Fractal Astrology

Image credit: Kevin M. Gill, under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

"To understand the whole it is necessary to understand the parts. To understand the parts, it is necessary to understand the whole. Such is the circle of understanding." - Ken Wilber

Popular culture just looks at Sun sign to determine astrology. That gives a very simplistic idea about one's nature, however anybody worthy of being called an "astrologer" knows that one also needs to look at planets which orbit the Sun to get a more detailed picture. Similarly, planets aren't just single points either, but with their moons are like mini-solar systems on their own. These "wheels within wheels" are like a fractal graphic, in which each whole is composed of its component parts. As above, so below! Understanding each planetary mini-system and the positions of its moons can give a more detailed insight into that planet's effect, beyond just its simple sign and house positioning.

Why should an astrologer care about the positions of planetary moons other than Earth's own Moon? After all, these moons will always have zodiac positions very close to their planet (at least when viewed from Earth). However, the positions of moons around a planet are astrologically significant and can modify the planet's energy in several ways, for example:

1. Conjunction: A moon is between its planet and the Earth, which means the moon acts like a colored lens and modifies the planet's energy it transmits to Earth. An actual transit or eclipse over the planet's disk is of course strongest, but even the time of having the same zodiac position will still be influential, in a manner similar to a Conjunction.
2. New Moon: A moon is between its planet and the Sun. That creates a New Moon as seen from the point of view of the planet. That may seem irrelevant since we're on Earth, however it will still produce a heightened energy on the planet itself, and can therefore modify the effect it subsequently transmits to Earth.
3. Leading: A moon is ahead of its planet in the zodiac, effectively leading the planet in its orbit. Directly ahead is strongest, because that means the planet will pass through the moon's "aura exhaust", which will also influence the planet's state and the effect it subsequently transmits to Earth.

When any of the above are true, then a moon is considered "prominent", which means it has extra energy or significance. For example, when Ganymede is prominent (such as located between Jupiter and Earth) then Jupiter still has the same interpretation, however the meaning of Ganymede modifies it somewhat, and indicates what parts of Jupiter receive more focus and emphasis.

Moons shouldn't be interpreted independently, but rather as effects that modify their planet. Unlike planets and asteroids, moons don't orbit the Sun, but rather orbit their planet. A planet is a part of one's self, and its moons can give a mini-reading into that aspect of self. One way to do this is with a planet centered chart, which is similar to geocentric or heliocentric, except it centers positions based on another planet. In a planet centered chart, its moons aren't close to the planet, but rather are distributed around the zodiac. This planet centered mini-chart can show the effect of its moons in several ways:

1. Conjunction: When a moon is Conjunct the Earth in the planet-centric chart, it's an easy way to see that the moon is between the planet and the Earth (this is situation #1 above).
2. New Moon: When a moon is Conjunct the Sun, it's an easy way to see that there's a New Moon between that moon and the planet, which is also significant (this is situation #2 above).
3. Leading: When a moon is Square the Sun, it's either directly ahead or directly behind the planet in its orbit (this is situation #3 above).
4. Moon aspects: Aspects between different moons (especially Conjunctions) can be important, and they're only readily apparent in the planet-centric chart. They can indicate relations between the moons, and increase their overall energy.
5. Planet aspects: Aspects between moons and other planets are relatively minor in effect, but can also be relevant (especially Conjunctions). Here the moon is between its planet and a different planet. This modifies how a planet (via the moon) transmits energy to the moon's planet (and therefore can affect how the moon's planet transmits energy in turn to Earth).

Another approach is to overlay planet-centric moon positions with the standard geocentric natal chart. This may seem to be "mixing apples and oranges", however because a planet is a mini-solar system, there can be a sympathetic connection between moons around a planet, and planets around the Sun at the same relative angle (or even between moons around different planets at the same relative angle). This is somewhat similar to a harmonic chart, which can (for example) show relations between planets at the same degree of a zodiac sign.

Astrology isn't just intellectual placements and numbers, but properly practiced it is a way of thinking and an approach to life! :-) Philosophically, planet centered astrology charts are a way to consider and include other points of view, or the "other" in general. To truly understand ourselves and the greater groups we're a part of, it helps to understand our peers, the details of their situations, and where they're coming from. Most astrology is geocentric (since we live on the Earth) however there are spiritual types of astrology that work with a heliocentric perspective, to consider transcendental energies that aren’t just personal or even global, but truly operate on a solar systemic level. However, the solar system isn't just the Sun, and a true integrated perspective can also consider the point of view of other planets, and the moons that affect them.

Esoterically, the solar system isn't just the Sun, but rather it has planets as chakra centers in its "body" or aura. Similarly, a "planet" isn't just the center of body (COB) of the planet itself, but is rather the entire planetary system which includes all its moons. Planets have an "aura", and where a moon is positioned within the planetary aura indicates the effect of the part of the planet represented by that moon. This aura is a 3D sphere around the planet's body, and can be looked at along three axes, when viewed from the Earth or another body. Note that if "Lead" is renamed to "Extend ahead", then the six directions Above/Below/Close/Distant/Extend/Follow can be abbreviated ABCDEF, which makes them easy to remember:

1. Lead/Follow: A moon leading its planet indicates emerging qualities or where the planet is heading towards energetically, and is somewhat similar to a body on the Ascendant. A moon following its planet indicates a quality being left behind, or past talents that one can rely upon or use, and is somewhat similar to a body on the Descendant. This is the X or "horizontal" axis when looking at the planet through a telescope, and measures time.
2. Close/Distant: A moon closer to the viewer than its planet indicates something that's obvious or strong, and is somewhat similar to a body on the Midheaven. A moon more distant from the viewer indicates something that's subtle, weak, or expressing internally, and is somewhat similar to a body on the IC. This is the Z or "distance" axis when looking at the planet, and measures space.
3. Above/Below: A moon above its planet indicates an aspirational or more spiritual guiding quality, and is somewhat similar to a body conjunct the North Node. A moon below its planet indicates something supportive or more densely material, and is somewhat similar to a body conjunct the South Node. This is the Y or "vertical" axis when looking at the planet through a telescope, and measures frequency.

