Star of Bethlehem. Commonly conjectured to have been the conjunction of Saturn, Jupiter and Mars which
occurred about 2 B.C. It is supposed that the astrologers, the "wise men of the East," were endeavoring to
locate a child born at the point in terrestrial latitude and longitude from which this triple conjunction would
occur in the same celestial latitude and longitude, and in the midheaven of that particular geographical location.
As this was one of the grand mutations (q.v.) it was presumed that a child born at the exact place and hour that
would posit this important satellitium (q.v.) at the cusp of the Tenth House, would be marked by Destiny to
become the initiator of a new epoch in world history. It may be that the legend of the manger was devised as a
record of a birth, connotated to this grand conjunction in 2 B.C.
Stars. Stars were classified by the ancients as "fixed stars" to distinguish them from the "wandering" stars -
which, when their orbits were discovered, became known as planets, in that they revolve in a plane. Stars have
a proper motion of their own, but owing to their remoteness this motion could be measured only by
observations taken over a protracted period - far in excess of a mere lifetime. There is no reason why the term
should not now bc abandoned in favor of the simple designation of "star."
By some astrological authorities the stars are credited with an influence of their own, when in conjunction and
parallel with a planet, either at birth or in transit. A star of the first magnitude on the Ascendant or Midheaven
at birth is said to indicate that the native will become illustrious within his sphere of life - a "star" in social,
political, or commercial life. The two large stars, Aldebaran and Antares, which are in the tenth degree of
Gemini and Sagittarius, respectively, when directed to the angles of the horoscope, are said to produce periods
of severe stress. They are deemed more powerful when in the angles.
Those who include the stars in their delineations appear to agree that the influence is entirely confined to a
close conjunction with a birth planet to within from 2° to 5° in Longitude, and 1° in Latitude, and that it has no
influence by aspect. Certain individual degrees-of the zodiac appear to possess specific influences, and these
may have some connection with stars which tenant these degrees, even when untenanted by planets. Further
confirmation of this theory is to be found in a work by Salmon, wherein he divided each sign into six Faces of
5 degrees each, "because in every sign there are various stars of differing natures." v. Degrees, Individual.
Stars visible to the unaided eye number less than five thousand. Those near Polaris can be seen only in the
Northern Hemisphere, while the Southern Cross and nearby stars can be seen only from the Southern
Hemisphere.
Stationary. A planet appears to be stationary in its orbit at that point, or station, from which it reverses its
motion from direct to retrograde, or the reverse. The Sun and Moon are never stationary. v. Stations.
Stations. Those points in the orbit of a planet where it becomes either retrograde or direct; so termed because it
remains stationary there for a few days before it changes its course. The first station is where it becomes
retrograde; the second station, where it abandons retrograde and resumes direct motion. From these Stations
orientality is reckoned. From apogee to the first station it is matutine, because it rises in the morning before the
Sun, hence is in the first degree of orientality. From the first station to perigee, the lowest apsis, it is vespertine,
because it rises in the evening before Sunset, hence is in the first degree of occidentality.