Astronomy for Astrologers
(backward), until today, they are almost an entire sign
(30°) off.
Solstices – Are the longest and shortest days of the
year, times when the Sun reaches its greatest angular
distance from the equator. The longest day is the
summer solstice (around June 21), and the shortest day
is the winter solstice (around December 22). These two
are reversed in the southern hemisphere.
Solstice Points – Are the instances when the Sun is at
either the summer or the winter solstice.
Equinoxes (Spring and Fall) - These are the instances
when Sun crosses the celestial equator at either its
ascending node (Spring Equinox, about March 21) or at
its descending node (Fall Equinox, September 23). At
the Spring Equinox the Sun moves north of the ecliptic
plane, while at the fall Equinox it moves from north to
south.
Spring Equinox (Vernal Equinox)
Fall Equinox (Autumnal Equinox)
Zero Aries - The intersection of the celestial equator and
the ecliptic. This point undergoes a very slow backward
movement.
Colures - There are two, the equinoctial colure and the
solstitial colure. The equinoctial colure is the hour circle
that passes through the vernal and autumnal equinoctial
points (RA 0h and 12 h). The solstitial colure is the hour
circle that passes through the summer and winter
solstices (0° points of the tropical zodiac signs Cancer
and Capricorn at RA 6h and 18h).