ASTRONOMY ASTROLOGY PART 7 6726 COMPLETED
Many have thrown their lots with Theta Ophiuchi which is very close
to ecliptic. Lambda Sco (Shaula) has a sizeable number of supporters; but
the Moon goes nowhere near it.
Purva Ashadha/Pooradam The natives of this nakshatra have shades of
anarchy in their character. One proverb they do not mind is: Look before
you leap. They think after the leap. They take note of the behaviour of
other people with a view to settling scores later. But they are very
efficient. In Sanskrit, Ashadha means ‘unconquered’. In English, Purva and
Uttara Ashadhas are found to have been referred to as ‘Former’ and ‘Latter’
Ashadha respectively (ref. Star Names and Their Meanings by Richard Allen).
The three stars of the asterism come from Sagittarius. Epsilon Sagittarii
or ε Sagittarii (ε Sgr/Kaus Australis/145 LY): Kaus is Bow, in Arabic.
Australis is Latin for ‘southern’. Its location is at the bottom end of the
bow (or the lower right star of the Teapot). It is the brightest in the
constellation and has the brightness of 375 Suns. In size it equals 7 Suns.
Kaus Australis is a white giant in to its final years. In cosmic terms, its
demise will occur only millions of years later. It may be a multi-star
system. It is 36th brightest star in the night sky. Delta Sagittarii or δ
Sagittarii (δ Sgr/Kaus Media/347 LY): Media in Latin is, of course, Middle.
It lies at the centre of the arrow. It is the 4 th brightest in
Sagittarius. An orange giant, it equals 1,180 Suns in brightness and is 62
times larger than the Sun. Since measuring data is difficult due to
interstellar dust, it could actually be 1500-1600 times brighter and 67
times bigger than the Sun. It is believed to have 3 companion stars. Delta
Sagittarii is the 117th brightest star in the sky. Modern measurements do
not approve these two stars as Poorva Ashadha/Pooradam, as they are far
away from the Moon’s path. Nunki (Sigma Sagittarii) gets the nod because of
its closeness to the Moon’s path. Sigma Sagittarii or σ Sagittarii (σ
Sgr/Nunki /228 LY): The term Nunki is of Babylonian origin, but its meaning
is unknown. It is 630 times brighter than the Sun but with adjustments for
ultraviolet emission it could be as bright as 3,300 Suns. It is the 2 nd
brightest star in the constellation and P. Phalguni/Pooradam from
Sagittarius about 5 times the size of the Sun. Categorized as a blue Main
Sequence Star, Nunki will become a white dwarf in about 50 million years.
In the night sky its excellent brightness makes it the 53rd brightest star.
Traditional Stars: Delta and Epsilon Sagittarii (Kaus Media and Kaus
Australis resp.) are the ones that traditionalists stick to.
Single Star (Expert’s Opinion): Sigma Sagittarii (Nunki) is Purva
Ashadha/Pooraadm. It is the closest among the three to the Ecliptic.
Uttara Ashadha/Uthradam Blissful matrimony and this nakshatra go
hand in hand! Natives of this mansion are so soft and altruistic. They do
well in their profession. There two stars from Sagittarius and two from
Capricorn(us) for consideration. Debate continues here. Nunki is here too.
There is also debate for selecting a candidate under the single star
system. Sigma Sagittarii or σ Sagittarii (σ Sgr/Nunki/Pooradam/228 LY),
discussed above, was included under Uttara Ashadha/Uthradam by
traditionalists. Some still continue to do so, but other stars in
contention are: Zeta Sagittarii or ζ Sagittarii (ζ Sgr/Ascella/89 LY) from
Sagittarius: Ascella in Latin is armpit where the star is located in the
diagram – slightly down in our diagram from Stellarium. Ascella is a white
Main Sequence Star with a close white subgiant companion. They are
respectively 31 and 28 times brighter than the Sun. A third small dwarf is
also suspected to be part of this asterism. The radius of any of these
stars is not available. Ascella is the 3rd brightest in the constellation
and 102nd brightest in the sky. Alpha-1 Capricorni or α 1 Capricorni (α1
Cap/Algedi or Algiedi or Giedi Prima/690 LY) from Capricornus: The name is
Arabic (Jadi or Jady), meaning the ‘kid’ (small goat). This is the third
brightest star of the constellation, but carries the alpha tag because of
its westerly position. It is on the right horn of the kid. It looks like a
double star, but the other star, Giedi Secundor (Alpha-2 Capricorni) or
simply Geidi, being only 105 Light Years away, has got nothing to do with
the main star Algiedi (Alpha-1 Capricorni). Such pairs are called ‘optical
pairs’ i.e. visually they look like a pair. They were much closer hundreds
of years ago. Algedi, a yellow supergiant, is 40 times bigger and 930 times
brighter than the Sun. Giedi, is 8 times bigger and about 45 times brighter
than the Sun. Algedi, also called Prima Giedi, is not in the list of 500
club. Giedi Secunda, being closer, ranks 316 in brightness in the night
sky. Beta Capricorni or β Capricorni (β Cap/Dabih or Dahib /340 LY) from
Capricornus: Not much is known about the star. The meaning of the Arabic
name too is not convincingly explained. Al Sa’d Al Dabih in Arabic means
‘the lucky star of the slaughterer’ which refers to both alpha (Algieb) and
beta (Dabih) stars of the 20th lunar mansion of the Arabs. Dabih is a
5-star system. The main star is Dabih Major A, a red giant; its companion
is Dabih Minor or Beta 1, a blue giant. Dabih Major is itself a double
star, with its hotter partner having its own companion. Thus, the Major
consists of 3 stars. With 35 times the size of the Sun, the main star of
Dabih Major System has the brilliance of 600 Suns. Dabih Minor is as bright
as 40 Suns. The Minor has an invisible companion. There could be more stars
in Dabih system. Interestingly, Debih Major is called Beta-2 and Dabih
Minor, Beta-1. Stellarium does not seem to agree with this. Dabih is the
third brightest star of Capricornus. It is a complex asterism. Dabih could
well make an astronomer’s lifetime study, says Jim Kaler, astronomer and
science writer. In the night sky, Dabih is the 186th brightest star.
