Astronomy for Astrologers
West Point - A point on the horizon, to the west of the
observer, where the prime vertical plane intersects the
horizon.
Astronomy of Astrology: The Earth's Tilt
The Earth moves, in the plane of the ecliptic, around the
Sun center. The diagram shows the earth at the
moment of the summer and winter solstices—at the two
equinoxes. You will notice that the Earth does not ‘sit-
up-straight’ in its own orbit. The polar axis (the line of
the North and South Poles) is forever tilted away from
the plane of the Earth's orbit. This 'tilt' or angle is the
whole of the difference between the ecliptic (zodiac)
system of coordinates and the equatorial system. If the
Earth were not tilted, the two systems would be identical.
As it is, there is a difference between longitudes
measured along the ecliptic and longitudes measured
along the equator in right ascension.