Note that these planetary moon prominence zones have some similarities to Gauquelin sectors, as researched by Michael Gauquelin. Gauquelin sectors have four "plus zones" of prominence, with four "minus zones" between them. That's similar to the four planetary moon prominence zones that are along any plane, and the less focused areas located between these zones. Gauquelin sectors are aligned with houses, while planetary moon zones are aligned with the observer's viewpoint, or the axis line leading from the Earth or other vantage point to the planet and moons being observed.

Astrolog showing Jupiter and its four Galilean moons: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.

Planetary Moon Interpretation

As with planets themselves, interpreting planetary moons is based on both the physical characteristics of the moon and its name in mythology. For example, Mars is a blood red color, and named after the god of war. The following quote illustrates how planets get named appropriately: "The names of the planets are not the result of arbitrary choice, but the planets name themselves." (A Treatise on White Magic, p438-439)

There are many moons orbiting planets. (For example, Saturn has over 80 moons.) Every moon could be given a meaning, however in general the largest or most major moons have the most pronounced meanings, and other moons gradually decrease in prominence. This is similar to the asteroids, and how many astrologers only focus upon the first four asteroids, even though there are over half a million known asteroids in the inner belt alone.

The following table summarizes the 27 most major moons that orbit other planets in our solar system. Earth's Moon is included for comparison. Listed is the planet, the moon orbiting it, and a one word keyword summarizing that moon's influence, or what part of the planet the moon brings forth and emphasizes. Also listed is the planet's orbital period in Earth days, its average radius in kilometers, and its average distance from its planetary barycenter in 1000's of kilometers. When the orbital period is negative (like with Neptune's moon Triton) that means it orbits in reverse direction around its planet compared to others.

The last three fields in the table are about the Swiss Ephemeris format ephemeris files for these moons. First is listed the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) code number for the moon, which is useful to determine the ephemeris file to use for displaying in Astrolog, and the available years covered by that ephemeris file. Finally is listed the worst case inaccuracy of the ephemeris, when compared to the JPL positions from September 2020, as produced by the Swiss Ephemeris utility producing the ephemeris file. These offsets are for positions relative to the planet being orbited, which is why fast moving moons have greater inaccuracy. For example, Phobos is very close to Mars, so 1.4 arc seconds in position for it is very minor, especially considering that Phobos moves about 44 arc seconds per clock second, which is over 3 times as fast as the Ascendant!

The final five lines are for the planetary center of body (COB), and how it compares to the planetary system barycenter. Mars isn't present because its moons are so light that the planet and its barycenter are effectively the same. In cases where the planet has one large moon (such as Saturn's Titan, Neptune's Triton, and Pluto's Charon) the planet orbits the barycenter, and the period and distance are given. In cases where the planet has multiple moons of similar size, such as Jupiter and especially Uranus, the planet moves chaotically relative to the barycenter and the distance varies. Uranus body has good median accuracy, however an outlying worst case of 2.36'. That's because when the planet moves more or less directly over the barycenter, the zodiac position relative to it can quickly move up to 180 degrees.

Mars

Deimos: Deimos (terror/dread) is more impersonal and general. Dread is more general than fear, for example one fears specific situations like an angry dog or their boss firing them, but one dreads more abstract issues like nuclear war or global climate change. Deimos represents our energy levels or personal willpower, and when Deimos is prominent it accentuates our energy which we can apply to activities and getting things done, even in challenging situations. Phobos is analogous to a sprinter, while Deimos is more a marathon runner: Both have strong Mars energy, but different aspects of Mars are being accentuated.

Jupiter

Europa: Europa's surface is young and smooth, and has the smoothest surface of any moon or planet in the solar system. Water oceans exist under its surface, and it's even a likely candidate for extraterrestrial life. In mythology, Zeus was attracted to youthful Europa, and so he took the form of a beautiful cow. Europa climbed on the cow's back, at which point Zeus swam across the sea with her to Crete. Europa became the first queen of Crete, and eventually the entire continent of Europe got named after her. Europa accentuates enthusiasm, happiness, liveliness, youth (of new ideas if not physical age) and the things we appreciate or are attracted to. Negatively, Europa can mean getting distracted or seduced by trivial or harmful things. In Esoteric Astrology, Europa represents joy and true bliss, the life principle, and pure Being.

Saturn

Uranus

Miranda: Miranda is much smaller than the other four moons of Uranus, however it makes up for it with intense features, such as a 20km or 12.5 mile high cliff (the highest cliff in the solar system). In Shakespeare's "The Tempest", Miranda was a girl (actually a princess but she didn't know it) who grew up on an island with her father, isolated and sheltered from the rest of the world. She compassionately begs her father to spare a ship from a storm, and quickly marries a man from that ship. She believed he was so handsome that he had to be a spirit, and that she'd be his servant if he wouldn't take her as his wife. In astrology, Miranda represents idealism (often intense idealism) along with purity and innocence. Negatively, Miranda can represent being immature, naive, too open-minded, or too impractical. Uranus is about change, but the Miranda aspect of Uranus is the important motivation behind why one wants to change.