Traditional Stars: Zeta (Nunki) and Sigma (Ascella) stars from
Sagittarii together form the nakshatra.
Single Star (Expert’s Opinion): There are supporters for both Alpha-1
Cap (Algedi) and Beta Cap (Dabih). Both are at the same distance from the
previous nakshatra - Uttara Ashadha/Uthradam - and the succeeding nakshatra
–
Sravana/Thiruvonam. Dabih is closer to the ecliptic and the Moon’s
path which makes its candidacy stronger. [Dabih, incidentally, is the
choice of some as Sravana/Thiruvonam]. Srona or Sravana/Thiruvonam The
mythological character Sravan Kumar, famous for his commitment to his
parents, is represented by the mansion. Eponymously, the natives of this
mansion are simple, humble and dutiful. Good health and prosperity seek
them, not vice versa. U Ashadha/Uthradam (Caprocorn) Srona means ‘lame’ in
Sanskrit and Sravana is ‘ear’. There are six stars to be considered for
this nakshatra. Three stars in Aquila form the traditional
Shravana/Thiruvonam. The term Shraavana is the genitive/adjective of
Shravana. The month when full Moon appears near the star-trio also is
called Shraavana. Indians depicted this lunar mansion as ear in diagrams.
The three stars are believed to be the three footsteps that took Vamana, an
incarnation of the Hindu deity Vishnu, to the heavens. ‘Thiruvonam’ in
Malayalam stands for ‘Sravana’. Often Malayalis use the wrong word ‘onam’
to refer to this nakshatra. The conventional meaning of ‘thiru’ is divine
as in ‘thiru-ananthapuram’. But here ‘thiru’ is a corrupt form of ‘Sra’.
Therefore, Thiruvonam, a single word, cannot be split in to two: thiru and
onam. Kerala’s yearly festival is not ‘onam’, but ‘thiruvonam’. There are
three stars from Aquila and three from Capricorn that vie for being the
nakshatra. Alpha Aquilae or α Aquilae (α Aql/Altair/17 LY) from Aquila:
Altair (also spelt as Al Tayer) is the short form of Al Nasr Al Tair or Al
Nasr Attair. This means ‘flying eagle’, which is also meaning of the word
Aquila. Altair is a white Main sequence Star 11 times brighter and twice
bigger than the Sun. It has three visual companion stars but they are not
connected with Altair. Altair, Vega and Deneb (constellation of Cygnus, the
swan or Northern Cross) make the Summer Triangle. It is the brightest star
in the constellation and 12th brightest in the night sky. Beta Aquilae or β
Aquilae (β Aql/Alshain/Shravana 2/Thiruvonam 2/45 LY) from Aquila: The
Arabic word means ‘scale/balance’ while in Persian the word was applied to
Alpha, Beta and Gamma stars of the constellation. Though the ‘beta’
designation indicates it to be the second brightest in Aquila, it is
actually the 4th brightest. Just 3 times bigger and 6 times brighter, it is
somewhat like the Sun. Alshain is a yellow subgiant. It is the 367th
brightest star in the night sky. Gamma Aquilae or γ Aquilae (γ
Aql/Tarazed/395 LY) from Aquila: For the Persians it was Sahin Tarazu, beam
of the scale. The name was applied to all the three stars – alpha, beta and
gamma of Aquila. Sahin means ‘royal falcon’ too. For the Arabs, it is
Menkib Al Nasr (the eagle’s shoulder). This is an orange giant, second to
Altair in brightness. Tarazed is 110 times bigger and almost 2500-3000
times brighter than the Sun. It is the 118th brightest star in the night
sky. All these three stars are not near the Moon’s path, say modern
observers. There are three other candidates – Delta Capricorni (Deneb
Algedi), Zeta Capricorni and Gamma Capricorni (Nashira). Delta Capricornii
or δ Capricorni (δ Cap/Deneb Algedi/39 LY) from Capricornus: Deneb Algedi
means ‘Tail of the Goat’ in Arabic. It is on the edge on of the Capricorn’s
tail. This appears to be a star system of 4 stars. Two of them (Aa and Ab)
‘make a tight pairing’. The primary star, Delta-Aa Deneb Algedi is a white
giant approximately twice the size of the Sun. The component star is
Delta-Ab Capricornii. Two more faint companions have been found. The
combined brightness of the primary star is equal to the brilliance of 8.5
Suns. Viewed from the Earth, it is the brightest system in the
constellation. The stars are believed to be 600 million years old. In the
night sky it is the 146th brightest star. Zeta Capricorni or ζ Capricorni
(ζ Cap/Marakk /122 LY) from Capricornus: The word Marakk means ‘loin’. This
is a double star. It too appears on Capricorn’s tail. (The distance is
mentioned as 385 LY in www.astrostudio.org). 490 times brighter than the
Sun, it is also 29 times larger. The main star is a yellow supergiant less
than 200 million years old. Its companion is a white dwarf. It is the 5th
brightest in the constellation. Marakk is the 385th brightest star in the
sky. Gamma Capricorni or γ Capricorni (γ Cap/Nashira or Scheddi/139 LY)
from Capricornus: Nashira (from Arabic Sa’du Nashirah) means ‘bearer of
good news’ or ‘the lucky one’; Scheddi, another Arab word comes from Deneb
al Chedi, which however seems to be a corrupt version of Deneb Algedi
(discussed above). Nashira is a blue-white giant 47 times brighter the Sun.
