5 | 9 | 36 |
| Longitude of the Part of Fortune | 12 | 28 | 38 |
The twelfth sign is Pisces, hence the longitude of the Part of Fortune in the horoscope will be Pisces 28:38.
In the above example the student will notice that when adding the degrees of the Moon and Ascendant: 19+18+the 1 degree carried in addition of the minutes equals 38, but there are only 30 degrees in a sign, so one sign was carried forward and added to the other signs, the same as we add 60 minutes to degrees or hours.
If, after subtracting the longitude of the Sun there are more than 12 signs left, we subtract the circle of 12 and work with the remainder.
It also happens that the signs of the Sun’s longitude exceed the combined longitudes of the Moon and Ascendant, so that it is impossible to perform the subtraction, For instance, if the—
| | | Sign | Deg. | Min. |
| Longitude of the Ascendent | Aries | 1 | 25 | 55 |
| Longitude of the Moon | Aries | 1 | 25 | 50 |
| | | 3 | 21 | 45 |
| If the Sun is in Capricorn, the 10th sign, we cannot subtract 10 from 3 so we | If the Sun is in Capricorn, the 10th sign, we cannot subtract 10 from 3 so we | | | |
| Add the circle of 12 signs | | 12 | 00 | 00 |
| | | 15 | 21 | 45 |
| Then we may subtract— | | | | |
| Longitude of the Sun | | 10 | 29 | 55 |
| | | 4 | 21 | 50 |
| Longitude of Part of Fortune | Cancer | | 21 | 50 |
In the foregoing subtraction of 55 minutes from 45 we borrowed 1 degree, 60 minutes, added that to the 45 minutes, and from their sum, 105 minutes, we subtracted 55, leaving 50 minutes.
To subtract 29 degrees from 20 left after borrowing 1 degree for subtracting the minutes, is impossible, so we borrow one sign from the 15, That 30 degrees we add to the 20, which makes 50, From that 50 degrees we subtract 29, leaving 21 degrees. Of the 15 signs, we have borrowed 1, leaving 14, and 10 from 14 leaves 4, The fourth sign is Cancer, so the longitude of the Part of Fortune is Cancer 21:50.
We will now make a list of the longitudes of the planets as we have figured them, prior to placing them in the horoscope:
| | | Deg. | Min. |
| Longitude of the Sun | Leo | 9 | 36 |
| Longitude of the Moon | Aquarius | 19 | 18 |
| Long. of Neptune (noon Aug. 2,) | Cancer | 17 | 42 |
| Long. of Uranus (noon Aug. 2,) | Capricorn | 18 | 15r |
| Long. of Saturn (noon Aug. 2,) | Aries | 23 | 18 |
| Long. of re (noon Aug. 2,) | Virgo | 15 | 10 |
| Longitude of Mars | Aries | 3 | 58 |
| Longitude of Venus | Virgo | 6 | 16 |
| Longitude of Mercury | Leo | 7 | 29 |
| Longitude of Part Fortune | Pisces | 28 | 38 |
| Longitude of Dragon’s Head | Gemini | 13 | 47 |
| Longitude of Dragon’s Tail | Sagittarius | 13 | 47 |
The planets may now be placed in the horoscope.
In placing the planets the student should have particular regard to two points:
First—That the planets are placed in their proper houses and order. The signs and degrees of the zodiac go in the direction shown by the arrows; consequently, starting from Aries 0 (which must be in the Seventh House, as Aries 14 is on the cusp of the Eighth House) we note that Mars is in Aries 3:58; consequently we place him in the Seventh House close to the cusp of the Eighth. As Aries 14 is on the cusp or line which marks the entrance to the Eighth House, and Saturn is Aries 23:13, we place him in the Eighth House just above the cusp. Thus both planets are in their proper relation to one another and to the houses, and they are so placed that in reading we can make no mistake as to the sign they are in. If Mars had been placed lower down in the Seventh House, at a cursory glance he might seem to be in Pisces, and ​HOW TO CALCULATE THE PLANETS’ POSITIONS 65
Saturn, placed further up in the Eighth, might appear to be in Taurus. That would cause an error in reading which a little care will obviate. If the student observes carefully the method used in placing the planets in this horoscope there will never be any doubt as to the signs the planets are occupying.