Neptune

Nereid: Nereid is Neptune's third largest moon. It has the most elliptical orbit of any major moon, and it often appears to change its brightness too. Nereid is notable because (along with Titan) it's the only moon named after a group of beings, instead of just a single individual. In mythology, the Nereids were 50 beautiful sea nymphs, who would often help sailors in distress. Nereid accentuates compassion, group consciousness, and appreciation of diversity. Negativity, Nereid can indicate being too giving of oneself, being too passive, too accepting, too sentimental, or letting a group stifle or suppress individuality.

Pluto

Astrolog supports planetary moons starting with version 7.20. :-) To use them, first download the planetary moon ephemeris files linked to below. The Windows version has several commands dealing with planetary moons on the "Setting / Planetary Moons" submenu. To display moons, simply click to turn them on in the "Moon Restrictions" dialog. One can also toggle them on all at once with the "Include Moons" menu command or the backquote ("`") hotkey. These are full objects like any other planet, and simple interpretations are available if "View / Show Interpretations" is turned on.

Planetary moon ephemeris files can be downloaded at http://www.astrolog.org/ftp/ephem/moons. Available at this time are the 27 most major planetary moons listed above. Also available are planetary center of body (COB) positions for Jupiter through Pluto. (Mars' center of body is super close to its barycenter, i.e. about 20 cm in space, so doesn't need an ephemeris file.) In this directory is one master ZIP file containing all 27 moons and 5 center of bodies, along with individual ZIP files for each planet which contain the exact same files. Once downloaded, unpack and place the ephemeris files where they'll be found by Astrolog, such as in the same location as the main Swiss Ephemeris files for the planets themselves.

The Swiss Ephemeris offers additional ephemeris files for asteroids and other minor bodies, and as of October 2020 there are Swiss Ephemeris format ephemeris files for planetary moons too. Planetary moon ephemeris files have filenames like “sepm9XYZ.se1”, in which “XYZ” is the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) code for the moon. In this designation, “X” is the planet being orbited (4=Mars, 5=Jupiter, 6=Saturn, 7=Uranus, 8=Neptune, 9=Pluto) and “YZ” is the moon in question. For example, “sepm9501.se1” defines Jupiter’s Moon Io. Also, “moon” #99 is the true non-barycentric position of the planet, e.g. “sepm9599.se1” defines the actual position of Jupiter’s center of body taking into account the gravitational perturbations of its moons (in comparison to the standard Jupiter planet object which is the center of mass of the Jupiter system).

Astrolog supported planetary moons in older version 7.10 too, although it required the command line to configure their use. In Astrolog, the -Yem command switch will redefine an unused object to be a planetary moon. For example, “-Yem Cup 501” will redefine Cupido’s object slot to be Jupiter's moon Io, assuming the ephemeris file sepm9501.se1 has been downloaded. Also, the -Ym switch (or the "Make Moons Orbit Current Central Object" setting in the Moon Object Settings dialog) will turn on a mode such that planetary moons and other objects orbiting planets are displayed as orbiting the central object instead, or in other words will overlay planet centered moon positions with the standard natal chart.

For a quick way to demo and play with planetary moons in Astrolog 7.10 or beyond, download the Astrolog script file http://www.astrolog.org/ftp/script/plmodemo.as. To use it, start Astrolog, select the "File / Open" menu command, and open the file plmodemo.as. You will see a wheel chart with Jupiter's four moons located nearby Jupiter. Afterward press the following keys:

• Press F4 through F9 to switch to Mars' through Pluto's moons (which will leave all other program settings alone).
• Press Shift+F4 through Shift+F9 to view orbits of planetary moons orbiting the planet (specifically the planet's standard barycenter, shown as the planet's standard glyph). The planetary center of body (COB) will also be present if it's significantly different (like with Pluto) and it will be shown and labeled with the planet's name. This is a quick way to see conjunctions of different moons from the planet centered perspective.
• Press Ctrl+F4 through Ctrl+F9 for a telescope view of the planetary system viewed from Earth, using Astrolog's telescope chart. Depending on the date, Mars' disk might be in partly in shadow! The horizontal axis is the ecliptic, so a moon horizontally aligned with the planet's disk is exactly conjunct it.
• Press Alt+F4 through Alt+F9 to overlay the planet centered moon positions with the standard geocentric wheel chart. Astrologers may potentially find sympathetic connections between moons around a planet, and planets around the Earth at the same relative angle. This is a quick way to see things like "my planet centered moon X conjuncts my geocentric planet Y".

Astrolog's report for moons of Jupiter and Saturn.

Astrolog offers a unique planetary moons report, which will show all positions and aspects involving planetary moons. Display it for the active chart with the "Setting / Planetary Moons / Moons Chart" menu command (and also turn “View / Show Graphics” off). The location of each moon is indicated in both standard geocentric coordinates, and planet centered coordinates.

• Lead/Follow: The "Lead" column indicates how far each moon is leading or following the planet it orbits, ranging from +100% (fully leading) to -100% (fully following). Interpretation: A moon leading its planet indicates emerging qualities or where the planet is heading towards energetically. A moon following its planet indicates a quality being left behind, or past talents that one can rely upon or use.
• Close/Distant: The "Close" column indicates how far each moon is relative to the planet it orbits, ranging from +100% (as close as possible, and potentially in front of the planet) to -100% (fully distant, and potentially behind the planet). Interpretation: A moon closer to the viewer than its planet indicates something that's obvious or strong. A moon more distant from the viewer indicates something that's subtle, weak, or expressing internally.
• Above/Below: The planet-centric latitude indicates how much the moon is above or below the planet it orbits, in which positive means above and negative means below. Interpretation: A moon above its planet indicates an aspirational or more spiritual guiding quality. A moon below its planet indicates something supportive or more densely material.