How big it is compared to the Sun is not known. It is the 4th brightest in
Capricornus. Nashira is the 358th brightest star in the sky. Traditional
Star(s): The Shravana/Thiruvonam asterism comprises the three stars from
Aquila mentioned above. (But remember, Aquila is far north (about 30
degrees) off the Eciptic and about 25 degrees away from the Moon's path.
How come stars from Aquila were chosen by ancient Indians is a mystery -
may be because it outshines the stars closer to the Moon’s track). Single
Star (Expert’s Opinion): We have so far seen 6 stars/asterisms connected
with Shravana/Thiruvonam. When the Moon visits this mansion, Delta
Capricornii (Deneb Algedi) is the closest to it. For single-star lovers,
Deneb Algedi is Shravana/Thiruvonam. Check the distance between the next
nakshatra (Uttara Ahashadha/Uthradam) and the previous nakshatra
(DhanishthaI/Avittam) in Stellarium. Deneb Algedi gets the nod. Beta
Capricorni or β Cap, mentioned under Uttara Ashadha/Uthrada, is also a
candidate but scholars say Deneb Algedi is the relevant star here.
Dhanishtha/Avittam Dhanishta means richest. The people under this
nakshatra are workaholics. Normally docile they throw tantrum at times.
They are very good managers and do not snoop in Sravana / Thoruvonam:
Sagittarius and Capricornus to affairs of others. They lead a good life
through dedicated work. Seven stars from Delphinus and Aquarius are there
for our scrutiny. Alpha Delphini or α Delphini (α Del/Sualocin/240 LY) from
Delphinus: The name, as mentioned earlier (in previous articles), comes
from Nicolaus, read right to left. It is as bright as 175 Suns with a
companion that is 17 times brighter than the Sun. Sualocin is a blue
subgiant. Though termed alpha, it is the second brightest in the
constellation after Rotanev. In the night sky, it is the 395th brightest
star. Beta Delphini or β Delphini (β Del/Rotanev/97 LY) from Delphinus: The
origin of the name Rotanev is from Venator, read from right. Refer to
previous articles. The Beta, gamma and delta stars are together called Al
Ukud in Arabic. This is brightest star in the constellation. Rotanev is a
double; the larger of the two is as bright as 18 Suns. Its companion star
is 8 times brighter than the Sun. Both are yellow subgiants. The double
stars are believed to be around 1.8 billion years old. The stars are
usually referred to as Beta Delphini A and B respectively. The Rotanev
system appears to be the 339th brightest ‘star’ in the night sky. Gamma
Delphini or γ Delphini (γ Delphini/../104 LY) from Delphinus: This has no
proper name. Gamma Delphini is a double and the pair is the 3rd brightest
in the constellation. Gamma Delphini-1 is 2.5 times bigger and 7.5 times
brighter than the Sun. It is a yellowish white giant. The other, gamma
delphinus, the brighter of the two, is 7.5 times larger and 26 times
brighter. It is an orange giant. Gamma-1 appears to be farther than Gamma-2
by about 20 LY. Both are not bright enough for eyes to be included in the
‘500 club’. Delta Delphini or δ Del (δ Del/../203 LY) from Delphinus: This
star does not have a proper name. It’s a white Main Sequence Star. A double
star, the brightness is 25.5 times the Sun’s. It is larger than the Sun by
3.5 times and the 5 th brightest in Delphinus. Delta Delphini is not a
member of the ‘500 bright stars’ club. In addition to the three
Dhanishtha/Avittam stars above, there are again four more candidates in
Aquarius. Zeta Aquarii or ζ Aquarii (ζ Aqr/Altager/103 LY) from Aquarius:
Altager comes from the Arabic word Sa’d Altajir means ‘luck of the
merchant’. There are two stars Zeta Aquarii A and Zeta Aquarii B. (The
stars can also be referred to as Zeta-1 and Zeta-2 respectively). B is
brighter than A. Zeta B is 15 times brighter than the Sun and Zeta A, 12
times. Their sizes are not available. The stars could be as old as over 1
billion years. Both are white giants and the pair appears to be the 4th
brightest in the constellation. An interesting fact about the star system
is that in 2003-2004 it crossed in to the northern hemisphere from the
southern hemisphere. Precession or wobble of the Earth is the reason behind
