Aries traditionally is taken to be the first sign of the zodiac and as such became the pivotal point about which the remainder of the signs were evenly sequenced. During a solar or tropical year4 the Sun roughly traverses one zodiacal sign in a period of about 30 days, hence its apparent dominion over the zodiac.
Coexisting, yet completely separate from the solar zodiac, there resides an additional twenty-seventh division of the heavens named Nakshatras (see Chapter 25; sometimes called the lunar mansions5). One Nakshatra roughly equates to the daily passage of the Moon along its sidereal orbit. This passage is approximately twenty-seven lunar days,6 hence its dominion over Bhacakra or the lunar zodiac.
The junctures (or portions) of Nakshatra are marked by certain stars called Yogatârâ,7 which confusingly bear the same name as the Nakshatra within which they reside. For example, Ashwini Nakshatra extends from 0° to 13° 20′ Aries and is marked by the Yogatârâ Ashwini, also known as β Arietis (Sheratan). This star resides close to 13° therein. As stars are randomly spaced and Nakshatra portions precise, it is virtually impossible to have all stars fall evenly within their allotted boundaries.
Ideally, the apportioning of junction stars should fall to a bright star/s well within the lunar orbit; in practice; however, this is not the case as a number of Yogatârâ stray far from the lunar orbit. Additionally, a number of these stars are of a magniītude8 that is not easily discerned and call into question their suitability as Yogatârâ (see the Appendix).
The zodiacal belt comprises the twelve major constellations that find themselves close to the ecliptic (the Sun’s apparent yearly course for Earthbound spectators). As solar ecliptic and lunar orbit are not so distant from one another (about +/–5°) a significant number of Yogatârâ used to identify Nakshatra divisions naturally find themselves attached to the familiar twelve zodiacal constellations. This is clearly reflected in ancient astronomical texts, which declare the start of Ashwini Nakshatra to correspond to 0° Aries.9 The term Rashi, used to identify zodiacal signs, is commonly translated as ‘tied’ or ‘heaped’ together, confirming a reconciliation of solar signs and lunar Nakshatras.10 Every zodiacal sign therefore comprises 2¼ Nakshatras.
Solstices and equinox ad 522: Revati Yogatârâ 359° 50′ (ζ Piscium), datum point for Revatipakṣa Ayanāṃśa. GC = galactic centre.
The three Yogatârâ of greatest concern to this narrative are Ashwini, Chitrā and Revati,11 sequentially representing the first, middle and last of the Nakshatras and, latterly, the start, middle and end of the solar zodiac. Ashwini and Revati we’ll consider briefly here; the importance of Chitrā will be outlined in Section 1.6.
The close of Revati12 Nakshatra is marked by a Yogatârâ (of the same name), close to the ecliptic in the constellation of Pisces. Today this star is most commonly identified as ζ Piscium. Due to its 5.2 magnitude it is easily lost to the naked eye, making its choice questionable for such a significant Yogatârâ, that is, that which marks the commencement of the sidereal sphere – 0° Ashwini and subsequently 0° Aries.13
The importance attached to this part of the sky has led some researchers14 to conclude that another star close to ζ Piscium may once have been preferred, but has subsequently been lost to us. Others have considered the possibility that ζ Piscium’s radiance has diminished over the ensuing millennia. Needless to say, there is much conjecture over missing, muted and/or surrogate star theories.
From an astronomical point of view ζ Piscium is not a singular star but in fact a trinary, meaning what is apparently singular (to the naked eye) is in actuality three stars separated by great distance, these being: ζ A15 (+5 magnitude), ζ B16 (+6 magnitude) and ζ C17 (a white dwarf companion to ζ B). White dwarfs are often interpreted as stars of failing longevity so there is a possibility that a more active ζ C had at some point in the past been more radiant.18 Additionally, many stars exhibit degrees of variability19 over time, their incandescence shifting substantially or subtly. During such periods, luminance may range from thousandths to several increments of difference in magnitude.20
According to recent findings; our own pole star α Ursae Minoris is currently 2.5 times brighter than it appeared in the first century AD to notable astrologer/astronomer Claudius Ptolemy. There is also the enigma of irregularly variable stars, such as η Carinae, surrounded by the Homunculus Nebula. Between the 1830s and 1850s η Carinae was gauged to be the second brightest star in the southern hemisphere.
Could ζ Piscium (trinary) have displayed similar irregularities over the millennia?
With something like five thousand stars visible to an unaided eye, making sense of the stellar clutter is a challenge to any observer. Admittedly, over time and with familiarisation, patterns slowly come into focus, but generally any foray out on a clear night requires good orientation skills and visual acuity. It soon becomes apparent that an equidistant distribution of stars along the ecliptic or lunar orbit is non-existent and that that all divisions are idealised. Astrology therefore seeks to impose order upon apparent chaos. As zodiacal constellations remain greatly unequal in proportion, their man-made borders (according to various sources) divide the heavens into lots of 30°, 13° 20′ and 3° 20′,21 and so on. The ancients called the zodiac ‘Manomaya Chakra’ or ‘mind-wheel’, reminding us that any segregation of the heavens ultimately resides within the minds-eye of the beholder.
1.4 THE PHENOMENON OF PRECESSION
Ecliptic and equatorial plane key: = 0° Aries (spring equinox), = 0° Cancer (summer solstice), = 0° Capricorn (winter solstice), GNP = Geographic North Pole, GSP = Geographic South Pole, ZNP = Zodiacal North Pole, ZSP = Zodiacal South Pole.
Inclined to the Earth’s equatorial plane at an angle of about 23.5°, the ecliptic was and is a very convenient reference point with which to measure the relative distances between various astronomical bodies. Following their varied orbits, the planets in our solar system appear to stray no more than 9°+/–22 above or below this convenient reference plane.
Due