Astrolog's planetary moons report will also show aspects involving planetary moons. The following six types of aspects are listed in additional sections:

1. Planet/moon overlaps: This shows how close moons are to being conjunct with the planet they orbit, as viewed from Earth (or whatever the current central body is). Because moons are very close to their planet when viewed from other planets, these conjunctions are only displayed if they’re precise, i.e. if moon’s disk overlaps (or almost overlaps) the planet disk’s position in longitude. If the moon overlaps the planet disk in latitude too, then there’s a transit or occultation taking place between them, which will also be indicated. Interpretation: Overlaps indicate emphasis on the the moon (and the part of the planet it represents) as the planet affects Earth. Eclipses between a moon and its planet are one of the strongest influences!
2. Moon/moon overlaps: This shows how close different moons orbiting the same planet are to being conjunct with each other, as viewed from Earth. Like section #1, these conjunctions are only displayed if they’re precise, i.e. if the moons’ disks overlap each other in longitude, or almost overlap within a number of moon disk widths of each other. Eclipses visible from Earth will also be indicated, which means the two moons’ disks are aligned in vertical latitude too and actually overlap. Interpretation: Like a conjunction aspect, these overlaps indicate fusion between the parts of the planet, and indicate emphasis and union as they affect Earth.
3. Moon/planet aspects (planet centered): This shows aspects between moons and other planets, viewed from the planet the moon orbits. If a moon is Conjunct or Opposite the Sun, then it will be a New Moon or Full Moon as seen from that planet. In such a case, the moon will also be listed as planet-centric “Close” plus or minus 100% above. Similarly, a half moon (moon Square Sun) will happen exactly when the moon is leading or trailing the planet in its orbit, and the moon will also be planet-centric “Lead” +/- 100%. An aspect of moon Conjunct or Opposite Earth will happen when the moon is closest to or most distant from Earth, which means the moon will be also geocentric “Close” +/- 100%. Interpretation: Aspects touching moons stimulate those parts of the planet, which influences the energy of the planet itself, when the planet radiates its own energy toward Earth.
4. Moon/moon aspects (same planet centered): This section shows aspects between moons orbiting the same planet, viewed relative to the planet they orbit. It’s possible for conjunctions to be eclipses or disk overlaps between the two moons, and if so they’ll be indicated. Interpretation: These aspects indicate connections between different parts of the planet, which affects the energy of the planet itself, which is then radiated toward Earth.
5. Moon/moon aspects (other planet centered): This is identical to section #4, but shows conjunctions between moons orbiting different planets. In other words, this treats it as if the two moons were orbiting the same planet, and checks for aspects relative to the virtual shared center point. Eclipses in this section are still possible, however they will be “virtual eclipses”, which means they would only be visible if the moons actually did orbit the same body. Interpretation: These aspects are subtle, and indicates sympathetic connections between different parts of different planets, which can still be insightful.
6. Moon/planet aspects (overlayed): This section shows aspects between planet-centric moons and geocentric planets. In other words, similar to section #5 this treats it as if the moon were orbiting Earth instead, and checks for aspects relative to the virtual shared center point. Moon phases and eclipses will be “virtual”, which means they would only be apparent if the moons actually did orbit Earth. Interpretation: These aspects show how planets interact with each other, and more specifically which parts of planets (indicated by the moon) interact with other planets.

The six types of aspects above can be divided into three general categories: (A) Geocentric aspects as seen from Earth or some other body, which generally requires very narrow orbs (or rather orbs defined in terms of planet and moon disk widths instead of degrees) since moons orbit very closely to their planet when viewed from other planets. (B) Planet centered aspects as seen from the planet itself that the moon orbits, which can affect the planet's energy and therefore the energy the planet sends to Earth. (C) Overlayed aspects that compare objects seen from two different bodies, which can still have a sympathetic connection even though the aspect is "virtual" and is acting as if the two objects orbited the same point.

Astrolog 7.40 and later has the option to display the planetary moons chart in graphical form. Show it by selecting the “Setting / Planetary Moons / Moons Chart” menu command (and also turn “View / Show Graphics” on). The graphic planetary moons chart shows planetary moon placement and aspects in graphical form. This chart is divided into four parts, which show top and side views from both geocentric and heliocentric perspectives. Front views are like Astrolog’s telescope chart viewing the planet from the perspective of Earth or the current central body, and show prominence zones making it easy to see whether a moon is leading, following, above, or below its planet. Top down views are like Astrolog’s solar system orbit chart looking down upon the ecliptic plane, and show prominence zones making it easy to see whether a moon is leading, following, close to, or distant from its planet. The four prominence zones in each view (with four non-prominent zones in between them) are analogous in structure to Gauquelin sectors and their four plus zones areas around the wheel (with four minus zone areas in between them). All four views have a central circle which indicates the planet itself, in which a moon will only be displayed within the circle if it’s actually eclipsing (transiting over or occulted by) the planet from the perspective in question.

Astrolog's graphics planetary moons chart.