this shift. Zeta Aquarii A is the 344th brightest star in the sky , but
this is in conflict with Jim Layer’s opinion. Pi Aquarius or π Aquarius (π
Aqr/ Wasat al Achbiya/780 LY) ) from Aquarius: The Arabic name Wasat al
Achbiya (middle of luck of the homes) does not seem to be popular. Pi
Aquarius, a blue giant, is the 28th brightest star in the constellation and
shines with the brightness of 7,300 Suns. It is over 6 times bigger than
the Sun. This is a binary system. Being a distant star with low visibility,
it is not in the list of top 500 bright stars. Eta Aquarii or η Aquarii (η
Aqr/Hydria/170 LY) : Hydria is the Greek for water jar. The name is very
rarely used. It is a blue Main Sequence Star - the 10th brightest in the
constellation. Approximately 175 million years old, Hydria is over 2.5
times the size of the Earth. It has the brightness of 104 Suns. By October
2022 Hydria will cross in to northern hemisphere, like Zeta Aquarii. Hydria
is the 10th brightest in the constellation. This is not among the 500
bright stars of the night sky. Wait, let us see one more candidate – Xi
Aquarii. Xi Aquarii or ξ Aquarii (ξ Aqr/Bunda/178 LY) : This is an argument
I had come across a few years ago. Xi Aquarii is just near the armpit of
the water-bearer. (Xi is pronounced ‘k-see’ or ‘ks-eye’). Bunda is the 22nd
Moon mansion containing Sadalsuud and Xi Aquarii in ancient Persian
astronomy 5 . Whether Xi Aquarii can singly be called Bunda is debatable.
Xi Aquaria, Sadalsuud (Beta Aquarii) and 46 Capricorni form the asterism
‘luck of lucks. Xi Aquaria is called Thanih Saad al Saaoud in Arabic (the
second luck of lucks). The wiki write-up on it says it has about 1.9 times
the mass of the Sun. Not much has been written about the star,
unfortunately. Xi Aquarii, the 22nd brightest star of Aquarius, is a Main
Sequence Star with an invisible binary partner, which may be a red or white
dwarf. It just failed to enter the list of 500 bright stars, though visible
to naked eye. Dhanishta/Avittam: Delphinus The claim that this star
can be Dhanishtha/Avittam
can be ignored because it is not even mentioned in the writings of many
astronomers and astrologers. Traditional Star(s): The four stars from
Delphinus are the ones for Indian astrologers. They are but nowhere near
the Moon’s track! Should they consider them as Dhanishtha/Avittam? Single
Star (Expert’s Opinion): Alpha Delphini is a candidate for some. But like
Aquila, the constellation is far away from the Moon’s path. Delphinus
should be ignored totally. Zeta Aquarius is the closest to the Moon. This
can be considered as Dhanishtha/Avittam. (See the image of Aquarius). The
brighter nearby Alpha-star called Sadalmalik should have been the ideal
choice. Ancha (Theta Aquarii) is also a better choice than Zeta Aquarius.
Note: There is an old school of thought that all the stars on the horn of
Capricorn (the goat-fish) form the asterism Dhanishtha/Avittam which is
ratified by many because this asterism has to be in Makara(m) and that is
where it is. Yet the stars in the constellation of Delphinus
(discussedabove) seem to be the right candidates for traditionalists. The
Moon's trajectory does not allow one to drop Capricornus. Yet it does not
figure in the traditional charts. Shatabhishaj or Shatabhishak/Chathayam
Either a dud; or a scholar - that is all one can say about these people.
Absentmindedness and poor logic often land them in trouble. Not born
achievers. They may lead quite an ordinary life, unless strongly supported
by certain elements in the horoscope. They are very religious. The word
Shatabhishak in Sanskrit means ‘requiring 100 physicians’. Indian mythology
says the deity of medicine Dhanwantari needed the assistance of more
physicians and thus a hundred physicians were created. We shall see three
Aquarian stars and one from Pisces Austrinus (Southern Fish) for this
nakshatra. Gamma Aquarii or γ Aquarii (γ Aqr/Sadalachbia or Sadachbia/165
LY) from Aquarius: Sa’d al Axbiyah, in Arabic, is ‘luck of the homes’.
Sadachbia could be the Arabic word formed from Shatabhishak of the Hindu
mythology, an indication of Indian astronomy’s influence on ancient Arabs.
