The Astrology of Fixed Stars: Much Ado About Algol
January 7, 2009
Hello
My chart is a bit confusing. I hope if you have any insight on it. It’s full of good aspects (sun-moon trine, jupiter-saturn conjunction, moon conjunct midheaven and leo ascendant) but there’s algol on the midheaven aspecting everything else. So please have a look and tell
me…. Thanks in advance…
Birth: 15/Jan/1981, 8:15 PM, Alwaye, Indis
Algol is a fixed star that has the terrifying nick name of Ghoul’s Head, Satan’s Head, Demon Star, or for the Chinese “Piled Up Corpses”.
Influence of Algol: it causes misfortune, violence, decapitation, hanging, electrocution and mob violence, and gives a dogged and violent nature that causes death to the native or others. It is the most evil star in the heavens.(Robson).
In horary astrology, it signifies “losing one’s head”, metaphorically or literally.
Here is a little more background on Algol.
In the constellation Perseus there is a moderately bright star called Algol. It is remarkable in that every 68.75 hours its light dims rather suddenly for several hours before returning just as quickly to its former brightness. This change in brightness is sufficiently large to be apparent even to the naked eye. Very careful observation also indicates a small dip in light output halfway in between the large dips, and detailed inspection of the spectrum indicates that Algol is a spectroscopic binary. ( Additional evidence indicates that Algol is actually a triple star system, but two of the stars are very close together. It is these two stars that concern us here.)
Algol is called the Winking Demon Star because of its light variation and because Perseus is according to mythology holding the severed head of the Gorgon or demon.
When I was learning astrology, my astrology teacher handed out a book that contained fixed stars and other galactic points and said confidently, “This is the new astrology. This is how astrology will be practiced.”
Now it must be noted that my astrology teacher had Venus in Aquarius, so in addition to being forward thinking, she had a love of the unusual. Needless to say, the general practice of astrology has not turned to using fixed stars in personal charts, despite the fact that fixed stars have been studied for thousands of years and applied in the astrological practice of horary, that is, the astrology of answering a questions from the date and time the question was asked.
Another point that should be made is that the orb of Algol is very tight, one degree at the most, and your midheaven is just under two degrees away from Algol’s position. Close, but no cigar. Unless you really want to “lose your head” over Algol in your chart, take my advice and just put it out of your thoughts. It just does not apply to your chart.
With that said, and keeping in mind that a full analysis is outside the scope of this column, your chart has five trines, four squares, two sextiles, an opposition and two inconjuncts. The main theme in your chart is finding balance in your relationship with the opposite sex. Chiron sits just out of orb a conjunction to your Moon, yet still suggests the need to heal the emotional aspect of your interactions with women. Uranus is opposite this Moon/Chiron combination suggesting that a separation from your mother has allowed some unproductive attitudes about women to work in your thinking. Mars in challenge aspect to Chiron suggests that your own actions makes you your own worst enemy in this regard. Do you see where I am going with this?
Pluto inconjunct the Moon suggests a tendency to get involved in relationships that are obsessive, which an addictive quality to it. While it is difficult for a person with the inconjunct to understand the issues involved, this is exactly what you need to do. Remember this, if it hurts, there is a problem. And no one can solve it but you.
Good luck,
Beth
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January 7th, 2009 at 9:13 am
Does Algol have a good side? Just asking because most planets/ asteroids have other a positive/negative view. Hard to see it with Algol though.
January 7th, 2009 at 10:34 am
Thanks Beth, you have spelled me out to a T. I can’t believe how accurate your analysis is. My mom died when I was four and that has almost completely defined me. When you say, if it hurts, there is a problem, you are correcting my attitude to relationships in so many ways. Thanks again, Beth.
But algol definitely has effect. I do lose my head ever so often. You can see that in the two mails I sent you and maybe even in this post.
January 7th, 2009 at 7:29 pm
StarSparkles,
I am not a horary astrologer, so I don’t use Algol and haven’t researched it much, but no, the literature I’ve seen so far doesn’t present a positive side to to this fixed star.
Sanju,
It is always sad to hear about the loss of one’s parent. Certainly it is a life defining event. Thank you for confirming the details of the reading. I wish you all the best in the future.
January 7th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
Well Algol conjuncts Zeus in my natal chart, confirming my problem with time management. And with Ceres on Sagittarius 8, the Sabian Symbol for “persisting inner confusion”(per Mark Edmund Jones), no wonder I have problems planning meals. Aack!