List of Planetary Moon Techniques

The table above summarizes the different things that can be looked at related to planetary moons, and whether the different Astrolog charts can display them. The columns are:

• Lead/Follow: This means whether a moon is leading the planet in its orbit, or trailing behind the planet in its orbit.
• Close/Distant: This means whether a moon is closer to the viewer than its planet, or more distant and farther away than the planet.
• Above/Below: This means whether a moon is above its planet relative to the ecliptic or other plane, or below its planet.
• Aspects: This means showing aspects or alignments involving planetary moons, such as geocentric visual alignments in a telescope, planetcentric aspects relative to the planet between moons or between moons and other planets, or overlaid comparisons between geocentric and planetcentric positions.
• Rings: This means whether planetary ring systems are visible. The tilt or angle of rotation of rings to the viewer can be astrologically significant.
• Technique: This is the Astrolog chart that can display the planetary moon information. Below is a more detailed description of these charts:

1) Telescope chart: A telescope view (such as Astrolog's telescope chart) gives a realistic image of a planet and the arrangement of its moons, along with planetary rings. This telescope view will easily show the Lead/Follow component of moons, as well as Above/Below (assuming the telescope is aligned with the ecliptic axis). However, it does not show the Close/Distant axis component of moons (except when moons are eclipsing or being eclipsed by the planetary body). In Astrolog, show the telescope with the "Graphics / Draw Telescope" menu command (-XZ command switch). Aim the telescope at a planet with "Graphics / Graphics Settings / Telescope Focuses on This Object" (parameter to -XZ switch), and then right click and "Zoom In" (-YXS switch) until the planet and its moons and rings become visible. Also right click and turn on "Use Ecliptic Axis" so Lead/Follow relative to the ecliptic is always on the horizontal axis, and Above/Below is on the vertical axis.

2) Solar system orbit chart: A view of the solar system, focused upon a particular planet, will show the moons orbiting that planet. This is a top down view upon the plane of the ecliptic. This chart can graphically show aspects between planetary moons orbiting the same planet. If the direction to the Earth or Sun is known or indicated, then Lead/Follow as well as the Close/Distant components will be apparent too. However, being a 2D display it does not show the Above/Below axis. In Astrolog, show the solar system orbit chart with the "Chart / Solar System Orbit" command (-S -X switches). Set the central object to the planet being considered, and then right click and "Zoom In" (-YXS switch) until the planet and its moons become more visible. Diameters of planets, moons, and ring systems will become visible when zoomed in enough.

3) Planetary moons text chart: This is Astrolog's planetary moons chart in text mode, described in detail in the previous section. It shows positions as well as aspects of various types, although in text instead of graphical form. It explicitly indicates the Lead/Follow and Close/Distant component of moons as percentage numbers, and Above/Below are suggested by the latitude values above or below the ecliptic plane. Show it by selecting the “Setting / Planetary Moons / Moons Chart” command, and also turn off “View / Show Graphics” (-8 _X switches).

4) Planetary moons graphics chart: This is Astrolog's planetary moons chart in graphics mode, described in detail in the previous section. Show it by selecting the “Setting / Planetary Moons / Moons Chart” command, and also turn on “View / Show Graphics” (-8 -X switches). Its four parts are similar to a combination of the telescope and solar system orbit charts, and therefore show moons along all three axes of Lead/Follow, Close/Distant, and Above/Below. These views are relative to both the Earth or other central body (to make eclipses apparent) and also relative to the Sun (to make New/Full moons apparent).

5) Wheel chart with moons undistinguished: This is a standard wheel chart with planetary moons included, with the planetary moon objects not being treated any differently. In other words, it just plops planetary moon objects in the chart as if they were separate planets or asteroids. The problem with this is that the moons will always be bunched up next to the planets they orbit, when viewed from Earth or another planet. That isn't very useful, although it does at least show the order of moons along the zodiac, which gives an idea of Lead/Follow. As a result, this technique is best avoided in favor of the others, and is only included in this list for comparison.

6) Wheel chart with moons distributed: This is a standard wheel chart with planetary moons included, with the planetary moon objects being relative to the planets they orbit. In other words, it overlays geocentric standard planet positions, with planet-centric planetary moon positions. It shows aspects between geocentric planets and planet-centric moons. It also indicates Lead/Follow and Close/Distant components when comparing the moon's zodiac position to its planet's (e.g. a moon squaring its planet will always be either leading or following). Show it by turning on “Setting / Planetary Moons / Moon Object Settings / Make Moons Orbit Current Central Object” (-Ym switch). This is a way to include planetary moons in a standard wheel chart, without having all moons right next to the planets they orbit.

7) Wheel chart with moons orbiting planets: This is a standard wheel chart, with planetary moons distributed around planet glyphs as letter abbreviations. It shows Lead/Follow and Close/Distant components of moons (in which moons toward the center of the chart are Close, and toward the outer rim are Distant). However, it does not show the Above/Below axis, but that's expected because standard wheel charts don't show planets' latitudes either. This format is nice since it shows moons in the standard wheel chart format that astrologers are familiar with. Show it by turning on “Setting / Planetary Moons / Moon Object Settings / Wheel Charts Show Moons Orbiting Planet” (-X8 switch). See below for an example animation of this chart over time:

Astrolog's planetary moons wheel chart.

Additional Planetary Moons

Our solar system has its main planets, and then various dwarf planets and asteroids of increasingly smaller size. There's no obvious boundary for when objects become too insignificant to have astrological meaning. Similarly, some planets have dozens of different moons of increasingly smaller size. The Swiss Ephemeris and Astrolog draws the boundary after the main 27 moons above. However, additional moons are present too, and looking at them in astrology is similar to looking at more obscure asteroids beyond the first four and Chiron. Below are 16 additional planetary moons of interest, which are the next largest moons of the planets in question.

These moons don't have Swiss Ephemeris format ephemeris files, but can still be computed in Astrolog 7.30 or later by having Astrolog do online queries to the JPL Horizons Website. To display a minor moon in Astrolog, inside the Object Customization dialog change an unused object slot to have the definition of "j" plus the JPL code number, e.g. enter "j505" to compute Jupiter's moon Amalthea. From the command line in the Windows version, the -Yej switch will redefine an unused object to be JPL Horizons computed. For example, “-Yej Cup 609” will redefine Cupido’s object slot to be Saturn's moon Phoebe. Also, note that some Dwarf planets have moons too, which can be computed in a similar fashion.