Shatabhishak/Chathayam Sadalachbia is a white Main Sequence
Star. It is the 8 th brightest in Aquarius besides being 3 times bigger and
62 times brighter than our Sun. Details of an invisible companion that is
believed to orbit Sadalachbia are not known. It orbits the star every 58
days! It is the 448th brightest star of the night sky. The common man is
always confused because of the modern path of the Moon which differs from
the one our ancient people had recorded. That takes us to Phi and Lambda
Aquarii. Phi Aquarii or ϕ Aquarii (ϕ Aqr/../ 202 LY) from Aquarius: Phi
Aquaria is a red giant without a proper name. It is the 13th brightest star
in the constellation. It is located much below the water pot, almost at the
right knee of the water-bearer. In spite of being almost of 40 times bigger
and 265 brighter than the Sun, it looks dimmer when viewed from the Earth.
Faintness keeps this 13 billion year old star out of the 500 club. Lambda
Aquarii or λ Aquarii (λ Aqr/Hydor/ 370 LY) from Aquarius: Hydor is Greek
for water. Hydor is 123 times the size of the Sun and 2210 times brighter
than it. About 440 million years old, it is a red giant and almost on its
deathbed in cosmic terms. Though a variable (star with fluctuating
brightness), it is the 376th brightest star of our sky. The votes of
purists go to Phi Aquarius for consideration as Shatabhishak/Chathayam in a
single-star system. We have to drag in another star also - Fomalhaut - from
the constellation of Piscis Austrinus (Piscis Australis). There is an
argument this star is Shatabhishak/Chathayam. Alpha Piscis Austrini or α
Piscis Austrini (α PsA/Fomalhaut /25 LY) from Piscis Austrinus, the
Southern Fish: The Arabic name is pronounced ‘fomalo’. It is located on the
‘mouth of the fish’ and that is what the Arabic word refers to. Fomalhaut,
a white Main Sequence Star, is nearly twice bigger than the Sun and 16
times brighter. It is suspected to have enough materials around it to
evolve in to a planetary system. Image of an object believed to be a planet
has been captured by Hubble telescope. Fomalhaut is called ‘the lonely star
of autumn’ because there are no nearby bright stars - no longer so.
Researchers at University of Rochester, New York, believe Fomalhaut is a
3-star system – one companion is an orange dwarf while the other is a red
dwarf. ‘The age of the trio is about 440 million years’, the scientists
say. It is very bright and ranked 18th in the night sky for its brilliance.
Fomalhaut was a significant star for Persian royal astrologers. The star,
along with Aldebaran, Regulus and Antares, formed a team of ‘guardians of
the sky’. Indian astrology is silent on Fomalhaut, but it found some
support among a very negligible set of modern Indian astrologers who feel
‘this is Shatabhishak/Chathayam’. The puny support, however, remains
ignored. See the position of the Moon and Eclipse in the two images.
Fomalhaut is far off ruling itself out of contention. The competition
narrows down to Gamma Aquarii, Lambda Aquarii and Phi Aquarii. Traditional
Star(s): Gamma Aquarii is the traditional star. 4Single Star (Expert’s
Opinion): Among all the stars considered above, if a single star is to be
taken as Shatabhishak/Chathayam it is Phi Aquarii. Distance from
Dhanishta/Avittam and Poorva Bhaadrapada/Pooruttathi and the Moon’s
position make it the strongest candidate.
Purva Bhadrapada or Proshthapada/Pooruruttathi These are the
Gandhians of the society. Truth, truth, nothing but truth! Nothing else is
important for them. Very kind and always helpful, they are very honest,
patient and intelligent. Proshtha is ‘Ox’ or ‘Stool’ in Sanskrit.
Bhadrapada is Sanskrit for ‘auspicious foot’. There are two stars from
Pegasus and two from Piscium that catch our attention. Alpha Pegasi or α
Pegasi (α Peg/Markab/140 LY) from Pegasus: Markab is the Arab word for ‘the
horse’s shoulder/saddle’. Poorva, in Sanskrit, means ‘former’, a reference
to being the first star of the asterism. Bhaadrapada means ‘auspicious
foot’. It is also called proshthapada – ox foot. As mentioned earlier, the
ancient people noticed the square made by the four stars (that includes one
from near-by Andromeda) and called it bedstead or couch, a rest place for
the Moon. The regent of Poorva Bhaadrapada is Ajaikapat, son of
Vishwakarma. One of the Rudras , sons of Sthanu, is also called Ajaikapat.
(Shiva being called Rudra might have been a post-vedic period development).
Markab is the 3 rd brightest in Pegasus. It is over 4 times larger than the
Sun and 205 times brighter. It is a white giant that is getting ready to be
an orange giant. In the night sky it is the 93rd brightest star. Beta
Pegasi or β Pegasi (β Peg/Scheat/200 LY) from Pegasus: Scheat is Arabic for
‘shin’. It is 400 times brighter than the Sun and almost 100 times bigger.
Its brightness can be as high as 1500 times with corrections for invisible
infrared. The gas enveloping Scheat contains water vapour! Scheat, a red
giant, is the second brightest star in Pegasus. Its brightness varies
irregularly. It is the 88th brightest star in the Earth’s sky. P.
Bhadrapada/Pooruruttathi (Since Markab and Scheat form Poorva Bhaadrapada
/Pooruruttathi, the comments on Ajaikapat are applicable for both).
Unfortunately, there are two rivals – Omega Piscium and Lambda Piscium –
according to modern experts and they come from the constellation of Pisces.
