tasks. Interestingly enough, one of these was the forming of the United Astrology
Congress (or UAC, continuing today as the United Astrology Conference) with the
International Society for Astrological Research (ISAR) and NCGR. The triennial
UAC, perhaps the largest gathering of astrologers in the world, embodies many of the
reforms demanded by the dissidents who created AFAN.
AFAN continues to provide legal assistance to astrologers in need and works
with them to overturn antiquated local ordinances. In recent years, other projects
have included monitoring the media through its Media Watch committee (now of
course encompassing the Internet), and promoting International Astrology Day
(IAD) on the Spring Equinox each year. AFAN actually founded this yearly event,
which recognizes astrologers and educates the public about astrology. Though IAD
began as a fundraising effort, it now includes informal gatherings, lectures, and other
events often sponsored by local groups. AFAN also conducted a highly successful
international book drive whereby books were donated and distributed throughout the
world. In addition, it has instituted a mentoring program to give younger or fledgling
astrologers the benefit of counsel and advice from more experienced astrologers.
Adapted with permission from A History of AFANat http://www.afan.org.ASTARTE
Astarte, asteroid 672 (the 672nd asteroid to be discovered, on September 21, 1908), is
approximately 19 kilometers in diameter and has an orbital period of 4.1 years.
Astarte was named after the Middle Eastern goddess, roughly equivalent to Venus,
also known as Ishtar. J. Lee Lehman associates Astarte with Venus and Aphrodite
(divinities of sex and fertility), asserting that this asteroid is more “primal” than the
other two. Jacob Schwartz gives the astrological significance of Astarte as “expressing
primal population controls through fertility and war.”
Sources:
Kowal, Charles T. Asteroids: Their Nature and Utilization.Chichester, West Sussex, UK: Ellis
Horwood Limited, 1988.
Lehman, J. Lee. The Ultimate Asteroid Book.West Chester, PA: Whitford Press, 1988.
Room, Adrian. Dictionary of Astronomical Terms.London: Routledge, 1988.
Schwartz, Jacob. Asteroid Name Encyclopedia.St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 1995.
ASTEROIDS
An asteroid (meaning starlike or small star) is one of thousands of small planets, 95
percent of whose orbits lie between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Some have irregular
orbits that carry them inside the orbit of Mars (the Apollo and Amor groups); some,
even inside the orbit of Mercury (Icarus), Earth and Venus (Bacchus and Apollo).
Others travel in the same orbital path as Jupiter (the Trojan asteroids). Initially, these
planetoids were given mythological names, but as telescopes increased in strength and
more and more asteroids were discovered, astronomers began naming them after
places (e.g., Pretoria, Toronto, and Arizona) and people (e.g., Jonathan Murray, Rock-
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Asteroids