Amalthea: After Jupiter's four largest planet sized Gallilean moons, its next moons are much smaller. Amalthea is Jupiter's 5th largest moon, which has a small 12 hour orbit. It's bright red in color and and helps maintain Jupiter's thin ring system. In mythology, Amalthea was Jupiter's foster mother and nursemaid, who kept him hidden from his powerful father Kronos until he grew up. It was a thankless effort at first, but eventually she was raised into the sky and turned into the constellation Capra. Amalthea can represent Jupiterian optimism and the light of hope, and the small but useful roles we can play among larger powers. Even the king of the gods was once a baby.

Himalia: Himalia is named after a nymph who attracted Zeus, and gave birth to three sons. The sons' names are associated with harvest and a golden age. The moon Himalia can be associated with ease, relaxation, and happiness, or sloth and too much pampering in a negative sense. It has a long and lazy eight month orbit around Jupiter. Himalia is aligned with Jupiterian good fortune, and can be a positive balance to Ganymede, the latter of which can potentially bring abundance or attention in a sudden or unwanted fashion.

Thebe: The moon Thebe is named after a nymph, but Thebe was actually a common Greek name, and there were also several cities named Thebes (and there's still cities called that today). Thebe can be associated with the Jupiterian energy of presence or radiance. It can indicate energies such as charisma or royalty, or negatively one who is too focused upon the image given by themselves or perceived by others.

Elara: Elara is named after a mortal princess who was one of Jupiter's lovers. Jupiter hid Elara away from his wife by hiding Elara deep beneath the Earth, where she gave birth to a Giant (but died in childbirth due to the enormous size of her baby). Elara represents excess, being restricted or cramped due to one's large size, and problems such as obesity or hoarding. It's possible to have too much of a good thing.

Phoebe: Phoebe is Saturn's 9th largest moon, and is the largest retrograde orbiting moon in the solar system after Neptune's Triton. Phoebe has a long 1.5 year orbit, in comparison with Saturn's other moons which orbit it in less than a month (or a couple months for Iapetus). Phoebe was once round, but has been heavily battered over the eons. Phoebe is named after a Titan who inherited the Delphic oracle. Astrologically, Phoebe can represent Saturnian weariness and common sense that comes from a long life and hard experiences, and is somewhat similar to a street smart version of Jupiter's Callisto.

Janus: Janus is named after the well known two faced god, who has a face on both sides of his head. In Roman culture, Janus was associated with division (such as defined by doorways or fences), duality (between two different concepts), and beginnings/endings. Astrologically, Janus can represent the Saturnian concepts of classification, labeling, and definition. Janus can also represent the classic vice of being "two-faced", with a focus upon being able to maintain a fixed mask obstructing one's true nature.

Epimetheus: Epimetheus is named after a Titan whose name means "hindsight" or "after-thinker". He was often considered foolish compared to his twin brother Prometheus, since hindsight is always perfect or "20/20", but by then it's too late. Astrologically, Epimetheus can represent looking back upon past experiences (often with Saturnian regret) and hopefully learning from them. Those who fail to understand and learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

Prometheus: Prometheus is named after the well known Titan who gave fire and therefore civilization to humanity, but was severely punished by the gods for doing so. He was twin brother to Epimetheus, and the name Prometheus means "foresight" or "fore-thinker". Astrologically, Prometheus represents the Saturnian quality of sacrifice, and being willing to do something in spite of knowing there will be difficulties or unpleasant consequences. The story of Prometheus is similar to that of the Christian Garden of Eden, in which humanity transitioned from blissful ignorance to the ability to grow and make mistakes, and the giver of knowledge (Prometheus or the serpent) was punished for making it happen.

Puck: Puck is Uranus' 6th largest moon. Puck is named after Robin Goodfellow, the impish sprite from Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream". Astrologically, Puck represents Uranian energies expressed as playfulness, mischief, and pranks. More seriously, it can align with a "sacred jester" role who intentionally behaves in a contrary manner, such as the Heyoka in the Sioux indigenous culture. As Puck says in the play, "Lord, what fools these mortals be!" ;-) As it was only discovered in 1985, and at this time there's no orbital data for it before 1980, Puck is focused upon more modern expressions of mirth that may not be understood by those of earlier generations.

Sycorax: Sycorax is named after the powerful witch in Shakespeare's "The Tempest", whose sorcery was so strong that she could control Earth's Moon. Sycorax moves in a retrograde motion and takes over 3.5 years to orbit Uranus, giving it a longer celestial cycle than Mars and most asteroids. Astrologically, Sycorax represents metaphysics, the occult, and other forms of magic, whether used for good or ill. It has some similarity to Pluto's Nix, although it's more Uranian than Plutonian in quality.

Portia: Portia is named after the wise heroine from Shakespeare's play "The Merchant of Venice", who was quick-witted and fond of proverbs. Astrologically, Portia represents the Uranian qualities of wit, cleverness, and intelligence. As it was only discovered in 1986, and at this time there's no orbital data for it before 1980, Portia is focused upon modern forms of wit that may be incomprehensible to those of earlier generations.

Larissa: Larissa is Neptune's 4th largest moon. Larissa is named after a nymph, however unique in that her father was Pelasgus, said to be the first man, or at least the founder of Greek civilization. Larissa's heritage is therefore a combination of the immortality of being a nymph, combined with the positive expression of humanity. Astrologically, Larissa represents the higher intuition. Properly understood, true Neptunian intuition takes place when one's soul is oriented both towards the immortal Spirit, as well as toward a coordinated and developed personality, and has positively integrated them together.