Second—The positions of the planets should be readable without the necessity of turning and twisting the horoscope, which is subversive of proper concentration. If planets in the Third, Fourth, Ninth and Tenth Houses are written as we have inscribed ​Neptune and Uranus, this inconvenience will be over come.
The horoscope has now been cast and is complete. Most astrologers now start to read, but to do this work thoroughly it is necessary to make an index such as will be found in a later chapter. In order to make the student thoroughly conversant with the manner of casting a horoscope we will first complete the figure cast in part for August 2, 8:15 P. M., for that horoscope offers certain peculiarities worthy of illustration.
| To find the G. M. T. we add to the True Local Time of Birth, Aug. 2, | 8 | 23 | P.M. |
| 4 min. for each of the 88 degrees longitude, birthplace is west of Greenwich | 5 | 52 | |
| G. M. T., Angust 3rd | 2 | 15 | A.M. |
Here is an important point. When we add 5 hours and 52 minutes to 8 P. M., we bring the G. M, T. into the following day; at the identical time when the child was born and the Chicago clocks pointed to 15 minutes past 8 on the evening of August 2nd, the Observatory clock at Greenwich showed 15 minutes past 2 on the morning of August 3rd. Thus the noon of August 3rd is nearest the G. M. T., and the interval between G. M. T. (2:15 A. M.) and nearest noon is therefore 9 hours, 45 minutes, the logarithm of interval being .3912.
We have now performed the operations prescribed in Sections One and Two of our rule and we will next ​find the motion of the Sun on the G. M. T. day as directed by Section Three:
| | | Deg. | Min. |
| Long. of Sun on noon after G. M. T. (Aug. 3,) | Leo | 10 | 28 |
| Long. of Sun on noon before G. M. T. (Aug. 2,) | Leo | 9 | 31 |
| Sun’s motion on the G. M. T. day | | | 57 |
| Log. of Sun’s motion on G. M. T. day | | 1.4025 | 1.4025 |
| Logarithm of interval | | .3912 | .3912 |
| Log. of Sun’s travel during interval | | 1.7937 | 1.7937 |
| | | Deg. | Min. |
| Value of logarithm 1.7937 (increment of correction) 0 degrees, 23 minute. | | | |
| Long. of Sun on noon nearest G. M. T. | Leo | 10 | 28 |
| Minus increment of correction. | | 0 | 23 |
| Long. of Sun at G. M. T. | Leo | 10 | 5 |
This position may be entered in the horoscope.
In the last horoscope we added the increment of correction to the longitude of each planet because the G. M. T. was after noon. Here the G. M. T. is before noon hence we subtract the increment of correction from the longitude of each planet on the nearest noon to G. M. T. as directed by the rule Section Six (b).
| | | Deg. | Min. |
| Long. of Moon on noon after G. M. T. | Pisces | 2 | 39 |
| Long. of Moon on noon before G. M. T. | Aquarius | 17 | 55 |
| Motion of Moon on the G. M. T. day | | 14 | 44 ​ |
| Logarithm of Moon’s motion on G. M. T. day | | .2119 | .2119 |
| Logarithm of interval | | .3912 | .3912 |
| Log. of Moon’s motion during interval | | .6031 | .6031 |
| | | Deg. | Min. |
| Value of logarithm .6031 (increment of correction) 5 degrees, 59 minutes. | | | |
| Long. of Moon on noon nearest G. M. T. (Aug. 3,) | Pisces | 2 | 39 |
| Minus increment of correction. | | 5 | 59 |
| Longitude of Moon at G. M. T. | Aquarius | 26 | 40 |
As in the first horoscope we calculated, so in this we may pass Neptune, Uranus, and Saturn without correcting, and enter the longitude of each for the noon nearest G. M. T. in the horoscope. Mars’ motion is 15 minutes on the G. M. T. day and his motion during the interval of 9 hours, 45 minutes would therefore be about 6 minutes. Subtracting 6 minutes from Mars’ longtitude on Aug. 3rd (the noon nearest G. M. T.), Mars’ position in the horoscope will be Aries 4:06. Similarly Jupiter requires a correction of 4 minutes making his position Virgo 15:17.