Omega Piscium or ω Piscium (ω Psc/../106 LY) from Pisces: A star without
proper name, Omega Piscium was ignored by everybody except the Chinese. But
the term ‘Vernalis’ is used to refer to this star in some articles. Even
for them it is only part of an asterism, the Thunderbolt. Scientists are
still in the process of collecting its details. It is a white Main Sequence
Star. Suspected to be a double star 1.2 billion years old, Omega Piscium is
thought to be 20 times brighter than the Sun. It is not on the list of 500
bright night-sky stars. Lambda Piscium or λ Piscium (λ Psc/.. /100 LY) from
Pisces: Here again, the reference is confined to Chinese asterism Cloud and
Rain of which the star is a member. Lambda Piscium is a bluish white star
‘hotter and brighter than the Sun’. It is visible to naked eye, but does
not have the brightness to find a place among the 500 brightest stars of
the night sky. Traditional Star(s): Alpha (Markkab) and Beta (Scheat) stars
of Pegasus are the traditional stars. Experts’ Opinion: The two stars Omega
and Lambda of Pisces are found to be closer to the Moon than other
candidates; of the two, Lambda is closer. The title of Purva
Bhaadrapada/Pooruruttathi has been conferred on Lambda Piscium. It is also
almost equidistant from other nakshatras. I find that Omega is much
brighter than Lambda. Small difference in distance is not a *serious
defect. Well, leave it to the experts. *
* Uttara Bhaadrapada or Uttara Proshthapada*/ Uthrittathi The
natives of this nakshatra are like the ones from Purva Proshthapada, but
with more leadership qualities. Very benevolent and forbearing. Impartial
always, they do not bother telling a few lies to prove a point. We have
four stars from Pegasus (1), Andromeda (1) and Pisces (2). Gamma Pegasi or
γ Pegasi (γ Peg/Algenib/333 LY) from Pegasus: Algenib in Arabic is ‘the
side’. It is a corner star of the ‘Great square’ of Pegasus and a variable
star. In a reshuffle, it was attached to Andromeda. (There is one more
Algenib – the alpha star of Perseus. But it is normally referred to as
Mirfak). It is 4.5 times bigger and 4000 times (12,000 times, according to
one version) brighter than the Sun. It ranks 4 th in brightness in Pegasus.
Though three stars have been found ‘near’ it, they are not, as of now,
considered Gamma Pegasi’s companions. The blue subgiant is the 138th
brightest star in the sky. Alpha Andromedae or α Andromedae (α
And/Alpheratz or Sirah/97 LY) from Andromeda: The Arabic meaning of
Alpheratz is ‘horse’s shoulder’ or ‘navel’. When it was treated as a member
of Pegasus, it was called Delta Pegasus. In a reshuffle, it was attached to
Andromeda. But the name is still linked to the winged horse Pegasus.
Alpheratz, a blue Main Sequence Star, is the north-eastern star of the
‘Great Square’ It is a binary system. It is 200 times brighter than the
Sun. Its partner is also very bright; it is 20 times brighter than our Sun.
Alpheratz is the brightest star in Andromeda which lies over 25 degrees
north of the Ecliptic. It is the 55th brightest star in the the Earth’s
sky. As in many other cases two more candidates are considered to be Uttara
Bhaadrapada/Uthrittathi – Delta Piscium and Epsilon Piscium. Delta Piscium
or δ Piscium (δ Psc/../311 LY) from Pisces: This orange giant does not have
any proper name. It lies on the ribbon that binds the two fish of Pisces.
Immediately below is Epsilon Pisces. Down a bit further is Zeta Piscium,
Revati (see below). It is 380 times brighter and over 40 times larger than
the Sun. Delta Piscium is about 1 billion year old. It may have a companion
(Delta Piscium B), but its companion status is yet to be confirmed. Delta
Piscium is not on the elite list of 500 stars that can be seen with naked
eyes at night. Epsilon Piscium or ε Piscium (ε Psc/../182 LY). This yellow
giant too does not have a proper name. Epsilon Piscium is about 10 times
larger than the Sun. It is brighter than the Sun, but its luminosity is not
available. It is just bright enough for our ‘naked eye’ and hence not in
the 500 club.
Traditional Star(s): Alpha Andromeda (Alpheratz) and Gamma Pegasi
(Algenib) continue to be the traditional stars. Experts’ Opinion: There are
4 stars in all for consideration. As mentioned earlier, Algenib and
Alpheratz form the traditional Uttara Bhaadrapada/Uthrittathi. But the
Uttara Bhadrapada/Uthrattathi pair closer to the Moon during its journey is
Delta-Epsilon duo from Pisces. Between the two, Delta Piscium gets the nod
from advocates of single star nakshatra system. (When you simulate using
Stellarium software, you may select Epsilon Psc which is brighter of the
two).
Revati/Revathi Inveterate job-hoppers, the natives of this
nakshatra seem to destroy through hardwork whatever they or others make.