Galatea: Galatea is one of the Nereids, whose name means "she who is milk-white". Galatea is also the statue carved by Pygmalion, after which he fell in love with his own sculpture, until the goddess Aphrodite turned it alive so he could marry it. Astrologically, Galatea represents the idealism nature of Neptune, in which one forms an ideal and appreciates it, and which can sometimes crystallize into figurative or literal idols that one worships or otherwise passionately supports.

Despina: Despina is the younger daughter of Demeter (the older being Persephone). Despina is a goddess of sacred mysteries, whose real name is not revealed to the uninitiated, and she's often depicted with a veil. Astrologically, Despina represents secrets and mysticism, especially of a more esoteric or spiritual nature.

Thalassa: Thalassa is the primeval goddess of the sea, equivalent to Gaia (Earth) and Uranus (Sky), from which all the other gods descended. It's a small roughly disk shaped moon, formed from rubble clumped together. Astrologically, Thalassa represents Neptunian unity, or a union of different things brought together and mixed. Positively it can represent Oneness or the whole being greater than the sum of the parts, while negatively it can mean a government or other group oppressing and stifling individual freedom.

Naiad: Similar to Nereid, Naiad is named after a group of beings, instead of just a single individual. The Naiads were spirits of springs and rivers. Unlike the always helpful Nereids, the Naiads were more diverse and could sometimes be jealous or wrathful. Astrologically, Naiad represents feelings, although in a deeper fashion than that associated with Earth's Moon. Naiad represents beliefs and beyond that the collective feelings or zeitgeist of a group or generation.

The 16 additional minor moons described here, combined with the 27 major planetary moons directly supported, produces the following list of 44 planetary moons in total. Included are all known moons of Earth, Mars, and Pluto, the 8 largest moons of Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune, and the 12 largest moons of Saturn. In this context, the "Years Covered" column is that for JPL Horizons itself, and not the Swiss Ephemeris format ephemeris file which is often for a shorter period:

Astrolog showing Saturn and its rings and moons, viewed from its moon Iapetus.

Saturn's Rings

Moons aren't the only significant things orbiting planets and influencing the "planetary aura". Saturn and other planets have rings! Note that rings are effectively moons that orbit too close to their planet for the moon's gravity to hold them together (or more technically are located inside the Roche limit) so tidal forces break them up and distribute them around the planet. Even though such "moons" no longer have definite locations around their planet, rings can still be influential when looked at as a whole and when viewed from Earth.

Looking at Saturn, either one will seem to be "above" it looking down upon its rings, "below" it looking up at its rings, or looking at the rings edge on. This produces three different types of energy, or general approaches to Saturn:

1. Grower: If you're "below" Saturn looking up at its rings, then Saturn hovers above you, so there's a tendency to aspire or submit to discipline, in order to grow and learn. This has energy somewhat like winter months, or near a New Moon.
2. Builder: If you're "above" Saturn looking down on its rings, then Saturn is effectively supporting you, there's a tendency to apply or work with discipline, in order to build and manifest. This has energy somewhat like summer months, or near a Full Moon.
3. Edger: If you're "edge on" with Saturn so its rings appear to be a line, then the polarities of Saturn are balanced. This is intense, since you're in Saturn's rotational plane, and its rings can be like a knife edge cutting into your life. This has energy somewhat like the Equinoxes, or near half Moons.

Are you a "grower", a "builder", or an "edger"? Look at your Saturn in Astrolog's telescope chart to find out! :-) To do this, select the "Graphics / Draw Telescope" menu command, and change "Graphics / Graphics Settings / Telescope Focuses on This Object" to "Saturn" (which is "-XZ Sat" from the command line) and then zoom in with "Graphics / Map Orientation / Zoom In" until the rings become visible. Also turn on "Graphics / Map Effects / Use Ecliptic Axis" to see the proper angle of the rings relative to Earth's ecliptic.

Note that the 29.5 year cycle in which Saturn orbits the Sun, is similar to 29.5 day cycle in which the Moon orbits Earth. There is a sympathetic connection between the microcosmic cycles of the Moon and the macrocosmic cycles of Saturn, and both planets can relate to material expression and challenging emotions or situations.

Uranus has rings too, and Astrolog can display Uranus' rings starting with version 7.30. Uranus' axis is highly tilted to the ecliptic, so its rings are too. That means we aren't ever "above" or "below" Uranus' rings, but rather to the left or right of them. More significantly, Uranus' extreme tilt means at times its rings can form a perfect circle around it, as if we were looking directly up or down upon them. Since Uranus is an outer planet, the angle of its rings indicates more generational influences affecting society as a whole, as opposed to individual personality characteristics. Here are different energies radiated by Uranus' rings:

1. Portal: If Uranus' rings form a circle or near-circle around it, then it's like a portal or stargate is open, and revolutionary Uranian energies are radiating through unhindered. This is a period of change and new ideas. For example, the most recent "portal" periods happened in 1986 with Uranus in Sagittarius (coinciding with the personal computer revolution and quality fantasy movies like "Labyrinth"), and 1945 with Uranus in Gemini (coinciding with the end of World War II and the first use of atomic energy and weaponry).
2. Eye: If Uranus' rings form an ellipse around it, then the effect looks like an eye, with Uranus' body as the pupil. Uranian energies are still present, but they're more directed and focused, like one is being observed by a guiding power. This eye may be in the process of opening (until it becomes a portal) or closing (until it becomes grounded). Presently we are in an opening eye Uranus period, which will become a fully open "portal" in 2030 with Uranus in Gemini.
3. Grounded: If Uranus' rings overlap the planet, then it looks like a classic ringed planet arrangement of Saturn. (Note that Saturn's rings never reach enough angle to form its own "eye" or "portal" phases when viewed from Earth.) This is the most stable and grounded part of the cycle, since it looks similar to the "grower"/"builder" periods of Saturn.
4. Slice: If Uranus' rings are being viewed edge on, then it indicates a period of disruption and challenging crises. This is similar to the "edger" periods of Saturn. For example, the most recent "slice" periods happened in 2008 with Uranus in Pisces (coinciding with the Great Recession and housing crisis) and 1965 with Uranus in Virgo (coinciding with civil rights protests and movements). Uranus' rings during a "slice" period form a vertical line, like as produced from a downward sword slash. This aligns with the classic Bible quote: "Behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent." (Matthew 27:51)

