Cusp (astrology)

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In astrology, a cusp (from the Latin for spear or point) is the imaginary line that separates a pair of consecutive signs in the zodiac or houses in the horoscope. [1]

Because the solar disc has a diameter of approximately half a degree, it is possible for the Sun to straddle the cusp as it moves across the sky. When this occurs at the moment of their birth, such a person is said to be "born on the cusp," and some interpretations of astrology hold that their life is influenced by the characteristics of both signs. For example, someone born when the Sun (by convention the point at the centre of the Solar disc) was located at 29 degrees, 50 minutes Gemini is said to have been born on the cusp of Gemini and Cancer, for much of the Solar disc was actually in Cancer even though its centre was in Gemini. [2]

Although the term "cusp" is universally used for the boundaries of signs, not all astrologers agree that an object can ever be included in more than one sign. Many consider relevant only the location of the Sun's centre, which must be entirely in one sign, and would describe the natal Sun in the example above as simply being in Gemini. If late degrees of Gemini are considered to have a Cancer-like character, such astrologers would describe that as simply the nature of that part of Gemini rather than some influence spilling over from the next sign. In this view, in order to discover what sign the Sun was in, the exact time must be considered. [3] [ citation needed ]

On the other hand, astrologers who consider objects "on the cusp" to be meaningfully different from objects entirely in one sign may apply such a description even when no part of the object crosses the boundary into the other. These astrologers may consider the Sun to be "on the cusp" even when its centre is as much as two degrees away from the sign boundary. They may also call other objects (much less than half a degree in diameter) "on the cusp" despite no part of the object being in the adjacent sign. Their claim is that the influence of the cusp weakens but does not suddenly disappear as the object gets further from the cusp. [4]

A similar debate applies to cusps between houses.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ascendant</span> Ascending sign in astrology

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sidereal and tropical astrology</span> Forms of astrology

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Astrological sign</span> Twelve 30° sectors of the ecliptic, as defined by Western astrology

In Western astrology, astrological signs are the twelve 30-degree sectors that make up Earth's 360-degree orbit around the Sun. The signs enumerate from the first day of spring, known as the First Point of Aries, which is the vernal equinox. The astrological signs are Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces. The Western zodiac originated in Babylonian astrology, and was later influenced by the Hellenistic culture. Each sign was named after a constellation the sun annually moved through while crossing the sky. This observation is emphasized in the simplified and popular sun sign astrology. Over the centuries, Western astrology's zodiacal divisions have shifted out of alignment with the constellations they were named after by axial precession of the Earth while Hindu astrology measurements correct for this shifting. Astrology was developed in Chinese and Tibetan cultures as well but these astrologies are not based upon the zodiac but deal with the whole sky.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Age of Aquarius</span> Astrology term

The Age of Aquarius, in astrology, is either the current or forthcoming astrological age, depending on the method of calculation. Astrologers maintain that an astrological age is a product of the Earth's slow precessional rotation and lasts for 2,160 years, on average.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Exaltation (astrology)</span> Form of dignity for a planet

In astrology, exaltation is one of the five essential dignities of a planet. The exaltation is a place of awareness for the planet, whereas the fall is a position of weakness concerning the function of the planet.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aries (astrology)</span> First astrological sign of the zodiac

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gemini (astrology)</span> Third astrological sign of the zodiac

Gemini (♊︎) is the third astrological sign in the zodiac. Under the tropical zodiac, the sun transits this sign between about May 21 to June 21. Gemini is represented by the twins, Castor and Pollux, known as the Dioscuri in Greek mythology. It is known as a positive, mutable sign.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Capricorn (astrology)</span> Tenth astrological sign of the zodiac

Capricorn(♑︎) is the tenth astrological sign in the zodiac out of twelve total zodiac signs, originating from the constellation of Capricornus, the goat. It spans the 270–300th degree of the zodiac, corresponding to celestial longitude. Under the tropical zodiac, the sun transits this area from around December 22 to January 19. Capricorn is one of the three earth signs, alongside Virgo and Taurus, a negative sign, and one of the four cardinal signs. Capricorn is ruled by the planet Saturn and its opposite sign is Cancer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stars in astrology</span> Stars in sidereal and tropical astrology

In astrology, certain stars are considered significant. Historically, all of the various heavenly bodies considered by astrologers were considered "stars", whether they were stars, planets, other stellar phenomena like novas and supernovas, or other solar system phenomena like comets and meteors.

In astrology, planets have a meaning different from the astronomical understanding of what a planet is. Before the age of telescopes, the night sky was thought to consist of two similar components: fixed stars, which remained motionless in relation to each other, and moving objects/"wandering stars", which moved relative to the fixed stars over the course of the year(s).

References

  1. Riske, Kris Brandt (2010). Llewellyn's complete book of astrology : the easy way to learn astrology. Woodbury, Minn.: Llewellyn Publications. p. 20. ISBN   978-0-7387-1724-1. OCLC   698085502.
  2. Geller, Lindsay (2019-07-29). "What It Really Means If You're Born On The Cusp Of Two Zodiac Signs". Women's Health. Retrieved 2020-05-19.
  3. Backlund, R. (2022, August 20). StyleCaster. StyleCaster. https://stylecaster.com/cusp-astrology/
  4. Lewis, James R. (2003). The astrology book : the encyclopedia of heavenly influences. Lewis, James R. (Second ed.). Detroit: Visible Ink Press. p. 192. ISBN   978-1-57859-246-3. OCLC   427511178.