Handsome as they are, their interest in opposite sex never wanes. They are
prone to minor tiffs inside and outside family circles. The nakshatra is
more feminine than masculine. For women, the problems will be fewer. Pisces
supplies the two stars for this asterism. Zeta Piscium or ζ Piscium (ζ
Psc/../146-200 LY): This does not have a popular name. There are three
stars in Zeta Piscium- carrying the suffix A, B and C. B and C orbit each
other. Zeta Piscium A, a white giant, is at a distance of 146 Light Years
from the Earth. B and C are away at nearly 200 Light Years. The 3-star
system is seen as 30th brightest object in the constellation. All are faint
stars to the naked eye; they are kept out of the 500 club. Eta Piscium or η
Piscium (η Psc/Alpherg or Alferg/295 LY): The star is also known as Kullat
Nunu, which is of Babylonian origin. Kullat could be ‘cord’ (that binds the
two fish). The meaning of Alferg or Alpherg is not mentioned in any
artciles on this star. But an internet search shows in Saudi dialect it is
'difference/different'. The second brightest in Pisces, it is about 316
times brighter and 26 times larger than the Sun. The distance is reported
from 295 to 347 Light Years. Alpherg, a yellow giant, is believed to be a
binary star (two stars orbiting each other). It is the 333 rd brightest
star in the sky. Traditional Star(s): All go for Zeta Piscium. Single Star
(Expert’s Opinion): Eta Piscium (Alpherg) is to be treated as Revati. The
circle over Aries in image above shows Ashwini/Ashwathi on the left and the
second shows Uttara Revati/Revathi - Piscum Bhadrapada/Uthrittathi. Eta
Piscium is almost exactly in between the two - a crucial factor that helps
the selection of Eta Piscium. Why not Pi Piscium or Moicron Piscium, two
stars close to the path of the Moon? These two stars also are also in the
middle of Ashwini/Ashwathi and Uttara Bhadrapada satisfying the 'distance'
criterion. The brightness settles it in favour of Eta Piscium. The Moon, as
we have learnt, travels above the Ecliptic and below it. Whatever its path,
the star we pick should be close to it. When the Moon travels above the
Ecliptic, below it and over it, Pi Piscium is the ideal one to be chosen as
Revati/Revathi. The full Moon can occult Omicron Piscium. So all the three
stars - Eta, Pi and Omicron Piscium - fit the bill for Revati/Revathi. This
situation arises in the case of many stars - a reason why our ancient
astrologers went for an asterism - more than one star - to represent a
nakshatra. Mercator Chart The image below shows a Mercator chart of the
Indian lunar mansions. The stars are shown in their respective mansions.
They are also very close to the Moon's trajectory. Orion, Hydra, Corvus,
Bootes, Aquila, Pegasus and Delphinus are excluded because the Sun does not
travel through them. The names in blue, of course, refer to the selected
solar zodiac constellations on the Ecliptic - all the traditional 12 and
Ophiuchus - in which the 27 stars supported by many authors are housed. The
names in orange refer to the ecluded constellations that are not on the
Ecliptic. The final list of single stars that represent the nakshatras are:
(LY stands for distance from the Earth in Light Years) 1. Ashwini/Ashwathi
- Alpha Arietis or α Arietis (α Ari/Hamal/ 66 LY) 2. Bharani/Bharani - 41
Arietis or c Arietis (160 LY) 3. Krittika/Karthika - Pleiades Cluster
(Seven Sisters/350-410 LY) 4. Rohini/Rohini - Apha Tauri or α Tauri (α
Tau/Aldebaran /66 LY) 5. Ardra/Athira - Beta Tauri or β Tauri (β Tau/Alnath
or Elnath/134 LY) Revati: Pi and Omricon Pisces Mercator Chart of all 27
Nakshatras 6. Mrigaseesha/Makayiram - Gamma Geminorum or γ Geminorum (γ
Gem/Alhena/105 LY) 7. Punarvasu/Punartham - Beta Geminorum or β Geminorum
(β Gem/Pollux/33 LY) 8. Pushya/Pooyam - Beta Cancri or β Cancri (β Cnc or
Al Taraf/300 LY) 9. Ashlesha/Ayilyam - Alpha Cancri or α Cancri (α
Cnc/Acubens/180 LY) 10. Magha/Makam - Alpha Leonis or α Leonis (α
Leo/Regulus/80 LY) 11. Purva Phalguni/Pooram - Theta Leonis or θ Leonis (θ
Leo or Chort or Chertan or Coxa/165 LY) 12. Uttara Phalguni/Uthram - Beta
Virginis or β Virginis (β Vir or Zavijava/35 LY) 13. Hasta/Atham - Gamma
Virginis or γ Virginis (γ Vir/Porrima or Antevorta/Hasta/Atham/39 LY) 14.
Chitra/Chithira - Alpha Virginis or α Virginis (α Vir/Spica/260 LY) 15.
Swati/Chothi - Iota Virigins or ɩ Virigins (ɩ Vir/Syrma/70 LY) 16.