Neptune has rings as well, and Astrolog can display Neptune's rings starting with version 7.60. Neptune's axis with respect to the ecliptic is slightly more than Saturn's, which means Neptune has similar "above" and "below" phases, along with a brief "eye" phase in which the ring surrounds the planet disk without overlapping it. Neptune orbits slower than Uranus, so Neptune's rings also represent collective generational influences affecting society as a whole. Here are different spiritual energies of Neptune's rings:

1. Seeing: If Neptune's rings form an ellipse around it with the planet disk in the middle, then the effect looks like an all-seeing eye, with Neptune's body as the pupil. It's like we're being seen by a guiding presence, and getting prepared for the next significant change. The most recent "seeing" periods happened in 2004 with Neptune in Aquarius, and in 1923 with Neptune in Leo.
2. Dreaming: If we're "under" Neptune looking up at its rings, it's like we're underwater, dreaming or aspiring for a better collective reality. We've been in a dreaming period since 1965.
3. Surfing: If we're "over" Neptune looking down upon its rings, it's like we're surfing above the waters, existing in whatever good or bad collective reality. The last surfing period was between 1884 and 1962.
4. Gasping: If Neptune's rings are being viewed edge on, then it indicates a period of a flood of energies, as if we're swimming and gasping for air. This is similar to the "edger" and "slice" periods of Saturn and Uranus. For example, the most recent "gasping" period happened in 1964 with Neptune in Scorpio, and the next one will be in 2046 with Neptune in Taurus.

Jupiter and Dwarf planet Haumea also have rings, and Astrolog can display Jupiter's rings and Haumea's rings starting with version 7.60. Jupiter's axis is almost aligned with the ecliptic, and is never more than 3 degrees tilted from it, so Jupiter's rings are always edge on or nearly so. In contrast, Haumea's rings can become nearly circular and form a "portal" like Uranus', although given Haumea's 284 year orbital period its ring cycle is very slow. Haumea's rings were most recently edge on in 1999.

In addition to rings, there are other features on planets that can be considered astrologically significant. Jupiter's "Great Red Spot" orbits Jupiter roughly once every 10 hours, so once every 10 hours it's pointed towards Earth. This great "Eye of the Heavens" is larger than the entire Earth, and can accentuate Jupiter's energy at the times when it's pointed towards us. Similarly, features like Olympus Mons on Mars (the tallest volcano and mountain on any planet in the solar system, which is 2.5 times the height of Mt. Everest) can accentuate Mars' energy once every 25 hours, when it's pointed towards Earth.

Note that both Jupiter's Great Red Spot and Mars' Olympus Mons are similar, in that they're a major energy center or chakra of the planet. Every planet is largely liquid (even those with rocky or gas surfaces) and its spinning produces physical vortexes. On planetary scales, every planet will tend to produce a large vortex at 19.47 degrees north or south latitude. That point is as if a tetrahedron were inscribed inside of the planet with one point at a pole, which will make one of the other points of the tetrahedron be at 19.47 degrees, and coincide with the position of the vortex. Most planets have visible features at this location (i.e. in large gaseous planets you tend to get a large stormy spot, and in planets with a hard crust you tend to get large volcanoes). For example, Earth has Mauna Kea in Hawaii at 19.47 degrees north, which is also the tallest mountain on Earth (taller than Mt. Everest) when measured from base to top (because most of the Hawaiian mountains are underwater). Mars has Olympus Mons at 19.47 degrees, Jupiter has its Great Red Spot at 19.47 degrees, and Neptune has its Great Dark Spot at 19.47 degrees. Interestingly, the main crater of Olympus Mons has moved slightly over the eons (in which there's the main crater, and other much older craters nearby), and the same can be seen in Hawaii with its active volcanoes on the Big Island and its other more weathered islands leading away from it. This suggests that as a planet's axis wobbles, the vortex moves to the new 19.47 degree spot.

Proposed planet names for the Trappist-1 system.

Exoplanet Astrology

"Fractal astrology" isn't only about planetary moons circling their planets, just as planets circle our Sun. The concepts of fractal astrology also apply when considering the influence of other star systems. Fixed stars have been a part of astrology for centuries, however only recently has science discovered and been able to measure the presence of exoplanets, or other planets orbiting these stars.

Since 1992, over 4000 confirmed exoplanets have been detected in over 3000 star systems. For example, the Trappist-1 system (39 light years away from our solar system) has seven exoplanets detected so far, three of which are in the "habitable zone". That means any or all three of those planets may house extraterrestrial life!

Just as moons transiting over a planet modify and accentuate its energy, so too do conjunctions of an exoplanet transiting over the surface of its star modify and accentuate its energy. Interpretations of stars are currently static and generic, since they move so slowly. However, if one considers a star's planets, then it can make their interpretations more detailed, and it can also indicate time periods when the star's energy is more prominent.

Exoplanets are just being discovered, so astrological software doesn't have data on their orbital periods yet. However, astronomy sites can already calculate when exoplanets transit stars. Beyond calculation, it will take time to learn about exoplanets' physical and and spiritual properties, in order to understand how they astrologically affect their star. Still, it's important to realize that exoplanets will likely become a major part of astrology in the decades and centuries to come! :-)

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