| | | Deg. | Min. |
| Longitude of Venus on noon after G. M. T. (Aug. 3,) | Virgo | 6 | 21 |
| Longitude of Venus on noon before G. M. T. (Aug. 2,) | Virgo | 5 | 9 |
| Motion of Venus on the G. M. T. day | | 5 | 9 ​ |
| Logaritm of Venus’ motion on G. M. T. day | | 1.3010 | 1.3010 |
| Logarithm of interval | | .3912 | .3912 |
| Logarith of Venus’ travel during interval | | 1.6922 | 1.6922 |
| | | Deg. | Min. |
| Value of logarithm 1.6922 (increment of correction) 0 degrees, 29 minutes. | | | |
| Long. of Venus on noon nearest G. M. T. | Virgo | 6 | 21 |
| Minus increment of correction. | | 0 | 29 |
| Long. of Venus to be entered in horoscope. | Virgo | 5 | 52 |
Mercury is the last of the planets we have to calculate.
| | | Deg. | Min. |
| Longitude of Mercury on noon after G. M. T. (Aug. 3,) | Leo | 9 | 22 |
| Longitude of Mercury on noon before G. M. T. (Aug. 2,) | Leo | 7 | 17 |
| Motion of Mercury on the G. M. T. day | | 2 | 5 |
| Log. of Mercury’s travel on G. M. T. day | | 1.0614 | 1.0614 |
| Logarithm of interval | | .3912 | .3912 |
| Log. of Mercury’s motion during interval | | 1.4526 | 1.4526 |
| | | Deg. | Min. |
| Value of logarithm 1.4526 (increment of correction) 0 degrees, 51 minutes. | | | |
| Long. of Mercury on noon nearest G. M. T. | Leo | 9 | 22 |
| Minus increment of correction. | | 0 | 51 |
| Longitude of Mercury to be entered in horoscope | Leo | 8 | 31 |
​ The position of the Dragon’s Head (☊) or Moon’s Node, and the Dragon’s Tail (☋), have also to be found. The Dragon’s Head for Aug. 3rd., the noon nearest the G. M. T., is found in the ephemeris to be in 13. 44 Gemini. The Dragon’s Tail occupies the opposite point of 13. 44 Sagittarius.
It now remains to calculate the Part of Fortune, and we note the factors in that problem as being:
| | | Deg. | Min. |
| Ascendant, the 12th sign | Pisces | 7 | 8 |
| Longitude of Sun, The 5th sign | Leo | 10 | 5 |
| Longitude of Moon, The 11th sign | Aquarius | 26 | 40 |
We proceed according to the rule given:
| | Sign | Deg. | Min. |
| Longitude of Ascendant | 12 | 7 | 8 |
| Longitude of Moon | 11 | 26 | 40 |
| | 24 | 3 | 48 |
| Minus: ||||
| Longitude of Sun: | 5 | 10 | 5 |
| | 18 | 23 | 43 |
| Subtract the circle of 12 signs | 12 | | |
| | 12 | | |
| | 6 | 23 | 43 |
| Longitude of the Part of FortuneVirgo | | 23 | 43 |
We will now make a list of the planets as corrected for insertion in the horoscope:
| | | Deg. | Min. | Min. |
| The Sun | Leo | 10 | 5 | |
| The Moon | Aquarius | 26 | 40 | |
| Neptune | Cancer | 17 | 44 | |
| Uranus | Capricorn | 18 | 13 | r |
| Saturn | Aries | 23 | 14 | |
| Jupiter | Virgo | 15 | 17 | |
| Mars | Aries | 4 | 6 | |
| Venus | Virgo | 5 | 52 | |
| Mercury | Leo | 8 | 31 | |
| Part of Fortune | Virgo | 23 | 43 | |
| Dragon’s Head | Gemini | 13 | 44 | |
| Dragon’s Tail | Saggittarius | 13 | 44 | |
​We have now cast the two horoscopes and a comparison reveals the fact that although east for persons born in the same city on the same day of the year, the characteristics of one of these persons will be entirely opposite to those of the other, and as character is the determinator of destiny, the lives of these two persons will be entirely opposite.