Vishakha/Vishakham - Alpha Librae or α Librae (α Lib/Zubenalgenubi/75 LY)
17. Anuradha/Anizham - Delta Scorpii or δ Scorpii (δ Sco/Dschubba/400 LY)
18. Jyeshtha/Ketta - Alpha Scorpii or α Scorpii (α Sco/Antares or Qalb Al
Aqrab/600 LY) 19. Mula/Moolam - Theta Ophiuchi or θ Ophiuchi (θ Oph/436 LY)
20. Poorva Ashasdha/Pooradam - Sigma Sagittarii or σ Sagittarii (σ
Sgr/Nunki /228 LY) 21. Uttara Ashsadha/Uthradam - Beta Capricorni or β
Capricorni (β Cap/Dabih or Dahib /340 LY) 22. Shravana/Thiruvonam - Delta
Capricornii or δ Capricorni (δ Cap/Deneb Algedi/39 LY) 23.
Dhanishta/Avittam - Zeta Aquarii or ζ Aquarii (ζ Aqr/Altager/103 LY) 24.
Shatabhishak/Chathayam - Phi Aquarii or ϕ Aquarii (ϕ Aqr/../ 202 LY) 25.
Poorva Bhadrapada/Pooruruttathi - Lambda Piscium or λ Piscium (λ Psc/100
LY) 26. Uttara Bhadrapada/Uthrittathi - Delta Piscium or δ Piscium (δ
Psc/311 LY) 27. Revati/Revathi - Eta Piscium or ζ Piscium (ζ
Psc/Alferg/146-200 LY) Punarvasu/Punartham is the closest star at 33 LY
away and Jyeshtha/Ketta is the most distant at 600 LY. Software and Lunar
Zodiac Although India produce a lot of software engineers - some of them
with knowledge of astronomy - none has a developed a software of lunar
zodiac for educational purposes or professional use. The west has creative
people to develop software like Stellarium. There is a Vedic Astronomy mode
in Stellarium, but it only shows stars with a few Indian names. The first
problem Indians have is that unlike IAU which defined boundaries for each
of the 88 constellations, they have not defined the boundaries for each of
the 27 lunar rashis. It is difficult too because there is no consensus
among astronomers and astrologers on the area of a lunar rashi. However, a
software can take care of this problem by providing it with optional
adjustments so that user-defined areas can be created. 2D software are
available which is good for plotting the distance between nakshatras.
Perhaps there can be a consensus too on the stars to be taken as nakshatras
in view of the shift in precession of the Earth and availability of new
technology. But if one adds new stars to or remove some of the existing
stars from the asterisms, who will define their astrological impact? No
living scholar has the ability to link human characteristics to newly added
stars. But at least, Hindus can have their calendar errors rectified
through such discussions. Why should a Hindu continue to believe that
Uttaraayana / Makar Sankranti is on or about January 14 whereas it is
actually on December 22-23? Astrology...? For What? I have visited a number
of Indian astrologers from the north and south to see how they interpret my
birth star based on exact time of birth and location. All of them gave
different analyses none of which agreed with my profile. Most Indian
astrologers do not have the necessary scientific background required for
analysis of a Chandra rasi (Lunar Mansion). A famous Indian astrologer’s
website says ‘ecliptic’ is the Earth’s orbit around the Sun! The Hindu
calendar itself is erroneous as adjustments are not made after periodic
study. The changes in equinoxes are an example. Besides, traditional Hindu
day is sunrise to sunrise, not midnight to at February 18, 2014 Labels:
astrology, big bang, birth stars, jyotish, khagola, malayalm star,
nakshatra, stellarium, zodiac midnight. The balance (time) of a nakshatra
carried forward to the next day differs from one astrologer to another! You
can have two birth stars as a result if you were born in that 'fringe'
period, depending on whom you consult! Without knowledge of science, an
astrologer is a big zero even for those who believe in astrology. Once you
know the criteria for deciding a nakshatra, you can argue with the help of
a powerful telescope that there are stars in more ideal positions than the
ones prescribed by the traditional astrology. Also, if you know how to
measure the sky in degrees, you can increase the area of a rashi and
include more stars. But what if there are stars which your telescope cannot
detect? To what extent should you widen the area of a rashi? Are 5 or 7
degrees enough? More questions will take you back to what the ancient
Indians had decided - take only the most visible stars near the Moon's
path. Still you may ask why Arcturus (Swati/Chothi), almost 40 degree away
from the Ecliptic or Altair (Shravana/Thiruvonam), almost 30 degrees away
from it have become nakshatras. If you check in Stellarium you will find
that there no visible stars nearby them. But modern astronomers have been
able to identify stars much closer with a new approach as shown in the
Mercator chart above. We do not know exactly the old criteria used for
identifying and naming nakshatras. Who knows, if the ancient Indians had
powerful telescopes, the composition of a nakshatra would have been
different. The Earth is not even a speck in the humongous universe (See the
NASA image from Saturn). It, like any other object in the universe, is
being uninterruptedly bathed in radiation and all types of waves and energy
emanating from all existing objects, known and unknown, be they stars or
galaxies or any other source. In turn, the occupants of the Earth too 'may'
get affected. One cannot say that only the stars belonging to 27 lunar
mansions, the other solar planets, the Moon and the Earth itself do have an
impact on human beings. At the end of it all, may one ask: Do you believe
in Astrology? One thing is certain. Nothing replaces hard work. *You are
the master of your destiny.* ********************
K RAJARAM IRS 6526 COBNCLUDED FOR THE PRESENT
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