astrology—were more “fated” than the actions of individuals. Because of the clear dis-
tinction that Aquinas drew between groups and individuals, it has been said that he
was the first person to distinguish natal astrology from mundane astrology.
Sources:
Baigent, Michael, Nicholas Campion, and Charles Harvey. Mundane Astrology.2d ed. London:
Aquarian Press, 1992.
Brau, Jean-Louis, Helen Weaver, and Allan Edmands. Larousse Encyclopedia of Astrology.New
York: North American Library, 1980.
ARA
Ara, asteroid 849 (the 849th asteroid to be discovered, on February 9, 1912), is
approximately 152 kilometers in diameter and has an orbital period of 5.6 years. Ara
was named after the American Relief Administration (ARA) and represents the giv-
ing of aid. In a natal chart, its sign and house position indicates where and how one is
most likely to give aid or to be aided by others. When afflicted by inharmonious
aspects, Ara may indicate lack of aid or giving aid for the purpose of self-aggrandize-
ment or as a manipulation.
Sources:
Kowal, Charles T. Asteroids: Their Nature and Utilization.Chichester, West Sussex, UK: Ellis
Horwood Limited, 1988.
Room, Adrian. Dictionary of Astronomical Names.London: Routledge, 1988.
Schwartz, Jacob. Asteroid Name Encyclopedia.St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 1995.
ARABICPARTS
The Arabic Parts are arithmetically derived points on the ecliptic (the path the Sun,
from our terrestrial perspective, appears to travel during the course of a year) that rep-
resent the synthesis of two or more astrological components (e.g., planets, house
cusps, or even other Arabic Parts). The longitudinal distance between them is mea-
sured and then projected from a meaningful point in the astrological chart, usually the
ascendant. The degree, minute, and second of zodiacal longitude, this distance
reached is called the part. Modern astrological texts (post-1800) usually do not distin-
guish between diurnal and nocturnal charts (astrological charts—be they natal,
horary, electional, or other—are erected for times when the Sun is above the horizon
or diurnal, or below the horizon or nocturnal), yet the original practice was to do so in
most, if not all, cases. Thus, in diurnal charts the formula is often different from that
in nocturnal charts.
For example, the most commonly used Arabic Part, the Pars Fortunae(Part of
Fortune), is found in a diurnal figure (a traditional term for an astrological chart) by
taking the distance from the Sun to the Moon, in the order of the signs, and projecting
it from the ascendant, also in the order of the signs. Let it be assumed that the ascen-
dant of a native born in the daytime with 12 Pisces 30 rising has the Sun at 4 Aquarius
46 in the eleventh house and the Moon at 0 Taurus 15. The distance between the
THEASTROLOGYBOOK [39]
Arabic Parts