Before we can judge these two horoscopes it is necessary that we should obtain a clear conception of the relations of the planets to one another, to the signs of the Zodiac and to the houses as they are in each of the two horoscopes, and to that end we will make an index that shall reveal these relationships at a glance, so that our minds may not be hampered by mathematics at the time when we are judging the horoscope, but be free and concentrated upon the meaning of the different aspects and positions,
retrogradation
On the page of our ephemeris copied in this book, you will find in the columns of Saturn and Mars a capital R. The meaning is as follows:
The planets in our solar system move in one direction, from west to east, but their orbits about the Sun are of varying sizes, and so are their velocities, The earth travels 65,000 miles an hour and still its circle is so large that it requires 365 days to journey around the Sun. Mercury makes a much smaller circle around the Sun, and travels 104,000 miles an hour, so ​it completes a revolution around the Sun in 88 days. Uranus travels only 15000 miles an hour, but its circle is so large that it requires 84 years to complete. The other planets show similar variations of speed. If they traveled in a straight line the smaller and faster planets would soon leave the more ponderous and slow-moving behind, but as they move in circles, they pass a given point of observation again and again. Were that point central and stationary this constant forward motion of the planets in their respective orbits would be apparent to all observers; but that is the trouble, there is no stationary point; every particle, from Jupiter, the giant of our solar system, to the smallest particle of “stardust” is in incessant motion around a common center, and therefore, at times one planet moves almost transversely to the path of another moving body and it appears for a time as if it stood still in its orbit. Astronomers say that such a planet is Stationary. At other times this oblique motion of the planets relative to the earth’s position in its orbit makes them seem to move backward in the zodiac, and this we call Retrograde. In the ephemeris we find a capital R in line with the day when any planet commences thus seemingly to recede, and this retrogradation goes on until we find a capital D which indicates that a direct forward motion of the planet is again observable.
Though this backward motion of a planet is only seeming, it has a very real effect in respect to the ​infulence which a planet exerts, for it is the angle of the ray which determines the influence of a planet. The planets are foci which transmit and intensify the properties of fixed stars so that they affect us in a much greater degree than when not focussed upon the point of observation—the birthplace.
Let us now suppose that at the time a child is born we look at Saturn and beyond him, right along our line of observation, we see the fixed star Antares which is in about 8 degrees of Sagittarius; the child is then getting a tendency to eye trouble which is sufficiently severe even if the planet is traveling “direct” in its orbit as is generally the case, for then Antares gradually goes out of focus, and Saturn will not return to the conjunction until it has completed its circle journey around the Sun (which takes about 29 years). If, on the other hand, we find that on the day after birth Saturn has retrograded somewhat, and still more the next day, and so on for a week or two, then that also brings Antares out of focus, but there is this important difference, that instead of taking 29 years to form the next conjunction Saturn may become “direct,” and form tho second conjunction with Antares in a few weeks after birth, and this repeated evil ray may aggravate the natal defect to such an extent that the child becomes blind. Thus we reiterate, that while the retrograde motion of a planet is only seeming, its influence on human affairs is very real.